week 1: roots grow

    2/23

    Oh Bertram, if only you knew of the journey you were about to have when you unfortunately got me as your assigned parent. Too bad plants don't have free will: you're stuck with me forever (or at least until you die). 

    I still remember everything clear as day. It was a dreary, windy, humid day. The clouds were grey, but I was still so so excited to meet you! As soon as I found out you were going to be a white strawberry plant during the previous class, I instantly turned to my friend and fellow classmate, Faith (who you'll see mentioned in later posts), and internally screamed. 
   
    Dr. Merchant led us to a shed (?) in the teaching garden where we were each given a pot to hold the plant, dirt for the plant, coffee filter to keep the water in the plant, and the plant. 


me and your godmother faith setting up your future enclosure!

    If I am to be completely honest, when I first saw you Bertram, I was taken aback. I guess it was my fault for not searching up what baby strawberry plants look like and/or adjusting my expectations for your aesthetics beforehand but I really was expecting a cute plant and instead what I got was this:


you!

    Don't worry though, I warmed up to your appearance quickly and now that I'm looking back, you were actually kind of cute Bertram! I like how... dehydrated you look! It's kind of like how human babies are born all slimy but the opposite. Your godmother Faith also got her plant! It's at this point that you may be wondering where the name Bertram even came from? That's where she comes in!

    Together, we came up with the oldest, most out of touch names we could think of: Bertram and Gertrude. (I sincerely apologize if any of your family members or loved ones are named either; they are lovely names, just admittedly not plant appropriate ones). 


you and your sister/twin/???/not sure

    From there, we listened to Dr. Merchant's care instructions and then wrapped you all up in a little plastic Publix bag to prevent spillage and went on our merry ways. Remember how I said that the weather was dreary, windy, and humid? Yeah, so, it ended up raining hard when we were trying to figure out how to get back. Ended up an abysmally long 20-something minutes in the rain but hey! You made it home safe.

    Here's to a happy, neglect-free life!


end of day 1



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