Over the next several days, some of us will be driving off to see relatives and friends for a big Thanksgiving feast.
You might be a gardening geek when it comes to driving if…
You keep a couple of big plastic bags and a small shovel in your trunk just in case you end up someplace where someone offers you some passalong plants.
Your traveling companion has to constantly tell you to “stay on the road” because your car seems to veer slightly off the road every time you pass a pretty tree or shrub or garden.
You plan your driving route so that you end up going by a nursery or garden center that is just a bit out of the way. When you get close to it, you act surprised and suggest to everyone in the car that you might as well stop there for just a minute to see what they have.
Your passengers automatically pack food, water, games, books and other diversions to kill time because they long ago figured out that “just a minute” in a gardening center is the equivalent of at least an hour to a regular person.
You plan your driving route to go by a special garden you like to see and then slow down to a crawl as you actually drive by it, causing at least three or more cars to back up behind you.
You have a bumper sticker on your car that says “Honk If You Are A Gardener” and think how nice it is that there are so many gardeners behind you as you slow down to see that special garden.
You can’t believe there isn’t a station on satellite radio that plays all gardening shows all the time so you download dozens of podcasts of gardening shows to listen to on the drive to Thanksgiving dinner, much to the “delight” of your non-gardening passengers.
And finally, you might be a gardening geek when it comes to driving if…
You have a special direction on your compass marked G for gardening, so that even when you are lost, you end up somehow at a garden.
I see that all roads lead to Indianapolis… must be some good gardens there…and we know of at least one! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get to see at least one or two gardens along the way.
I used to have a bumper sticker that said, "Practice Random Acts of Gardening." it was from Gardener's Supply.
I guess I'm a gardening geek. Big surprise here at Rosehaven. Dang.~~Dee
The honk if you are a gardener bumper sticker, almost made me snort my tea. That is hilarious!!!
Jen
LOL! I wish I were, but they're wise to me. I'm restricted to passenger status at this point, and they won't let me control the radio either. I mean, when else am I going to be anywhere near Sid's Greenhouses? But will they let me stop there? Nooo.
You know, that actually is a good idea, to have a radio station with just gardening shows…uh oh, I think I just qualified. How about planning vacations around cities that have botanic gardens? Okay, I admit, I'm one of them!
How about if you pack your car with bags of beans, potatoes, carrots and other fresh veggies from your garden for Thanksgiving dinner at your relative's house?? (Well, that's not ME, 'cause I don't have a nice veggie garden–plus, this time of year they wouldn't be growing anyway)…but, it's a nice thought, don't you agree? ;~}
I'm certainly guilty of a few of those. When the kids were younger, I could get away with taking them to walk around the garden center, because they were happy to ride around in the sunshine in the huge buggy, and they liked the little pond there, too.
No bumper stickers here, have had traffic back up though..
I am already wondering what garden centers I can visit while I'm in RI for the holiday! Thanks for the reminder to take my Navigon/gps along with me! gail must pack extra suitcase!
This post is so funny because it relates to me. Me, Mother and aunt are very guilty of doing this particularly in the spring and summer.
We have to remind ourselves all the time that we have Groceries in the trunk that may spoil!..
Because it's always my aunt who says..this will only take a minute.
If only there were such a compass.
Having actually driven around with you, I'd add another bumper sticker that says, "I brake for plants". Remember the times we'd stop, jump out of the car, and take a photo…or wish that we were on a place in the highway where we could?
I'd also add: Have an iPhone app for plant identification so that when we are in a different climate we can immediately answer the "What is that plant?" questions.
With each new definition you give, Carol, I realize I now officially qualify as a gardening geek. Beckie and I pulled over on a country road this summer–on our way to a garden center–to check out some wildflowers in the ditch. Who knew that road had so much traffic?? One kind lady thought we were having car trouble and stopped and asked if we needed assistance:)
The family is coming here for Thanksgiving, so I won't be tempted to detour for any gardens this weekend.
Ha ha ha! Right on target as usual, Carol… Do you mind if I illustrate this one too? It has given me an idea for a drawing…
So wow, I didn't know, but I guess I am a gardening geek. Safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving. H.
I won't be driving to our Thanksgiving destination, but these apply when I get behind the wheel.
It can be even worse when you fly!
No Garden centers to visit on my Thanksgiving trip since they are closed, but I will be visiting the Arboretum and the Como Park Conservatory while I am there! My bumper sticker is "Compost Happens" but it is stuck on my file cabinet since it is not allowed on the car.
I must confess to the crime. I do love plants. I always keep the plastic and burlap in the trunk in case I have to stop unexpectedly for plants.
Guilty x number of "You might be a gardening geek" ifs. Thank you for providing proof to some members of my family that I'm not the only one like this.
At least I am in good company in geekdom. And WHY isn't there an all-gardening channel on the radio? I have been longing for one for ages! There are all basketball channels afterall! Happy Holidays.
I can add one: When you are driving along and a garden shop appears and your family all yell as one, "Nooo! Keep driving! Faster! Faster!"