Tuesday, January 31, 2017 – Elder Stroud, Floss Seedling Disaster, Pepper Plants

In our FM Prayer meeting this morning Elder Stroud was given a farewell gift. He and Sis. Stroud are going home next week after serving a 23 month mission here in the Illinois, Navuoo Mission. In 2015 and 2016 he worked 18 months for FM in the cabinet shop. Later, he and Sis. Stroud were assigned to work in Carthage at the same time Sis. Johnson and I served there as the grounds keepers. We got to know the Stroud’s well and we wish them safe travels home. Elder & Sis. Stroud have worked hard as missionaries and served the Lord with dedication and love.

Disaster struck in the “Seedling Propagator.” I was watering the trays and one slipped out of my hand; it did a 260 degree pirouette and crashed right onto the floor! There was blood and carnage everywhere! Well, not blood really and not carnage either but the poor little plants were strewn all over the floor. It was a mess. 

The seedlings I dropped were more of the Ageratum or “Floss Flower” plants. They are not hard to plant and the seeds are not difficult to get to germinate. In fact they have a 93.5% germination rate. However the seeds are comparatively expensive so we don’t want a single plant to go to waste.

Thankfully Sis. Johnson and I have the tools, the soil and the time to fix the problem, save the plants and clean up the mess. We found and transplanted every single tiny plant. Now they are all safe and growing in large 96 cell “Pony Pack” trays. They will all be fine in spite of the accident.

 

The rest of our work day was spent transplanting ornamental pepper plants from the 72 cell “Pony Pack” trays to 4” pots. There were a total of 300 to transplant. These Pepper plants were the same ones that festooned the flowerbeds all over Old Nauvoo last summer. They are very pretty; one of the varieties is called “Christmas Tree” because the colorful ripe chilies on the plant look like the bright colorful lights on a Christmas tree. They are very beautiful.

 

We got a nice surprise this afternoon when we checked our mail box. We received a package in the mail from our “Sunshine Girl” Lizzy. She’s the daughter of Nathan and Valerie. Lizzie wrote us a very nice letter and also sent us a handmade Valentine’s pillow. It’s great, we live it, thank you Lizzy. We love our Lizzy and all of our grandchildren. They all brighten our lives and bring us boundless joy.