Sometimes the Hat Doesn't Fit

You know the phrase about wearing many hats.  I've used it to describe what I do in my workplace. I'm sure I'm not the only one who assumes many roles.

High Tea in the Afternoon - finished

I've found a few that just do not fit.  For instance, when our children were playing soccer and my husband was coaching, I took the referee training.  That was a horrible flop!  'Nuf said.

At home, since it's winter, all the potted plants have made their way inside.  They're stuffed in nooks and corners as they wait for the Springtime to bring those warmer days and gentle rains.  Until then, I'm systematically killing them all.  My gardening hat just doesn't fit.  I keep trying to smash it back on my head anyway.  A famous saying around here is my statement that, "Well, this one must have had a drainage problem."  I usually follows a plant death by drowning.  My teens remind me of this prevalent drainage problem often, and have been known to put hand drawn cartoons of Spongebob Squarepants begging for mercy in the leaves of my plants.

So last night, some friends came over and one spied three Christmas cactus near the front door.  She asked what colors the flowers bloom.  Well,  I don't remember, but my best guess is pink.  They had blooms when I bought them, but haven't bloomed since.  The jointed segments keep falling off and I just threw away the evidence earlier today before my company arrived.  Since the soil felt like a clay tennis court, I also watered them a little.

Then, I ran the Roomba vacuum cleaner in my studio.  A small cutting (my husband brought it home ... he's been babysitting an office plant for 4 years) was hidden amongst other large plants under the quilting frame.  Somehow, the bigger plants pushed the small one out into traffic allowing the vacuum knocked over the plastic cup.  Roomba promptly sucked that poor plant in and wound it around the rotating bars.  It loudly announced, "Error!  Please clean Roomba's wheel cage."  When I confessed this account, my husband reconfirmed another family member's strong suggestion of silk plants since I cannot be trusted with live ones.  (Thank you, Donna, for all the silk plants in my bathroom.  They still look great!)  He also pointed out that he's cared for this thriving plant for 4 years and contrasted it to my few weeks before imminent death.  For some crazy reason, he's planning to bring home another cutting today.  I think he's looking for the comic relief it will provide when it meets it's doom at my hands.  Our marriage has benefited from his sense of humor.

So, along with child of God, wife, mother, step-n-fetch-it, chauffeur, chaperone, cook, maid, engineer and a few others, I'll wear a quilter hat.  I showed this one (at the top of today's post) in progress last Fall, but forgot to share it's finish.  It was so fun to put together swapped blocks and enjoy my online friends' creativity with this theme. 

 The following is to prove that I've not overstated my case.  Plus, it will make you feel much better about your own gardening skills, which have greatly surpassed mine.  There was no rearranging for the photo.  It was taken just as I found everything this morning.

Under the Quilting Frame

I'm still holding out a little (false) hope for these.  They're a hardier bunch and might just make it until Springtime, when I can spray them with the hose and they become much more independent.

Is the new growth on the night blooming cereus supposed to look like a bright green smooth stick?  Maybe I'll add it's photo soon.  By the way, I have seen it bloom .... it was before Mom gave it to me.

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars