She showed no signs of getting any better. Nonetheless, the whole kit and caboodle of the greenhouse spared no expense in lavishing her with the greatest care and attention of which they were capable. But despite their best efforts, the fertilizer, heat lamps, nutrient sticks, pruning the dutiful weeding and misted spritzings, regular replanting in progressively larger pots, shifting from one corner to the other, experiments in exposure between direct and indirect sunlight, shading and direct irradiation, and removal of dried leaves from her arms and fingers, nothing seemed to whatsoever improve the dame’s ghastly condition, try as they might to ascertain remedy or amelioration. The old lady merely gawked, drooled, burped and jabbered. Eventually, it was all the plants could do to try if nothing else to maintain her inferior position and stave off further decline, halt this plunge into an abyss and get the matron as comfortable as possible on the ledge to which she had tumbled, establish a secure grip on the rockface where she clung dangling over the fatal drop, life hung cruelly in the balance between this world and the next.
steam engine
into the countryside
one-way ticket to ride
They sprayed her down with pesticides, fed and hydrated regularly, and shrugged their barky shoulders sighing. Some folk just were not made for this zone, they postulated, peering down at her shabby plight with concealed horror, imagining their own gradual denigration as blossoms were invariably shed piece by piece till nothing of consequence was left remaining. If ostensibly the proper shade, the glass hothouse’s inhabitants possessed no green thumb in the sense which counted, were only capable of forestalling, prolonging that gratuitous inevitable for a time until it claimed their cherished longtime companion and the assembly were left to fend for themselves, see to the water and power situation and associated contracts and contingencies, haggle and bicker with representatives and navigate other convoluted logistical concerns. The plants thus set about orchestrating, and through the direction of legal council retained, rushing through proceedings to draft and ratify a durable power of attorney, see to it that they had all the great dowager’s assets consigned to their purview and allocation, something which significantly mitigated the situation and left the Flora quite well endowed to oversee her expenses and more importantly safeguard their own interests staunchly. Hence were they equipped to watch the old woman’s decline with a certain grotesque remove, and reconcile themselves with the impending reality. Like a chewable aspirin which may not taste delicious, the plants were convinced things were properly handled and organized, so when she did depart from their society the loss would be acceptable, the plants might even go so far as to say worked out in her brood’s favor. It was sad to recognize, but this was just the way the world worked.
fog over the cornfield
leisurely lingers
shoulder months