what a long strange trip its been. | zilphia's Blog

Howdy! That's what we all used to say back in the day, when we were the coolest kids alive, in the heart of the hippiedom in Denver Colorado.  That was a long time ago, but sometimes it feels more real than today. 

Lots of water has passed under the bridge since then, and lots of blood, too.  I would say my most unfavorite thing about aging is that you follow stories all the way to their ending.  You never  have to wonder what  happened to the girl you used to know...you know she committed suicide.  On the other hand, some stories  have better turns, successes that you could not possibly imagine, from the opinions you formed long ago.  Both those scenarios are unusual though.  Most of us just lose the energy to function above the call of duty. 

I want to make a record of my past, but I want to remember things that are happening today too.  In the present, that is.  So, what I choose to do, is I will start with a daily journal, and  then I will entitle a second part of each entry with past history until I catch up.  I think I will call the Past entries  "Dead Roses"  and the present one "Green Leaves"

Here goes!

                             Green Leaves

Today, my name is Caroline.  I am either 53 or 54, I can't remember and cant be bothered to count up.  I am not old enough for rocking chair money, and I am not filing out any forms, so let's just go with the ballpark figure.

I am the mother of one daughter, Summer, who is 30 something.  We speak once or twice a year on the phone.  We don't really hate each other, we just don't connect.  She can be very rude and I just avoid her.  She is one tough cookie, and is raising 3 kids on her own.  They are like stair steps a 10 year old girl, a nine year old boy, and another girl who is 8 years old.  She seldom asks for help, but I do give it when asked, even if I can't afford it.  I am her mother and want good things for her.  If I had a wish, I would probably wish for closeness with her, but I am not sure any more if I would really wish that.

Well, Today, then.

I am a pretty useless person.  I have a short attention span and I piddle.  I am a shadow, a puff of breeze, a drop of rain on the ocean.  Except for grief over my daughter and my ex and annoyance with the foibles of my husband Brian, I am  pretty happy, most of the time.  I have issues though.

Many years ago, my daughter and husband, Shane, and any one that wanted to join in would drive down from Atlanta to the beach in Savannah.  I fell in love with the old town.  In 2001, I decided to sell  my house in Atlanta and move to Savannah. 

I live in a little concrete bunker which is ugly and shabby, but completely paid for.  The insides are in a state of partial renovation, and goddess knows if they ever will get finished.  Out back is a money sucking garden that takes an hour to water each morning.   It is tropical and partly wild.  There is not a spare inch that does not have a plant. There are:

Moon-flowers and Morning Glories planted together and swarming over a lattice and a bamboo gate, built from bamboo growing on a vacant lot down the alley. The morning glories are crimson Scarlett O'Hara and Flying Saucers which look like blue and white tie dye.  the Moon Flowers are giant white blossoms, saucer shaped which bloom at night.  Highly fragrant.

Four O'Clocks, purple white and peppermint, which open in afternoon which also perfume the  night.

Hibiscus as big as saucers, in red and white.

Althea bushes in purple.  

Zinnias in all the colors of the rainbows

Cosmos which seem to struggle in this heat.

Cleomes which are ditto with cosmos

asters and mum, which will bloom in the fall.

pineapples grown from the tops of fruit that I have eaten.

impateins & coleus, of course, and liriope, with a small forest of banana trees, one of them which actually has bananas.

In a stolen succulent pot, which has 28 pockets,

many, many varieties of succulents.  This was my big money this year.  Brian stole the pot from a house that has been vacant a long time.  I REALLY wanted it.

Roses and some shrub called a shrimp plant which has blossoms that look exactly like cocktail shrimp cooked in the shell, with all their legs still on.  They bloom all year round. 

There are camellias that bloom at Christmas and Valentines is all pink and red and white with them.  These are a legacy from Ms. Vivian Walker, who was the original owner of the place.  More on her later.

Finally there are herbs, basil, thai basil, thyme, sage. Fennel, and garlic rosemary and lavender.

And thru all this wanders green and purple sweet potato vine, which is naturalized. 

I will post some pictures!

So my life is narrow, but not without beauty and interest. 

There is a 'salt marsh at the end of the continental United States' where I run the dogs in the morning.  Since it has been so hot I have begun putting them out and letting them chase the four wheeler.  Usually,  I bike with them.  In the winter, there are woodstorks, and all kinds of beautiful birds to see. 

I love the town of Savannah, I love the Salt Marsh, I love the Rivers and the Beach.  The people kinda suck, but that's the nature of the beast, the species to which I belong.