Sunday, May 29, 2016

BETWEEN THINGS


Yellow yarrow and lavender


I wish I had put the same effort into organizing for Mike’s return as I did for his absence. Saturday, his first day back, I just couldn’t get started with my tasks. I couldn’t even remember what my tasks were, except for the laundry. And I baked cookies.

Hollyhocks
I am greatly helped by lists. Sometimes I don’t even follow the list, but organizing my thoughts helps to organize my actions. I will accomplish more if I have a list, but if I don’t have a list, I will flat forget what I want to do, what I should do, and even what I have to do. Often 5:00 o’clock comes and I realize I barely have time to finish necessary tasks before supper. After supper, I don’t work OR play. Our routine is to eat late, enjoy a TV program or two, retire about 9:30, and then it starts all over again at 6:00 a.m. (or before).

Mike’s sister called on Monday the 23rd to wish me a happy anniversary in Mike’s absence. She noted the pictures of the pretty flowers I had posted and observed that I must have a green thumb. Nothing is further from the truth. The drought-tolerant plants are perennials and some of them are wild flowers, or as a friend once noted, “They ARE weeds.” We have been richly rewarded by yarrow, lavender, sagebrush, blanket flower, cactus (NEVER plant a cactus), sedum, snow-in-summer, hollyhocks, hen and chicks, and basket o’ gold. It’s a matter of whatever works. Obnoxious, useless weeds do crop up, and Mike pulls them out.

We’re getting ready to go to the farm, so – back to the list. KW


3 comments:

Chuck said...

I agree. Never plant a cactus. Those are for the wilds. We have one left, after having the bunny ears (soft, fuzzy things that bite--hah)removed by the landscape man. We are tolerating the remaining cactus because of the beautiful flowers in the spring. They just quit blooming for the year. At least that one doesn't look fuzzy. It has long spines that grab you as you walk by.

Hallie said...

This is at least the second time you've said to never plant cactus. Why not grab the shovel and take it out?

Kathy said...

Even taking a cactus out is problematic. And like Chuck and Joanne, we tolerate it because the flowers are beautiful. Mike observed the flowers on a spring hike and decided he wanted one for our garden and transplanted it. The real problem here is that weeds come up through them or vine around them, and there's just nothing we can do.

I will continue to advise against planting cactus. It's a lesson learned. But of course, we could remove them.