To be an inspiration

I had always had the dream that our SNOW Block Alley would be of inspiration to other people. Here locally in Boise, civic groups and high school classes have come through the alley. We received tons of press when the project was new, including being on the front page of the Idaho Statesman. Devin and I have been speakers at the Boise Flower and Garden Show. We’ve hosted numerous happy hours for neighbors that want to do something similar on their block. We’ve been a stop on two different garden tours. 

Often we encounter people by happenstance who have come to look at the alley. A trip to take the garbage out might end up in a half hour conversation with visitors.

I love those moments. I can still hear the excitement in my voice when I talk about the fruit trees and the berries and building the Little Free Library out of totally reclaimed materials. Fours years in and I still have so much passion for the project. 

But I’d still always dreamed the alley would be featured in a national magazine so the inspiration could have a further reach. 

Mary Ann Newcomer is also known as the Dirt Diva around these parts. She’s an author of two books and countless articles. She lives and breathes gardening. Her Instagram is full of places you wish you were hanging out. Not to mention, she’s a riot. You’ve got it made if Mary Ann is in your corner. She makes things happen. She makes dreams happen! 

Mary Ann pitched the story of the SNOW Block Alley to her pal, Susan Appleget Hurst, at Meredith media. And they went for it. 

Welcome to the big time, baby! 

Below is the story – ummmm… a whole eight pages of it! – that ran in the Summer 2019 Country Gardens magazine. You can also download a PDF of it here. And if that isn’t grand enough, it went into syndicate and has been featured in I don’t know how many newspapers around the country. Talk about making a dream come true. 

A huge thank you to Mary Ann and Susan for being my angels of inspiration!