competition

My beautiful bleeding heart has been in its location for nearly as long as we have and it is much loved. But, when it dies back there is a huge hole. I planted coral bells and maidenhair ferns around it to help fill in the hole. The first ferns, behind it it, died so I replaced them this year, hopefully just magically placed so they'll get dappled light and survive. I've replaced two of the coral bells and hopefully they'll all three fight and succeed. I have faith in the Japanese ferns. 

Today I drove to Virginia and I picked up three new hepatica aka liverwort plants. So much more comforting to buy as plants than as roots. When I went to place them where I'll plant them I did discover one leaf from a previously planted root though, so not all previous attempts to plant roots failed. I also got two new native honeysuckle plants. I don't think they'll ever really thrive - I think they need more light than they get against the wall - but oh that wall is ugly and I'm not having a lot of luck finding something appropriate to cover it. There is a native climbing white hydrangea that might work - if I ever could find it for sale. 

One of the people I met yesterday has a young daughter who is heads over heels in love with her daddy. I proposed a father daughter shoot and he's up for it. I think it will be incredible fun if the daughter is into it too 

Ukraine is bringing back 31 children. This is Save Ukraine's fifth mission doing this. 

Putin gave a televised speech and then no one said anything. He was speaking to newly appointed ambassadors in a ceremony to receive their credentials. It was caught on video and shared on social media and now people are making jokes about it. He was apparently thinking there would b applause and there wasn't. They applauded two years ago, but not last year and not this year. 

Ukraine says that Putin's soldiers are surrendering at an increasing pace. Appeals to I Want to Live have doubled from last month.