Since I can’t wander outside and take pictures of the gardens, I wander inside and take pictures of the houseplants. Ever the nurturer, I have to have something that is alive to take care of. After the passing of our beloved dogs, there are no dogs to care for. The gardens are out of action until spring. Don is pretty self-sufficient.
So, houseplants it is. (I’ve already decided that Don will need some houseplants in his NYC apartment. He agrees.)
The monstera has not one but two leaves emerging.
There are three sansevieria flower stalks. I discovered the third yesterday. Meredith, who grows her plants from our parents outside since she lives in Florida, has even more.
This is what they look like, and I always see little drops of liquid – some sort of sap like substance. Eventually, little white flowers with a heady scent will emerge.
The new ZZ plant babies are getting ready to open – on both of my plants.
I still have Riley’s Dish Garden, which has pride of place in the center of the kitchen table. If you don’t know the story, when our dear Riley left us, I planted a garden in his dog dish. It has changed here and there, but this particular succulent has stayed and it grows every which-way – straining for the sun, I imagine. I leave it as is and I’ve noticed lots of new growth lately. I miss you, Riley.
Today is an errand day. It, I am sure, is the first of many this week.
My favorite Christmas ornament:
This very old bluebird ornament. I love it so!
Happy Monday.
Love the ornament. I remember those. :)
They’re so pretty. Thanks, Monica.
I have errands to run today also. I stayed out of the stores over the weekend. I love all your house plants and that sweet ornament! It’s a good week so enjoy!
I will! You, too!
I, too love that ornament and remember some similar ones on trees of my childhood. I’m now missing my vintage ornaments. Bought them at flea markets and antique stores—none of them are from Mom’s or Grandmas’ trees.
Hope I’ll be inspired to decorate a tree next year. Not ready to give it up entirely. The ancient aluminum tree found in the attic of the lake house will wait until next year to make its re-appearance at the beach shack. Your houseplants—and all of us here—are lucky to have found you!
You should only have a Christmas tree if you’re in the mood!
I have similar ornaments to your favorite…they are my favorite, too. They are from my parents…only 4 left. They are very fragile! Your houseplants are doing great…I’ll think about getting a couple more, like the ZZ plant, after the holidays. Today is a super cleaning day. Happy errands day! ;)
Very fragile! I hope your super cleaning day was a success!
We had an ornament very much like yours on our Christmas trees, growing up. I honestly don’t know who has my parents’ ornaments now – I didn’t take them when we cleaned out Mom’s house because I never had room enough for a full-size Christmas tree. Don’t remember which of my sibs has them. Will have to ask – now I’m curious. Your houseplants are inspiring to me, Claudia. I’ve gotta pick some out after Christmas – God knows this place needs something growing – and with these great southern & western exposures I know there are a lot of options for me. Personally I love geraniums in terra cotta pots but they might be hard to find this time of year. Should’ve taken care of this earlier – live & learn. Have a great day. Peace.
#Resist
I haven’t seen any out there lately, but who knows? You just may find one!
that ornament takes me back to my childhood.
some even had the curly decorative wire criss~crossed on them. so beautiful!
and the idea of planting living things in your beloved Riley’s dish… how wonderful is that!
I remember that wire – so fragile!
Love the vintage birdie ornament! I have some of my Mom’s and I continue to collect the vintage ones from antique stores. So proud of your green thumb! Love your pictures of all the plants you are nurturing.
xoxo
Thank you, Maureen! They’re keeping me sane!
Our houseplants are growing like crazy. I don’t remember this growth spurt at this time of year in the past. Not sure why it is happening, but we are surely enjoying the new sprouts of leaves. Maybe dormancy will set in after the New Year. They want to celebrate the end of 2017, too.
Hope you get your errands completed for today. It is probably safe to say, as with all of the rest of us, that there will be a few more ahead this week! My To-Do list is an ever growing thing in progress this week. Have a wonderful Monday!!
Yes, I keep wondering about that, too. Maybe dormancy is affected by global warming, too?
I love that ornament. We have similar vintage decorations on our tree.
Marilyn
Enjoy your decorations, Marilyn!
At my ladies group holiday dinner last night, one of the ladies gave each of us a succulent. I’m happy to get another one to add to my succulent collection. I’ve come to appreciate them so much. You are a born nurturer, Claudia. I’m glad you found something to mother-hen!
Oh, how lovely! More succulents!
And you are so very good at nurturing Claudia!…Your dogs…your plants…the young people you coach and us when we are having a problem…Nothing brings back childhood Christmas memories like the old ornaments and decorations!
I know. I still remember some ornaments that were my dad’s parents. There was a woodcutter sitting on a log – handmade. I have no idea where that ornament went!
Claudia, I’ve never seen a vintage ornament quite like that; it’s so unique. Nice!
I miss all my dogs all the time; they were our ‘kids’; sometimes their personalities blend one into the other as years have gone by but we’ve never forgotten them. I cherish my old shepherd girl right now; she rules the roost in our present one-dog household. Best watchdog/guard of all of ’em.
You’ve given me a new idea today: I have my great-aunt’s dog bowl from a beloved dog she and my great-uncle had, oh gosh, 70 years ago, no kidding. He traveled all over the U.S. with them by car. They had a portrait painted of him that hung on the wall going into the dining room. How perfect; a succulent ‘garden’/dish garden we can enjoy year ’round. That’s what it will be!
My loved ones would approve. By the way, they’re the two wonderful people whose graves were covered by a huge, ancient, blackened/scorched tree which fell in the fire on Dec 5. Went by there this morning and they’ve removed the tree. Debris all over the place still, but I bet it’ll be cleared by about Friday, when my husband and I will go to the cemetery and pretty the spot up with some bright red poinsettias which are, by the way, the official flower for the City of San Buenaventura (Ventura) here in SoCalif which has been so ravaged by wildfire two weeks ago. There was a time when Ventura was known as “Poinsettia City by the Sea” (when poinsettias were a large crop here decades ago). I have a poinsettia growing by my front porch right now; my mom planted it in 1956. We keep cutting it back but, right now, it’s to the roof eaves. And it has prolific red flowers! Beautiful.
I have to go back and look at your ornament again. It’s precious; the bluebird. So sweet. Lovely.
Plant that succulent garden, Vicki!