Yes, I’m still here and doing much better health wise. My melanoma cancer metastisized to assorted lymph nodes. Through my immunotherapy plus radiation therapy my body is doing well. I will have CT Scans done in December to learn where I’m at.

I’m planning a road trip for 2027. Haven’t been able to do any travelling this year. I will go and write about the Art Gallery of Ontario exhibitions.

I may have been influenced by my friends Kathy and Hugh. They have an incredible backyard garden. It gave me a peaceful solitude which I had only experienced on my travels.

I then decided to try a new activity – being a plant-parent. I’ve never had house plants before. I bought a little flowering one as a prop for a speech I was giving. Over the summer the flowers disappeared but, remarkably, the plant somehow continued to grow in my care.

I had it on my balcony where I got about 3 – 4 hours of afternoon sun. It was lonely so I bought a Chrysanthemum from the Metro supermarket. Big problem – the flowers did not bloom and I didn’t know why. I thought this was intriguing so I bought a book to help me in this hobby. “For the Love of House Plants” by Tanner Mitchell

It is an excellent book – well written, step-by-step instructions and side bars with extra but useful information.

Tanner advised once you get into it, you will always be looking at plants. He was right. I was in Loblaws and after the checkout I passed the flower/plant area. Had to stop. I saw this plant on sale for $10. “You’re coming home with me”.

What I didn’t know, and later learned from Tanner, was this plant was doomed to failure. It was actually 3 plants in one pot. The grower did this before shipping it off to Loblaws. The 3 plants each had different watering cycles.

Well, I was not going to let these little ones die. And so, I started a little plant rescue activity. I learned that I would have to separate each one into their own pot. That is what I’m going to show now

I did a search and luckily there was Bob’s Garden Centre within dog walking distance. Once inside I thought this could become my second home. It was chock full of plants and flowers.

I told her I needed some pots and potting soil to repot 3 plants. I showed her with my hands how large the plants were and she went and got what I needed.

You need to have some kind of covering for the floor to catch the dirt. I had my ground cover I use for camping. Of course as soon as I sat down to Fiona’s level, she wanted to know what was going on.

Tanner explained I had to have something like a thin trowel or chopsticks. This is to separate the dirt from the wall of the pot. Luckily, being the cook that I am, I had a package of bamboo skewers which worked perfectly.

You can see that I pulled out one big root ball. I took it to the sink to wash the dirt off and separated the different roots. I laid out the 3 plants. On the left is a Kalanchoe. Middle is Arrowhead and the right is a parlor palm.

I set about doing my first repotting. The kalanchoe in the middle is in what is called a “cover pot”. It does not have drainage hole. You put a pot with drainage hole in the cover pot. It provides a more decorative setting. I will get another pot and transfer it. Then use the cover pot for my next supermarket rescue.

Time to wash my hands. Then enjoy the greenery.