Green things

For some reason, we don't have any dandilions around here. Isn't that strange? Instead, we have wild daffodils. Did I mention that these were my absolute favorite wild flowers? They are my absolute favorite wild flowers. :) The girls have been picking them for me by the handful.

Anyone need any basil? This stuff must be a weed, the way it grows. It's insane! I forsee much pesto in my future... At least my kitchen smells nice. :)

I don't know what kind of bean this is, but it is MASSIVE. The girls found it outside on our front lawn. So of course I put it in some water! I hope it's a magical beanstalk that will take care of my financial worries forever... It has a picture of a tyrannosaurus-rex on it though, I hope that's not alluding to anything.

These little babies are spruce trees! I grew them from actual SEEDS. Aren't they adorable? I can't believe a tree as big as a spruce grows from such little bitty seeds. These have to be watered twice a day, they just suck up water like you wouldn't believe. But they're so cute, I just fawn all over them all day.

My black thumb must be turning green! Stuff is GROWING for me! Mmmm, oxygen. ;)

Maybe I can make a whip switch out of it.

So, I got a willow tree. Or rather, I *ahem* aquired a willow tree. You see, the smaller of the Diva Trees died (the cat did it) and I needed something to take it's place. Willows, being stupendously easy to grow and harder to kill than rocks sounded like a right good choice. Right? Wrong. It all seemed so easy. Go out, cut a couple lenghts of branch of a nearby twisted willow, braid together, jam in damp soil. Waddya know, it grew roots and buds and is thriving. Herein lies the rub. You can't grow a willow tree inside. Well, you can, but sooner rather than later they just take over. Like I say, they grow really easily. Good. Now I have some lovely live sticks in a pot in my living room.

Did I mention that willows shed more than my dang CAT? 'Cuz they do. Messy trees, they are.

Anyway, I've got this really ugly plant thing in a perfect spot on my lawn (a holdover from the last tenents, apparently they have no taste) that I've been absolutely itching to dig up since I got here. So, seemingly perfect solution - dig up ugly plant, insert pretty willow, enjoy! Right? Wrong. Raise your hand if you can tell me what a deer's favorite food is.

I have learned it is willow trees.

Have I mentioned the deer here yet? We have a lot of deer. As in, our side yard is a forest and the deer will come right up onto your back steps if you give them an apple. My aren't our lawn ornaments life-like!

I digress.

I now have a willow tree (read: three sticks stuck in wet soil) that I can't keep indoors, and can't plant outdoors. Stupid tree. Stupid me. Stupid deer!

Stupid trees

We've hit a bit of a cold jag here, so I brought in my prissy little decorative fig/ficus benjamina trees inside. I think they're mad at me now. I think that outside, they felt like real trees. Birds landed on them, squirrels buried peanuts at their roots, the wind gently ruffled their leaves. Now my diva trees are giving me attitude. I turned the heat off completely and stuck them both by (poorly sealed) windows to help them acclimate, but they're still dropping leaves like tears. I watered them the night before I brought them in, and have been pretty much ignoring them since, aside from picking up dropped foliage before Finn eats it. Stupid trees. Anyone know what the want? Outside is not an option. They are small and weak and dramatic. They're a lot like the girls. Finn is short but solid, like the Monkey Puzzle tree that remains on the balcony. That tree is tough and stubborn. I forgot to water it for like a month (uhhh, I mean no I didn't. Really honey, I take care of your tree...) and it actually grew. This is my kind of tree. I don't like high-maintenance trees like the Diva Duo. There are already enough divas in this house.

Anybody know what I can do for these stupid trees that's more effective than shooting rubber bands at them? Because while that is fun, I know I'll just have to go pick them all up...