So for months I’ve been agonizing about what to call my Web log other than “gardening blog” – which, let’s face it, is lame. Sort of like naming your baby boy, “hey you.” Or having five baby boys and naming them all George. And like naming children, everyone has his or her own idea of what makes a good name.

One of my early top picks was “Lois Lane Grows a Garden.” I’m a reporter writing about gardening and I liked the juxtaposition of a tough-as-nails female reporter and plants. All the women of a certain age around me told me bluntly that this name stinks (Lois Lane spends too much time standing around on rooftops waiting for a guy in tights). Must be a generational thing because women I spoke with in the 20 to 35 age range thought it was edgy-retro. But in any case it’s too long.

OK so back to the drawing board. After tossing around dozens of other ideas my editor suggested The Mudraker, a name that celebrates all those hours I spend crawling around my muddy Northwest garden and a play on the term “muckraker.” So hate or love it, at least this stepchild to my regular reporting work has a proper name.