bayou's Blog

This is not about gardens, but you guys just have to hear this.

Well, first its not so good. My recovery is going very slow. Monday it looked like I may have to go back. But then things started changing....again. So its really more like its just going to take more time for me. In the mean time I'm stressing out because I have people hollering for their work, which is very stressful. My doctor here says the stress it making it take longer.

Now for the funny part....

Yesterday afternoon I realize that I have no water. Then I look sitting on the table and realize I had not paid the water bill. So, I call Mr. Bayou to call them and pay the bill. I am not real good about remembering to pay bills, but its not really my 'designated responsibility' either. I have GOT to get that thing put on auto draft. Procrastination #1.

I keep trying to call my husband and get not answer on his cell. By this time I'm getting madder than a wet settin hen.

In the meantime, my niece's cousin comes to pick up a bed that we have stored in the garage which is a mess because Mr.Bayou has not cleaned it up since we move here. Procrastination #2.

We can't find the bolts to the bed. I'm still trying to call him and getting no answer and getting madder. I go to move the car so they can get the truck up and I hit the drainage opening and pop the tire.

My car is sitting in the driveway with a dead battery because it has sat there while I've been home bound and needs a new one. Now there are no drivable cars. Procrastination #3.

Finally at about 8 o'clock, in walks Mr. Bayou holding his cell which is displaying no connection, unrepairable, call. I tell him everything that's happened and that we still have no water. He gets on the phone and the water company answering service tells him they can't help us unless we have a confirmation #. This # is back at his office.

He gets mad. Takes off to go back to his office to get the number. He gets in a wreck! He calls the water company. He calls his boss to tell him he just wrecked his company car.

At this point I just give up and take ice out of the freezer to thaw so at least the dogs will have water.

I guess the water company either found the order or felt sorry for us because they came and turned the water on at 9:30.

Needless to say, I am wiped out today.

Both cars are fixed now because both have road side service and they came this morning. I have water and the dogs have water.

WHAT A NIGHT!

Bayou

As usual I didn't have my camera with me.

I was taking a walk around greeting my plants and enjoying their tranquility. I was about to walk to the path to the trumpets when a beautiful butterfly flew up from the ground. I stood still. I was two feet away from him and expected him to fly away. He flew around in semi circles then landed back on the grass. He was watching me. I took a step back. He repeated his circle. He was watching me as I was watching him. We danced with each back step I took. He never flew higher than two feet. It was as though he was performing for a captive audience. I finally backed far enough away that let him know the curtain was closed.

I came into the house to get the camera and the dogs decided that they would run to him to request their turn. Off he went. Got the camera out and as usual, the battery was dead.

I know nothing about butterflies. This one was black with silver dots running down his wings and silver at the bottom of the lower parts.

On another note................HOW DUMB AM I? I finally got a badly needed second filing cabinet. The idiot in me decides to try to organize some of the files. I have to start at the bottom drawer to move things in alphabetical order. It just so happens that there were some very heavy bulky files in that last drawer. Now tell me, what happens when you bend way over and lift? The blood rushes to your head, that's what happens! Not a good thing to do when you're recovering from surgery of the brain. It liked to knocked me out. And I'm here by myself.

Just slap me! Oh no, don't do that, it already hurts.

I have had a great deal of pleasure tending to my plants this year. Being 'stuck' at home, they've become my 'company'. I've always loved tending to my house plants and herb garden and others here and there.

I've learned so much here I've expanded and its been a blessing to me. Even my husband is enjoying it.

He was out of town and I needed to water. I had tried that two days before when I over did my activities. I called one of my husband's friend's son's and got him to come over and take care of my yard.

Who would have ever thought that when a person says "If you need anything let me know", they would be called upon to water plants! He's a sweet boy........about 6 feet tall. :)

This was the newly planted hibiscus and palm 2 months ago.

This is what it looks like now.

Just when I thought they were through for the summer.............a whole new crop of blooms appeared.

My niece came last week and we watched a bee go from flower to flower inside. Of course I never have my
camera with me. It was such fun watching the bee go deep inside each flower.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to propagate them. I've read that they will grow from cuttings or divisions. I believe I will have enough for divisions. These guys aren't really vining. I guess since we cut them back now.

These guys are in two hanging planters that we got bought with mixed flowers about 2 years ago. When they came up the next year we were pleasantly surprised.

In the second picture if you look closely you can see two little bean looking things that I guess are pods. They keep dieing on me. From the heat I guess.

The paralysis is starting to go away! Just when It looked like I was going to have to go back, things started changing. The surgeon said it is the nerve still healing.

When I think of the word 'progress', it brings to mind growth. Progress in many areas extends from growth. We all grow each day. Sometimes we make progress, sometimes we don't. But we are still growing. Sometimes within the growing, the progress will come slowly. At times it takes patience to wait for that progress.

Those of us that garden are fortunate in that we learn a lot of lessons from the natural gifts that God has given us. There are times that we become frustrated and give up on a plant only to hear it calling to us with a little green sprout. We nurture. We love. We search wherever we can to find the best way to protect and insure the healthy growth of that which lives around us. In that protection, we make our own progress.

Just as our plants, we reach out, and extend our roots. We continue to grow. We hold on to our base, to our ground; but continue to extend new growth and continue to reach. In that reaching is where we are blessed and find the tools that give us patience, faith and love.

I am truly blessed for the friendship extended here at Garden Guides and I thank you all for your nurturig prayers and support.

Pat

I'm going on four weeks now in my recovery from the brain surgery. Most days by myself because my husband and son work and my daughter is still at Fort Jackson.

Some days I get to thinking how I wish someone would stop by, but everybody works.

Yesterday my sister, her daughter and grand daughter came by. They live in New Orleans. I haven't seen my sister since Christmas. Her husband passed away in November so she's having a hard time and going places and such is not her first priority.

It was wonderful to see them! Then my niece and great niece (the apples of my eye in my photos) called and decided to stop by.

It was so good to see my sister and show her all my new plants. We've always traded back and forth. She has her home in North Louisiana but is selling it because she can't face living there without her husband. She may end up giving up her beautiful house plants because they are huge and she can't move them. We were trying to figure out a way to get some of them down here.

Soooooooooooo...
................the end to this story. The visit knocked me out. Oh yi yi did I hurt last night. Now I remember why I'm supposed to rest.

On another note.......I got the great looking passion flower rooted cuttings from Bill. I had Mr. Bayou pick me up a nice big planter on his weekly Saturday round to Lowes buying the wrong size weed eater cord. I put it there until we figure out the right place. But I was reading that they make very pretty house plants and I'm thinking of trying a hanging plant.

So back to resting I am, and praying that I will be able to get back to a little lite work soon.

Have a blessed day folks!

She's heading west in the Gulf at lower Texas near Galveston. She may come in at a Cat 1 or Cat 2 hurricane. But wasn't it just two days ago that she moved back out and strengthened. It's always scary when they go back and forth like that.

If she stays on course, we'll just get some rain maybe a few storms. Flooding is always a big scare.

Watching her closely.

On another note....I got my free 4 o'clock seeds in that I had sent off for. It had been a while so I had given up on them. Now, do I try to germinate them inside, or wait?

I'm still waiting on the paralysis in my face to go away. We don't want ANY hurricanes heading toward Florida because I may be having to go back there!

I was reading somewhere here about the passion fruit flower and I can't remember where! I just found out that my brother has the plant and he's bringing me some cuttings tomorrow!

Help!

I've been slowly recovering. The pain goes away a little each day. It's taking a bit longer than usual, but that's typical for me.

I had my stitches removed yesterday, 20 in all. I was worn out. It didn't hurt compared to the pain I had been having. The doctor discovered water build up in my ear which can happen with this disease and surgery. So I woke up this morning feeling quite a bit better. I even did some work.

My tongue has had a bit of numbness which is still expected. About mid morning I noticed my right eye wasn't closing all the way and was getting irritated. Then later the whole right side of my face was numb. Like when you've been to the dentist and the shots start wearing off. I called my husband to come home and sit with me because I was getting a bit nervous.

He decides I need to go to the emergency room, calls my son and tells him. I really really didn't want to go. So he decides to call the surgeon in Florida. Man, those guys are so good. He got the surgeon's nurse right off the bat and she got the surgeon out of a meeting. Turns out, sometimes the nerve may swell while healing and he called in some steroids. (I had just finished the original round of steroids two days ago) Sheesh!

I told my husband and son it was a crazy way to get them to spend some time with me and a little TLC is the best medicine.

So here I sit, feeling like I've been to the dentist, still unable to get back to work. I'm not complaining though.

Much.

But I have been able to do some cross stitching on a baby blanket for my great niece. : )

Can you dig that??????

My son came by on his day off and walked with me so that I could take my pictures. I still don't have proper balance and I've been afraid to use the camera without falling backwards.

This is my African Mask. It's supposed to be a house plant I believe, but it seems to be taking well.

The caladiums are flourishing.

This is the eucalyptus saplings I'm hoping will take. I can see pretty new leaves so I'm still hopeful. The pot on the right is one of those that makes little white flowers. I don't think its going to make it.

Another canna is showing its majesty. This one is about 4 feet tall. It's got even more blooms this morning.

When I left, this sweet potato had one long root and was just showing a few sprouts. What a delight!

This was sent to me from one of my friends. I've got to repot it into a large pot and put it on one of those roll around things. I sure don't want to lose those beautiful large leaves. When the florist delivered it, she had to bring it inside for me.

It was a wonderful homecoming from my lovely friends.

Can you dig it? 

Got home Saturday but I'm just now feeling well enough to type.

It's been very nice to visit with my plants as I take short walks.

I had friends watering and checking on them....along with the house and pets of course.

I only lost the newly planted cilantro and marjarum. I think I put it outside too soon anyway. My sweet potato plant has jumped from two tiny sprouts to 15 leaves and vines already catching a holt of my wind chimes.

My basil had started to seed so I took care of that.

One of my canna's is way tall and about to make beautiful blooms. I have a ginger that's producing a beautiful red bloom.

I'm anxious to get out and take pictures. 

It was a rough surgery, but I do believe it worked. Basically they found blood vessels wrapped around the trigimenal nerve in three places. These were moved and a teflon gauze placed to keep them away. One was cut completely. From studying the doctor's description, I can pretty much tell that that was where the pain was.

Right now I feel like a truck ran over me. Someone is building Mount Rushmore inside my head!

The Green Anole

I just love those tiny shiny green things. We have a slewfull this year. These are not the big brown scary looking ones so don't be afraid. Not the gecco or the skake. (Or however you call those other two)

This was one of my first sightings of one this summer

He is not a chamelian. He only changes colors to a bit of brown to match the trees. It wasn't until I posted this blog that I can see a second one two inches down  to the left in the rosemary. Ha!

We finally caught one of the babies. It's very pale, almost white. We're guessing that they must be hatching from the Sego because that is where we see all the babies.

My husband saw one half this size, but I didn't get the camera in time.

I've read that anoles feed off flies. With the number we have in the yard, I have this dream idea that our fly population that becomes crazy may be reduced this year.

For now, can you dig it?

To all you Dad's out there! Because you are never appreciated enough.

You never get the appreciation you deserve for leaving the toilet seat up.

The dreaded auto sign out got me last night. I had written a long page, didn't save as I went and when I went to post, I had been signed out. Excuse me a moment while I hit the save button. Now, I'll begin again.

I leave in two days to head for the Mayo Clinic. The pain from the Trigeminial Neuralgia is unbearable. I'm still trying to finish work projects and the stress makes everything worse.

So Mr. Bayou told me to stop work and just talk to my plants.

I've had some neat surprises. I found a beautiful Calla Lily in between the agapantha in the front yard. My husband has a tendency to plant bulbs willy nilly. It's actually two stalks and looks very healthy. A beautiful lavender color. We were planting periwinkles in the beds for color. The heat got to the violas. Every where I looked I found caladiums popping up. There goes my husband and his random planting.

I was looking at the flowers in the back and realized that I have something that I've seen posted about here. Trumpets? It's been growing nicely in two of my hanging planters for a couple of years. Beautiful yellow flowers.

I finally talked Mr. Bayou into planting the marjarum and the cilantro in the herb garden. These are the only things we've grown from seed in years.

We took two of the periwinkles and made my mixed pot that I've been wanting. I added a regular ivy, the arrow head thing and the coleus that had been rooting. Its a bit wilted this morning, but its just adjusting. I'm anxious to see how it fills out.

As we enjoyed the outside, we were visited by more of my special friends. Lizards everywhere. Beautiful bright green. There must have been a hatching somewhere this year. Wish I could have seen it.

Oh, and one more surprise, the sweet potato plant I'm rooting now has a one inch root running at the bottom.

It made me remember to follow the example of nature. One small change at a time. And like my Momma always taught me, "pick yourself up by the bootstraps and keep going. And never forget your roots!"

In spite of the pain I knew the wind would cause, I sat out by the pool for a time today. I was hurting anyway so I figured, what the heck.

The temp was hot but the myrtles provide lots of shade and there was a nice breeze. The breeze blowing through my crepe myrtles is so relaxing. The little flowers flowing look like snow. The only snow I ever get.

Close up next to the sun room window.

It may be time for another trim.

The view through the sun room window.

In  the mean time, I'm still working on rooting more potted plants inside and hoping that rosemary takes!