 My life now is quite different from the life I led in Hayesville, NC, for the past thirty years. There I was out and about almost every day. If I wanted to go somewhere, I simply got into my car and drove to one of the small towns nearby, where I shopped, visited with a friend or simply stopped in a restaurant and ate alone. As a writer, I like to listen to those around me. I often get a line or an idea from some conversation. As a member of the NC Writers' Network - West, I had many friends among the locals. We often got together for a late lunch and had a good time talking and laughing for an hour or two. Some of us had no one at home to hurry back to, and we stayed even longer. I don't know anyone here in Roswell except my sister and my niece. The three of us often meet for a long lunch. I enjoy both of them. But I haven't made friends here. I joined the Georgia Writers Association, but their meetings are not near where I live, and they meet at night. With my physical difficulties in walking very far, I usually feel more confident when with someone than alone. But I haven't found a writing buddy who would accompany me. I don't drive at night in the city. I often get lost, and that is a frightening experience. All those years I lived in a rural town in the mountains, I had no fear of driving at night alone from my home to the surrounding towns. I knew all the curvy roads, all the landmarks, and when others would not drive at night, I had no problems. I don't see quite as well at night as I used to, but that was not a big problem then. So, I have found more things I can do alone at home. This spring, I am enjoying growing vegetables as well as flowers in my deck garden.  |
| My first tomato grown on my deck |
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| Squash plant beside my little tomato |
My crookneck squash has been fun to watch. It has had large yellow blossoms, and now, I think it is going to make squash.
I live in a shady area surrounded by trees, which I love, but I only get the midday sun. One end of my deck is not covered. That is where my veggies grow. I have another tomato plant, a green pepper plant, a dill plant, and basil that are doing pretty well.
Basil is a member of the mint family and is known for its aromatic leaves and delicate flavor. Basil plants typically grow to be between 1 and 5 feet tall, depending on the variety, and I hope mine won't be too tall.
I am learning about growing basil.
Basil thrives in sunny locations with 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day. My deck is not likely to get that many hours of sun.
Basil can also be grown in containers or raised beds, ensuring adequate drainage.
It's cold-sensitive and should be planted outdoors after the last frost. Mine is certainly grown in a container. I can't even walk on rough ground, and certainly cannot plant anything that needs to be watered and cared for.
I look forward to snipping off fresh young leaves for seasoning my cooking. I still cook some, but not every day. I try to prepare a dish that I can enjoy for several meals. The only thing I cook every day is my breakfast. I like a big breakfast of eggs, toast, sausage or bacon and a combo of grits and oatmeal. That is probably the largest meal I eat each day, but the second largest is my midday meal. I eat light at night.
At my home in the mountains, I always had hydrangea and red geraniums on my deck. I bought a small hydrangea (see in the photo below), but it is not blooming very well for me. And the red geraniums are not blooming at all. Stu hung a planter on the railing of the deck in the sun, so maybe that will help.
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| Hydrangea between two geraniums that just won't bloom |
Sounds at night remind me of my childhood.
Tonight I hear the cicadas singing, and it reminds me of the nights when I was a child and we could hear this sound from the swamp across the road on our neighbor's farm. My brothers told me it was frogs making that noise. But I feel sure what I am hearing tonight are cicadas. They were expected to be in Georgia in May. I feel sure they are close by. They don't eat leaves, flowers, fruit or produce, so my deck garden is safe.
They are a valuable food source for birds, and they can aerate lawns and improve water filtration into the ground. They even add nutrients to the soil as they decompose. I just learned all this. I only knew they sang all night. One evening when my little great nephew, Luke, was staying with us at our house in the mountains, he fell asleep on the sofa as he waited for his grandmother to pick him up. When he awakened suddenly and sat up, I asked, "What's wrong, Luke? You can't sleep?" He said, "No. The bugs are too loud."
He would not be able to sleep here tonight because the bugs are really loud.
That's all, from my solitary world in the city. I am blessed to be surrounded by nature. The ducks on the lake and the turtles sunning themselves on a log out on the water give me pleasure. To grow old in this setting is very special to me. I am thankful.
Until next time, when you meet others, smile and say hi. It will make their day and yours.
