Dear Reader:

It only took the first summer in my fledgling garden to realize that when the nineties begin to settle in…it is time to take the straggly petunias, the “see you next year” pansies, and “get me some water and shade right now” impatiens…and put them either out of their misery (like the pansies) or move them to a new shadier location… like the petunias and impatiens. Then get ready to water, water, water!

Remember the nice lady at the Summerville Market who made the cement planter with the impatiens in it…who told me to put the plant under a tree, in the shade, on a patch of moss, in a quiet place?  She was right on every account…because despite the temperatures…the impatiens are doing great!

I realize, now, that the reason for placing the cement planter on moss is that the moss grows into the cracks in the cement and help keep the impatiens cool and retain water. Look.

With the “P” plants fading under the intense sun….other flowers start coming into their prime…like the zinnias, lilies, and begonias…

But the best-kept secret I discovered that first summer…was to buy succulents….lots and lots of succulents! They are the only baskets who can laugh back at the hot nineties sun and still stay beautiful.

The word SUCCULENT has always enticed me….I think of luxurious and delicious when I hear this word….and in a way the succulent plants are similar.

Full Definition of SUCCULENT

And just like a “succulent” (tasty) meal…they are full of flavor and juice … as shown in all their beauty.

I slowly began replacing each flower basket by the fence with moss rose earlier this month…it has many names around the world including:

moss-rose purslane, eleven o’clock, Mexican rose moss, moss rose, sun rose, and rock rose

It is also known as the “time flower” because it blooms at different times around the world….In India, it is called the “nine o’clock flower” because it blooms at 9:00 in the morning, in Vietnam it is called the “ten o’clock flower” for the same reason, and it blooms around 11:00 a.m. in the southern United States.

I took these pictures of the moss-rose between 10:00 and 1:00 yesterday… down here in the low country….they start blooming early and continue for the bulk of the day…however, most of them do tend to take a little siesta during the hottest part of the day and then return to bloom as the sun’s rays  appear the next morning! I imagine this is how they conserve their water.

This plant, I have discovered, is the only hanging basket plant (at least for me) that can survive low country summers…remaining bright and beautiful!

I am already dreading my water bill this month…but I can’t stand by and watch my “flower children” suffer from thirst, especially after all the time and toil I put in planting them.

Every morning I check the garden, front porch, and fence area for signs of “dry droop” and then begin to water. I have to laugh as the flowers really do resemble little children playing in a fountain or puddle…they delight in the hose spray.

As I was sitting on the bench watching the water spray the thirsty garden….I captured a sweet photo…a stream of light fell right on Jakie’s tree with its orange lantern…I do believe it must have been a little God’s Wink.

So until tomorrow may we see God and Son as the “Succulent Savior” of our universe …always there to supply the “Living Waters” needed for us  to bloom under His care.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

* Today is Flag Day...June 14th. It was actually designated this title under President Truman about a month before my arrival into the world.

Earlier (1917) President Woodrow Wilson had petitioned Congress to pass the same resolution designating this date in June for Flag Day.

But it was “hit and miss” as to which states did and didn’t observe it.

It actually took two teachers, one from Wisconsin and one from New York, to recognize this day in their classes with patriotic music, recitations of famous American poems, and the raising of the American flag to (embarrass) and push Congress into declaring the 14th of June as official Flag Day. Go Teachers!!! Go Truman!

*Remember…I told you I left my little decorative flags in the planters from Memorial Day where they will stay through Independence Day…so I am all ready for Flag Day! Happy Flag Day!

* It’s hard to believe it has been a week since Lucy’s passing…the doorbell rang yesterday and I was handed a heavy box containing a brick with Lucy’s name and a phrase. I had ordered something with a different foundation… but the brick was much nicer than what I had picked out…along with a sweet note offering condolences from the maker…so nice!

I decided to place the memorial brick in the old wicker chair with the fern where Lucy would scoot under on hot summer days and yesterday was definitely one of those….

As I placed the brick in the chair beside the fern…I half-expected to see Lucy stretch and open her eyes….but that’s okay…she was there for me when I needed her….hopefully I was there for her too when she needed someone. We shared a “moment” of life together and are better for the experience!

*** Now let’s end on some happy news…my wonderful friend, Brooke, let us know yesterday that there is going to be a new addition to her family…her son Riley and his wife Veronica are expecting in January!

Brooke is over the moon and so are we!…The circle of life continues just like it has since the beginning of time.

Congratulations my friend….life won’t ever be the same…isn’t that wonderful? This fantastic news affects us all so “succulently.”  ♥  Good “juicy” news!