Hello World
Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on, now,
I hear you’re feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again.
Relax.
I’ll need some information first.
Just the basic facts.
Can you show me where it grows?
I am sorry. I abandoned you all. But I had good reason. I needed a break. A good long break.
My world, as we knew it, has changed astronomically since we last talked. And in a really, really good way. So let’s take a trip (not that kind of trip) in Hanna’s Way-Back-Machine.
When last we spoke, it was August. My husband was gone, my tomatoes were being ravaged, and I was working 70-80 hours per week. Life was interesting. And that is putting it mildly. Actually, it just kind of sucked all round.
Lots of things happened since that time. Some I will share, some just are not your damn business. But let’s just say that all of it culminated it me needing a break. A nice long break.
So let’s talk about good things.
Once upon a time I talked about dreams. And I am fairly certain for any gardener a giant dream is making money from gardening. Any “beyond my wildest dreamsΓ’β¬Β dream for a gardener is making enough money to live off of gardening. Well, hold on to your panties ladies and gentlemen (and if you gentlemen have panties, return them to their lady owners ASAP or just don’t tell me about it), I am there. For the better part of 3 years, I put in the equivalent of a second part (and many times full) time job to be able to accomplish that. In August (note when I stopped writing here β sorry, I was tired of doing oh so much for way too long), I quit my day job and became a full fledged, money making, garden guru. How awesome is that?
My break from this blog can only be described to gardeners in terms of an August garden. You spent so much time up until August cleaning and grooming and working, that you just need a break and you let it all go to pot just so you can enjoy the beauty of what you have created.
So now, this is my life. I wake up every day now and all I have to do is write about gardening. Could you really ask for more?
It turns out you can.
My hubby is home. It was hard and it was worth it. If the last 12 months have taught me anything, it is that shit, even the good shit, does not come free. The real things in life have a cost, and the cost is worth it. I had a good marriage before. A solid marriage. But you always have questions. I don’t have questions anymore, and that means a lot in terms of marital bliss.
And, with all those questions out of the way, my husband and I (with the blessing of our three lovely male children) decided that while we had everything we could ask for, we were missing something still. So as we speak, and as I run around in frantic circles like a chicken with its head cut off trying to locate obscure but important information, my family is going through the process of adopting a child. A girl. I love my boys, but a woman can only take so much dinosaurs, Star Wars and swords before she decides that a future with the possibility of dress up, prom dresses and un-peed on toilet seats looks mighty fine.
And then there is spring. It is here and it does spring hope on an eternal basis. Today the temps in Cleveland were up over 60F. Don’t worry, it will be snowing next week, I am sure. But today it felt like it was time to get back out into the world. There were snowdrops blooming and the top on my convertible was down.
Welcome back world. This garden has missed you terribly.
Welcome back. If you read my post today I have something to say about social media and taking breaks.
Congrats on the new, soon to be addition to the family.
Girls are lot’s of fun, Monica and I raised two!
Want to hear more about your new garden gig.
Glad everything is going well…
WELCOME BACK!! i have missed you…you are on my blog as one of the ones i watch…there you sat, idle for the last 5 (!) months…i am so happy to see you back. i love your rants about deer and ohio weather…being a native ohioan transplanted to north carolina (but i love it here and probabally will not return). love the fact that our daffidils have been up for ~1 week, but i miss the lilacs…sigh…anyways. i am so happy for you and your family that you are all back together and all is well and you are happy and full-time garden guru… thanks for all you have done and will do. peace.
Welcome back – I missed your posts! Looking forward to hearing about your garden, your garden guru job, and the other exciting things going on in your life, should you choose to share them.
Anna
Congratulations! On the daughter and everything else! I just found your blog and this is the first post I’ve read. Adopting a child is such a wonderful thing.
Wow! Brilliant news all around! No more 80 hour weeks for you–unless it’s inthe garden. Not good for your health says doctor me.
It seemed like something was missing from my life, and then I realized that I was not getting your blog. What a disappointment! Thank you for coming back to us and with such a positive story. Yes, we look forward to hearing anything you want to share, but especially your gardening advice. What a perfect time of year to welcome you back into our lives!
Love you! Missed you! Glad you’re back!
How very interesting, I picked a fine time to discover your blog. Yay!
Looking forward to your wit and wisdom. Its very good to have you back.
Welcome back, and best of luck with the adoption process!
Welcome back! Congratulations on everything, especially on your soon-to-be little girl!
By the way, I love your comment guidelines. π
Wow! By sheer dumb luck I stopped back to see if you were posting again and here you are. Congrats on the adoption plans and moreso on your husband coming home. Sometimes change and a break can be the best thing for you! Looking forward to your future posts!
Welcome back.
Congrats on adopting!
Hey, I discovered you via the garden blog search during your hiatus. It seemed unnaturally quiet in here for a blog with so many readers. This certainly explains that…
I look forward to becoming a faithful following.
‘grats on the adoption/husband/guru job/et al.
Follower, rather… you know, given my one-person status.
Welcome back, and congratulations on your new life! It was a nice surprise to see you pop up in my blog list with a new entry. I’m looking forward to your posts.
Hurrah for you, Hanna! It’s great to know that you are doing so well and that lovely things are falling into place for you and yours. Looking forward to hearing more and to a fruitful gardening season.
I’m so glad you’re back! I was worried for you… Can’t wait for a new year of gardening!
YAY! Congrats on all these fronts!
But one thing — a girl doesn’t necessarily mean that. Well, the lack of pee-on-seats issue is right … it’s true that that’s probably not going to happen with a girl π
I’m a girl who adored dinosaurs, Star Wars, and swords while I grew up, and absolutely detested dressing up and the rest of the traditionally girly things like dances, dolls, etc. About the only girly thing that got me was utter horse-craziness for decade or so.
I know you know that a girl will end up being a complete individual who may have different tastes than expected, and that you will love her no matter what she’s into. I was just sad to see you picking on things loved by a lot of geeky girls in the world.
Thanks to all for the well wishes! I am glad to be back.
A note on the boy/girl stuff. I don’t think I said she couldn’t like those things, I just said it would be nice if I had the possibility of having typical girl things too. I also really like alot of “guy” things, but I really enjoy alot of “girl” things too. I think girls (and boys for that matter) can enjoy both sides inclusivly. That being said, if my sons start wanting to dress up as Disney princesses… well, I am going to have to ponder that one awhile before being ok with it. π
Congratulations on the little girl you’ll bring home to love. Glad your husband is back home safely from the war. We’re still here.~~Dee
Welcome back! I have a quick question for you. I am an oil painter that frequently paints flowers and I am looking for photos to use as inspirations for my paintings. Can you direct me as to where or from whom I might find photos of flowers? Thanks!
Leslie
It’s so good to have your blog back, with family and life intact and happy to give the rest of use hope. My morning cuppa is much better with hanna-colored steam. π
I am so glad that you are back. Missed you! I found your blog just months before your break and was saddened to think that I might not ever see you blog again. I love your stories and your humor. Keep up the good work!!! Congrats on all your news!!!
I also wish to welcome you back. I know about taking breaks since I seem to take one every few days. Sometimes a really long one sounds nice, but then I get the writing bug again and am back.
Congrats on being a gardening guru and hubby being back and getting a girl. I raised daughters and wanted at least one son. Well now I have lots of grandsons. It is great. Life evens out.
Looking forward to your new garden this year. But can you believe that my tomato plants are still producing tomatoes. They are on their last legs and we might get a frost tomorrow night here in So. Cali, so it will soon be time to get some new plants planted. Lots of work to do. And with all this rain we have gotten this year, we have survived 8 years of drought, and are looking forward to be able to plant more plants this year. I am seriously thinking of looking into a rain barrel system, because as we all know here in California, that next year will just be the beginning of a new drought.
God bless.
I am glad too see I am not the only one glad to see. Welcome back, I had thought you were done with this!!
Welcome back!
You were missed.
So glad you are back! and just in time for spring.
And the girl thing….Talk to me in 12 years or so and we will see how wonderful you think they are, LOL
Welcome back, Hanna! And more importantly, congratulations on the wonderful news! As mom of a girl, I can tell you it’s simply amazing and will no doubt be a wonderful addition to your loving family. Cheers
Glad you’re back.
If I might make a suggestion: if you ever need a break again, please tell us. Long, unexplained periods without posts tend to induce either worry, or belief that the blog is dead and will not be returning.
Hope things continue to improve in your life.
nod-nod-nod
though I’m afraid at the moment I’m currently window herb gardenless (I grabbed what I thought was the water sprayer, screwed the top off and watered the plants with my vinegar cleaning solution! – the one basil that lived is now flowering so it won’t be around much longer. – But this is Phoenix, I’ll start again in April.
I’m so excited that you’re doing what you want to do with your life and that you’re working on adopting a girl! Congratulations on the rewards from all of that hard work, and good luck with the adoption papers.
So glad you’re back, Hanna. Even with all the garden blogs out there these days, the world wasn’t complete without your voice.
And congrats on the adoption. Can’t wait to hear more.
Andrea
Hey Hanna, welcome back and it’s great to see you posting again! Best wishes with all of the changes and wonderful additions in your life.
Missed you!! Glad you are back!
Karin.
FANTASTIC FANTASTIC FANTASTIC! Good news can be hard to find! How excellent for you. Yours is a one of a kind blog for anyone let alone gardeners. Quite happy for you and yours.
I’m glad you are back, but also that you took the time to be refreshed and renewed.