Solace and Tools

To say it's been a challenging week would be an understatement.

But as I was sending a complainy e-mail to a friend tonight, I told him about this blog and I realized something. I've already started to look forward to this. It's like, fun. It's fun to think about, to plan and it's actually fun to write.

This, my gardens, my grand plans for food I'm going to cook and just the idea of projects that are all about me and what I want have given me something that resembles light at the end of a sometimes long and dark tunnel. It's a certain solace that I didn't have before.

And tomorrow, I can look forward to planting these:

Hens and Chickens!

D6 gave them to me. She's given me lots of wonderful plants since I moved into this house, which I promise to write about in more detail soon. But, these Hens and Chickens are the latest, and from my perspective, one of the greatest.

I remember being fascinated by the barrel of Hens and Chicks that were in our backyard growing up. They are just the neatest thing. They are a succulent, which according to Merriam Webster, means they have fleshy tissue that conserves moisture.

They spread, too. I can't wait to see how they do. For now, I'm going to put them in these pots I got a couple of years ago, before I moved into my house, and have yet to use. I'll have to keep my eye out for a big, old barrel for them.

And, I have to send a nod in D's direction, because as she has told me (so many times, but my exuberance seems to get the better of me every single time), it's bad luck to say "thank you" when someone gives you plants. You're just supposed to nod, and then they know you feel grateful.

Speaking of gratitude, and I think I'm allowed to in this instance, I am so lucky to have my master gardeners giving me advise. Between D, Sis and Mommy, I have learned so much already! Some time soon, I'll have to write about their gardens, because they truly are spectacular.

They are giving me the tools I need to do this, and as I'm learning in other aspects of life, without the proper tools and knowledge, life can be extremely frustrating.

And since I'm sure it's been the burning question on so many people's minds, I did finish planting the marigolds yesterday. I also mowed the lawn.

I was on the phone with my darling fellow yesterday when I pulled up to my house and said, "Wow, look at what a nice yard that girl has!" Luckily, he finds me charming (I think). But, it really does look nice.

It's supposed to rain Saturday, which is probably a good thing for my plants, and the inside of my house which has become frightfully neglected. I need to clean something awful!

Also coming Saturday: I'm going to try to make this chicken curry I have a recipe for. We'll see. It looks fantastic in the picture in the cookbook. One of the hardest things about moving from New York City to a small town in northern Michigan is the lack of food choices. I miss Indian food so very much! So, I will have to learn to recreate it. I promise to report on the details.