Zen Kitchen

Last night I spent a very satisfying few hours returning some Zen to my kitchen counter. I figure I spend so much time in the kitchen I want to enjoy the view. I finally hung up the postcards I bought in Japan 10 years ago and recently framed. They'd been sitting on top of the jars on the kitchen counter for a while and getting in the way each time I needed to open my much used jars. The jars themselves are freshly labeled and gleaming enticingly to be used.

My poinsettia, which was a gift from my mother-in-law Janet nearly four years ago, is the first plant that I've cared for successfully for this length of time. I think I might actually be developing a bit of a green thumb. I have been notorious for the sad and early demise of many plants (including a beautiful bonsai that I don’t even want to remember how old it was before it had the misfortune to enter my care. I did actually love that bonsai…).  I once read that if you’re taking care of yourself, your husband, your kids, your house and your dog, don’t be surprised if your plants don’t make it. Well, I don’t even have a dog, and my plants died even before the husband, the kids and the house came along.

Recently my poor poinsettia, that I love dearly (and prefer it being green than red, which fortunately saves a lot of extra work on plant care), had an infestation of little bugs. I really thought that was the end of my plant but spoke to a friend who is a bit of a plant whisperer. She recommended the dish liquid strategy, which I’d used years before with a miniature rose that is no longer with us. I now know that pouring dish liquid all over the rose and all through its roots was not quite how you’re supposed to treat a bug infested plant. So I found myself washing each leaf of the poinsettia individually and over the course of several days removed all the bugs and their little cocoons. Even Caitlin spent a great deal of concentrated time helping me save the plant. And I do think that it has been saved. After our initial debugging I monitored the plant closely for a return of the bugs. At the first sight of a little critter I was on it with a wipe and liquid. They didn’t stand a chance.  And now my poinsettia is on the mend from the minor reaction to the dish liquid. Oh what joy! I feel like I’ve redeemed myself, slightly, for past plant massacres. I now experience such delight when I’m working away at my newly organized kitchen counter and find myself grinning at my beloved poinsettia. It has restored my faith in my ability to develop new skills. I think I’ll just pop off now and give it a little drink.