When I read your header, I thought, "Oh, no."

Speaking selfishly -- bummer! And I just met you in person at the last swap! And you know so much and are such fun to talk to and your posts are always so interesting. Waaah.

I spent the last 1/2 of my growing up years on Florida's west coast (Clearwater/Dunedin), and, if the east coast is similar, I'd say a mile away would be no problem for any plant I know of. On the keys and right on the water of the bays or Intracoastal were the only sites where salt air was a problem. Just 1/2 mile away you could grow Formosa azaleas easily.

Studying the trucking subculture, how cool and interesting. I'd love to read your thesis. Be careful around some of those truckstops, though. Are you going to do long distance hauling, like cross-country?

If you can, do keep in touch and let us know how you're doing and where you land.

Marty, feeling sorrowful

Regina, My thoughts echo Marty's... Waaah! This board has been so quiet, but this is not what I wanted to hear.

I just got to know you and was so looking forward to spending more time around the campfire in April. But hey! What you're planning to do is so cool. One of my former employees had been a trucker and he had many interesting stories to tell about his travels. To actually do that is a dream I'll never realize.

Since truckers can only spend so many hours each day actually driving, maybe you'll have time in some of your stops to visit some of those gardens we read about in books and magazines but don't have a chance to visit. If you do, you'll have lots of ideas to try out in your next garden once you settle down in one location again. Even if you can't do that, just to see the country and do drive by botanizing - you know... looking out your window as you drive by and saying, "Wow, look at that; what is that plant? Or, that's a "such and such", isn't it beautiful." I remember seeing Foxgloves growing wild along the roadside on the highways near Seattle. I wonder what other garden plants (or ones that should be growing in gardens) you'll find growing wild in other places?

If you can, please check in with us from time to time. I'd love to read bits and pieces of your thesis even before you submit it. And, I'll be checking the best seller list in a few years for that book you're thinking of writing.

All my best,
Virginia

Regina, I'm sad...we won't get to see you again. But I hope you have a lot of fun driving a truck. You have a lot of spunk, that's for sure. Good luck to you.

Jan

Regina, I wish you the best of luck!

Remember your user name and password and you can always check back in here whenever you get to a computer. Keep in touch.

Thanks for all your kind words. I will definitely check in here from time to time - you can't get rid of me that easily! I made so many friends on this forum that I know I will be back to check on you all. You most likely will be able to check in on me as well - my company (IdleAire Technologies) is considering having me do a blog and perhaps even podcasts for our company's website. I would love to have anyone who is interested read parts of my thesis, especially if you are a good proofreader! I'm not perfect so I know there will be mistakes in my work as I go along, and many eyes helps to catch small errors!

When I get new garden, even if it is in Florida, I will still participate here. How could I not? And perhaps the spring swap will be my vacation! I'm sure I'm going to need one!

Marty, my intention is to drive long-haul. I'm leaning toward US Xpress because they will let me have my dog, and they drive regionally in the Southeast mostly.

I expect to have a lot of free time on the road (drivers often spend time waiting to load and unload, and to be told to go get a load) so I will be doing my thesis while working, and I will still have time to visit this site. So while I won't be actively gardening, I will still be here.

Dang girl that bites! Look at it this way, you can still "deadhead". Sorry I couldn't resist the pun. Are you sure you want a box or do you want to try a tank or flatbed instead? How about some hanging meat in that box? A nice 53 footer with a stable load would be just fine for me. Best wishes on the classwork and degree!!! We'll expect you at the Spring Swap but we'll talk bad about you if you don't come.;-)

Good luck in all your endeavors Regina. Somewhere down the road you will have your garden again. :o)

Don't you DARE disappear from this forum! I'll have to hunt you down and kill you if you do, and I just don't have the ENERGY right now. (*grin*) I have several plants I got from you this fall, and I expect to need to tap into your wisdom to grow them off properly. I also expect to repay your generosity whenever/wherever you eventually settle into gardening, so--keep in touch!!!

I'll be happy to proof your thesis if you want. Back in my other life/career I did quite a bit of editing and proofing. You'd just have to tell me what style you wanted to maintain in your paper, e.g. which rules about comma usage you want to employ and so forth.

Marty

Sorry to hear about your situation....I used to live in Melbourne and surrounding area's though. Your plant's will do great, just make sure they get enough water in the summer time...LOL My mother had all kind's of plant's and a garden in Satellite Beach....I wish you great success with your school and endeavor....My husband travel's alot with his business and has learned so much ( not enough to write a book though ) LOL.....Please stay in touch...

Regina -- what do you MEAN you won't be gardening?? I expect you to do extensive testing on how to grow the best crops in that long-haul cab, and report back to us!

My plans have changed again... now it looks like I will be here until May. The plan is still for me to drive truck - but it will be in summer. I like that idea as I was not crazy about having to drive in snow or on icy roads. My advisors want me to take classes this spring to get up to speed on the field and take a methods course so I'm prepared for fieldwork. I have to agree that's a good idea. I'm working on the people here at my company to put me in a position that pays more so I can afford an apartment of my own. I'm hoping to rent the apartment that's in our basement from whoever buys our house.

Please mention to your friends that a gardener's home is available in Island Home, and a gardener even comes as a renter for a few months to get them started!

-Regina

Hi, Regina,

I'm so glad to hear you won't be leaving Knoxville for Florida. I've lived all over Florida and like it here so much better!

I have a Master's degree and have spent many years teaching writing. I'd be happy to offer to be another reader for your thesis. Sometimes having several people look at it helps a lot. What is the title of it?

Doing a blog from a trucker's point of view sounds really fascinating!

I hope your living situation evolves in a way that allows you to be on the property near your garden. After being transient most of my life, one of the greatest joys I have now is watching my garden grow from year to year.

Good luck and remember to go dancing through whatever new threshold you find in life. The good things are everywhere and always waiting for us to find them.

Well, so far I'm still on track with my plans. We have a contract on our house - very positive - and though I haven't met them, Scott liked them. I am hopeful they will let me stay, but have not yet had the chance to approach them. Our tenants have moved out already and the closing isn't until January 27 so I COULD move all my stuff down there now and "beg forgiveness" I guess. I'm not sure I want to be that bold. Your thoughts?

School starts in 10 days!! I'm excited and nervous - a few things haven't fallen into place yet regarding my reenrollment so I'm concerned it may yet fall through but I'm not going to let that spectre get me down - I'm going to push ahead anyway. Today I learned a powerful lesson from the life of a remarkable woman (see helpjuliewhitt.com) and I committed myself to living fiercely from here on out, as she did. So I will not let anything get in my way from here on out because life's too short!

As for where I may end up long-term, I still don't know. First I must finish this degree. Once the end of that is in my sights I will evaluate my choices.

In other news, I visited my father in Florida as I mentioned I was going to do, and all my wonderful tropicals from the swaps now reside there. His wife was less than thrilled to receive the Brugmansias but I made sure she knew they are my pride and joy so hopefully she can manage to keep them alive until they bloom, at which point I expect her to fall in love with them.

I left the plants there over a week ago and haven't checked in on them via phone yet, so here goes... they are all still alive! She's a gardener (but not hardcore like us!) with a yard already landscaped with plants (the former owner was a gardener) so there isn't that much room for them, but she's going to try. Hooray!

-Regina

I moved down into the apartment on Monday before Scott got back from visiting his family. At first it was weird, but I'm settling into living alone. I am finding out the little things I still need to get - a peeler, an egg timer, spices, etc. I can tell he's a bit taken aback and, I think, a little sad that I moved out, but it was his choice to end this so he's going to have to just deal with it.

Sadly, I found out yesterday that the new owners have made arrangements for their sister to live in the apartment so I am going to have to move after all. I looked at two places today and think I will take one of them. It's definitely spartan but it will do for four months. I will remain in our apartment downstairs until the closing.

I hope I at least get to meet them and give them a tour of the gardens so they know what they have.

Well all, tomorrow I bid goodbye to my home for the last 9 years, and to my garden. I offered to show the young girl who will be the lady of the house (perhaps 24?) what she has once things start growing. She was very nice about it although that could have been because her parents were standing right there. Yes, I'm cynical. She has my cell phone number but I don't expect to hear from her. I guess I will have to drive by once the first spring items should crank into gear.

I'm moving into Maplehurst over by UT, to a tiny second floor apartment. It gets great afternoon sun and there's even a spot to put potted plants outside the door, so I'm going to move a few things over tomorrow in anticipation. Yes, I will have to find new homes for them once I enter CDL school, but I'll have a few months with them anyway.

Hey we have a lot of gardening things to give away - fertilizers, weed killers, clay pots, plastic pots, tomato cages, soil conditioner, lime, garden hoses, a hand-crank spreader, a post-hole digger, rakes, hoes, an axe, pump sprayers, and probably more. If you have interest in this, let me know: rrizzi at utk . edu (remove all the spaces.) The closing is on the 27th so it all has to be out before then. Contact me to set up a time to come pick up your free stuff.

Regina,

I haven't been here in quite a while and was sorry to hear about your plight. I think I met you at last year's middle tennessee plant swap, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I have enjoyed your posts.

Do you have a patio at your apartment? In Memphis, there is a space at the "Agricenter" where people can plant small gardens. Where there's a will there's a way! Of course, you'd be taking a chance on someone stealing the fruits of your labor.

Maybe you can find someone with a large yard who will let you use some of the space. If you lived closer to me, I'd be glad to let you have a key to my backyard and your own space.

Katie

Hi gang,

Spring has sure sprung, hasn't it? The pots on the walkway in front of my apartment are full of flowers. I discovered that what I thought were strawberry plants that I'd harvested from my front beds were actually ALL fragaria x "lipstick" so I sure have lots of pretty pink blooms, but unfortunately I will be getting no tasty berries as I'd hoped. Did you know you can deadhead these to get more blooms? I'm microgardening...

As for the plants, I sent most of my plants home with the Rader family, who I met on here - they move here from L.A. last year in the early summer and needed plants. I was happy to send them where I know they will be loved and taken care of well. They have all my garden supplies, too!

I drove past my old house yesterday to see what was blooming. There was an iris in bloom that I've never seen before. I assume it came from one of you! It was beautiful, a translucent white with both pink and yellow tinges to it. I wish I'd taken that one, but they all pretty much look alike when dormant, lol.

The bed that I thought was full of strawberries was busting out pink with fragaria x 'lipstick'. I thought that was funny, too.

My new beds REALLY need a weeding - I guess the manure or leaf mulch had a lot of seeds in it. I didn't see anyone home so I couldn't tell anyone about it. Not sure when I'll get there again. Looks like there will be great crop of orange crocosmia around the mailbox. And the coral bells put up HUGE flower spikes (with tiny gray flowers, of course) at least 3 feet tall. Wow.

I have a bunch of "mini blind plant labels" for you all have at the swap. And I have started a bunch of cuttings from the Alternathera "Black Knight" I was fortunate enough to receive at the Mid-TN swap at the river in October. It lived very happily on my desk all winter, and actually began to be the plant that ate Manhattan, so I trimmed it and will have lots of rooted starts for you!

As for me, the semester has not gone as well as I'd hoped. I'm not sure what's going to happen to me in the summer as a result. I'd hoped to get out there and do my fieldwork but I don't know...

Regina

Hi Regina,
It sure is good to hear from you. Are you coming to the mid tn. plant swap down on the river?? Will you be going to either or both of the swaps in East Tn? My grandson and son really enjoyed fishing with you on the river.They are coming back with me and also talking about coming with me to the east tn. swaps. Let us hear from you soon. I look forward to hearing more. By the way, I may have to get a start of the alternanthera from you- Mine seems to be MIA,lol.
Marianne

Hiya Regina! It's great to "see" you around. :-) I hope your summer plans work out at the end of all the worry. Either way, I think you need more plants for your apartment -- come to the swaps!

Regina, its nice to hear from you again. I'm glad you are enjoying a few plants. I know what you mean about the nice iris surprise since I've had quite a few nice surprises this spring as well. Maybe you could get a nice brug going in a pot on your patio if you have one.

Katie

Regina, you gotta come back to the Middle Tn plant swap... we might find some more ants for your tent. lol The spring swaps are more spectacular than the fall ones. You can camp again on the river...and hope you don't have to leave so early again.

Hope you get to come.

Jan

When are the swaps? I do want to attend if I can.

Regina

The "Mountain Madness" swap in Seymour is May 7. Mid-TN is May 20, and the East TN/Knox swap at Cheryl P's is May 27. Unfortunately, I won't be at any of em -- I'm probably gonna be in Asheville May 7, and I'll be at dog shows on the 20th and 27th -- but I AM going to be pre-arranging trades for the East TN swap, so let me know what you might want in the way of apartment plants!

Regina, the mid tn plant swap is may 20th...you might go to our website, www.midtnplantswap.com and read about it.

See you on the river

Jan