River Tries To Save a Butterfly Bush

On Monday, one of my favorite plants, butterfly bush number 2, needed an operation.  We had a hard winter, and one section of the bush became bent and was scraping the driveway.  Mommy and Daddy studied the patient. They discussed cutting back the bush and removing the scraping section down to the root.  One of them suggested to try to tie off the bush to keep in standing, but the ground was too soft and the bush too strong.

Pocket and I were in our buggy.  I calmly listened and tried to determine the best course of action.  Pocket fretted over her favorite bush and only mumbled nervously. She would be no help.  The bush’s future was in my paws.

“We need to trim the back of the bush and completely cut the front,” I said confidently.
  
“Oh no, we can’t trim any of the bush!” Pocket cried.   Her worrisome nature was annoying.

“I am not sure River,” Mommy said.  “What if the bush doesn’t come back?”

“Dammit Mommy, I’m a doctor, not a pathologist.  !  But I know how to save this bush. Just listen to me.  The Griff always knows.” I barked.

Mommy and Daddy briefly discussed it.  They knew I was right. Mommy began to slowly cut away the branches.  Pocket gave out a small cry with each cut. Slowly the plant began to take shape again.  Mommy did not have the strength to dig the roots from the front part of the bush out of the ground.
Daddy had to come with a saw and shovel to remove the crushed part of the bush. It was hard to watch as he had to twist it back and forth, cutting the roots until it was free.  He then had to snip our flowering friend, who had brought so many butterfly angels into our yard, into smaller parts, and shove it into a trash bag like he had performed a mob hit.

I was impressed with the surgeons’ techniques.  The bush looks strong and healthy, even though it only a quarter of the size it was before the operation.  Mommy isn’t sure it is going to make it. She is going to have to give it a lot of tender loving care in the weeks to come. 

Our butterfly bushes are very important to us.  They are a beacon to draw in visiting angels. We are going to need Butterfly Bush #2 back to full strength in a month.  Angel visiting time is upon us, and we have to make sure they find their way our abode.

If you are so inclined to pray for vegetation, then please pray for our butterfly bush.  If it doesn’t survive then, well, I guess we will just buy a new one, so it’s not the end of the world, except for butterfly bush #2.  

Keep butterfly bush #2 alive.  It fought through the winter, it fought while being cut back, it fought through the aphid infestation, and it is fighting now.

Surely a Butterfly Bush #2 deserved an #2 chance,