NO green thumb required!

Word Origin: 

Noun - green thumb

An exceptional aptitude for gardening or for 

growing plants successfully

House plants provide much pleasure for the city dweller with a green thumb. . . . . 

. . . . . and you can always cheat a little bit!

You just knew, didn't you? It didn't take long to realize I was not satisfied with

 two planters taking up all that dining room table space! 

We don't eat every meal there but when we do

it's good not having to move too many items, including faux plants.

Yes, tried placing them UP on the top of the Welsh dresser - much too close to

 the ceiling - I wish I had high ceilings. Cottage style homes don't of course!

I decided to split the planters - leaving just one on the table - and this is working well.

Yesterday morning when granddaughter Jasmin came 
for breakfast (she's dog sitting for my neighbors this weekend), we indulged
in fresh-made fruit smoothies with scrambled egg croissants and had plenty of
 room to eat.

Photo via Jasmin's iPhone

 The second planter I've placed here on the hearth, lightening it up,

bringing a little more of a summery feel to the living room.

Heavy rain last evening - I swear the grass grew an inch over night.

Today is so humid - the only garden activity here will be squirrels, birds,

and I see my very tiny chipmunk already out there munching on 

dropped seeds under the bird feeder.

Have a good Sunday - 'see you' here during the week!

Green thumb . . . . . . . . . .

Somehow I missed celebrating Earth Day yesterday, so today I'm sharing the

view from the front porch this morning looking out across our little quarter acre.

My feeling is that every day this amazing planet Earth should be celebrated,

 whether you have beautiful sprawling country acreage, or just a small plot

 outside the city.

Yesterday morning we sat out here in brilliant sunshine with our coffee, and by

 late morning is was hot. Today cooler weather has returned with a vengeance

 and it will stay a couple of days with the possibility of heavy rains. . . . . . there's a

 light rain just starting now.   

Personally I am embracing this cool Sunday morning. I don't enjoy heat - especially

 when the air conditioning system is on the blink which ours is at present! 

With rain dampening down the pollen - enabling me to throw open the 

windows - and refreshing all the shades of green, I took these few photos early

 today to show you how green it is around the cottage.

The small oak tree, snuggling up to the fig, I've mentioned often.

This is 'Bob's Oak', growing from an acorn that sprouted here several years ago.

"Leave it" Bob would say when I showed up with the weeding tools.

 "Let's just see what it does". Well here it is, already a substantial tree 

with a pleasing shape which seems to be growing about a foot annually.

The birds love it, using it as a perching place for the feeder and bath.

These three trees were all started by us - the red maple, Celeste fig, and

 of course the some day 'mighty oak' perhaps to be enjoyed by generations to come!

New Boston ferns are now hanging on the porch - always a favorite here in

 Summer months. In Winter they become nighttime roosts for our family of 

Carolina wrens who snuggle in the pots, making small 'bedrooms' when the

 plants are brown and ugly. . . . . . .but I don't have the heart to take them

 down until I replace with new ones come April. I must admit, any birds 

trying to nest here in Spring - usually finches who adore hanging baskets but

 are so messy - get shooed away because the ferns can't be watered if they move in!