The Earth is Our Mother

I think so far all of us in this group are on my flist (and if you're not, you should be), but I went ahead and snipped this paragraph from my latest journal entry. I think it's appropriate for this group.

Something happened this morning that seems like a sign. I bought an African Violet back in college off the $1.00 rescue almost-dead plants table at a grocery store. I think it was spring of 2005. Anyway, it was blooming, though pretty decrepit, when I got it. I've had that thing for three years, and there hasn't been another flower since. I have babied it and fertilized it and talked to it and moved it around to no avail. However, a few weeks ago my kitten Earl knocked it over and the flower fell out of the pot, along with a giant clump of roots which filled the entire thing. There were only a few crumbs of dirt. The plant, I had noticed, had at some point cloned itself a sister plant (they grow like other succulents, sometimes from fallen-off leaves) and they were crammed in there cheek-by-jowl. In true tough-love fashion I split the two plants up, tore up the clumps of roots, and re-potted both plants together in a pot twice the size. Now, for the first time in three years, one of the plants is blooming. Every plant is different (even if they're genetically identical like these two), so I have no idea if it was the abuse (some plants flower under stress) or the new dirt or the roomy accommodations or the new plant food I bought. I guess that's kind of a metaphor. Some people bloom under duress. Some when they're alone. Some when they're comfortably ensconsed with a companion. Some when they're simply given enough food and a good home. Who knows what makes us or our plants flower. All I know is I'm glad I had enough faith and patience to stick it out.

I noticed my plant is looking yellow in the leaves. Is this a sign that it needs water? It's been raining some lately so I haven't looked but perhaps the rain isn't hitting the patio. I'm going to look at it and check. It could also be recovering from transplanting shock maybe. I think I'll be moving it indoors tonight however. I need to find out what kind of plant it is so I can post questions and hopefully get some help. Going to take a leaf to the local nursery and check it out.

~edit: Not enough rain was getting to my plant so I watered it.