I edited this stupid picture and it still came out lousy.  This is my office with five of my plants.

Well I’ve gone and done it again.  I said “yes” to another houseplant.  It seems as though I cannot say “no” to adopting another houseplant.  My friend and reflexologist, Lorraine, has a new spa office and she bought a palm tree to grow in the room.  The room, however, does not have sufficient light for the palm to grow.

I was at Lorraine’s last weekend and she asked if I would like the plant.  Of course I want the plant.  I want the entire universe of nature to come into my house!  And so I am planning on how to take care of the plant until it passes my test of “Can I live with other plants in this house?”

First I will probably give it a shower.  I just put the plants into the bathtub and turn on the shower to a gentle warm flow.  I might just spray it with a little Ivory soap water to begin the cleaning.  Next I will let it sit in the sunshine on a towel while it dries.  Then I will check it over carefully for any insects or illness.  I do this with all my rescued plants.

Two years ago I found a schefflera on my neighbor’s driveway by the garbage.  I quickly stopped and brought it home.  I was lucky that it was nice day in the spring and it got to live on my porch for a few months.  It is growing but I may have to repot it this spring as the growth is a little stunted.

I have a Norfolk Island Pine that is about 12 feet tall.  The hubster gave it to me when we moved into our new house almost thirty years ago.  Luckily we have a two story solarium in which it lives.

I made a count today and realized that I have thirty houseplants and a new one on the way.  Of these plants, one is a geranium that I am saving to plant outside in the spring, four others are my herbs which I bring inside for the winter.  My sage is about three feet, the rosemary is probably three and a half, the thyme is humungous and the marjoram did not do well last season and it is new baby plants around the old mother which has died.

I get this biologically from my parents.  Mother always had several African violets that she nurtured.  My dad brought in plants from outside to save them for next year, and he also started most of his garden inside.

I may not be a crazy cat lady but I’m starting to think of myself as the crazy houseplant lady.

 My magnificent Philodendron gigantium.