The big city

The other day, I had an opportunity to spend some time in the big city. Now, first of all, let me just say that I prefer not to visit the big city, but sometimes life throws you a challenge or two just to keep you alert.

So, I’m sitting in a fairly nice waiting room with big windows overlooking one of the busy main streets through this part of town. I’m thinking about all the people I see milling about, trying not to listen to the conversations of the others waiting in the same room, when I hear a woman begin to talk about a blog that she’s been reading by some old guy that loves conifers!

Suddenly, I am listening very closely.

After a little while, I excuse myself for interrupting, and mention that I enjoy conifers too and I point out some huge old trees out the window. Both the young woman and her mother seemed impressed, so I continued the conversation trying not to reveal my identity.

Whether you are an experienced Conehead or a conifer gardening Newbie, you're sure to love Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Confucius'.

“My husband planted some very special trees in my garden years ago, I had no idea at the time what they were,” the older woman told me, “We always just called them evergreens. A few years ago a very nice young lady spoke at my garden club and she told story after story about her flowers and how beautiful the garden can become when you include dwarf conifers. I was intrigued.”

I smiled and nodded quite a lot as she shared another story that sounded very familiar to me. It was then that I realized that my friend, The Flower Girl, had been speaking publicly (at least once) about the value of conifers in the garden!

This was really all-too-funny, I could barely contain myself.

I asked the younger woman how she began reading a blog about conifers. Her mother quickly said that she had started reading it first and her daughter was a conifer “Newb” and was just starting out. I smiled when the younger woman blurted out that she couldn’t believe her own mother called her a newb!

“Well, we all start somewhere,” I said and thought this might be a good time to change the subject.

Just then my wife appeared and was ready to go. I introduced my wife to the ladies and mentioned that we had been talking about conifers. My wife rolled her eyes and apologized, thinking that I had been giving unsolicited advice. At this point I tried to hurry her along when the older woman mentioned that she hadn’t caught my name. I nudged my wife forward, opened the door, turned back to the ladies and said, “My name’s, Ed” as I tipped my hat and hurried out the door.

Ed-
Conifer Lover