Our Annabelle Hydrangeas

When I started growing plants and trees and flowers in my yard, a little piece of me regretted it. I know it's somewhat of a trial and error process and I did not want to get attached to anything living and growing in my yard only to see it wilt and die. 

These pictures are not from Pinterest. Or a Google image search. They are from my camera because these lovelies ARE GROWING IN OUR YARD!! Apparently they are indestructible because after what happened to them last year plus a brutal winter, I didn't dare hope that I would ever see them bloom. But they did. They make my heart sing. And sometimes I ask Danilo to drive around the block so we can approach our house from the opposite side and I can see what they look like to passers by.

P.S. If you have ever considered growing hydrangeas, apparently this is the variety to go with. Unlike other types, they do well in Utah, they can handle extreme heat, extreme cold, and recover from neglect. I am so happy that trial and error worked in my favor this time. :)

A Sad Story

One week ago we brought home some Annabelle hydrangea bushes from the nursery. They really, truly looked like this. They were gorgeous. Our plan was to have some mulch delivered the following day and go to work planting. Knowing we had a wedding in a couple of days, I decided to postpone the planting one week.

About three days ago, all the beautiful blossoms started to wilt and the leaves too and got worse day after day. It made me ill to look at them. It makes me sad and embarrassed that something so gorgeous went so downhill under my care.

We got them in the ground as promised yesterday, mulch and Miracle-Gro and all, and I am literally praying for them. I have shed tears over these hydrangeas (Danilo's just happy it's not over something he did :). I have heard that plants in distress will do better if you lop off their blossoms so the energy can go to saving the plant. The man at the nursery said over the phone he agreed and that he's fairly confident I can bring them back. So I chopped off all the once-popcorn-ball-sized-now-wilting-near-dead blossoms with a pair of scissors and I'm reporting it here so you can hopefully share in my joy when they bloom again.

OUCH

(There are four of them total.)


Thanks for listening.

On a happier note, look at our lovely lawn!! I am so proud of Danilo!

Beautiful Things

Last night I had the sweet opportunity of attending the General Relief Society Broadcast with my Mom and sisters. While all of the talks were uplifting and inspiring, Elder Dieter Uchtdorf's message lifted my mind and my spirit in a beautiful way. He spoke about the most supreme form of happiness being God's happiness, and how our Father in Heaven experiences this happiness because he creates beautiful things. Our spirits were created and individually designed by our Heavenly Father and knowing and understanding that increases our sense of worth. It sunk in in a way it never had before when I heard him say that. We are the sacred creations of a Divine Being who is our Father. He went on to say that as God experiences happiness from creating beautiful things, so we as his daughters can experience joy from beautifying that which surrounds us. Our homes, our gardens, our communities, the memories we create as families, beautiful meals, beautiful music, beautifying and improving the quality of life of those around us, whatever it is we do best with the talents our Heavenly Father has blessed us with, create things of beauty. As we do these things, we will glorify our Heavenly Father and find joy in living. It's true. That message was soothing to my soul and I pray that I will follow that pattern for happiness.
Before I head for bed tonight, I also want to tell my Dad that I love him so much! He had invited Danilo and me to attend their sacrament meeting today where we found out with the rest of the family that he had been called as second counselor to the bishop. I wholeheartedly sustain him. My Dad is a rock in my life. He has consistently put his family first in all of his responsibilities. That example has made me feel loved by and important to him. It is an example that will have far-reaching effects in the lives of his children and I am grateful to be one of his daughters.