Another post, another set of tears. Great job Marc!
My fav plants are Monstera’s too! They grow so large and I love their smooth waxy leaves. You hit the nail on the head with watching them unfurl. It’s the reminder good things happen slowly.
Over the pandemic I became a certified yoga instructor and had to confront my disappointment that the way I’d hoped things would progress… wouldn’t.
Plants have always been tough for me. I am great with people and animals, but plants always die on me. I was able to keep an aloe plant alive for 20 years through pure neglect. I currently have 2 philodendron plants, and they are still alive after 2 years. Maybe I am improving. Maybe I figured out which plants I am capable of caring for. Not sure. I am so glad you found an outlet for your love until Myles came along. He's so lucky to have a dad like you.
I had my share of those that did not make it. II realize I never thought about our capacity to care for plants. Some are a lot more forgiving than others. Thank you Janine, as always - I appreciate you.
tbh, i initially had one which was like co-owned by my housemate and i. And he has been handling it in ways i don’t want.
my therapist had clearly said i need to get one of my own. So, now, im on the look out to get a new one. An indoor one specifically. I’m very new to the plant world, i’m not sure i answered your question on the type but i’m open to recommendations on the type to get.
I used to just have dust covered fake plants. Now I am gradually adding potted plants. I will go on a search of a Monstera Deliciosa because of your comment. This pulled my heartstrings today. Thank you.
Thank you for reading Monica! I love finding plants from Facebook marketplace and Craigslist! Owners typically well tell you how to maintain the plant. But there’s always google and your local plant store! Keep me updated ❤️❤️
Lovely piece Marc. It’s funny I wrote this week about how I have come to plants after becoming a parent - for me it was more I had to learn to nurture humans first before I understood (and indeed needed) plants, but I love your story of the other side of it. I have been watching roots grow in whisky glasses this week and it really is magical isn’t it? 🙌🏻❤️
Marc, beautiful letter. Plants are also a source of comfort to me. Give me green spaces, full of life. Pothos is my favourite, green, lush and hard to kill. I have so many in my kitchen that I cannot hide from my husband that my aim is for him to cook in the jungle. I also like the names, how did Monstera deliciosa come upon it?
Pothos were one of my very first. So resilient, forgiven, and green! I use to give mine “haircuts” and give the nodes to friends. You know I never thought about how that name came about and now you have me interested! Thanks for reading, Ana!
Where did you go in Ethiopia??? That is a perfect place to alchemically renew/restore your energy for reproduction. Did you choose there for that purpose?
I need to write a whole story about it. But the short version is we just needed a break from focusing on trying to have a baby. Two months into a two year contract - boom. You and them knew something that we didn’t!
I look forward to that story. Dear Myles: We travelled abroad and you brought us back home. 🥰. But seriously, I’d love to know where in Ethiopia you went. I’ll stay tuned and uncooned. 🙏🏽
I struggled with indoor plants and I spent 3 years trying to be a country person and to grow a garden. It was a labour of love but it took more from me than I had to give. I eventually made my peace with the fact that I’m a city person. But I still love plants…
We only have two now. My obsessive nature will only tolerate just that. I wish I knew how to do things and not get so possessed. I’m either a fake plant person or I must have a botanical garden.
What a lovely piece on how much joy and soul nourishment the nurturing of plants can give to us humans, especially in expectation of the human life you and your wife were nurturing. I WANT to be a gardener--I so appreciate those who can grow plants and flowers and homegrown vegetables and fruit trees--but I don't have a great track record of keeping green living things alive, and tend to only a few flowering plants in my balcony garden. Any that survive my well-meaning but often lax care are surely resilient. I loved your poem, too.
This piece reminded me of some reporting I did last fall, about Nelson ZêPequéno, a Los-Angeles-based artist and founder of the viral Instagram page @BlackMenWithGardens. Are you familiar with it? Here is the piece I wrote for TriplePundit: https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/storytelling-climate-justice/789011
I loved this so much, Marc. You are a poetic botanist! I felt so much reading this.
I discovered birds during my pandemic walks. Funny how when the world forced us to make our worlds smaller, our eyes expanded.
My kids now refer to me as a bird nerd 🤓
I find such joy in tending to and filling my bird feeders sprinkled throughout my yard. And I’ve named the frequent fliers 😂 There’s a Blue Jay that is massive because of me. His name is Henry. We’re friends 🙃
I just got some binoculars so I can get a better look at the birds. I also started to download an app so I can identify which birds but then the app wanted me to pay lol But we have tons of cardinals and blue jays that stop by!
Love this and love thinking of you in your garden talking to the plants. I started growing tomatoes this summer and I do the same thing!
I had some tomato plants I wrote to Myles about! https://www.raisingmyles.com/p/tomato-baby-and-baby-tomatoes
They turned out well ... until they didn't.
Another post, another set of tears. Great job Marc!
My fav plants are Monstera’s too! They grow so large and I love their smooth waxy leaves. You hit the nail on the head with watching them unfurl. It’s the reminder good things happen slowly.
Over the pandemic I became a certified yoga instructor and had to confront my disappointment that the way I’d hoped things would progress… wouldn’t.
When I was looking for these pictures of the plants, I came across one of your flyers you. made for one of your events!
Good times. I’m true to this, not new to this.
You always hear that if you can keep a plant alive, you are ready for parenthood…although I’ve had much more success with children than plants, lol
I believe that saying is true. Plants have so many different personalities and attitudes!
Plants have always been tough for me. I am great with people and animals, but plants always die on me. I was able to keep an aloe plant alive for 20 years through pure neglect. I currently have 2 philodendron plants, and they are still alive after 2 years. Maybe I am improving. Maybe I figured out which plants I am capable of caring for. Not sure. I am so glad you found an outlet for your love until Myles came along. He's so lucky to have a dad like you.
I had my share of those that did not make it. II realize I never thought about our capacity to care for plants. Some are a lot more forgiving than others. Thank you Janine, as always - I appreciate you.
I appreciate you too, Marc!
An avid gardener, eh? A green thumb is a sure sign you’d love walking in the woods with flying squirrels!!
I like my squirrels on the ground and away from me 😂 but I would love to see them take flight!
“I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it” reminds me of Stanley’s podcast episode. Found myself using it in my friendships. 🔥
it’s funny how my therapist gave me a task to get a plant and take care of it. I think i see what he’s trying to teach me here.
this was such a nourishing journey you took me on, Marc.
This comment made me smile. One beucuse you are a brother in therapy, and your therapist gave you some whole homework. What plant did you get?
tbh, i initially had one which was like co-owned by my housemate and i. And he has been handling it in ways i don’t want.
my therapist had clearly said i need to get one of my own. So, now, im on the look out to get a new one. An indoor one specifically. I’m very new to the plant world, i’m not sure i answered your question on the type but i’m open to recommendations on the type to get.
This made me want to 🫂
🫂🫂🫂
Marc we have a little palm tree growing in our apartment now. It's my first plant child. :)
More on the way??!
😆 yes!!
I used to just have dust covered fake plants. Now I am gradually adding potted plants. I will go on a search of a Monstera Deliciosa because of your comment. This pulled my heartstrings today. Thank you.
Thank you for reading Monica! I love finding plants from Facebook marketplace and Craigslist! Owners typically well tell you how to maintain the plant. But there’s always google and your local plant store! Keep me updated ❤️❤️
Lovely piece Marc. It’s funny I wrote this week about how I have come to plants after becoming a parent - for me it was more I had to learn to nurture humans first before I understood (and indeed needed) plants, but I love your story of the other side of it. I have been watching roots grow in whisky glasses this week and it really is magical isn’t it? 🙌🏻❤️
We all find ourselves writing about the same thing when it comes to being parents! Looking forward to giving it a read!
Marc, beautiful letter. Plants are also a source of comfort to me. Give me green spaces, full of life. Pothos is my favourite, green, lush and hard to kill. I have so many in my kitchen that I cannot hide from my husband that my aim is for him to cook in the jungle. I also like the names, how did Monstera deliciosa come upon it?
Pothos were one of my very first. So resilient, forgiven, and green! I use to give mine “haircuts” and give the nodes to friends. You know I never thought about how that name came about and now you have me interested! Thanks for reading, Ana!
Where did you go in Ethiopia??? That is a perfect place to alchemically renew/restore your energy for reproduction. Did you choose there for that purpose?
Mi too fass. 🤓
I need to write a whole story about it. But the short version is we just needed a break from focusing on trying to have a baby. Two months into a two year contract - boom. You and them knew something that we didn’t!
I look forward to that story. Dear Myles: We travelled abroad and you brought us back home. 🥰. But seriously, I’d love to know where in Ethiopia you went. I’ll stay tuned and uncooned. 🙏🏽
Haha I love that title! We were in a town called Debre Birhan. Worked at this school - https://www.hmacademy.org/
Deep nods. Makes sense. 🥰🤓
“God didn’t need the convincing – it was me
Because He blessed me
with You”
That was beautiful 🥹🥹🥹
I struggled with indoor plants and I spent 3 years trying to be a country person and to grow a garden. It was a labour of love but it took more from me than I had to give. I eventually made my peace with the fact that I’m a city person. But I still love plants…
We only have two now. My obsessive nature will only tolerate just that. I wish I knew how to do things and not get so possessed. I’m either a fake plant person or I must have a botanical garden.
Hahaaaa all or nothing all the way lol
What a lovely piece on how much joy and soul nourishment the nurturing of plants can give to us humans, especially in expectation of the human life you and your wife were nurturing. I WANT to be a gardener--I so appreciate those who can grow plants and flowers and homegrown vegetables and fruit trees--but I don't have a great track record of keeping green living things alive, and tend to only a few flowering plants in my balcony garden. Any that survive my well-meaning but often lax care are surely resilient. I loved your poem, too.
This piece reminded me of some reporting I did last fall, about Nelson ZêPequéno, a Los-Angeles-based artist and founder of the viral Instagram page @BlackMenWithGardens. Are you familiar with it? Here is the piece I wrote for TriplePundit: https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/storytelling-climate-justice/789011
I need to get my hands in actual gardening. I've only worked with potted plants. I will for sure check this out-- sounds like my kind of content!
I loved this so much, Marc. You are a poetic botanist! I felt so much reading this.
I discovered birds during my pandemic walks. Funny how when the world forced us to make our worlds smaller, our eyes expanded.
My kids now refer to me as a bird nerd 🤓
I find such joy in tending to and filling my bird feeders sprinkled throughout my yard. And I’ve named the frequent fliers 😂 There’s a Blue Jay that is massive because of me. His name is Henry. We’re friends 🙃
The damn squirrels though. Relentless.
I just got some binoculars so I can get a better look at the birds. I also started to download an app so I can identify which birds but then the app wanted me to pay lol But we have tons of cardinals and blue jays that stop by!
Check out Merlin bird app! It's free! And brings me such joy.
https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/