Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Garden

Sending Blooms To Boston

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Boston, I don’t know what to tell you. You’re dealing with a snowtastrophe. I spent this past weekend thrilled to PIP (Putter In Place) at home for two days while we got hit with rain from the Pineapple Express. Boston folks are experiencing cabin fever of epic proportions at this point and I bet it’s not too fun.

Saw a YouTube video of a cat losing it trying to get out the front door of snow.  How do you even explain it to your dogs? Do they have doggie snow poop scoopers?

Mom brought this over Sunday from her back yard. Gorgeous camellia. No, she does not have a green house.
Mom brought this over Sunday from her backyard. Gorgeous camellia. No, she does not have a green house.

Since Mr. Whiskers the hedgehog at the Oregon Zoo predicted an early Spring for those of us on the West Coast, his record is 1 percent better than old Phil the Groundhog’s (40% to 39%), I feel I should apologize since we’re getting an early spring out West. They’re even predicting 65 degree weather here on Friday. I kid you not. Of course that unleashes the tree pollen, but I bet Boston would take that too.

So the best thing I can do is perhaps give you  hope that blooms will blossom eventually by showing you some of ours.

My saxifrasia will survive even a nuclear blast I think, but the cold weather didn’t slow them down this past winter. This backyard one was so happy in its pot I didn’t even realize it had bloomed. What a wonderful surprise. So I know you Boston folks are tough and I hope storm Marcus eases up on you soon.

Valentine’s Day is coming, so maybe you can make red or pink snow hearts? Use cherry juice? Seems you have plenty of snow to work with right now.  Hope the Blooms for Boston help!

Have you noticed the pink theme with my plant blooms? Pink rocks!
Have you noticed the pink theme with my plant blooms? Pink rocks!

Got Spring Fever?

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by Kimberly A. Cook             (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The Super Bowl is over so it must be Spring. Wait one. Poor Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog had to use an ice ax and a snow blower to even reach daylight yesterday, so seeing his shadow was a guarantee. More winter for all. While the East is under their thirteenth snow attack it seems, flowers are blooming here in Oregon.

How is this for a perfect pink camellia blossom?
How is this for a perfect pink camellia blossom?

At my writer friend’s house Saturday to carpool to our support group, she had a fabulous yard full of blooming camellias. Could not resist taking a few pictures, but I have no idea of the camellias names. An article in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago said the camellia in my backyard which blooms during the winter and sets off Spec Ops Cat’s allergies is a Yuletide. Makes sense since it is bright red with a yellow center.

I’d chop it down but the birdies love it. Plus Spec Ops Cat enjoys watching the birdies, Cat TV from inside, so it’s a Catch- 22. Since we had sun on Saturday and rain on Sunday, made me want to either take a nap in a sun spot or cuddle up in a blanket. Spec Ops Cat chose to sleep in the sun spot. Smart boy.

It might be the transition time of year here but we can always get another snow event, like we did in February 2014. Think it is the possibility of Spring that makes me want to run and break out my sandals. Too cold now, but my toes love to run naked when they can.

The Mamas and Papas song, “California Dreamin” comes to mind, but my version would be Spring Dreamin. I checked the planter full of bulbs and the brave ones are raising their little green heads above the soil. On Feb. 16, President’s Day, it will be time to cut back the roses.

The days roll on and suddenly we will turn the clocks back and then Spring will arrive. Spring is my favorite season with all the new growth and buds. And Easter bunnies! Here’s wishing us all dreams of Spring and warmer days.

Took this photo of the moon from my backyard last night. The calendar says tonight is the Snow Moon. Don't tell the East Coast!
Took this photo of the moon from my backyard last night. The calendar says tonight is the Snow Moon. Don’t tell the East Coast!

And hopefully someone gave Phil the Groundhog a nice big cup of cocoa with mini-marshmallows to keep him warm until Spring arrives.

If you want to check on Phil: www.groundhog.org

 

 

 

 

Do You Need To Be Re-Potted?

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by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

I’ve been doing a lot of projects lately. Granted, I always have projects to do, but these are the mundane drive me crazy kind of jobs. Feels great to accomplish them. Completed a rather sticky one two weeks ago.

A lucky bamboo plant a friend gave me a couple of years ago at work  was trying to eat my desk. It started out as a few short well-ordered stalks and then just kept growing. I find this amazing since I can pretty much kill cactus, but aside from the hardy African violets at home, growing a plant at the day job under fluorescent lights seemed like a challenge. Bamboo appeared to be pretty happy after all.

No, not new food, bamboo roots after finally getting them out of the small vase. Note the nifty use of my strainer to catch the rocks!
No, not new food, bamboo roots after finally getting them out of the small vase. Note the nifty use of my strainer to catch the rocks!

So when the plant grew taller than my desk shelf I had to move it out of the corner, then it began to block my hanging calendar view. Next thing I noticed it was trying to escape on its own. The roots were growing out of the vase. Root bound. Not wanting to stunt its growth, I found on the Internet how I was supposed to care for my bamboo plant. I’d been doing everything wrong. Oh well. Obviously my bamboo plant didn’t care.

Read the re-potting instructions and launching the space shuttle might be easier. So I did what I normally do, I took the advice I liked and struck out on my own. Directions said not to get a new vase more than an inch higher and 1 1/2 inches wider. Accomplished.

Airlifted bamboo home in my car, it fit perfectly in my drink cup holder if you don’t mind driving with fronds in your face. Bought new rocks at the craft store. Assembled my tools and  began to try to surgically remove the bamboo from the vase. Not budging. Okay. Rocks in there, tugging is in order. Major tugging. I may have shaved off a few roots in the meantime.

Long story shorter, planted in new vase and watered. Its been two weeks and the leaves are still green so I that’s good. Bamboo seems to like its new home where it gets light seven days a week instead of four. Now I just have to be careful it doesn’t try to eat my kitchen.

Upright and green. This was right after the major transplant, in case it croaked before I wrote this blog post. Happy plant!
Upright and green. This was right after the major transplant, in case it croaked before I wrote this blog post. Happy plant!

In fact, bamboo plant looked on while I watched the Seahawks pull out a miracle trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday. See, I had decided to sort my tax receipts during the commercials. Worked like a charm. Of course, during the Super Bowl that won’t work because the commercials are part of the show.  Alas, football will soon be  over. But there is basketball!

Do you need to be re-potted or moved or put in a different vase? A change of scenery can work wonders for bamboo plants and people. Especially if we get to pick the color of our own pretty rocks. Sunstones work for me. And diamonds. Rubies. Emeralds. Turquoise. I feel another project coming on…….