June 8th Entry

     Today, I attended the high school graduation party for my niece, who will be attending Northwest Christian University in Eugene this fall. I can share in her excitement, having graduated with a diploma at three different points in my life (1984, 1989, 2012).
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     With no rain this past week, and no rain forecast this coming week, it looks like I'll have to start watering plants again. (Sigh!) Oakland has the highest water rates around, so that's not a pleasant prospect. But some of the plants need to have that extra attention:
* Pink rhododendron bush purchased at Wintergreen Nursery in Winston April, 2013, when my Mother was in physical rehab.
* Dark Purple rhododendron bush purchased at the 2013 Douglas County Master Gardener's plant show at the fairgrounds. My older sister planted three rhodies decades ago, but they all died out. I vowed that I wouldn't let that happen to THESE rhodie plants.
* Pink Dogwood tree purchased in 2013 from the Arbor Day foundation. We've already lost one pink dogwood, one of my Mother's favorite trees, so I can't let that happen again!
* The free Red Maple seedling that the Arbor Day foundation sent with the dogwood tree. Hey, it's free, so I might as well try and salvage it!
* Huckleberry bush purchased at the Master Gardener's show. I got it because, how many other people can say they have a huckleberry bush?
* Yellow rose bush. We have red ones and pink ones that have endured for decades, but we've had tough luck trying to get a yellow (my Mother's favorite color) rose bush growing strong.
     So, if anyone sees me bending over in the yard, you'll know I'm moving the garden hose to a different location. I initially got the plants this past year to cheer up my Mother, but now that I'm facing a terminally ill disease with perhaps only a couple years to live, helping make sure these plants stay alive and flourish has taken on new meaning for me.