The Plants Have Moved Indoors

Summer is over.

Funeral Plants

I've been married to The Husband for 16.5 years. Prior to our marriage, we worked at the same office, so I was acquainted with him for 5 or so years before our marriage.

I did not know him when his paternal Grandmother passed away. If I've known him 20+ years, that means his Grandmother passed away 23-25 years ago. When she died, he took home a funeral ivy. When I met him, it was a big, lovely plant in a clay pot. The plant has been with us for our entire marriage.

The last 6-9 months, the plant has not looked well. I recently trimmed up the plant and kept only the most healthy pieces.

There was not much left.

I hope the ivy survives and thrives. The Husband and I would be very sad if it died.

Do you have "funeral plants" from when your family members have passed on?

Small Accomplishments

I have a list of small accomplishments from the last couple of days:

• reorganized the "stuff" under the kitchen sink and in the cabinet above the microwave
• moved a few of my houseplants to their summer home on the front porch
• read a lot of recipes in the vintage appliance booklets my Mom gave me
• learned about potato nails
• laundry
• lunch on the porch

I'm sure there are other things I did, but I just can't recollect them at the moment!

What have you been up to the last couple of days?

Violets

I rescued this violet about 6 years ago from a member of my family.

It loved the eastern exposure in my sun room. It grew and grew, until I had to split into two pots. The two plants bloomed and bloomed, after I found the right liquid food for them. The original plant grew so much, I had to split it a second time.

I moved them upstairs, to my office, where they had the same eastern exposure.

And then all three plants died. Died dead.

Approximately 3 months ago.

I finally just admitted to myself there was not going to be a miraculous recovery.

I threw the plants away.

I'm bummed.

Purple = Happy

Much Better Now!

Remnant of winter:

Sign of spring:

House Plants

Sunday is my day to water the house plants and I thought about just how long I have been taking care of them. Two of them I've been responsible for since before The Husband and I married (which is almost 15 years) and two of them came into my life shortly after the marriage.

I looked around at the other plants in the house and realized they are long term members of the family. There's the vine The Husband brought to the marriage and let's not forget the African Violet that used to live with my sister, but came to stay with me a few  years ago and has since been divided into two plants that even bloom now.

We have a number of plants we received in the past few years as gestures of sympathy at the passing of both his parents and my father.  A good friend sent us a Ficus Tree (really?) when my father passed a number of years ago.  It's known as the "Daddy Tree" and has lived with my sister, my mom, me and is now back with my sister. 

It's a bit strange to look at these plants and realize how old some of them are. Are there plant years, like dog years?