Mother's Day

Goddess of all plants:                                                  MOTHERWORT

Motherwort is a mint with dull green, hairy leaves and an intensely bitter taste. The botanical name Leonurus refers to a fanciful resemblance of the leaves to a lion's tale. 

(refer to: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/motherwort.php for more info)

"The traditional use of motherwort is the treatment of racing heart (tachycardia) caused by nervous tension. Long-term use may reduce the formation of clotting factors and also lower total cholesterol and triglycerides. Motherwort is also used to treat menstrual tension. It treats false labor pains, and it is useful in the stimulation of delayed or suppressed menstruation, especially when prolonged emotional stress is factor...

Info taken from:    http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/motherwort.php

I think it's brilliant that a plant medicine is provided for mothers to help soothe their over- stimulated nerves. Anxiety and frustration is often experienced by mothers, especially when they are the primary caregivers of multiple young children. Even when a mother is clear of placing any blame on their children for their own emotional state, the sheer noise and chaos that children can make during playing/(working thru) "getting along" is enough to frazzle the nerves after many hours of constant exposure!

                                                                                  leaves of Motherwort

So these were the Mother's Day gifts from Chris to me..awww, I'm blushing!

                                 Ever Red Loropetalum (in the Chinese Witchazel family)

                                                                                   a delicate bloom...
          This is a compact form with deep purply / red almost "blackish" foliage...

                                                                                    ...how dreamy!
   

...and here's the other BIG SURPRISE...my very own SOIL KNIFE!!! I love you too my sweet man! It was a wonderful Mother's Day celebration, I don't even need gifts, but I have to say they do make me feel even more appreciated for the housewife, mothering role I play in this family.

There is not much planting to do in the mucky wet soil, but we worked some between the downpours on the Pond Garden. First Chris busted up the brick frame to make it level with the ground. Then we scooped out all the water. We plan to line it with plastic and build up around the outside edge to contain the water.  

It started to rain again so we quickly covered it up and went inside. See the new shape of the pond will be more oval than square, and much bigger than the original structure. The dirt around it is outlining the new shape and size a bit.

Lastly, here's the rubble piled up in the bed around the pond waiting to be planted with succulents.