This borders on addiction – if part of a plant falls off, those addicted to plants propagate that leaf or stem which I’ve done for years resulting in many more plants than I can handle or have room for. Ugh. And those plants get BIG! I am exhausted from hauling plants – cleaning them first, rinsing and then carrying them inside. The remaining plants outside will go to the basement or the quilt shop. And they may not get there till next week.
Hazel isn’t always a ball of fire – she likes to sleep in till nearly 11 or later.
Last night she found a toad which always delays our 10 pm walk.
2 reader quilts
A sweet memory – do any of you readers remember Cheryl (Donnie) Barkema who worked for us? We had a staff Christmas party at her house one year and I asked about a plant she had and she told me she was going to toss it out because she’d had it for so long and it hadn’t done anything. She said she paid quite a lot for it, didn’t know what it was, etc. Here is that plant maybe 25 years later blooming its little heart out.
It still isn’t a real attractive plant but I’ve read it’s hard to find and difficult to grow so I’ll take good care of it for Cheryl.
And a chuckle….
Mary I love your idea of a greenhouse. I’m sure that’s a lot of work too. I re-potted two plants that were on my porch, then brought them inside for the Winter. Seems early for that. Hopefully they will be happy in front of the patio door. Seeing your sparkling windows makes me think I should clean mine. Loved seeing the reflection of your barn in your window.
I’ve been thinking about the hen that gets picked on…why do they do that to her? City girl here! I wanted to work outside today on my garden/plants but the smoke really bothered me. I’m sure it’s from fires in CO or Canada. I sure hate to see our forest being destroyed but the beetle kill has been so bad setting us up for fires!!! My daughter lives in the Rockies and has had to evacuate twice in ~15 yrs due to fires close by. I also wondered about your clean windows! Once I saw how nice yours look I thought I’d better get out and clean some of ours. Can’t get on a ladder for the tall windows tho- Where are the refs in these games?!? Takes the enjoyment out of watching their games.
Have wanted to do some sewing but my thumb is killing me! I’m making an appt. on Monday to get it injected. Old nurse who took a beating in my joints – lifting pts., pushing heavy carts etc.
Arlene – hens are like people – some like to bully those smaller and weaker. My hen is looking better but like Rick says – get rid of the rooster and my hen would recover. I did buy the saddle for her but havent had the nerve to try to put it on her. I need an extra pair of hands. I am enjoying my clean windows – but so many plants in front of them!! I’ve got to do so,etching about my plant addiction. I say my answer is a greenhouse, don’t you agree?
Arlene – forgot to mention your thumb – my fingers really hurt – so much arthritis. That pain keeps me awake even though I put cream on them before bed and also take a painkiller. The painkiller doesn’t last all night so I only get a couple hours of relief. And yes, I can still play the piano because I’m not gripping anything. That’s the problem. Many parts of my body hurt but my hands are the worst. Good luck with your thumb – I can’t imagine how that shot hurts to get but probably worth it.
Watching Hazel wake up reminds me of myself. 😳
However, I don’t spend my bedtime walks bothering the toads. 😂
Rocky and Barney seem to have the barn under control. Barney is adorable. Does Mama ever leave the barn?
Thanks, Mary 🥰
Jeanie – Mama hangs out around the barn but she doesn’t like Barney – I so wish I could bring her to the house but she’d go right back to the barn. Why can’t they just get along? Hazel loves toads and has toad mouth often at night.
Wow, caring for all those plants to bring inside is a big job! I have a few plants on a windowsill in my sewing room but they are barely hanging on. I don’t have a good place with nice lighting for indoor plants. Hazel looks adorable on her bed. I love that your cats and chickens all get along. Sad to learn that Caitlin Clark will be out for the season. As someone else said, why aren’t the refs calling more fouls? It’s not fair to the game to allow thugs to continue harming other players. That’s not a sport when that happens. The reader quilts are so pretty. I especially like the colors and pattern on the one with blocks that were bought from someone in her guild. I received a lovely thank you from one of our card recipients. Mary, that is so kind of you to keep this going. Card showers are wonderful, not just for the receiver, but the sender receives joy in giving. I’m behind but will catch up. Had a setback with foot injury and reaction to 2nd shingles vaccine. Getting old isn’t for the faint of heart. lol
Ann – reaction to shingles shot? Oh no! And what happened to your foot? No, getting old is tough. My friend’s husband has shingles and I know how miserable it’s been for him plus it must take forever to get over shingles! I have enjoyed the card showers, as well, and have received thank yous.
Maybe Hazel needs her beauty sleep so she can be the dynamo she is the rest of the day and night.
Beryl has begun to receive cards. She got her first today and was so surprised and astonished that people who send them just because they are a part of this wonderful group. Georgia and Angie’s cards arrived today. Thank you to all who sent or are planning to. Mom had a rough day yesterday with a visit to the ER even before coffee, forget about breakfast. The pain in her leg was so bad she could not stand or walk on it. Luckily after all the requisite testing, she does not have a blot clot, the hip is not infected, seems to be bursitis in the hip. after a iv dose of tylenol, we was able to walk with a walker so was allowed to go back home. She is feeling better and stronger today. Tylenol ever 6 hours and some more walking. She will go to see her surgeon on Tuesday and hopefully back to pt during the week.
Pamela – oh, poor Beryl! Nothing is easy, is it, and pain just makes a person miserable. I’ve had bursitis in my hip and it was not fun – I got several shots before I got over it. I hope she gets lots of cards – it’s fun sending to someone you don’t know personally but do know they have a special birthday coming up. Hope she can use the walker to get around. PT works but is so tedious.
I admire your green thumb and dedication to the plants inside and out. Clean windows are a boast to my mental health. My mom would clean her windows frequently and I do also. Thanks for sharing your life with all of us and particularly Hazel’s adventures. I admire her “Diva” approach to sleeping in! A girl has to get her beauty sleep. Hope you have a great football Saturday.
How is the hen doing that gets picked on?
Dee – I bought her a protective saddle that I’m going to put on her – actually I bought 2 – at $14.95 each!!! I hope they work.
I do the same with my plants but I try to give away the duplicates before I bring them in. I have the Hoya plant to with waxy fragrant flowers.
Linda – you must know friends who want plants –
What an interesting plant! I was not familiar with it and enjoyed seeing the unusual bloom.
Love Hazel – she’s just such a cutie/stinker 🤣
That intricate quilt was amazing 😍
It’s a Hoya carnival. Just look it up. Fascinating . Loving this cool weather but hate to think about what comes next. Enjoying the moment though. Have a great weekend.
Hoya Carnosa – plant. Misspelled above
Francine – I have quite a few Hoyas – a couple different ones and one skinny leaf one that did die last year and I’ve never found another one.
Francine – and that’s why I hate fall! Winter is miserable – stuck in the house for months.
Well send fall and winter down here!! Happy to take it off your hands 😂
Hugs
Sherry W in Hot Texas!!
Love starting the morning with a cup of tea and your wonderful reports. I am a very active outdoor gardener in Illinois, but can’t have any houseplants due to spending our winters in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Your collection is the most impressive that I’ve seen. Maybe you could consider gifting some of your plants to residents of the care home where you play the piano? When my folks were in a care facility we always kept a couple of live plants in their room. We’ve had the most enjoyable cool weather for the last two weeks, but it is so very dry. No rain in the forecast for another week or so and we need it. Watering is a daily job – thankfully we live in the country and have a well so the water is free!
Bonnie – when I last visited the care center they had lotsof plants – mostly in the common areas. The family would have to take care of any plants in the rooms.
Hi Mary, you have the same green thumb that my Mother had, though she didn’t pass it along to me. Any little piece of a plant that broke off she would either stick it in a pot or rooted the piece in water. Your plants are really amazing. Take care.
It was good to see The Fever win their game tonight, but sad to hear that our Caitlin and four others on the team will not be coming back for the rest of the season because of injuries. When will those refs realize that basketball is not a contact sport and start callling fouls on those rough players who bully the others? Dear inquisitive Hazel. She doesn’t miss anything that moves, does she? Life is never dull when you have a pet like her. Did she eventually let the frog alone? Your room with the plants and the clean windows looks so inviting. Did the rain spot them terribly after they were freshly washed? Air quality was terrible here the last couple of days, due to the Canadian fires. We’ve kept doors and windows closed hoping to keep it away from having to breathe it. Feels like fall with the leaves rustling this week. Jeanne in Co.
I have 2 hoya plants – not the same variety as yours, but the same family. Love it! It doesn’t bloom very often, but has a pretty star-shaped cluster of flowers and a sweet aroma. One is a start from the other one – my mother gave it to me over 35 years ago. The second one is the “mother” of that start and I remember it sitting on my grandmother’s screened-in porch in the summer time – that was over 65 years ago. Someone trimmed grandma’s when my mother had it in assisted living over 20 years ago – they cut off the peduncles (the little ‘microphone’-looking growths) which is where the blooms develop. It finally bloomed once this year. I’m hoping it will keep going!
Mary,
Maybe I missed your comment on the plant that you showed an up close picture of the bloom – that is a Hoya plant. I am NOT a plant person by any stretch of the imagination but I am in possession of a Hoya plant that belonged to my grandmother. My mom always told me that the plant was over 50 years old so I should take good care of it. I water it once a week and it thrives with long stems and leaves and the occasional blooms that stink to high heaven. They live forever!!
Mary, if you don’t already know, your plant is a Hoya. I also have one. You can read about it on the Web. Cheers
Love the animals. I have one of those plants, the flowers have a sticky sap on them. I sent a card to one of our people, got a really nice thank you today. Always surprises me. But I knew that it would be appreciated no matter what. Our senior living had a lady who turned 100 and one who turned 99 in August. So I had to send a card to each of them too. Fun time.