It All Started With Toys R Us

On a beautiful early spring day while heading home from school, some 24 years ago, my then 6 year old daughter asked me to buy her a Breyer horse at Toys R Us.  I told her I wouldn’t buy her one. But I’d help her earn money so she could buy one herself.

She was all about that.  What could she do to earn money?  Sweep the kitchen, do the dishes, clean her room, re-roof the house?  She was, and is, a go-getter and started rolling up her sleeves.  I don’t remember where I got my brilliant idea, but brilliant it was.

When we got home I raided my cupboards for all the flower vases I could find.  Then I went outside to our lilac bushes and began cutting flowers.  We found some paper and made a big sign.  Once we’d set up the card table on the curb she, her older sister, and their friend were in business.  “Flowers in a vase, one dollar,” they called out to each car passing by.

After a bit big brother stopped by and as big brothers do, voiced his assessment of the plan. “If you sell $20 worth tonight, I’ll give you $5!” he said and went away laughing his head off.

The neighbors started driving by on their home from work.  Who could resist these cute girls selling flowers for $1?  Some even gave a healthy tip.  In short order the $20 mark had been met, plus some.  Once we added in brother’s $5 contribution, there was enough to buy the Breyer horse. And we did.

The business went so well the girls kept it up.  We bought every available vase, for a quarter each, from Goodwill.  We cut all of the lilacs off our bushes, got lilacs from friends’ yards, and found some in vacant lots.  When lilac season ended we moved on to gladiolas and daisies. The town police officer stopped by and bought flowers.  The bus driver stopped his bus, got out, and bought flowers.  Folks who had bought flowers last week brought back the vases so we could resell them.  By the end of that season the girls had made over $200 selling flowers.  They did it again the next spring and the next.

Then they were too old to sell flowers on the street corner.  But neighbors remembered it for many years. And it all began with Toys R Us.

Spicing Up My Life

It’s spring. The birds are returning, the flowers are coming up, the days are getting longer. Time to buy some seeds for the garden, trim the grapes and roses, pull some weeds, wash the windows, beat the rugs, and do some deep cleaning. Ohhhh. Pardon me. I got a little over excited with thoughts of spring and new things. I have purchased some seeds, moved a few plants, pruned the apple tree, and gave the whisteria a hair cut. I dusted the pictures on the piano and scrubbed the kitchen floor. But I’m not a fanatic. I know where to draw the line and deep cleaning is it. That can wait. What I did do instead was to spice up my life a bit. I make a salsa with cilantro, onions, garlic, tomatoes, a bit of salt, and some lime juice. That’s all. No spice. No heat. I know it adds flavor but I don’t like sweating while I eat. But it’s spring and time for new things and in spite of the fact that I don’t like spicy food, I don’t like deep cleaning even more. So this week while shopping I bought one small jalepino. For the first time ever. And I added about an inch of it to my salsa. Just a hint of heat. It was delicious. And much more fun than deep cleaning.

Sometimes It’s the Little Things

I picked out two primrose plants to add to my grocery shopping this morning.

As I was checking out and bagging my purchases (because that’s the kind of store I shop at.  I’m all about DIY) I put the plants in their own bag– so as not to crush them with canned goods and not get dirt on my tomatoes–and set them aside on the counter.  And promptly forgot them.

I was almost done loading my 10 bags of groceries into my car when a gentleman approached me carrying a plastic bag.  “I think you left these in the store,” he said, handing me my primroses.  I hadn’t even missed them.  But this kind man, who had been behind me in the check out line, and whose groceries were going down the belt on the opposite side of mine, had seen my plants, remembered what I looked like and had gone out into the parking lot to find me.  The plants were only $2. But how very, very nice.

Sometimes it’s the little things.

ET, Phone Home

There are three of them. They are about 3 and half feet tall. Skinny things with big, round, white heads.  Standing right beside each other in the garden in front of my house. And they have been standing there since mid July.  It’s now October.  They just stand there peering in my front window.   They never leave. They never make a sound. They just stand there staring in my front window.  It’s almost creepy.  Except for the fact that they aren’t  aliens. They are hydrangeas. And I’m amazed at how long they have been there.  Going on 4 months. Standing there, staring in my front window.

All These Plants Remind Me of You

Fall doesn’t officially start for another couple of weeks but summer is on its way out.  My garden is ripening its fall produce and the summer flowers are nearing their end.  It’s a nostalgic, sentimental time of year.

My Shasta daisies are done.They were almost 5 feet tall this year and produced handfuls of gorgeous bouquets. I got them from my mom decades ago.  Mom is 90 years old and I talk with her every day.  And I think of her again when I see my daisies.

There are a few crocosmia still blooming.  I remember you, my friends, every time I see them. You warned me, those years ago, that they would take over the garden. And that’s exactly what they’ve done.  I don’t see you very often any more but I think of you whenever I see my crocosmia.

The wild blackberries are ripening.  I remember our bike ride, my friend, over 30 years ago.  We came upon a patch of ripe blackberries that were too good to pass up.  After eating our fill, we wanted to take some home.  So we drank all our water, filled our water bottles with blackberries, and rode home.  You moved away long ago.  I heard that you married and had kids, who must be grown by now.  I don’t know where you are anymore but I think of you when I see a patch of ripe blackberries.

The vine maples are turning colors.  I first learned of vine maples when I became friends with you and we started hiking together.  You taught me about vine maples and Indian pipe and lots of mountain flowers.  We get together once or twice a year.  But I think of you whenever I see those plants.

And my manuka grapes are starting to ripen.  How could I not think you my friends, when I see my manukas? I remember those road trips over the mountains to gather a carload of grapes and bring them home. Now I have my own manukas and I think of you when I see them ripening.

Some of you, my friends,  I see often; some rarely; and some I have lost track of.  But that hasn’t stopped the memories. Thank you, my friends.  I think of you, and you, and you, when I see these plants.

 

Ugly Duckling Cactus

I don’t know what came over me when I added this cactus to my collection of houseplants. The thing is plain ugly. But it has sat on the window ledge since we’ve lived in this house so I’ve had it at least 10 years.  And it has done nothing but grow uglier.  I’m sure in its natural habitat it’s lovely and no doubt grows upright instead of falling over in a sorry imitation of a weeping willow. But then I don’t give it much help.  I water it a few times a year and other than that I pretty much ignore the thing.

So I was very surprised to notice a red bud on it a couple of weeks ago.  Then two red buds.  And each red bud produced an exquisite red flower that measured 9 inches across!

I do feel a bit bad for saying those mean things about it.  And I wonder what I did, and can do again, to help it bloom again.  On the other hand it’s probably not an Ugly Duckling Cactus.  It’s probably a 10 Year Locust Cactus and I’ll just have to wait.