Oh, I wish the photos could do justice to how vivid the new leaves of mesquite trees are. They look "alien green" and against the very dark bark of a mesquite tree they are stunning! I had to pick a few from our tree, along with a sprig of sand verbena, to put on my shrine. But first I took a few photos of them on my "nature table," along with an empty wasps' nest I found.
Both the mesquite and the sand verbena are very drought-tolerant. The sand verbena will bloom its head off with just a cup or so of water a week, but I like to give it more. It's that greediness for blooms again! More water means even more blooms. A single plant can spread about three feet square and have hundreds of blooms at once. The mesquite makes unremarkable small yellow flowers followed by loads of edible seed pods that are pretty messy on the ground, but really, anything that can live in the desert gets kudos from me. And bees just love the blooms.
The students at school had a rare treat today, although they may not know this yet. A WWII veteran came by to speak of his years in the Navy during the war. Not only did he drive himself to school, at 100 years old, but he had all his wits and wisdom about him still. There are so few of these veterans left...he was in uniform, too, which billowed around him and tugged at my heart. Like my husband, he is all angles and sticks; his upper arm looked like it was about as big around as my wrist. You just don't see any overweight super-seniors. I unfortunately did not get to hear his talk, but did enjoy talking to him while he was waiting to speak to the students. He told me that our building used to be a kindergarten, long ago, and that his two children had attended it. Amazing!
And something else amazing: My husband has suddenly become very enthused about my community garden plot. But now I guess it's "our" plot or more realistically, HIS garden plot! He has timers and sprinklers and soaker hoses rigged up to water automatically, and he is pulling weeds (and yes, some seedlings, but hush!) and planting more seeds since I was worried my bush pumpkins hadn't appeared yet. He is fussing over the lemongrass clumps as if they were newborn pups!
I hope your Friday is going well, and that the weekend will be a lovely one and a peaceful one. As always, I will light a Holy Candle for my blog friends when I visit the church after work. I love going into the dark church, lit only by the candles on the altar and in the votive banks. Thank'ee for stopping by!
Kind regards,
Olde Dame Holly
Hello Holly
ReplyDeleteI hope you don’t feel too tired with your job.
I love thé wasp’s nest . I don’t know the plant but love the green colour it looks very nice on your little shrine.
Thank you for your prayers and candle for us.
I also wish you a very peaceful end of week.
Those mesquite trees are so beautiful, I agree. And that photo with the wasp nest is stunning. I would have enjoyed the gentleman's visit. Oh and your husband taking an interest in your garden plot?...that is awesome. Doing things together like this is what the world needs to do!!! Keep us posted.
ReplyDeletethe green is gorgeous with the purple on it and the nest looks great but i could never have it in the house, I am terrified of wasps. we need some of the ones that dont need water, we have been in semi drought for 4 years. we lost most of our plants because we don't water, we just use rain. hubby always did what yours does with the garden and plants but after stroke can't do it anymore
ReplyDeleteYour sand verbena looks NOTHING like the verbena that blooms here. Mine is lemon and smells so lovely when I run the mower over it. It also spreads like wildfire. Yours is beautiful and I loved the wasp nest. They never build in the same place twice.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet you got to talk to the WWII veteran. I loved reading how you described him, too. You truly are a wordsmith. Also loved reading about your husband and his newly found love of gardening. Hope your weekend is filled with joy and relaxation, dear.
Lovely photo and the colors are so vivid a refreshing. I love the old wasps nest too. I hope those kids appreciated the old Veteran gentleman who visited them. What an honor to have him. I am sure those kids had no clue just how special he was, but I do hope they listened and learned from him. Having your hubby help with the gardening sounds wonderful. I am always happy when my hubby offers to help me outside with anything. It's not his forte' (nor is it really mine), but together we can accomplish something better than with just one of us barely managing. A lovely visit here today. Have a blessed and beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful picture of your wasps nest and flowers. what a wonderful treat to talk to a WWII veteran so much knowledge!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful you husband has taken an interest in your garden you will have lots of produce with his special care. Thank you for lighting a candle for us we all have our struggles.
Cahty
I always liked the church best when it was empty and dark. just me and the Lord. peaceful. Your shrine is lovely. Thank you for thinking of us blogger friends and lighting the candle.
ReplyDeleteHolly, first of all, thank you very much for lighting a candle for your blog friends. That is so special, and I appreciate that very much. Yes, I love going inside the Church and only having the candles lit, it's beautiful. That wasp nest is very cool. And the sand verbena is such a pretty color. You know, back in the pioneer days (my favorite era), the women used to wear a perfume called lemon verbena. I wonder if it's related to what you're talking about? Oh, your Mary statue is so beautiful. I enjoy your charming posts, Holly. And it seems that I learn something each time I visit. ; ) Have a restful weekend.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
I am truly amazed that anything so beautiful (other than cacti) grows in the desert.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat for the students to have had the WWII vet come and speak to them. 100 and vibrant. How lucky is that?
Yeah for hubby! I'm sure it will be especially helpful with you working. Hopefully once plants are a bit bigger he won't be so eager to yank them out.
Beeeeutiful, the flower, even if a photo can not do it justice.
ReplyDeleteAmazing... 100 years old and still driving and has all his wits about him. Simply wonderful, for him and for the children and for you.
💚🌿🌱🌿💚
How wonderful to be 100 and vibrant. I'm 80 and vibrant works for a few hours, but then I get sooo tired. It's great to garden with your husband, I miss that so much.
ReplyDeleteThe wasps' nest was intriguing. I wonder if wasps ever re-use them. I'll have to look it up.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat for those students even though they might not know it. I buy verbena for my flower garden, but here it is an annual. How pretty yours must be! Happy weekend! Janice
ReplyDeleteA sand verbena covered with those glorious flowers would be quite a sight!! I love hoe you arranged them in the first picture.
ReplyDeleteA true inspiration for the students. God Bless our Veterans.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to start to think about the garden. I am exited too.
Love you nature photos and yes, our mesquites are leafing out. In early spring, their leaves are so soft! Loved reading about the senior veteran and how wonderful about your husband helping you with the garden plot!
ReplyDeleteThe mesquite trees that surround our home and fill our property are all dear to me. Their leaves are so pretty and soft at this time. I love your photo grouping of all of the pretty things from nature. Good luck with your garden plot!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I always love reading about what plants grow where, and about new ones like your mesquites and the sand verbena, that are why I love spring when new blooms appear in mass! And also, what a rare chance to hear a WWII vet speak. They are truly treasures of our country!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your garden, I need to be thinking about planting for this year too.
**THANK YOU for your comment on my post today. You were spot on in your thoughts and opinion. And, it helps to know there are those like you who know how I'm feeling and are cheering us on. I'm sorry about what happened with your rescue lab. You are right, they are "only things" and we do get over it, it will and does just takes time. ❤ Thank-you again!