I tweaked my blogroll again yesterday, restoring the blogs of a few bloggers who had died. The comments from all my readers made me reconsider removing them. After all, if I died, I would hope my blog would live on in one way or another, and I suppose that happens when living bloggers preserve the links. So yes, Mage and Miss Edna have returned.
That's our broom plant, above, which I don't believe has bloomed in recent years. I'm glad some things in our garden are thriving because there's a fair amount of doom and gloom out there this year. I think two of our landlord's roses have given up the ghost, or are in the process of doing so, including one of my favorites, and I am at a loss how to prevent it. We've watered and fertilized and pruned but they still seem determined to expire.
Also, our canna lily is showing no signs of life, but that is a minor tragedy. I bought that thing for Dave for his birthday five years ago and never expected it to live this long. England is really no place for an outdoor canna lily.
The pot where I planted that sprig of ginger from our kitchen has sprouted a crop of mushrooms. It's a stir-fry!
Take cuttings from the dying roses!! Take more than you think you will need and nurture them. You might get lucky and be able to replant them one day.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's a thought. I have never tried to root a rose!
DeleteI was about suggest rose cuttings too. At least one should take.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
I'll have to read about how to do that.
DeleteAbout the blogs of people who've died. It makes me realize how long I've been active online -- since 1995 and the old Utne Reader site-- when I notice how many online friends have died. Just like rl, where I've outlived all the age group I knew.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how quickly time passes. I am at an age now where people I knew growing up -- my age -- are dying.
DeleteThey could be psilocybin mushrooms - in which case, enjoy the trip to Narnia and beyond!
ReplyDeleteI'll eat them! What could go wrong?
DeleteYour stir-fry made me laugh. I think garden roses have a limited lifespan. No more than 20 years is what I remember. So, if I’m right, that could explain the roses. I like that you’ve reinstated some late-blogs. I’ll keep that in mind.
ReplyDeleteOh, well that makes me feel better, if true. Our roses are surely all much older than 20 years. I've heard they're several decades old.
DeleteThere's something deeply touching about keeping departed bloggers on your blogroll—a quiet way of honoring their presence
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like the thing to do.
DeleteI have become so pragmatic about death. If someone dies, they will neither know nor care if their blog lives on. Well, that's my thought on the matter. But yes, I suppose it's nice that other people care enough to continue its presence via their own blogs.
ReplyDeleteI love your tiny ginger sprout.
They won't know or care after death, but I imagine during their lives they would have said they wanted it to live on. I certainly hope mine hangs around after I die. At least I think I do.
DeleteIt's like a little Munchkin Village in the pot.
ReplyDeleteHa!
DeleteThat stir-fry comment made me smile! I would have never thought of that!
ReplyDeleteIf only I had some tofu! That's harder to grow, though.
DeleteLove the stir fry! Those tiny mushrooms remind me of the fairy gardens and Peter Pan house chimneys. Hmmm. I wonderful if I could plant leftover ginger in a pot. I have one deceased blogger on my primary bookmark list and go back periodically to read some of her wonderful writing. You always hope they just stopped writing and moved onto other endeavors but I suspect a lot just passed on.
ReplyDeleteIt's always possible. I know about these two because their relatives posted either on their blog or on Facebook to let the rest of us know what happened.
DeleteI have pruned my blog reading list over the years like you. The ones that remain are all still alive, to my knowledge anyway, but I can't bring myself to prune them because I enjoyed their blogs and have always hoped that someday they would restart them.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the danger -- if you take someone down and they DO restart, you'll never know! I finally decided I'd take the risk.
DeleteThat broom plant looks so sweet. You are clever with your post titles, Steve!
ReplyDeleteSometimes -- today's (Thursday) won't win any prizes for creativity.
DeleteI can't believe your ginger sprouted so quickly! Mine is still just sitting there. Maybe I didn't plant it deep enough but the roots of the decorative ginger in the yard ae right on the surface.
ReplyDeleteMine had already sprouted on the counter. Also I soaked it for about 24 hours before planting it, to soften up the root and get it hydrated. Not sure whether that will help or not.
DeleteYour first photograph is stunning.
ReplyDeleteWell done with the ginger. The piece I 'planted' disappeared without trace. I'd better try again.
I think it's hard to grow ginger in the UK! This is far, far from its native home!
DeleteI just saw a couple of tiny mushrooms in my pot of basil this morning. Better than the bird nest and egg I found in there one year! I hope you have a lot more vegetables to add to that stir-fry!
ReplyDeleteBirds are not the smartest about choosing nesting locations.
DeleteI commend you for your efforts. When we first moved to Spokane, I commenced a program of ugly plant removal. The rose was the first to go. I don't know what happened to it, but there was no way I was going to have that in the front yard. This years removals will be the two dead Roses of Sharon. The winter two years ago finished them off.That first photo is very striking.
ReplyDeleteI remember your plant purge! I guess everything has a life span.
DeleteHa...your stir-fry comment made me laugh. All you need is a bit of lemongrass and soy sauce and you have it made. I went to the botanical garden this morning and saw lots of plants in various stages of their lives. The gardeners were doing a clear-out in some places. I visited that orchid exhibit again. The variety of orchids in there is amazing.
ReplyDeleteLemongrass! Yes! That's what I need!
DeleteSometimes people do go back to blogging; I've had a couple friends who have, but it's rare. I still keep their blogs on my blogroll--just in case. I have a harder time with the deceased (or unknown) people. I feel sad seeing their names and visiting to see my comments from years ago.
ReplyDeleteI guess it feels respectful to leave the links up. I don't want them forgotten.
DeleteI'm a little worried about Miss Pinky. She has completely flopped down - as if she's a vine instead of a geranium. Maybe if we trim her. But I'm kind of afraid to touch her. Plants are complicated!
ReplyDeleteThe experts say geraniums should be cut back in the spring, so maybe that's what she needs? I must confess I do not follow this advice myself. I'm always very hesitant to prune plants. My geraniums are quite lanky.
DeleteI may quit blogging tomorrow. Or maybe not. Help, Steven! Keep me alive!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep a link to you no matter what, so I can get my weekly dose of Friday funnies!
DeleteYou've reminded me that the wild roses we used to have all across the back of the yard have died out over the years. I miss them. I don't miss their thorny branches, but I miss the blossoms. Maybe the tame ones do the same thing - die out at a certain point.
ReplyDeleteMaybe! It never occurred to me that they might die naturally, but why wouldn't they? I guess everything does!
Delete