Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, the
ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
I wasn’t sure how or what,
but I did know that would be the subject of my next post here. Then I figured
it out…
My birthday was earlier this
month. All in all, it was a pretty good day. The kids called with plans for a
week end party, my husband bought me a sentimental card and took me out to a very nice dinner. Then he dropped a
bombshell I wasn’t expecting. He wanted to buy me flowers,
specifically a plant. I didn’t know what to say. Not because I was necessarily
touched by his thoughtfulness, although there is that. The fact is, I was truly
rendered speechless in an – oh, no, not again sort of way.
You see, I’m horrible with
plants. Saying I have a brown or even black thumb doesn’t begin to do justice
to the malady that afflicts me. Plants in my care have no chance of survival. Zero.
None. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
They may as well shrivel up
and die before they even arrive at my house because, try as I might, that will
ultimately be their fate. After so many years my husband knows this and yet he
insisted. What else could I do but graciously accept? So off we went to find a
suitable sacrifice…uh…specimen.
After some offers I
absolutely had to refuse – temperamental African Violets, (it makes me shudder
to even thing about raising those); fragile Boston Ferns, (the kind my mother used
to grow en masse by the way) nope. Finally we settled on a Calla Lily. I had
heard of them. This one was purple, my favorite color and seemed to be
reasonably healthy (for now, anyway).
‘Indirect sunlight, moderately moist soil and 60 to 70 degree
temperatures’ to quote the full color instruction stick. The one which, by the
way, also sported the picture of an entire, beautiful bouquet.
Easy enough, don’t
you think? For normal plant growers, I suppose. Of which I am not one.
What’s indirect
sunlight exactly? Either the sun’s shining down or it isn’t. Sun beams don’t
shine from the side, do they? I mean, the sun would have to leave its position
in the sky to do that, which isn’t going to happen. Sunlight, direct or not, there
doesn’t seem to be a lot of middle ground on the issue. Sounds to me a little like being somewhat pregnant. Either you are or you aren’t. Again no
middle ground.
But back to the fate of the
innocent little plant of mine. The center of our living room, aka away from any and all
windows seemed to be as indirect, sunlight wise, as one could get. This is
where I set my treasure. Then I made sure the soil was moist, even added some
extra water because we were going out of town for a few days. Just to be sure
said soil really did remain ‘moderately moist’ while we were gone. When we returned, the leaves were
getting a little pale, yellow even. Not only that, water sat, yes sat, about a
half an inch deep, in the pan underneath the pot. Could this be the beginning
of the inevitable end? Apparently my idea of moderately moist and their idea of moderately moist were
two completely different moderately moists. We, that tiny instruction stick and I, had something else we couldn’t
agree on.
In addition to that whole direct and indirect sunlight thing.
**heavy
sigh**
At any rate, I’m trying to reform;
I’m letting the poor thing dry out a little and moved it from the center of the
living room to a shelf near a window in my office. A little closer to a window,
but far enough away, I hope, from any and all direct sunbeams.
Fingers crossed these new
arrangements will prove to be beneficial. Please send positive thoughts our way
and wish both of us luck.
Never be
afraid to try something new. Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the
Titanic was built by professionals.
Skill wise, I don’t qualify to build either, but here’s hoping I can at least grow one measly little plant.
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