Nurturing a family is similar to gardening.
I have not shared anything this personal in the 18 months that I have blogged about gardening.
To me, my family that I nurture extends to friends who I deeply love. Friends, to me, are life giving. One young friend joined us again at my son’s birthday party, today, for the sixth year in a row. She is featured prominently in each photo I share with you here. Too fun. She’s forever indebted to be at Asa’s birthday party until he is at least 16. Just kidding, Serena.
I’ve decided to go against the garden blog cultural norms and share something personal with you all. I feel there were a couple of reasons to get extra-personal this mid-July.
Nope. Sorry, no PRG plant sex tapes or anything, but I want to offer everyone a brief explanation for my recent absence and what may continue for some time to be my quiet on the blog as I allow my partner and friends to take the reigns for me for a while. And I think, this personal thing makes sense, as PRG becomes less about Laura, and more about a wonderful community of PA gardeners, horticulturalists and kindred spirits.
People tell me, “Oh I kill every plant I bring home.” And I tell them that all you need for a green thumb is the dedication to pay adequate attention to the signals
your plants are sending you.
It’s so easy to ignore your plants. It’s also easy to bury your face in work and ignore your family. Can’t say I ignored my family. But I expected my family to have my back a little more than they did.
I thought my family understood why I was working so hard. I thought they knew I had all our interests in heart and I expected them to support me as I strove to completely change my career from photography manager to garden communicator.
Well, turns out, my family was used to a lot of nurturing. My husband, in particular. And when I turned my attention back to myself and to reinventing myself, everyone wilted. Eventually, wilting ME to the core.
So, I have to take care of my roots right now. To make sure I can overwinter and come back in the spring strong.
As I’ve SO appreciated you visiting us here, I SO appreciate all the love I’ve been shown by my contributing bloggers and now, as she has been functioning in this role for months, my partner, Wendy Brister. More on that change down the road. But for now, just let me say, she has my back. And I am thrilled to be able to share her knowledge and fun passion with you.
And now the fun part. One young friend joined us again today. She’s in each of these photos with my son as he has celebrated his birthday. Chronologically, they started at the top with today.
3 Comments
Laura, the stronger the woman–the stronger the family. You are already successful and that talent stays at the top—your family is rich because of who you are. I can tell you that motherhood, being a wife, and being a plant nurturer only gets better with age and each feeds the other. You are only at the beginning and your passion for everything will grow cause that is who you are.
Life is full of opportunity and you are not gonna miss it I promise—you’ve got talent that spans every generation for all time—there is plenty of time for success to come your way even greater than you’ve already experienced. It builds on itself and there is no time frame.
Big hugs to you!
Those are some great pictures! Looks like some good memories. I hope you get everything sorted out. It’s hard to change everything all at once. But with regular care it will turn out just fine. Don’t forget to water
Doesn”t Serena look like the Mona Lisa in this last photo!!! xo