Spring Fling guest list update
A month ago the Austin garden bloggers invited garden bloggers everywhere to our fair city for a Spring Fling on April 5. At the time I hoped that the local bloggers would make a good showing and a couple of out-of-towners might be willing to join us, but I never expected the number who have RSVP’d: 33 and still counting!
I posted a few weeks ago about the guest list, and it’s time to give you an update. Here are the most recent garden bloggers to tell us they’re traveling to the Fling:
Ledge and Gardens, Layanee in Rhode Island
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter, Barbara in Chicago
Faire Garden, Frances in Tennessee
Red Dirt Ramblings, Dee in Guthrie, Oklahoma
Idaho Gardener, Mary Ann in Idaho
Savannah Garden Diary, Karen in Savannah, Georgia
Greenfish Artist and Gardener, Laura in Covington, Louisiana
Lost Valley Gardens, Carol and Ron in Dripping Springs, TX
Lifescapes, Susan Wittig Albert in the Texas Hill Country
naturalfibers, Kathleen in Bandera, Texas
Nancy’s Garden Spot, Nancy in Houston
And several more Austin garden bloggers will be joining us too:
The Grackle, Lee
The Gardener of Good and Evil, Lori
Playin’ Outside, Vicki
Something About Blooming and Butterflies, Vivé
Plus we’re pleased to welcome honorary garden blogger Anne Marie Van Nest of Austin. Anne is president of the Garden Writers Association (GWA) , a freelance garden writer and horticultural editor, and author of Niagara in Bloom: The Gardens of the Niagara Parks.
As you can see, a lot of talent is represented here, as well as a great mix of new and more-experienced bloggers. Yet one thing bothers me a little: where are the men? Guys, we know you’re out there. I’m sure Bill, Tom, Ron, and Lee would like some company. Don’t be shy—come join us.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Wow, Pam, that’s a great turnout. Wish I could be there, but Austin is a long way from southern Ontario. And small world: Anne Marie van Nest used to be one local garden writers here before she moved to Texas. We miss her here, but thanks to the internet, it is a small world indeed.
Yvonne Cunnington
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com
Yvonne, thanks for dropping by. I found your blog, Country Gardener, on Blotanical’s current-posts page, and I really love your Piet Oudolf–inspired meadow.
I didn’t know that Anne used to be a garden writer in Ontario. Small world! Well, we’re glad to have her in Austin, and I look forward to meeting her in April. —Pam
Pam: Your last question resonated with me! I wish I could bring the Equipment Manager with me. We are both self-employed so someone has to work! I am so excited to be able to see the actual gardens of Austin bloggers and meet the artists who tend them in addition to so many from around the states. It is a wonderful opportunity to expand one’s gardening knowledge and I thank you and the team for making it possible!
Hi, Layanee. Some folks are bringing spouses and friends, whom we will perhaps meet at the Friday pre-event dinner. But on Saturday it’s just garden bloggers. And there are lots of male garden bloggers out there—not as many as female, perhaps, but they’re out there. We’d love for more of them to join the party. Meanwhile, I’m so glad that you are joining the party. Can’t wait to meet you! —Pam
Pam, This is going to be a fun weekend. I’m really look forward to meeting everyone.
Y’all know how to put together a party!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
And you are using “y’all” in anticipation of your Austin visit—I love it! Are you planning to get a cowboy hat while you’re here, Carol? 😉
Bluebonnets and Friends. A great reason to have a party, I think. I’ve read Susan Wittig Albert’s gardening mysteries. It will be fun to meet her too. Many of the others, I feel like I know them already because of our blogs. I love the gardening blogosphere.~~Dee
Me too, Dee. Having met the Austin garden bloggers in person, I can testify that meeting in person adds a whole other dimension to your online visits. You’ll be glad you came. —Pam
Your Spring Fling has encouraged me to come out of lurking, and to finally start my own gardening blog. It’s still a work in progress. I’ve kept pictures for the last couple of years so I may be doing a retrospective. But if you’ve still got room and will accept a newbie like me, I’d like to come.
Vertie at http://vertaustin.blogspot.com/
p.s. No, that’s not my real name. You’ll have to meet me to learn the real one.
Vertie, if you’ve lurked at Digging long enough, you know I’m a booster of Austin garden bloggers. So welcome to the blogosphere! We’re all learning from each other, and even newbies have their experiences to share. I’ll check out your new blog later tonight—looking forward to it. —Pam
You guys (gals) are going to have a great time. With all those people coming, you’ll have to make extra effort to meet everyone. I know hosting parties comes easy to you southern girls!
Have a Texas martini for me!
With pleasure, Chuck! —Pam
This is really a coast-to-coast and North-to-South group of gardenbloggers, Pam – it’s all very exciting!
I’d better toast to Chuck with Dr Pepper if I want to keep up with this group.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I think Dr. Pepper will work just fine for a toast, Annie. 🙂 —Pam
I am actually contemplating it. My wife needs to come view the David O. Selznick archives at the University for her Ph.D. Sounds like a lot of fun, for sure.
Douglas
That’s marvelous, Douglas. I hope you can come. It sounds like you and your wife both have good reasons to make a trip to Austin. —Pam
Hi Pam!
I cant be with you on your blogersday.
But I ask the same question..were are the men?
I have blogg in different countries and it’s the same all over, not many men.
I wonder if it is that men cant share gardenwork and computers?
You now what they say…men cant do two things at the same time ;7
Regards Ken
Well, since you said it, I guess no one can complain, eh, Ken? What I wonder is whether male bloggers aren’t as interested in meeting face to face as female bloggers are. —Pam
Don’t think I’ll be able to make the logistics work for me this year, Pam, which makes me sad, because I really wanted to come. But I’ll start planning in anticipation of next year, instead. Just too many projects going on at that time of year, and not enough extra cash flow. I’ll be there in spirit, though.
Jodi, we’ll miss you, but I recognize that the logistics of such a trip aren’t always possible. Don’t worry, you can read about it in the blogs, I’ll bet. —Pam
Gee Pam I was toying with the idea of coming to the Spring FLing. I was hoping to get my DB
interested in the journey too as we like to come to TX to bird. Usually we go to the Rio Grande
VAlley. However with our storm damage etc I am afraid that I won’t be able to attend. We have just
so much disposable income. I will have to attend vicariously. I hope everyone going posts their
impressions and of course lots of pictures. It won’t be the same but greatly appreciated by those
of us that won’t be able to attend. You are having quite the round up.
We’ll miss you, Lisa, but I know you’ll be able to read all about it afterward. Sorry about your storm damage. I hope you get it all fixed up soon. —Pam
I wish I could make the commitment to come. I certainly have the time “at the moment”. With my life still in flux, it is strangely difficult to make a decision. If only it was a single’s day drive.
It would give you the chance for some more cross-country photography, Christopher. 😉 I’d love to meet the man behind the wall. —Pam