b-thumbs, or why my gnome's on strike

While I was away this summer jaunting across the country with my girls, my orchids were suffering neglect and shriviling away. I left three healthy orchids on my window sill and I came home to three pots of dusty, dry leaves. I was able to save one though it was too late for the others.

Over the past couple of weeks I've been nursing the existing plants in our apartment back to life and adding a few new friends to the pack.

Voila, the window sill!

As you can see to the far right resides my hearty orchid. That tall freak-plant is my crazy amaryllis which has been investing all his energy in his singular, now almost three foot tall leaf since his gorgeous white blossoms died in February. I call him Rinald. Next to that is my brand new basil plant which I got from Trader Joe's for $2.99! I can't even buy a little packet of basil for that much at the regular grocery store. And, last but not least is my new jade. I'm a little worried for the jade as I've never been able to keep this kind of plant alive. I just can't get the watering cycle right, I'm perpetually over or under watering. But, I think it's gorgeous so I'm giving it another try.

I've also got a new china doll



And, I've been working to save the one plant Zack made us cart all the way across the country and then proceeded to neglect. This poor guy has lost so many leaves over the past couple of months and is now leaning quite a bit to the left, but I think he's got a happy life ahead of him still.



Now, on to the gnome... Gnome used to have a prominent place on the window sill next to Rinald. Now that I've got all these new plants up there clambering for sunshine, I didn't have any space for Gnome. I felt a little guilty relegating my little kitchen friend to the counter under the vitamin basket, but I had no choice. I tried to tell him I needed his help guarding the tea cabinet but I'm afraid he's unimpressed.



Tea Cabinet