Greenhouse...it was a gas

So I drive all the way down to the southwest side to the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Greenhouse for the Transplant the Tropics project (http://www.dmgov.org/MyCityHall/PressRelease/200902060000GreenhouseOpe.pdf) and I am briefed by Steve, another volunteer, about how to take tiny dusty millers apart from long rows and replant them into a bit larger plastic bins. I ponder aloud wondering if my dusty millers will come back from last year and another volunteer, Mallita (I think), says she doesn't know but she thinks they are annuals. "Ah well," I say, "they probably died from my dog peeing on them."

A fourth volunteer at our table then asks, "Do you live on Adams?"

"I do," I reply, wait a few beats wondering how she would know that and then ask.

Turns out, the woman, Renate, is my next door neighbor. After 4 years of occasionally seeing her from a distance, we actually finally meet at a greenhouse 10 miles from our homes. Crazy, huh!

The two hour stint went by quickly and I had a pretty fun group. The project continues through early May and it looks like there's plenty of work to do. It was super warm outside that day and even warmer in the greenhouse plus the atmosphere was beautiful. We got to walk around and look at all the other plants that will be going in pots around downtown and along boulevards and street side. I got a few ideas for some plants that I'll be looking for to put in pots in my back yard.

Turns out that I actually got paid a moratorium for the Iowa Arts Council (http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/) grant application review, so that kind of makes it not volunteer. So, I decided I'd use the $100 I got to renew my membership with the Des Moines Art Center (http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org/support/) and Iowa Public Radio (http://www.iowapublicradio.org/support.php). Seems a fair trade!

Last night I started a little early spring cleaning and went through my books and CDs to donate to the Planned Parenthood Spring Book Sale March 26-30 (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/greater-iowa/book-sale-12253.htm). It's nice to lighten my load and help out at the same time. Problem is...I already picked up another 5-6 CDs last weekend and will more than like fill out more books in the near future. Oh well.

I'm hoping I can drop off those books and CDs tonight on my way to an orientation meeting for the Hearts for Hope Women's Tea (http://www.hopeiowa.org/events/heartofhope.php).

Then I'm "off" for a few days and I'm actually going to treat myself to a spring vacation and go to a salon and get a detox body wrap. Never had that done.

Until next week...