I am a steward of planet earth afterall...just like W.

Until this spring, gardening was a hobby I participated in by the sheer force of my mother's will alone. I wanted to want to garden like I wanted to want to learn to play the piano. The desire for either had not developed enough to push me out of the starting gate. This spring, however, something has really changed in me. Watching the plants I helped plant last year sprout up anew has been an awe-inspiring experience this year. Greater awe due to the fact that my ill-attention and last summer's brutal drought had seemingly killed every form of life in my garden. But, nature perserveres even from death.

So, this weekend, my mom and I took a trip out to Benkens. It's the Jungle Jim's of nurseries in the heart of what I might call Silverton. We were on a mission to plant my new pot I recently purchased for my deck. My mom, the ever patient gardner, kept me in check as I raced around the grounds itching to take one of every plant and place it in my basket. She kept telling me, "Benkens is a place to look but not to buy, except when you can't find the plant anywhere else. It's too expensive."

I broke her down, though. I am not about delaying gratification. Hell no. So, we selected several plants and were just about finished when I ran across this beauty (see above - I wish I had Will's camera - each leaf is a painting in shades of green). A Hosta "June". My appreciation for hostas has grown by leaps and bounds since I bought this house. They are truly lovely plants.

Check out the finished product of my pot. I'm proud, but I can't say I did it alone. I'm my mother's apprentice. After this weekend, she probably thinks there's hope for me afterall.