It's Raining, It's Pouring, and I'm Lovin' It!

So Listen, the reason I am loving the rain-and it is a hard- "I mean business " rain, is because we planted a Matka tree and I have been watering it to make sure it takes. But, what it really needed was a "Trash-moving and a Gulley-washer" rain. You know, the kind that washes your car so you don't have to. The kind that cleans the dirt off the driveway so you don't have too. The kind that messes up the window that you washed yesterday-well at least it was only one window.
The Matka tree is really called a Crimson King Norway Maple.

The leaves are kind of purplish, and since she loved purple, I thought it would be an appropriate tree.

I also was lucky to find some plants for sale called Colchicum or Autumn Crocus because they bloom in the fall only. See how pretty they are?

I renamed them the DuBois flower because about 12 years ago, Myself, SHusband, SMatka and SSister#1 took a road trip for SM's birthday back to her hometown in Western Pennsylvania. We were driving near her last homestead there and had to stop to take a picture of the street sign-well, you do remember that SH is the town Historian where we live-and that his mantra is "Document everything!" . So anyway, at that corner was a planting of these Colchicum that really interested us all. We took pictures of course, and have wondered about them, never seeing any for sale. Last week, I was driving SSon home and went down a street that I try to avoid-it has too many twists and turns, and I don't like how many times I have had to get out of someones way that crossed over to my side in the road. Have you picked up that I am always trying to be proactive to prevent accidents?

Do not say the anal word! It is what it is.

So, driving down this street, I suddenly see a front yard sale with these plants in pots! I turned down the first cross-street, doubled back and flew out of the car. OK, in my mind I was flying-work with me here.

I purchased three, and the nice lady gave me instructions about them, etc. Do not plant if you have dogs or cats in your yard or little kids that would be attracted to it-they are poisonous.

I immediately planted mine when I got home, saving one for SS#1. Mine are OK, but the bloom lifespan is short, so the blooms are now hugging the ground.

Can you see two little bursts of purple near the soil?

But I think they will do OK. So the purple-leaved tree now has purple flowers! Goal accomplished.

Can you tell I am doing better today? I still cry because I miss Matka, but I am trying to focus on how lucky I am to have had someone in my life that was so bigger than life-and that statement covers it all. Life could not contain Matka, so even after she is gone, she is alive in my heart and mind and it is great to have these bizillion memories.

I am not saying that I am la, la, la, happy, happy. Her birthday is coming in a few weeks, so that will be really hard, but, I am saying that I am trying to smile at the memories instead of feeling pain. Trying is a process, but I am going for it.

Thank you to all who have supported me in this life lesson. And especially you Matka. Here she is in her final residence-she said she was living like a Queen. Can you see how happy she is in this picture? I can..............