I thought you guys might enjoy some of my previous adventures before I started Partly Sunny Projects. I had a blog I was working on at the time, this is one of the posts from October 2018. Good ‘ole days!

Horticulture hoarding is serious business. I wouldn’t say I am an addict, because addicts go to meetings and I don’t have time for that. I’m too busy potting up plants. It would be a conflict of interest in my opinion.

This weekend produced not one truck full of plants ( both succulents and cactus) but two! It seems as though the stars and planets may have aligned because a Realtor friend of mine pointed me to two individuals who were in the process of purging their plant collections due to an imminent move out of the area. Unlike pets, plants are a little more difficult to transport across some borders and most people aren’t emotionally attached like I am. There’s clearly something wrong with them, not me.

The first stop was for the cactus score. This is funny and speaks to the connectivity of all of us. I came upon this couple from a totally different real estate agent and I had actually purchased ( I know, shocker) a couple of beautiful specimens from them weeks prior. The notion of moving must have been like (Epsom) salt in their wounds because the husband was very hesitant in selling me more plants. I even told him they would be very well taken care of but I don’t think he was ready to let go. They were supposed to eventually have a sale of their stuff and I was planning to attend. I never found out when they were doing it, I assumed I had missed it. Missed it I had, this is when another agent who is their close friend sent me a fateful text asking if I wanted free cactus and succulents. That’s like asking a fat kid if they want a twinkie. As the pictures came over on my phone I recognized the plants! OMG, I though, I was going to PAY for those and now I am getting to pick them up for FREE. Also, I don't recall what I had for breakfast yet somehow I recall these random plants I had seen a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what to make of that. Needless to say, I called her immediately! A little schedule aligning, no stars or planets involved, and I came home with 40 some odd plants, 30 empty pots of various finishes and sizes. My only “payment” was to deliver a couple of plants to that agent on my way home which was easy enough. The owner begrudgingly loaded my truck with plants, to bad so sad buddy had you called me, I would have actually paid for them, now they are coming to me gratis as the universe intended.

That wasn’t even the last of it. Weeks later, after a deluge of unprecedented rainfall that coincided with the other agent’s lack of motivation to check on the home, I offered to check on it figuring I’d maybe butter somebody up to get the damn aloe that was growing on their hillside that I expected to buy but the dude bailed on the offer at the last minute. I think he was just bitter that I got all his plants for free. I was biding my time. I was at this lady’s beck and call for MONTHS when  she feared other agents left the doors open after a showing ( they had) I checked on it, or I’d check to make sure no damage befell the property after more torrential rains ( it did). So, yes, the day of closing came and she knew I was hot and heavy for that aloe, so when she told me “ go get it” you bet you ass I drove like a bat out of hell to dig that fucker out and take it home with me. Did the next door neighbor catch me mid escape, I mean landscape redesigning.... ummm yea, but he was gullible and bought my excuse that I was SUPPOSED to be there. I played it cool as no less than 85,984 ants were crawling all over me, apparently I had disturbed a nest. In any military rescue operation, collateral damage is enevitable, this was no different.

It was upon me delivering the plants she wanted for herself  that she mentioned she had a different friend who was also moving and having an estate sale and had a couple of plants I should go see. You see, people are enabling me, it is not all my fault.

Now, part of me was not even going to go. Hubbs develops an itchy rash and his left eye twitches uncontrollably when he sees the stockpile of plants growing instead of depleting when he pulls up to the house. I had cleaned it once…. For about half of a day ( more like 6 minutes), but the plant hoarding fixation is too strong and more plants soon arrived waiting for their turn to be planted in the ground or a pretty pot.

Anywhoooo, I had planned to go to a Succulent Sale put on by one of the local Succlulent organizations that day ( I know, this is shocking too). Who knew when I would be back, and chances were I would have already bought more plants that needed to find a semi permanent home. Hubs was out of luck, I was left unsupervised. I dropped off my neighbor who had accompanied me  and  I saw our driveway was empty of vehicles. He was basically begging me to go get more plants. I found it a  perfect time for me to casually (speed) to the next potential plant scoring location.

Once I arrived, the mood was casual, I was later late in the day and they had all but given up on selling any more of their goodies at their estate sale. I got a quick tour of the items for sale but mentioned that I was interested in plants. I was then pointed in the right direction. Up for grabs were a bounty of different colorful pots and their contents. I had, unfortunately, totally gone over my self-imposed budget of $0 for landscaping and I wanted to choose carefully anything else I bought.  I then somehow found myself in front of the owner of the home. The conversation at this point is a blur because somehow she was now GIVING them ALL to me and I just needed to pick them up the next morning. I am obviously  witty, charming and an expert negotiator.  I came over early the next morning. Dozens of pots, a great bakers rack for display and other goodies quickly piled up and the next thing I knew  the truck was packed again.  Whatever chipping away I did at the unloading site by the side of our house  would be lost. I spent the rest of the day repotting, consolidating , finding spots to tuck things into. It is an 800 mg Motrin evening for sure.

Still.... I could use a few more plants……