What a great compliment to you and your gardens.

I looked around this year and thought to myself......I need to simplify and downsize. My health is fine, except for my age! I just don't have quite the energy I used to have and I think things are looking to fussy.

You don't say what your health issues are, so I won't pry. I hope it is nothing serious.

Bless you in this new direction.
I am glad you plan to keep some beds.

I can no longer do the physical work,but have hired
a landscaper so I can still have gardens.I understand
where you are at I was there and stopped gardening about
four years ago then moved to North Carolina and with this
yard needing so much work I decided to garden again with
help,Limitation keep me in and I depend on other to get
me out of the house.
Blueangel

MeMo, I will try to adopt your spirit of accomplishment and gratitude when my time comes.

Dear Memo, I've been wondering where you have been. I hope this doesn't mean you are going to stop posting. Cottage to me is much more than gardening it has become a very happy addition to my life. I don't get around much anymore and at times I can't get much gardening done because something or another has decided to seize up for whatever reason.
Next week, I'm judging my last flower show, I had given up all judging but this one little country fair show and the time has come to give this one up too. Sort of bittersweet for me but as you have said there comes a time. I am luckier than you as I have long spells where everything works or pain is minor. So garden I will, amongst the weeds if need be, I'm cutting back on my collections of things and going for more in ground plants to simplify things. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. You have said you will be keeping one long border, well in my eyes you are still gardening in fact if you only have one window box you're still gardening, if you are down to one plant, you are still a gardener at heart so we expect to hear from you, filling us in on what you're up to, be it quilting, cooking, what's happening at the ranch. Each day is a new beginning and we never know what's around the corner. So friend please stay in touch even if you are not actively gardening you have so much knowledge to pass along to other gardeners about your experiences of what works and doesn't work in your zone.
(((Hugs)))
Annette

MeMo,

Sharing a garden is so rewarding and you've thrilled your visitors with your beautiful work of artistry with your cottage garden.

I empathize with your pain and do hope you get some relief. The nice thing about gardening is you can do as much or as little as your time and energy permit. Since you live on a farm you know all about the stock tanks for watering livestock. I've thought that as the years go by, I'd love to create a raised, accessible garden by using stock tanks...spray painted in colors to coordinate with the plantings! I'd love to use some for "walls" around an outdoor patio, too.

Quilting is a wonderful form of creativity -- perhaps your gardening will inspire your quilt designs. My best friend quilts, so you may enjoy visiting her new website that she's starting up. I've been after her for years to post photos of her beautiful textile art. There's a link to her site from my gardening blog.

You still have much to share with your expertise and experience and can provide garden mentoring to many.

We look forward to always hearing from you. Remember the conversations side for your quilting activities! :-)

Cameron

((((Memo))))

Your post really touched my heart once again. For years I have enjoyed your posts that are written with 'heart and soul'. I am sorry to hear that you will be giving up most of your gardens, but still having 'one' cottage bed, means you can still come here and chit chat with us. Life is a 'garden' and we are all the plants living in it. We are all unique, have our own beauty and spread joy. We share good times and bad, we live, love and learn.

How wonderful to have someone really appreciate your hard work and the beauty that you have created. What a great compliment she gave you also. I'm sure she will treasure the gifts you bestowed on her and will think of you often as they bloom in her own gardens.

Bless your heart Memo. May you feel, love and peace surrounding you at all times. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

What a wonderful and fulfilling experience for you to have so much understanding. I am so glad that you were able to spend that time with someone who knows where you are coming from. I am glad that you will still have a garden space , even if it is smaller. But you will always be a gardener and you have made everyone you have touched a better gardener too . Thank you Memo, c

You have the heart and soul of a gardener - you 'speak the language of flowers'. My screwy mind just flashed on those corny plaques they sell at some stores - Gardeners don't die(in this case, stop), they go to seed!!! And your seeds have travelled far and wide, as have your words and friendships. That border will become your new canvas, your pearl as will your quilts. Take good care of yourself!! And don't go away - we want to here about that border!!

Nancy.

Oh Memo. What a wonderful, positive attitude you have. I think you've given so much to us and others that giving up a bit of garden won't be so bad.
Please keep on posting. I'll miss you if you don't.

MeMo - everyone before me has said it so beautifully I can only add an AMEN - I have loved your stories and advice. Each and everyone of us at some point in our lives will have to stop gardening or cut way back and have to sit back and enjoy the works of others. I can only hope and pray to have your positive attitude. I hope you stay around and continue to offer tips......

Lynne

MeMo: It's been said that life is a journey...now your journey is moving out of the garden and into??? Hopefully some place you will feel just as connected to, and enthused about, as you have your garden. Best wishes to you...hope you will show us your quilts.

I wish you the very best! I commend you for knowing when to slow down and cut back, plus knowing that it's perfectly fine to do so. Besides, traditional cottage gardens were (and still are) small, informal affairs, not large sprawling beds flung far and wide. So you're still a cottager, imo. : )

And yes, there are lots of places for us quilters to swap fabric online and I'm sure through any guilds in your area. You might look to see if there is a guild you could join, even if you could only get to it every so often. I have made so many wonderful and lasting friendships from belonging and participating in my local quilt guilds. I've even served as president of one - lots of work but lots of fun, too. : )

But I have a request - since English cottage is my favorite, can you please post some pics? Would love to see what you've accomplished. : )

It's bittersweet, isn't it? I'm glad to hear you finally got someone to appreciate all your cottage garden loveliness. But I'm very sorry to hear you must give them up, I really can't imagine that! Perhaps you can visit arboretums and public gardens to enjoy the work of others, if you can't do it yourself. Best of luck in all your new endeavors!

Hello, Memo, I've missed you and wondered why you had been away from us. Now think about it, you thought your garden looked a mess, yet your cousin-in-law thought your garden was lovely. Doesn't that speak volumes about how much work one does not necessarily have to put in! I hope your daughter will give you a helping hand to keep up what you do want to keep going. Maybe your eye doesn't have to be too critical about how things SHOULD look. Since you are a quilter, I'm guessing you are somewhat of a perfectionist. Gardens can be different.
Lorna

Dear MeMo, no matter how big or small is, you are and will always be a gardener! You can have one single pot with a single plant and you'd still be a gardener. It's very clever of your part to know how much your body can endure and downsize accordingly. Life's too short for us to toil endlessly just to satisfy some idea we have in our mind. So I hope you still come here and post to your wonderful blog and keep us all enchanted, amused and in awe at your farmer's wife life in the 21st century. I, for one, am your biggest fan and I hope you don't disappear from the cyberspace here! Love your quilting too!

Big hugs to you
Eduarda (who is also trying hard to downsize garden work due to full time job...)

MeMo,
I had no idea you were going to have to give up some much of your garden. I'm sure it really did take you a long time to come to this decision. I'm so glad you had this experience with the visitor! This spring when I had my plant/garage sale, a woman commented to her husband about how much nicer my garden looked than hers. It really made my day so I can just imagine how a whole garden tour would make you feel.
Even though you might not feel you will be much of a gardener anymore, you know your advice, stories, etc. will always be welcome here : )
Remy

God bless you, Memo.

Darling Girl,

I, too, had been wondering where you were.
Your postive attitude is felt through my screen.

As you move from this part of your life, know that your garden buds will be right there with you in your mind's eye.

Kathy

I have comments for each of you but I'm taking them to the conversation board. I should have posted this there to start with I guess but it was garden related ;)

MeMo

Ack! It got so late last night that I had to stop before I was done writing. On my way out of town for an appointment right now. I'll finish this thread and post it in Conversations tonight after I get home. Have a great day!

MeMo

MeMo - I'd been missing you, too, and wondering how you were. Also hoping you stick around - and I, too, want to see pics of the gardens that inspired such compliments!

Ironically, just the other day I was commenting to my sister that quilting is an activity I might want to try someday when I have lots more time. I'm sure you can get just as absorbed in quilting as in your garden!

Memo,
I read this Saturday, shortly after you wrote it. I teared up, and decided to reply later. I am just now getting to it. I'm sorry you are having to downsize. I'm glad you will be able to keep an area. I am so driven to be in the dirt, I know it will be very hard on me when I can't do as much as I want.

Is your NE for northeast or Nebraska? The only fabric I have is some jeans I am saving, thinking I may make a braided rag rug. You probably couldn't use those for quilts.

I looked at the conversations board and didn't see a post from you yet. I hope things are OK.
Sue, new here since the first week of June

Will miss you, dear Memo. I understand totally. I agree with what others have said about being a gardener no matter how small your cottage garden may be, even if it's pot size! Hopefully you will still be posting here, at least on occasion. I did bookmark your blog.

Sending you lots of love and best wishes, my friend. XXXXXXX Becky

p.s. I just recently got a sewing cart for my sewing machine--yay!!. So will be getting more into sewing shortly (also have another grandbaby on the way, to sew for) :) Should have some fabric scraps that may be suitable for quilting, and you are most welcome to them, Memo, if you are interested. I am not a quilter, so please let me know what type/size of fabric you can use, okay? Just send me an email, anytime. :) B