The Little Begonia With a Huge Job

  Occasionally, something happens that just brightens the day without even trying.  Since the redoing of Little Bayou House has taken up most of my time as of late, the gardens are in a disarray...big time.  In fact, there is a great lack in gardens for the first time in many, many years.  Things have been left to their own accord which usually means weeds overtaking the preferred plants.  While this is true in about half of the garden and even the potted plants, this morning, I found one plant that was doing perfectly fine by itself.  

  Several years ago, my oldest brother brought down a huge angel-wing begonia.  "Here, this was Mom's.  You take it."  So, I did!  Excitedly!  The thing had a rough go here as the raccoons decided to repot the begonia without the aid of a new pot.  It was pulled up by the roots and tossed the wayside.  Yes, I replanted.  Yes, the coons "unplanted".  Several times over again.  After the third time and since the plant was now pretty well mangled, I tried one last time and stuck the thing in the greenhouse.  There, it flourished!  Earlier this spring, every plant was hauled outside and forgotten until today.

  While out washing the old dog, I spied the begonia and found it was doing perfectly wonderful!  Although a lot smaller than when my brother brought it to me, it was full of blooms!  Mom would be so happy!  She loved this begonia.  As I looked at it, the plant brought back a flood of memories of Mom and Pop.  Although this was Mom's plant, Pop would secretly take care of it, as he did with all of her potted plants.  He would sneak fertilizer to them, prune them and water them....all on the sly so Mom did not know.  (Or perhaps she did and just never said anything to spoil his secret.)  

  Things like that have a way of bringing fond memories and lots of smiles of long gone days.  Sometimes, that is just what is needed to help us trudge through when we get bogged down in our daily chores.  With renewed energy, I vowed to beat the heat and find a little time each day to get the gardens back to their former beauty.  The begonia deserves a place to be in its full glory...as do the other plants that I, more or less, have neglected for the past few months.   I just need to find the time and energy.  If that little begonia can overcome all of its tribulations to bring me a bit of happiness, I surely can return the favor.