New Years Eve

Forced paper whites today.

The ground was frozen today in the yard so this was my next option. I bought this pot for a hydrangea. When they finish blooming in the spring I'll move the container to the yard for it. I still have a few bulbs to plant but will wait mid week when temperatures are expected to be in the 40's and I can plant the rest in my window box.

Just have to give them a good watering.

First puzzle for 2026. It's harder than the last one and taking longer than I expected. Enjoying the challenge.

Seedlings will soon be on the plant shelf.

I've had many Chinese Evergreens. Supposedly low light plants but in my house this is the first one I've managed to keep alive. Plant light daily.

Will put these in a jar and save until next Christmas. Will also work on getting better looking dried orange slices. I have a whole year.

Not fully emerged, but it already smells wonderful.

Have a blessed, safe, healthy, and prosperous new year,

  

Christmas

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Spent the day at my nieces' house with family. Time to take down the decorations. I haven’t been motivated but soon. I still have bulbs to plant and seeds to start. Begonia seeds take a long time to germinate and get to good size plants. I think they will be started first. 

We had another weather event, ice storm. I’ve been inside for 5 days although the ice has melted. Got to get those bulbs planted cold and all. Not today though. I still haven't started forcing my paper whites. I'm really late but we still have over 2 months of winter.

Look at that. I thought the small blooms were mushrooms but on inspection saw that they are coming from the bulb and probably tiny amaryllis seedlings. I've never had that happen.

Until next year God willing.

First hyacinths from the basement. Love the roots but awaiting the fragrant blooms to emerge.

For the squirrels, possums, and raccoons on Christmas Eve. The bird feeder was also filled. Carrots, apples, cherries, oranges, cucumbers, unsalted peanuts, and hazel nuts.

This amaryllis was beautiful but not as pink as pictured. It had huge multiple blooming head that weighed down the amaryllis which I eventually cut off and place in water.

Retirement and Life

Retirement is one of the best things that has happened to me. Salvation, having my daughter, and having had wonderful parents come first. Working forty five years is a long time. But keeping a job is something that we all have to do to support ourselves and meet our basic needs. While I was working and before that going to school, I didn't think about retirement or growing older. There was a time when I was the youngest person on my jobs and then before retirement, I was one of the oldest at 62. Every year coworkers retired and then it was my time. It's a humbling experience to know your career is coming to an end. It was time. I was physically, mentally, and emotionally tired. The quick, savvy, and wanting to help everyone person changes with age. Add on health issues and taking medications. I loved my nursing career but it's a hard occupation. Also physically, mentally, and emotionally. It impacts  the mind and body. A lot of medical conditions started when I became a nurse and I think they were related to the stress of the job. After I retired my hair which had thinned and loss length, started to grow again. I didn't do anything different in the way of medication, eating, or hair products. I believe that the years of stress impacted my hair. Always thought age and menopause was the case. Maybe not.

I have a friend I met at work over 35 years ago, also a nurse. She has been a faithful supportive friend when we worked together, not worked at the same job, and now. Through raising my daughter, getting married, divorce, and death of my parents, she's been there. True friends are very few and hard to find. I think I won't be searching for more. Some turn out to not be committed to the friendship. That can be seen over time. Some friends are only for a season and reason, and I had to learn this. 

I miss my coworkers and the camaraderie. I realize that work relationships don't always transition to friendships outside of work. That's okay with me. It was nice to have had supportive coworkers every day and to also be there to support them. I don't miss all the job required. My sister told me to take time to decompress. I retired in September and thought that I had, but know that I haven't. I've started having nightmares about work and all the situations that can happen being a nurse. I wake up sometimes screaming, talking, as if I'm still in the dream. I realize that I probably have post traumatic stress disorder form years of working in a demanding, legally responsible, job. Nurses aren't always supported by employers patients, or clients. My motto, follow the laws for my practice, and never do anything to be sued or result in loosing my license and I've done that. 

People ask me, are you going to work part time? No! I don't think I will. Thank God for pensions, savings, and social security. I've never lived above my means so I knew the transition into decreased income with retirement wouldn't be difficult. Of course I'd love to live in a different neighborhood. Some place in a woodland setting where I can walk on my own property among the trees and nature. That was always my goal. I'm not disappointed that it didn't make it happen. I  could still make that happen, but it's not important now. I have less years left than I've lived. I can't imagine having to pay mortgage again or worse rent that rises every year. For now, I'll continue to Bloom where I'm planted.

Relaxing by a fire.

Completed in 24 hours. The next one is more challenging and taking a while.

First Snow and the Hoya

Yesterday while opening the blinds and curtains to let in the sun I got a wonderful surprise. My Hoya had bloomed. I don’t know how long the bloom has been there. I have older Hoyas that have never bloomed. What a surprise. 

I gave her some water last night with a fertilizer for hoyas. She was bone dry and could be repotted from the tiny hanging pot it's in. If not repotting while blooming I at least need to add more soil to the container as the plant seems to have used up a lot of the soil.

I bought this hoya this year in November. I tried to pick the healthiest looking one but regret not picking one that already had blooms. It's large and I thought it would follow the others in bloom in the nursery but so far it hasn't. It's in a sunny window and I'll try to keep her moist as I'm a underwater of hoyas. Some of my house plants really let you know when  they need watering like my Africa violets, pothos, and peace lily. Leaf curl is my indictor that hoyas need to be  watered and also the weight of their container.

Decorating Indoors

My first attempt at drying oranges for my wreath and garland. They didn't turn out to bad. I'll try again.

Not too bad. Also added cinnamon sticks and have some apples drying now.

I'll add some green velvet ribbon to the wreath and garland when it arrives. Wasn't able to find any in the store.

Put up and started on the tree. I'll finish the decorations tomorrow.

Blooms indoors during the dark days of Autumn and Winter help me survive until spring. I have to remember to check on my hyacinths in the basement. This is also the time to give my houseplants more attention. Seed starting to begin soon.

Dried the oranges in a pan although I bought 2 cookie trays yesterday they were too wide for the oven.