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The sun is a beautiful sight but slow to warm things up.  As I type this–at 8:45–the temperature is thirty-nine degrees. ~~ I won’t check plants until considerably warmer outdoors!!

Oh, no, not again !?

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Well, in some cases, you can teach an old dog a new trick. I set up the ladder and dipped out the water!! I then forced the broom handle into one of the planters and hope it will stay in place and prevent water from accumulating on the tarp roof. I started covering plants again because freezing temperatures predicted for tonight and Sunday night. Burr-r-r-r it’s cold outdoors!!

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Extremely cold (in my humble opinion) as I covered the plants (with wet sheets). I felt like an icicle. ~~ Sadly, the broom didn’t last long as a support.

The meaning of deja vu, and quel dommage.

Lorraine is (figuratively speaking) the “bag lady.” You will see me carrying the red bag around with me, everywhere I go. I’m collecting plastic containers to use as “pebbles” in the bottom of the huge planters. Two advantages of “pebbles”: (1) Excellent drainage, and (2) less planter soil required. When I did the earlier project (south side of my trailer home), it took more than one $10.00 bag of planter soil in each planter. ~~ I’ve advertised my “need” during announcements (at CARE) and an email message to residents of the adjacent RV Park. I’ve had a positive response in a short time, with promises of more.

(I didn’t want to write “Houston, we have a problem” because the wrong message for search engines!!)

Look at the problem created by two inches of rain over the previous day and night.

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One of the CARE volunteers came to my rescue. It was too heavy, I couldn’t push the water off the tarp roof. ~~ Next time (if there is a next time) I’ll set up a ladder and dip out most of the water. Eventually, I’ll have another long “tie down” across the pipe frame on the inside. It would be a major task now because the plants, shelves, and table would have to be removed so we had access. ~~ During the morning, I swept leaves, cleaned and filled bird feeders, and removed covers from the plants (soaking wet covers).

Dark cloudy morning with light rain. Our weather will be warmer for several days. I’ll leave the covers over the plants until covers (sheets) are dry (no clothesline available). I was watching the temperature yesterday and during the night. Honestly, I’ve lost track of the number of plants I have–and I don’t want a single one to freeze to death.

Up and down… to check the temperature. Up and down temperatures!! When I got up at 8:10, the sun was shining and I didn’t see any frost. Remember, it was sixty-two degrees at 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Note that it was thirty-two degrees twelve hours later!!

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The weather is delightful!! Yesterday afternoon, I swept leaves, raked leaves, pulled weeds, filled bird feeders, etc. Fifty-three degrees outdoors as I write this at 10:30. Beautiful sunshine; blue sky!! ~~ Indoors, my Kalanchoe is getting prettier every day!! It amazes me that a “cutting” would stay green, and bloom.

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Back again at 3:00 PM; sixty-three degrees outdoors: Our (for the most part) mild weather is encouraging plants to grow and/or bloom. The Petunia plants were baked under Texas summer sun and I thought the plants were dead. Imagine my surprise to see these during my walk around the yard. The previously broken pieces of Christmas Cactus are doing very well and one managed to bloom!! This morning I saw a Bluebird couple checking out the bird house. Oh my, it seems too early for them to build a nest and start a family!!

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Postscript, 4:30 PM; sixty-two degrees outdoors: Premature preparations perhaps?! Houston TV meteorologist’ predicted low of 36 degrees tonight. I’m about ninety miles northeast so a bit colder. It was so pleasant as I covered the plants; it is difficult to imagine a drop of thirty degrees overnight.

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I won!!

It’s 9:30 PM and I just opened the email notification. This is awesome!!

More details about Garden Tower Project on my new blog Casual Approach Rejected Entirely.

Garden Tower 2 Giveaway – World’s Most Advanced Container Garden The 50-plant composting container garden by Garden Tower Project Congratulations. Your registered entry (Lorraine, LorraineEEdwards@gmail.com) was selected to receive: THIRD PRIZE: $100 web store discount towards a Garden Tower 2

A lot more information details followed but nothing my reader would be interested in.

The Magic Bank Account

Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your personal use.

However, this prize has rules.  The set of rules are as follow:

1. Everything that you don’t spend each day will be taken away from you.
2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
3. You may only spend it.
4. Each morning,  upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for the new day.
5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,“Game Over!”   It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do with your prize?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right?   You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew money would be replenished in the morning, right?

Actually, THIS GAME IS REAL.  Shocked ? Yes!   Each of us is already a winner of a much more valuable *PRIZE*.   We just don’t seem to realize it.

The prize is *TIME*

1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.
2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.
3. What we haven’t used up that day is forever lost.
4. Yesterday is forever gone.
5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING.

So, WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR 86,400 seconds today?

Those seconds are worth much, much more than the same amount in dollars.  Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!  Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start “spending” your valuable *PRIZE* wisely.