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Saturday, May 03, 2008

Old woman, I am.

This afternoon I joined my father and stepmother to go to an African violet show. Upon entering we were each given a slip of paper and pencil to vote for the people's choice award. We take such responsibility very seriously in my family. Up and down the rows we went, carefully examining all the gorgeous and unique specimens. The honor court was especially impressive. We finally made our selections, each independently choosing a different plant. After that we made our way to the sale table. I narrowed my favorites down to two, whereas my parents waffled endlessly. Finally, I paid for my one, Starry Night Blue, and left my parents to pick out theirs. The older woman making the sale offered me invaluable advice on caring for it. She told me how she'd only gotten into raising African violets a year ago. Now she has around 40 plants at home! She took me around to show me some of her plants, including two in the honor court. One of them was the one I had voted for!

Now I just hope I can keep my new plant alive and flowering. I have one old and very small African violet that hasn't flowered in years. The lady suggested that I replant it in a smaller pot to force flowering. My interest in African violets started during my sophomore year of college when I lived alone in a basement apartment. I finally succeeded in getting one to flower on my window sill. When I happily phoned my father to brag, he congratulated me on officially becoming an old woman.

10 comments:

Stacy said...

Haha! I often catch myself doing old woman stuff too - gardening for one (people at work razz me for that), knitting (also gets me razzed), and the list goes on. :)

Stacy said...

Oh and I killed the only african violet I ever had - with in only a few months - is there a trick to keeping them alive?!

Smellyann said...

I just regifted an African violet, since I have such a black thumb with such plants. I can even kill succulents!

I get razzed all the time for knitting too, called "Grandma" etc.

BerryBird said...

You know, I don't think being an old woman is such a bad thing. Many of them are quite delightful.

prairievisiondesign : handmade said...

They are irresistible when they are blooming. My grandmother loved af violets and even had af violet sheets.

Coffeypot said...

I kill plastic plants. No green thumb here.

Marni said...

Good job! I kill cactus -- so I know I couldn't make a violet bloom.

a friend said...

African violets like diffused light, so an eastern exposure is good. Over watering kills plants. Water when the top inch of the soil is dry. You can remove the larger leaves on the very bottom (of your older plant) and transplant; this I have found will encourage it to rebloom. Remember to fertilize at least once a month or when you water.(or as noted on the plant food label.)

Even my children (Youngest is 3) enjoy gardening. Gardening is about enjoying nature and new discoveries; not old age.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Hey, I can prolly get you some African violets if we can figure out how to get thme to you and you want more. AND info on caring for them.

My poet friend, Dawn raises them and has zillions and is always trying to give me some. And hers are LOVELY.

Congratulations again on being a great old woman. LOL!

(Are you wearing purple yet?)

a/k/a Nadine said...

Well Mary, next time you're headed my way I would love an African violet from your friend!