A Haven for Vee

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Leslie

We chatted in the spring about popovers of all things. We had chatted about so many things since 2010 after I rediscovered her web site. "Leslie Land" sits in my side bar as one of my favorite places. Perhaps some of you have visited, too. If not, you must one day. It's a wonderful resource. You'll love getting to know Leslie with her wry sense of humor and her wonderful turn of a phrase. She will make you laugh aloud. (Hope that you find her discussion of whether gardeners must be neat housekeepers.)

There she discusses what her web site is. Her webmasters tell her that it is a blog, but she thinks that it is "a magazine with endless possibilities."

Yesterday, a blogging buddy let me know that Leslie was gone. She passed away Saturday last of complications from breast cancer. I didn't know that she was ill; I didn't know that she had died. One should somehow recognize that the world is a dimmer place...

The Poughkeepsie JournalChampion of country cooking, ambitious gardener, and, in her own words, 'the latest in a long line of garden advisers that stretches back, approximately, to Adam, who we can be sure was frequently asked about the niceties of apple culture.'  


These are my Leslie Land treasures: two cookbooks filled with wonderful recipes and Leslie's amusing discussions. Oh, yes, and I own a copy of The 3000 Mile Garden written with Roger Phillips. She recommended The Wild Braid as an antidote for dealing with my grandmother's Alzheimer's. I was depressed. She knew it would help. It did.


This seems like a good morning for popovers or staking up a tomato plant or thinking about next spring's garden or exploring some favorite books...

37 comments:

  1. Oh I am so sorry...that just hurts my heart. Cancer..robbing so many of us from love ones and friends. I am so glad He washes away all our tears. I am glad you have some treasures to remember her by.

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  2. Vee,
    I am so sorry. I know you will miss this friend and all she contributed.
    Hugs,
    Becky

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  3. I am so sorry. I had visited her blog, err., magazine. I think everyday is a good day for popovers. Blessings

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  4. so sad to say good by, cancer is an evil beast that takes too many too young,

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  5. It is startling, isn't it, to find out of someone's passing when we did not know that he or she was ill? I am sorry about the loss of your blog friend. Always, He is teaching us to "number our days"...

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  6. We love popovers and if you check out my blog on them, you will discover a "no-fail" version starting with a cold oven! I'm so sorry to hear of your blog friend's passing; breast cancer is an insidious disease that has taken too many bright women...the world is a dimmer today, XOXO

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  7. This is soo sad to hear this morning. I am sorry about your friend. Glsd you have some wonderful memories and treasures of hers...

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  8. So sad to hear of her passing. I know you have some treasured memories to help with this sad time.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  9. I've said on more than one occasion lately that death is weird. I'm glad you found out about Leslie and can grieve with those who are grieving. Bloggy friends are such a blessing in this stretched out life of ours.

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  10. I'm sorry to hear of the loss of you dear blogging friend, Vee. I'm so glad you have her cookbooks to remember her by. I'll have to check out her blog.

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  11. I am so sorry for the loss of your blogging friend. Such a jolt of bad news. It was truly wonderful that you got to know her and that you both got to correspond. Those books are treasures for you to remember her by!

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  12. Oh Vee this is so sad. I had never visited her blog and so glad you have your keep-sakes. It is good to have someone who will pass the news of a blogger friend's passing. Sometimes they just drop off and we don't get to find out. Looks like our own take care of us. Such a good feeling. Prayers going up for her physical and cyber family that they take solace knowing she has gone home to eternal Peace.

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  13. I'm very sorry, Vee. It is amazing how close we can become to our blogging friends ... whether we have met them or not face to face. We depend on them to *be there* when we need a lift. Just knowing you can visit with someone brings a smile to the face. You are lucky you have so many of her books and wonderful memories. Wishing you well and wishing Leslie's family and friends well.

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  14. I'm sorry for this loss. While they keep her 'magazine with endless possibilities' up? I do hope to have a look around there after I get home.

    Deanna

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  15. Oh Vee, I'm so sorry to hear this; it makes me sad. She sounds like a wonderful person who had a wealth of information to share with others. I know you will certainly miss her! Don't you feel fortunate to have those copies of her cookbooks?

    I had not seen her website, but I'll have to be sure to visit it now. Thank you for sharing this with us and enjoy your popovers.

    Hugs to you,

    Denise at Forest Manor

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  16. I, too, shall check out her website. Thanks for sharing, Vee.

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  17. Oh damn damn damn. Not another victim of that freaking horrible disease.

    Oh my gosh I am so sorry, this is just so sad - Oh Vee, thanks for this post.

    May she rest in peace amongst flowers she so loved.

    We have absolutely GOT to find a cure.

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  18. So sorry Vee. It's so sad to lose a friend. I think you should get out the cookbooks and pick a recipe to make in her honor.

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  19. I'm sorry to hear about your blog friend. I agree with Jeanne, making something good to eat from one of her cookbooks would be a good thing. She would love knowing you honored her this way. I hope her blog stays put, I'll have to check it out when I have more time.

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  20. No words. Hate hearing this kind of news.

    I like the idea of making something from one of her books as you remember.

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  21. Oh Vee this is so sad but think of all those wonderful memories she has given you. I was telling a friend how close I feel to my blogging friends. She looked at me and said but you don't know them. I just smiled and said oh yes I do. I may never meet them in person but I know them.

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  22. Hello Vee
    This is sad to read, especially since you didn't even know Leslie was ill. I have never visited Leslie Land but if you were inspired by her then I know I would have been too. What Sharon above has said about blogging friends is so true, earlier this afternoon I read an email from one such friend that advised her husband passed away yesterday and I have felt so sad since.
    Popovers would be nice to make any day in memory of your blogging friend.
    Hugs,
    Judith

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  23. I was so sorry to hear this, Vee. I wasn't familiar with Leslie, but will head over and take a look at her site. The subjects of her books (gardening and seasonal cooking) sound most appealing to me. I suspect they will become more dear to you now and hope that as you garden and spend time in the kitchen your memories of Leslie will shine on.
    It is an interesting thing these relationships we form through blogging. I read a blog for years (never commented, just quietly enjoyed my visits to her lovely home). One day I read in blogland that she had been ill and passed away. I was so sad. I still keep her blog bookmarked.

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  24. I've never visited her blog but am so sorry to hear this sad news. Our blogging friends are special people.

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  25. Awww. So sad...for you...for all who were part of her world.

    No here is the very strange part. We are camped a few miles south of Poughkeepsie tonight...and planning to go there tomorrow. There is a 19th century railway bridge across the Hudson River that is now part of a state park...that we plan to check out. The world is small indeed.

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  26. Oh, such sad news Vee. Huge hugs to you and to your blog friends family. Someone you will never forget! Thanks for sharing this story.

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  27. So sad. I lost a dear uncle this morning. He was well in age and now with the Lord, but I still am sad. I am so glad you have her books!

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  28. I never knew her! But because of your post, I'm going to find "The Wild Braid". Dementia is on our path now that my mother is a good two years into it....

    Isn't it remarkable that her "footsteps" will continue to be available widely, thanks to her blog (assuming it will be left up)!?!?

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  29. I am so sorry to hear about your friend, Leslie. Sometimes in life someone enters who makes us feel that we are better a better person for having known them. I can tell Leslie was one of those people in your life.

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  30. We all mourn the loss of Leslie, she was a hard, hard worker, a wit, a soft-heart, a lover of life, especially in the kitchen and in the soil, she was wonderful.

    I am sorry to learn of her passing. I hope she knew that we all cared. I wish I'd known she was ill.

    Thanks Vee. We share the same feelings.

    Love,

    Sharon

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  31. Oh my. Doesn't my husband Jeff look handsome? But what is he doing signing my comment to you Vee? Sorry, it WAS me. Sharon.

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  32. Hi Vee! Thank you for pointing out the life of your blog friend. And the books that you had, that she wrote. What a loss! But I bet God is just tickled to see her.

    It will be a good day to enjoy our life, because it's what we've been given today. I think Leslie would agree.

    Bless your heart,
    Ceil

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  33. She must have been a wonderful person and I liked her vision of her blog :) I'm so sorry that she is gone. You must be very happy to have those books to remember her.

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  34. I didn't know about her blog or even her books, but I'm sorry to hear of her passing. She sounds like a lovely person. What a shock that must have been for those of you that knew her.

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  35. Hi Vee, So sorry to hear about your friend Leslie, she sounds like a wonderful person.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  36. I hadn't heard of this lady or her books and blog until now. I'm sure she will be missed. Wishing you a blessed week. Hugs. Pam

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  37. How sad to lose a long time blog friend, Vee. It sounds like she lived a full and happy life and left a lovely legacy behind. We can only hope to do the same! ((( HUGS)))

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