When we got married in 1975, our wedding florist gifted us with a lush philodendron, winding its way up a two-foot piece of bark, planted in a woven basket. Back then, I knew very little about what it takes to keep houseplants happy.
You can feel it. Summer is coming to a close. No, we are not done with hot weather yet – September can be brutal some years – but that local, temporary “climate change” has begun.
One afternoon last week, my husband summoned me to our pergola-covered patio to have me look at something. He often calls me out to see anything he finds unusual, amusing, or lovely to see. It could be a baby garter snake, the first bloom of a flower, or a beautiful sunset. He really loves his sunsets.
Many years ago, I read a book called, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made,” by Dr. Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey. It left a lasting impression on me. As a believer, I knew the title for the book came from another book – the Bible.
The flower industry is big business. Flowers are used in just about every aspect of our lives to celebrate the momentous occasions and the little ones. Weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries are made better by the presence of fresh flowers, and those impromptu wildflower bouquets picked and presented to us by children warm our hearts.
It seems as if it is a rite of passage for kids to make a leaf collection while in school. Sometimes, as it was for me, it is a bug collection. I was in the 10th grade and distinctly remember going on a bug hunt with Colleen, my best friend at the time.
Most adults, middle-aged or older, know what poison ivy looks like and steer clear of it. However, if you have never had the misfortune of experiencing the annoyingly itchy rash that poison ivy can cause, you may not have a good understanding of what it looks like.
We have just enjoyed the blooming of a unique native tree. Dotted here and there around the county, the tall trees with large, medium green, heart-shaped leaves and panicles of white flowers get noticed. These are northern catalpas.
Each year, the third week of June is set aside for recognizing the importance of our pollinators. When we think of pollinators, we instantly picture honeybees flitting from flower to flower. But they are so much more than that.