Fernando Ficus

You may have noticed there have not been a lot of postings to this site lately. That's because I've gotten sidetracked by my garden site, The Garden's Gift. Fernando Ficus was formed as a creative outlet for short stories and other writings. Occasionally, I will still add something here. Thanks for visiting.

Another friend of Fernando is Pepi Peperomia. Peperomia caperata is a member of the Piperaceae family originating in tropical South America. It produces numerous dark green heart-shaped puckered leaves. Leaf stalks are pink and the leaves are purplish in the corrugations. Peperomia produces white flowers in long spikes in late spring to early winter. It is primarily used as an indoor plant in a well-lit area. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, but mist the leaves in hot weather to create humidity.

“Mom! Help! The cat has me trapped,” whimpered Duncan. “Please save me.”

“Poor Duncan,” Mom said. “Did that mean old cat corner you again? Nicky, go away and leave poor Duncan alone, “ said Mom as she shooed the cat away. Nicky, a big black cat, smiled and squinted his eyes at Duncan. “Scaredy cat. Duncan’s a scaredy cat,” he laughed as he jumped onto the chair.

Duncan breathed a sign of relief and scampered into the office to spy out the window. Boy, he thought, that was a close one. That cat is going to get me one of these times.

Suddenly, he heard something and barked. He perked his ears up and barked again. It’s Lucy. “Look Dad it’s Lucy,” Duncan announced.

“Duncan, I’m on the phone. Be quiet,” Dad said firmly.

I can’t believe he’s not interested, mumbled Duncan to himself. Oh well, I’ll just lay here by the window and bask in the sun while I watch her play. But the longer he lay in the sun the sleepier he got, and soon Duncan was starting to dream.

In his favorite dream, Duncan and Lucy were running in her backyard with her boys. The boys would throw the ball, and Duncan and Lucy would take turns catching it. He was just getting ready to jump on the ball, when he heard a knock at the door.

He was up in an instant, rushing to the door and barking like mad. “How dare you wake me up!” he said indignantly to the person standing there. The person turned around and there stood Lucy’s mother! Wow! “Mom, look who’s here,” yipped Duncan. “It’s Lucy’s mom! Come let her in!”

Fernando is a Ficus benjamina. The Benjamin Tree is from the tropical regions of India to n. Australia. It is used as a shade and ornamental tree for homes and conservatory. The leaves and the fruit possess the ornamental value. The leaves are leathery and about five inches long and two inches wide. The Weeping Ficus fruits are pairs of red figs. Fernando likes light, but not direct sun. Keep his soil moist but let it dry out between waterings.

Duncan looked through the window and started panting.

“Now, Duncan,” Dad chuckled, “panting will not scare away the burglars. You have to bark better than that.”

Duncan perked up his ears and kept on looking out the window. Dad has no idea what a beautiful little dog I’m looking at, he thought.

There was Lucy romping in the front yard with one of her boys. He was playing with a basketball and she was chasing it. “She jumps so high,” admired Duncan. “I’d love to go out and play with her.”

Dad went to the window and looked out. “Oh, now I see. There’s Lucy and her boy. I wish I could give you a boy to play with too, Duncan, but you’ll just have to settle for your brothers.”

Duncan rolled his eyes and kept looking out the window. Fat chance, he thought. They just sit around and drool for boneys. Then they go and ask Mom for a pat on the head or to go out. Big deal.

Just then, Mom said, “Come on boys. Let’s go out,” and Duncan raced out the door.

He stood at the fence and begged Lucy to come over. “Come on, Lucy, let’s be friends.”

“She won’t come to the fence and say hello. She’s too busy playing with her boy,” said Vali as he walked up beside Duncan.

“Yeah,” barked Beau. “Besides, she’s kind of snooty. I tried talking to her before and she just turned up her nose and ran into the house. I don’t think she wants to get to know us.”

“You guys don’t know what you’re talking about,” snarled Duncan. “She’ll come over pretty soon if you both just go away. There’s no way she’s going to come talk to me with the two of you standing around. Why don’t you go and run around on the other side of the yard?”

“Oh come on, Val. Let’s leave poor Dunc to his dreams,” laughed Beau and they started walking away to go sit in the shade.

Duncan sat down and watched Lucy. Every time she got close to the fence he would ask her to come and get acquainted, but she just ignored him. Pretty soon, the boy went into the house and Lucy followed. Duncan was so disappointed. I don’t understand why she won’t get to know me, but I’m not going to give up. One of these days she’ll just have to invite me over to play.

And so with one more look over his shoulder, Duncan turned and ran to the door to go back inside.

Fernando got to know Roger pretty well when they were spending time in the office building and really liked him. What he didn't know is that Roger is part of the Ficus family. Ficus elastica originated from Malaya in the early 1800's. It is commonly known as the rugger plant because the stems and foliage contain a rubber-like latex. The rubber plant grows upright stems with leathery leaves that are dark and shiny green in color, oval in shape with pointed tips. Young leaves appear wrapped in a bright red bract. It is usually grown indoors, but will grow outside in tropical climates. Ficus elastica likes light, but not direct sunlight and appreciates feeding in the summer. Keep the plant fairly dry in winter, but water more plentifully in summer. Don't overwater since it can cause yellowing.

While Fernando continues to put together some plant articles, he thought it would be fun to write another story. So from time to time he will add chapters to

Looking for Lucy, A Doggie Love Story by Duncan

Duncan stretched and buried deeper in the bedcovers. I’m not ready to wake up yet, he thought, and quickly drifted back into his favorite dream. There she was – the most beautiful dog in the world. Lucy, a 10 pound Jack Russell terrier with the prettiest little legs he ever saw, was barking at him. “Hi, Duncan. My Mom just gave me a nice boney treat. Would you like to share it with me? Come on over.” Just then, Duncan’s person shifted in the bed and started to get up. “Hey,” barked Duncan, “you can’t get up without me!” Duncan jumped off the bed and jostled his brothers awake.

“Come on Vali, come on Beau. Dad’s up and it’s time to go out.”

Vali, a red german shepherd, immediately stood up and went to the bedroom door to wait.

Beau, a grey and white keeshound, bounced up and down. “Oh boy, we’re going to go out, we’re going to go out, “he barked.

Duncan, a black terrier, charged toward his Dad and barked, “Hurry up and get your fur on. We’re ready to go!”

“Ok, you guys. I’m moving as fast as I can, “laughed Dad. “Just give me a minute.”

“What’s a minute?” Duncan asked his brothers.

“I don’t know. It must be part of his fur because he always says it as he’s getting out of bed,” yawned Vali.

Beau was still bouncing. “I don’t know either but I’ve got to go out NOW.”

Dad opened the bedroom door and the boys rushed down the stairs. Soon they were back in the house and ready for breakfast, all except Duncan. He was still outside looking for Lucy.