Life in the Blogosphere - What a Wild Ride!

It's another + 90 degree day in IL, so I opted to do my 'gardening' on the Blogosphere instead of pulling dandelions out of the gardens (they'll be there tomorrow...).  I've gotten a little sentimental (Ok, a lot) and have been taking a short trip down memory lane.....

The 'Blogosphere'
(Image from the creative minds at Google)

A mere 7 months ago, this place called the Blogosphere barely registered on my radar screen.  It was an untapped world...  A friend recommended creating a blog as a forum for my 'gardening journey' (thanks Anita!).  I was reconstructing the greenery in my yard - so why not document the work, since I was starting from scratch.   There is NO WAY I could have had a clue what doors (...windows ...avenues ...roadways ...networks) it would open?!!!

"OMG - NO way!"

The garden blogging community reaches far and wide.  You folks are amazing, creative and generous.  There have been online mentors, like Jean:  Jean's Garden (ME). She was my very first garden blogger who left a comment, suggested joining garden blog communities like:  Blotanical and generously featured me on her blog list "Blogs of the Month" in March 2010.  She is a 'power blogger' and has introduced so many garden blogs to the community.

Who knew you could actually FIND a graphic like this on Google-Image?!!

There are veteran gardeners like: Dakota Garden (SD) and:  Hoe and Shovel (FL) that came by, sharing 'construction/renovation' projects of their own.

"Home" September 2007
(There had been gardens in there - somewhere!?!)

There are bloggers that make me laugh out loud (humor in gardening - how cool is that?), like:  Crystal Coast Gardener  (NC) and: The Idiot Gardener (who hails from the UK).

...laughing out loud...

There are garden bloggers that encourage and rally fellow gardeners with comments and memes, like: Garden In Paradise  (FL), Deb's Garden (GA), May Dreams Garden (IN) and Thanks for Today (VA).

Nurturing new growth

There are garden bloggers who's focus is on native and eco-friendly gardening:  Leaping Greenly, Mr. McGregor's Daughter and Restoring the Landscape with Native Plants ... and garden bloggers that bring regional flair to the Blogosphere: Dung hoe (CO),  The Deep Middle (NB), Deborah's Garden (FL), A Gardener in Progress (WA) illic est haud equus quoque mortuus barruo (OH)  and Obsessive Neurotic Gardener (NJ).

http://soul-amp.blogspot.com/2008/10/strange-glass-earth-globe-led-photo-art.html

International garden bloggers are fascinating to a semi-native Midwest girl like me -- and opened up a world 'far, far, away', like My Dry Tropics Garden (Australia),  Gippsland Gardener (Australia), Elephant's Eye Garden (Africa) and Our French Garden (France).  I love that Australia is enjoying the opposite season we do!  As the Americas and United Kingdom head into fall, friends in Australia are heading into spring.

Illinois topo
(courtesy of Google.com)

Then there are the artisan gardeners - those folks that bring a whole different expertise right to PC's like mine!  They have businesses, master certifications, websites and Facebook pages!  Blogs like:  Curbstone Valley Farms (CA),  The Galloping Gardener (UK), Gardens of Petersonville (CA)  Recreating Eden Landscape (GA),  Stone Art Blog (IRE) and Wall Flower Studio Seeds (CAN).


Speaking of artisans, gardens aren't the only place to find magic.  A gifted man here in Illinois designs and creates custom furniture - the likes I have never seen.  Barry uses the original tools of the trade - carried through the centuries.  In your online travels, check out his website:  Barry Newstat Furniture (IL)

Visit "Barry Newstat Furniture"
(A phenomenal artisan who makes custom furniture here in IL)

So now you know - this is how my mind wraps itself around the garden bloggers I follow and read, kind of by categories .  (I need a bit of structure, otherwise my mind might implode!).  There are many, many more talented, inspiring garden bloggers out there... I recently found: This Grandmother's Garden.  It's a whole new world - I promise I will be exploring more!

A few weeks ago, I added the "Blog Hop" gadget to my blog page (thanks to the Obsessive Neurotic Gardener).  As of this moment it's up to 123 blogs listed.  It's opened up another whole new door of blog links, and I've only hit the tip of the 'iceberg' on this resource.  I checked out the following blog link, and it got me started on another thought process - antique finishes in the garden:  Bella's Rose Cottage - Gazebo tour.  I am not super girly, with lace and bows, but I really appreciate clever design - Bella's Gazebo is so well done.

I love that the Blogosphere makes this BIG old world just a bit smaller!  (I have so much to learn... and SO much more garden work to be done...  D@mn dandelions!)   

...Happy gardening....     --Shyrlene