is starting to bloom. I will get another picture when more of the buds open up. It’s so much prettier in person4 years ago

I planted each of them Lilly’s, when we moved here I was not able to get Sierras but I did Kevin’s.

The first year we were here the flower had one large bloom on it and then seemed to just die out. Most of my plants either died out because of the heat they were not used to, or they were frozen in the truck before they ever got here.

I replanted the bulbs of Kevin’s Lilly and waited. Last year there was some growth but it didn’t look promising, this year it’s a whole other story and I am so happy that I didn’t give up on that Lilly.

This year the container is full of Lillie’s, hollyhocks, in with the Rose of Sharon. I photographed one stalk that has 4 buds on it, there appears to be another stalk with 3 buds. The others are still growing and won’t produce this year.

So we are going to watch this Lilly unfold and hope that it’s true to it’s colour.

Gardening is going to be my saving grace while going through this with my family. It’s what is going to keep me sane. Let the flowers be planted and the weeds pulled. 4 years ago

This is my gardens before, I lost a great many plants and well not the whole thing but a lot of them had to be cut back seriously due to frost gettin’ ‘em.

The elephant ears were so huge last year, I don’t know if I can get them to their former glory but I am trying to. We are expected to get drizzling rain for the next few days. That is a big blessing, plants grown so much better from the rain water.

I do have plants growing, flowers. But they have just broke thru ground and has the second set of true leaves. So you can’t see them no matter how big you make the picture. There are cosmos and morning glory. I planted Zinnia but that little dog dug them up twice. I finally got it through to her that it was a dangerous thing messing with my garden.

I am so looking forward to this years.

My Baby got me this Columbine it’s a black one. I adore black flowers, they are so darn beautiful, It came bareroot with barely a green leaflet showing. This is only a week in the ground and look how stunning it is getting already. I am so blasted happy. It’s on of my most prized possessions.

I told Greg that anytime he wants to buy me a plant to just nod my direction and I have one all picked out.

Life in gardening is good. 4 years ago

is not so beautiful no more.

I woke this morning in a pretty normal way for me. I talked to Greg for a while then decided I needed some fresh air, sunshine, daylight… Nature… Ahhh, this is going to be so good.{Lmao, little did I know}

The boys go out first , so that the door can be locked. I closed the front door, locked it and turned around. Everything just felt all wrong, like things were off balance. I started looking around for what was not right.

You know how you look at something and you know it doesn’t look right but it’s not registering in your brain, exactly what is wrong.

I’ll bet you I went from mellow, soothing anticipation to blind rage in about 30 seconds flat… wow…
You know that kind of rage that leaves your body twitching.

Mellow … 30 seconds… Rage…

yup that was me, I looked around and my plants were missing. I could see at a glance, that at least 10 of the little ones and a big one were just gone. I was in a full blown, “let me see who the fuck did this and kick their every loving brown ass”

I have to admit I was just pissed the fuck off and also angry. I walked out into my yard {I live in a complex of four apartments, across the yard is a complex of two and so on and on} I said, who the fuck is stupid and pathetic enough to steal plants from someones yard, just who would so something so low as to do this”

I had promised my mom that I would carry her groceries in for her and I had to leave, so I just walked of and started to cry.
I cried like a little girl when I got to my moms, how many times have I started over. First it was the blizzard move, then the evil puppies, the first flood, the second flood, the hurricane, and now this.

Sigh, I did I cried like a little girl when I was there. I just sat outside and watched the snow white scene at my moms.
She puts her Christmas tree outside the day after NY with seed and peanut butter on it for Squirrelly {those of you who have known me a long time, know that my family raised a squirrel from babyhood, he fell out of a nest, until he was just to big to keep in the house} his friends and all the birds.

There were three other squirrels besides squirrelly and so many birds. It just reminded me of a page out of my snow white colouring book.
So I sat there on the patio swinging watching the animal life eat till they were content, and I started to get more and more calm.

That is when I started to cry like a big girl. Man to start over, so I decided to go home, ask neighbors what they saw and find my plants.

As luck would have it, when I got home {after the state troopers gave me a big old, I flippin’ can’t pay it ticket} Miguel and Lettie were leaving, she told me that her mom said she seen the kids across the yard doing it, so I marched my white ghetto ass with that tattoo on my chest just shining over to their apt.

And low and behold sitting on their porch with them is one of my big plants. I walked over picked it up and asked so who did this to my plants have you seen any others besides this one.

Their story is this, ” It was there when they got up and they seen a neighbor kid carrying off with my plants, that is when I see three of my pots {emtpy of their treasures} laying in their yard. I gathered them and did what my Buckley training has taught me to do.

If I find out who did this to my plants I am going to kick their ass and if it was a child then the mom and dad will get their ass kicked cause somebody needs to watch their kids more. So if you fine out who it was baby, you come and tell me cause I ain’t playing with no body round these parts. I don’t play like the rest of you.

This cholo young man looked at me and said, “Ma’am I don’t have no more of your plants, but I will find out who the kid was. Ma’am you are not from here are you?” No, I sure am not, I’m from michigan. Then we talked about Michigan.

“Ma’am Mama… I will help you look for them I will tell you who the kid is when I find out his name.

Know what I think, I think it was their kids that did it and at their encouragement and then some white ass crazy blonde chick comes up all ghetto on them and shocked them.

I suppose they didn’t expect me to come snatch my plant up and tell them off. I was not a nice person.

So that is my drama for yesterday. I wrote part of this yesterday and then just had to stop and not think about it.

The plants that Heavee sent me for my 43 birthday are gone, I took a good look when I come home and there are about 15 of them. the smaller ones gone. This is a sad day for me.

I don’t think I can replace them as much as I want to. All I can do is just start over one more time.

EDIT: Simon the yellow bucket is still safe and sound. smile… 4 years ago

Well you look up succulents of course.

This is one plant I really must have, I don’t know for sure where I am going to get it from, least of all when but one day I will have it, even if it’s a baby start.

Euphorbia Grandicornis {Urban Cowboy or cows horn I would actually like both of the common name ones.}

I just love LOVE this plant and must own one some day.

While I am also dreaming I want Echeveria {Blue Curls and Black Prince}... I am thinking I want ‘Black Prince’ first.

OH man if I had money I’d be poor. 4 years ago

these past couple days. I’ve ripped out so many plants, trimmed and tidied up so many things. I’ve gotten two huge trash bags of ripped out plants and debris. It’s looking a bit sparse but will soon be full and lush once more, before it goes into Jungle mode.

It’s so funny a friend stopped by the other day and commented on my Jungle, not such a fondness for plants that one. But well, I have only me to please with this right.

I counted the morning glory blooms and this morning the grand total and the highest amount on the plant so far. 43 heavenly blue blooms.

I am happiest when I have dirt beneath my nails 4 years ago

I had 25 blooms on there the other day. That is the best so far and talk about wanting to show the world.

I wanted to call everyone and tell them to come see my morning glories bloom.

I also have had 7 blooms on my Elephant ears, I had no idea that they even flowered but they sure do. Big ole flowers, it’s not been 7 at one time, they bloom one after another. 4 years ago

are starting to bloom, this makes me so happy. 4 years ago

Nature.

I’ve been trying to spend more time in my garden, it seems that when I do, I get answers I need and peace comes.

I can just be little ole me and feel how every I want and the wind drives it all away, the misty plants with water dripping from their leaves makes me smile.

I go out there very early in the morning as the sunrises and I meditate. I really need to do that in the morning.

Another view of the garden. 4 years ago

My sister and bil gave it to me when they bought their new house. They don’t know what it is. It was in some sad shape, there were hardley any blooms and it was just a sad little plant.

_{{about a month ago I gave my sisters and mom a spider plant in a shell. I grew them from babies to pretty good size for a large shell from St. Thomas. Well, I was told Friday at the party, that Barbara’s has not made it.}

They killed the darn thing, so today they are bringing it home for, as Barbara says, “So you can nurse it and make it live again”.... Sigh, that should tell you something about the bush they gave to me

Anyway, I took this photo yesterday for Greg, just so he can see that it’s grown bigger {poor man has to endure all my pictures of my garden. LOLOL I am loving this partnership thing}

If anyone knows what this is, please tell me. They bought it here in Texas so it has to be for hot as hell states. 4 years ago

day. I spent some time in my garden. The plants are doing pretty well and the shells filled with spider plants are to the lush point. {I had to make sure they were lush lush before giving them to my mom and sisters.

I wanted to plant lots of flowers, I’m not sure how well that is going to go. I have so many house plants taking up space.

I am thinking that I need to make a custom made table, bring some of the plants into the house, that would free up space in the garden. Then maybe… maybe I can plant some of my flowers. 5 years ago

I’ve never lived in a Zone that made it possible to grow them with out a green house and tons of work.

I do NOW… Whoo hooo another reason to like stupid texas.

I want me one of these so so badly. Birthday is coming up, I think I may have something to ask for. 5 years ago

Ni, got me all excited about this with talking about starting seeds and all that.

I am going to have to go out side for a little while. I’ll be back off and on… Man it’s hot and sticky out there. 5 years ago

I will spend some time in my garden. Nothing soothes me the way nature does, and I’ve not been able to get to the ocean the way I really need to.

But if I spend tome time letting the wind flow through me and I can get my hands in the earth.

I think I can find my center once again…
Smile, I sure hope so. Cause I’m tired of feeling like this for true I am. 5 years ago

Dare I dream again?

about what I’d like to see living around me, what plants I would love to be able to watch grow. Which flowers I need to see blooming. 5 years ago

Oh I’ve neglected my plants. It’s a sad place out there. The back is fairing no better.

Right now a Huge bag of compost and a Huge bag of potting soil would make me such a happy girl. Who said Christmas had to be expensive. I sure hope my sister got me a bag of soil.

Alright, I am going to finish my sisters and mothers present. I need at least a week to have the roots start to settle in the soil.
I want them to be just a little full when I take a photo of them.

I know this is not one of those forever presents, but then again it is. The roots are bound to break the shell after a while. Maybe a year, I say less time, in Texas long growing season.

But it they put it out side on the earth, when the roots start to break the shell they will bury them selves into the earth and the plant will start to grow around these big shells.
It would look really pretty. I have to tell them to do that when the time comes. {I’ll put that on the “Love” card I write.

I have so many things I want to do. I keep sidetracking myself. 5 years ago

sisters and mother.

A friend brought me these huge shells from Belize. I’ve put soil in them and planted spider plants, I am waiting for them to take good root and leaf out a bit more than I’ll show photos of them.

I am giving them to my family for presents. I sure hope they like them. 5 years ago

this morning. Stress had my hands all achy, but I think I am going to turn on the porch light, that mixed with the security lights of the complex should make it possible for me to see sufficiently.

I’m going to go garden some. I just need my hands in Something that is real. Nothing is more real than Dirt, Plants and water.

I’ve been having a few hard days lately and I’m going to escape now. 5 years ago

I went and picked up my mail and Ms. Wy had sent me a book. Since I was on my way to get my baby’s from school it road along with me.

I got there early, Perfect. I will take a break and see what this book is about. I am not 150 pages into it. I take breaks from studying just to shove a few pages into my brain.

This is the most amazing book. It touches deep places in me. It’s the subject, “Garden” the way it’s written, it just is me all over.

Wy knows me so darn well. Sister you sure blessed me. I can not thank you enough. This has now become one of my favorite of all times. 5 years ago

Odd things have been going on in my personal life. My health, My emotions, love.

So I was a little sad, I was so very tired and getting overwhelmed by things. I was walking up to my apartment and I looked up at the sky, it was so beautiful with all the clouds. It was one of those beauty days.

Walking across my front yard I seen a dove flying away from me. I just love doves and I haven’t seen many of them since home. While I was watching it a feather was floating down, I held out my hand and it just floated right into it. I smiled so darn big. I brought the feather inside and placed it promptly on my board with all the other treasures. I had this feeling of peace and Hope. Doves remind me of hope.

Later that evening I was working out in my secret garden spot {which is not so so secret} I was sitting out enjoying the wind. I was trying to just be thankful for what I have and not focusing on what I want and need. Just being thankful and I seen about 20 Well I counted 17 dragonfly’s playing. I guess they were playing, they just darted all over the back. I watched smiling like a loon for so very long.

Then the little beauties had their screaming contest and all was quiet again. I was watching the sun setting and yes, I started to cry. See my heart has been heavy lately, I’ve been facing something I’ve not wanted to know for over a year. I was looking at the reality of something I want so so much. The tears started to flow and I leaned my head against the brick wall closed my eyes and wondered if I should just give up on it. My Dream, my desire, my need.

I heard a noise and I looked up and there above me on the electrical wire was a dove. Just one, now that is odd, doves mate for life don’t they… Morning Doves. I spoke to the dove {yeah I sure the heck did} I told her how sorry I was that she was alone and I told her how I knew the feeling well. I might have shared some other things with her} She looked at me as if she understood {or was that a look of. I knew all these humans were nuts}

Then she flew away. I let the last of the tears fall and decided to finish up and just go back inside, maybe just call it a early night and not even get on the net. I heard another noise and there on the wire were two doves. {yes, I said two of them} One of them looked at me and I smiled and felt this surge of hope flood my heart. I said thank you and they flew away.

This is the truth…

The next night I was in the front yard, still wondering if I was just being a fool, if I would ever… just ever.
I heard the train enter the city. When it hits the out side of the city it starts to honk it’s horn at all the intersections. Eventually it hits the one in front of my complex. I about jumped out of my skin, when that horn bellowed.

I could hear the birds in a distance making all sorts of “lets get the hell out of here noises” when all of a sudden from the tree right in front of me, in my front yard, flew at least 25 doves. You know at weddings when they let lose doves and they just fly up and away completely free.

That was it, there were so were many just flying up and away and I cried again. Just the Hope that was coursing through me, the peace that I was being all I am. All my imperfections were simply the best of who I am. Not wrong or not enough just me. Nothing special.

You’ve just shared a private personal wonderful moment of mine.
Thank you for sharing it with me.

Namatest
Light and Love 5 years ago

I am going to put the string back up and try growing them during the fall winter. There are some days, or I should say nights, in the winter when tender annuals and house plants need to be covered. But it’s really not that many days.

I think a few seeds is worth the try.
I even have a whole big package of moon flowers. I think I love those best.
I am so excited about getting these areas prepared for all these seeds. I know there are still even more seeds. I just can’t remember where they are. 5 years ago

I was looking for all my beading things yesterday, I decided to give it all to Jessica. She makes beautiful jewelry and I just don’t have the time to devote to that, so I wanted someone who could use it and who would really appreciate it to have it.

Well in my quest to gather all this stuff up, I found my lost hidden seeds. I am notorious for buying seeds and putting them away. You know back home we only had from June to September to really grow things.

Here you can have a winter garden. I was just tickled pink. I found all my Herbs and 4 different types of Morning glories and moon flowers… OH yeah… Do you feel my joy now.

There is a variety of other flowers. I can’t wait to rip the front up and start getting thing ready. I had two neighbors come over and ask me what the vines were that I had grown {I had to take them out, they were past their prime and all yucky looking. Anyway, they told me how pretty it looked and how they loved coming out each morning and seeing that riot of purple. Maybe, they will plant some too and well just Beautify this nondescript place.

I think I need a nap, I’m sure of it. I’ll be back in an hour or so. Just not feeling well again. I seriously can’t make this a habit of waking at midnight. 5 years ago

This Tropical Storm Erin will be hitting after midnight.

OH what flippin’ round is this for the vines. Round 4 or something…

Sigh… 5 years ago

I know that if I wait longer then the other vines will be in bloom. BUT, I really wanted to show these two. These are the ones that got flooded on 3 times, they are the ones who’s roots were floating on the water for days.

I replanted and lost most of them. Well these are the two that survived from the original one’s I’ve planted.

I’m sorry the picture quality sucks. But at least I have a picture. When I can, I’ll take a much better one and share it.

5 years ago

My chives and basil are doing so good. I can’t wait to have a huge amount like before. I know it will take time.

Just playing in the dirt and seeing all that green and flowers. OH it’s just heaven. 5 years ago

was it 4 or 5… I guess the number doesn’t matter much.
It was a few. Well they are so pretty and really starting to bloom. I started others just in case. You know I am not paranoid when it rains.

My Sweet potato vine is finally starting to grow well. I can’t wait to see it all in bloom. Soon as they get a few more blooms on them I’ll take a picture. It maybe a camera phone but who cares right, it’s the picture that matters.

OH and my aloe and my cacti….... Doing wonderfully awesome. I am like a proud mama.

Jumping for joy cause I played in the garden today. 5 years ago

Some days it is just a steady misting, some it will rain pretty darn good for a while then stop. One day there was even some sunshine. Most days it is like it it now.

Flooding and torrential down pour. So the Morning Glories that are spreading beautifully, that climbed my string so graciously, the very ones that looks to be a tangled mass along my roof line.

Are now being flooded out “ONCE” again, uprooted and haggard.
This time, I’m not even going to try again. If they can’t come back make it through this. I can’t do anything, there is to much vine to have them recover.

Thirteen days of rain and how many more in the forecast? At least until Monday. It was storming so badly this morning that the house shook. Freaked my son out, “Mama I don’t like it when the house shakes like that…”

My poor vines. All I wanted were some pretty flowers to remind me of home.
Sigh… 5 years ago

are blooming. Yes, I am beyond happy about this and it’s the purple ones. It is only the two small strands but I don’t care if they are small or not, it’s sheer beauty.

The sweet pea and the moon flower are growing well and the other bunches are just getting so big, it won’t be long until they start to bloom too.

Soon as it is a little more filled out, I’ll have Sie take a picture.. Mind you the area they are planted has been flooded three times this week… They are survivors.

Kinda of like me. If only I had their beauty as well, I’d be all set. 5 years ago

So as is out tradition, the morning glories have been flooded out. This time they were not uprooted, just exposed horrendously.

So I took the time, after the water went down, to put more soil over the exposed roots. It is still too wet to do it properly, I just wanted enough to cover them.

They are starting to look pretty, well the ones that have survived all three floods.

The others that are a sad group, they just won’t make it back.

I planted a sweet potato the other day, I love the vines they look like morning glories. I don’t care any about the them producing, I just want the vine to be all pretty.

I check on that, it’s doing well, the flood didn’t damage it to much. I can’t wait for the flowers of all the vines to start to bloom, it will be so pretty. Even if there is only one flower. I will be happy. 5 years ago

I spent 1 1/2 in the garden. Climbing up and down the ladder stringing fishing line for my morning glories to climb on.
The moon flowers I planted to replace the ones lost in the flood are starting to grow.

I’m glad I have most of the line up.
I then weeded and replanted a few house plants. I was in heaven.
Sweaty, and hot but still heaven.

When I had finished I put my time in on the bike, I so want to increase my miles. I am satisfied with what I’ve accomplished to day and Jenny is a happier girl for now.

It’s been a very good day, busy, busy , busy but so satisfying.
I am HOT, Nasty, Sweaty {as in the shirt is completely wet, hair is a wet mass of curls} and I am very dirty.

I am thinking I need a shower, a very COLD shower. 5 years ago