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I'm also trying to figure out what to do with some of the things sent as condolences. Cut flowers are easy - keep them, then discard, as appropriate. Food baskets are easy - eat them or, if too many (trust me, we had tons of fruit), pass some of them on. But the live plants...those are harder. Some are quite pretty, but at the same time, do I want them around to remind me of when and why I got them? (Some of those are easy too. If they're not pretty enough to me and are potentially poisonous to the cats, they find a new home. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the two that I like, though.)
As far as my parents' plants, I expect we'll keep the Christmas cacti, but not the other that I asked what it was. The berries can be poisonous to cats, and while that's not major (I doubt they'd eat them and we could work to prevent them from being there at all), I don't find it a terribly pretty plant either. It's a weed in Florida - and it looks rather weedy to me, I'm afraid. Still, I'm not entirely sure. If we don't keep it, I'll make sure it has a home if I can - I hate to just toss a living thing, even a plant.
Rush of plant memories suddenly - chicory grew along the road when I was little - I think that's the name anyway. Small blue flowers and the root could be used for something food-ish or tea or something. I loved those flowers, they were so bright and cheerful, weed or not. Blowing dandelion fluff. Raspberries in a row along the driveway, but they needed too much water and special care. The blackberry that grew up in the old chicken pen - LOTS of fertilizer. It was very very hard to kill (and I think it may be back, or one of its cousins, anyway - I should check). Lemon balm in the garden, and comfrey. I loved the smell of the lemon balm. Peppermint and spearmint in one of the flower gardens then in the front yard, near the peonies that I was so allergic to, and loved the smell of. The other round, with pinks (STILL trying to find out which plant called 'pinks' those were), columbines, and something else I suddenly can't call to mind. The miniature roses. The terragon bush that grew amazingly large, and my venture into drying terragon. Which worked well but what does one do with all the dried stuff? Oops. ;) The catnip bush that was grown in a cage, and you could often find a cat lolling on top of it, trying to get every little bit that had grown through or into the cage mesh...or just enjoying the fumes.
Nasturtiums, planted along one edge of the garden, in amongst some other plants. Corn, I think, one year. Mom's square plot of asparagus, that needed extra water but which she doggedly took care of - she liked the asparagus. Rhubarb - I don't remember if we had it. I know the Orrs did, in McMinnville, and I may be remembering it from there.
Hanging clothes out on the clothesline with the little pins - first the round-headed kind with the two straight pieces, the 'peg' sort, and then later a true clip with a spring, press on both pieces to open and let it close on the fabric. The clothesline poles are still out there, though I don't know how well-set they are any more. The area would need some plant control before they could be used, certainly.
The tire swing that hung from the old maple. When they got concerned about something, I think the tire may have been starting to fall apart, they took the tire off but left the rope that had held it. The rope had a loop in the end (strongly suspect it was the tire that fell apart, now). What was funny was that Sam, the Brittany Spaniel who was their/our last dog, would take runs at the rope, grab it in his teeth, and swing back and forth for a bit. I don't remember if I ever saw this - I can see it in my imagination but I can't tell if it's memory. I think it isn't. I know it was told to me, though, and amused me a lot.
Okay, off for now. Starting the WoW patch.
As far as my parents' plants, I expect we'll keep the Christmas cacti, but not the other that I asked what it was. The berries can be poisonous to cats, and while that's not major (I doubt they'd eat them and we could work to prevent them from being there at all), I don't find it a terribly pretty plant either. It's a weed in Florida - and it looks rather weedy to me, I'm afraid. Still, I'm not entirely sure. If we don't keep it, I'll make sure it has a home if I can - I hate to just toss a living thing, even a plant.
Rush of plant memories suddenly - chicory grew along the road when I was little - I think that's the name anyway. Small blue flowers and the root could be used for something food-ish or tea or something. I loved those flowers, they were so bright and cheerful, weed or not. Blowing dandelion fluff. Raspberries in a row along the driveway, but they needed too much water and special care. The blackberry that grew up in the old chicken pen - LOTS of fertilizer. It was very very hard to kill (and I think it may be back, or one of its cousins, anyway - I should check). Lemon balm in the garden, and comfrey. I loved the smell of the lemon balm. Peppermint and spearmint in one of the flower gardens then in the front yard, near the peonies that I was so allergic to, and loved the smell of. The other round, with pinks (STILL trying to find out which plant called 'pinks' those were), columbines, and something else I suddenly can't call to mind. The miniature roses. The terragon bush that grew amazingly large, and my venture into drying terragon. Which worked well but what does one do with all the dried stuff? Oops. ;) The catnip bush that was grown in a cage, and you could often find a cat lolling on top of it, trying to get every little bit that had grown through or into the cage mesh...or just enjoying the fumes.
Nasturtiums, planted along one edge of the garden, in amongst some other plants. Corn, I think, one year. Mom's square plot of asparagus, that needed extra water but which she doggedly took care of - she liked the asparagus. Rhubarb - I don't remember if we had it. I know the Orrs did, in McMinnville, and I may be remembering it from there.
Hanging clothes out on the clothesline with the little pins - first the round-headed kind with the two straight pieces, the 'peg' sort, and then later a true clip with a spring, press on both pieces to open and let it close on the fabric. The clothesline poles are still out there, though I don't know how well-set they are any more. The area would need some plant control before they could be used, certainly.
The tire swing that hung from the old maple. When they got concerned about something, I think the tire may have been starting to fall apart, they took the tire off but left the rope that had held it. The rope had a loop in the end (strongly suspect it was the tire that fell apart, now). What was funny was that Sam, the Brittany Spaniel who was their/our last dog, would take runs at the rope, grab it in his teeth, and swing back and forth for a bit. I don't remember if I ever saw this - I can see it in my imagination but I can't tell if it's memory. I think it isn't. I know it was told to me, though, and amused me a lot.
Okay, off for now. Starting the WoW patch.
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I've kept plants out of guilt before. It's frustrating.
If the weather were better, I'd suggest putting them out with a "Free to a good home" sign.
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When my grandfather died in 1986 one of the gifts that arrived at their house was a double ficus. We split the two plants -- one went to my grandmother and the other to my mother. We had that plant for eons, I don't know exactly how long because apparently it died and mom replaced it when I as in college and I didn't notice. For twenty years I loved it/them because it reminded me of my grandfather even though I don't think he gave one whit for plants. And it reminded me of the many people who loved him and my grandmother enough to send such gifts.
So I'd say that if you are worried about the memory of their provenence now you might just trying holding out for a while as that mood may shift.
(But definitely only keep the ones you like! Can you take any to work if you like them but they shouldn't be around the cats?)
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