Tag Archives: garden

My Soul Mate is a Monster

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Sorry for the typo.

I meant to say my Giant Monstera is my soulmate. I certainly should have done a better job of proofreading…my bad.

This guy is the cause of my freak injury. I know I should hate him for it, but he’s so beautiful, especially when backlit by the sun.

I can’t help but love the source of my trauma, my pain.

You can’t really see it in this photo, but the reason why I raced down the stairs in slippery socks (and fell HARD) was to get the Amazon package that contained the moss poles to help my BFF climb to new heights.

When we first met (at Trader Joe’s) and fell in love, he whispered to me that a little support would make him happy. Since I love to oblige, it was an easy request to grant, however, this proclivity of mine set the stage for me to become irrevocably injured.

Deep wounds take a long time to heal, but my love for this Giant Monstera will last forever. Pretty soon I’ll need taller poles and more support because he’s growing and thriving under my care.

Love hurts, but isn’t he gorgeous? My monster(a), my soulmate. 

Update on my injury: Stitches came out yesterday (after two weeks) but were replaced by a dozen Steri-strips to help the eight-inch gash finish healing, which it is,  but at a snail's pace, probably because I'm not a very patient patient. I'm a much better caregiver. The recommendation was no strenuous activity for at least two more weeks or it'll open up again and I'll need more stitches and the doc threatened me with an aircast to immobilize my leg. "Threatened" might be a SLIGHT exaggeration, but that's how I interpreted her words...

The Swing

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Some people might think a solitary swing is the epitome of loneliness; forlorn, swaying empty in the breeze.

Instead, I like to remember this poem by Robert Louis Stevenson and think of the joy it brings to the Angels; well, except when they’re fighting over whose turn it is to swing.

The Swing

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown–
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

–ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

Forget-Me-Not

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I was at a free expo a couple months ago and grabbled a package of forget-me-not seeds. I tossed them in a planter and forgot about them until today.

This is their first flowering!

Forget-me-nots symbolize true love, fidelity, and respect. It’s also associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and has (weirdly) been adopted as a symbol by the Freemasons.

Germans coined the most common name used for this flower, das Vergissmeinnicht, because of the myth of two lovers who first saw the bright blue flowers as they walked along the Danube River. The man retrieved the flowers for the woman but was swept away by the river. As he floated away, he told her not to forget him.

Whether the story is true or not, it’s certainly made the forget-me-not a lasting symbol of remembrance.

Myosotis sylvatica readily reseeds, so I’m hoping to grow more and more in the garden because the blue is so valiantly BLUE and truly unforgettable.

Dreamy White Christmas

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I’ve always had red and pink zygocacti, and for some reason, mine bud and bloom several times a year, whether they’re labeled Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter cactus.

I’ve been seeing other, amazing colors of these flowering succulents. I couldn’t resist this white Schlumbergera that I found at Trader Joe’s for about five dollars. This is her very first flower. Check out the magenta stamen. It’s absolutely stunning. The Chanel-inspired pot was a Daiso treasure.

I’m in LOVE. I can’t wait until all the other buds open.

Do you see that double bud? It’s ridiculously easy to make me happy.

Elusive

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I spent the day in the gardens, front and back. Neighbors dropped by to chat and comment on our beautiful weather in anticipation of much needed rain.

One neighbor recently got a sweet Golden Retriever that spent too many years at a disgusting Amish puppy mill and is now living her best life. A few minutes later, a young couple walked by with a newborn, their first. Kids rode by on their bikes and e-bikes on their way to play tennis at the park.

It was a wonderful, happy, Southern California kind of day, and I got a lot of work done, filling up three yard waste cans.

Even the butterflies seemed to be more active than usual, perhaps trying to sip as much nectar as possible before the rain or a southerly migration. I tried to snap some pics but they absolutely wouldn’t stay still long enough!

It made me think of that really old song, Elusive Butterfly. It’s beautiful, sad, poignant, even melancholy, but there I was, chasing that elusive butterfly — I could so relate.

Here’s previous butterfly photos, and these guys knew how to properly model.

Small But Colorful

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No, I’m not narcissistically describing ME, lol, but this little Thanksgiving cactus (zygocactus) with its dazzling, almost glowing, salmon pink showy blooms, is all dressed up to become the centerpiece at dinner.

Up close.

Pink Symmetry

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This is the first bloom from my Marie Bracey camellia japonica. Dozens of buds formed, but this symmetrical, ruffled, peony-like beauty is the first that’s fully open.

The camellia is a flowering evergreen shrub with dark, glossy leaves and large, lush blossoms that appear and bloom for several weeks during the fall through early spring period in warmer regions. 

Camellias represent a spirit of depth, self-reflection, and inner strength. This plant will need all of those traits to survive a mostly drought environment.

Camellias also symbolize perfection and excellence due to their symmetry. Soon, I’ll have to plant it in the ground, but for this initial blooming season, I’m going to leave it right where it is, at the front door.

As Above, So Below

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Did everyone survive 11/11? Are we all freshly intentioned, manifested, and affirmed? I hope so.

I don’t know if I can blame planetary energies or if I must simply and honestly accept full responsibility for the calamity that unfolded for ME yesterday. After watching a few DIY haircutting videos, I THOUGHT it looked easy enough to try a “wolf cut” hairstyle. It’s a cut that works great on curly hair. However easy the videos made it seem, it was for me completely deceptive.

I’m NOT posting any pics, but you can believe me when I say that it was a disaster. I was lucky enough to schedule an emergency appointment with my hair stylist next week, and have total faith in her ability to repair the damage, even as she’s shaking her head while examining my failed attempt.

Today I’m keeping myself far, far away from the temptation to chop off more hair. Since we might actually get rained on in the next few days, I fertilized the lawn and raked up some of the leaves from the mulberry tree. They’re continuing to change color, dry up, and fall to the ground.

As above…

So below…

I love the sound and feel of crunchy leaves, don’t you?

Ch-ch-changes | Autumn Colors

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Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
Ch-ch-changes…

Sing it, David Bowie!

We all fell back last night and gained an hour. For me, It’s always a bit of an unsettling feeling for about a week or so until I get used to it.

More ch-ch-changes…

Did you know that certain trees in Southern California DO change color and lose leaves in autumn?

This is my fruit-bearing mulberry.

The leaves morph into a sunny, vibrant yellow.

Green and yellow against a blue sky.

My garden doesn’t boast any maples that turn red, but these ch-ch-changes mark the hands of time; another autumn, another winter approaching, another year almost over and finished.

Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you’re gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time

Witches Brew | Fresh Juice Detox

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I haven’t done a food related post in a while…

I think I was inspired by my garden beets to revisit the addition of fresh veggie juices to my diet, as a liver detox cleanse and all around desire to only bring good things into my body.

Not too much prep; it’s easy!

I used beets, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, ginger water (previously prepared*), celery, an apple, a little broccoli, and some garden kale/chard.

This time I didn’t use a juicer, I cut the veggies into smaller pieces to make it easy for the blender along with 32 ounces of water and zapped the life out of them.

What I got was more actual nutrition than a juicer because I strained it and added the small amount of leftover pulp to a pot of veggie soup I was cooking. It would be equally beneficial to add to the mix for veggie burgers.

It was absolutely delicious.I added an extra shot of ginger water because I love the spiciness. I’m out of lemons or that would have been an awesome flavor, too.

Why cilantro, you might ask? Cilantro is a powerful antioxidant and has been used to remedy a variety of liver and pancreas problems. Some people love it, some don’t.

Drink this juice to help cleanse your liver. I’m not aware of any specific issues with my own liver but I simply wanted to give it a little TLC, and if it energizes my metabolism to lose a couple pounds, I’d be ecstatic.

Our liver is not the loudest of organs as it’s not quick to show visible symptoms when something is wrong. It’s actually a multi-tasking hero that often doesn’t get enough credit. Our liver supports digestion, metabolism, detoxification, blood and hormone regulation, the immune system, and more and we mostly ignore it — or abuse it with alcohol and fatty fried foods, and MEAT.

I’ve been drinking this concoction for a few days — not a fast, although it would be great for that, too. Simply knowing I’m helping this hardworking part of my body makes me feel like I’m doing a lot of necessary self-care and preventative maintenance, like changing the oil on your car, which I confess I NEVER do.( Uh oh.)

Love your liver!

Recipe by Enchanted Seashells

*To make ginger water: Take a decent sized piece of ginger, scrape the skin, slice into rounds. Toss in a pot of filtered water to heat until simmering. Cook for fifteen or so minutes, let cool, and store in a glass jar in refrigerator. I add it to smoothies, juices, and tea.