First freeze

 I know some of you are having some rough weather right now.  My thoughts are with you.  Stay warm, stay safe, and make sure your heat source is properly ventilated.  For us, this is just a light freeze, but it was a good opportunity to practice for the real thing, so all the plants that are going to get in the greenhouse, got in the greenhouse.  

I was back at work on Thursday, but I think I was the only one on my team that was.  We had a big project elevate on 01/01, except the people providing the source material didn't, so all that prep for everyone else wasn't much use.  But, I had everyone on my end ready, and that's what counts.  Other than that, it was a nice couple days spent putting out holiday fires.  Everyone will be back today and it will be a different story.  

The Christmas cactus bloomed.  Two weeks late.  Oh, well.  Syd picked this and then abandoned it and I took it over.  This year, she asked for a cutting and got it.  Someday, I suspect she's going to ask for it back.  

True confessions:  I "took" this rose.  And, what's more, I wish I'd "taken" the other one too.  

Our neighbors sold their home to a flipper.  The last thing the flippers do is dig out all the landscaping and replace it with new and cute plants that probably won't make it.  This rose was in a pot and one day, I just picked it up and brought it home.  And, sure 'nuff, they either dug the beautiful red knock-out rose next to it up or cut it to the ground and planted over it.  I feel no shame.  

It's a beauty.  Big blooms with lots of petals and a beautiful smell.  These were about to open in the greenhouse and I cut them and brought them in.  

I wish I had a before picture.  Rob brought this rubber tree into our lives 25 years ago.  I have cared for it and taken cuttings to root and done my best to control it, but it really took on a life of its own this year.  I tried keeping the branches tied up, but the squirrels would eat my ties every time, so I finally gave up and just let it go.  The branches drooped and touched the ground and then turned up again.  It looked like a spider.  But it wouldn't fit in the greenhouse.  So, I tied it up again and it came out GREAT!  I'm lucky to live in an area where I can grow tropical plants outside and let them get as big as they want.  

This was the big greenhouse after we got everything in.  I could not get in there if I needed to, it's so full, but when we remove 5 really large plants, I'll have access all the way to the back to tend to the rest.  I use this greenhouse for tropicals and more delicate plants.  

Plants that would normally stay outside in cold weather, but I'm growing them in pots, go in the plastic greenhouse.  This is just to keep the roots from freezing in the pots.  As long as the roots don't freeze, these will come back.  

It's a big anniversary in our country.  A day of violence and menace that we apparently didn't learn enough from.  

We continue to prepare for the future in little ways.  An extra bag of flour, some cans of soup.  Yesterday, in the grocery store, eggs were restricted.  You couldn't pick them up and put them in your basket.  Apparently, you needed to ask for them.  I didn't know that so I opened the dairy case, stepped in, pushed the empty cart out of the way and grabbed myself a carton.  Rob said he would have loved to video that.  Anyway, I'm worried that those eggs are just the beginning of a cascading series of shortages, some created by politicians, some created by profiteers.  So, I convinced Rob to buy the bigger package of toilet paper yesterday...because we don't get the Sears catalog anymore.  

The rich will live in lavish comfort and we will be expected to do without so that false promises can pretend to be kept.  

Ooh, that was negative.  Sorry, don't want to end on that note.  

    Why was the snowman digging through the bag of carrots?

    He was picking his nose.  

I should never have bought Rob that box of Dad jokes.  

Everyone have a great week.  Be strong.  Be safe.  Stay warm.  Find peace inside and out.  

Lane