Monday, June 9, 2008

Just For Today

Dear Abby often quotes a poem entitled "Just for Today." It is a poem of encouragement for anyone trying to better herself. It's rather long, so I am not going to copy it here, but it includes the lines:

"Just for today I will be unafraid. I will enjoy that which is beautiful and will believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me..."
Since I promised in my last post I would be more upbeat today, this is my shortened revision of the poem:

Just for today I will forget about the forecast for more thunderstorms and rain this week.

Just for today I will forget about the weeds that are threatening to overtake my vegetable garden.

Just for today I will forget about the plants still sitting on my patio because the ground is too wet to plant them.
Just for today I will forget about the housework neglected while I have been cleaning up my basement.


Instead, today I will appreciate the beauty of the perfect rose...


(You may recognize this picture: I was so pleased with this photo of a blossom on my Knockout Rose that I decided to use it as my profile photo; it's definitely much prettier than I am!)


And today, as every day for the past month, I will admire a clematis bloom.


This is the second blooming season for my clematis. Last year I marvelled over each of the four blooms that appeared. This year the vines are growing so fast I can't keep them all attached to the trellis, and there are 30 blooms at a time (I counted).


Today I will appreciate the pleasant surprises in the garden, like this yellow iris that suddenly appeared in the midst of all the purple ones.


Another surprise in the hot and muggy weather we've had this weekend is that the pansies are still going strong.


I'm even going to appreciate the small blooms floating above the lamium in the shade garden. I like this plant, but it is very aggressive and is encroaching upon the hostas. I planted it as a border, but I didn't realize it would send runners inward. I have been transplanting it little by little to other areas where it can spread without choking out other plants.


But most of all, I am going to enjoy the promises of more blooms to come. The Stella d'Oro daylilies are really budding out and look as though they're ready to burst.


In fact, I found one bloom hiding amidst the foliage.


My Endless Summer hydrangeas have not done so well since I moved them to this house, probably because I planted them too close to an evergreen tree. But they are budding nonetheless.

I love these shrubs so much I had to splurge and buy another one this year. This new plant is already blooming.

This perfect blue bloom will put a smile on my face every time.

An update on the flooding in our area: my basement is now dry, and the water has receded from the areas I showed in my last post. Thank you to everyone who shared their concern in commenting on my post. I wish I could have put some of our excess rain into barrels and shipped it to those of you in Texas and other areas who are experiencing a drought! Frankly, after reading the news the last few days, I feel like a whiner. Other than a couple days of aching muscles, I was very fortunate because I didn't lose anything of value. I know with the recent storms that have spread into other parts of the Midwest, that may not be true of everyone. I hope that all you Hoosier gardeners, Joey in Michigan, and anyone else in the path of the storms are safe and sound today.

26 comments:

  1. Hello to a fellow Illinois gardener. I'm north outside Rockford. Love your clematis. Mine are just starting.

    We have had so much bad weather lately my garden is a swamp, everything has fallen over, very discouraging. Your photos look sunny , hope you missed the worst storms.

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  2. Wow, after reading further in you blog I see you did not miss the bad weather. Looks like you got worse than I did. Rare for us prairie folk to complain about the rain (we frequently don't get enough).

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  3. Roses and Lilacs, I can sympathize with your swampy garden. I have one flowerbed that has been a bog the last few days--I hope the new plantings survive. I know what you mean about complaining about the rain; probably later this summer we'll be wishing we had some!
    Thanks for stopping by; I can't access your blog, though. Could you leave the URL for it? I'd like to visit.

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  4. Rose, today I am counting amongst my blessings that our house in on high ground. It is beginning to flood here even though we haven't had any rain the past few days. It is all coming from the north where they (you) had all that rain.

    I love your photos of the hydrangea. Ours didn't bloom last year due to the late freeze. We have blossoms beginging now but the blues are so blue. Oh well, I am just glad they are blooming.

    Nothing like a surprise, like the yellow iris amongst the purples. Fun.

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  5. Rose, I have always liked that poem. I use the line, "just for today" many times when dealing with a stressful situation. As in 'just for today, I can deal with a still leaking roof.' or 'just for today, I can get through the mess in my house' :) But really, we can all get through one more day or one more hour. We just have to hold on to the thought of better days and times. Sorry didn't mean to sound preachy. Your iris is a nice surprise and I love your new hydrangea.

    Hopefully, this heat and rainy period will abate and we can get back to a more normal way of life.

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  6. I loved your poem. I cam e at just the right time for me. I need a reminder to stop worrying abut every little thing and just enjoy!

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  7. I'm glad your basement is squared away. We've been in that situation twice before and it's miserable!
    I love your photos, by the way!

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  8. Hi Rose.....what a lovely post and I love your interpretation of the poem.....made me smile....you have a wonderful sense of humour. The photographs are lovely, my favourite bloom is your lovely clematis, so pretty.

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  9. My Pansies aren't toast either! They are in a large container on my front walk & I planned to replace them with Callibrachoa. I ended up just stuffing the Callibrachoa in there. I also learned the hard way about the nature of Lamium. I spent a good part of the spring ripping out tons of it. The freed plants are growing so much better without being drowned in Lamium.

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  10. It wouldn't life in the Midwest without a flooded basement. I've learned this the hard way... :(

    Hope all is well!

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  11. I so enjoyed reading your post today and your icon is perfect for you. I'm sure you are just as beautiful.

    Some lovely plants in your garden. The clematis reminded me of my mums garden, the wall and everything behind could be her house!!

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  12. So sorry that you're still experiencing terrible weather!

    Your clematis is just stunning! I planted two last year and they didn't do much, so after seeing your lovely photos I'm very excited :) This time the vines are really taking off, but no flower buds yet...

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  13. Beautiful pics. I particularly liked your clematis. Happy gardening!

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  14. Dave is right - flooded basements do seem to be a part of living in the midwest, as I well remember. Go ahead and whine about being soggy if you want to, Rose - then I won't feel guilty about whining because we're too hot and dry ;-]

    Your clematis looks absolutely festive! It sure did well in the past year.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  15. Rose,

    What a perfect and wonderful post following a rather difficult spate of bad weather and swampy garden. I certainly didn't here any whining; it seems to me that we are gardeners bonding over our concerns, failures and successes.

    Isn't Stella a dream plant, you can count on her to make you smile. Your rose is lovely, too.

    gail

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  16. Rose, Congratulations! The third winner of my Burpee clog giveaway never responded. She had three days, I gave her 7. So my husband called out a number and your name came up! Please e-mail me with your shoe size, first and second choice of colors, and your mailing address. Now you don't have to buy new clogs. I'm so glad someone that I write to has won!

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  17. Lisa, I'm glad to know you're not one of those who is flooded out. I think parts of Indiana got it much worse than we did. I love the blue hydrangeas, too; the trick is to keep them blue all season--my established plants tend to turn lavendar!

    Beckie, The idea of doing something just for today or just for this hour is a good idea. I tend to be more Scarlett O'Hara most of the time--I'll worry about it tomorrow!

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  18. Jane Marie, Glad you liked the poem. I just saw all the rest of my comments here--I can't believe I won those clogs! I'll be over first thing in the morning (via e-mail that is). I guess it does pay to have a positive attitude! Thanks!

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  19. Joyce, Glad you enjoyed the photos. Are you part of the Master Gardeners? I recently bought tickets to the Garden Walk coming up; I'm really looking forward to it.

    Cheryl, Glad I made you smile! I meant it when I said I marvel over that clematis every day--you'd think it was my baby all the attention I've given it.

    MMD, When I ordered the lamium the description didn't say "may spread freely." I guess that's one of many gardening lessons I've learned the last few years. I've been transplanting to a bare spot under a tree--it can roam as far as it wants there.

    Dave, Thanks for stopping by; I'm sorry I haven't visited in awhile. What would we Midwesterners have to complain about if it weren't for the weather? (Although in Illinois, it might be politics!)

    Suburbia, Thanks for your kind words, but I don't think I'll win any beauty pageants:) Perhaps your Mom and I do have some things in common--I'll bet I have some things packed away in my basement that would fit right in her attic!

    Amy, Yes, just be patient. I'm no expert on clematises, but the third year must be the charm. Last year mine really started vining, seemingly growing inches every day, and later in the season there were a few blooms. So just wait till next year!

    Thanks, Wendy. I seem to be spending a lot of time out in the garden this year, but I do enjoy it.

    Annie, Thanks for letting me whine. Actually, maybe I was just venting, and that's what friends are for, aren't they? I have been very pleased with the clematis, especially since I lost the tag and wasn't sure how to prune it this year. I checked out some websites and took the cautious approach.


    Gail, Thanks for being so understanding about my complaining.
    I do love Stella; some people may think they're commonplace, but I think they're beautiful and so easy to grow.

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  20. Rose,

    I love Stella in a garden and tire of her in commercial plantings! When I go outside and see her bright color in an other wise green landscape in the middle of summer I am glad I invited her into my garden.

    Gail

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  21. Hi Rose. I'm glad you're looking up even though the weather isn't looking up for you yet. Is the Knockout one of the doubles? I only have the singles (so far) and marvel at how long they bloom. Did you mention the name of your clematis somewhere else? It's a lovely variety. Today when I left school, the rain was coming down in sheets and flooding the roads. When I got home, I noticed it hadn't rained a drop. It's still bone dry here. Funny how the rain is so hit or miss here sometimes.

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  22. Hi Rose, I've just come to admire your U for umbrella, it looks lovely!!!
    Glad it's not raining for you today.
    The ferns are in my garden. They've done well this year perhaps because we had a very wet summer last year.
    Hope all is well with you
    Suburbia :)

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  23. Rose-
    I'm glad to hear that your basement has been squared away. The photos are beautiful! As far as the comment you made about the Knockout Rose being more beautiful, I believe that true beauty is on the inside!

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  24. Rose, I went through the Master Gardener course, but was never very active, and have been inactive for some time. Still love to garden though!

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  25. THose are lovely flower photos.

    We have rain at the moment. Our heatwave (apparently) has ended. Just after I'd watered my plants too!

    Glad you're able to look up today.

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  26. Rose, that Rose is beautiful, and so is your 'perfect blue bloom' ! lovely!!

    leanne x

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