At one time during my life, gardening was necessary for the extra food. I really enjoyed playing in the dirt and seeing the plants grow. Now I've gone from veggies to bonsai (which I still love and grow) to African violets.

Growing these little flowers takes special skills and equipment---wrong. When dh brought his plant home from the hospital, we sat it under a lamp and wished it luck. Well, that little baby has given more than I ever imagined. Flowering after flowering, month after month, year after year--with nothing more than some water now and then. She's a blooming wonder. (Now "it's" a "she" because there've been a few propagated babies.)

So I'm sitting at the computer, looking through eBay(my favorite place to shop). I know I have way too many bonsai to warrant buying any more---so what to do? A lightbulb clicks on! Check out the African violets! Oh, my!!! Have you seen how many varieties and types and I don't know what all. They're all beautiful. How do I choose!?!? Do I buy a leaf, or a plug or a plant?

Since we already have a blue one, I start by looking at the other colors, there's only about 500 shades of pinks and purples and reds and whites and... So then I start noticing the leaves. Some are hairy, some are shiny. Some are quilted, some are wavy, some have ruffles. (Starting to sound a bit like Dr. Seuss.) Anyway, I finally pick one(I forgot to mention they come in large, medium, small and extra-small). Then another. There are also some called trailers.

Once I got started looking at the pictures, it was hard to stop buying. I'll tell you what I got in a minute. Right now I've got to stop and make room for all of them. By moving the computer lamp to the corner table I can make room for plants under that lamp. If I clear off my bedtable and leave that lamp on all day, a few plants can be set there. I'm trying to save the kitchen table for this fall and winter when some of the bonsai have to come inside. The movie cabinet can hold a couple more plants. Okay, that's it---we're just going to have to add on another room to the house!

First I choose a white flowered 'Snow Leopard'. It's a semidouble white ruffled pansy. The leaves are a dark green and the plant is a semiminiature.

Well, then I see a fantastic-looking 'Boogie Nights', a single-semidouble fuchsia with a large frilled star and lighter blue-purple edge flower with variegated dark green and white, wavy leaves. Large.

Now I also have a 'Rob's Boolaroo', a semidouble light pink sticktite pansy/bright blue fantasy. Medium green, quilted trailer (I can guess what a "trailer" is, but what is a "fantasy", in regards to African violets? I thought 'sticktite' was that weed in the pasture that stuck all over your socks).

Then I saw the 'Tomahawk', and suddenly had to have a red one. It is a semidouble-double bright red with dark green leaves, plain, large.

This list is getting crazy. I can't seem to just get 2 or 3 and quit. They are all to beautiful. Since I don't have enough already, the seller sends me a free leaf---'Misty Cloud', a semidouble dark blue/wide white edge.

Next is 'Rob's Smarty Pants'. It's a miniature with a semidouble white ruffled star and blue-speckled pink edge. The leaves are medium green, glossy, wavy, serrated.

For number seven I bought two leaves from 'Black Congo'. Single dark plum flower with gold frilled edges. The foliage is holly shaped and ruffled. Standard size.

Dominique is next. I have a grandson named Dominic so of course I had to have this one. A double pink flower, frilled with some green edge. The leaves are variegated and ruffled. Large. I love the ruffled leaves.

Ruffles 'n' Lace is a double pink with white frilled edge, some green. Medium green, ruffled leaves. Large.

Rob's Neat Nellie, number ten, is a semidouble white sticktite with a pink-red eye. Variegated medium green and white, quilted, glossy leaves. Semiminiature.

And, last but certainly not least, our Number One Momma plant. I don't know her name but I think 'Blue Momma' sounds good. Pretty blue single-semidouble blossoms with yellow eyes. The leaves are hairy, medium green, quilted, with red-veined backs. I can almost talk the African violet lingo now.

There's an auction going for a lot of five African violet plants which I crazily entered. I kind of hope to win and kind of hope not to win. Just in case, I'm buying 5 more self-watering pots. But that's another story for another day (or maybe another lens).