The Frost is on the Pumpkin

As they say, "The frost is on the pumpkin." In other words, a killing frost has hit Lexington. The plants are off the front porch after having been washed and sprayed with something to kill any bugs and bug eggs. They are back in the house. There are five plants, several of which are big, and they seem to take over our dining room. In the past we've put plants elsewhere in the house but they don't 'winter' very well. The light is best in the dining room. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Some of our plants are not very pretty because they've become leggy that is, the leaves are on the top and the stem is bare. We don't want to throw them out because we hope they might begin to make new leaves on the stem. Even if the plant isn't a great looker, we keep it and nurture it along. We don't like artificial plants, even if they look real. We want plants that are alive. I recall a quote from Elton Trueblood who wrote somewhere that many churches are like cut-flowers. They look great but there is no life in them. He termed this "cut-flower religion." So, when we deal with our plants, we choose life and some nurturing. That seems more healthy and realistic to us.