How Does My Garden Grow? With Friends like Family and Family like Friends!

Oh, I love your story, Jane, and I can almost imagine what kind of person your father was. I am told that gardeners have a very mellow and down-to-earth personality. So if his "hobby" was gardening, I think he planted little seeds of hope for you and your sisters. :) Jane Collins

You and your sisters talk fondly about working your father's garden, and my children already talk fondly about all the hubbies that hubby and I have, which are many. lol!

Thank you for stopping by, dear friend!

~Virginia

Jane Collins Wow, Jane. Love the story and the way you presented it. How little patience we have for the "grand plan" of things when we are young, sometimes....such wonderful memories you have. Much Love, Fondly, Robin

GaelMc Thank you, Gael, and I really enjoyed writing it! :)

That is beautiful, Isabel. Thank you! But of course you would share such words of deep thought and feeling. And I appreciate them! :) Isabel_Anders

Hugs dear friend,

It is such a fulfilling feeling when we are able to welcome new people into our "family circle of trust" (from "Meet the Fockers") and share a piece of ourselves with others. :) Laine Griffin

HomeRearedChefLaine Griffin Ha-Ha! LOVE the circle of trust...

SunbonnetSmart.com "Virginia Garden Seed." I like that, Robin, thank you. And I hear you, to everything there is a season, I know.

Thank you for your very kind words, Amiga.

Lots of love and BIG hugs!

Don't know tennismama, but just read her comment and realize we are thinking alike. Maybe we are both the same kind of flowering plant!

I think you gals just might be of the same plant! By the way, tennismama writes a lot about food and travel. You both like to travel! :) elaineR.N.

My, my, that I "have friends who love [me] who won't wilt with the frost or get lost in the move!" How beautiful and poetic is that? Thank you, dearest friend, for your heart is warm and kind, a white mum (my absolute favorite flower) in the center of my bouquet. :) elaineR.N.

tennismama This is yet another garden we leave behind. We've had to move like 7 times in the past 13 years. This is our 4th garden we've worked on that we've had to abandon. Sigh! Maybe someday...before we lose all our teeth. LOL!

I am tempted to build a small greenhouse this time (so the deer that live on the property don't eat our stuff). Hubby and I are thinking about it.

victorias_view Thank you! But this is yet another garden I leave behind. Sigh! My honeys and I did so enjoy our garden; we always worked it together. :)

HomeRearedChef On the bright side you have a citrus oasis to nurture with your love :)

victorias_view You remembered! How awesome is that? Yes, now I am thinking of writing a chicken recipe with sauteed citrus. More to come in the near future. :)

HomeRearedChef I look forward to that :)

victorias_view May I ask your name, please? I should name the recipe after you! :)

HomeRearedChef Hahaha! My name is Darcie and it is not very recipe worthy ;)

victorias_view Oh, but I beg to differ, Darcie (and I like the name! Not common at all.), it is most certainly worthy of a title for a recipe. If I've learned nothing from my reading blogs, your blogs for instance, I've at least learned that you like sweets. So there you go! :)

HomeRearedChef Thank you! My mother wanted to name me Tomasina but fortunately my father put his foot down and insisted - I was not a cat!

It is amazing what we learn about each other from reading blogs! We share so much and I do love my sweets ;)

victorias_view Tomasina? Though it is a pretty and very different name, the first thing I thought of was the cat in the movie. lol! You must love your father for saving you when you couldn't save yourself? :)

KarenLynnn Yes, the garden we've left behind when we moved yet again! I had gotten a hold of a couple of hard-to-find bougainvilleas and wisterias. I left them with a broken heart (we've lost so many rare collections with all our many moved throughout the years. Sigh!).

I think this year I am not planting anything, not even my tomatoes. My heart and desire have fled. :)

HomeRearedChefKarenLynnn

When I was divorced, a home was given up that had 20 years of lilacs, lavender, honeysuckle and roses. It hurt. My friend, do what I had to do....look at the new yard like a blank canvas and create, yet again. Some of us have had to redo so many times, it gets old, but we cannot stop, either. Do container gardening, also. It may make you feel safer, knowing IF it happens again, you can take your containers with you. Big hugs....Reda

Reda Reda, you are such a sweetheart...and you've succeeded in lifting my spirits. Thank you! I've lost so many beautiful collections (Harry Lauders, Chocolate Persimmons, rare orchids..., to name a few), and I've cried for all our losses. But God know why we go through what we do. Sigh. To Him be the Glory. :)

Thank you, my friend, for stopping by to read and comment.

Big hugs,

HomeRearedChef

I have lost also. I truly know how it feels. When I see something at the store that I know I once owned, but was ripped from me, it truly puts me in a state for awhile. Loss is loss, no matter how it comes about....the hurt is hard on us. ...be it a home, a plant, a cookie cutter! We will keep lifting prayers for peace in our hearts....that the pain will subside. One day, it will. God always gives us double for our losses.

Reda Yes, He does. AMEN! :)

HomeRearedChefReda

And remember you have left a beautiful gift for the next family that will enjoy the garden created by you Ms. V. Hugs, Kary

cookingwithkary Wise words for me to remember, Kary, and a great comfort to my heart, knowing that it will be appreciated. Thank you for those words, good friend. :)

Big hugs back at you!

isthisthemiddle OOh, Melanie, my Melanie, you have a way with words yourself. And you, a teacher, my inspiration, have given me a great compliment. Thank you, Querida Amiga!

Now I need to go and see if you've posted. You did sign up for February's NaBloPoMo, right?

HomeRearedChef Yes, I did sign up. Not posting them all here at BlogHer, though. For Saturday I have one about menopause that I hope you will like!

isthisthemiddle Sorry! I keep forgetting to check on Blogger. I will do that tonight. :)

souschef I got it! Thank you!!

Love, respect and appreciation from all sides. :)

Hugs dear friend, and thank you for taking the time to comment.