Thursday, September 23, 2021

Another storm on the way

 This is our current situation


That dark green bit around the middle is me. The wind has already got up, tearing out and throwing down the ficus tree which had put down new roots after being displaced once by the benighted fence situation. Tore most of the roots. 


So, since I usually bring her in around early October, I thought I may as well do it now before she has to weather another storm. 

Not easy to wrangle an eight foot tree  singlehanded,  across the patio, over the doorstep, past the screen door and storm door, and the curtains and other houseplants.  Even more fun in a high wind which nearly tore out my own roots a time or two. 

I did get the roots clipped, then remembered the saucer in the storage area, to set it in. Ran across the house, out the front door, to retrieve it.  Pausing only to clout a lantern fly which was strolling about the front screen door, using my handy clippers to flatten it, beautiful but a serious food pest, I reunited tree and saucer.

Hitched it, tree not saucer, to the screws in the wall which keep it upright since it's gone more lopsided with age, haven't we all, and here she is.

Lights on in her honor. She's about fifty years old at this point, eight feet tall, brushing the ceiling. Doesn't owe anyone anything. I hope she hasn't brought any wildlife in with her. I often find a little frog or toad hitchhiker in the fall. 

This wasn't how I originally planned today. I thought I'd be gently humming and sewing, gathering the skirt. Not panting and snarling and hauling and shoving and heaving a tree. 

When I've recovered, I might get to sewing. After I've prepped the veggies I had to shop for, before the storm, which Misfits failed to send, the veggies, not the storm. But who's counting.

After a contretemps like this I'm always profoundly grateful I can still do this labor anyway. So there's that.

12 comments:

  1. Yet another storm - wow! Hope your soil has dried out a bit since the3 last one.

    The ficus rescue is quite a tale! Glad you lived to tell it...:-)

    Sounds like a good day for soup as you recuperate.

    Chris from Boise

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  2. Glad you could retrieve a fellow senior. We have to look after each other after all.

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  3. So glad you could help. Please be safe, and enjoy your soup.

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  4. That is a big plant to haul in. Glad you are all right.
    Stay safe

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  5. Oh my goodness, not another storm! Stay safe and dry.
    And that plant, I simply can't imagine little you hauling that beast. I'm sure once she's recovered from the abrupt change in climate she will thank you for it.

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    1. First she'll throw down a lot of leaves, sheer rage! Then she'll do well till spring. And yes, she has a definite height advantage.

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  6. I do admire your determination to rescue that tree...Half of me was out there with you (at least in spirit) hauling and shouting and trying not to break bits off...
    I think it also looks quite splendid in your plant menagerie...

    Having spent/endured/ our own hard work summer, it occurs to me that if you keep moving, no matter the age, and don't give in to it, you keep moving longer, even though there's apt to be a limp or two along the way. We didn't get your weather, but we surely got some of our own.
    We got to watch the rain sweep across the field, across the driveway, and then rain on us. Nature's little joke on the humans.

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    1. It's not often we get that theatrical effect of rain sweeping up to us. You just know that if you don't move you'll be completely soaked. Brief warning.

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  7. Stay safe! I hope the storm is not too bad.

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  8. Be careful hauling trees around! Ms. Ficus is a lovely lady and looks good in the house. I hope this storm is not as bad as the last one. Stay safe!

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  9. my bridal bouquet plumeria grows straight up, sends out branches that grow straight up. last year it was too tall to be upright in the garage and so I had to lay in down while it went dormant for the winter. I'll have the same problem this year but I think I'll just prune it back which I should have done last year.

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