Tuesday after work my Mom and Dad came over to do a little gardening. Mom had some Rose of Sharon from her garden for me as well as a few shoots from a plant from my sister Diane’s yard. We don’t know what that one is called, but it has nice red leaves. I think I’ve mentioned that this is not a real gardening blog. We also thought we would finally plant the Black Eyed Susan I bought back in June (see if I was a real gardener, that would be in the ground by now).
After some discussion as to where the plants should go, we got to digging. Dad sat on the deck and petted Tabby (thus keeping her out of our hair). Steven fetched various implements for us. When it came time for the Black Eyed Susan, Mom suggested we put it on the edge of the vegetable garden (OK, it’s seven tomato plants and a patch of chives).
“You’ve already dug up there. It won’t be so difficult making a hole.” This was a good thought, as we needed a larger hole for the Black Eyed Susan. “The other reason I suggested this spot,” Mom confided after we had been digging for a few minutes, “is that it’s in the shade.” My Mom is truly a wise woman.
After we got the Black Eyed Susan planted I saw the plastic information pic, which I had never noticed before. It said “Black Eyed Susan. Rudbeckia.” Back in June I was on an unsuccessful mission to find Rudbeckia, since I had read it attracted butterflies. I was a little embarrassed when the guy at Elizabeth’s Country Garden told me Rudbeckia was Brown Eyed Susans. Now I find out it is also Black Eyed Susans. I really must read some gardening books. I suppose some philosophical soul might find a metaphor in my having what I was searching for all along. Be that as it may (I love that expression), I was just glad to get the plants in the ground.
After our exertions we sat on the deck and visited. Dad and I had a beer while Mom enjoyed some ice water in one of my fancy new plastic deck goblets (I was about to call it a glass, but a plastic glass? Doesn’t sound right).
Mom told us to water the new plants at least three times a day to begin with. Rain was forecast for Wednesday, so maybe the Mohawk Valley wait-five-minute weather will do us a favor. It certainly did us a favor Tuesday. It was lovely sitting in the shade with a nice breeze blowing. A very enjoyable evening. And not a bad blog post, even if it isn’t a real garden blog.
Mohawk Valley Girl 
Hey, you live in the Mohawk Valley and gardening is something folks here (and many other places) do! Write whatever you want, just own it – it’s fun to read! š And I’d say 7 tomato plants is DEFINITELY a garden. We cut back to one beefsteak and one cherry plant this year in pots (although our raised beds are housing tons of other stuff), they took over way too much last year. š