Ask the Experts – The Best, Smartest, Funniest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts Anywhere

Hello Ju-Junebes, and happy Friday!

Welcome back to the Good To Grow site, and thanks for being here.

As the world begins to shut down another week, on this site, we’re gearing up for Friday Festivities. I’ve got an all-new Ask the Experts Panel for you, as well as plenty of plant puzzler action.

Let’s start by saying hi to the Experts. Hi everyone!

 

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Liza!”

You’re so cute! From left to right, that’s Andy Williams, Tim Thackaberry, EZ Ed Johnson, Dottie Correll and Lewis Casey. If you’d like to know more about them, please click here.

This week, I decided to give the Experts a chance to toot their own horn. Here’s the question:

Q. What do you think is your best personality trait?

Expert Andy Williams, you’re up first as usual:

A.
I think that my best personality trait is being a nice guy.  I continue to listen to people describe me this way, particularly after my harsh divorce.  Prior to this, perhaps I heard it but it didn’t sink in because of the turmoil of my personal life.  Divorce is a horrible thing.  But it was also a time of deep personal reflection for me.  It allowed me to find myself and determine who I am.  That process is still ongoing.  I learn more about me every day.  And one specific thing has stuck out throughout the timeline.

Approximately 2 years ago, I was meeting with a gentleman in Indiana.  His brother was getting married, and he asked me if I had known of his brother’s wife, whom he mentioned by name.  It turns out, I dated her for a long time during and a bit after college.  He told me that she had referred to me as “the nicest guy she’d ever dated”.

Then, just last week at a formal dinner event, I had the pleasure of sitting next to a wonderful woman whom I’ve known for several years.  As I was telling her about my “new life” and expressing how happy I am, she told me the following; “I am so happy for you to have found someone who realizes what a special and nice guy you are.”

Certainly, there are a lot of other things I could’ve been called.  But I will certainly take “nice” and run with it.

A.
I really don’t enjoy tooting my own horn, it makes me uncomfortable; in fact, I don’t enjoy anyone tooting my horn. My attitude toward this is along the lines of the old Groucho Marx quote: “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.” I immediately look with a jaundiced eye at anyone who gives me a compliment, myself included.

Gun to my head: I’m smart and I have a pretty good sense of humor. Those are my major redeeming qualities.

A. Best personality trait?  I’m funny. No really. Well maybe not funny funny.  Just, well, kinda funny. Not laugh out loud funny. Just, hmm, that’s funny.

—————-

Expert Dottie is unavailable this week. Let’s admire her adorableness:

And move on to Expert Lewis Casey. Lewis, what say you, fine sir?

A. I care.

Lewis, look at you being all brief this week! That’s new for you, haha! But really, that short phrase is incredibly accurate at describing yourself.

EZ, I think you’re hilarious! And your answers always make me smile. Thank you for this week’s contribution. Thack, I know you hate tooting your own horn, but you’re correct – you are smart and you have a wicked sense of humor. Well played! Andy, yeah, you’ve got that Midwestern niceness about you! I think it’s cool that you have lots of examples where you know what people think about you.

It’s probably good that Dottie sat this one out – she’s got too many wonderful qualities to narrow it down to one. She’s compassionate, kind, loving, brilliantly funny, intelligent, genuine, talented…the list goes on and on. I hope she feels better soon!

Let’s call that a wrap for this week’s Panel of Experts. The Experts will return in a week. They hope to see you back here.

Up next, the current puzzler:

???Real or Fake???

Last week, I asked if this plant was real or fake:

Let’s see how you answered:

mr_subjunctive from Plants Are the Strangest People wrote, “Partly real. Real leaves, fake flowers.”

Joseph Brenner from Texas wrote, “Real plant, fake flowers and butterfly.)B>{D}

Can you put a rush on that life raft? They’re closing highways out of Texarkana like crazy!”

Carmen wrote, “I agree, real plant (peace lily maybe?) And very fake flowers. I don’t like them together, it looks like a toodler stuck the fake flowers in there…at least I hope so, any adult who thinks it looks good has very bad taste!! Lol”

Claude from Random Rants and Prickly Plants wrote, “That is a real plant south fake flowers. And I’m really indifferent.”

That’s four votes for real plant, fake flowers. Zero votes for anything else besides a life raft (hope you’re staying safe, Joseph!)

What’s the correct answer?

Let’s take a closer look:

Oh yes, the plant is real. The flowers and butterfly very fake. I saw this at my bank and it made me groan. Why ruin the look of a perfectly good plant with fake flowers? I have no idea who thought that would look attractive.

But way to go, everyone. You totally weren’t tricked in the slightest! Well done!

I’d like to show my appreciation for you playing by awarding you the following prizes: The first weekend of June, one chrome trophy, cheese enchiladas, four gold medals, 16 bonus points, your own personal mascot, three treasures, two postage stamps, a gazebo, the title of “grooviest, awesomest, bestest, coolest, winningest plant person ever” for the weekend, Shelby County, one limousine ride, three hummingbird feeders, a hillside, two spare jazz hands, 15 minutes on a Ferris Wheel, six more rewards, two baby ducks, four cherry empanadas, Karen, a coupon for unlimited dog kisses, Rio Grande Boulevard, one new garbage disposal, a radio dedication in your honor, three folded napkins, five surprises, two petroglyphs, time and a half, one ankle bracelet, 12 extra golden years, two grilled cheese sandwiches, and one coin flip.

Congratulations, and thanks for playing!

Up next, a new puzzler for you.

???Real or Fake???

I’ve used a similar plant to this in the past, but not this exact one. Do you think these flowers and the plant are real or fake:

Think you know the answer, smartyplants? Leave your best guess in the comments section. You have until midnight MST (that’s 2a.m. EST) next Thursday, June 11th, to cast your vote. I’ll reveal the answer and the winners after next week’s panel of Experts. The prizes may be imaginary but the link to your site and the glory of winning are oh-so-real.