I have a friend in Kentucky that calls it ‘The Blur’. It is a term used to describe the period during the spring when horticulturalists work all hours during the day and days of the week have no meaning. Everything blends together into an exciting, wonderful ethereal mass of time.

I am in the Blur. We have been working on the Greenway, but I cannot recall when we planted what - I’m only focused on what needs to be done today. I do remember that we have had issues – irrigation leaks, trucks not showing up on time, incorrect plant material, weather issues, Turnpike shutdowns etc. There is nothing unusual about these issues since they are an integral part of the process and predictable in some ways.

There has been one consistent factor over the past few weeks and that is the Volunteers. I continue to be amazed at the level of enthusiasm and energy that all the Volunteers bring to the project. I wish I could remember all your names and stories. Bits and pieces come to mind such as:

The first volunteer group showed up in the middle of a pouring rainstorm and a driving wind in 45 degree temperatures. I was thinking coffee might be nice but they came to work and that’s what we did (my wallet is still drying out)!

• The young lady carrying pots on one side and her baby on the other
• The whole family that showed up including husband and wife with his mother and a number of children
• The lady that works as a gardener in the Fenway area and helps on the Greenway on her ‘day off’
• The large group of employees from a local Hotel that wanted to volunteer and be a part of the project
• The fellow that works at BU that lives in the North End and talks of the peace and serenety that he finds in watering plants

No, I don’t remember all your names and stories, but please know that I appreciate each and every one of you. The Greenway is a project that, to the casual observer, focuses on plants and gardens. On a more important level, however, the project is all about you. Thank you everyone.

If this kind of project interests you as a volunteer, please visit the Greenway Volunteer page for more information.