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Spring Fling not only let us welcome those who'd come as visitors to Austin but also allowed local bloggers to meet, many for the first time. Driving around together is a great way to bond as map-flapping passengers 'help' the drivers navigate Austin roads and everyone talks at once! Before my forehead hits the keyboard I'd like to shout out to my road buddies, Rachel In Bloom, VDBD of Playin' Outside, Lori from the Gardener of Good and Evil, Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening and her cool friend Cynthia, darling Dawn of Suburban Wildlife Garden, and the super-human Pam/Digging.
Some plants refused to follow the Spring Fling schedule, hoarding blooms until today ...May Dreams Carol - this is how the 'Julia Child' rose was supposed to look when you were here! [Although my camera doesn't want to take normal photos, the flower icon for close-up still works.] While I recover from this wonderful weekend let's welcome a guest blogger. Susan Albert will bring her Nightshade Blog tour to the Transplantable Rose, sharing her thoughts on Unbecoming A Gardener on Tuesday, April 8th.
As an Austin-area author/blogger, Susan joined us at Spring Fling - one of the warm and wonderful people who stepped off the screen and into our lives.
Annie, it's a nice surprise to see your pretty face showing under your big hats nowadays, rather than hidden by it.
ReplyDeleteIt was beyond fun to meet everyone, including Susan Albert. Like you, I'm exhausted, but in a good way.
Now I'll always think of the rose 'Julie Child' as one that blooms when she wants to, regardless of what the gardener wants. Flowers have minds of their own, don't they?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed, "stepping off the screen", out of the Internet, for a few days. A big Texas-sized Thank You to you and all the Austin bloggers for wonderful hospitality.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Great photo of you and Susan Albert. It makes me think...in many ways, although we talk about the connectivity provided by the internet, we also use it as a veil. Now, we have met face-to-face and that veil has been pulled away.
ReplyDeleteAn incredible experience!
I hope you get rested up soon Annie. Sounds like you all had too much fun. I can just hear all the clamoring of garden talk. It is great seeing you and all the other bloggers too. Sure wish I could have been there. Gardens often seem to keep special blooms to themselves. I am glad Julia Child decided to show herself too.
ReplyDeletesounds like a great time was had by all! Wish I coulda been there too. I'm enjoying reading the posts by those who were there. Julia Child clearly has a mind of her own!
ReplyDeleteDear Annie, it was a pleasure to meet you and Susan Albert being there was one of many highlights to the trip. Head hitting the keyboard is an apt description of the feeling after arriving home and trying to look at some blogs. Better today and full of memories that can be savored slowly.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Annie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight to meet you...that is a lovely photo of you and Susan Albert. I have new gardening friends and a new author to read. Thank you for adding your charm to this remarkable experience.
Gail
Delighted to have met you, Annie. The gardens were wonderful, but meeting bloggers face to face was the best part.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been fun to meet you. I would have been ducking behind you in the group photo, I'm sure. Cut yourself a bouquet of Julies and get some rest.
ReplyDeleteAnnie: Love the hat! Great photo and can't wait to hear more of your exploits!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great time you all seemed to have--no wonder you're exhausted! :)
ReplyDeleteEven those of us who didn't get to share in the fun are benefiting, by the way. I'm discovering all kinds of new blogs and bloggers that I didn't know before.
ps. Julia Child is a very beautiful rose. And it's very fitting that she blooms as she pleases!
You were tireless during the event, Pam - but sure deserve some R & R now! I'm glad the tired is a good tired.
ReplyDeleteKathy, Cynthia, Lori & I didn't part until about 6 PM Sunday... this was a 4 day party!
I guess the original 'Julia Child' had a mind of her own, too, Carol - thank you so much for deciding to be real instead of fictional ;-]
I'm not sure if this photo was taken by Carol or by Cold Climate Kathy - several people tried to make my camera work and a couple of the photos were okay. That was hard because what you see through the viewfinder is not what shows up as the image!
Your veil idea is very interesting, MSS, - now that we're back at our computers, will we create new layers to replace the ones we've voluntarily held away from our faces?
Lisa at Greenbow, I'm sorry you weren't able to come - and hope there will be a next time!
Maybe the problem was that the plants are finally getting into the swing of being in bloom for the 15th, and didn't feel like changing their schedule?
It was a most amazing weekend, garden girl - and we all see things in a slightly different way... I'm enjoying all the posts, too!
Hello Frances - thank you for enduring airplanes to get here! It was fun to find out how many of us were Susan Albert fans, wasn't it?
While you were going home, some of us were still running around to nurseries together... I am toast today.
It was fun to meet you, too Gail! Susan was gracious enough to pose and I'm quite thrilled with this memento. You bought one of the Cottage Tales, right? Dawn has convinced me I should read them, too.
We had to yell a lot, but it was so much fun to meet and talk to you, Bill - thank you so much for making the trip to Austin!
If your ears were burning, ChuckB, it was a result of your fans bewailing your absence.
There's plenty of room behind me for hiding, and I still can't believe Carol was talked into standing on the chair.
I love Julia Child!
I like hats and this one is functional, Layanee - the sun is strong already. Sure wish your flight to Austin had materialized!
BlackswampKim, I'm glad you're meeting new blogs through Spring Fling even though you couldn't be here. Several of the Austin group found out they were relatively close, geographically speaking, a very nice surprise!
Thank you for the comments,
Annie
It is very enjoyable reading all the posts and seeing pictures from Spring Fling. I started looking for them on Sunday, but it sounds like everyone was plain wore out from too much fun and needed to stop for a moment before returning to the virtual world.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, one of the first things I did today now that I'm getting into the swing of things for the year was to visit your blog because I knew I would find an update about the Spring Fling. I wanted so much to be there and thought of you all often. It's great to read about it! Good work!
ReplyDeleteGaaa, I'm kicking myself for not attending. Sounds like a wonderful get-together!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, it was a real pleasure to meet you at Spring Fling! I enjoyed our genealogy discussion.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading more of your blog in the future!
Annie, you are one of the most welcoming, warm, generous, and knowledgeable ladies I have met in a loooooong time! Conversation with you is like a soothing tonic - it just washes all the stress away! Thanks for letting me join in with the bloggies (peckies!? - hehe!).
ReplyDeleteCynthia
I have to agree I enjoyed gabbing in the car more than some of the places we visited. Okay, I enjoyed gabbing everywhere, and didn't get to gab with near enough people.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think I ever touched your camera, so it was probably Carol who took the picture. I know I was posing with Susan for somebody's pictures, so I couldn't be the one holding the camera for those.
I love the photo, Annie, especially since I'm enjoying Thyme of Death at the moment. What fun to see you with the author whose book I'm reading, and then to enjoy her post here today as well!
ReplyDeleteThe Spring Fling sounds like it was a huge success, full of excitement, friendship and fun times. I had you all in my thoughts this weekend and was surprised and pleased to see a couple of posts already documenting the fun on Saturday . I'm going to love reading all about the great event.
Now ya'll have a good rest!!
P.S. Julie Child may be stubborn, but she sure is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
ReplyDeleteSounds like everyone had a great time at the bloggers Spring Fling, anxious to hear more!
Love pic of you and Susan Wittig Albert, how nice she could come too. It looks like you all had a wonderful time. Wish I could have been there too.
ReplyDeleteIt was so wonderful to meet you, even though I already felt like I knew you from all the comments back & forth. I wish I'd had more time in Austin - I really would've like to see yours & Zanthan gardens. BTW - I have a hard time reading/hearing "Julia Child" without remembering John Candy's great impression of her. LOL!
ReplyDeleteSweet Annie!
ReplyDeleteAs I said on my blog: Thank goodness you were in my car. If it weren't for you I'd still be looking for the James David Garden. ;-) You look marvelous in your photo my friend. Let's have lunch together you're fully rested and I've finished visiting every doctor in Austin. Heehee!
Love Ya Lady!
Dawn
It has been wonderful reading different accounts of Spring Fling. I so wish I could have been there, but I must say reading about it is the next best thing. That's a great photograph of you, Annie, with Susan Albert.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to meet after listening to you sing! I'm very glad we had the chance to chat--even if not enough.
ReplyDeleteSee you in Chicago!
Robin at Bumblebee
Wish I could have been there, Annie, but the blogging stories from all of you have been almost as good as being there! Next year, for sure.
ReplyDeleteHello Christopher - Elizabeth even live-blogged from Zanthan Gardens on Saturday. On Sunday many people were in transit. But I was with a group of people who kept on touring until nearly 6 PM on Sunday night. What a whirl!
ReplyDeleteHi Bev - there are so many posts! Hit the Spring Fling Button to get to the summary and links.
You shoulda been here Entangled! Now the talk is of another meet-up in Chicago.
I'm so glad we met Annaliese - and your photos of Zilker were fun!
Every word of this comment could be applied to you, Cynthia... but you also have "intrepid Austin Driver" on your resume, which is not on mine!!
You're a gifted gabber Kathy, and I agree - there wasn't enough time to talk to nearly 40 bloggers. We're all so glad you returned to Austin for the Fling! Carol must have been the one who made that camera work.
You're doing them in order, Kerri - I dived into the middle years ago and finally read Thyme of Death a few months ago!
Right now I'm reading Bleeding Hearts.
Uh, oh - y'all have been hanging out on the Texas blogs!
You probably won't be able to shut me up, Cargol - see you soon!
If the Chicago plans pan out, Yolanda Elizabet, you could visit the City of Big Shoulders ;-]
It would have been fun to have you here with us in Texas.
You got to some wonderful places, Mr Mc Gregor's Daughter, and of course I selfishly wish there'd been enough time for you to come up.
Oh no - you made me remember John Candy in drag as the sister in "Nothing But Trouble". John would be a sweet but overblown blossom!
Yes Dawn - I have half my brain cells and did my caregiver drive for the week. You need to see Julia in person and the purple iris opened this morning!
Kate smudges, we saw some things together and some separately and everyone had a different take in their account.
When one gets to meet a favorite author one wants some documentation!
You're not only a good writer and photographer, you're a good sport, pretty Robin of Bumblebee - I'm very glad we met.
I was there, Jodi, and am learning a great deal from the stories and photos - hope the next one will be a reality!
Thank you for all the comments!
Annie
I'm so jealous. I wish I could have been there. I would love to meet you Annie. Will you be coming to Blogher in San Francisco in July? It should be a great conference.
ReplyDeleteWill there be more pictures of the Spring Flingers?