Monday, June 22, 2009

Going with the flower theme - a mystery!



Some of the blogs I follow are hosting a Flower Treasure Hunt, and being an avid gardener myself, I could not resist posting this photo of flowers that I grow. The blossoms measure anywhere from 3-6" across and the plant itself can grow to be up to 12 feet tall - maybe taller if I would let it! The mystery is that so far no one has been able to definitively identify this plant.

I gleaned a cutting from an abandoned homesite in the middle of the downtown area here in Phoenix. This plant and the foundation of what used to be a very nice little bungalow were all that was left on the vacant lot. The plant was huge! And considering that this is the desert and there had been no care of any kind given to this plant for years, I was amazed to round the corner on one of my daily walks to find it absolutely covered with blossoms such as these! So the next day I went back and took my trusty scissors with me and brought back a couple of cuttings, stuck them in water and waited to see if anything would happen. The cuttings started rooting in the water within 3 days, so I took a chance and once they had plenty of roots I stuck them in the ground. LOOK OUT! This could be the next sci-fi movie - The Plant That Ate Phoenix! You need a lot of room for this plant, but oh, does it bloom, and bloom and bloom..... One horticulturist said it might be some sort of heirloom hibiscus, but he just wasn't willing to commit to that. The others to whom I have taken it did not have any idea at all. I must say that in all my years of gleaning plants, this one has really been the highlight. And what, you may ask, became of the donor plant? Sadly, where once was a lovely little house with, I am quite sure, a wonderful garden, there is now a parking garage for one of the highrise buildings that dominate this area of the city. I am so glad that I was able to take those cuttings - and many friends now have this glorious, abundant plant growing in their gardens too!

As for the Beautiful Flower Treasure Hunt, please start at my friend's blog at http://tapestry316.blogspot.com and follow the path to some wonderful flower photography and a chance to win an ACEO from one of these talented artists! And while you are at it, visit their Etsy shops - you will be blessed!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day to all!

I lost my Dad to cancer in January of 2008 - one week shy of his 80th birthday. It is still hard to believe he is gone from this earth. He was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force and he was my hero. He left me with so many wonderful memories, life experiences and good lessons. When I was sitting with him toward the end, I shared with him some of those times and it occurred to me that he may not have realized just how important some of the things were that he had taught me! He looked at me in wonder when I thanked him for not letting me drive my "new" car (a used Rambler Station Wagon he had just bought me for the princely sum of $500!) until I had read the owner's manual. Well, I read it and then went to tell him that I was finished (or so I thought) and to seek the keys to my chariot! He then took me out to the driveway and had me show him that I knew what the various parts and check-points were in the engine compartment, that I could check all fluid levels, AND he made me change a tire! A perfectly good tire, I might add! But you know, that was a very valuable lesson that came in quite handy more than once in my life. I am so grateful for everything he taught me and for the wonderful life I have experienced and I am especially grateful that I was able to tell him, in person, what a wonderful father he was. I miss him dearly and still find myself reaching for the phone to ask his opinion on something. Take a moment today, if you can, to thank your Dad.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Tribute to women in the arts

I have been privileged to be around great artists for a good portion of my life - unfortunately talent does not "rub off!" However, there were two very special women and their daughters - all of them artists - whose work I admire(d) greatly and feel very blessed to have known. Both of the women have passed on - the daughters are still creating. So I wanted to encourage the two daughters to keep creating - your work touches hearts and lives in ways that you may never even know about. I can only pray that I was able to let these women know in some small way how much I admired them and how much they influenced my young life! I would also encourage those of you who are fortunate enough to have women like these in your life, that you will let them know that you appreciate them! So, here is to women in the arts and, most particularly, to Kathy and Becky, the daughters of two very talented artists who are no longer with us, but whose work lives on!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Good morning!

So there I was, early morning, I had a pot of beans on the stove (er, in the crockpot), bread starter smelling yeasty and yummy in its bowl, the "herd" was all fed and I was ahead of schedule! So I went to the garden to pick some tomatoes and herbs and check on the hummingbird feeders. While I was at it I planted a few more sunflower seeds and gave the compost in the bin a quick turn. The drive to work was easy, no emergencies were awaiting me when I got to the office. The weather is beautiful, unseasonably cool for the Valley of the Sun in mid-June. What a great day the Lord has made!

Have you ever been so full of joy and blessings that it all just bubbles over and splashes on everyone around you? That is how I am today! Sure, there are some trials and tribulations in my world, but I choose to count it all joy and today is such a splendid day of joy that I just had to share!

Tonight I will get home from work, mash up some of the beans, chop the tomatoes and lettuce and fix homemade tostadas for dinner, feed the herd again, bake the bread and maybe, just maybe, have some time left over to work on some of my sewing projects.

How are you choosing to spend your day?