July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Name dropping doesn't impress her
As I See It
By Diana Dolecki-
By DIANA DOLECKI
The Commercial Review
I thought I heard a knock on the door. It sounded suspiciously like a raven tap, tap, tapping upon the door. When I went to look no ravens were to be seen. Even our "sentinel bees" that lurk outside the front door had disappeared. Instead it was a couple who said they lived down the street and admired my flowers. Then they made a request I hadn't heard before. They asked for one or two of the allium, the round purple ones, that were growing under the maple tree.
I put on my shoes and went to get the shovel. I handed the shovel to the guy and told him they could have a couple and pointed to the ones they could take. They will reseed themselves and fill the space again in a couple of years.
We talked for a few minutes with the lady dropping names all the while. Do you know this one, she's attending master gardening classes? Do you know this lady? Or that one?
Inwardly I gritted my teeth. Yes, I knew most of the women and they were all nice, friendly people. It always bothers me that one of the ways people around here classify each other is by who they know. If they know so and so then they must be good people. If they know somebody else then be careful as that somebody is not acceptable.
One of my nieces also has a habit of name-dropping. She will say something like, "We were at a club and George Clooney dropped by. He's not at all what you would expect. We talked for hours." As often as not the names she drops are unfamiliar to me as I am not up on the latest big shots in the film business.
As you may have guessed, I do not care for this practice. I much prefer to hold off on judging people until I can discover who they are inside. I do not care one whit who you know or who you are related to. Tell me who you are. Tell me what you like. Tell me what you hold dear. It matters who you are.
They seemed like a nice couple and I hope I get to know them better. I also hope that this isn't the beginning of Diana's free plant service. I don't mind giving out a bulb or two or a handful of something that has gone to seed. But let me decide which plants to sacrifice and which ones are not up for grabs.
A lot of what I grow looks like weeds to the ordinary person. They are my weeds and I get to decide if they stay or go. Maybe I am growing the burdock so that I may use one of its giant leaves for a pattern for a birdbath. Maybe I like the teasel that looks like thistle. I fully intend to let at least some of the Queen Anne's lace grow because it is pretty. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
If you want something then ask as the above couple did and I may give you what you ask for and even a little extra. Or I may not. But when you ask, ask as an admirer of the plant and don't drop names.
If you decide to tap, tap, tap on my door beware of the "sentinel bees." They won't hurt you but they are some of the biggest bumble bees I've ever seen.[[In-content Ad]]
The Commercial Review
I thought I heard a knock on the door. It sounded suspiciously like a raven tap, tap, tapping upon the door. When I went to look no ravens were to be seen. Even our "sentinel bees" that lurk outside the front door had disappeared. Instead it was a couple who said they lived down the street and admired my flowers. Then they made a request I hadn't heard before. They asked for one or two of the allium, the round purple ones, that were growing under the maple tree.
I put on my shoes and went to get the shovel. I handed the shovel to the guy and told him they could have a couple and pointed to the ones they could take. They will reseed themselves and fill the space again in a couple of years.
We talked for a few minutes with the lady dropping names all the while. Do you know this one, she's attending master gardening classes? Do you know this lady? Or that one?
Inwardly I gritted my teeth. Yes, I knew most of the women and they were all nice, friendly people. It always bothers me that one of the ways people around here classify each other is by who they know. If they know so and so then they must be good people. If they know somebody else then be careful as that somebody is not acceptable.
One of my nieces also has a habit of name-dropping. She will say something like, "We were at a club and George Clooney dropped by. He's not at all what you would expect. We talked for hours." As often as not the names she drops are unfamiliar to me as I am not up on the latest big shots in the film business.
As you may have guessed, I do not care for this practice. I much prefer to hold off on judging people until I can discover who they are inside. I do not care one whit who you know or who you are related to. Tell me who you are. Tell me what you like. Tell me what you hold dear. It matters who you are.
They seemed like a nice couple and I hope I get to know them better. I also hope that this isn't the beginning of Diana's free plant service. I don't mind giving out a bulb or two or a handful of something that has gone to seed. But let me decide which plants to sacrifice and which ones are not up for grabs.
A lot of what I grow looks like weeds to the ordinary person. They are my weeds and I get to decide if they stay or go. Maybe I am growing the burdock so that I may use one of its giant leaves for a pattern for a birdbath. Maybe I like the teasel that looks like thistle. I fully intend to let at least some of the Queen Anne's lace grow because it is pretty. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
If you want something then ask as the above couple did and I may give you what you ask for and even a little extra. Or I may not. But when you ask, ask as an admirer of the plant and don't drop names.
If you decide to tap, tap, tap on my door beware of the "sentinel bees." They won't hurt you but they are some of the biggest bumble bees I've ever seen.[[In-content Ad]]
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