Plants, what wonderful plants!

My history with plants has never been a very good one. Well, most of it anyways. When I was a child, my parents always had a garden each year, and we grew and canned most of the food we would need for the winter. The growing season in Montana is somewhat shorter than here in Costa Rica, but we always had great veggies to can each fall. When I was married, we had several gardens over the years, depending on where we were, and how long we thought we would be there. Most of the gardens were good ones. Even after I was single, I liked growing herbs, flowers, and a few veggies, tomatoes, and I had a good bunch of green peppers one year.

Now that I am here in Costa Rica, veggies are so inexpensive, and readily available, that growing much of a garden would only be for the fun of it. I have collected many plants in the past few months though. I use to call them house plants, but here they grow mostly naturally, and do very well, in the right light. House plants and I never had a lasting relationship. Mostly, I forgot to water them, and then when it was too late, I gave them too much water, trying to save them. Now, I will try my hand at "plants" again, but think I may have a better chance of success here. This week I heard of a local family who will be moving and need to get rid of most of the plants she has collected. I was amazed at the number of plants she has for sale. Big ones, little ones, and everything in between. I don't know the names of most of them, and perhaps never will, but they are so beautiful. Now if I can keep the ones I bought from her alive. My patio looks like a green house and gives me a peaceful feeling, just setting outside. Pictures to follow... Got to get a few baskets, to hang, and a couple larger pots to transfer some of the plants into. One is an orchid, and is blooming now. It is large, and so beautiful.

The rainy season has been so good for the plants I had previously planted. They seem to have taken off the last 2 weeks with the extra sunshine since the heavy rains have slowed some.

I am having the time of my life! What a great life it is!