Friday, March 12, 2010

My Little Secrets

I am so excited that the hellebores I planted last year are either blooming or getting ready to.  Since they are poisonous, I planted them next to the house on the south and east sides, where our grandson will not get to them.  They are not getting as tall as they were last year.  I don't know if it's because they are young, or if that's how tall they are first thing in the spring.  They are not visible unless you are near them.  Since I know they are there, and look for them, it feels like they are my little treasures.  I am only going to post one photo now, because I want to save the others for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  Katarina, at Roses and Stuff hosts Blooming Friday, and Tootsie, at Tootsie Time hosts Fertilizer Friday.  Check out their links in my sidebar.

Our kitchen remodel is this week.  I am so excited!  I overdid it and hurt the lower right side of my back.  I hope it is healed soon so I can get out and cut back last year's growth on my perennials.


I also wanted to share something that a student I work with as a special education paraeducator said to me that made me feel happy inside today.  As we were going into the swimming pool area, he approached me and started talking fast.  When he talks fast I can't understand him.  I thought he was saying something about thinking about me last night, but wasn't sure.  I told him to go get his swimming suit on and tell me later.  When we got into the pool, I asked him if he was wanting to tell me something.  He said yes, that when he went to the store last night, and saw flowers, he thought of me because he knows I like flowers.  Awe, that was so sweet!  I asked if I could share it on my blog, and he grinned and said I could.

I just read Katarina's post, and saw that she showcased the different parts of some blooms, so I am adding a photo to show the insides of one of my hellebores.


The kitchen remodel is due to start Tuesday.  The appliances are coming today.  I dreamed last night that the kitchen was done, and they had put weird hinges on the cupboard drawers and doors that made them able to come off.  When I tried to open them, they did come off, and I didn't like them.  Also, they gave us an outside area, and I wondered why they didn't use that space to make the kitchen larger.

Have a great weekend!  We are supposed to get our 50s back.  Woo hoo!

17 comments:

  1. Sue,
    How sweet to be thought of when someone you know sees flowers! I cant wait to see your bloomsday pics! Happy gardening!
    Jenn

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  2. Hi Sue, I'm sending warm thoughts to that painful place on your back.

    Your little student sounds like a jewel. Please give him a hug from your blogger friends.

    Your hellebore looks beautiful. Mine start out squat like this. I think you'll find it looking more and more true to form. I like the dark foliage too.

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  3. What a sweet story! And your grandson is too cute, discovering the pleasures of the outdoors. :)

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  4. Healing to your sore back...don't grow hellebore and what a precious thought of you from your student.

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  5. Hi Sue... Good luck with your back... icing always helps me heal. Your hellebore photo is lovely ... to me that is the quintessential shot and one that we all get so excited about seeing it first beginning to truly show... of course we could move the leaves and see it sooner. Yours will stretch soon and reach for the sun. It is special to have others think of us when they see flowers... sweet sharing! ;>)

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  6. That was such a sweet story about your student and the flowers. I'm not a bit surprised that you remembered to go back to him so that he could tell you what was on his mind. You're thoughtful that way.

    I feel like I'm the only gardener in the world without hellebores and I didn't know they were poisonous.

    donna

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  7. Sue girl .. make sure you lay down, put pillows under your knees so the pressure is completely off your back .. laying on a heating pad at the same time really HELPS too ! I know a lot about back pain so I can swear this really helps .. it is so exciting for your kitchen to be almost done so I know you want to be up and functioning without that pain !
    My hellebores make me so excited too .. just my Orientalis has flowers buds right now but fingers crossed the others will follow soon.
    We have rain today and tomorrow which is great .. I got the leaf litter off the perennial beds so rain will warm the soil up .. Spring is almost completely here ?

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  8. Sue I'm glad your home improvements kick off this week, but you please take it easy and let your back heal. Very excited about your hellebore and I too think that spring seems to be here. Love what your student said to you abuot flowers too; it's nice to be known for positive things!

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  9. It is nice when someone really notice what is dear to us... ~bangchik

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  10. How sweet of your student to think of you! -I hope your back will get better real soon!
    Katarina
    PS your grandson is so cute!

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  11. A sweet story! Hope you feel better soon.

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  12. It is flattering that something reminds us of someone!!! How sweet!
    I hope your back feels better very soon...back pain is the worst.
    Your gardens are springing up nicely there...and that kitchen remodel sounds exciting!
    have a great weekend...
    thanks so much for linking in to me again this week
    I would also like to thank you for being one of the only ones that actually posts my FF logo and links back to my blog!!! I appreciate it!

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  13. Hi Sue, I hope you will feel better soon so you can enjoy the spring cleanup!! Not just for that, of course...just so you can do what you want to. Our bodies just aren't the way they 'used' to be, that's for sure...I've been dealing w/a problem knee again and it's been frustrating. Anyway, how exciting to see new growth on the 'newest' Hellebores! I'm having memories of the book from last year...that's when I first started to learn about them too. Last fall I divided a large hellebore plant and it's doing fine now but not nearly as many blooms as it had before...I know that will take time. And the ones I bought last year and planted, only 1 or 2 buds on 2 of them! The rest either haven't come back, or are just very small with nary a bud. In a few years they'll probably be great looking. It takes several years for them to really feel 'at home'! Your grandson is a real doll. I'm sure he has brought you so much joy. It's exciting to have your kitchen so close to getting remodeled. I really hope it isn't too stressful for you and it will work out as you're hoping. It will be nice for you to have a little more counter space, built in dishwasher, and generally new appearance! Thinking of you...and sorry I didn't respond to you when I thought I was stopping my blogging. I actually was kind of embarrassed & feeling awkward about the whole thing so at one point, I just kept deleting all the comments from thoughtful friends (on Blotanical) telling me how much they'd miss me and then when I came back, the same thing again;-) I was warmed by all the 'love' and know so many great blogging friends, like you, for example;-) I just didn't want to talk about it and just wanted to move forward...but now, I at least need to tell you thank you for those thoughts. I hope you will have a fabulous spring and look forward to seeing your new kitchen and more hellebores in bloom! Jan

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  14. Sue- That is very sweet! I'd love it if someone saw flowers and it made them think of me too.

    I can totally relate to the weird dreams thing. It happens to me all the time. Lately they've been about a house that we want to buy and moving related issues. Kitchen remodels are so exciting, aren't they? Well, any remodel as far as I'm concerned...

    My snow is almost all melted now and I have noticed several of my plants are already green. It looks like an early spring for us this year. Hooray!

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  15. What a touching story about your student. How wonderful to have made such an impression on that young man :-)

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