casa coniglio

Well, this looks like the end of Casa Coniglio as I know it. The house hasn't sold, but I'm off to California in a few weeks. I'll be moving to a condo (!) without a garden (!!!!!!). Before you get to freaked out by that, take a look at the view from the balcony (above). I'll be almost sure to plant it up, though, as you can imagine. I'm thinking of starting a new blog, titled (as you can guess): Balcony. I'll document the "before" and the progress. I'll post the link if/when it happens.

This is another plant whose name I love almost as much as the flowers. It's a common enough plant around here. Why not? It is tough, it spreads by underground runners (but not too aggressively), and has incredibly rich blue flowers. When the weather turns cold, the leaves turn red.
Oh, and it is another plant whose flowers are an indication of the onset of autumn. I wonder if the plants are telling us something.

It is supposed to be a sign that Fall is here when the hardy cyclamen blooms. Since the first blossom opened today...

How do you reply when somebody asks "Who are you?"
In preparation for job interviews, this was one of the questions that I was advised to have a reply for. Who am I? Who I am.

The reply to this I find, for most people, is not so much "who" but "what." People define who they are by what they do. Most frequently, this translates to what they do for work. "I am an artist." "I am a plumber." "I am a doctor."

"Who" is also defined by relationship. When someone knocks on the door, a voice from behind the door asks "who is it?" or when you are at work and there is an unknown person there, when you ask "who is that?" what you are asking is "What is that person's relationship to me?" and the answer is something like "Oh, that's the I.T. guy." "Who" is a relative term.

The problem with the question is that it is oversimplification. We are complex beings, so to define ourselves in limited terms and in a simple statement is a matter of efficiency. It is not intended to be a statement of ultimate truth.

As for me, I would say that at my core I am a simple gardener. But it is not as simple as that. I am also a multi-layered, complex person, with various talents and skills that go way beyond gardening. I do not say this as a point of arrogance. It is just what is, and also only from my own flawed perspective.  


So it's an interesting exercise to ask yourself "Who am I?" Are you, indeed, your job? If not (and I would argue that you are not), then what, or who are you? I'd like to know.