It was fun returning home from our blogging extravaganza to a garden bursting with new growth.
My blooming garden
After a week on the chillier east coast, I learned a few things. According to my calendar, spring arrived on March 20th, but the east coast remained in a deep chill. Those east-coast daffodils know a thing or two and chose to remain warm and cozy in the ground.
Here in California our daffodils shot up in February along with the hyacinths and other spring bulbs. Their east-coast cousins waited till warmer temperatures prevailed. I got to experience the joy of smiling daffodils twice in the same year.
Spring in Laurie’s garden: Forsythia, Daffodils, Dogwood and Redbud
What could be better than two springs in one year?
Just this: spending time with an extraordinary group of women, talking, laughing and preparing food, seeing the sites and sharing our stories and marveling at our good fortune. I spent over a week nestled in a cocoon of dear friends, all met through blogging. It’s difficult to convey an experience this profound, without succumbing to the treacle of sentimentality.
I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
Georgetown: with Laurie, Boomdee, Pauline, (Yours Truly) and Julia. Julia of Defeat Despair graciously hosted us at her home and kept us updated on the status of the cherries coming into bloom
More bloggers = more fun. Lunch at Clyde’s in Georgetown
A brief stop in North Garden, Virginia, welcomed with open arms by Shelley who blogs at Peak Perspective.
Time in Radford, Virginia hosted by Laurie of Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things
An afternoon at Draper Mercantile
Washington D.C. with Lisa, Pauline and Boomdee
Note: Just for fun, I created a travelogue using the site Traveller’s Point. I included the destinations, who joined us and when, links to their blogs and more. WordPress does not support embedding, but you can view it at this link if interested.
The Traveling Bloggers:
Gardening Nirvana
Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things
Gardening Nirvana 
This post oozes freinship and good times! Just lovely…happy you all had such a good time! xo Johanna
ps love the new gravatar
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What a great travelogue you’ve done. And what a joy to have two springs. Love the new gravatar!
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Two springs in one year, how much better can it get. Well, I guess it did. You had the best time with great women. I imagined you learned a great deal as well. Thank you so much for sharing your travels with us. Hugs.
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I’ve just discovered Defeat Despair. …she is wonderful and strong.
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Thank you so much for sharing your pictures! I so enjoyed the journey through many of you and think it was wonderful that you were able to make the trip. Women friends are so precious. I am happy for you all. P. S. Glad your garden survived your absence.
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Look at all those smiling faces. Super collages Alys, and the travel link was cool. Is that an App on your phone? I’ve just noticed we have a lot of the same photo’s which makes sense since we were hanging like peas in a pod that whole time. It’s hard to think it might be a while before another visit, there’s just not enough holiday time or holiday funds to do and go everywhere I want to. Maybe we can all meet in the middle of the country next time. I sort of have a thing for Minneapolis, LOL. I really must get to my sweet cousin Sherri’s too. I’ve got a lineup of trips in my headā¦San Jose, Ottawa, Maui, San Diego then ?? who knows. I’ll need to get out there and make some dough, LOL. I have champagne holiday plans on a beer budget. How nice to make friends around the world that are willing to host a Boomdee-bot from Canada š I feel so lucky and happy to share this whole adventure with you. xoxoxoxox ā¤ K
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I really love the new gravatar Alys! Sounds and looks like you had a wonderful week. Lucky you, fitting two springs into one year with all those pretty flowers!
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What a beautiful post… and a beautiful group of friends. I feel slightly voyeuristic peaking in on all your fun!
When it’s not 7:20 in the morning and I don’t have to get on with some editing work, I will be visiting all those lovely blogs and your travelog – thank you.
By-the-way, every post I read about spring in the US mentions Redbud – it’s not a plant that I am familiar with here in the UK (unlike daffodils, dogwood and forsythia), but it certainly does have pretty spring flowers.
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Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. š
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Such a beautiful round up Alys of a magical time out of ordinary life. I feel more fortunate than I can say to have been allowed to share this adventure with you all! I love your new gravatar pic too š xoxo
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Your photos have captured the friendship and joy of a wonderful adventure. It is always fun to catch up online with blogger friends, but to meet in person must be extra special.
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Personally, I love the flavor of treacle, and the treacle of sentimentality is what I’m planning to frost my next ‘welcome back’ cake with when you return, Alys.
A beautiful post with wonderful pictures of people I’ve been so happy to meet.
ā¤ ā¤
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Loved having a look-in at your garden, your friends and some of the sights from that fabulous trip.
I’ve had good results fro
Those seed packs, but that was years ago; maybe the sourcing has changed.
BTW, you CAN embed links on WordPress; while composing your post, select the word/s you want to link, click the link button on the toolbox, type the title you want to use in the top box and the actual link in the bottom box. Then click on ‘ok’ or ‘add link’ or whatever it’s called (sorry, just can’t remember). The link will now be visible. To save time, before you begin, use another window to go to the site you want to link to yours. Select the web address and copy it. When you have the link box open, right-click in the address box and select ‘paste’. Voila!! No more typing long strings of characters!
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Alys, this is such a wonderful post! The photo collages are great and show such fun!! Thank you for sharing.
How great that you enjoyed two springs! I think of you each morning as I walk out and see the beautiful blooms on the Red Bud, Dogwood, and Weeping Cherry. Just one more week and you’d have seen a whole ‘nother spring in Virginia š
Take care my friend!
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Hello Laurie! Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I know how incredibly busy you are with the campaign. I’m delighted that you could stop by.
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PS Is it raining where you are today?
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oh my gosh yes. I went door to door today to 82 houses and it rained most of the time. 39 degrees in April!
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Oh good grief, Laurie. 39 degrees in April!!!? That is messed up. What a trooper you are. How are things going overall? Are you talking to lots of people as you knock on doors or is it a challenge to find people at home?
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I love seeing all the photos of your adventures in and around DC, Alys! Such joy š And as for your garden, yellow and blue flowers are my favorite color palette! Now, if only I had your green thumb š
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Hi Stacey,
It was such a joyful trip. I’m so glad we were able to meet and have lunch together. I love your enthusiasm for life and especially enjoyed hearing you talk about some of the other bloggers you follow. You have a love of life and a thirst for learning and that’s contagious. Since you have children in California, you must look me up when you are here. It will be good to see you again.
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Alys, what a lovely reply. I’m at a loss for words … well, not completely, since I’m still typing, but your words really stopped me in my tracks. Thank you. And for looking you up? Absolutely!!!
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Your garden looks amazing with all that spring colour. I am so glad that you all had a riot together. You are all so lucky that you could get away like that and have wonderful girls time. I am so happy for you all. what a treat!! Its good for the soul.
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It was a treat, Diane. One of the most unique experiences of my lifetime. We all had a blast. I hope we can meet up with you one of these days. That would be amazing too.
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