My "Step" Plant

  The spring has been quite rainy.   We get thunderstorms nigh on every evening which is fine by me because I sleep well during storms.  I figure that my chores for the next day are easier as I do not have to drag the water hose around the gardens to give the plants a drink.  Those clouds do a fine job...better than what I can do.  Besides, there is something soothing about rain on the rooftop and wind that rattles the windows just a wee bit. So, I sleep...soundly and peacefully.  The other night, however, it was particularly rainy, rather windy and lightning was putting on a fantastic show through the south windows I had just settled in with the cat snuggling near me when I heard an odd thud.  Hmm...wonder what that was?  I sat up and strained to hear over the raindrops pelting the roof.  I heard nothing more and almost started to think I imagined the noise.  I looked at Bat, the cat. He stirred a bit then snuggled a little closer.  He did not seem concerned so all must be well.  Bat is pretty good at keeping me informed about what should be investigated and, obviously, a thud was not a threat.  The cat snuggled, the storm raged and I slept.  All was well in the Little Bayou House.

  I was busy canning plums the next morning so did not get to find my "thud".  It was not until two days later, that I discovered the source of the sound.  The wind had knocked down one of the hanging potted plants next to the French doors. The arbor surrounding these doors has a great structure that allows for hanging plants to be draped everywhere!  Well, the wind must have not appreciated the decor because one of the arrowhead plant was now a "step" plant and not a hanging one.  The small chains were broken causing the plant to plop right down on the step.  It looked quite at home there, so  it will stay.  My "step" plant is doing nicely...in fact, it looks much healthier since it fell.  This makes me wonder if perhaps the other five should come tumbling down!

Be Appreciative!

  A few years back, my brother brought home a pathetic looking plant.  "Here.  Take this.  I found it on the side of the road."  Well, gee!  Thanks!  I guess.  The plant was all withered and brittle, the pot had a huge crack in the side and I really could not tell what type of plant it was.  Well, I would try.  If a brother comes handing you a gift, you accept even if it is a dead plant.  Perhaps, he had more faith in my gardening ability than I did.  

  Well, I did try.  The plant was taken out of the broken pot and the roots cleaned of the hardened soil.  Then, the stalks were cut back to about six inches above the root ball.  The whole thing was replanted in fresh soil and given a nice dousing with the water hose.  After caring for the plant it finally started to show new growth!  I had hope! 

 

  Now, the plant is about 4ft in height and has dozens of healthy stalks. The leaves are lush and colorful!  Darling Daughter has informed me that this is a Hawaiian Ti Plant and is supposed to bring good luck.  Nice! I had no idea!   It is funny because my nephew recently sent me cuttings from a Ti Plant.  Now I have two beautiful plants!

  I guess the point is to always be gracious about accepting gifts even if you think it has seen better days.   Be appreciative of all things. Things can change given a little time and a lot of love.  

A Day Too Late

   Last week, I made a mental note to pick and dehydrate the parsley as it was flourishing.  I put the plant in a hanging basket which seems to be the brightest idea I have had in a while.   The plant was dark green and very lush!  How nice it would be to have a Mason jar full of dehydrated, homegrown parsley!  From the looks of it, I should have gotten nigh on a pint jar full of the dried herb!  From the looks of it last week.  Canning figs got in the way of dealing with the parsley and, now, I am too late!

  Early this morning, I was out picking figs.  This chore has to be done at daybreak before the birds start to feed.  They will clean a fig tree in a matter of minutes!  While I was picking the figs from the small trees on the west side of the house, I checked the herb tower.  This is a large arbor with lots of shelves for pots and lots of space for hanging baskets.  This is where that parsley WAS!  Yep, WAS!  It was gone.  The hanging basket was there but instead of being filled with lovely, curly parsley, it was now filled with caterpillars!  Forty-seven caterpillars to be exact!  

  The black swallowtail butterflies that visit the zinnia bed decided that my parsley was the perfect nursery for their little ones.  In only one day, the critters munched the plant down to little nubs!  Now they are in a fine fix!  There is nothing else to eat!  Even though the critters ate my best plant, I felt sorry for them and tried offering them other herbs.  They are having no part of that and keep wandering around on the stripped parsley.  Thankfully, most are large enough to pupate so perhaps some will survive.  The tiny ones, however, had better get to changing their eating habits and stop being so persnickety!  Yes, it is sad that I did not get to dry my lovely parsley but I am not too upset as I do love my pretty butterflies.

Not That Bad

  Springtime sees us being invaded by millions of tiny, black grasshoppers.  As they age, these things change into huge, three-inch-long, plant-munching, multi-colored menaces.  They eat everything in sight.  We have found that it is far easier to get rid of as many as possible when they are just hatching rather than wait until they are large enough to cause major damage.  Try as I might, I never get them all.  Of course, it is ridiculous to think that would be possible considering they are throughout the woods and on the neighbors' property, as well.  I do try to get rid of any adult grasshoppers that may evade my first attempts but a lot of them slip past unseen.  It is then that I get real aggravated at the critters...which is strange as I usually live by a "live and let live" mantra.  If these grasshoppers would keep themselves back in the woods, I would be ok with their presence but, no, they want to munch my garden plants, instead.  These are the dreaded Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers.  Ugh!

  Back in the early part of the summer, I had to keep covering the lily bulbs because the adult grasshoppers were eating the new growth. Once they finished off the top of the plants, they started in on the bulbs even to the point of digging into the ground to get at them.  I put some bulbs in pots and covered them with another flower pot to keep the critters out.  This did well until I had to uncover the plants.  They were too tall to keep covered.  The lilies sent up tall shoots with buds and I was so excited!  These bright yellow blooms always brighten the fall gardens.

  This past weekend, I checked the bud.  Alas!  A grasshopper was munching away on the stalk!  In fact, it had nibbled its way from top to bottom eating just about half of the stalk.  The lily had bent over because it could not support the weight of its own buds.  Needless to say, the grasshopper had just eaten its last meal.  My lily was ruined, however.  Brokenhearted, I left the bud and went inside.  This morning as I watered the other plants, I noticed the lily.  Sheer determination let that lily bloom in all its glory!  Even though it was ravaged by the critter, bent over flat and seemingly did not have a chance in the world...it bloomed.  Seeing that bright yellow flower that bloomed against all odds gave me a weird sense of strength.  If the plant can survive and still provide a bit of beauty, I can lift my head a bit higher and smile a bit brighter.  Things are not that bad, after all.

Revival Time!

  Years and years ago, my aunt gave me the start of many plants that grew in her gardens.  Aunt Marie always had beautiful gardens about her place and some of the most interesting plants could be found there.  One plant in particular stands out as a most memorable one.  The plant has a large head of tiny, purple flowers and some of the smelliest (stinky!) leaves that I have ever been around.  The plant does not have a stench unless you rub against the leaves.  Then...watch out!  Then, again, it must just be me because some folks have no problem with it.  Several of my sisters-in-law seem to like the "scent".  I guess it is sort of like those of us that like the smell of garlic vs those who do not.  Anyway, the plant is a favorite of mine regardless of its scented leaves. 

  When Aunt Marie gave the plant to me, I was thrilled that it did so well.  The start grew rapidly and multiplied greatly for the next few years.  Each summer, blooms filled the tops of the plants and attracted all sorts of butterflies.  Then, along came a few hurricanes, an illness and a lot of neglect.  These plants along with most others in the garden whithered and died out.  I was saddened at the loss but just did not have the energy to even worry long about it.  Then, a few years ago, a small shoot came up from an existing root.  It struggled and finally gave out without blooming.  The next year, the root again sprouted and gave me hope.  No bloom was seen that year either.  I started caring for the plant again and soon it was healthy and, today, a bloom!  I now have five small plants and the one blooming.  Hopefully, this means that the gardens will soon be filled with the purple blooms and many butterflies!  I am excited!

  The only downside to this whole tale is the fact that I cannot recall the name of the plant.  As matter of fact, I am not sure I was ever told the name but it matters not.  The plant and its smelly leaves are back and I am happy! Perhaps one of my cousins will recall the name and refresh my memory...hopefully!

Crowning Glory

  There is something rather special about watching the sun rise up over the pines on the opposite side of the Bayou.  That big ball of red seems to cast a beautiful glow on everything it touches.  It makes the ordinary turn extraordinary and the mundane seem special.  I would rather roll out of bed before sunrise than to miss the experience. 

  This morning the sunrise did not fill the horizon with the fiery, streaked colors of days past.  The lack of cloud cover left the sky a solid glow of orange but the sun was amazingly clear.  I took a few photos, then promptly forgot the sun and concentrated on fishing.  After a bit, I headed back up the hillside to the Little Bayou House.  It was then that I spied the beauty of the morning.  The sun's beams peeked through the treetops and into the garden.  There, these rays hit the large angel-wing begonia setting it ablaze with color!  The plant never looked so pretty!  

  When coming across something as simple as a sun-dappled plant can make the day seem perfect, you know that you are viewing life in the right way.  Folks, find peace in yourself and all the other stuff will fall into place nicely.

Ouch and Double Ouch!

  I love sharing plants with folks who visit the Bayou.  If I have it, I can either give you cuttings, seeds or a small rooted sapling.  My granddad always used to tell me "If you share your plants, it makes yours grow better."  I am not sure how that works but it did instill in me the fact that it is always grand to share what you have.  Years ago, I gave my sweet niece a small rose bush that had rooted beneath the parent plant.  These roses make large clusters of tiny pink roses and it does not take long before the long canes will cover a fence or arbor.  She loves it.  Her husband does not.  Erik calls this the "Devil Plant" as it always "reaches out to grab me with its thorns."  Well, admittedly, it is covered with thorns and is quite "grabby" if you get close enough to it.  

  Well, Erik, I think I have you beat.  I have found the "Devil's Sword" plant!  I fully agree that those rose thorns are wickedly sharp, but I expect them to be on the rose canes.  This other plant gets me every time because I am not familiar with the thing.  A few years back, my brother brought me a plant because he felt sorry for it being on a trash pile.  "Here, you can have this."  So...what do you do other than plant the thing.  The plant in question is a type of yucca, I think.  It looks highly similar to the wild yuccas that grow down the hill.  I made the mistake of planting this one beside the pathway.  Not smart.  The thing was small when I received it but has grown exponentially since planted.  

 The plant has blades (like all yuccas) and each of those blades is tipped with a needle sharp point! Those things hurt like crazy when they stab you!  So, instead of being "just another yucca" this thing has been dubbed the "Devil's Sword" and I have a feeling that it will be moved far down the hillside (if not to a trash pile without a word to my brother.)  Can I share this plant with anyone??  Any takers??  It is wicked!

In The Graveyard Or On The Bayou....

  Several years ago, I related a tale about ghosts and misconceptions.  This was in explanation of how the blooms of the yucca blooms had earned the name Ghosts of the Graveyard.  It seems that at some point, a few folks claimed to see ghosts flitting about a local cemetery.  These folks were so convinced by the sight that they hurried to tell others about their find.  It seems that a designated group of ghost hunters were dispatched to the graveyard that very same night to investigate.  Indeed, they, too, saw the ghostly-white images floating about the graves but on closer inspection, they found yucca blooms.  The tall, spindly stalks were supporting huge clusters of blossoms that glimmered in the moonlight.  Hence, from that night's sighting came the "Ghosts of the Graveyard" description.

  The ghosts on the Bayou are of the same ilk.  Some fifteen feet in height and with three feet of that being blooms, it is easy to imagine the mistaken identity.  By the light of a full moon, the creamy white blooms do seem to glow and the least amount of wind can sway those large clusters in a most "spectral" way.  

  The yuccas are just starting to bloom so the blossoms are scanty.  By the weekend, most of the buds will be open creating quite the vision of loveliness.  While I am not a fan of the spiky plant while mowing the grass, let it bloom and it suddenly becomes a favorite!  These "ghosts" can float about the hillside all they want!  

Friends I have not met yet.

  Sometimes the nicest people are friends that you have not met yet. Yep, you read that right..."friends that you have not met yet."   I admit that I stay here on the Bayou and do not have as many acquaintances as other folks but I do consider my handful of friends as true friends or even family.  They are the type who do not say "Is there anything I can do for you?" instead, they just do.  Makes a person feel pretty special.  But, as I said, this is about the nice people who are friends that you have not met yet.  I have those, too.  They, to my way of thinking, are incredible!

  Not too long ago, I was on the receiving end of a fine gift.  A lovely lady sent me a plant in a terracotta pot and decorated for Halloween!  The plant is one she rooted especially for me!  Now, how nice is that?  To be honest, I have met her daughters but not the sweet lady, herself.  Her two daughters have been coming to the Little Bayou House for the past several years to participate in the Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou.  They, like their mom, are amazingly nice.  This year when they came, the girls brought the plant.  "It is a gift from Mama." 

  Now, the gift was for no specific reason which made it all the more special.  Not many folks will go out of their way to show such kindness.  When I am the recipient of such unexpected kindness, it warms my heart tremendously and makes me want to share the nice act with others.  I need more unmet friends...we all do.

  Perhaps if more people were like Angie, this old world would take on a kinder, gentler persona and be a happier place. She has inspired me. I am going to try each month of the coming year to do one act of kindness or give one small gift to some friend that I have never met.  Maybe this idea will spread to be something that can change hearts.  Thank you, Angie. You have started something that hopefully will brighten the days of others as much as your kindness has mine.  I love my unmet friends!

You Are Trash!!!

  Some folks would much rather toss things in the garbage than to spend a bit of time and effort to revive, reuse or repurpose it.  The thought of "making do" is out of the realm of many folks. The "toss it and buy a new" mentality has filled the landfills beyond capacity and have literally made dumps of so much of our beautiful Earth.  This makes me sad. Personally, I have a tendency to use things even beyond their durability stage.  I save things to the point that my kids worry about my "hoarding problem".  I figure it is not really hoarding if you actually use the items.  It is more like commonsense.

  This "Don't toss it" thought must be something that was drilled into my head as a kid.  I can remember Granddad telling me to "Put that up.  You may need it some day."  He was right.  So it is easy to see why my brothers fall right in that almost hoarding group as well.  My oldest brother was doing yard work for an elderly lady when he noticed that her neighbor put a potted plant in the trash.  Granted, the begonia was past its prime and looked sort of sad.  He felt bad for the poor plant and snagged it off the trash heap.  After a bit of loving care, he brought the plant down to me.  "Here.  I got you this out of the trash."  Sweet!  My brother obviously thinks very highly of me if he brings me trash....hmmmm.  Anyway, he handed me the plant, gave strict instructions on how to care for it and said he had beans cooking back at his house.   With that, I became the proud owner of a begonia. 

  Since the plant came to reside here, it has bloomed profusely and is now making seed pods.  The thing has doubled in size with my following his detailed care instructions.  The man sure can make things grow.  But just think.  This plant was doomed.  Tossed aside as trash by the previous owners.  How sad.   What a waste.

Angel Wings and Halos!

Sometimes things just have a way of finding their way back home.  I am now in possession of a plant that came from the old farm place.  Mom had very few potted houseplants because she always said that she did not have a "green thumb".  The few she kept on the screened porch did remarkably well in spite of this claim.  Granted a good bit of their care fell to Pop, the farmer.  He would repot the plants each spring and fertilize them throughout the growing season.  The "care" that Mom showed was careful watch on the soil.  If it became dry, she watered.  Like I said, the plants flourished under this dual-care system and grew to great sizes.  They always bloomed profusely which was much to Mom's delight.  Probably her favorite of all houseplants was the Angel Wing Begonia.  I can fully understand her admiration of this plant.  It is quite beautiful!

A couple of weeks ago, my brother toted a huge potted plant down to the Little Bayou House.  "Here." he said...that was it.   "Here."  This brother is one of those folks that can say a lot in just a few words.  He could have said some "flowery" little speech about how he wanted to give me this gorgeous plant that he had babied all of these years.  He could have pointed out that albeit cracked, it was planted in one of Mom's large terra cotta pots.  He could have told me that he did this because he loved me and I was his favorite sister!  Ok, so that last one was stretching it a bit but, hey, a girl can dream!  Anyway, he just said "Here."  I had to drag out the part about this being Mom's plant and her flower pot.  He did profess that he was giving the plant to me because he did not want to drag it inside with every threat of a freeze.  Ha!  See, I know better than that!  He secretly does think I am his favorite sister!!  Now the plant sits in my entryway so it can be seen by everyone that enters!  This evening, I went to lock the door and was astounded by the plant.  Earlier I had turned on a heat lamp to protect the tender foliage.  The way the light was illuminating the plant was most fitting!  The plant had a lovely glow about it.  My Angel Wing Begonia had a halo!

The Angel Wing Begonia is actually a hybrid begonia.  It is a cross between a begonia aconitifolia and a begonia coccinea.  A lady named Eva Kenworthy Gray crossed the two in 1926 and came up with the lovely Angel Wing.  She named it thus because of the shape of the individual leaves.  These leaves have a wonderful speckled appearance but they are not the plant's only claim to fame.  The plant has great clusters of reddish pink blooms almost endlessly during the warmer months.

Now that the Angel Wing has come to be part of the Little Bayou House, I sure hope that I can care for it just as Mom and Pop did and with the continued loving care that my brother gave it.  I would love to have a long screened porch with rocking chairs and Angel Wing Begonias.....just like at the old farm.  (Oh, and just to be honest, my brother, Tommy,  has one of these for our sister, Susan, as well.  I guess he loves her, too.  But I am his favorite!  Just saying!.....Maybe?)