Sunday, May 2, 2010

A Visit With the Queen

Last weekend I had the pleasure of finally meeting the Queen!  We made a last minute trip to visit our daughter for the day. Knowing that Janet, The Queen of Seaford, lives in that direction, I sent her a quick message on FaceBook. I closed the computer and off we went.  Luckily I had my BlackBerry with me and on the way down I received a message "Call me!".  So, of course, I dialed the number right away and who answered the phone but the Queen herself! We chatted like old friends and then made plans for a tentative time to meet on our way back home later that afternoon.

(Janet and Jan, 2010)

My husband and her husband, Charlie, hit it off--both were retired Army--and we all recounted our days spent at Fort Monroe. Janet's dad was a Colonel on the post when Mike and I were just newly-weds and stationed there in 1977. My husband remembers him well, as a fine gentleman. Little did we know that 33 years later we would be recounting our days there with his daughter and son-in-law;-)

(Spiderwort, Johnny Jumpup, Poppy, Japanese Aster)

Janet took us for a walk around their yard, which sits along an inlet of the Chesapeake Bay. She went around digging up a few native plants for me to take home and plant in my yard. Two kinds of Spiderwort,  including a yellow foliaged variety called 'Sweet Kate'; Johnny-Jumpups, some annual Poppies that reseed on their own, and some Japanese Asters--Kalimeris pinnatifida. They are all safely planted in my gardens and I am so happy to have had the chance to meet Janet and bring home a few things to always remember her by. Soon she'll be moving away from that area so I was glad we were able to arrange this brief get together.

Today I am thankful for technology, for without it, there would be fewer friends in my life!


Words and photos ©Thanks For Today, by Jan Huston Doble

36 comments:

  1. The world is a small place, and we all are connected somehow! You look good ladies!

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  2. sounds like a fun visit. Yes, blogging makes great friends. But technology wasn't always necessary--back in the day I had a ton of penfriends around the world, three of whom I still keep in contact with and have met. :)

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  3. So glad we got a chance to visit. Spur of the moment times are the best.
    Glad you found a place to plant all your goodies.
    Hoping we find a time to meet at Lewis Ginter before the move.

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  4. Byddi Lee - We didn't come here for the grass...5/2/10, 12:40 PM

    That is so cool, Jan! Did you know The Queen before or are you guys online pals? It must have been wonderful visiting a garden you'd read to much about.

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  5. Jan, what a remarkable time you must have shared.

    You are so correct about the internet: cannot imagine life without it. I was able in a matter of a few years to put together a genealogy that otherwise might never have been done.

    Happy May! and you two look great!

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  6. That is so wonderful. The world does seem like a small place sometimes. What a treat. Glad your all had a lovely visit.

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  7. That is so great that the two of you got to meet. Isn't that just fun when ya do? Great picture and how nice that you got to take home flowers to remember your visit. Now, you'll look at those flowers and think of Janet every time!

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  8. So nice to meet other bloggers - I've only met one SO FAR. And it was great to put a face behind the beautiful photos. Sounds like you two had fun.

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  9. It is always nice to meet a fellow blogger, and even better when you leave with some of their treasured plants to add to your friendship garden.

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  10. Too fun!! I just hung out with Lisa from Shower Fresh Garden yesterday. Blogging friends are great!

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  11. How wonderful when gardeners get to meet! Sounds like a fun time.

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  12. I am convinced that gardeners tend to be the most generous people on earth! I've never met one that didn't want to dig up a plant and give it to me. It's great how technology brought you together!

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  13. I am convinced that gardeners tend to be the most generous people on earth! I've never met one that didn't want to dig up a plant and give it to me. It's great how technology brought you together!

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  14. Two of my favorite gals got to meet! Special for me to get to read about it. What a wonderful connection for all four of you. xo

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  15. I luv stories about reconnecting with old friends and now that the Queen has shared with you some plants from her garden, you'll always be connected.

    donna

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  16. I agree, without technology we would have a much smaller world.

    I'll stop by the Queens blog and say hi.
    Marnie

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  17. How delightful to see you both smiling like old friends, Jan! And amazing about the military connection as well. What a big circle life is. The plants look terrific and will always remind of your day with the Queen. :-)
    Frances

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  18. That was warm. Loved your last line; without technology we would have been living in our respective wells, oblivious of the interesting world around us. Thanks for the wonderful words.

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  19. Isn't it amazing how technology actually helps us to make connections? Without it, I wouldn't have "met" you :-)

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  20. Technology is great for connecting - and I'd add gardens to the list of wonderful ways to connect with friends (or make new ones). Hurrah for sharing plants and pictures and dreams with our fellow gardeners!

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  21. How exciting that you and Janet were able to meet! Aren't blogging friends the best? There is never a shortage of conversation topics when meeting one in person:) Glad the two of you were able to get together before Janet moves even farther away.

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  22. That sounds wonderful! Since I started my blog, I feel that I have met so many more friends, and it will be even better if someday I actually can meet some of them in person.

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  23. Jan,

    What great fun you must have had! Yes it is a small world. Yellow Spiderwort, Janet might be holding back on that one!

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  24. I have made some wonderful friends through blogging. How lovely to meet one in person!

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  25. I am glad you were able to have an audience with The Queen. Even though she is royalty, she is good people too.

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  26. How fun! What a great picture of the both of you. It's nice to have plants that remind of us people in our gardens. How generous of Janet.

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  27. How nice to meet another garden blogger, I never have! Had a lovely birthday, thanks, but nothing garden related this time. Shopping and lunch at Cheesecake Factory was the order of the day!

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  28. I've got two words for you, Jan. "I'm jealous." [Smile.] It sounds like the four of you had a great time. And you got some delightful goodies for the garden, always sweeter when they come from a friend.

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  29. Well, Jan, of course, being Canadian, I thought you meant, another Queen altogether. Isn't it the beauty of the internet and blogs that friendships can form this way?

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  30. Awesome you two were able to meet! It is always a treat to me when online friends can meet and greet in the garden!

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  31. With the Internet, the entire earth has squeezed into a tiny computer and that's a great thing! It's always great to meet old friends and plants to remind you of them! I'm sure the blooms would remind your of her every time.

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  32. Oh what a nice way to spend an afternoon, visiting with garden blogging buddies. :) Wish I could of caught up with you two while you were in town.

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  33. Haha! Being English myself, I was expecting a different Queen, lol! How wonderful that you two ladies were able to get together like that. I love the photo of the two of you.
    BTW - I'm thankful for technology too, for without it I would not have met my wonderful husband :-)

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  34. That must've been such a fun day! I've always been a little envious when I read about all you garden bloggers in the US getting together and visiting each other. Luck, lucky you!

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  35. Hello everyone, thanks for commenting...sorry I'm not replying until now--

    Thank you so much, Tatyana, Yes--it is amazing how we really are all connected!

    Hi Monica, thanks for reminding me about 'pen-pals'--I've almost forgotten how much fun hand-written communications can be;-)

    Janet, I'm glad we finally got together, too. So, when are we going to Lewis Ginter?! Let me know when you're free--maybe Racquel can go too, or even other 'local' garden bloggers who might be interested!!

    Byddi Lee, Janet & I hadn't met in person until that visit. It was just through garden blogging that we met!

    Hi Diana, thank you! How nice you were able to complete such a project! The 'web' is a wonderful resource!

    Lona, thank you. Yes, it was a treat;-)

    Linda, yes it was fun! And so nice to have the flowers to always remember and stay connected!

    Thanks, Heather. You've met one so far--and Janet was the first garden blogger I've met, as well! There are several more who live fairly close to me, who I hope to eventually meet too:-) Hope you will get to meet even more!

    Hi Linda, yes, it was really fun;-)

    Ginger, that is fantastic that you just got together with another garden blogger! How fun;-)

    Hi Cameron, it was just great. Wish you could have been there!

    Deb, gardeners are such generous people;-) Wish I could dig up some plants for Janet, too--but she is moving soon so wouldn't be able to hang on to transplants for that length of time, most likely!

    Charlotte, thank you for such nice words! It was nice that our husbands could meet, too. We all have the 'Ft Monroe' connection now.

    You are so right about that, Donna;-)

    Marnie, the internet surely has added a brand new dimension to our 'relatedness' & 'connectedness':-)

    You are right about that, Frances...life is a big circle, connecting us to everything in one way or another;-) You have had your share of those connections, especially most recently in England--how exciting;-)

    Green Thumb, thank you for your comment! Glad you stopped by;-)

    Noelle, so glad 'technology' helped you and I 'meet', as well;-)

    Hi Kelly, a few years ago, who would have thought that gardening and technology could be so closely connected...and even so tied in with our personal connections and interactions?!

    Hi Rose, yes I'm glad it worked out before Janet has to move. Knowing she was moving may also have been what helped jumpstart the necessity to set up a meeting date;-) I was afraid I'd never meet her otherwise. Yes, blogging friends are the best--you, included;-)

    Ami, I'm glad you started blogging! It will be such fun for you to meet a few garden bloggers in person one day;-)

    Randy, I take it you want some yellow spiderwort for yourself?!?! If my piece of Sweet Kate 'takes off' at some point, I'd be happy to share a 'stalk' with you, but we might need to wait a season or two:-)

    Hi Pam, It was lovely, and I'm sure one day you will have the chance as well! We still have to find a way to connect when you're in DC, or when I'm up in PA visiting relatives;-)

    Hi Les, yes, the royal Queen really is quite down-to-earth! I'm looking forward to meeting you one day soon, as well;-)

    Hi Catherine, it was generous of Janet;-) It was a fun thing to do and makes great memories!

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  36. Hi Robin, glad your birthday was fun...Cheesecake Factory sounds irresistable!! I hope I can meet you one day, along with other garden bloggers. We will ALL need to go to one of those 'spring flings' some day! There are so many fun Ohio bloggers to meet, aren't there!!

    Grace, I wish you had been there, too! We have got to arrange a get-together one of these years;-) Lots of great Pacific Northwest garden bloggers out there!!

    Helen, that is so funny about your 'take' on my announcement of meeting the 'Queen'. I can understand why that could happen! Now you know about even more friendly garden bloggers out there:-)

    Yes, Tina, it was just great! And you should have been there with us! We have to arrange a get-together too! So many cool TN garden bloggers out there;-)

    Chandramouli, there are so many cool bloggers from India, too...one day hopefully we will all get to meet in person!

    It was fun, Racquel...but just a quick visit. Next time we all have to get together. The trip was so last-minute, and quick, that there wasn't time to let you know about it, but I really want to meet you;-) I'm so glad you have started blogging again after a much needed break;-)

    Hi Jayne, you and Helen, both had that 'royal' take on the 'Queen'. I can see why;-) How nice that you and your husband were able to meet through technology--truly wonderful!

    Hi Sunita, wish you'd been there too;-) I mentioned before that there are some 'cool' garden bloggers from India (of course you are one of them!). Hopefully you'll be able to meet a couple of them in person, and/or come over here for a big garden blogging party someday!!

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Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to comment! Please enjoy your TODAY and all of the gifts in YOUR garden of life!

Jan

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