Plants

I want to talk about my latest obsession: House Plants. It has become the addiction that I didn't know I could have. Up until recently, my skills in growing house plants has become leaving the 3-years dead peace lily plant alone in hopes that it may spontaneously return to life. (Zombie plants?!)

All kidding aside, I was quite nervous when Amelia Pond asked for a plant for her fourth birthday. I don't really even remember how she got the idea. Maybe it was that we didn't get a poinsettia for Christmas like some of her friends did, and her birthday is just a few weeks later. At any rate, we agreed that a plant would be a good gift idea. It could teach her some responsibility and open up future conversations about taking care of living things, and how things grow.

Amelia Pond picked a pretty little kalanchoe with pink flowers. Kalanchoes are a relative to succulents, and seem to not need much in terms of maintenance. So if I forgot to water it, the plant may be better off anyway. After a couple of weeks of minimal care, the flowers died. Getting kalanchoes to re-flower is a tricky feat indeed, according to my research. Amelia Pond was quite devastated, but ultimately came to terms that her favorite plant was still beautiful without its flowers.

I made an executive decision that having only one plant in the house was not enough to keep plants on my mind. If I didn't see plants as often, I wouldn't remember to care for them. Makes sense, right? (Right?!) So off to Aldi we went to get plant number two - a Croton. Not a crouton, which I've had to explain more than once, and reprogram my autocorrect.

But then two isn't a nice arrangement, so I needed more. I joined a couple of houseplant hobbyist groups on Facebook. They openly admit to being enablers when it comes to the question of whether or not to buy more plants. I knew that seven was a nice Biblical number! So seven plants became the goal. A purple shamrock was next on my plant bucket list.

Then I decided that I needed a plant at work. Because I missed the plants at home when I was there. I. Missed. My. Plants. Who is this person?? I bought a purple passion plant. Three plants to go.

Target had some amazing little dinosaur planters, which became home to our first succulents. They had 4 types, including a T-Rex. I found out about a rex begonia, and that brought the total up to eight. I have 3 at work and 5 at home, and the odd number in each place makes my artist mind happy.

I think I am done - for now. Although if anyone has a spare plant or wants to give me a cutting, I have a few on my bucket list remaining. I promise my source will remain anonymous to Husband.

Aloe
String of pearls
Jade
Prayer plant

Positivity for the Day

Plants make us happy. They are a visual reminder of our connection to the earth. We are involved in their care and are interested in their growth. They bring joy to our lives and make our living spaces more alive. Plants have roots, which reminds us to remain grounded. Having strong roots keeps us connected to one another.

"I grow plants for many reasons: to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty, or for nostalgia, but mostly for the joy in seeing them grow." - David Hobson

Be blessed today by the beauty of nature, and the joys found in earth's living creatures.

Peace,
Positively Pastoral Jess