A rose by any other name...

I've started to wonder about my blog name. Few, mostly those with kids, know the wonderful book by Barbara Cooney, Miss Rumphius, and the story behind it. Read it if you can.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

About ten years ago I got all paranoid about using my real name as an identifier on the Landscape Design forum at GardenWeb. Miss Rumphius had been my favorite book to read to my son when he was small and I identified with her as a character--hence the screen name. Most people referred to me as Miss R. I stopped posting at Garden Web shortly after it was taken over by iVillage, but that's another story.

I decided to carry the Miss R moniker over to my blog for no real reason other than people already knew me by that name. Now I wonder if it might not be the best name for what I write about. Miss R's third third rule 'Do something to make the world more beautiful' still is, but the name...maybe not so much.

I have no idea what I'd call my blog other than Miss R, but I'd be interested in what everyone who reads here thinks. Leave a comment and let me know.

Yak, Yak, Yak--My Big Mouth!

Here's a podcast I recorded about my experience as a landscape designer who blogs. The others on the podcast are Rochelle Greayer of Studio G and Chris Heiler of Landscape Leadership. Click here. Listen and enjoy.

Old School Recording Device

By the way...I haven't posted video since that day.

Why I Write This.

Yesterday I recorded a podcast about blogging with landscape designers and bloggers Chris Heiler and Rochelle Greayer who writes the wonderful landscape design blog StudioG.

Image via stock.xchng

That discussion made me think again about why I write this blog. I don't follow the rules that most bloggers tell you to follow--I don't write for an audience. Yes, Miss R does fit into a larger grand plan, but it's not a commercial one. I write for me--Miss R is a way for me to quietly explore thoughts and ideas via the written word. I don't interact with others as I do on Twitter or Facebook or even via email--I just write about whatever I'm thinking about--or that interests me at the moment--but always as it relates to my life and work as a designer.

There is a long and varied tradition of artists and designers who write. I've always read artist's words in letters, journals, on canvases in or in books. I look at Miss R as a companion piece to the rest of my life as a designer--another form of expression. I'm honored that anyone wants to read what I write and that these words have value to others--but I'm not trying to create value or give advice. So, I'll continue to selfishly explore my own thoughts here, but I also want thank you for reading and secretly hope that you'll continue to do so.