Tuesday, October 21, 2014

ANOTHER UPDATE -- AND STILL GOOD

The news on Haley is all good.  She is home, sleeping well and eating (limited foods) but has a good appetite.  They are even thinking she may be able to go back to school in a week or two.  She is getting bored.  Fortunately she was well ahead in her school work so she will have no problems catching up.  

Thank you to every one who prayed and showed concern for her.  We are so thankful to you and to our Lord who brought us through this crisis.

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Meanwhile, we are getting quite concerned about the need for rain down here.  We have a number of shrubs that are just hanging on.  We are watching the calendar closely. We usually get some rain in November.  As it is we've had no rain since March 1st.  Water restrictions are in place, so we get to do the minimum of watering.  Even so, by the looks of these two shrubs below, you'd never think we are short on water.  

This is the Lantana that grows outside our front living room window.  It has not stopped blooming for a year and a half (when we first moved  here).  But today it is simply bursting with blooms and now stands more than eight feet high.  It gets full sun almost all day, so I guess it doesn't have great water needs.  The butterflies and humming birds love it.


We've been watching this Golden Rain tree for several months.  It flowers late summer and with missing spring rains and any fall rains we might have had we weren't sure if it would flower well.  But here it is spreading its beautiful sunshine on the northern side of our house.

You may have guessed that we are not accomplished gardeners.  We had very little experience in our previous house -- it was quite low maintenance.  But we are learning!  Both of the shrubs  above need to pruned quite badly.  We decided to do the lantana after it stopped flowering  -- but it has never stopped.  The Golden Rain is definitely in need of some pruning and being tied back.  It has quite a number of thin branches or spreading trunks.  This bush will surely stop blooming in another month.  Then it will get its haircut!

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We have a busy month ahead for a variety of reasons.  I'm going to see if I can get back into ABC Wednesday and Creative Tuesday again but am not certain I will.  Just hoping not too much on my mind as the weeks go by.  

6 comments:

Mersad said...

Best wishes to Haley. Great flower photos. Take care!!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

claude said...

I wish to Haley the best.
Pretty flowers on big and beautiful shrubs !

snafu said...

That is good news about Haley.
It would be a shame to lose those plants, so not such good news about the drought. By the way, thanks for the recent comment on my blog.

Black Jack's Carol said...

Just saw your comment as I published today's post and that made me so, so happy. I've had an email waiting in drafts, but for now, just want to send all of you my very best. No, I didn't guess you consider gardening knowledge to be a work in progress. In comparison to my skills, let's just say I look WAY up to you :) Your photographs today are wonderful! Oh how I wish I could send you a little of our rain, but your flourishing Golden Rain tree and Lantana are most reassuring. As for posting to ABC, I love your posts, but my advice would be to let them flow when and how they choose.

Patty said...

So glad to hear your Granddaughter is improving.c-diff is a nasty bug. So my daughter tells me that works in a hospital as an RN.

Just glad Haley is improving and is home again. She'll get the best care there, with Mom & Dad.

It's hard on Grandparents knowing what the grandchild and your own child are going through. Hang in there.

Wanda said...

Good News for Haley. So glad to hear that.

I know what you mean...life gets so busy..I had to give up ABC and now I not sure I'll get my CT done for the 4th. The theme is "minty" and I'm at a loss.

Glad to see you back in my comments..I did reply.