Is it possible, can it really be that a year has passed since my plane touched down in Austin, Texas, late on a Friday afternoon? When I realized that my delayed flight was going to make me late for dinner, I called Garden Bloggers' Spring Fling organizer Pam on her cell phone. She told me not to worry and assured me that everyone would still be at the restaurant. When I walked into the room, I was surprised at how it appeared that everyone already knew each other. The truth is, that they didn't, and from the moment I joined the group of bloggers assembled for the first Garden Bloggers' Spring Fling, it was fun times and continuous conversations, making strangers into instant friends. Melissa of Zanthan Gardens was my ride and de facto guide for most of the day Saturday. Touring the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with so many other gardeners was awesome.
Even better was sitting in the shade on the back porch in a private garden, just hanging out with my new pals.
But the highlight of Spring Fling was the gathering at Pam's house. It is such a treat to see in person a garden one has read about and come to know. Pam's garden was quite a surprise, as it was much smaller than it appeared. Then there were the discussions of blogging that were so fascinating and touching. Connecting with other bloggers was such a special thing. I was so moved, I actually agreed to have Chicago host this year's Spring Fling.
For those of you planning to attend this year's Spring Fling in Chicago, I have a word of advice: please learn from my mistake last year and be sure to bring an extra picture card for your camera. I ran out of room on mine and had to miss out on some great photo opportunities. I've already got my spare card in my camera bag. I'm looking forward to being reunited with friends from last year's Spring Fling, and to meeting friends for the first time. If any of you want to visit my garden, Squirrelhaven, please contact me and we'll make arrangements. And for those of you not coming to Spring Fling, if you are ever in the Chicago area with time to spare, you are always welcome to come visit me at Squirrelhaven.