Adaptability

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I may not have the time (or patience!) for elaborate outdoor gardening, but when I can buy a planter already overflowing with beautiful flowers like this one, I'll happily take the instant success.

Ironically, just after planting around my patio and bringing home several of these gorgeous flowering pots, a water ban was announced. Perfect timing, right?

Thankfully, I have my trusty rain barrel. It's tucked right beside the new patio, with one of the roof gutters feeding rainwater directly into it. Every good rainfall keeps it topped up, so when the watering restrictions arrived, I was ready. Jug after jug, I watered every flower after the sun went down, then stood back for a moment to admire all the color. Well worth every trip back and forth.

I originally went to the nursery planning to buy individual flowers and create my own planters. Then I spotted these beautiful pre-made arrangements on sale for just $19.99. I quickly realized I couldn't recreate one for anywhere near that price, I would have spent at least three times as much buying the plants separately.

"What?!"

I'll take three.

Although, in hindsight, I probably should have bought five.

Now I'm hoping the hummingbirds discover my little flower display and decide to stop by for a visit.

According to the weather forecast, we're closing in on a heatwave. The news has been warning us for days, although I honestly haven't felt it yet. Cooped up inside with the air conditioning running, it's almost hard to stay warm. 

When did air conditioning become such an essential part of everyday life?

Growing up, we never had central air. If you were lucky, you had a window fan. Summers were hot, winters were cold, and somehow we managed. In the winter, you pulled on another sweater, warmer socks, and maybe even one more sweater before thinking about turning up the thermostat. In the summer, you wore lightweight cotton or linen, opened every window you could, and if the upstairs became unbearable, you simply slept downstairs where it was cooler.

Good Lord... do I sound old!

My old house still doesn't have central air, but with the kids coming this weekend, I'd better install a few window A/C units. I'm not sure they're prepared for old-school summer temperatures, or maybe they just haven't had enough time to acclimate. Our bodies are often more adaptable than we give them credit for, especially when we gradually adjust to changing temperatures.

Like my flowers, we're all learning to adapt. Given the right conditions, and a little care, we settle in, soak up what nature provides, and keep growing.

Nature really is a marvelous thing ...adapt, adjust and thrive!

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." ~ Charles Darwin