My, oh, my. I’ve admitted this to everyone I know. Don’t worry about me hanging out at a bar. I don’t enjoy even the tiniest bit of alcohol. I DO own my own margarita maker, but that’s strictly for the benefit of those enjoying a party at Winterpast. Gambling isn’t my thing, although I do live in a state in which there are slot machines at the grocery store.
Don’t worry about me spending a small fortune on a new and stylish wardrobe for every new season. Whether honeymooning or cruising the high seas, my suitcase is always full of favorites, not always the newest style. I’ve long since given up shopping at the “IT” stores. Most times, I find exactly what I need at Walmart. Most days, this involves shorts and t-shirts while I garden.
Everyone has their vice and HHH and I share the same one. Gardening. Yesterday, we came up with a reason for a visit to the local hardware store. We needed a few spare parts for the drip system that keeps Winterpast happy and green. That’s all. A cost of around $5.
Once inside the hardware/garden center, it’s like we become possessed by garden spirits. We usually park a good distance away with every intention of walking into the front door to find exactly what we need. But the double doors to the north call us, and we must go.
Yesterday was no different. Over the winter, our beautiful bougainvillea died. With no obvious reason, it died in dormancy, leaving us with a 1/2-oak-barrel to fill. Of course, we could fill it with all the seedlings growing in the greenhouse. But it will be a long time until those plants are large enough to produce blooms.
So there was nothing to do but take a walk through the land of bushes, trees, and flowers. None of the plants on the first few aisles spoke our language. Annuals are no longer on our list. I can sprout plenty of them from seeds. We needed a take-charge kind of bush to command center stage in the middle of our memorial garden.
In case you might have forgotten, we decided to plant a tribute garden in memory of our late spouses. We found two Japanese Maples, one a tiny bit taller than the other. We named them appropriately and talk to them often. Both of these trees are growing like weeds. A memorial garden is a healthy way to remember those you’ve lost along the way.
Well, in the middle of the garden center, I found a plant I truly couldn’t leave without. A pale pink Rhododendron. During my childhood on the farm, my mother always had azaleas in her garden. Inn Central California they were the plant of choice for funeral remembrances. They were plants you could stick in the soil and not look back, and those azaleas loved my mother’s garden.
Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in the same family, but my mother never, ever chose to grow a Rhody. Paeonia’s, azaleas, and roses are my three favorite flowers. Winterpast now has the trifecta of floral happiness for me.
If you buy one plant, another might as well come along for company. By the time we were done, we’d exceeded our original $5 budget by a bunch.
Once home, HHH got to work and planted the two gorgeous additions while I did some sprucing up on the bird houses here at Winterpast since long before me. One is a barn and the other a little blue and white house. Each sit atop a 5″ pole. After cleaning and new paint, we’ll wait for the birds to move in. In the past, the finches have fought over the space. We’ll see what happens this year.
Last night, at dusk, the dance of the hummingbirds began. Two found the fresh syrup in the new feeders and took turns eating and protecting their newly found food source.
Swallowtails. Hummingbirds. Mourning Doves. Robins. Saskatraz Honeybees. Black and Yellow Bumble Bees. Earthworms. Puppies on the way. Just what more do two love birds need??? With a new Rhododendron in the garden and each other, absolutely nothing else.
Whatever you do today, you might want to walk through a nursery. All the flowers are freshly delivered and ready to take home. After being there, you might understand how gardening can take over!
More tomorrow.