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You are here: Home / gardening / T is for Trellis #AtoZChallenge

T is for Trellis #AtoZChallenge

April 23, 2015 by admin

Welcome again to the next step in the AtoZ Challenge! The month is going quickly…hard to believe we’re on letter T! To all my fellow participants, good luck! We’re in the home stretch.

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Floppy raspberries needing a trellis!
Floppy raspberries needing a trellis!

I wanted to take a photo of perfectly trellised raspberries, but I can’t. I didn’t get it done, not yet. Right now my raspberries are flopped over, waiting patiently for my attention. It will happen, hopefully today, but by the weekend at the latest.

I wanted to take a photo of perfectly trellised raspberries because I don’t like to admit my moments of sloppiness and inattention. I am not a perfect gardener. I am human.

Perhaps, more than that, these raspberries, untrellised, tell you something about me…about my difficulty receiving support.

We writers can be fragile folk. We don’t have the sturdiness of a leek or the prickliness of a rose. We’re more like vines, wanting to grow tall, seeking the sunlight, but not always able to support ourselves.

We need trellises.

A trellis, for a writer, could be a trusted friend, a spouse, or even a writing book. I like to read about the challenges other authors have overcome, or the insecurities they have. This information brings me comfort when I go through my own challenges.

I give the peas a trellis when I plant them, and soon the little plants will reach out to the trellis for a hand up.
I give the peas a trellis when I plant them, and soon the little plants will reach out to the trellis for a hand up.

Writing conferences or workshops can be trellises. We find each other. We talk shop. We find recognition for who we are and what we love as well as what upsets or consumes us.

Another trellis is the community of online writers, many of whom I’ve never met, who share their experiences. Last fall I met one of them in Wales, of all places. When we met in person, it was as if we had known each other face to face for years.

Then there are our editors. When we find one we’re happy with, our work blossoms. We see aspects of our stories we couldn’t before. We fill in the holes, add compost, replant, water, rearrange…and our craft improves in the process.

With support, we can climb higher than we ever imagined. The more we can trellis, the better our work will be. We humans often reject the idea of support, thinking we should be able to go it alone.

Yet the raspberries never reject their trellis. They just reach out, take hold, and climb.

Maybe we could do the same.

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Filed Under: gardening, writing

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kentuckygal50
kentuckygal50
7 years ago

Why was it instilled in us that ‘we should be able to do it on our own’? I really enjoyed this post, Nadine. It gave me a lot to think about!

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  kentuckygal50

That’s a good question. I wish I knew the answer to it, because I’ve had a tough time overcoming this belief. Thanks again for stopping by and commenting.

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gwynnrogers
gwynnrogers
7 years ago

Ohhh, I can SO relate to your raspberries!! I love your post. So far I have found my on-line friends to be very supportive. What is sad is that they, mostly, live on the other side of the states or in far-away lands. Unlike you, I’m a beginner and only write short stories. I like to write about personal life, but the stories published were about my cat. Ok, that was part of my life. Hmm, maybe all of my back issues are about learning to stand up for myself… but like the raspberries, I could use some support along… Read more »

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  gwynnrogers

Gwynn, you have been a “trellis” for me throughout this challenge, and I’m very grateful. You’re a fine writer, and I’ve so enjoyed your blog. We all need support, but some of us are better at giving it than receiving. It’s an ongoing issue for me, but I keep working on it.

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Ula
Ula
7 years ago

Your raspberries are very wise. I love how you can tie gardening to writing.

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  Ula

Thanks, Ula! They are definitely wise. The garden is a profound teacher.

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Patricia Lynne (@plynne_writes)
Patricia Lynne (@plynne_writes)
7 years ago

I like this post. It’s very wise and honest. I wouldn’t where I am without my support.

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee’s Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  Patricia Lynne (@plynne_writes)

Thanks! I agree…and I have felt so supported through this challenge!

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kimberleycooperblog
kimberleycooperblog
7 years ago

I really liked this post, and I too have loved the challenge. It’s ben good discipline as I haven’t made much use of my blog before, and also I’ve ‘met’ some very interesting and supportive people. One thing I struggle with is the idea that I am ‘allowed’ to call myself a writer if I choose to, and the community feel of the blogging challenge has helped with that.

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  kimberleycooperblog

Having seen your blog, I would definitely call you a writer. I think that’s a normal feeling for writers who have underutilized their blogs or aren’t writing books fast enough to suit themselves (my issue). I’ve enjoyed your work and am glad you’ve found the challenge helpful. I have, too!

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kimberleycooperblog
kimberleycooperblog
7 years ago
Reply to  admin

Thank you for your encouragement. I’ve been working on the novel this afternoon, just needed a bit of a push.

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  kimberleycooperblog

Yay!!! You can do it!!

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jmh
jmh
7 years ago

I love this post, and I agree. Support is so important for writers…for everyone, really, but writers especially.

On another note, you trellis your raspberries? We have ours along a fence, but should I trellis them as well? Never considered it before.

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  jmh

It’s possible your fenceline creates enough support. If your raspberries start to flop over, then a trellis is a good idea, but you may not need it with your setup.

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Barbara In Caneyhead
Barbara In Caneyhead
7 years ago

I just love a trellis! Nice how you compared support and trellis.
Visit me at: Life & Faith in Caneyhead
I am Ensign B of Tremps’ Troops
with the A to Z Challenge

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  Barbara In Caneyhead

Thanks, Barbara!

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Anabel Marsh
Anabel Marsh
7 years ago

That’s a really interesting metaphor which could be extended to every aspect of life – we all need our trellises.

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  Anabel Marsh

We absolutely do. I focused on writing because that’s where I need more trellis work, but it definitely applies to all of life.

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Michelle Wallace
Michelle Wallace
7 years ago

I like the writing-gardening analogy.

I had to smile when you mentioned “…moments of sloppiness and inattention. I am not a perfect gardener.” At least you do have green fingers and CAN cultivate plants.
I’m totally useless. I even killed a cactus once.
How difficult is that?
Very difficult.
Exactly.
So I won’t bore you with the gruesome details. 😀

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admin
Author
admin
7 years ago
Reply to  Michelle Wallace

Personally, I think cacti deserve to die… 🙂

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