Gifts, worthy ones!

My good friend had grown up in a house in the same locality as ours. They sold off the house. But some years ago, she had already moved to an apartment with her family. So, in that old house, there were 3 garden arches someone had presented to her years ago. Since her sister who has sold that house is not a garden enthusiast nor my friend who lives in an apartment needed them, she gave me two of the three arches to me! The other one she will give her cousin. They are lovely, sturdy and old! And to think of them fitting in places where I wanted according to my plan is even more exciting, as if they were made for the exact place in my garden. I plan to take pictures on film and finish off the roll soon.

Another neighbour who was there for 55 years is now leaving in two weeks time. So they are discarding many items in their home and they had called me last evening to see if I need any. Could not go over there leisurely, but picked up a couple of containers that could hold about 7 galons from which I plan to use as a 'first flusch' for my rainwater harvesting project [now in progress and will post new pictures soon]. There are many antiques with them and there may be a few surprises for me. Will try to keep you posted about interesting things.

Dinu

wish I lived closer!!!

Oh me too! I love treasures like that. They always mean more when you know the history.

Tina

Garden arches!! Yes, take lots of pictures!

It will be interesting to see how your rainwater project goes. That's something I've wanted to do for a long time, but never got any farther than collecting roof run-off in 5-gallon buckets.

How BLESSED you are!!! Keep us updated.

Judy

The neighbour I was mentioning lived in Burma for a while in the 1940s before they came to settle here. So they have some lovely pieces of wood inlays and other articles - they are going to keep them for memory's sake. Certain bulky things that cannot find place in their new abode will be left behind. And I'm there to take possession of a few of those. Their leaving will be a great loss to us, esp. to my mom. The old lady was one with whom my mom opened her mind fully, and we cannot forget their presence with us in difficult times. We never felt alone with them beside our house. It is the tough financial situation that is driving them away from here for better prospects [her daughter has a new job in Bangalore, 90 miles away]. They were better off till about a decade ago. I still wonder why Providence hurts such lovely people that way. She is a great lady, now suffering from a peculiar problem with a wound in her right leg near the ankle and that is never healing - she cannot sleep because of the pain. They are still trying to diagnose the exact cause. I had given some homeopathic remedy that helped temporarily but was directed to to a more experienced person.

That is sad. I hope all will be well with them. Sounds like she might have a circulation problem. My mom had a sore on her foot that would not heal and finally lost a portion of her foot to gangreen. You will just have to give your mom an extra hug a day Dinu to help replace the lost friendship!!

Blessings
Tina

Thank you Tina. Yes, that seems to be the same problem as you mention - circulation of blood in her leg [I remember her daughter saying it]. I think she is not a diabetic. Poor lady, the wound is now about 5 inches long near her ankle and it pains her even on little movement. Do you know what it is medically termed so that I can browse for more details about it and let them know if I find any information?

Dinu

Sorry to hear about your neighbor, Dinu. I was surprised to hear that she does not have diabetes, since that is a very common problem - wounds (especially on or around the feet) that won't heal. I did a google search "leg wounds that don't heal," and came up with a number of medical sites that discussed the problem. In all cases they recommended alerting a doctor immediately. Did you say that she is seeing one?

She really needs to be tested for diabetes Dinu. Its possible she hasn't been so far. There is a bacterial infection that eats away the tissue but I don't really think that fits. Let me know after her next Docter appt.

Tina

They moved Sunday. Will call her up and ask about diabetes. It was only my presumption. Given the name of the problem, we can also make use of the wonderful site at www.allexperts.com wherein a few knowledgeable people offer their services with suggestions in private. Hope you all have known this site before. I have asked a few questions to the experts there and got very good answers on other topics.

Will be back.

Dinu

But this was given by my other friend who did not need it. It is a big arch to which my younger d is posing on one of its rungs. It's shaped nicely, isn't it? Hope you can notice the actual arch.

Dinu, what a wonderful gift, I have always loved that shape for arches in the garden! Your daughter is precious.

Do you plan to grow vines or climbing roses - or anything - on the arch?

Since this arch is quite wide, I plan to grow MGs & Moonflower on one side and a more durable flowering vine on the other. I love Jaquemontia for its lovely blue bloom all round the year and since I have it in 3 places already, this is out of question. Will have to try out some others. Haven't yet decided. But surely it will be a flowering one. As far as roses are concerned, I don't fully like them for their thorns as I tend to get scratched by them when I go near them or while cleaning up the weeds. I have one on the other side of our yard where I don't usually move. I have made it to climb up a wire from the parapet wall.

Dinu

Sounds like a lovely plan, I love the thought of the morning glories, and the moon vine especially. Don't give up on climbing roses completely, there are some that are thornless, or nearly thornless. I think Climbing Pinkie is one, and it is a repeat bloomer throughout the growing season.

Be sure to show us pictures as your plants grow on the arbor/arch!

OOOOOOH! I love it~! It will be a great addition to your yard....

and the DD is a cutie too. Jo

Thanks Maggie and RR.

No, I don't give up those roses, but I tend to select a spot where it does not hurt me.... I'm so accident-prone, you know! That's why I keep out things like that. I have even stumbled upon stones and odd objects lying in seemingly safe places. So that has made me like that! The white rose I told is in bloom now, about 4 flowers are out. I don't remove them for decoration.

Dinu