WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:03.480 Do you enjoy Plant Ditty Podcast. Do you find yourself listening to us going 2 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:07.879 on and on about plants after more than one hundred episodes, then consider supporting 3 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:11.560 us on Patreon, where official patrons get access to our show ad free with 4 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:14.640 a little bonus after show that we started recently as well, Or you could 5 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:17.719 just fund us a cup of coffee to keep the plantytalk coming, or tell 6 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:20.719 a friend or leave a positive review, and as always, thank you for 7 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:26.079 listening and supporting us in any way that works for you. And we're live. 8 00:00:26.679 --> 00:00:44.119 This is Plant Ditty Podcast. I'm Matthew and I'm Stephen. Happy end 9 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:48.280 of Pride month. It's become hot and sunny in Seattle after a rather mild 10 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:52.479 and gray and pretty wet spring, so I've got a Hibiscus Lacroix and iced 11 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:55.920 coffee to keep me hydrated as we record. How is your Pride weekend? 12 00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:59.119 Though this is plant themed already, I see with your drink selection. Oh 13 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:02.719 yeah, it was a nice weekend overall. I'm usually a go with the 14 00:01:02.759 --> 00:01:07.200 flow type on Pride weekends, so I go into it content to do an 15 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:11.200 event or two leave the weekend without feeling hungover or sunburns. Yeah. Yeah, 16 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:15.079 I achieved that this year while also seeing more people and going out a 17 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:19.640 bit more than normal. Maybe it's because it's like one of the first since 18 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:25.079 the pandemic got slightly more under control. Knock on wood. Yeah, but 19 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:27.280 anyway, I'm now old enough that it's more of a time to check in 20 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:30.200 with local friends, run into people I haven't seen in a while, that 21 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:34.319 sort of thing. Grandpa Steven had a really good time. Oh that's good. 22 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:38.120 I'm glad to hear it. So I don't know if most of our 23 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:42.480 listeners are going to be familiar with pansy As Ceramics. They're Instagram is private 24 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:47.599 for a reason, but they're a Toronto based business that makes well, there's 25 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:51.319 no way around it, just overtly sexual, really sex positive, really queer 26 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:57.040 ceramics that are like high art twists on antique china or vintage choch keys and 27 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:00.799 home to core pieces. Yeah. Just go check them. Yeah. In 28 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:02.719 the spirit of pride, they were kind enough to send us a few of 29 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:07.960 their pieces. I got a Chuck Taylor looking sneaker shape vase. Matthew got 30 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:13.919 a planter in the shape of a torso wearing a jockstrap. You sizzling sounds. 31 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:15.759 Yeah. So I've just been thinking about what I'm going to pot up 32 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:20.240 in mind since it arrived. I have a few choices that I'm considering, 33 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:23.919 but I think that's going to be my afternoon project. You'll see what I 34 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:27.439 end up putting in that planter on Instagram later this week. It is such 35 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.800 a fun and over the top piece of decor that the plant choice has to 36 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:35.520 be really on, you know. Certainly, I think I'm going to put 37 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:38.520 something carnivorous in mine, and I'll share that when it's set up too nice. 38 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:42.879 So, as we head into our summer break, we thought we'd share 39 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:47.120 our summer plant reading recommendations. So Stephen, what do you have to suggest? 40 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:51.960 Okay, As I've mentioned on this show before, I'm not the biggest 41 00:02:52.039 --> 00:02:55.520 book reader lately, so I thought I would break this episode concept right away 42 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:59.759 by picking a podcast I want to catch up on instead. Great, Okay, 43 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:02.280 Yeah, So I mean, like I still read, but I read 44 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:07.280 the Internet in quotes a lot more often, as people say, like, 45 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:12.800 book reading is almost exclusively a travel activity for me now and then I'll typically 46 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:15.400 pick some kind of biography or like nonfiction, and it's a little bit like 47 00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:19.879 far from planty, I guess. Yeah, Okay. Anyway, around the 48 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:23.719 same time I found on the Ledged podcast, well before we started Plant Daddy 49 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:27.000 podcast, I found in Defensive Plants. Oh yeah. I think it was 50 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.039 a carnivorous theme plant episode that got me started, and I've been a fan 51 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:35.039 since for years now. If you've heard the show before, you know it's 52 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.240 about plants, but from a very different point of view than you know we 53 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:43.840 take. Yeah. Yeah. The host Matt interviews almost exclusively scientists working on 54 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:47.960 a specific plant related effort or research topic, and the episodes go deep into 55 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:53.039 the guests specialties, their stories, their other interests that are related. You 56 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:58.719 might be like, wait, I thought this was botany, apathetic Stephen talking 57 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:02.039 here, so like, what's going Oh yeah, for sure. But I 58 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:05.759 love it because I feel like I get glimpses of the real lives of plant 59 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:11.599 scientists, which to me feels so far from my home and horticultural focus plant 60 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:15.000 life, and I get to hear about areas of study that are totally new 61 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.639 to me, like prehistoric plants or efforts to save a particular tree in like 62 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:23.839 a faraway place or even nearby. I still think about this episode from a 63 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:27.480 year or to ago about someone trying to save the ozark chinkapin, a tree 64 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.800 that used to grow all over the eastern United States before nearly going extinct from 65 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:35.600 logging a chestnut blight that nearly killed all of the trees. They are making 66 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:41.240 progress growing new trees if you're curious, That story alone is fascinating. Nice. 67 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:45.160 So yeah, like, if you're wondering where to start with this podcast, 68 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.000 I would just pick an episode that sounds interesting to you. Even skip 69 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:53.240 around the very big catalog. There are a few about carnuvous plants, like 70 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:56.720 I mentioned where there's one about the astor plant family that I really loved. 71 00:04:57.240 --> 00:05:00.920 But you know, there are options like LG car first, cashews, wasps, 72 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:04.600 and plants, just about anything that you could think of. And it 73 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:08.199 is on the denser side, so it may not be one that you can 74 00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:11.439 binge as easily as some other shows, but that's okay, all right. 75 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:15.560 Yeah, so just pick one. You'll probably hear about some amazing research projects, 76 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:19.199 some newly discovered information that could be inspiring or interesting, and you know, 77 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:23.480 it's very possible that you had no idea it was even happening. Yeah. 78 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.600 I get that feeling often when I listen so, yeah, can you 79 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:30.839 tell I'm excited to start listening again? Okay, I love that. I 80 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:34.519 also love in defensive plants, but that was absolutely not an answer to my 81 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:38.480 question. So, Stephen, do you have like a physical, printed paper 82 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:41.279 book that you think might be a good one for someone to pick up the 83 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:45.439 summer in case they want some plant education in the form of a published book. 84 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.079 Well, I think they'll hear about that later. How is that for 85 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:54.399 an interview? Tease? Subtle? Good job? Okay, but are there 86 00:05:54.439 --> 00:06:00.639 any honorable mentions for your you know, let's say broadly classified reading list that 87 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:04.399 you'd like to throw in. Okay, this is pretty different, but the 88 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:09.079 podcast a little bit culty if you're into that. I found it after watching 89 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:15.839 the Nexium documentary on HBO. Okay, and I'll say Reckoning by Magda's Zubanski. 90 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:19.480 Oh, she played Sharon on the Australian show Kath and Kim. We 91 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:25.160 just binged all of that a few weeks or months ago. Perfect timing. 92 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:29.800 Yeah, okay, okay. She wrote an incredible autobiography about her life like 93 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:33.120 growing up queer in Australia and a family of x spies rebels. It's gotten 94 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:39.240 amazing reviews. It's like her first book. Yeah, definitely, you know, 95 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.519 check it out. Okay, cool Annie. Who how about you, 96 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:46.480 Matthew M You know that I've you know, classically been a book reader. 97 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:51.480 I was a curious child who write Encyclopedia's National Geographic recreationally. I constantly used 98 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:56.800 the school in public libraries, and I was checking out, like really referenced 99 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:00.680 book sorts of stuff about specific types of animals or plants or into our garden 100 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:04.319 technique. Same, yeah, you know, and here we are. Yeah. 101 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:08.560 You kind of also have this experience that this was in the early days 102 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:12.759 of the Internet, when web design was awful and it hadn't quite developed into 103 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:17.199 the comprehensive resource that it is today. But I studied literature at university, 104 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:20.879 and it's amazing how reading a hefty pile of novels every quarter for a couple 105 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:25.959 of years really burns you out on reading for pleasure. Yep. Yeah. 106 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:29.319 So it's been a while since I've been a student, and like Steve and 107 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.720 I still read a lot, but it's mostly digital. And I do feel 108 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:35.600 like I might be a bit of an expert on Internet research because there are 109 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:39.560 just not many questions that I might come up with that I can't find any 110 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:43.160 answer to on a Google search. But as we mentioned when we chatted with 111 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:47.040 Jane Perrone when discussing Teloso Rousseau in episode ninety five, I have been trying 112 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:53.000 to build out my own personal plant reference book library more in a less decade 113 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:57.680 and a half. Obviously, I've gravitated towards online resources because there's quality stuff 114 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:01.519 there, and you can find in the moment updates about plants discoveries or reclassification 115 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.720 and taxonomy updates. There's care guides popping up about the newest plants that are 116 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:11.000 entering the market. And there's also always new technological innovations that give different options 117 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:13.920 for indoor gardenings, you know, stuff like that. But sometimes I just 118 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:18.240 don't need to wade through that cutting edge chatter. You kind of know how 119 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:22.759 that feels, Okay. So I'm refamiliarizing myself with the value of quality books 120 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:28.040 that are excellent references for established botanical sciences, and these might go into the 121 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.159 physiology and anatomy of plants, describe some of their basic and key functions, 122 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:35.440 or the sorts of books that are just to focus on general care and growing 123 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:39.600 of long understood plant families. Yeah, you're really building suspense here, Matthew. 124 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:41.840 I know, because I feel like you can kind of have to sell 125 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:46.120 this one a little bit because the book that I want to recommend is one 126 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:50.600 that my grandmother bought me when I was in sixth grade, and it's Orthos 127 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:56.039 All about Orchids. Okay, all right. Ortho is like the lawn and 128 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:01.360 gardening pesticidish company, which is fine, right, I'm just confirming That's why 129 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:03.399 there was a build up. I had to sell this, got it, 130 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:09.320 Okay, not a company I immediately associate with orchids, but I'm listening very 131 00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:13.159 curious now, yeah, I mean it is endorsed by the American Orchid Society. 132 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.120 And as a young kid who is just getting hooked on plants in a 133 00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:20.279 serious way, this book was outstanding. It's like, not very thick, 134 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:24.559 and it's an excellent introduction to what orchids are. Describes their growth habits and 135 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:28.200 the terminology used to talk about orchids, the general care parameters they need, 136 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.879 how to adjust your home growing conditions to suit their needs. And it also 137 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:35.879 separates popular genera out by the ease of growing for a beginner. So it 138 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:41.840 also talks a lot about the indoor environmental factors that are really good to understand 139 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:46.360 just for other plants as you get further into the hobby. So of course 140 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:50.600 it also gets into all the orchids specific things like common problems repotting, dividing 141 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:54.039 plants and all that. But what I appreciated the most as a sixth grader 142 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:58.000 was just how nicely it laid out what I needed to understand about the diversity 143 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:03.720 of orchids I was starting to get interested in them. It's really well illustrated. 144 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:07.519 There's lots of photos and graphics and figures, and it really helped me 145 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.879 understand where I might want to kind of put my energies in growing them myself. 146 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.799 There's also a really great, lengthy gallery of popular genera that kind of 147 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.679 get into the specifics for each one individually, and there's a lot of photos 148 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:24.440 of each. So that was actually where I really started to develop my tastes 149 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:28.559 that I still have for the orchans that I love today. In fact, 150 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:33.360 it's actually where I first learned about Brasiola nindosa and the jewel organs. Wow, 151 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:37.919 okay, I'm just letting this sink in. So where did you get 152 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:41.840 your taste in orchids? You'll be like, well, ortho, there was 153 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:48.279 a pesticide company. Okay, okay, this is a good late season bombshell. 154 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:50.200 I like this. This book is available to buy. We did check. 155 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:54.399 I'll include a link in the show notes. Yeah, and I'm always 156 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:56.919 starting to encourage people to consider orchids, as you know, as a community 157 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:01.320 of plant growers, so many of us are growing plants that are just straight 158 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:05.159 up as challenging or even more so indoors as the common and popular flowering orchids. 159 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.200 So if you're on the fence or feeling intimidated by just the word orchid, 160 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:13.320 I honestly think the picking up an orchid book like this one is a 161 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:16.559 really good way to start. Okay, great, any honorable mentions you want 162 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:20.759 to include, Well, I didn't pick Botany for Gardeners by Brian Kappin. 163 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:26.080 I got this reference book recently. But the reason that I preferred the orchid 164 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:30.799 book is because Botany for Gardeners really goes into the science heavy things that aren't 165 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:33.559 necessary to know to grow plants well, but it's certainly going to enhance your 166 00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:37.559 plant knowledge if you're interested in that area of plant science. It's super useful. 167 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.720 And then I've started binging the podcast Plant Personalities with PV Plant Guy, 168 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:46.679 who you probably know on Instagram and TikTok. Yeah, it's like a talk 169 00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:48.600 show with plant fluencers that a lot of us know from social media. So 170 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:52.120 that's kind of fun cool. And then lastly, I need to get caught 171 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:56.440 up with the Potted Together podcast. So that is my summer reading and listening 172 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:00.240 list. Okay, some good ones in there. Yeah, so you a 173 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.399 few options already, but there's more. We had a chance to preview a 174 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:05.879 book that will release in the next few days, probably by the time you 175 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:09.080 heard this episode. And in addition to loving the book, we love the 176 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:13.720 author too. We listened to this interview after we recorded it, and we 177 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:20.120 even surprised ourselves by how excited we got. So enjoy all right, so 178 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:24.200 at this point she is our friend of the show. Who needs no introduction. 179 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:28.559 It's Maria F from BGR. Y'all Hey, then, Maria, Hi, 180 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:31.399 thanks for having me back again, Lucky number three. Yeah, it's 181 00:12:31.399 --> 00:12:35.879 so nice to have you back again. And you've got some really exciting news, 182 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.399 some really exciting news. You guys are some of the advanced readers, 183 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:45.240 some of the first recipients. We feel very excited. Okay, so let's 184 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:48.679 dive right into your new book. Author interviews can be a little bit formulaic, 185 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.320 so I thought it might be fun for Matthew and I to give our 186 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:56.799 quick summaries and reviews then get your reaction. Yeah. I'm so excited about 187 00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:00.519 this because at this point I'm kind of tired of talking about about the book, 188 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:03.519 so I'm so excited. I also really respect both of your opinions, 189 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:07.960 so I'm so excited to hear how your intro sounds and what do you think 190 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.480 of my book? This is so exciting. Yeah, I mean, first 191 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:16.080 of all, your note from the author and your introduction hit me so hard. 192 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:20.120 You and I have kind of related a lot recently, both like in 193 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.360 our own chats as well as on the last episode that we did together just 194 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:28.440 about how similar our own personal life paths have been recently. But you know, 195 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:33.639 perhaps I'm projecting a little bit, but I felt really emotional reading your 196 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:39.399 message because it was extraordinarily relatable to me and on levels that I wasn't anticipating, 197 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:45.440 kind of seeing how that process came to be a book for you and 198 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:50.840 how you developed these ideas. And I think that a lot of people are 199 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:54.519 going to have it experienced themselves, and as I got deeper into the book, 200 00:13:54.559 --> 00:14:00.480 it just felt truly meditative, and it absolutely caught me off guard more 201 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:03.720 times than I can think, because it truly felt like you were just walking 202 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:09.519 me through precisely how you find joys in plants and also how you find moments 203 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:15.799 within nature to connect to yourself and your well being and the world around you. 204 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:18.759 It genuinely felt like taking a leisurely hike through a forest and then just 205 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:24.480 kind of like peeking through foliage to appreciate new little ferns and some flower that 206 00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:28.120 you happen to catch at just the right moment to appreciate its fleeting blooms. 207 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.320 And that resonated for me because in the Pacific Northwest we have amazing forests. 208 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:35.279 That's why I love hiking. I love hiking at any time of years that 209 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:39.720 I get to take those things in, and I expect that I'm now going 210 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:43.639 to have a different experience both with my own plants that I'm growing at home, 211 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.879 but also when I'm out in nature or just taking walks around the neighborhood. 212 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:52.399 After reading Growing Joy, it has truly been a highlight of my recent 213 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:56.759 reading and honestly, it was such a beautiful way to enter the summer and 214 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:01.279 the active growing season. Like your timing was perfect. Then I was beyond 215 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:07.159 moved. It was beautiful. Thank you, Matthew. I think that's so 216 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:11.360 funny because you know, my pub date has been pushed back like four times. 217 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:13.759 The book was originally supposed to come out in April on my birthday. 218 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:18.840 Then it got pushed to June, early June, and then it got trapped 219 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:22.000 on a cargo ship in Turkey due to supply chain that hues and so it 220 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:26.720 got post factory of our weeks. So you know, I've been kind of 221 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:30.240 like moaning about how this book isn't you know, coming out, and oh 222 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:31.720 we missed Mother's Day, Oh we missed this, Oh we missed that. 223 00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:35.399 But yeah, I really do feel like because if you're in the northern hemisphere, 224 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:39.399 this book is coming out really kind of in peak, almost the summer 225 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:43.960 equinox. You know, yeah, everything is lush, It's this book is 226 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:46.639 very accessible for people, even if they're in a winter colder period. But 227 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.960 yeah, the practices are even more accessible because everywhere you look outside, you 228 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:56.600 know, it's so easy to go experience plants. Right now. I feel 229 00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:00.159 like chapters two and three like are perfect for right now. Yeah, and 230 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:06.519 that's that means so much. And also for those listening for the sweet listeners, 231 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:10.960 just to get some context for the very deep compliment Matthew gave me, 232 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:14.799 so Growing Joy, my book is a self help book. It's a self 233 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:18.159 care book about plant care. There are plenty of plantfluencers that have done books 234 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:22.720 about plant care, so this is actually a book about self care. And 235 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.080 in the author's note and the title is Growing Joy. And in the author's 236 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:30.639 note, I opened the author's note by saying, I wrote this book about 237 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:34.879 joy in essentially the least joyful period of my life and kind of unpack that. 238 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:38.320 And yeah, Matthew, just to reflect that back. Yeah, we've 239 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:45.039 been through a lot together and apart. And I think too, like plants, 240 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:48.440 stigma isn't the right word, but I think plants are expected to only 241 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:53.159 be positive. But plants have seasons like we all do. Right, So 242 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:57.320 it's you know, there's a whole chapter in Growing Joy on the dark side 243 00:16:57.320 --> 00:17:00.039 of plant care and on the fact that you can be a plant parent and 244 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.480 be depressed or sometimes your plants don't bring you joy, and what does life 245 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:07.720 look like when that's the case, and how do you write the ship? 246 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.680 So that means so much to me, especially knowing your literary background, So 247 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:15.319 thank you very much. Well, I just thought that it was really beautiful. 248 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:19.440 How you don't shy away from the fact that it's not all a beat 249 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:26.039 positivity. You give honor to the darkness, but you just technology this part 250 00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:29.319 of life. But Stephen, I'm getting carried away and I mean, like 251 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:33.000 way too poetic about this. So Stephen, take us back down to the 252 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:37.119 steps. Yeah, thanks, I mean no, that that's interesting to hear, 253 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:41.000 Matthew. Right, Like one of my points is I think there's like 254 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:45.759 several levels to this book. That was surprising and impressive. But okay, 255 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:52.279 like when I think plant books, I typically think like big hardcover, glossy, 256 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:56.240 lots of direction books, so you know, usually right so right away 257 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:02.440 it's this kind of durable paperbacks an attached bookmark, and that kind of gives 258 00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:04.799 you a clue I think as to like what's in store for you. So 259 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:07.079 you know, I picked it up. I read a chapter at a time 260 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:14.400 here there I was immediately struck just by the density of ideas in this Maria. 261 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:18.599 Um there's like media, it's three yeah, I didn't. Really is 262 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:22.559 too much. No, there's like a lot of meaty, kind of bite 263 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.160 size pieces all over the place. There's like diy ideas, there's plant facts, 264 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:30.799 um, ideas about how to look at things, which I think is 265 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:34.039 kind of signature Maria too. And I think it took me a few visits, 266 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:38.240 honestly, like to fully understand that this isn't a typical plant book, 267 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:41.279 like you know, how to grow succulents or like how to grow aeroids. 268 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:45.240 Um, It's okay. I think of it going out on a limb here. 269 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:52.640 I think of it as like a modern chic plant almanac. I don't 270 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.039 know if that if that speaks to you, if that feels right, but 271 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:57.599 it's it's one of those things where you go, you pick it up, 272 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:03.279 you go to any page there's something useful or something interesting or something to do, 273 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:06.880 and no chapter is more than like three pages. Most chapters are laying 274 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:10.200 four paragraphs there. It's really quick. Yeah, that's a great point. 275 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:14.039 So really it's like it's it's so well suited to kind of like oh, 276 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:15.400 that durable paperback that you're going to throw in a bag, like you're going 277 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:18.720 to have your bookmark in there. Somewhere and it's not like, oh I 278 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:22.920 forgot what was happening, not really like you can pick it up, you 279 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:26.720 know, anywhere, like pick up the story again. So I think that's 280 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:30.160 really unexpected. That's good, and it's it's not something that's gonna like sit 281 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:33.640 on your shelf so much like so many plant books, which are great, 282 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:38.200 they're so useful during a certain time, but this is there's something more universal 283 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:41.640 about it. And yeah, it's just so you Maria, right, like 284 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:45.759 knowing you now and then reading this, like Matthew said, you could hear 285 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:48.240 your voice in it, and I think, you know, so many of 286 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:52.599 us we think about plants. It's like a thing we do sometimes, like 287 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:56.599 in this way. But I just think a Maria and bloom and growth theme 288 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:03.720 is piercing the boundaries right of this hobby in a way that adds so much 289 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.240 to the hobby itself. So really, you read this book and you think 290 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:11.960 about how plants fit into your life, how it fits into our lives, 291 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:15.359 like how they could, how they should. Yeah, it's just unique and 292 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:22.000 it's so accessible and appealing. Like I you know, I did not know 293 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:23.359 this going in, right. I was kind of be like, oh, 294 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:26.720 like maybe this will be about mindfulness and you know the things that she likes 295 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:30.680 to talk about. It is a lot and which is me. I'm a 296 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:36.920 lot too. Oh no, No, you get way more than just what 297 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.759 I said right, Like you can kind of pick it up wherever. There's 298 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:45.440 a lot of levels. There's Yeah, there's so much depth and so much 299 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.079 simplicity. God, Steve, well, you know, Stephen, after our 300 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:52.880 last conversation of me being on your show, you know, I knew Matthew. 301 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:55.680 I was nervous for Matthew to read the book because I know of his 302 00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:00.160 literary background. But I figured, knowing Matthew and my similarities, that a 303 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.319 lot of the stuff was going to jib with him, like he was going 304 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:06.559 to go for it. But I was really curious to hear your thoughts because 305 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:10.359 I know that you and I kind of do approach plants from kind of the 306 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.079 opposite sides of the spectrum. But I felt like I got I got in 307 00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:18.400 there somewhere with you in the last the conversation we had really did Yes. 308 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:22.920 I don't know if Steven's gonna mind me saying this, but he dwelled on 309 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.359 that and it was like in his head for weeks afterwards, and we just 310 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:30.200 points while we were dealing with other episodes. Yeah, you got into it, 311 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:34.480 got under his skin. Yeah, I planted a seed that's germinating in 312 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:40.200 the back of this matter person. Yeah no, And I mean that's in 313 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:44.039 this book. But then kind of so much more right, like, okay, 314 00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:45.440 even if you even if that didn't speak to you like it did to 315 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:51.240 me, Like, there's tons of projects in here. There are tons of 316 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:55.160 facts that I didn't know and I really loved, like the one about the 317 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:59.519 smell of wet earth. Oh my god, I forget both of the Yeah, 318 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:02.039 both of the cab words I forgot. But I was kind of like, 319 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:03.960 oh, like, this is something I want to tell you know my 320 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:07.240 dad right now. Absolutely, petroqualum. When water hits the earth, it 321 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:14.319 stimulates a the scent humans. Humans have been proven to be very sensitive to 322 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:18.640 this smell of wet earth. Yeah, that's interesting. Terrariums, Oh my 323 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.039 god. You know Billy. I have a little tiny terrarium, and Billy 324 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:26.279 will sometimes just open it and smell it and then put the top back on. 325 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:29.519 I'm just like, you're so weird. But Steven, that means so 326 00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:32.000 much to me because I think when I approached this book. You know, 327 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:36.640 this is technically a self help book, a self improvement book. It's not 328 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:38.440 a plant book, right, it's not. There's a plant care appendix at 329 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:41.680 the at the back of the book. It's a plant killer to plant person 330 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:47.359 crash course for those of us who might pick up the book for mindfulness purposes 331 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:51.960 and not be a plant person and need you need the basics. But it's 332 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.079 really a wellness book, how to live a happier life. That's what the 333 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:59.519 majority of the practices are. And you know, I had a lot of 334 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:03.319 imposter syndrome writing this book, because I'm also someone who's read every self help 335 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:06.319 book in the world. I've been on every yoga retreat, I've struggled with 336 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:07.279 mental health, so I'm like, who am I to write this book? 337 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.720 But I think my approach to writing it was no matter where someone falls on 338 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:17.119 the spectrum of super analytical, super kind of straightforward like Stephen, or super 339 00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:21.160 woo woo like me, I want everyone after reading Growing Joy to be able 340 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:26.960 to immediately implement something that resonates and smile one more time than they would have 341 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:30.960 if they hadn't read it. Like that's the ultimate goal. I'm not a 342 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:34.079 guru. That's saying, you know, you have to follow this practice, 343 00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:37.440 you have to do things this way, you have to do that, Like, 344 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:40.799 absolutely not. The book is written the way I'm talking to you right 345 00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:41.720 now, being like, hey, have you thought of this? Have you 346 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:45.480 tried this? What about this? What about this? I really like that, 347 00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:49.039 you know, and you know, take those One of my favorite it's 348 00:23:49.079 --> 00:23:52.160 inspired a lot by one of my favorite self help books called You Are a 349 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:56.720 Badass by Jensin Sarah, and I've read it six times by this point, 350 00:23:56.799 --> 00:24:00.039 and she's like, take what works and leave what does it? And I 351 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:03.880 think that's the beauty of plant care, right even if you look at the 352 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:07.759 Plant Daddy podcast versus the Blooming Grow radio podcast, like we all nerd out 353 00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:11.440 about really different things. Yeah, some people approach plants for a spiritual reason, 354 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:15.559 some people approach them for a design aesthetic reason, some people approach them 355 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:22.680 for other things. And there's no prescription really, But the more tools you 356 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:26.039 can have in your tool kit to lead a more joyful life and to have 357 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:30.799 the most enriching, fulfilling version of this hobby, the better. And so 358 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:33.920 that's kind of what they enjoy is and it feels so nice to have that 359 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:37.480 reflected back to me. No one's put it that way yet, who's read 360 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:41.559 the book before? And yeah, that's definitely part of it. There's a 361 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:45.880 lot, and one might even argue it's a little all over the place sometimes, 362 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:48.559 but that's also kind of who I am, and that's how plants are, 363 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:52.319 right, kind of wacky. Some of them grow kind of all over 364 00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:53.839 the place. I just want to say, like the way that you kind 365 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:59.079 of not putting you on the spot. You almost ended apologetic when you said 366 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:02.359 that it's all over the place. But I think that what's so beautiful about 367 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:06.640 that is that Steven and I both approach media in very different ways. It 368 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:08.279 doesn't matter kind of what it is. I tend to start something at the 369 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:12.960 beginning and work my way through to the end chronologically. Steven will pick points 370 00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:18.759 here and there if the chronology isn't important. But it worked for both of 371 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:22.440 us, and I still have some reading of the book to do before I 372 00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:25.799 reached the end, and I'm really excited for that. But it appeals to 373 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:30.359 both people. And even if you have a density of ideas, you kind 374 00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:34.160 of hit them in a way that they're very digestible. They're brief moments that 375 00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:38.079 you can get something really salient and important, or you can sit down and 376 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:42.519 just like pour through them with a cup of tea and like rain hitting your 377 00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:48.119 window outside if that's some crappy weather here in Seattle recently. But with all 378 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:51.720 this together, Stephen thinks of it as an almanac. I think of it 379 00:25:51.799 --> 00:25:56.559 as like an exploration of how plants fit into a person's life. You think 380 00:25:56.599 --> 00:26:02.559 of it as kind of a self help book. But what is what is 381 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:06.359 your favorite part of the book, Like, not not conceptually, but what's 382 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:10.160 what's your favorite discrete part of the book that you feel the most proud of. 383 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.640 Hmm. I think I love this question, and I want to give 384 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:19.599 you two answers. Okay, both because I did a lot of research for 385 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:23.799 the book and personally learned a lot. Yeah, so there are things that 386 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:27.079 like I'm practicing. Well, no, I'll go what's my true, true 387 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:32.240 favorite part of the book. Um, this was just the most vulnerable thing 388 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:36.319 I've ever done, the storytelling of the book. Yeah. With Blooming Grove 389 00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:40.119 Radio, which I've you know, it's a podcast that I've had feels like 390 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:42.480 since the beginning of time now five or six years, I've always felt like 391 00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:45.960 I've been able to hide behind my guests, and I've always had this weird 392 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:51.480 imposter syndrome feeling of like my listeners might not necessarily be interested in me. 393 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:55.279 They're interested in the information that they're getting from my guests, and my job 394 00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:59.319 is to pull that from my guests and like not really center the conversation around 395 00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:03.079 myself. And all of a sudden, I got given this book and I 396 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:07.960 had to distill like my worldview about plants, which for me is very emotional, 397 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:11.440 somewhat private or not private. But yeah, I don't speak about it 398 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:15.480 as much on the podcast. I do, but not as deeply as I 399 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:21.119 really share in this book because I'm like super woo woo and brilliant to plants. 400 00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:25.119 And I think people would you kind of consider it almost like a spiritual 401 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:34.119 or kind of like like personal mantra. Yeah, like manifesto. Yeah yeah, 402 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:40.039 yeah. So the book has over sixty practices that people could immediately start 403 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:42.000 implementing. You don't need to know any of my story to look at a 404 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:45.000 plant before you look at a screen, or do the heart shaped leaf gratitude 405 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:49.160 practice, or go forest baining. But I think the most exciting thing was 406 00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:55.599 weaving my stories of my personal growth and transformation and actually sharing that side of 407 00:27:55.640 --> 00:28:00.680 myself vulnerably in hopes that people, like you know, math, you resonate 408 00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:04.680 with that author's note or resonate with these different stories. Yeah. So I 409 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:11.400 think that the storytelling probably was my favorite part writing. I would say the 410 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:15.240 piece of research that I think has stayed with me very deeply that I wasn't 411 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:19.519 really practicing before I started researching for this book is the power of scent and 412 00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:23.759 the brain and plants, Which is funny because you brought up the geosman thing. 413 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:29.200 So there's one chapter of the book that's exploring your five different senses with 414 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:32.960 plants. Yeah, the smell chapter I had to do a lot of research 415 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:37.960 on, and your olfactory system is just incredible and the power of that sense. 416 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:42.599 So I've actually been kind of changing my view of my plant collection, 417 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:48.279 trying to really intentionally bring in houseplants that have scented blooms or that have scented 418 00:28:48.359 --> 00:28:52.000 leaves. Stephen, do you hear that other people care about plant Frighterances? 419 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:55.240 I never said you were alone. This is such a key thing for me. 420 00:28:55.480 --> 00:29:00.359 Sent links me back to my childhood getting inspired in plants like that's why 421 00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:03.079 I grow so many fragrant flowers, So like that was actually something that really 422 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:07.079 stood out and was particularly relevant to me. I love that's for example, 423 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:11.640 Oh my God, and learning about theocs. And you know, there's a 424 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:15.759 cool anecdote about like fresh cut grass in the book that like that smell of 425 00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:19.640 fresh cut grass is actually the plant blades communicating with each other saying like danger, 426 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:26.759 something's eating us. So there's like these fun little scientific nuggets like peppered 427 00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:30.240 in there too. But you know, like now I spend time like smelling 428 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:34.359 my herb garden every morning, and way more intentionally now that I kind of 429 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:38.759 understand the data and science that goes into it, and diving into essential oil. 430 00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:42.720 So I feel like that that's probably one of my favorite aspects of the 431 00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:47.480 book that I'm actively practicing on a daily basis. I love that. Okay, 432 00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:49.400 Yeah, and that kind of leads into the next question, right, 433 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:55.799 like we're wondering through the writing of this book, how have you changed as 434 00:29:55.799 --> 00:30:00.920 a plant parent? To me, this red kind of like the kind of 435 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:07.240 like the complete Maria thesis in some ways, like totally like my worldview distilled 436 00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:11.440 through plants. Yeah yeah, So okay, so you said sent you're you're 437 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:15.000 noticing that more? I mean, are there are other you know, planty 438 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:18.720 things that you want to explore from here or non planty things? Are you 439 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:22.680 done with some parts? Do you think of this experience? Yeah? I 440 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:25.920 love this question, and I think I talk about this in my author's note. 441 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:29.960 You know, as I was writing the book, I experienced a bunch 442 00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:33.119 of adversity in my life, which you can read the book to learn to 443 00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:37.680 learn the details of. But um, I was very depressed in the middle 444 00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:41.160 of writing this book, and I had this crazy moment where I'm writing this 445 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:44.400 book about joy, I'm looking at my plants and my plants look miserable, 446 00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:48.920 and oh my god, what a hypocrite. How did I let this happen? 447 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:52.000 Blah blah blah, And then I had to really put the book to 448 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:55.160 work again. This book that I was writing, because I was talking about 449 00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:59.240 these practices from an almost former perspective, I didn't really understand what a depressive 450 00:30:59.240 --> 00:31:02.319 state I was in. But then I started like, Okay, you're going 451 00:31:02.359 --> 00:31:03.640 to look at a plant before you look at a screen every morning. That's 452 00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:07.640 still something I tell myself every day because I struggle with screen addictions. So 453 00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:11.599 some of the stuff I talk about in the book isn't necessarily easy, but 454 00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:15.839 there's a huge payoff to it. So I think like I had to really 455 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:18.519 stress test the book in the last year of my life as I've been working 456 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:22.640 on the book and kind of struggling with mental health. So I think in 457 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:26.519 general, I've kind of worked my way through all the practices. Again, 458 00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:32.200 I would say a lot of the practices that I talked about I started doing 459 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:34.599 when I was living in five hundred square feet in New York City. I 460 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:38.200 had a nine square foot balcony, I had no space, so I had 461 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:42.839 a lot of house plants. And now I'm in five acres in the middle 462 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:48.920 of nowhere with huge woods city girl transplant in the country. And so what 463 00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:55.519 I've noticed is like farest bathing feels different to me. Sound also scent and 464 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:59.920 sound. The effect that sound can have on your day to day wellness is 465 00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:05.559 absolutely incredible. It's huge bird songs, Like I live in the suburbs of 466 00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:09.200 a city instead of like the nightlife district, and waking up to the sound 467 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:14.599 of birds singing brings me so much joy to start my day. Yes, 468 00:32:14.839 --> 00:32:17.440 And so then we can talk about one of the things I talked about in 469 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:21.000 the book. And this was a big ship that I started doing when I 470 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:27.799 started researching for the book, is that there's like science proving that humans were 471 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:32.559 so innately attracted to birds song and nature sounds. So I found a YouTube 472 00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:38.519 video that's an eight hour clip of it's either birdsong or its forest sounds, 473 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:43.440 Okay, And as I work throughout the day, I'll play that YouTube video 474 00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:50.079 in the background so that I have those videos underscoring yeah, my work day, 475 00:32:50.200 --> 00:32:52.680 And oh my god, it makes such a freaking difference. I can't 476 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:55.599 believe it. I don't even need the science. I don't need the studies 477 00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:59.960 to prove it, Like it's the days that I do that. And also 478 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:01.880 because it's eight hours at the end of the video, I'm like, oh, 479 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:05.839 Maria, you've worked eight hours already today. Maybe think about winding it 480 00:33:05.839 --> 00:33:09.920 down clever. Yeah, So I would say, yeah, like, I'm 481 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:14.279 very fortunate now too, there's a hummingbird, like at my hummingbird feeder right 482 00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:16.240 now, I'm very fortunate that I have a lot of bird song here. 483 00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:21.880 But yeah, like those little shifts, so I feel like I'm still and 484 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:23.640 now I think that I'm in book mode. I really am trying to walk 485 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:27.920 the walk. I really am trying to like do as many of the practices 486 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:30.960 every day as possible. You know. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, 487 00:33:30.119 --> 00:33:34.039 that kind of leads into our next question again, like you're doing a really 488 00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:38.519 good job of finding those transitions for us. But I guess I would say, 489 00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:42.519 if readers could take one thing away from this book, what would you 490 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:45.920 like it to be? And before you answer, I'm just going to throw 491 00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:51.039 out that I think that it's very powerful that you wrote a book about joy 492 00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:54.359 when you weren't feeling that and you were surrounded by plants that weren't thriving, 493 00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:59.480 Like we have recorded a podcast while I'm sitting around mealy bug infested plants. 494 00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:02.200 Yeah, get been there, you know, but there is something powerful about 495 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:07.839 that. And so what I would take away is that you can remind yourself 496 00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:15.039 of these things regularly without living them fully because you can get there. Yeah. 497 00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:17.559 So that's that is what I take away from this. But I want 498 00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:21.239 to hear what you and sorry ahead, no, no, And I was 499 00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:22.639 just gonna say, you're gonna have good days and you're gonna have bad days, 500 00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:25.880 right, you have to honor both of those, And that goes back 501 00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:30.400 to the power of like really understanding the seasons. Right in the book, 502 00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:32.880 I have a whole plant life parallel section that's very powerful. I've learned so 503 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:37.360 many life lessons from my plants. Yeah, honoring your dormancy, honoring your 504 00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:42.960 winter, your internal winter, honoring oh my god, like I had such 505 00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:49.000 a winter internally this past ironically winter. But honoring those seasons within yourself, 506 00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:52.360 and honoring the fact that you are nature too, and that you are, 507 00:34:52.880 --> 00:34:55.960 you know, part of this process. And so maybe I'll change the question, 508 00:34:57.039 --> 00:35:00.239 but maybe for those of you who are struggling right now. I think 509 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:02.079 a lot of us are struggling, as like the world opens back up and 510 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:07.719 all of a sudden we have social calendars again, and those I've forgotten how 511 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:10.079 to be. So oh my gosh, I went out for a drink. 512 00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:14.199 We're recording this on a Wednesday. I went out for a drink, for 513 00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:17.079 like a social drink on a Tuesday yesterday, and it was so weird. 514 00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:21.679 I hadn't gone out for a social drink in two years, like on a 515 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:23.599 weeknight. What Yeah, I was just like, what do you mean? 516 00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:28.480 I used to do this all the time before the pandemic. So I think 517 00:35:28.519 --> 00:35:31.000 there's a lot of overwhelm coupled with you know, a lot of US pandemic 518 00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:36.400 plant parents got a ship ton of plants in the pandemic, and now as 519 00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:39.800 the world opens up, we're we're all kind of struggling to cope with those 520 00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:43.559 two hundred plants and to care for them in the same way. When we're 521 00:35:43.559 --> 00:35:46.000 not home all the time, the time we can devote to care is shifting 522 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:51.559 rapidly. Yeah, So I would say if people are in those moments of 523 00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:54.480 overwhelm, you know, growing Joy has a million different practices that you can 524 00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:59.000 read and pull from, but you know, to give you one for free, 525 00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:02.239 I feel like number one, honoring the season and allowing yourself to like 526 00:36:02.360 --> 00:36:07.840 ebb and flow and change, like your plants and your plant collection. Sometimes 527 00:36:07.840 --> 00:36:09.440 you might have to prune back. Sometimes you're going to have to reduce your 528 00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:12.639 plants. Maybe you're going to be in a season where you're going to want 529 00:36:12.679 --> 00:36:16.000 to, you know, increase them, but allowing for them. And also, 530 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:22.079 I think one of the biggest problems that we're all struggling is this screen 531 00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:25.039 addiction that I talk a lot about in my book, and how social media 532 00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:29.840 addicted we are and how you know on our phones we are and if you 533 00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:32.360 can just like take some intentional time in the morning to look at a plant 534 00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:35.679 before you look at a screen. It's the first practice I talk about in 535 00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:37.920 my book. I'm obsessed with it. I struggle with it. You know. 536 00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:40.800 Some days I don't do it, some days I fell prey to the 537 00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:44.639 Instagram scroll. But on the days that I do, I feel so much 538 00:36:44.679 --> 00:36:46.960 better. So, you know, if you're getting in that overwhelmed stage like 539 00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:52.599 paring back, you know, finding your quiet, finding that time with yourself, 540 00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:55.920 I like that. Yeah, gosh, and you know, I'll just 541 00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:00.119 kind of tack onto this. We've answered this one to death maybe. But 542 00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:04.639 my take then is like, yes, you guys are coming from that sort 543 00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:07.920 of broader thematic place for me. I just open this up and I'm like, 544 00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:12.440 you know, it's this reminder. It's like there's always something you can 545 00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:16.199 do, like some little thing. Yep, there's all always some new little 546 00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:21.280 spin or a new way to look at something. Yeah, so I get 547 00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:24.280 maybe the bite sized version of maybe that same feeling right when I'm like, 548 00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:27.800 okay, well, this is how this is how I start, right, 549 00:37:27.880 --> 00:37:30.840 this is what I can do differently with this If I'm frustrated or overwhelmed, 550 00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:34.000 or like I can't think of what to do, or this is dying, 551 00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:37.440 or I'm bored of it or yeah so, and like I think the visual 552 00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:39.960 that I got in my head from listening to you talk about it was like, 553 00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:44.480 take the book to your local park and let it fall open to anything, 554 00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:46.480 and there's probably something that you can do, you know, that would 555 00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:50.400 be different. I'm fortunate that my publisher gave me a bunch of copies to 556 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:54.199 share with some select members of my virtual garden society that I have and hearing 557 00:37:54.280 --> 00:37:59.440 from them even like what some of them said, which I was not prepared 558 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:02.079 to get this feedback about the book, was that a lot of it actually 559 00:38:02.119 --> 00:38:07.719 just kind of reminds you what you know, but like encourages you to expand 560 00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:09.639 on it. Yeah, that's a beautiful way to put that. I fully 561 00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:13.519 agree. Yeah, like people understand that you need to have a plant routine, 562 00:38:13.639 --> 00:38:16.360 you know, but yeah, how can you really make it enriching and 563 00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:21.679 just having it as a reminder instead of feeling that you need to like completely 564 00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:23.960 change, you know, everything about your play of practice. I'm not trying 565 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:28.480 to change anybody's I'm not trying to make anyone do anything they don't want to 566 00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:31.039 do. I just want to make everyone be as happy and fulfilled as possible. 567 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:37.239 Yeah, that comes across. Well. The version of that feedback kind 568 00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:40.760 of train of thought that I had was that you touched on things that were 569 00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:44.639 new to me. You also touched on things that are already part of my 570 00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:46.920 routine. But kind of, like Steven said, it gave me a different 571 00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:51.320 perspective on it, so that, yes, as I'm going about my day 572 00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:58.360 and I'm taking time to like smell my howya flowers, like thinking differently about 573 00:38:58.360 --> 00:39:00.760 like what I'm getting out of that, and as I'm doing things like dusting 574 00:39:00.760 --> 00:39:05.440 off my plant leaves, which I take us kind of a meditative practice to 575 00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:07.360 begin with. But now I'm thinking, all right, so I'm taking care 576 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:10.880 of my plant by removing things that doesn't need Is there anything in my life 577 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:14.760 that I can just dwell on in this five minutes that I might be able 578 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:17.559 to, you know, dust off and move forward from. Like it's these 579 00:39:17.639 --> 00:39:22.159 new ideas that are part of routines and thought processes that we already have. 580 00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:27.280 That's like I found particularly beautiful. Oh man, that makes me so happy 581 00:39:27.320 --> 00:39:30.480 that that chart there's a chart in the book that kind of does that plant 582 00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:36.719 routine thought prompts for your plant routine for you personally, and that Oh my 583 00:39:36.760 --> 00:39:40.159 god, this is honestly so exciting just to hear people have, you know, 584 00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:44.840 people who have read the book like what resonates. It's it's so exciting 585 00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:50.519 the thought that I might be able to contribute like a small shift or change 586 00:39:50.639 --> 00:39:52.480 or anything. You know. I know you guys feel this way with your 587 00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:57.559 podcast, right, It's just this is also exciting. Yeah, and Maria, 588 00:39:57.679 --> 00:40:00.199 like, there's so much in this in in good ways, there's a 589 00:40:00.199 --> 00:40:04.000 lot of layers. I think you're going to be surprised, you know what 590 00:40:04.119 --> 00:40:06.760 people get out of it, Like people are going to come back and give 591 00:40:06.760 --> 00:40:09.039 you feedback that you don't even Yeah, this is not you're right, It's 592 00:40:09.039 --> 00:40:14.840 not like a simple list of like steps or something. So there's it's like 593 00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:19.239 a living thing a little bit more so interesting brand a lifestyle. Well you 594 00:40:19.239 --> 00:40:21.960 know what, Okay, Target, give me a call. Who else? 595 00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:25.159 Yeah, that's right, we'll call us first target and call us all a 596 00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:30.079 selection of pots and lights, exact lays, and scented candles just to live 597 00:40:30.119 --> 00:40:36.239 your best growing joy life. Baby. Yes, okay, So, needless 598 00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:39.800 to say, we enjoyed it. There was lots to enjoy. Different people 599 00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:45.519 will enjoy this and all of that that we said. When and where can 600 00:40:45.599 --> 00:40:47.199 we order this book? Well, if all things go to plan, this 601 00:40:47.239 --> 00:40:52.039 episode comes out the day before it hits bookshelf. So yeah, okay, 602 00:40:52.239 --> 00:40:55.920 you so you can pre order tonight. It's sold everywhere books are sold. 603 00:40:57.000 --> 00:41:01.400 Support your indie local booksellers, but it's also on Amazon, bookshop dot org. 604 00:41:01.559 --> 00:41:05.440 You can get signed copies on my website if you'd like me to sign 605 00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:09.920 it, and you can swing by your local bookshop tomorrow and go pick it 606 00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:14.679 up and request it. A lot of our Tuesday Morning listeners, you can 607 00:41:14.719 --> 00:41:19.000 listen to this and then run over to your favorite little bookstores and run to 608 00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:22.360 the store and then tag me and tag the plant Daddies too, but tag 609 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:25.559 me Bloom and Grow Maria on Instagram. I want to shout out and share 610 00:41:25.599 --> 00:41:30.440 all of the content that's being created. We're actually the day the book goes 611 00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:32.159 live. Also, you can head over to Bloom and Grow Radio if you 612 00:41:32.199 --> 00:41:37.239 want to listen to m I'm doing an episode where I sourced my listener community 613 00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:42.519 for their stories about how they grow joy because you know, this book is 614 00:41:42.519 --> 00:41:45.519 all about me and my story. But what I know for a fact is 615 00:41:45.559 --> 00:41:49.800 that my story is not unique. We all have these emotional experiences about how 616 00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:53.639 plants have changed us, and I'll be sharing a lot of really heartwark. 617 00:41:53.639 --> 00:41:58.000 If you want a good cry, you can go over to Blooming Grow Radio 618 00:41:58.039 --> 00:42:00.320 and listen after you're done with this episode. I love a cathartic cry, 619 00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:05.719 a good cathartic cry with some of these sweet listener entries. But yeah, 620 00:42:05.800 --> 00:42:09.159 go buy the book and let me know what you think. And I sincerely 621 00:42:09.199 --> 00:42:14.480 hope it brings you, guys more joy in your growing season, because it's 622 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:17.159 the growing season up here in the Northern Hemisphere right now. Yeah, all 623 00:42:17.199 --> 00:42:22.159 right, Oh that's really great. This has been such a fun read. 624 00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:25.400 I've said this before. I was an English major. I love books. 625 00:42:25.480 --> 00:42:30.000 I have a ton of novels. I have read so little during the pandemic, 626 00:42:30.039 --> 00:42:35.119 and so this was a really good kind of reminder, just a moment 627 00:42:35.199 --> 00:42:38.559 for me to re engage with that. Yeah, I'm so glad that we've 628 00:42:38.559 --> 00:42:40.960 had you here to discuss it. And I really hope that people get their 629 00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:45.039 hands on a copy of this so that they can pour through the pages themselves 630 00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:49.199 and see what we're talking about. Yeah, this is a table book, 631 00:42:49.480 --> 00:42:52.000 not a shelf book. Even go on the shelf eventually, but you're going 632 00:42:52.039 --> 00:42:54.960 to be you're gonna be looking at this on this on your nightstand, on 633 00:42:55.039 --> 00:43:00.519 your coffee table. It's in my travel bag already. So that's the quote. 634 00:43:00.559 --> 00:43:02.119 I want Matthew's quote from the beginning of this episode, and then I 635 00:43:02.119 --> 00:43:07.440 want Steven's quote from the end of this episode for my list of celebrity endorsement 636 00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:09.800 to do it. Yeah. Absolutely, Oh my god, you guys for 637 00:43:09.880 --> 00:43:13.760 the basketball. Thank you for having me on again, and can't wait to 638 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:15.480 have you guys back on Blooming Grow Radio soon. Okay, thank you. 639 00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:20.119 Absolutely. Now I think we're going to maybe hang around for a couple of 640 00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:22.039 additional questions that might go in our after show. Is that okay with you? 641 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:24.440 Oh for sure? Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Okay, So 642 00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:28.400 if you want to hear us chat a little bit more with Maria, We've 643 00:43:28.440 --> 00:43:31.679 got a couple more questions for her. Plus we might do a guided meditation 644 00:43:31.920 --> 00:43:35.239 that will be on our social media, so keep an eye out for that 645 00:43:35.440 --> 00:43:42.320 too. Let's do it as usual. That was a delight. Yeah, 646 00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:45.039 we'll post the links to Maria's book in our social media and in the show 647 00:43:45.079 --> 00:43:47.760 notes for today's episode. Yeah. Men, Honestly, if you want some 648 00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:52.400 enjoyable summer reading, growing enjoy really as ideal or those all about orchids is 649 00:43:52.519 --> 00:43:57.360 nice, but it's not a beach read. But if you're like Stephen, 650 00:43:57.519 --> 00:44:00.480 you can always spend your reading time listening to podcasts and I guess yeah. 651 00:44:00.519 --> 00:44:04.360 In this week's after show, we hang out with Maria and ask a few 652 00:44:04.360 --> 00:44:07.079 more questions, including who she'd picked to read her audio book if she could 653 00:44:07.159 --> 00:44:10.159 choose anyone. She's a vocalist, so I was pretty interested here. Her 654 00:44:10.199 --> 00:44:15.559 answer, all right, anything else? Well, I think it's important to 655 00:44:15.599 --> 00:44:19.679 mention that we are gutted by several of the recent political developments here in the 656 00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:22.960 US. Yeah, And though we're lucky to live in a liberal coastal state, 657 00:44:22.079 --> 00:44:25.119 everyone needs to be activated so we can correct this. And the truth 658 00:44:25.199 --> 00:44:30.519 is that a single election cycle can change so much. We may sometimes overlook 659 00:44:30.559 --> 00:44:34.400 the privileges that we have living in a liberal city on the West coast, 660 00:44:34.559 --> 00:44:37.800 particularly as Cisca. Men, but it's impossible to ignore what's going on right 661 00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:42.440 now in the United States and not say anything. We stand with women, 662 00:44:42.559 --> 00:44:45.480 they're right to choose what is correct for them, their health, and their 663 00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:49.639 families, and implore everyone to use their voice to support all forms of human 664 00:44:49.679 --> 00:44:52.760 dignity at the voting booth. Definitely this has been played. Ditty podcast. 665 00:44:52.880 --> 00:44:55.599 Thanks for listening, don't forget to let it. Subscribe, tell your friends 666 00:44:55.599 --> 00:44:58.719 about us, and if you enjoy what you've heard, please give us a 667 00:44:58.719 --> 00:45:00.480 five star rating that I'll have others us To see images of things that we 668 00:45:00.519 --> 00:45:05.400 discussed in our episodes, check out our Pinterest and Instagram or visit our TikTok. 669 00:45:05.639 --> 00:45:07.239 If you want to be in touch, email us at plant Eddy Podcast 670 00:45:07.239 --> 00:45:10.559 at gmail, or check out our website plant eddy podcast dot com. Until 671 00:45:10.599 --> 00:45:13.880 next week, Thanks for listening and happy growing