Monday, January 21, 2013

Philodendrons.

Roots on display.

Our weekends are starting to look completely identical to one another.  While routines are wonderful with keeping a happy baby, they can result in bored adults.  I know, I know.  Alice shouldn't run the show when it comes to our weekend activities.  But she totally does.  It's just so hard to be motivated to go big on the weekend with a day trip or an all-day outing when there are crucial baby naps to be had.  I guess I've become that mom who schedules our days around the afternoon nap!  Oh well.

And on a more solemn note, I've managed to kill all but one of those succulents I planted awhile back.  Oh.  And those terrariums?  Dead, as well.  My track record with plants is terrible but I've always been able to keep one species of plant alive for more than just a few weeks.  Years, even!  The hearty philodendron has become a staple plant in every place that I've ever lived.  It just keeps growing and thriving despite my painfully obvious lack of a green thumb.

When I was little my mom also always had philodendrons in our apartment.  And, when they got a bit overgrown, she would trim off a portion of the stem and place it in a glass jar filled with water.  It was then placed in the kitchen windowsill where my sister and I could watch the magic of roots growing anew right out of the old stem.  It was like a window into an otherwise unseen world usually covered by soil.

And as I looked at all of my little glass jars filled with philodendron stems in various stages of root-growing I realized something that most adult women will vehemently deny.

I have totally become my mother.  You win, Mom!


Any advice on keeping a succulent alive?  I am inspired to try again with a jade plant after reading this blog post.  Or maybe I should just stick to hearty philodendrons!

And, on MLK Day... remembering one of my favorite (and very apropos) quotes:

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness: 
Only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate:
Only love can do that.

7 comments:

  1. agreed, I love the photos. I need some philodendrons in my life!

    ReplyDelete
  2. They look very happy, I think you have a hidden green thumb! I'm a slave to the nap during the week when I need that break, but on the week-end I often let it slide, let a short nap happen in the car instead of a proper on in bed, etc. As long as James is there to help out, I don't mind risking it :)

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  3. I'm glad you have some good memories of growing plants when you were little. Thanks for the compliment about "I've becoming my mother". I'm happy you only have a few of my traits... so there is still hope for you. I love the plants in jars. So cute. xo

    ReplyDelete
  4. How many times have I thought ... crap, that was exactly what I said I would never do that my mom did, but alas, here we are, licking your kids face, gasping when I drop a pen, and overpacking my schedule.

    Remember how you gave me your Rosemary plant when you moved out there? I don't know if I ever told you but it died like a month later. Then this last spring my roomies and I planted a garder (they took care of it all summer while I was gone) and we planted some rosemary. We didn't do a good job of "winterizing" the garden and until like a month ago, the Rosemary was still green and thriving coming up out of 2 feet of snow. Makes me think that if it can live through like 3 months of neglect and feet of snow, I must be a really terrible plant owner! I'll buy you another one when you come to live back out here!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I’m writing on behalf of the visual editor for HouseLogic.com to request your permission to use one of your photos on the site. The photo nicely illustrates a topic we’re writing about regarding "Indoor Plants". HouseLogic, published by the National Association of Realtors®, covers home ownership-related topics.

    If you approve, please respond to this email confirming that you own the image rights, have the authority to grant to the National Association permission to use the image as described, and grant that permission. Please also let us know how you would prefer to be named in the credit. My deadline is Tuesday Feb. 12, 2013 and I would need a response from you before then, if possible.

    Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

    Regards,

    ______________________
    Victoria Broady
    HouseLogic.com
    National Association of REALTORS®
    Houselogicipr@realtors.org

    ReplyDelete
  6. Although Philodendron look similar, your plants are a type called "golden pothos" (Epipremnum aureum).

    ReplyDelete

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