Newest Trials of a Lemon Tree

Well do you remember my excitement at owning a lemon tree? I had bought one for my sister and one for us last summer, and had an embarrassing moment at the nursery, when it went naked. Well, it never truly recovered, despite fertilizing and watering and much love. It was ok, but not full and how a lemon tree should look and feel.
Then, a few days after Christmas , we awakened and found it covered in this! 

Whaaaaat is THAT????
Horrifying! AHHHH! YUCK! 

Just imagine, several gagging sounds and my face in the most squishiest position possible.

Now, I am not a lover of bugs, unlike someone else with little hands, who had immediantly pulled out the nature books and started googling to identify our invader.  We placed it outside, not fearful it would spread, just grossed out and thinking it might kill or slow down whatever that was! 

I went back to the nursery-in the dead of winter, to confirm the identification made by our sweet boy. 

In the end, he was right!

Poor little tree-shiver shiver brrr

It ended up being, Cotton Scale,  and I needed to spray it and wash it all away.  I bought the $10 Citrus Oil Spray, and I sprayed it and washed it in the garage. Not as simple as I'm making it sound in freezing weather, let me just share.
Then, faithfully watered it and fertilized it. 

Seriously, I thought I had killed it again. I was sure it was dead.
My MiL would ask, "how's the lemonia?"
"Well, no change-yet"
"Keep watering it" she would encourage.

Father asked me several times, "how long are we keeping this in the window?"
I would respond, " I know, let's just give it some time, how about until after Pascha?"

So, I watered and waited, and watered and waited. 

But what to my delight did appear! (No, not reindeer, being this saga restarted at Christmas)

Look!

Here let me help you.

So with new vigor and hope.
I cut back all the dead branches and kept watering.
Today it looks like this!

Perhaps this season it will grow healthy and beautiful and strong.

I visited a parishioner recently who has a 6 ft tall lemon tree potted, on wheels and in the garage with loads and loads of lemons on it, still waiting for warmer weather. We are almost there. I would love to spend more time with him, what a beautiful garden he has created, you can see it even before everything has started blooming.
It is the kind you find in magazines. Just gorgeous and peaceful. (sigh)
He invited me back this summer to take pictures to share with you, and I WILL!

So take away message, yes I will still put this little guy outside this summer. But- I will always spray and wash it before bringing it back in.

Pascha is truly a time of renewal and hope!

Pray for each other and continue to pray for the safe return of the Abducted Bishops of Aleppo, and all those who are missing and away from those who love them.
May our Risen Lord continue to protect us all and give them strength and a safe return.

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