Yesterday was a wonderful day. I went out in my back yard and spent a few hours sitting in the sun.
I sat on the seat of the walker and talked to a neighbor, Lynn, who lives above Ron and Pat. She was tending to plants for people who live below, as she is younger and more agile.
I watched as she scooped up a poor mourning dove that was injured. She said it was injured earlier in the week, but yesterday even more so. It needed tender loving care.
I came inside and got the brown bird cage I bought at a consignment shop years ago for Lynn to keep the bird in. Lynn took it upstairs to her patio and gave it food and water.
The Injured Mourning Dove:
You can’t see anything but the tip of its head, but it’s inside the bird house above. Safe and out in the fresh air and being taken care of.
Lynn is a kind soul who helps outs with the older neighbors and their outdoor plants. She is also the neighbor who once brought me a dozen eggs from her daughter’s farm in Missouri.
Then I got tired of sitting and got my old garden cart with wheels and rolled around the yard pulling weeds. I began picking up sticks while rolling around as well. And tossing them against the tree, as you can see in the first photo.
Hiring Help:
Ron’s grandson Casey built the garden path out to the sidewalk last year. But he wasn’t available this year.
I ordered perennials from a company called Great Garden Plants.
But they come in quart sizes and not the gallon size of the hostas and coral bells I planted last year. So they might not have very deep roots yet.
Maybe I should put them in containers and let them grow a bit more?
From Great Gardens I Ordered The Plants Below:
- 1 American Dream Tickseed
- 2 Purple Illusion Spike Speedwell plants
- 2 Berry Taffy Bee Balm
- 1 Serendipity Allium
- 2 Lily Of The Valley
I have never planted tickseed, speedwell, or Lily of the valley before.
Whenever they get planted in the ground, I’d like the plants to spread and fill in around the hostas I planted last year.
Neighbors have been telling me how beautiful my potted Japanese Maple is. It is full and lush with beautiful leaves.
I stare at its beauty from my wicker chair on the patio.
The Herb Plants I Ordered:
Then I decided to order herbs for my containers. Here’s what I ordered from The Growers Exchange. They come in 3 inch pots:
- Pineapple sage
- Italian oregano
- Genovese basil
- Rosemary
- Lemon balm
- Sorrel
- Vick’s plant
- Orange scented geranium
- Lemon verbena
I love the scent of herbs. The perennials I ordered are to entice pollinators to my yard. The herbs are for me. I just love herbs, and the strong scent of herbs help to turn pests away.
Meeting New Neighbors:
While outside I also met a neighbor who lives with her husband down at the other end of Ron and Pat’s row of apartments. Her name is Charlene and she seems very nice. They were outside working in their yard.
She said they lived for a while upstairs here, then moved to the lower 2 bedroom apartment they’re in now. I haven’t met her husband yet.
People who live on the row of apartments where Ron and Pat live only have a front yard. The back side faces a street.
It is so nice to live in a community where there are people my age. I have people to talk to about gardens and birds and such. And I can socialize if I want to or simply work in my yard if I don’t want to.
For someone who’s always had problems in social situations, this is the kind of atmosphere I like.
Neighbor Barbara, Who Lives Next To Ron & Pat:
Barbara came outside with her walker and talked to me a bit while I rested on my patio. She may be moving to assisted living. Her children are urging her to to move but she’s undecided. She’s lived here for 9 years.
Barbara lives next to Ron and Pat.
Ron came out and I talked to him a bit. He has lost a lot of weight and looks wonderful. However, he was terribly sick to get to this point.
Steve told me yesterday that Ron said they’re having an outdoor party to celebrate his and Pat’s wedding anniversary. Seventy years!
Well, I can’t even begin to imagine being married to someone for seventy years.
Maybe my yard will be looking better by then. It’s filled with sticks and stuff that’s drifted in over the winter.
I picked up a lot of the sticks rolling around, then threw them to the cypress tree trunk because it’s hard for me to get up and down. I’ll ask Casey to dispose of them.
Such A Wonderful Day On Many Fronts:
It was a wonderful day. Being outdoors in the fresh air and talking to neighbors about our gardens.
Last week John, who lives across from me, asked if he could move his bird feeders to my yard where he could see them from inside.
I said of course. From this new vantage point, I can take wonderful photos of the birds eating while sitting on my patio.
So it was a happy, happy day. Talking to neighbors, catching up on their news, meeting others. Not to mention deciding to go ahead and order plants for my yard, which I’d been on the fence about.
I got to absorb some of the nice weather and sunlight. I’ve been indoors for so long. The ankle surgery was 10 months ago. And it’s been slow going.
Ron & Pat’s Hibiscus Plants:
And Ron and Pat found these gorgeous pink hibiscus plants at Sam’s for $20 each. They are shaped into topiaries and look so pretty.
Everyone is outside planting and tending to their yards. It is a joyful time.
It warms my heart to hear you sound so happy! Sunshine, good friends, and beauty all around… it doesn’t get much better than that. Here’s to many more wonderful days ahead!
It’s wonderful to hear the JOY in your words!
After reading your post, I almost feel like I was outside, too!
But, I’m still non-weight bearing on my ankle. I’ve got two more weeks before I do a “test drive” with a walking boot. I’m anxious to do some gardening myself.
what a fabulous day you had, Brenda! I’m so happy for you! I, too, would like to live where you live.
Thank you for inspiring me to go out and get some herbs for a container when our climate will be ready for them. I won’t have room for all the ones you have, so which ones would you recommend as the best ones to repel bugs?
Thank you so much.
Glad you were able to get outside and get some fresh air and sunshine and meet some new neighbors. As far as your new plants, just be aware that allium, bee balm, and lily of the valley are super spreaders.
I enjoyed reading your post today, Brenda, as I have been feeling pretty glum. Just coming out of a sinus infection over the past week and still feeling exhausted. So it was nice to hear about your happy day and about the plants you’ve ordered and the plans you have for your yard. Also, the relationships you are forming with your neighbors. I sure would like to find a place like the little community you are in. I am very weary of sharing my small ranch with my daughter and her family. I want more solitude and space and privacy. Some days it really gets me down, like today when I’m not feeling tip-top anyway. But, I’m so glad you are where you are with wonderful neighbors and space for a few plants. I hope your ankle keeps progressing and that you will eventually be able to get around without the awkwardness of the walker. I know it’ been really hard to be patient with the healing but I think, eventually, you’ll be glad you were. Take care and enjoy the Spring!
Such a happy post! The fresh air and the sun can do wonders for our spirits and meeting new neighbors plus watching birds rounds it out!! Your “younger” neighbor nursing the injured dove sounds so sweet as do your newly met neighbors. And your new plants (and herbs) sound lovely. If you will be having a little help around the garden, which it sounds like you will be, planting the flowers may be the way to go. Smaller plants will still do well in the ground but watch their water requrements because as you said the roots may not be as strong. That being said, I have bought some smaller plants that are actually covered w heavy roots and I have to cut some of the roots before planting to allow the roots to branch outward in the ground and not to continue to grow around the plant. Cheers to many more sunny days outside!!
May you have many more days like this to enjoy. I never heard of Vick’s plant. Always exciting ordering new plants. Have a good weekend.
So glad you got out Brenda! I did too, cleaned windows and pressure washed the patio. Im paying for it today but it made me happy to be in the sun. Have a wonderful weekend.
I am so happy to read your blog today. I can tell you are so happy to be outside in your garden and had a chance to talk to your neighbors!
I think your apartment complex sounds wonderful. How nice to sit out on a nice spring day with the sun on your face, and talk to your neighbors about plants and birds, etc. A lot of articles on line lately keep coming up about how important a healthy social life is to our health. And with Steve, your neighbors, and daughters, I think you are doing fine.
I’m so glad u were able to get out and enjoy your day talking to your wonderful neighbors Brenda! U sound so happy today! Yay! Just keep on plugging along and someday u wouldn’t need that walker. Everything takes time!
I just took an old
wheel barrel and spray painted the metal part in a beautiful dark blue then planted it up
with lots of pretty flowers. I’m not much of a gardener but figure I can control this!! It’s so
nice to hear that you had a lovely day. I know how much flowers and your garden mean to you.
This post makes me so happy. I am excited about your plant purchases – they sound wonderful! And herbs!
Love the robin and cardinal photos – such joy from these beautiful feathered ones! I am rooting for the mourning dove – how kind of Lynn to care for it.
Mary
How lovely! Brenda, you sound like a sunny day feels. Thank you for these moments of joy.
I love reading about your happy contentment! So nice to be surrounded with people who value the simple joys in life…a safe living space, a pet or two, hobbies like gardening or ship building, and the noninvasive companionship of friendly neighbors like yourself. And the best part? None of these people appear to think they need to be armed with an arsenal of guns to protect themselves from “scary porch intruders.” SMH
Glad you had a great day…I love bee balm…it will spread and so will the lily of the valley…the hibiscus are beautiful. Had one last year that was beautiful…did not try to winter it in the house but people do…💕
What a wonderful day! And you sound happy.
Tickseed… That is the third time I have seen it or heard it mentioned this week. I have driven once a week for two months to UT Southwest Medical School in Dallas to a specialized physical therapist to work on my balance. I have orthostatic hypotension.
Yesterday when the valet was returning my car to me, I noticed that Tickseed was planted and growing near the waiting area. I bought three plants several years ago. It had lovely colors and grew to fill my flower bed. The man who mowed my yard did not like it and used the weed eater to destroy it.
It kept the weeds and the grass out of my flowerbed!
I dont know how they did it but I had Lilly of the Valley grow under cement steps , under cement walks and the other side of the front stoop. I loved them but could not control them. I so enjoy your gardening and chats!
With the warm weather ahead, you can look forward to many more days like yesterday! Looking forward to reading about your new plantings!
A wonderful and bliss filled day, Brenda. Take advantage of days like that! So good for your soul.