So far this summer we have been spared the fires and the heat that so much of the country has endured. The fire on Maui and the wildfires in Canada feel close, since we have visited and marveled at the beauty of both places. We used to visit Hawaii every few years when the children were young because it’s a direct flight from the Bay Area and all of us love the beach. Recently, I have spent more time in Los Angeles because my grandson is there. Walking the neighborhoods, pushing his stroller, I saw plumeria, one of the “lei” flowers, planted in pots and in the ground. Until he was born, I didn’t know that Los Angeles was warm enough to grow the fragrant blooms outside. We can’t do that in the Bay Area, but gardeners are stubborn folks and sure enough, online I found videos about growing plumeria in pots and bringing them inside for the winter. Last year, I mail-ordered a dormant plant, a stick, with no leaves or roots and planted it in a pot, which I kept inside until night time temperatures rose into the fifties in March. When I put it outside, there were still no leaves, but it resisted when I tugged gently, so I thought it had rooted. The leaves unfurled first, then a separate appendage grew and budded from the stalk. The plant is almost but not quite blooming in this our warmest month. My daughter is also expecting our second grandchild, due within weeks. Much anticipation in this household, with Maui, too, in our hearts.

Toni Martin Writes