Saturday, June 28, 2008

Summer Saturday, 2008




Today's post is really just an excuse to show you these flower pictures I took this morning. The one on the left is an actual cactus that just sits like a lump all winter and spring, and then, when the temperature hits the 90s, bursts into these happy blooms with a gentle, honeyed scent. The one above is in the Christmas cactus family but is one of two I have that bloom mid-year, when it's hot.

We have so many plants, the house looks like a nursery in the wintertime. There's barely room to put anything else on shelves and counters and it's always tempting to let some of them go. But in the summer, when they are out in the elements where they belong, they're so beautiful that I realize getting rid of any of them is unthinkable. Besides, most of them have been with us for as long as there's been an "us." They're part of the family. Our new house will have a dedicated plant room. Heaven help us all.

I'm not in a philosophical frame of mind and can't think of anything to reminisce about. Steve's where he always is on a weekend at home: working on the walls in the bathroom. He discovered that the wallpaper--all of it--would come down with ease, probably because it's been in a steamy bathroom for 20 years. So he'll be able to paint over properly treated walls. That's newsworthy!

9 comments:

Mim said...

That Steve is a wallpaper removing machine! I am impressed.
Yes and our plants do become like our family members, just like the pets do. A plant room, now that sounds like a good idea.
Mim

Ralph said...

I seem to be hitting the jackpot on ideas for you, Mim. I'll try to keep it up!

Here's an idea for that porch, what we're planning for our new house: the walls will be as much window as possible. The windows will be screened, with glass that removes or pops out in some way, so you have a screened porch in the summer and a literal sunroom--for the plants--in the winter.

jack/andrews said...

Glad to hear that Steve finally got an easy one! Not quite as much fun as piloting the boat last Saturday, but it's got to be a bit energizing.

Ralph said...

There's a souvenir on its way to you as we write, Michele.

Anonymous said...

You and Steve must have all the luck . . . ME? I start one job like that and create 20 others. Multiply that by trips to Lowes or Home Depot and you have "Happy Harry Home Owner".

Jenny said...

We have a screened porch here at Lac Le Jeune and we're considering making it a 3 season room, possibly adding a woodstove to extend the spring and fall seasons. The climate here is dry and fairly cool because of the elevation (4200 ft.). A 20 minute drive to Kamloops (our closest town) will take you to a place that's at least 10 degrees warmer. The screened porch was supposed to be a single car carport in the original house plan, but our contractor turned it into a screened porch for us--it's a wonderfully large space that would turn this into a terrific "party house" if we put glass in the windows where the screens are now.

Ralph said...

HA! Z&M, here's the method to our madness: Steve knows what he's doing. I do the Lowe's (or Home Depot) runs. Division of labor. Works like a charm!

Ralph said...

That sounds like a great-size porch, Jenny. Not sure ours will be that big (wish it could be)--but in the summer it may double as a screened-in outdoor dining area. One idea we're playing with is having a two-sided fireplace that opens in the LR and out there in the porch/sunroom.

Ravel said...

Wallpapers are like that: some are a pain in the a.. to remove, others are quite easy. I'm happy for Steve and Ralph will have less mes to clean after... :-)