Here’s to The Garden Monkey, who alone converted me to the blogosphere, a hitherto unknown and threatening world, by giving me a sense that it could actually be fun, and maybe I could be myself there. His ongoing installments –hijacked interviews of garden personalities, internet moments of the week, not to mention the coveted Fork ‘n’ Monkey awards—add much to our lives, gardening and otherwise. Put it all together, and it’s practically a reason to live.
Moby Dick opens with Ishmael’s explaining that whenever “it takes a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off,” he goes to sea. “With a philosophical flourish,” he says, “Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.”
Me, I think, Really, I mustn’t off myself today, because I’d miss the Garden Monkey’s next installment about British gardening personalities creeping about in each other’s gardens and scheming to steal each other’s garden gnomes, and if I missed that, life really wouldn’t be worth living, now would it. Which makes as much sense as most reasons for living.
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That's a humpback whale at the top of the post, one we saw while on O'Brien's Boat Tours in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland. We also saw a finback and a minke, but you can tell this is a humpback because the fins, even underwater, are white. One of the boat men sang shanties, too.
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Hi Kate! I found your blog. Such lovely, lovely writing…
Hi, Susan! So glad you got here. And thanks for the sweet words. Please return any time you’re in the mood.
–Kate
All hail to the mighty Monkey. Long may he/she swing through trees and scratch her/himself.
{giggle – James’ comment is so funny}. Yes the Garden Monkey is absolutely a must read blog
Nice post Kate
K
Who referred to him/her as “the most charming simian I know”? It was in a post or comment recently, and I can’t track it down, which means I’m probably mis-remembering it. Anyway, it’s quite accurate, although I do fear, now and then, that as he/she swings through the trees, duly scratching, his/her fleas may fall upon the lowly (us) as we gaze admiringly up from below.
So, Monkey, HAND ONTO YOUR FLEAS!
–Kate
Funny Moby Dick line. When I find myself wanting to methodically knock people’s heads, I mean hats off, I garden. (I’ve been known to obsessively pluck weeds in the landscaping at my computer job.)
For a moment there, Wicked Gardener, I had a vision of you obsessively plucking at the plants pictured on your computer screen. I’m glad that wasn’t what you meant. And I’d like to point out that there is nothing remotely peculiar about pulling weeds that aren’t yours; I do it too, and I’m perfectly normal. Perfectly.
–Kate
Call me Ishmael but what is better than a post that has monkeys, gnomes AND whales!?
Well, I’m certainly glad you think so, Abby. Thanks for stopping by.
–Kate
Great description of the Garden Monkey blog. Unfortunately I cannot seem to access it.