While I was sleeping

 ...or at least healing.

The week and a half since I saw the house build on First St. showed this. I would have tried for another shot, but suddenly there was this unhappy car passing around me. I forgot to even put on my blinkers, I think my mental acuity was still not at the highest level. I drove home carefully.

And I paused before coming inside, to snap this of the porch plants. I finally watered them  after 2 days of forecasts that were fabrications. None of the pottery sculpture has been dragged out again, and I'm thinking of letting some of it go...which is a big trick with heavy pottery. My son said he's going to get rid of some of his sculptures (which these are also).

So the rest of Wednesday was pretty subdued. Listened to my book a while, watched NCIS old shows and Jeopardy from last month. Life is simple.

Grateful and hoping the fever cycle is behind me. No coughing at least (this was at 9 pm Wed.)

Today's quote: 

What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness? 

-Jean Jacques Rousseau, philosopher and author (1712-1778)

The Baker's home

 

One of the Kachina dolls gracing their home

Yet another kind of lavender, which I'd never met before.

The Baker's home...where they say pumpkins will be given to critters in nearby woods.

The other Kachina doll guarding the home.

Don't you love the new style fireplace? Gets hundreds of channels!

My son and his wife unwrapping their Christmas presents from me...pottery set of pitcher, bowl and matching plate.

About to eat my first Moonlit Macaron, made by daughter-in-law!

Bev, sister of my daughter-in-law is a retired teacher and loves to garden!

*(photo removed to honor her wishes before I post this on Facebook)

My present from D I L a chakra balancing bracelet!

I haven't decided if I feel any different when wearing it yet!

Traveling west through Tampa to St. Petersburg, FL

Today's quote:

While we can’t control what’s happening around us, we can cultivate the capacity to be with what is, with more ease, joy, and freedom.

SEBENE SELASSIE

Catching up

 And you deserve to see what frost did to that pretty coleus that's in my header photo on my other blog, When I Was 69...

Before

After - two days later.

It was 21 when I took this last photo, and got in my car to go to the dentist.

I should have got the scraper out of the trunk, since I had my wooly hat and leather gloves on, but it was easier to sit and wait, though I actually drove the first block with some of these lovely frost flowers still on the windshield.

I love finding out what receptionist's passions are. This flat leaf fig is Sharon's, at the dentist.

Today's quote:

Gratefulness is a touchstone, offering us what we need not simply to survive difficult times but to appreciate them for their exquisite complexity, buried blessings, rich opportunities, and deep teachings.

KRISTI NELSON

Enjoying some simple things in life

 

The above photos from my front porch.

The last two shots from the Library

Sharing with Floral Fridays Fotos! 

Today's quote:

Keeping our energy strong and pure throughout the day, is vital to somebody that is sensitive.

The only fall color

When I got out of the car I spotted the only bit of fall color, that little yellow tree.

Though all the other leaves on the maple were green, I spied this underneath it.

NOW: Back home, the lavender has done very well this summer, for its first year!

BEFORE: Soon after repotting, June 30.

ALSO BEFORE: Aug. 24

...and here are all those basil leaves that I won't be picking...as I'm letting it go to seed. I wonder if the seeds might be viable for spring planting. I have much more interest in the spring than I do now, for plants at least.

Today's quote:

The man who dies rich dies disgraced. -Andrew Carnegie, industrialist  (1835-1919)

Do you think that's true?

Sharing with Skywatch Friday

The View out my Window

 

Yes, through the screen. From raising the blinds in the bathroom window, I can see my porch plants...the basil at bottom going to flower, the geranium in left side without any blooms. But oh that coleus is so wonderful to glimpse (usually through the blinds!)

It's a cool Monday, 57 when I woke, and only 68 now at almost noon. Sweater weather is here. And shawls. I took some things out to the car for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries which has a food pantry, as well as clothes for those in need. I should have a bundle of clothes for them soon too. I picked up the mail, and noticed I was short of breath. There went my idea of trying to walk up or down the hill in the parking lot.

Inside again to nebulize with saline solution, and then shake shake shake with the Thera-vest which only goes around my back...to loosen up anything else. I'm right now finishing my brunch, so don't feel like shaking it up.

Hope you have a great week...though I notice this won't get posted till it's half over! But I'm still in the here and now...going, going, go....ing.

Today's quote:

Poetry is a sort of homecoming. -Paul Celan, poet and translator (1920-1970)

The newly potted

I spent all day Sunday (well starting at 3:30) repotting all the new plants, and one almsot new. It had been direct afternoon sun on my little porch up till 3:30. Somehow our earth has got these shadows switched over to summer already.

Only one pot didn't end up being vinegar treated, so we'll hope the fungus doesn't survive with new dirt.

I will be watching her!

I  was glad to get this free from Earth Day orchid out of it's pot and dirt which had lots of mildew on it. I must have given it too much water. Anyway, I'll try to remember, even though it doesn't look like an orchid, it needs to be treated like one. My other two are aching for new pots, but since they want room to put out all those air-roots (my name for them) I can't figure out what will work. Perhaps just cutting off all the dead ones, and repotting with new bark where they are...just thinking.

I fell in love with this begonia. It's a tiny plant and already blooming!

It certainly has the right name "Nonstop Joy"

A simply pair of peppermints. And are those aphids on it? I looked as well as I could with these non-prescription eyes. Maybe not. Only one leaf looks to have been chewed by a caterpiller. 

Sorry the phone wasn't pointed quite right for the basil plant. There are 3 intwined plants and I didn't notice they are just too close to pull apart. Shucks.

A bit better on the basil.

A nice little lavender, and I put a little ceramic head in with her, to watch over the garden perhaps.

I'll wait a few days until this nice coleus has settled before clipping off some and rooting it for more plants. Since it's hanging, I don't want it to get much taller, but it needs to fill out to the sides. Cutting off the highest point (pruning perhaps) will cause the side shoots to have more energy.

I would probably like Bonzai, execpt it's too disciplined for me, not to mention the cost of all the tools!!

All of these plants came from different nurseries at the Black Mountain Annual plant sale. So the 2 herbs are from one nursery, and the begonia and tiny lavender are both from another one, and the coleus is from yet another.

Today's quote:

 

We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams. -Jeremy Irons, actor (b.1948)

Proof of life and its changes

 Remember that I stuck an avocado seed in water several weeks ago? I'm calling it Number One...since I have a second bulb started, and bought a new avocado this week. They are soooo good.

Mon. May 15: There are new roots!! No sprout yet. But I am thrilled. So I have another one started. These are the huge Florida avocados (that's what my grocery store calls them.) I get several salads out of each one. So in gratitude, I'm wanting some little trees. Not expecting myself to live long enough to have avocados though!! Perhaps one of my neighbors or frriends will keep them going.

May 15.

This one had already sent out a root while in the avocado...maybe that will help it.

But wait. You've been waiting since last Monday anyway...look what they looked like by Thursday (last week May 18)

Number 1 has green showing and is splitting the seed bulb! And Number 2 in the background is also showing signs of something coming up on its top.

May 15: And then there was that organic garlic bulb, which I left out in my bowl with the tomatoes two days. The second day I noticed the green shoots, and opened out all the segments...and put them in a shallow dish of water. They're rooting and growing fast. I need to get some new dirt and plant them soon! I think I'll like having garlic chives...not to mention a whole lot of new bulbs!

By Tues. May 16. they had been transplanted into a sterilized pot and new soil. I took a photo of them when I did that, but am still having trouble getting photos to download. It's as if my computer refuses to recognize iCloud at all now. 

This is what they looked like on Thurs. May 18. I moved them away from where they'd get heavy rain. I don't want them to rot.

Finally all the blooms on this orchid dried and fell. But one bud had never opened. I just let it alone on the bare stalk for 2 days, then this happened.

To give you an idea what an orphan bloom this is. It still knew which way to get light on its face!

Today's quote:

Who is content with nothing possesses all things. 

-Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux, poet (1636-1711)