Today was a better day, I am grateful to say. I was toying with taking yesterday's post down. It sounded complain-y. I decided to leave it in place. It's a transition, and our marriage has met and navigated transitions before. They are never fun, though, are they?
I've been buying shrubs for the property. I buy distressed plants from Lowe's. I leave them set out in their pots and keep them watered, and they usually come back very nicely for me. Since I don't know for sure where to plant them yet, I just leave them in their pots, set off to the side of the camper. The other day, I saw a forlorn little forsythia bush. 1/2 price. I paid $7 for it, and brought it home. A few days of sitting outside and being watered regularly, it began to perk right up, just like most of them do. I was going to my son's house for the week, and asked Tim to take it up to the new build for me.
He did, but...
...he set it in the green house, and it went a week without water. I returned to find it sitting there, every leaf brown and curled up. I was quite sad about it, but brought it outside, gave it a good watering. I did not hold out much hope at all.
Today, I looked closely, and I was surprised to see signs of life. No matter how hopeless something might appear, I guess that new growth is possible.
Glad to hear things look better today - both for you and the forsythia. Changes are always difficult to come to terms with.
ReplyDeleteHope is a very good stand by Debby. As for building your own retirement home with Tim, you leave us all gasping with admiration.
ReplyDeleteWater can do amazing things.
ReplyDeleteDon't take down posts. You write them for good reasons at the time and they are part of your history. I am always interested in the undercurrents in your posts, that is what is not written but can be read.
ReplyDeleteLowe's sounds like one of large plant retailers where plants are just not carefully watered. Small private nurseries water so much better, and you are right. Some plants just need good watering and they recover.
A metaphor for life.
ReplyDeleteWell, that was a perfect example of life, Debby. Glad to hear you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI so look forward to your posts. I am enjoying following your journey. You are experiencing several stressful situations. Raising a child, adjusting to retirement, dealing with Tim's health scare and last but by no means the least, building a home. I have "built" homes and by that I mean I have hired builders and the stress was tremendous. I can't even imagine doing all of the hard physical labor too-with my spouse.
ReplyDeleteI too, always hit what I call the "bone yard" at Lowe's or Home Depot. I have great success saving them. One thing I always do is when I get them home, I put them in a wash tub and water well and then make sure there are a few inches of water in the tub. I leave them overnight to deep soak. Works like a charm to bring them back to life. I am disappointed in the prices this year-even the half dead plants are expensive. I'll happily take a chance for $2 but $6 or $8? That was full price just a couple of years ago.
We do learn to navigate the rough waters, don't we? As long as there's life...
ReplyDeleteTHanks for your honest posts...I'm quite amazed at all you're doing. And if I can give you any sense of support, I'd just say keep on taking each step forward, small as it might be.
ReplyDeleteI love your honesty Debby - it inspires me to be more honest both within and externally myself.
ReplyDeleteI have a theory with plants - it they fail to survive they are fertilizer. I once got a very forlorn chilli bush for 50 cents - I got thousands of chilli's from that plant and several generations after her.
My younger daughter and her husband often acquire new rose bushes that way... at the end of the season when they're looking rough at the garden center. They evidently have the perfect soil and climate since roses thrive in their care.
ReplyDeleteI usually check your post before coffee to be sure you and Tim are ok. You two work so hard and push yourself to the limits, just watch the heat and drink plenty of water.
ReplyDeleteNo, that was a good honest post. Leave it!
ReplyDeleteI like caring for casualty plants...it's that sense of achievement!!
I've heard that building a house is one of the most stressful things for a married relationship.
ReplyDeleteI've written off many a tree and plant in the past that has come back again and proved me wrong. Mother nature is much tougher than we give her credit for.
Yesterday’s post was not complainy at all! I admire your ability to assess a new situation and offer a way to move forward. I need to do more of that. Olivia in the PNW
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