The Hearty Little Hen

I think this is a Blue Rose Echeveria succulent but if you have other ideas, please let me know.

This is the pretty little wrist corsage that I wore to my darling daughter's wedding in September, 2012.

It laid on the table in my bedroom for about a month after the big day. Had it been a standard flower corsage, I might have pressed it, and dried it, to keep it forever. But, it was a pudgy little succulent. A rubbery rose, if you will. And, I didn't know what to do with it.

Until... I noticed how she was trying ever so hard to survive.

The corsage had laid on that table for a whole month without any type of moisture, yet only the tips of the leaves were turning brown. It still looked very much alive.

So, I thought... what the heck, let's experiment with this little cutie. Mid-November I put her in a dish with a teensy bit of cactus soil and filled the dish with water. Just to see what would happen...

Look close! My hearty little hen has given birth to two chicks!

She was in desperate need of a drink. The water disappeared very quickly. Days later, the brown disappeared from her leaves. So, I transplanted it. The little one promptly died. But, the big gal made a fantastic comeback! She's twice as large as she was when the florist had turned her into a corsage. And! She's gifted me with 2 little chicks. Pretty cool, don't you think?

* This group of succulents is called Hens and Chicks because the large plant, the Hen, produces numerous offspring, called the Chicks. Those will produce their own offspring during the next growing season. Most varieties do well in your garden. Some are cold hardy to zone 4.

 

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Cowgirl Dreams

In 2 short weeks we'll be riding our happy horses through the Arizona backcountry.

Ah, 'twas a glorious day. Up at dawn, working like a little fiend on the kinds of freelance projects that I truly love.

Promptly at one, I scooted outta that office, embarking on a premeditated playing hooky kind of afternoon.

Coda

It's farrier day ~ new shoes for both horses.

In two short weeks, we're off to Arizona, on our first trail ride of the season! The horsies are as restless as I am. Wild enough that I solicited help from a friend to calm them down.

Thunder

 Still sporting thick winter coats, caked with layers of mud. (No need to photograph that mess!) In desperate need of a bath, though I doubt the weather will warm enough for me to make that happen.

And, that's okay. We'll go ugly. Just as long as we get to go.

I am sooooo excited for this escape to Arizona. 

Where it's summer! And, with any luck the cactus will be blooming!

Hey! A real live cowboy! Yet another fine reason to do these trail rides. :)

They haven't tried on their saddles in 6 long winter months. They're spooky and spirited with energy to burn. I've got my work cut out for me.... but this horse shoe day is a fun first step. Because it forces them to stand still. For nearly an hour while my kindly, old farrier trims up their tootsies and gets us ready for a new riding season.

I sometimes wonder what they're daydreaming about ~ while he's scraping and filing and messing with their feet.

Larry & Me

Perhaps they're doing the same thing I am...  

Remembering all the fun we had last year and hoping for a deliciously early spring. 




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Over Achiever...

Check it out! My Christmas Cactus is still celebrating the holidays...

The Oxygen Garden

Re-Blooming Beauty: Phaleanopsis Moth Orchid

Geez! Where did this month go? Zipping by at light speed. When I plopped down in front of my computer this morning, I started to panic...

Perky Little Primrose

 Did I pay for the house? The car?

Have I taken care of the rest o' those pesky bills?

Surprise blossom on the "I thought you were done flowering" Rose

 Apparently, I did. {Breathing sighs of relief} Though I have little recollection of these mundane tasks...

Can't live without the Kalanchoes

Because I'm still in vacation mode.

And, I'd kinda like to stay there for a good long time...

Argh. Mondays. Here's hoping you had a good one.

These are all the bright bloomers in the Oxygen Garden (aka the flowers blooming indoors, while we impatiently wait for spring.)

These pics were all taken with my iPhone. Hence the sub-standard quality and bodacious frames! ;>)

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Wordless Wednesday: Riding the Sahara

This little bit of the Sahara is actually located in New Mexico, USA ~ White Sands National Monument. I just got home from warming my bones down there!

And, this horse is a rescue. {Who seems completely delighted with his new owner.}

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The Valentine's Flower

 

One happy acre of gardening opportunities... and 4 square feet of shade. Which is why the teeny tiny bit of cool, quiet shade I do own is full to overflowing with these.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd divulge... confess to the world what's my most favorite flower in the universe. Now, don't tell my other perennials, but I secretly think the Dicentra: Japanese Bleeding Heart is the most spectacular blossom in the garden. 

(Get up close and personal to appreciate her clever creations.)

Don't ya just love all those dainty, little hearts dangling from her stems? They sway back and forth in a gentle breeze.

In spite of her delicate appearance, Bleeding Hearts are tough cookies ~ thriving as far north as Alaska and as far south as Florida. (They're also available in white but why choose that when you can have this delicious pink?) She stands a proud 4 feet tall in one of the few shady spots in my garden that stays damp and protects her from the sun.

As the temperatures climb toward the triple digits, flowering stems drape themselves onto this ceramic fountain - perhaps to keep cool.

About the only thing she doesn't like is dry soil. A soaker hose works well. Rock mulch keeps soil cool and damp. Water fountains are a terrific way to help perennials cope with desert heat.

* In the mountains, Dicentra spectabilis (Japanese Bleeding Heart) blooms in June, hardy to USDA Zone 3, goes dormant in the heat of summer.

PS: Happy Valentine's Day!

Blame it on the Moon

  Scientists swear there is no truth to the idea that a full moon makes people nuts. I have always wondered just how much empirical evidence they need.

 Fights at work, people on edge, dogs and cats acting strange... Good grief, don't even get me started on the recent bitch sessions I've had to endure. Relationships on the rocks. Lovers dropping like flies during this particularly mean moon.

 My neighbor talks to me of moons. They have names; I didn't know that. For instance, May is the Full Flower Moon (can't hardly wait.) December was the Cold Moon (how right they were.)

 This one is the Full Wolf Moon. Hiking beneath it, I think I know why. It casts a poor light, with eerie shadows. And, while we don't hear wolves, we do hear a chorus of the big, big coyotes.(Which scares my dog to the point that he tries to 'herd' us back to the safety of the car.)

In winter, we like to snowshoe by the brilliant brightness of the full moon. Some nights, it's a riotous good time. Other times, it's a quiet night where we need the companionship of others, but not the conversation. A friend of mine has been feeling quite lost and I have no good words to offer when life begins to unravel.

However! I sincerely believe that simply getting outdoors and breathing the fresh air is enough to boost one's spirits. And, I also believe things will feel a whole lot better once this mean full moon begins to wane.

Did you know?
Plants respond to the same gravitational pull of tides that affect the oceans. Just as the moon pulls the tides in the oceans, it also pulls the subtle bodies of water. Scientists may argue about it's effect on us but tests have proven seeds will absorb the most water at the time of the full moon - and germinate faster during this time in the lunar cycle.



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Cheer Me Up Flower of the Month Club

Kalanchoes + a Cyclamen.

'Twas a dull, grey and stormy day.  Almost dreary enough to have me grateful I was indoors, at a trade show, (almost) vs. outdoors, doing what I do best. (Nothin' much!)

Seeing as how it's the depths of winter, I've started a Cheer Me Up Flower of the Month Club. Oh, not one of those ultra spendy ship 'em from the grower via Fed Ex schemes. Those are delightful and, truth be told, I would much prefer that ~ provided someone else is paying for it.

No, no, my Cheer Me Up Flower of the Month Club originates at the local supermarket. They entice me with a new flowering plant most every time I walk in there! This month it is tiny pots of Kalanchoes plus a misfit Cyclamen on sale for $3.99 (like I'm gonna pass that up...)

* Did you know.....? Many of the pretty flowering plants found in the supermarket are re-blooming perennials who shine time, and time again, on a sunny window sill.

Kalanchoe Growing Tips:

They love warmth and sun and pretty dry soil. (Because, you see, they are succulents.) They do not appreciate fertilizer. Flower best when root bound. Pronounced Kah - lan - ko - eeee.....

Instagram pics are taken on the fly, with my iPhone. {Plz forgive the poor quality.} These are the little pretties currently gracing my kitchen window. How are you keeping cheerful this winter? Got any cool plants to share?

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Wordless Wednesday: 20 Feet From Stardom

 

 

 

After the documentary we were treated to a little impromptu concert. The movie is: 20 Feet From Stardom, and looks at the life of the big band back up singers. I sooooo hope it wins! It was amazing!

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Fresh Out of Luck

Azaleas

 Geez I hate it when I'm being tested. I doubt anyone relishes these times, though it's not like we can escape them. Such instances happen to all of us, even the very lucky. Those times when it feels as if we've used up every ounce of luck we have and we're running on empty.

Lilies

 There are lots of times when I feel like I'm super lucky. Blessed, even. Though, not lately.

 In fact, earlier today, I planned to sit down and blog a bit, take my mind off my troubles vs. focus on them. But, I accidentally sliced my index finger on an envelope so I couldn't type. Because it has been bleeding like you wouldn't believe. Bandage after bandage. For a paper cut? Sheesh I can't even have a normal, run of the mill injury these days?

Cyclamen

I put in a new furnace. Had to. No choice. They haven't even billed me for it, yet. So, imagine my dismay when I got the call that a pipe had frozen, and burst, and it's deep down in the frozen ground and I can't even find anybody to fix it.

Hydrangeas

Yet another thing going wrong during this month of wrong things... & I handled it oh, so, immaturely. I walked into my bedroom, where the cat looked all comfy and cozy, and I thought to myself: Now that's not a bad idea. So, I curled up with the cat, and wished the entire world would disappear.

It did not. Disappear, that is. But, it is kind of remarkable how a little nap can put a whole new perspective on a very dark day.

Orchids, Azaleas, & a cute little Christmas Cactus

As I sit here contemplating my troubles I'm realizing there's really only one way to go from here. And, that's up. It's not like anything else could go wrong. Seeing as how everything already has.

Hopefully soon, the black cloud hanging over this house of problems, will catch a breeze and move on down the road.

In the meantime, I guess I'll just hunker down and enjoy my winter [indoor] garden.



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Wordless Wednesday: Wile E. Coyote, Jr.

  Long live the telephoto lens. :) I spotted him across the road from me, in the nature preserve.

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The Nasty Ass Flu

Micro-mini roses, growing in my sunny window.

 That nasty ass flu that everyone is so worried about getting? Well, it got a hold of me and I've been lying in bed all afternoon, playing computer games and dreaming about Downton Abbey.

 Wouldn't life be grand if all I had to do was ring a bell, by my bedside, and a member of the [imaginary] kitchen staff would scurry upstairs, delivering Lady Kate some hot tea with lemon + honey?

Yup, I could definitely go for a lady's maid. And, a stable hand!

Sick as I was, I knew I had to check the temperature because we're stuck in the middle of a perfectly horrid & bitterly cold weather pattern. And, I'm Mom to 2 horses who need me.

Sure enough, it was already 2 below zero. Which is unbelievably cold around these parts. And, destined to drop to 10 below zero by midnight. With no snow cover ~ which serves as a thermal blanket ~ there will be some serious winter kill in my flower garden.

So, I pulled on my coat and schlepped my aching body over to the horse corral to bundle them up for the evening.

And, boy were they excited to see me!

Typically, when people work with horses, they put a halter on them and tie them up to something so they can't run away. But, I don't do that. I figure if I'm going to all the trouble of paying you a visit and bringing you a nice, warm blankie, the very least you can do is behave.

They didn't move a muscle while I bundled them up. Still as statues while I buckled them into their toasty warm coats. I was so proud of my girls!

Then I bee-lined it back to my own toasty warm blankets and here I shall stay until the weather warms and the flu says bye-bye. Or, until I need another cup of tea.



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