Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Bleeding Hearts

Bleeding Hearts grow as happily in Alaska as they do in San Diego.

So, I'm strolling around the blogosphere this morning and it seemed like half the people I visited were in unhappy moods. Some blamed the economy. Some the weather. Others didn't have a clue why they were so grumpy. In this last group I've found my kindred spirits.

Hard as I try, I cannot conjure a good excuse for feeling so down in the dumps.

Other than the sorry realization that TIME & BOREDOM are two of the most destructive forces I've ever encountered.

My biggest meltdowns always come when I have too much time on my hands.

I could take a road trip.
Clip on the skis and hit the slopes.
Give into Bad Dog's pressure and go play in the snow!

Instead, I've been wandering aimlessly around the house over-thinking every aspect of my life. Beating myself up over bad decisions. And, that's more than a little ridiculous. Because once you reach the ripe old age of 40-something you're pretty much guaranteed to have made decisions that (in hindsight) weren't very smart.

Now I know this will sound unbelievably shallow but hey, it's probably good to be at one with my own true self. So I confess: Reading the myriad of complaints from other people made me feel a little bit better.

So, my thought for the day is that maybe there is something to that 'safety in numbers' idea. And, as Omegamom so eloquently wrote: Some days it's just comforting to know I'm not alone.

If you've been wearing your heart on your sleeve, treat yourself to this beauty. (I know I plan to!) Dicentra Spectabilis, Bleeding Hearts, USDA zones 3-9, are shade lovers that put forth cascades of heart-shaped flowers in early summer. They're exceptionally easy perennials to grow and if you ask them nicely they'll even flower indoors.

12 comments:

Iron Needles said...

Those little bleeding hearts? They grow in groups, along a stem. They seem to know we need each other.

Anonymous said...

They are indeed beautiful.

Anonymous said...

They're beautiful! Yeah, knowing you're not alone is a big help. So is getting out and about--you need a Friday hike again!

Wunx~ said...

Easy to grow, but when the Engineer, alias ChainsawBob, runs amuck through the yard with power equipment, not easy to keep alive...

It's a good thing he's cute.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Iron - What a smart observation. Love that. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Omega - A Friday hike. Yes, I know... I know... So do you. :-)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Wunx - Oh, boy, he'd need to be pretty darn cute if he chopped down my bleeding hearts.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Blossom - Good to meet an Orchid expert! I desperately need one!

Unknown said...

Yes, like Iron said, bleeding hearts could actually be a good 'unofficial plant' for garden bloggers. Strength and beauty in numbers and all that.
We have perfect conditions for bleeding hearts here, so perfect that I grow one I fondly refer to as The Bleeding Heart That Ate Scotts Bay. It gets ginormous, produces many children, gets divided and further shared with other people. And because it's cool here and we get much fog, it keeps going until well into July, occasionally even August, or until I get annoyed and whack it back so other things can come up through it. We have the white ones too and they're equally beloved because the hummingbirds come to both of them as soon as they arrive.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Jodi; Oh, yes. I wholeheartedly agree - strength and beauty in numbers...

I've never grown the white Bleeding Hearts but I've heard they have the prettiest foliage.

Granny J said...

Oh, yes -- even I have one in my potted garden to make sure the poor dear gets enough water here in AZ!

Anonymous said...

Inside our South Beach Smoke Review discover why this particular high quality electronic cigarette can be probably the most cost-effective. Take a look at latest [url=http://delivr.com/1fikg]south beach smoke review[/url].