We had a Star Jasmine for ten years. It was about eight feet tall and I’d finally trained it to climb up the beam and onto the pergola’s roof.
I often sat down on the other side of it and watched the frogs and tadpoles in Pear Pond.
Sometimes I felt that when I brushed past the Jasmine and sat down, I’d passed into another world where it was just me and the critters in the pond.
Last Winter we got five years’ worth of snow in one month, the coldest winter in almost 40 years, and a years’ worth of rain in six months.
I think the Jasmine drowned. Dang, I regretted losing a mature plant that I’d trimmed and trained to climb, and that I’d sat beside while obsessing about the tadpoles in front of me.
Like many fanatic gardeners, I figured a plant disaster was just an opportunity, so I am replanting two Star Jasmines.
I got real tired working in the summer heat, moving dirt and laying stones to make a nice home for the Jasmines. I felt a little dizzy and went inside for some cold water.
I sat at our dining room table and looked out our picture window, then closed my eyes and rested.
“Yo! HEY!” woke me suddenly.
I stared out the window, and a large heron stared back.
A hoarse voice saying “I’m a messenger from Athena, we’re sorry about your Jasmine, but why don’t you go look at your rhodies and azalea,” seemed to echo in my head.
The heron hopped onto the stone wall to gain a foot of altitude, than gawked, shit, and flew away with powerful wing strokes.
I was stuck somewhere between sleep and awake but drank some water and felt better and walked outside just for the heck of it to look at the pitiful azalea and rhododendron that I was scared to tend because the yellow jackets hung out there years ago.
Yet these plants burst forth this year. As soon as I looked at their new growth I realized how some plants and critters take advantage of extreme weather. The native Rhodie doted on the extra rain and the azalea thrived also. Both bloom vigorously.
The Daily Bucket
is a nature refuge.
We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and such, and note life’s patterns spinning around us.
Phenology is how we take earth’s pulse.
The Bucket is a place to discuss what you see.
Each note links our surroundings to life’s cycles, and adds to our understanding. Please comment about your own natural area, and include photos if possible. We love photos!
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NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
What have you noted in your area or travels? Hopefully your garden didn’t flood, at least. As usual, please post your observations and general location in your comments. I’m serving a year at hard labor doing landscaping chores but will check back.
Be sure to peruse Meteor Blade’s valuable "Spotlight on Green News & Views,” every Saturday at 5pm Pacific Time and every Wednesday at 3:30 Pacific Time on the Daily Kos front page. Please recommend and comment in the diary.
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