Making a difference

When I first stumbled into the world of blogging, I had no idea just what I was in for. I was a bit worried that my posts would skim the cyberworld, unread and unloved. It didnt help that it had been years since I had written anything other than grocery lists and leave notes to my children's teacher.
Come to think of it, I didnt have much of an idea what a blog was either.
It most definitely didnt help that I was blogging about something that was on very shaky legs ... a brand new garden in a totally new environment. Gardening in a tiny little apartment in a city smothered with dust, pollution and hordes of marauding pigeons and sparrows, was totally different from my older garden .
Anyway, I pushed out my first two posts to test the air. And waited. And then it happened! The very first comment on my blog, from Barbee lifted my spirits like nothing else ever could. Suddenly I felt, " hey! this person actually likes what I wrote. This is fun". And all the reasons why I always enjoyed writing came rushing back to me and I was on a roll!

I discovered blog directories and Blotanical and all of a sudden I was networking and linking up to other bloggers like the most energetic vine in the garden! Throwing out little tendrils of friendship every time I found an interesting blog and finding great supports to climb and bloom on . But Barbee has always remained special! The first fellow-blogger who reached out and pulled me into the charmed circle of garden bloggers.

The legion of garden bloggers is a truly amazing one. Every time I see their generosity in handing out great advice and help with projects, I'm touched by their warmth and friendliness. Not only do they have stunning gardens, they want everyone else to have them too!

Kanak is one of these very generous souls who reached out . At that time I felt that finding another Indian garden blogger was as close to a Nobel-deserving discovery as it could get. Apparently we are a highly endangered species with just a handful of us around ! Kanak's post about the famous Bhut Jolokia chillies of Nagaland got me enquiring about where to buy their seeds. And what do you know? Not only did Kanak dry some of these chillies for me to sow but last month she sent me a parcel of the Bhut Jolokias as well as another of the famous Assam chillies. Talk about generosity!

But wait! I'm not done yet! She phoned me to say that she had got more of these wonderful chillies ("a better quality one" was the phrase she used, but Kanak, I was already in heaven over this first lot !)
Sure enough, the courier delivered a pretty pink box all dolled up with a cheery blue bow , in total contrast to the fieriest-of-'em-all chillies inside. Thank you, Kanak! I can never thank you enough for this.

Trudi first posted a comment as Titania and I spent a long time surfing up and down Blotanical, searching for a Titania. Since those days, I've used up a lot of internet time devouring her information-loaded posts. I am so totally intrigued by her garden filled with fruits and plants so alien at times to what I've ever seen before that I'm absolutely captivated. But its not as captivating as the lady though! She's a fount of information and her witty comments crack me up. Recently she offered to get me some seeds of a tree which I had fallen in love with but the import authorities have strict rules that play spoilsport. So heartbreaking! I keep imagining what could have been but .... What I did get though, is a wonderful garden-buddy whose love for plants shines through every post and whose appreciative comments on my blog put a smile on my face .

Kate overwhelmed me! Her wacky humour had me giggling one minute and snorting the next! She said she was new too but she taught me quite bit, especially on how to navigate through Blotanical. And she taught me about 'tagging'! That particular experience really got me sweating! Finally, spilling the beans about myself was quite a cathartic experience but one I wouldnt care to repeat for a real long time (what! and reveal what a boring ol' fuddy-duddy I really am? No way!)


Kerri taught me how colourful a blog can really be ! She took great pains to mail me repeatedly and walk me through the finer nuances of blogging, especially where photos are concerned. So much so that I refer to her as my blogging guru. I think that's an apt title for someone with so much patience.

Now for some non-garden bloggers. Abraham Tharakan's posts, always a great read, were a great introduction for me when I just got to know about the intriguing, addicting world of blogs. There is such a vibrant blend of everything from local history to culture, nature-watching, traditional recipes, personality sketches, architecture and very perceptive news analysis that it's almost magnetic. I just had to keep checking in every day to see if he had posted something new. But more than anything, his e-mails with a lot of practical advice about blogging techniques and even collections of articles about the subject, keeps me engrossed.


I met Raji on Abraham Tharakan's blog and was quickly drawn to her warm, friendly personality. If you read her blog you'll know what I mean. One feels as if they are drawn in to her closest circle of friends, even if they've just read her first post. We mailed each other a bit and she even awarded me with my very first Arte y Pico award which I never ever acknowledged with as much fanfare as it deserved (which she very generously overlooked like the wonderful friend that she is). Believe me, she is someone I wish lived closer to where I do.

Shaheen is possibly the youngest of this group of bloggers but we get along like a house on fire! We first started mailing each other when she was trying to identify a fruit on her yummy food blog. And from there we started these quickfire conversations (ummm.... e-mail, actually, but as good as yakking away ), mainly about plants and food but touching on almost just about everything . This is definitely one blogger-buddy who makes me feel very young again. I love the fact that we think alike on so many things that our age is never a factor in this friendship.


But why have I been listing out these wonderful people, Oscar-acceptance-speech style ? Kim surprised me the other day by presenting me with this lovely Friendship award. She is one of the nicest people I know on the blogging world and I love her beautiful posts filled with mindblowing photos and sensitive writing . She's always there with a lovely comment that makes me feel really good. Thank you, Kim, for the award and just for being you ! And, as asked for, these are the chosen ones whom I choose to pass the award on to.

This doesn't mean that I don't value my other blogger-friends who have not been named here. It's just that the award is meant to be passed on to 8 other bloggers who have reached out and touched other bloggers. And though I treasure each and every one of you for so many different reasons, there is a number limit. I had to go through my old posts and Blotanical mail and these are some of my oldest friends. I have purposely not mentioned many of my other really good friends but please dont hold it against me. After all, you deserve your own special mention in the next post when I need to name more friends again !

So once again, here it is. The Friendship award goes to all these lovely people who've made a world of difference to me, and whom I request to award 8 deserving bloggers in their turn :

Barbee of Barbee's Blog
Kanak of Terra Farmer
Trudi of Yesterday Today and Tomorrow
Kate of The Manic Gardener
Kerri of Colors of the Garden
Abraham Tharakan of Song of the Waves
Raji of Raji's Ramblings
Shaheen of The Purple Foodie