Since today is short on words (in accordance to the rules of Not so Wordy Wednesday!) I thought I'd share with you the flowers in my back yard.
Now, you'll notice that we don't actually have any flowers in our back yard. Right now we only have flowers on our back yard. But hopefully that will change one of these days. The irrigation system is in; we just don't have any flowers on it. Got that?
I didn't plant any of these flowers. My husband is the true gardener, not me. I don't like to get my hands that dirty. I know, I know. Many of you are shaking your heads right now and thinking about how much you enjoy getting your hands in some good soil. But that's just not for me. I love getting my hands in dough or batter or even in soapy suds, but not dirt.
But every morning when I get home from my walk, I tend to these potted beauties. I dead-head those you're supposed to do that to and water them all with my green plastic watering can.
Then I sit on my back porch and enjoy them all while there's still a shade and a cool breeze. I drink my coffee, read my Bible and talk to God.
Oops! I wasn't completely truthful, was I? I actually do have some flowers in my back yard. I have a gorgeous row of roses right beneath my window. They were given to me by my husband and my parents. And of course, my husband planted them for me so that they are on the irrigation system and I don't have to water them.
Roses grow beautifully in Arizona! We have fewer bugs and diseases that commonly play havoc with roses. Mine are only two seasons old so they're still getting the hang of things, but they've really done beautifully.
My dogs usually accompany to the back yard any opportunity they get. I imagine they've forgotten what grass is by now, poor things. But they've adapted nicely and love sitting in the sun for a little while and then shifting to the cooler bricks in the shade.
I do have some plants that are ready to go into the ground when my husband gets around to it. He's just been very busy this summer. But I keep watering them so they'll be ready to go in the ground when he has time to put them there.
We have a nice Texas Ranger and a few Lantana ready to go. These grow easily in the Arizona sun, especially on a drip irrigation system.
So that's my backyard flowers. I enjoy them so much, especially against the beautiful blue Arizona sky and framed by the majestic Huachuca Mountains in the distance.
Do you have flowers this summer? Do you get to enjoy them each day? I hope so. I know mine are nothing spectacular in comparison to the lush foliage or the deep greens of other places. I've lived in those places and enjoyed nature's beauty there too. But, due to the lack of bugs and the low humidity, flowers--both cacti and more traditional flowers like roses, geraniums, and vinca--really do grow well in Arizona, and they are perhaps even more gloriously noticeable and appreciated because of the brown dirt and rocks from which they grow.
So I guess that's why I wanted to share my flowers with you today. Because they are indeed blooms in the desert. And if you've ever been through a desert - either literally or spiritually - you know how precious those vibrant, colorful blooms are.
Go and enjoy a few blooms today!
Labels: Not So Wordy Wednesday
