the sound of rain

My Norfolk Island Pine needs misting every single day. I'm hoping that in the summer when the light is stronger and I need to move it away from the window (and also the heat vent it sits near), plus there's naturally more humidity in the air, that I won't need to do this chore every morning. But for now, it's part of my routine. First I mist the Ferns, Schefflera, Palms, Crotons and Avocado tree. Sometimes the Mimosa, too. Then the Pine gets the rest of the entire spray bottle. I've folded a plastic mat under the plant to protect the carpet, and the sound of water drops falling off the green needlings reminds me of rain dripping on tent fabric, from days when I went camping with my family as a child. I love that sound. It makes the task one that I'm fond of, rather than irritated at sitting for a good five minutes to make this plant feel like it's in a cool, misty forest instead of inside my dry living room.

The plant also gets a bit of extra humidity from a large pot of water that usually sits underneath it. I like really hot showers, so I always collect the extra water that runs when I'm waiting for it to heat up. It sits here under the tree until I need it for watering cans.