Bloom On

Here's a fun little survival story:

Back around Eastertime, I got a potted hydrangea as a gift from my mother-in-law.  It was the kind you see in the store wrapped with colorful tinfoil - forced to bloom and not meant for more than to look pretty during the holiday.  Sure enough, a few days later, all the flowers fell off and it looked pathetic, despite me following the care instructions.

I didn't want to throw it away, though. I thought, "Why not plant it in the ground, give it a chance to live outside?"

Look at it now!

Originally the flowers were blue, but the acidity in our soil has turned them purplish, much to my delight. 

I'm so happy it's grown and rebloomed. Every day I go outside and check on its progress.  I'm really 'digging' this whole gardening thing, ha!  There's a certain sense of satisfaction derived from knowing you nurtured beauty in nature.