Attention: Your Peppers Are Shriveled
July 23, 2010This is what happens when 95 degrees meets inattentive gardener:
Here’s the same plant after a drink of water and a good night’s rest:
This little ornamental pepper is amazingly resilient—I’m sorry to say this is not the first time she’s wilted in the heat. Still, she survives, even after freezing temperatures in the winter and practically dying of thirst in the summer.
If you look closely, you’ll see a few peppers still a bit wizened from their lack of water. Just like the peppers, we often wear the battle scars of what we’ve been through—in our faces, in our eyes, in our hearts. Yet still we come back for more, still we reach upwards toward the light—even though sometimes that light scorches us. For us, a drink of water and a good night’s sleep may be only the beginning of what we need to recover. We may need a box of assorted chocolates, an hour of solitude, a friend’s ear, or even professional help.
If you’re struggling right now, wilting in the sun, reflect on what you really need to get through today, and the day after, and the day after that. Be an attentive gardener—don’t wait until your leaves are drooping and your peppers are shriveled before you give yourself that cool drink of water that makes all the difference. I promise you’ll feel better in the morning.
9 comments
What a difference a drink of water can make! I'm pretty inattentive to my plants too - so they sometimes look just like your "before" shot. But she looks good now!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for resilience! And rain. We're about to get some now, so poor little Pepper should be good for today, even without my help.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, Kathy! Peppers that go too long without water can also get HOT! ;) (I guess that's not an issue with your ornamental one -- altho many ornamentals are also good in the wok.) We are praying for rain here, for sure. For the last five days, rain has been in the forecast -- and we've gotten zip. :(
ReplyDeleteI think the big danger, for humans and peppers, is that gradual slide, when things get put off, or not noticed, or aren't bad enough to be made a priority on the day's to-do list. Suddenly, things look terribly droopy, but of course, the changes were happening all along...
You're right...we could save ourselves a good deal of trouble if we paid attention to our needs before we get droopy.
ReplyDeleteHope you get the needed rain. It's pouring here right now.
What an intriguing post....hope you're well watered and rested! :•)
ReplyDeleteI'm well-watered--and coffee-ed--and ready to meet the day! Time to work on an Explorations assignment :).
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and wise words of advice, Kathy. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSince you're obviously quite a bit younger than I am I'll share some happy news with you.. the older you get the better care you take of your inner spirit... that part of you that is where life is really lived. I've decided that the extra pounds, wrinkles and gray hair (although Clairol certainly helps out with that last one) are more than worth what we get back in exchange as we get more comfortable in our own skins and learn to live our lives more in line with our true priorities.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouragement, Teresa. One benefit of getting older is definitely beginning to feel more comfortable in your own skin, and learning what is truly important--what to spend time concentrating on.
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