Cleaning up the balcony

  

An empty pot, made in 2009...don't know what I'll plant in it.

I swear these orchid blooms are just dead flowers sitting on that stem...they opened last winter, and I put them outside with all the other plants when it got warm enough!

Our balconies are really really tiny...so it's just a good place to put a few plants...if I remember to water them, since most are under an overhang.

Letting in the cool morning air (until 9 am)

All the rest of the landscape crew is missing for the last 2 weeks. Here one of the two white guys has dumped and spread the rest of the mulch. I wonder if the Hispanic guys are hiding from ICE. These times are scary.

Barry Bernstein, pottery, 1949

Bounty and Soul brings a lot of fresh produce and day old bread, and even eggs, to distribute to the senior residents here once a week. I only want bread at this point. I've enough veggies that I should be cooking them up. Anyway, I love this sourdough, which had expired a few days before I received it, and it went into the freezer.  

The sources of day old groceries may remain, but the grants for Bounty and Soul, and Mana Food Bank are expiring June 30. That pays for the guys who deliver, and the gas in their trucks. Many volunteers keep things working, but I don't know if they'll still be in existence after the end of this month. Elders are known as being food insecure. Just look at what I had for dinner the other night...no don't!

At our local grocery, I got 4 chocolate croissants that were only $2.98 rather than double that usually. And then I had coffee with friends and paid about $5 for one croissant there! It's helping the economy I figure. I get the chocolate, and a decaf Americano to drink with it!

I received this lovely bracelet last Christmas but lost the details about it. I think someone may have identified the black stones as lava rock (as they have a bit of rough finish, as well as are very light.) Good energy anyway. Seri said it is restful and energizing and absorbs negative energy.

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Another piece of art which I haven't found a good place to post.

Today's quote:

We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.

Paulo Coelho

Our political situation certainly is giving us many unexpected events. I'm not pleased, most of the time. I've always believed that people power is so much more reasonable than political powers. That's supposedly what the Congress does.

Small (what's the word I want for good things?)

Sorry, I wrote this before the US bombed three Iranian sites. I can't think of anything else this morning. But I'll try to reply to comments in kind.

 

Flowers at Art in Bloom 2025, Center for the Arts, Black Mountain NC

As you can see, the paintings are already in existence, and the floral artists then make an arrangement to reflect the mood, design, colors, etc with flowers.

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 I had a great tech support person with Apple, who walked me through how to load photos from the iCloud into my blog. It may become easier. For now I have to go through each step carefully!

Here are some old photos that somehow do exist in the PC, and can be loaded "in my Apple computer." 

Never have found a good place to post this...so here it is!

I've got a neurological appointment. They finally called today (last Wednesday) and gave me a February 23 appointment. Ha ha ha.  We talked about how their office is way  north of Asheville while I live east of Asheville. And we talked about the date. No list of cancelations to be called. So people apparently call them every day to see if there's a cancelation. Right. At least I got the 2:50 pm appointment rather than the 8:20 am one!

People with memory difficulties, with fingers that won't behave because of tremors. Every day. Oh, they said, go back to your provider and ask them to send you to another clinic. I made the mistake of telling them the first one wouldn't take Medicare any more...I hope these folks still do, and that I live so long!

Joy of joys...some photos (tiny files) dragged through on the PC via emails.

The postage stamp size of balcony!

Some succulents before the rainstorm that evening.

An aloe which never seems to get very big.

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I'm trying the new med for the shaky fingers, which has side effects of course. Must try taking it a week. So sayeth my doc.

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It was sea turtle day and my friend Teresa had some new turtle jewelry from her friend in Indiana who thinks her birthday is in June rather than January. And a new blouse too!

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Today's quote:

I was wise enough to

never grow up while

fooling most people

into believing I had.

Margaret Mead

In the neighborhood

 

Last Sunday's greeting that the bear-proof bin had let our Ursus americanus friend have a snack (at least.) Since I'm standing by my car to take this photo, and that's my apartment door in the distance, it's a bit unnerving to think that I walk through the path of a bear just a few hours after he/she has been pushing his/her weight around. I do not go outside after dark to my car these days...so if I'm coming home after dark, I wonder if I should carry bear spray!

Another bit of nature that crossed my path, on the back side of the church Sunday morning!

The hanging planters

And that wild coleus as well as the tall basil!

I have no idea why this succulent has the red edges. I killed most of my succulents this year.

Sharing with Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Today's Quote:

The reason grandparents and grandchildren get along so well is that they have a common enemy.” Sam Levinson

Some plants around the house

This pretty succulent is a daughter of one I got at a wedding 2 years ago. Thanks Barb and Marty for the cute gift!

There's a lot happening in the little shallow dish she's growing out of...

A leaf that fell off is blossoming into a new plant!

And this jade plant has also rooted from a leaf. I've got 2 more planters full of these jade plants...they are very prolific!

I have had this purple Oxalis, shamrock, in this same pot, for many years...I forget when I first stuck it in here. The little bucket has no drainage, and as the plant has dying leaves, I just shove them back into the bottom of the leaves, creating it's own compost...and water it maybe weekly. I love how it contrasts with green plants.

One of my orchid plants is trying to bloom again...with this stem stretching up. I'll do a splint for it soon, so it won't strain the stem whenever it blooms.

 These two huge Kalancho plants have spent the summer outside, and are pretty healthy. Some of the leaves should fall off during the winter. I'm glad I was able to give another Kalancho to a friend...spreading the greenery!