(Ahh! My plants can breathe again!)
This week was all about staying warm and keeping the boys comfortable and healthy, and I’m so glad Friday has finally arrived! The sun came out and James is doing well, so we’re looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend. Here are a few things that caught my eye this week.
Beautiful underwater photography.
Photos of Rockabillies in their natural habitat.
Nominees for the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2013.
What depression looks like.
We’re all having an identity crisis.
Stunning photos of Jessica Chastain, by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue.
Jennifer Lawrence, strong woman.
Have a wonderful weekend!
(My current view from the back door.)
Yesterday, I showed you the work we did on the patio over the weekend. As you were reading my post, the temperature dropped dramatically and we woke up to freezing temperatures this morning. To prepare for the freeze, I took all of my plants down, placed the most delicate inside or under the patio roof, and covered them with towels for warmth. It’s a depressing view, but the weather should warm up again today and I’m counting the hours until I can uncover everything this afternoon.
(All of my patio plants covered for the freeze.)
As soon as the cold front blew in, James starting coughing and couldn’t seem to stop. Our doctor’s office and its after-hours urgent care clinic were booked solid, thanks to the weather, so we got an appointment early this morning. The poor guy is suffering from severe allergies, which caused asthma-like symptoms and scared me to death, but he’s on the mend and starting to feel better already. We had to cancel his weekly activities so he can rest, but hopefully, he’ll be up and around in no time.
(Nice and toasty inside.)
I’m hoping it warms up quite a bit, because I am just not suited for freezing temperatures. Neither is James, and neither are our plants.
At least it’s warm and cozy inside.
(Pretty plants all in a row.)
I write about my plants a lot, but it’s only because I love them so much. There’s something so satisfying about planting something small in dirt and watching it grow as you tend it. I look forward to watering my plants each morning and I love to see how they change as time passes.
I inherited my green thumb from my mom, who has a gorgeous garden, and I always think of her when I work outside in my little potted garden. She used to drag us to the local nursery all the time when my sisters and I were growing up, and I was always so bored. Then, she would get to work on her plants once we got home, as we played in the yard alongside her.
(Blooming for fall.)
Now that I’m a mother and I’ve assembled my own little collection of plants, I totally understand her excitement. James is old enough to help out with some of my outside activities now, and this past weekend, we all made a trip to Home Depot to stock up on plants for fall. I made Ryan come along because I needed two baskets worth of supplies, and James and Rhys were thrilled to help me choose plants. We had a little trouble fitting everything into the back of our car, but thanks to Ryan’s mad skills, it all worked out.
(The boys picked out these cyclamen, which are now inside.)
Once we got home, we got down to business, and I put the boys to work digging and mixing old soil. I potted a few of my new plants and arranged everything in my small area of the patio, away from the boys’ bikes and toys.
(Geraniums, pansies, and mums.)
I added a few hanging baskets of mums and snapdragons to my patio, and mums always do well in the Texas weather. I love their muted colors this time of year, and they are fairly hardy.
(My favorite view.)
As I selected plants, I knew in the back of my mind that our first freeze is always in November, but the weather has been so wet and mild lately that I didn’t really worry. Later that night, my mom broke the news of the Canadian front that is now here, which only goes to show that she still knows best.
My plants are covered under the patio now, and some are inside staying warm. I care for them like my children, and I’m hoping they will survive this winter. You know I’ll update you in the spring!
