a delicate bloom

The year that Sir and i were first together.... He arrived with a hibiscus tree for me.. in full bloom. i had never actually seen a hibiscus tree before and fell madly in love. i put it outside in the summer and brought it in in the winter......... and it died. He brought me another hibiscus tree the next spring and it bloomed and was gorgeous and i even googled how to care for it (not trusting the little plastic stake of information plopped in the pot) i brought it in in the winter and tried putting it upstairs (instead of in the living room window with lots of water and fertilizer) and it still died. The next year Sir did not bring me a hibiscus tree. Last year Sir brought me a hibiscus tree......... this time forget the plastic stake.. forget the internet.. i had asked Cloud who had a hibiscus tree that had lived for years and years what he did........ He said put it in the basement and forget it!! i couldn't do that!!! lock it away in the basement and forget it???!! i would compromise.... sort of... i put the tree in my office again..BUT not right in front of the window.. i watered it a little bit every time it looked limp ..... the leaves turned yellow and fell off... but one or two leaves hung on ... and by spring time i actually had about 6 green leaves on the tree.. i had hope..

It went outside as soon as it was warm enough...... and i fertilized it and watered it and pampered it.. and 2 of the green leaves turned yellow and fell off... i was despairing of ever having a hibiscus tree.......... days turned into weeks and new leaves started to appear.... then one morning i noticed.... a bud.. a wee tiny bud buried in amongst the leaves......i took a picture.... i was excited.. this time i had managed to not kill the hibiscus tree...


Every day i checked the hibiscus for new buds... i had to hunt now in the leaves for any sign of buds....... the tree was filling out !! i started a photo journal of this tiny wee bud....... each day taking another picture watching the changes the growth the beauty.........






i honestly can't explain why it became so important to nurse this one lil bud to bloom...... but it was.......... this lil tree and i had survived a winter together........ done more than survive we had beaten it !!! and the bud was the proof..........

When i arrived home yesterday ........ after locking up for the summer....... i went and checked 'the bud' ..........




it made it.. it really made it !!! This delicate lil bloom will only last 24 hours.. by this afternoon it will be gone. BUT it doesn't matter........ it is a lesson for me on how fleeting the beauty of the moment can be........ how delicate life can be........ how important it is to treasure each moment.........

and yes there will be more delicate flowers (i have counted 4 more buds) but it is this one that counts !! the first bloom of the summer.............