This Summer

Is halfway over and the most remarkable thing about it is the heat.  We have come to the point where last winter was a record cold and this summer is a record hot, I can’t help but think  of how things are so much different than years ago and why so?

The last week though it had been raining, thankfully, to break the scorching heat spell. Because of that my plants have gathered some refreshment, and today I kept peeking at the malunggay cutting that have not shown any signs of life for a month now for what I desperately think  might be a hint of green.  I have transplanted my potted nerium oleander (which have been infested by hordes of caterpillars), and my potted   peach colored rose in order to solve the problem of eternally watering them. Their mama wants them to be self sufficient: to grow roots into the ground and look for their water source rather than rely entirely on me. With the heat they constantly have to be watered and when I’m away I want to know that they’ll be okay.

I have moved my potted red gumamela (hibiscus) topiary into the shade, too, for the same reason.  There is not much space around the house to put my babies into the ground and small spaces like mine have to  make do  with potted plants.

I repotted my sampaguita plant into a bigger pot, and it has been thriving, growing new shoots and flowers soon as I deadhead (cut) them.

I am also making another  gumamela topiary like the little pink one that is currently flowering. 

Unlike the pink one which has been blooming profusely, this one has not shown any sign of buds  but today  I finally saw buds! The pink one was from the community pool’s plant and this leafy one above I cut from Ate’s front yard.

The yellow mandevilla cutting that I also got from the pool last summer is now blooming and I have transplanted it to a bigger container and staked it up straight. I will  take a picture as soon as they bloom.

Like a mother, I am so proud of these babies of mine…I haven’t spent a cent on them and now I have these lovely specimens that are flowering and making  mama happy.

Remember  the two papaya seedlings   that last summer just appeared in my garden?  This summer  my garden angel has given me another gift, an ampalaya seedling that has now grown into this vine  outgrowing the white mandevilla  it twined itself with. I was pleasantly surprised to find flowers! I will soon be having home- grown  ampalaya for my pinakbet. 

 

Since I have started working five days a week my weekends have been precious to me.  I have spent them gardening, moving things around in my patio and balcony that my back was stiff and uncomfortable last night. I  thought I needed a back massage really bad.  Nonoie did a fine job and he re aligned my spine with two big cracks.  What a difference it made! It cured me!

And so it had been a perfect weekend, with no thunderstorms or rain when I wanted it.  Matt and I went to the pool yesterday.

Today we three played a game of basketball with Nonoie v. me and Matt, Nonoie winning 5-4.  Matt  took only one point  and blamed me for being “greedy” and not passing him the ball.

Anyway, tonight Matt jumped into bed and said, “Ma, look I’m making a bed angel!”  So here goes his bed angel for you…

 

Here’s to another wonderful movie night and a no-alarm sleep-till-late morning!