Sharing Plants in Chacala

I have started to give-away my that plants I don't think will do well bathed with salty air, and located about 10 feet from the high-tide line. My new home, in a few weeks, will be on the beach, and from my small experience trying to grow plants in a salt-air environment, I am going to limit myself to succulents this winter.So, I have been giving away my other plants. Sometimes hand-delivering plants, and other times inviting someone over to choose some plants. Socorro came over yesterday morning.

I tend to forget that my some of my neighbors often haven't been in this house before. It's conspicuouosly a much nicer house than most of the neighborhood houses, and it's kind of embarassing for me to be living here. This (below) is a neighbor's home.But it's a very comfortable house and I really like it. I show people around the house and then offer them a Coke and whatever. Everyone knows how much I like Coke, so it's kind of expected I will offer one, and a snack. This (below) is also a neighbor's home. Notice the Sky Cable dish ($50US a month) on the post.After Socorro (the photo above is NOT Socorro's house) and I visited for a bit, we looked over the plants I am passing on to other gardeners. With me offering, and trying to guess, what appealed to her. We ended up with five potted plants and a bucket of smaller succulents. We made two trips carrying the plants over to her house. She was very excited, and so was her partner/husband/whatever.

Anyway, right after I got back home, Aurora came over to check up on me. I gave her a key to the house a few days ago, because she kept telling me she gets worried if she doesn't see me every few days. She apparently imagines me dead or injured, locked inside the house. I don't know where these fears are coming from, but someone having the key is a good idea, and I trust Aurora more than anyone else in town. I guess she sees me as old and frail. Although I weight 185 pounds, so I am definitely not frail. Old, yes. Whatever.Narcissa's new tiny garden on the steps outside her new place,
now that she is no longer living in the room above Chico's,
her former restaurant and abode.

Anyway, Aurora (appeared to) admire my new little art projects, decorating up these little metal things that include a glass window to put something special in. I have been adding beads and paint and pictures of Guadalupe. It's pretty fun to do, and I liked it that see liked them. She chose one to take home.And then Aurora picked out some plants. She has been the main recipient of my excess plants in the past, and I don't know what she thinks about me giving other people plants too. And I will never know, probably. Her husband, Beto, is coming up to spray today, and to carry the plants home. I am invaded by wasps and ants and it's getting pretty bad. I hate sprays, but I hate wasps, ants, and scorpions worse. I think.

Later in the day, yesterday, I was walking along the road, hoping for a ride to Las Varas. Socorro's neighbors, some local women, were sitting under a palapa by the side of the road. They insisted I come sit with them. I didn't understand the conversation at first, but it turned out to be along the lines of "Where's my plants?". The other women seemed to be asking for Guia. Who is a woman I really enjoy. She has a lovely smile and works hard. And is a gardener. She was very embarassed about the conversation. I said I would come find her later so she could pick out some plants. That I had some picked out for her too. Which was true.Guia's house has to couple of built-in cement planters
and lots of plants growing around the house

I missed Guia on the way home, but walked over to her place this morning. She was on the way to her cleaning job in the gated community, and we agreed she'd come over later to pick out her plants.

It's confusing for me, about the plants. In the past, three people I have given a number of plants to here in Chacal to have just let them died. On purpose, apparently, after repeatedly asking me for the plants. I am getting more careful about giving plants away.

And there seems to be a potential for making enemies over the issue who gets plants or whatever. Mostly I offer plants to people who I see are gardening already, and appear to love plants. I think I have given plants to about 22 women. Nothing special, just plants. But almost all my plants are my favorites. Of course, Desert Roses are my true, true favorites right now. And apparently almost everyone else's around here too, at the moment. But they will grow on the beach, so I am trying to keep most of them.