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Remember the tragedy on this day fourteen years ago.

Over a dozen hours spent trying to unravel family members (not on my tree)!! Some individuals are so careless about attaching names and dates without checking details. Identical names are a challenge. I’ve been working with Mary Alice Hume (1852-1912) and husband Edward Lewis (1843-1909). Explanation: I had to isolate those two because NOT my Mary A. Hume (1846-1924). Edward is erroneously hanging on my tree!!

Last night, I cut about six inches off numerous branches of the Turk’s Cap in the neglected yard. While the plants, in planters, were dead the Turk’s Cap has survived, and thrived, with limited water and fertilizer. That’s exactly the type of plant I want adorning my front and side yard. Just out of curiosity, I cut some about ten or twelve inches long to see if they, too, would root. The Internet instructions said “four to six-inch cuttings.”

The heat and humidity drove me indoors; I wanted to do more work in the yard!!

The local meteorologist’ say that cooler weather will arrive in about ten days. I’m eager!!

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The word is out: “Lorraine is the ‘plant nurse’.” Yesterday I learned of plants and planters that were available at a neglected RV site in Rainbow’s End RV Park. The next-door neighbors said the owner would not mind if I took the plants and planters. Frankly, I believe everything in the planters is dead. However, I’m told one planter had a beautiful Lantana. I removed it from the large black planter and hope to “nurse” it in my smaller container. In the picture, only three of five large planters. I suspect the soil is old and “dead”; an acquaintance will haul it to a land fill.

Large planters are so-o-o-o-o expensive!! Today, I told several that I won the lottery. Honestly, what a blessing!! The planters will be placed on “the other side” of my trailer home, with plants that thrive in full sunshine, and are drought resistant. You’ve heard me lament (?) that I can’t plant in the ground BUT I hoped for an exception “for my next-door neighbor’s sake.” An emphatic “no.” (Management does not want plants in individual yards because the next resident might prefer a “naked” RV site. When I die, management can easily dispose of my planters, Shepherd’s Hooks and garden paraphernalia.)

I’ve checked the Internet and know of several plants that will be hardy, and produce an abundance of flowers: Cape Honeysuckle, Mexican Petunia, Turk’s Cap, and Lantana. I purchased a small Turk’s Cap at Lowe’s (recently) but learned (from the Internet) how easy it is to propagate. I’ll take cuttings from a beautiful plant in the neglected yard.

Beastly HOT as my acquaintance (with a pickup truck) and I wrestled the planters.

Worked in the yard all morning. See the pictures that I added (as a postscript) to Toiling on Tuesday. Pictures of the caterpillars added to Monarch Butterfly surprise. I’m “bone weary” (and my shoulder hurts) so (at 3:00) this is probably the shortest blog I’ve every published. Hot and humid 94 degrees (outdoors in the shade) as I publish this.

I need my battery charged!!

At long last, all the loose ends were tied up, the ribbon-cutting for the Clinic adjacent to CARE and Rainbow’s End Escapees RV Park.

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“You have a Monarch Butterfly“ were the first words out of her mouth. I had a visitor and I was eager to see “the butterfly.” Instead, I was directed to that little green caterpillar on the tomato plant.  Honestly, I had searched (without success) for some indication of the culprit destroying my tomato plant. Now, I’m thrilled that Mama Monarch found my yard a suitable nursery!! A prolonged search revealed the second–larger–caterpillar. ~~ It has been too hot for veggie plants–and no bees to pollinate–so I eagerly offer my tomato plant to the caterpillars.

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Day two: Just checking.

The weather is cooler and I can work in the yard. The pain in my shoulder is unrelenting!! Good news, bad news. (I’m indoors for a “tea” break.)

(I’ve been working in the yard!! So much to do!!)

Bird seed is on the ground under the several feeders so I know the birds have found the new “Golden Corral” with a smorgasbord of goodies.

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Postscript: Toiling on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015.