Nipped in the Bud

A low rumble vibrates the building as tree-trimmers buzz their way through Bradford Pear limbs—the extreme version of “nip it in the bud”. There will be at least one less large branch to blossom in the spring, yet the concern that Bradford Pears’ notoriously brittle branches when laden with ice or snow will fall on a car or person is valid.


Meanwhile we’re barricaded by the branch, fallen across the sidewalk—but yes, I remember there is another outlet…I just went outside to check it, but no, it’s blocked as well. So I’m praying for the safety of the trimmers in their mechanical buckets, and that I don’t have an emergency that requires me to get out quickly--I could though, eventually climb through the branches.

Now the grinding—the pulverizing, begins; branches spew out as “mulch” into the waiting truck.

Seat Upgrade

The rooster plant* is doing well in a southwesterly window; it’s even getting a few more yellow spots on its leaves and one has a long, fine point. However, like other tropical plants they need a lot of humidity. I mist the leaves with water daily but the small terra cotta pot I planted it in last summer dries out too quickly.


Today it gets to upgrade to a larger less-porous pot that will better hold in moisture, and give it room to grow.

The morning sun was most welcome after yesterday’s gray rain but it was only here for a short “visit.”


*So far, I've been unable to find the official name of the plant though I think it’s in the croton family. It’s an offspring of one of my friend G’s plants; her daughter called it a rooster plant and so it is. If you know its “given” name I’d like to hear from you.

Singing in the Rain

A young mockingbird either sang despite the rain or fussed because of it; I don’t know which since it didn’t tell me. By the time I, camera in hand, realized that maybe I could actually photograph a bird it had flown. Nevertheless, the raindrops on the branches are beautiful.

In winter it can be a little harder to get green in one’s meals but parsley though small is stalwart. This flat-leaf variety I grew from seed has survived temperatures in the upper “teens”! It’s nice to have some fresh herbs for seasoning. And as a bonus—parsley contains several vital nutrients including the vitamin C I’ve been looking for!

Just One

For days, maybe even weeks, this single Angel Face Angelonia has bloomed, just one—alone. It doesn’t make as much of a show as would several spires of purple blossoms, but it’s there, blooming indoors—in the winter.

Loneliness is often the lot of one who is determined to stand for what is right. Often it seems that just one can’t make a difference but history is full of contradictions to that notion. And so what if the difference isn’t huge? It’s right to do the right thing, regardless. So what if no one else is doing the right thing? That doesn’t get me—or you, off the hook since we all have to give an account to God one day for our actions—and inaction.

Tropical Growth

New growth is showing up in lots of places. These new shoots on the Hawaiian Ti plant have been making slow but steady progress for awhile but it seems possible that now that the larger one has made it this far it might just speed up.

The Hawaiian Ti plant is, according to one garden book very difficult to grow and to another, very easy. So I’ll give it the prescribed light and water and as always, pray for the best.


Its large, smooth leaves beautifully reflect the morning light, even on gray days like today.

More New Growth

The baby prayer plant is growing and now has four leaves! I’d like to say that it’s the first prayer plant I’ve grown from seed but the fact is that the seed planted itself—as it was created to do and I only watered it and gave it sunlight.


The bougainvillea has adjusted so well to its indoor spot that not only is it growing lots of new leaves (to replace the ones it dropped) but it’s growing new branches too! According to the Bougainvillea Growers International, they bloom on new growth!

I’m looking forward to today’s much warmer weather but not yet another day of water outage for pipe repairs. So far the water is still on.

Cut Backs

The hard freezes the last couple of nights have taken a toll on my outdoor garden; plants that have withstood temperatures as low as the upper 20’s have frozen in this front’s icy grip of 18 degrees. So it’s time to cut away the things that can’t come back*.

How can you tell which leaves will revive as the weather warms? If it’s limp but still green there’s a strong possibility that it will spring back and grow again but limp and brown, black or gray has virtually no chance. However, if the dead parts are cut off some plants will put up new sprouts from the roots—this is where continuous watering benefits; the root ball is often protected from the cold by the soil and water keeps it from drying out i.e. freezing (freezing is essentially dehydration).

In case you’re thinking, “Oh the poor things!” realize that the sweet potato vines are usually gone with the first freeze; the various plants that froze have lived far beyond their normal range. Besides, I did take some cuttings that are still doing well. The Sweet Williams always hold up as they are biennials. Victoria Blue salvia also comes back (sometimes) for a second round but usually only after dying back but this time the leaves have bounced back. The plants that really amaze me though are the petunias! The ordinary white ones are still blooming and growing; I’ve never seen petunias survive this kind of weather! The orange Million Bells look straggly but they’re still blooming as well. Maybe I won’t give up on petunias after all (most of the ones I grew this year had some sort of plague and didn’t do well).

*Wearing garden gloves is a good idea when cutting frozen branches since they can be gooey.

Hurdle Help

Oskar’s number two flower stalk never did reach back toward the sunlight; the opening flowers were too heavy to pull up. So I gave it a little hurdle help; to keep the weight of the flowers from snapping the stalk, I “planted” a stake in the pot. Then I gently lifted the stalk and tied it to the stake with some smooth string that turned up during my Christmas decorating. To those of you who know me and my practice of saving odds and ends for their future usefulness—I do actually use them.

The purple “stake” is one such “end”; I recycle as much as I can but find that reusing is even better. (We once lived near a landfill; its rain of ashes, stench and mountainous toxicity made a lasting impression on me). Stakes can be made of most anything, a dowel, broken handle; decorators favor tree branches.

Many people, whether those needing help or those who could be of help, often think that needing help is a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a sign of strength to know when one needs some help to get over a hurdle. Even Jesus needed help in carrying his cross (Luke 23:26).

There’s No Denying It

I had kept Oskar away from the sunlight in order to make its “number two bud” last longer but it won’t be denied. Living creatures need sunlight for health and, in the case of people and animals—happiness (as my botany instructor always insisted, “Plants don’t think!"). I’ve known plants to reach for the sun—that’s why container plants need to be turned. Sunflowers turn to follow the suns path hence their name but I’ve never seen the kind of desperation that this amaryllis flower stem has displayed!

I’ve moved Oskar back to the east windows where the sun is strong on this frigid day (high around 35 degrees) but it hasn’t yet begun reaching in that direction. I’m so very glad for the sunlight myself.

We’ve had unseasonably warm weather but since it is winter we shouldn’t be surprised at the cold. However, we’re heartened to know that it’s only a “cold snap” and end of the week temperatures are forecast to be back in the 60’s. Though last winter was far colder with a good bit of snow, the temperatures then were also a roller-coaster ride with welcome warming reprieves in between.

New Sprouts

My husband’s herb seeds are sprouting already, beginning new life in the new year!

My newly planted indoor pots are also sprouting—this is the third one. I didn’t mark what I planted in each because I thought I would remember; I do know that the seedlings are either lettuce or parsley though.☺