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Don’t Say “Thank You” While I was growing up, my grandmother (Mema) had beautiful flowers and plants. She would give me cuttings and small plants and tell me to put used coffee grounds on them and water them normally. That was her “secret” tip: used coffee grounds and tender care. I would always say, “Thank you,” and she told me, “Never say ‘Thank you’ for a plant. It will die. Just say, ‘It’s beautiful.’ Or, ‘That’s sweet of you.’ But never say ‘Thank you.’” And sure enough, mine always died. So when she passed away in 1987, I took a small aloe vera that she had just potted. I prayed, “Mema, you are not here for me to say ‘thank you,’ so maybe this one will live.” And with used coffee grounds and tender care this plant did live. And it has grown for 16 years. Some of the aloe blades are as wide and thick as my wrist and long as my arm. Every spring I separate it and give pieces of my Mema away. I always remind people never to say “Thank you” and to sprinkle used coffee grounds. It works great on my houseplants and my garden. Thank you, Mema! Shelly Effler |