I have lots of plants in my apartment. But there is one plant in particular that I call the free spirit plant.
I can’t even recall what this plant is actually called. I call it the free spirit plant because it does its own thing in its own way.
It grows in various directions like a wild child. The leaves are like little hands reaching in all directions, seeking the light.
As you see it has its own special spot right by the French doors. If this apartment was a business it would be the greeter plant. The receptionist at the door.
It isn’t prettier than my other plants. It isn’t at all exotic. But it has special traits; this plant does. Because it’s my free spirit wild child plant.
You know I placed three things on this table, thinking it would keep Ivy off the glass.
And look what she did. She sprawled splat in the middle of them, managing to touch all the objects on the table with some part of her body.
It amazed me how she placed her big self there without knocking anything over!
I watched another episode of Vera last night. I think it was the third episode in the second series. I do believe I saw Vera wearing a bit of lipstick last night. Which struck me because she seems to make a special effort to look plain.
Someone commented that Joe gets replaced at some point and I’m dreading that. Because I’ve really come to like that young man. He’s almost like a son to Vera, though she would never allow someone to be that close I don’t think.
Holly has left for greener pastures. Vera seemed to hate to see her go, but was reluctant to do for Holly what Holly needed from her. Words of praise don’t come easily to Vera.
Vera seems to get a bit close to people and then she steps back. She puts people at arm’s length and laughs when she feels things as though that will lessen the impact. Because feeling emotions is awkward for her for some reason.
The air purifier, one of two I ordered from Walmart, seems to be on the fritz. I don’t know quite what to do. No way can I carry that thing into the store.
It will come on when it wants to and then shut off. I keep the filter clean, so that isn’t it.
I just haven’t been in the mood to fiddle with it yet to see if I can figure things out. Because I don’t have that kind of analytical mind when it comes to fixing things like this and know I will probably just get frustrated.
The back stretcher I ordered arrived Friday. It feels good to lie on my back on it and feel it correct the curvature of my spine.
It says to take it slow and ease into lying down on it, but I have no problem being limber. It says to do some stretching first and I already do that twice per day.
Almost every time I get up Ivy runs to whatever piece of furniture she’s knocked one of her swirly toys under, then looks up at me. Which means she wants me to get the yard stick and fetch it out for her.
In the morning when I get up she has lots of errant swirly toy problems for me to deal with. I heard her playing with them much of the night.
At one point I could hear her moving my shoes around in the dark and I knew exactly what she was doing. Putting her swirly toys in the toes of my shoes. This cat has always had a thing about shoes.
From the very first day she came to live here she’s been putting things in the toes of shoes. Of course that first night it was dead crickets and I didn’t much like that.
But I did and do admire her creativity.
That’s an arrowhead plant. I had one in my bedroom that was so happy for years….until it wasnt, and leaves started dying. I repotted it in fresh soil, still no good. It died, but I had taken cuttings that I rooted….now I have one rooted section back in the bedroom, and one in the living room.
Ivy cracks me up. What a little goofball!
Brenda, I’m envious of your green thumb…but really, I can’t stop looking at the beautiful drapes behind the plant. Gorgeous!!
“,…I can’t stop looking at the beautiful drapes…” I was thinking the same thing – I have plans, unbeknownst to Hubby (aka The Decorator), to get a brighter set of drapes – I chose drab ones, pretty, but drab which will look nicer in the front room (just too formal for my bedroom!) 🙂 b
We used to call that plant “elephant ears”. Love the pics of your babies.
“If I fits I sits” LOL.
Beautiful plant, beautiful home,2 cuties to share it with.
tell me about the back stretcher. Is that something you had a prescription for? Sounds like a good idea.
Ivy is nothing if not a smart cat. How creative to put things in shoes! We have two new kittens and they are as mischievous as Ivy. They spend the entire night getting into things. On the kitchen counters and on the table, knocking things to the floor, pawing the dirt out of the plants in the bay window and tipping over the pots. Aargh! They were taken in by my daughter to kill the mouse population that seems to inhabit our walls which we can’t figure out how they come in. Well, we’ll see if they grow into mousers or not. Our old cat used to be a good mouser but she has “retired”. No longer interested in chasing those furry little rodents. I read online the other day that cats hate the smell of oranges, so I’m going to cut up an orange and leave it and it’s peel on the counter tonight and see if they stay off it.
I used to have a plant like the one by your patio door. I think they are really beautiful, but I can’t remember what they are called either. Something like sword-leaved something-or-other. I’d like to get another one. Like you said they are easy to grow.
Hope you figure out your humidifier malfunction. Seem like it’s too new to be giving you trouble.
By the way, that is a wonderful photo of little Charlie. He’s such a cutie-pie.
Your Ivy is such a kick. Alot of cats are like that… very agile and careful. My sister has an entire windowsill full of tiny little glass figurines, and her cats both tip toe along it, all across that 10 foot sill, and don’t know ONE thing over! It’s amazing. My two cats at home are the same… very careful when walking across tables and things and don’t seem to step on anything or knock it over.. and they, like Ivy, can find ways to lay amongst things and not disturb them one bit! Such a kick they are! My two rescue cats love shoes also.. maybe something about the odor of them, but they both want to play with my shoes and try to get inside them! Marilyn
Hi Brenda, enjoy your blog so much ! I have always known that plant as goose’s foot. Love your fur babies, cats always find a way don’t they ? Charlie is adorable in that picture. Happy New Year !!
SYNGONIUM PODOPHYLLUM, OR COMMONLY KNOWN AS ARROWHEAD PHILODENDRON . IT CAN BE PINCHED BACK TO KEEP IT MORE COMPACT OR ALLOWED TO GROWN RUNNERS, AND USED AS A HANGING PLANT.
Yes, yes, I remember the arrowhead part of the name of the plant now.
Hi Brenda….love your blog. Read every day! Funny when I was in Hobby Lobby the other day looking at lamps I said to myself, Brenda would love the beaded tassel lamp and then read you had purchased it! Funny how we all become connected. I bought the lamp as well. I love it but was influenced by your blog. Happy New Year. Loved reading you were able to connect with your granddaughter.
Air purifier may have timer set for
Off/On after a certain time of running. I am sure you have checked
your instruction booklet. & May google.
Photo of CharlieBoy is Mr. Hollywood
stunning! He is cute as a button.
Ivy is a little snoop. She loves the round table & knows if she causes problems you will
certainly find a way to keep her off.
Misplaced instruction manual. Will have to find it. Just like I’m still looking for the camera battery charger. I tend to misplace things.
“I tend to misplace things.” Who doesn’t. What gets me is, I put something in a “Good” place and I repeat in my mind where I placed it, but when I go looking for it I can’t find it. lol I liked the suggestion one lady made – put the object or whatever in the place You are going to and then take a pic – I hope I remember that next time, it was a GOOD idea!!! 🙂 b
So funny and cute. I was laughing when you said Ivy was on the table, and when I saw the picture, it was amazing. She knows just what she is doing. That cat is such a joy, and a little bit clown…Love the picture of Charlie. Is that a recent one? He looks GOOD, and adorable as well.
Your plants also look wonderful. I wish I had a green thumb, but the plants that I’ve tried in the house, don’t do so good, but I do have luck out side. Your apartment always looks like a picture from a magazine…You have that certain touch, no matter what you decorate with, it just seems like the way to go.
Happy 2020, wishing the 3 of you, good health and happiness. Hugs from white WI, where the snow is coming down fast and furious…
Yes, I took the photos of Ivy and Charlie yesterday.