My Grama's Soul

I am always tickled when I see yet another post in social media about collecting plants....as though THAT was a new thing!   I have always had plants once I had my own home.  In fact...in my early twenties and thirties I had as many as 150 of the little friends living with me and my family. I do admit that number became little over-whelming as I had my children and life became more complicated....but I never disposed of my friends...I just became more selective in which ones I was willing to nurture.  Actually, that is kind of like life....you only keep friends you REALLY VALUE.     Anyway...my plants have been with me through thick and thin...in fact they used to travel with us when we would leave AZ for the summer. But...due to time and age factors (both mine and my plants) I have cut my numbers significantly....(the plants..NOT my age)  haha.....  My next several posts will be about amusi...

I have spent most of my adult life trying to find silence within....that calmness we all seek...free from anxiety and worry.  This 71st year of my life I am going to focus on just that!   It seems as though I am not alone in this endeavor as yogis and meditators seem to lurking around every corner in social media.  I know this is certainly not a new situation in our society....in fact it has been around since the beginning of man only their anxiety came from a different source...(not getting eaten alive by predators);  although some would say that situation exists today, as well.  :) Each one of us approaches this area of our life in our own way, for me it is starting a yoga class.   Over the years I have neglected my self care always focusing on my husband, worrying about my adult children or fussing with my home.  This year is going to be a year of self care and hopefully I will continue this for the remainder of my l...

June is always the hottest month in  Arizona. That is why, if you are able, one must surround your home with as much  GREEN  as possible.  Here, in the desert, much of what we see during summer months is brown...brown....brown. So that is why Brad and I chose this little spot in order that we would feel as though we LIVED in a greenhouse. These photos are from both inside and outside our home.  Every room has something live growing.... When you walk into our home you are looking directly into our backyard via huge glass windows. I know....one might feel as though you were in a jungle...but it makes everything feel so very cool and refreshing. These plants are in my kitchen on an elevated bar area...I have a huge skylight...so they get that much needed light.  Moisture from the faucet does not hurt as well. By our front door....requires little light. Good old pothos in the b...

Well......we finally planted our little garden in our backyard.  It is fairly small but hopefully it will yield some beautiful results.  There will be a lot of photos today so I just am giving fair warning.  LOL LOL I put lots of things in pots as we have desert landscaping here and our soil is so very bad.  Everything is on a water emitter system so we can control the water output.   Our state, along with others is facing a water shortage crisis so if we garden....we try to do so responsibly. Various shots around the yard.  When we moved here last August the back yard was so spartan which inspired Brad and I to get busy. We have two huge shade trees..one lemon...and one orange.  They give a tremendous amount of shade so hopefully they will give our new plantings some protection from our hot, hot, hot summer sun.  We also use umbrellas strategically as needed. I have always been a gardner and am sure I wil...

Gardner that I am.....I had to post this fabulous succulent garden grown by Terrain.......... Have a wonderful Valentine's Day....sending much love your way. xoxo Jo

Just sharing....... xo Jo

Am still not visiting much around blogland..but am busy gardening. "Find creative inspiration.  It is not an indulgence so much as a way for you to save the world." xo

Yes......your eyes are not deceiving you.....that IS a blue poinsettia..... My local grocer is one great store....they carry everything and I mean everything. The other day was there and came across this unusual plant....a BLUE POINSETTIA....of course it came home with me. It actually is getting bluer by the day....I'm assuming they did this by putting food coloring in the water when they watered an off white plant.  How clever is that? Pretty neat....huh? Hugs from here, Jo

Where does one's love of gardening come from? Is it something you learn....or does it come from that deep well inside oneself? My mother was not a gardner.  The only thing I can ever remember her growing was a sweet potato vine.....you know when you put the potato in water and it sprouts.  On the other hand, as soon as I was able, I began acquiring plants.  At one point in time I had about 150 of them growing in my house.  I had every kind you could think of.   My first husband built me a three tier hanging shelf that was suspended right in from of my living room window.  My current soulmate.....did the same thing.  This shelf was also suspended in front of a large window. The shelves were painted varying colors from a sunny yellow to tangerine to orange.  I even loved orange back then. I have long since abandoned amassing such a plethora of indoor plants as we travel so much now,  but I do have a few old faithful "friends" wh...