Willow

I neglected the smaller of my potted curly willows. It was standing in for a street tree in a tree pit out front surrounded by marigolds, to discourage dog poop and random litter. All the leaves withered just after Hurricane Irene (for which I brought it indoors, thinking it would get ripped to shreds by the wind). I thought I'd forgotten to water it. I watered it and water collected in the saucer and stayed there. I was sure I'd killed it.

I pruned off the branches, removed the saucer from beneath the pot, and moved it back to the back yard.

Today I noticed new shoots coming from the pruned branches. It will live again.

Roy came home from a short trip to the vicinity of Clearfield PA this afternoon with praise for the small towns in the area and the interesting and highly affordable housing stock. (We could get a glorious house with room for butter beans and still have change from a $100,000 bill. But the winters are fierce.) Since it was a driving trip he had a rental car and I took advantage of it to get new potting soil, seed starting mix (for next Feb/Mar), and a heap of heavy bulky staples such as cat food, kitty litter, paper products, etc.

There's a chicken in the oven that's starting to smell like dinner.