Chapter X

 A week after Ruby's passing. Time takes on another quality. I recall her in different moments in our 7 years of companionship. I think she has been gone for two weeks, but it's only been one. That's confusing. Maybe it's because of this elastic time quality, where she's now a memory from a few days ago or a few years ago. Just trying to ride the wave of grief; to be here for it and not get towed under. Speaking of water, the winter rains have finally arrived and it's pouring. It's been a very dry winter so far. The land needs the rain. All the California crops that feed the rest of the country need it. The golden hills are greening up already.

And now what do we have here? Food gone bad or basic biology? This is what's left of a cutting from my Begonia monstera plant. A friend of mine obtained a leaf from a fine specimen plant from the greenhouse of Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa a few years back. That resulting Begonia begot another and another plant whose leaves were carried home by eager recipients in wet paper towels to root. The leaves of the Begonia monstera, as indicated by it's name, are very large. It bears beautiful small white flowers, but the leaves are the prize. I had two plants which kept diminishing in health despite my efforts. I took the last leaf off the last plant and thought I'd start all over again. It took root in it's jar, but I neglected it and the leaf turned rotten. I cut that off and kept the roots in a jar and a tiny plant emerged.  Still I ignored it- sorry..... But the life force of this begonia is evidently very strong, so here goes.