Wandering through tianguis (the weekly Guaymas swap meet) on Wednesday I found a streetcorner salesman with lilies and poppies. Plants had been on my mind, and I couldn't take my eyes off the orange lilies in their little red-painted pots, already blooming in clusters of three and four glorious blossoms. Tiger lilies? They did have a few little freckles on their petals. I scooped up just one, to see if I could find a spot in my little yard for it. I'm a timid gardener, with very little history of success in keeping plants alive. And besides, my yard is surrounded with pink oleander, would orange lilies look really gauche there?
Flowers always make me feel rich. I used to buy cut flowers, and when the Capt was traveling and I was home alone, he would sometimes send me flower arrangements, always a thrill. But blooming plants are better by far, because they offer not only their initial beauty but the challenge of helping them thrive and propagate. It's like adopting a new pet.
For over a decade I've either been on the boat for months or lived in an apartment with no patch of dirt, so plants didn't have much of a chance in my life. But here I am, ready to try again, Googling for gardening guidance. Hope springs eternal.