Loving My Neighbor

I love to grow things in pots.  The last few years my collection has grown and grown - pots all over the patio and pots on the front porch.  I had to set an alarm on my phone so I would remember to water all of them - every other day in the summer and at least once a week in the winter.  Several of them are tucked into the garage in the winter, they get a little shabby, but they survive and, when Spring returns, they thrive.

The trouble with containers is the little saucer that collects the excess water - it keeps the water from going all over the place but it can provide the mosquito with the perfect little incubator and nursery.   

Here in north Texas the West Nile Virus is a major concern.  It is transmitted by infected mosquitoes (not all mosquito's have the virus - most are just annoying) and even if you get bitten by an infected mosquito, you might not get the disease.  I say this so you won't call 911 the next time you get bitten.

I have no desire to be known as a Mosquito Rancher so I try to follow all the rules the City of Fort Worth gives for minimizing mosquito breeding.

I've cleaned up my act - well, my patio actually, and put away most of the saucers.  I've scattered the containers around my garden, tucked them in the mulch - no need for a saucer.  A bonus - I took the time to check where the water goes when the sprinkler is on and almost everything gets watered even when I'm not here to do it.



These seem to be adjusting to their new home.

I still have a few pots on the patio and by the front door but I'm very careful not to over water.  I figure it's worth it to help myself and others in my community stay healthy.  I am helping people I don't know and may never meet, still, it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling to realize we are all in this world together and little things we do (or don't do) can have a big impact.

Admit it, you are probably doing something to make the world a better place.   I would love to hear about some of your adventures - comments are always welcome.  I'm off to read blogs and drink tea on this hot, hot summer day.

De Clutter

I thought if I wasn't busy I would have lots and lots of time to blog.  For me it doesn't work that way - if I'm not busy, I don't have anything to blog about.  I 'm a little busy these days - Physical Therapy (PT) is work.  I'm doing all the recommended exercises - if you want to get better (read "healthier") you have to work.  Some days I dread the PT but afterwards (a few hours, pain meds, and an ice pack or two afterwards) I feel much improved.  I'm very thankful for the doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and others who have had a hand in fixing my knee.  The progress is much slower than I imagined, I'm having a hard time not being critical, I think it's because I have a bit of brain clutter.  You know, ideas or beliefs you have that no longer work or that you know to be untrue.  If you keep acting on what doesn't work it will make you crazy.  I used to believe if I had surgery I would miraculously be healed by the time the stitches began to fade.  Turns out most miracles need a bit of work.  Sometimes you just have to clean out the clutter so the rest of you can change and grow. 

This cleaning up business is a lesson I learned years ago from gardening.  Weeding, deadheading, clearing out the old dried up plants makes room for new growth.  Just clean out the old and in comes the new, usually it's a year later.

This summer I haven't done much in the garden, just watering the plants in containers. The green oxalis I got from my mom back in February and planted beside a purple one I had purchased locally were getting along beautifully back in the Spring.

Early April 2012

They were beautiful back in April, however by August, after 20 plus days of 100 F heat, they were cooked and I was a little afraid they might not come back.  On August 11, I was out sweeping the front porch, watering my plants and startled by how sad this container looked.

8/11

I started cleaning up and was surprised by how easily the old, dead stuff lifted out of the pot - almost no roots holding it down. 

8/11

It's very embarrassing to realize you are letting things compost right outside your front door.

8/11

I left the lone purple shamrock and went inside think about what to plant next.

Thursday (8/16)

 

I had expected the plants to go dormant and was surprised the next Thursday (8/16) when I remembered to water the containers on the front porch and there was 'new life.'

This picture was taken on Monday, 8/20.
 

I went inside and got a damp cloth to clean up the pot - just trying to do my part to make it look good.

This picture was taken Wednesday afternoon (8/29). 

Those little dots next to the purple oxalis are new plants.  I don't know when the oxalis is supposed to start growing again.  I can't help but wonder if I had not cleaned out the dead plants would the new plants have started to grow?  Was nature waiting on me to do my part so the miracle of life could 'show off?'  I may have to look into that one of these days.  Right now, I am going to go stretch and do a bit of exercise.


Life goes on.


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Clean up

Our house faces north. It's one of those 'must haves' on our list of what we're looking for in a home. My husband has his reasons. I have mine. The only trouble with this arrangement is I can't get roses to grow around the front door - I love that look. Every time I've tried it I just get tall, leggy thorns - not the look I'm going for. In fact at this house there's so much shade on the front porch that I just buy houseplants and grow those at my front door.  The gardenia, purple oxalis, and ivy are a year old (well, they've been on my front porch for a year).

This year I'm welcoming all visitors with green, pink, purple, and white.

The new plants I've added, including the Peace Lily, have just a hint of color  - and are lucky to be alive.

Some days I am my own worst enemy. 
The geraniums are for the back door - the door our children and friends use.

I had planned to have everything planted (and weeded!) in my garden by May 1st.  Sounds like a good idea.  Get the new plants into the ground so they can start growing and blooming.  Get rid of all the weeds so that everything is beautiful and the rain that we do get goes to help the plants that I want in my garden. 

The plastic carrier that I have had for at least a dozen years (got it when we lived in Germany) quit working the other day...  I was walking (rushing) through the kitchen with it full of baby plants and the bottom fell out.  New plants and dirt went everywhere.  What a mess. 

I wish I could say this is what prevented me from getting to all the weeding and planting but, no, this was just one of many little side adventures.  I leave you now to continue my garden clean up - I'm thinking I can have everything 'perfect' by May 17th...  June 3rd at the latest....  

Happy Gardening.


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