My Peace Lily

I need houseplant help.  I was given this peace lily plant last spring.  After a few months, I repotted it to this (bit) larger clay pot.  It is boosted to fit the height of the decorative pot with a bit of styrofoam.  My usual mantra had been to water it once a week by soaking it in the sink for 1 hour.  I also watered it some from the top at that time.  Occasionally, I would miss or be late for a watering.

This winter it falls over if it hasn’t been soaked for 3 days.  Limp like a rag doll!  I’ve been trying to water/soak it 2x a week now.

Does it need a bigger pot?  Is this something that needs divided?  Should I trim some of the damaged leaves?  Is it just done being a houseplant?

WARNING — Grossness ahead —-

 

And in full disclosure, I’ve found these worm-type bugs dead on my carpet.  Nothing regular but 2 one week and none the next week or two.   Twice when I’ve watered the peace lily, there is a bug like this on the pot so it makes me wonder if there is more problem with the plant.  Do you know anything about this?

 

Usually when I find them they are dead and have curled in a coil.  I couldn’t find a photo that I thought I had taken so went hunting and found this one live & walking on the edge of the pot (while the plant is soaking)!!  Major EEEWWWW!!!  😦

Thanks for any help you can offer!!  I don’t have a green thumb but I do like having house plants around.

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Fourth Sunday of March

Honestly, I thought this little theme of watching spring arrive in March was going to be more interesting than this!

 

Yes, we had some days of sun in the last week that worked a bit on snow melt.   I even had 2 days of in the 40’s to walk outside and help blow away my cold.  (Yes, feeling better this weekend.)  But still we are looking at snow and a brown yard.  

One time out, I paid special attention to my rose bushes as my dBIL was giving me advice on their care.  The bushes have a lot of buds waiting to come (and so do the nearby fire bushes) but they will continue to wait.   

This morning it was 17′ F when P went out for chores and this week barely has days above freezing.  Winter continues.  

P is hopeful for spring – one tractor is in the shop and besides getting the imminent problem fixed, it is getting ready for a hard-working spring.  He has his eyes out for another tractor to replace a smaller one.  And he has spent time working on the planter.  I have no idea what he has done so soon with the planter but he is getting ready.  Surely, spring will come at some point!  

I’m not sure the photo will change much by our 5th Sunday but I’ll aim to post again and we’ll see all 5 weeks in progression.   

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Third Sunday of March

The northeast wind howled against my window all night and we awoke to a lot of snow blowing parrallel to the ground.   Now in late afternoon, it is still very windy but sunny.

I never went outside today so this is from my living room window.  We have been hit by the winter bug.  P got it last Saturday and I got it Thursday.  I am not feeling any better.  P got a bit of energy back on days 6 & 7 but is really worn out in the evenings.   JP has had it 2 weeks and came home today for not much R&R over spring break.

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Second Sunday of March

We remained cold all of last week, added 4 more inches of snow on Wednesday, and nothing melted.

Today only allowed a bit of sun but the temperature was just 35’F or so.  We made an impromptu drive so I didn’t get a photo until 5 p.m.  I doubt that much melted today.  The rest of this week should make a difference in snow depth.  This is very unusual for March here.  We might have snow but not this much everywhere!

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Very Berry Christmas Tree Skirt

I found this pattern and embroidery CD at the Des Moines, Iowa AQS show in October and really wanted to make this!  So much so, that I found fabric at the show for it AND pulled it out to make in December.  A new record?  The fabric and pattern were only in house for 2 months!  *snicker*

It is 12 sections that are sort of cone shaped and each are embroidered/appliqued separately in the mega hoop for my machine.

I had the top of the tree skirt done for Christmas.

I quilted it in early January.

In February, I added the binding.

Pattern notes:

This is the large tree skirt.  Whereas, at this point, I vow to never make this pattern again, there is a tiny inclining in me to make the small tree skirt.  *sigh*  The pattern calls for 1/2 yard fabric for binding.  That is not enough for bias strips for 12 scallops and the back opening and circle.  I thankfully found the fabric online and could make longer strips.  I do continuous bias so used an extra large square and have miles of binding left!  🙂  But not a seam for every scallop as the 1/2 yd would have made.    The fabric for the background is *just* enough for the cones.  Premark before cutting, make sure you slide the cones up & down as you cut, and hold your breath you have enough at the end.  It was a tight squeeze for me.

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Counting February

I’m participating in my Month in Numbers with Julie.  February… the shortest month that lasts the longest… now done and March is roaring in with giving us MORE snow.  I’m not sure why February numbers have been hard to come by this time around.

1 – book finished!  Something More by Catherine Marshall… very vintage, (c) 1974, but the teachings are good.  Each chapter was a pile of truth and a whole book in itself.  I have several good things from the book tucked in my pocket.

2 – books started AND finished… in one little month!!  🙂   I pulled out Ann Kiemel Anderson‘s book, First Love, and enjoyed reading that again.  I think I have nearly all of Ann’s books and this was good to reread.  After reading it, I searched to find her current information and found she was struggling with new diagnosis and as the month went on they found it was cancer.   I picked up her book, Seduced by Success and read that one next.  Once again, good.  New points hit me this time through and old points were still good from my original read.  (this book I had marked the first time through)  And then Ann left life here and saw Jesus face-to-face on March 1.  Ow.  I’ve learned a lot from her books in the last 35+ years of having them.  I’m sorry to think she is gone from her earthly family now and so suddenly.

11– hours or more of painting trim; baseboards, doors trim, closet trim, window trim, window itty-bitty bits, nearly endless!

Really the room re-do will get a post of its own in the future.  I’m so thankful with how well it has gone and my super-good helper!!

12 – scallops were given binding!

This is my favorite… I have my tree skirt done and bound and labeled!  I hate to put it away until Christmas so it is on the bed in the extra room where there is no heat and we keep the door closed.  Is this different from being in a box labeled “Christmas”?   A separate post on the tree skirt is coming as well.

Hopefully, I can count better in March!  🙂

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1st Sunday in March

Not quite what March usually looks like around here.  P is lamenting that he doesn’t ever remember this much snow being on the ground in March and underneath all the lament is the spring-fever of wanting & needing to get spring jobs — pre-planting — done.

He said there is a chance of some melting at the end of the week.  It is supposed to be in the 20’s!  I said that snow doesn’t melt in the 20’s but he said if the sun is strong it will.  So.  We hope.

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