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Monday, February 26, 2007

Two Gardners; A Friendship in Letters

While on vacation I finished reading, Two Gardeners; A Friendship in Letters, the February selection for the Garden Bloggers Book Club. Quite honestly I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much. It was great to have a book that I could read in small doses at work. There are many in depth reviews written by others so I will share just a couple of my thoughts.

It made me think of the blogging community in that most of us will never meet and probably never know each other as well as we'd maybe like to. But I found promise in the fact that Katherine S. White and Elizabeth Lawrence stayed in touch and interested in each other for 20 years. They encouraged each other both in their writing and gardening. I was troubled by the fact that when they finally did meet that the meeting did not seem to live up to expectations. But their letters and friendship did resume.

I did cringe at many of the spring letters, when they told of all the plants that didn't survive the winter. As a beginner I found this very disheartening. On the other hand, they discussed bulbs so much that I can't wait for mine to come up!

5 comments:

  1. It does sound like a very good book! I was penpals with this one girl for over 15 years and when we did meet, it was as if we didn't know what to say to each other...we were better at writing to each other! LOL

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  2. I am glad you liked the book, Apple. It feels good to be a part of the book club, but I didn't like the book and it's hard for me to say so, I don't want to sound negative about the club!!!

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  3. Apple, thanks for being a part of the book club. I'm happy you liked the book! (Sissy, I'm going to make sure we do at least one Ruth Stout book for you this year! Hang in there!)

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  4. That twenty-year part amazed me, too, Apple. Long time friends can get separated geographically, and enjoy only written communication, but these women didn't have that kind of foundation for their friendship, and only knew each other through their writing.

    Your bulbs will wake up once it's safe to come out and bloom - then you can celebrate spring.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  5. Ross and I are both reading this book at the moment and really enjoying it. My reactions and thoughts have so far been very similar to yours.
    Perhaps their actual meeting was hindered by shyness on one side(or both. Elizabeth was apparently shy, but at the same time, very self confident. Katherine seemed to lack that confidence, even though she was very accomplished.
    I'm loving 'getting to know them' through their letters.
    Losing all those perennials to winter...I'd be devestated!!!

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