You are amazing Frank. Thanks to your generosity there is a light filled space for gardeners to gather. It is a comforting place to visit in my ever changing world. I will always remember Bitta. She harvested wild greens, most notably dandelions and lived in the far north. After she moved to town to care for aging family she disappeared from the Stew. There have been many others that have come and left a beautiful part of themselves here. Photos and stories old and new make this a very special place. Everyone one of the people that replied to this post by Frank, THANK YOU! And much love
Happy Birthday Stew! It was wonderful to see the original web designs Frank...and to immediately see Eileen's name on the first page . She was very patient and kind to me. You have given so many people such an incredible gift Frank. Myself included. I am always in awe of the quiet impact of kindness, and how far it travels. Yours has circumvented the world. The Stew was recommended as a caring, respectful, welcoming and kind gardening forum. I found the Stew when I suddenly found myself at home full time. I was socially and geographically isolated, and historically a "fly by the seat of my pants" gardener. It was the most positive contact I could have ever asked for, especially during a difficult transition. Such a gift cannot be measured and it escapes words. It keeps me connected to others, I've formed friendships, and under the kind tutorage of fellow gardeners I now garden with more joy and purpose, which is a forever gift that I can pay forward. I'm glad to hear there are no plans of going anywhere in the near future. Thank you for everything Frank. (...and about those storms.....holy cow. We were watching how you may be faring over there. )
I'm very happy to be on this forum. I've been warmly welcomed and after being a part of other garden forums that were not very welcoming nor well managed, finding this great place is like being wrapped up in a warm comfortable blanket. I hope this forum never ends so that all future gardeners can come and feel as welcome as I have !!
What a great thread, and what a superb forum. Zigs and I were kindly invited to join in here by @marlingardener, a lady we had chatted with on another forum for some time. We owe her a mention, and a thank you as well as Frank. My other special thank you would also go to Eileen. She was such an easy person to make friends with. I have thought about her often.
Ough.!! I think I would like a custom title !! I would like: "Shovel Kicker" because that's what I do. I plunge the shovel into the ground and kick it into the hard, compacted soil with the heel of my hiking boot. It's very effective !!
Well I'm still around Frank - I'm not that easy to get rid off! I'm like a bad penny that keeps turning up, (often at the worst possible time). So worry not, as I'm still kicking around, and forever keeping headache pill manufacturers in business! I remember who put forward the idea, of having a GardenStew gift shop! By the way, who remembers this picture below. I most fondly remember a time when I got to share something totally unexpected in my garden - A fallen meteorite from space!
