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Sunday, December 7, 2014

Not Just a Blahg



Do you know Lee May? I don't really know him but I feel like I do. He is a garden blogger with a kind, gentle wit and an appreciation for simple, natural forms. We shared a love of rocks, writing, and fearless pruning.

Lee May has died of cancer after a very short illness and when I read his last post I burst into tears, thick, shocked drops that filled my eyes. How can I cry for someone I don't know? Because blogs aren't truly about the garden but the gardener. When you get to know the blogger, you also get to know the gardener and you are an easy lot to love.

To leave a message for his family, please visit his blog at Lee May's Gardening Life.

45 comments:

  1. I felt the same way as if I knew him through his wonderful writing about life and the garden. He will be missed and I will continue to read his blog for inspiration.

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  2. Tammy, it was a shock. I knew Lee -- he visited my garden once and I went to his twice and we had wonderful conversations and tours of each other's places. He boldly pruned some trees for me, and he was right about how improved they were after he got done with them! He lived about 40 minutes away when he was here in Connecticut. How I was looking forward to seeing his Georgia garden come into being. There was so much he had planned. I will miss him. A unique, gracious and talented gardener, and a wonderful man.

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    1. I thought about you as soon as I read the last post. His warm spirit just shone through so mightily.

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  3. I knew of him through Laurrie. How sad for his family. My grandfather died after a brief battle with cancer at around the same age and time of year and Christmas was tough for my grandmother for many years.

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    1. My father died of cancer two months after his diagnosis and I wonder if it was the same cancer. Cancer is such a vicious beast.

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  4. So sad. Thanks for the heads-up Tammy.

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  5. Thank you Tammy. I went over to pay my respects immediately. I had a shock of a tear when I saw such a beautiful face and read about his life. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee."

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    1. A beautiful face, indeed, and an even more beautiful soul to go with it.

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  6. I know. I felt the same way. I didn't realize he was a prize-winning writer and journalist. And yet he visited my blog and left the most thoughtful, helpful, and creative comments. Indeed, as you say, "blogs aren't truly about the garden, but about the gardener." You and Shirley (and of course, Lee) have inspired me to set up a similar flat stone tower in my garden.

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    1. I'm adding a cairn to my garden, too. It just feels right. Choosing just the right stones will remind me of his posts about moving his rocks around until they felt just right.

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  7. I was saddened to hear of Lee's passing. Beautiful Tammy and so true that blogs are more about the blogger/gardener. Which is why I love it so much...the contacts, communication and relationships built...

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    1. I love blogging, too for all the same reasons. Not all blogging relationships last but he was a keeper.

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  8. I didn't know Lee Tammy, but after having a look around his blog I can see that was my loss.....what a lovely man, and how very sad and tragic to think he passed, and so suddenly.
    Yes, there are people behind the words and that shines out so very brightly, I feel as though I know so many bloggers too. Sorry for your loss, Hugs. xxx

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  9. So sad. Read some of his posts; beautiful writer. Bloggers most definitely become friends.

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  10. Thank you so much for passing this on friend. I never read his blog but from your words it sounds like he was very special. Sending all that knew him and his family my thoughts and prayers. Nicole xo

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    1. His posts are so warm and wise. I hope his blog stays up.

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  11. How can I feel so sad when this is the first I've heard of the man?

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    1. Perhaps because it reminds us all of how ephemeral life is. The jerks live to be 100 and the good guys pass too soon.

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  12. Oh No! I had no idea. I hadn't read his blog for the last month or so. How incredibly sad :-(. Thanks for letting me know. -Beth

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  13. I didn't know Lee, but from your words and going over to read his blog, he seemed like a wonderful person to know.
    I'm glad we have his blog as a memory of him.
    So sorry to hear of his passing.

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    1. It be wonderful and very comforting to be able to go back and read his old posts.

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  14. I remember several years ago, a blogger I read faithfully passed away after a battle with cancer, and her daughters posted the news of her passing. I felt as if I had lost a dear friend. Thanks so much for sharing this, Tammie. I have read Lee's posts in the past, but it has been awhile, and I had no idea he was ill. Not only did he have a beautiful garden, but he was such an eloquent and thoughtful writer. He will be missed.

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    1. It is amazing how connected we begin to feel to each other. :o)

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  15. Yes, I knew Lee May and his wonderful blog. This is such sad news Tammy! How heartbreaking!

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  16. We do become close to our blogging friends. So sad to hear of Lee's passing. Headed over to read his last post!

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  17. Tammy you are so right in saying that we find wonderful "friends" through their blogs . Even though we may never meet them in person we have an image of them in our mind's eye and get to know them more and more each time we visit.
    I am so sorry for the May family with losing such a kind human being as their husband, dad, grandad ... I have lost a sister that I didn't get a chance to mend fences with or say goodbye to .... I lost a friend so quickly from cancer it was shocking ... it all hurts so much still even with a few years passing. We just don't want to let go sometimes ..
    Your Inukshuk out of those beautiful rocks is so fitting ... a path that leads to people we want to know again.
    Joy

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    1. I love your line of "a path that leads to people we want to know again". It's so true of so many wonderful people I've met over the years.

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  18. Such sad news, Tammy.

    Still, thank you for sharing it so that I could leave a condolence note for Lyn.

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  19. Noooooooo! My heart just contracted in sadness. I met Lee through his blog and can say his warmth and wonderful personality (and peaceful philosophy) was apparent in every word he wrote and picture he posted... I will miss him :(

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    1. He did seem to be a very peaceful person. His writing felt so warm and genuine. I miss him, too.

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  20. Very sad - so sorry to hear about someone dying from this dreadful disease.

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    1. I hate cancer and every other horrid disease that eats away our lives.

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  21. Oh dear! I'm so sorry to hear that! I just finally NOW get around to reading blogs and what you say is very true. So in that spirit, I have enjoyed your wit and humor. We teachers are a lucky lot in that we are kept forever young. Happy New Year to you. All my best. Chris

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  22. That's very touching and sad. You got it right when you say that blogs are as much about he person as they are about the garden. Though you may not have physically met, you got to know him as a person through his blog just as you got to know his garden.

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  23. What an inspiring blogger, and what a tragic loss. Thanks for letting us know.

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