Blessings Friday: Balcony Retreat

I’m in the midst of giving final exams; the spring semester ends for college faculty on May 5 after we submit our students’ final grades. I am very much looking forward to free time sans essay grading.

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Our master suite has a small balcony overlooking the backyard and pool. I’ve installed swivel rocking chairs and a small table. The pottery lamp was a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law and is fueled by a can of sterno—the wee fire is lovely at night.

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At the other end of the balcony, I placed a small potted rose.

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It’s a beautiful rose, isn’t it?

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Five coconut-lined planters were found at Lowe’s and installed on the balcony railings. Since I’m not too sure what plants will work, I simply bought some on sale. We’ll see how they do.

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I’ve no idea as to the names of any of the plants other than marigolds, ivy, and rose. This green-and-white plant in my photo is a mystery.

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You can see the mounting brackets in this photo along with part of our neighbor’s yard. I’ve decided not to worry about how the brackets appear. My balcony retreat is prepared—I’m ready for the peaceful, lazy days of summer!

Queen of the Night

The perfect ending to a truly restful weekend was the gift last night of a flower that blooms only once a year—the Night-Blooming Cereus (Peniocereus greggii). I can’t recall exactly, but I think this is our ninth year enjoying this amazing plant, also known as Queen of the Night.


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The plant appears at first to be an assortment of dry, dead sticks. In spring, the branches slowly get a bit plumper and greener. Then a small bud emerges here and there. If not eaten by aggressive Cactus Wrens, two or three buds will survive. The plant isn’t terribly prolific, so each bud is a tiny treasure to be celebrated.


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We recorded the flower’s blooming process last night. I’ve just made the switch from a Nikon D-40 to the D-80 and was having trouble with the settings for night photography—another learning curve. My husband had his Nikon D-700 on a tripod with whatever gazillion settings it required and triggered to take a photo every 5 minutes. I’m sure his pictures will be amazing and I’ll see those tonight.


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The bud is gradually opening here.


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I ran out early this morning to show you how the plant looks in daylight, hurrying because the flower begins to close and die when the sun comes up.


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The gem is the flower, not only for its beauty but also for its delicious fragrance which attracts an annual visitor other than human fans—the Sphinx moth.

This morning I discovered that Desert Queen Fragrances has managed to capture the flower’s essence. I’ve ordered a bottle of the perfume spray as I’m so enamored of the flower’s exquisite scent.

Blessings Friday: Garden of Hope

As it’s officially springtime, my thoughts have turned to gardening. Starting my mornings amongst the earthy smell of dirt and the vision of green tendrils shooting for the sky are lovely ways to start my day. In my tiny garden plot, seedlings are growing—a promise of small harvests ahead.

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I’m putting my garden to special use this year and have planted tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, strawberries, garlic, some herbs and other assorted goodies.

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Whatever thrives will be donated to my local food bank, a project I discovered via SusieJ.

It’s heartbreaking to imagine children starving. Since I have enough blessings in my life, I’m hoping something wonderful will grow that will help some mother’s hungry children. I’m calling the tiny bit of growing space we have my Garden of Hope.

Zen Garden

If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?
~ Dogen Zenji ~

A Japanese rock garden is an enclosed shallow sandpit containing sand, gravel, rocks, and occasionally grass and/or other natural elements. Designs made in the sand represent rippling waters in the sea. It’s also called a Zen garden.



My father made a miniature version of a Zen garden for me in 1999, and then made one for each of my siblings. He even made the tiny rake and gathered the sand from the beach at Topsail Island.

It’s very soothing to quietly sit and make designs in the sand. And since he’s gone now, it’s a special reminder of my father’s love.

Resources

~ How to Create a Zen Garden Tutorial

~ Japanese Zen Gardens Photo Gallery

Blessings Friday: Mother Nature’s Decorations

My husband and I are leaving in a few minutes to catch a flight to Los Angeles for the weekend. Before I leave, I want to share a few photos I took of Mother Nature’s decorations here in Tucson.



Prickly Pear cactus (Case Natural Resource Park)



Cholla cactus (Case Natural Resource Park)



Butterfly Iris (my backyard)

There are tiny fruit babies growing on mama plants in my backyard--what wonderful symbols to honor Mother’s Day.



Blackberries



Thompson Seedless Grapes

Have a very blessed weekend!