Valley Gardening: Peyton's business is about to bloom

What a week! And blessings to all the firefighters, men and women, who have worked tirelessly to protect homes and property. I don’t know that any of us can even begin to imagine the work these folks do, under the most terrible conditions. 

My son-in-law, Adam Burns, is one of those fire fighters. All he would say when we tried to pump him for information is “it’s brutal, just brutal”! And, this morning he could say, “thank God for the rain”! I think we are all breathing just a little bit easier, and maybe there is hope on the horizon.

You have been reading about Peyton Sanchez and his new business that is called “Peyton’s Inspirational Notes.” I am so honored to announce that next Saturday, the 14th, the Green Spot will be hosting an open house with 250 (at least) of his cards on display—and for sale. Peyton has brailled the messages and his mom, Sheila, has written the translation. It’s been quite the process. Peyton told me this week that “he has worked his butt off on these cards.” The cards will be selling for $4 and Peyton will donate $1 from each sale to one of the charities he supports.

Try and imagine, you have Neurofibromatosis, a brainstem tumor, you are legally blind, you can’t walk anymore and yet you have the gumption to start a business! You want to have a job to earn money so you can give to others. What an inspiration.

The open house will start at 10 a.m. We will have coffee and cookies available, too.

I need to mention that there will be a 5-card maximum purchase because Peyton has so many orders already, online. And also, if his energy level is high, he will be bringing his braille machine to town and may show us all how it works—it’s pretty amazing.

A few weeks ago we were also talking about having an ice cream social kind of event to go along with the open house. That idea has kind of morphed into Peyton’s younger brother, Landon, running the ice cream stand—with all donations going to local Alamosa firefighters, and Colorado State Firefighters that are stationed in Alamosa. I am hoping that my grandkids will be around to help. If you feel like volunteering, give me a call, or talk to Sheila.

Back to a little bit on gardening! I have been working with the Jack and Marilyn Oberrick family this week. Marilyn passed away a year and a half ago, and Jack has had to move into the nursing home—tough decision for every family. I am honored to say they have donated some of the household items to me to sell in support of Mom’s Garden. We will have a yard type of sale in a few weeks.

I will be wanting to buy more of the FoxFarm Soil Conditioner, and also a few trees for the garden. I’m leaning towards smaller Maple trees because I love the color changes all summer.

When I went out to the Oberrick Casita, down on South River Road, I was amazed to notice the size of the Russian Olive in their front yard. It’s humungous—is that a word? I love Russian Olives! I know they have thorns and sometimes they are a mess with the seeds they drop and sometimes the squirrels really make a mess dropping their leaves, but the fragrance when they bloom is so wonderful!

And did I mention they grow here in our desert climate? They can go to seed a little prolifically if planted by a wetland area, but how about the elm tree and all its seedlings? I’m thinking that everyone who has an elm in their yard should have to spend a minimum of two hours in their neighbors’ yard cleaning up the seedling mess. Seems fair, don’t you think? If you want to take a look at this tree they are just past the curve on South River Road.  The place actually has a for sale sign in front of it. You can’t miss it. And thank you Oberrick children! I really appreciate your help with Mom’s Garden—which is looking pretty awesome if I do say so myself! The area by the Monterrey Café should be looking like Mom’s Garden but….oh yeah, it was bulldozed.

Meanwhile, if you have snapdragons blooming—mine are gorgeous in the Bistro Rialto flower planters—pinch them back before they go to seed. Sometimes this is really hard to do, but it will give you bushier plants and more color in a few weeks.