(Editor's Note: This is a reposting of Dandy's first blog, when he introduced himself.  It germinated in September 2007, but was accidently pruned from the archives when the new Web site was launched.)

Hello.  My name is Danforth Lion.  Most people just call me Dandy.  I live here in Norfolk Botanical Garden because it is such a great place for someone like me.  It is the perfect environment for me to grow, there are lots of fantastic plants for me to hang out with and I get to see a lot of interesting people.  Unfortunately there are some people who don’t like me much – namely the gardeners who work here.  They are always trying to get rid of me, but I just move around.  You never know where I will pop up.

I am starting this blog so you can get to know me a little better, but mostly so I can tell you about all the neat things I see happening here at the Garden.  It is amazing how much stuff goes on around here.  Plus I can share all the gossip about the other plants that live here.

A little about me.  I am a fairly short fellow – I stand around 4 inches tall.  I have lots of green leaves and I really like to get my feet dirty – I dig my toes as deep into the ground as I can.  Like many Americans, my ancestors came from Europe.  They came over with early colonists – in fact they came as an invited guest.  I think it was because they were pretty good in the kitchen – you know, making salads and wine for example.  In the 20th century, when everyone started getting excited about having pretty grass lawns people started calling us names like “weed” and kicking us out.  It kind of hurts.  At least some people like us still – mostly kids.  I think they really like the older folks with the white fluffy hair.  Anyway, we are a  . . .

Uh-oh!  Here comes someone from the grounds staff so I gotta go.  Talk to you later