scavenging

scav·enge ( P ) Pronunciation Key (skvnj)
v. scav·enged, scav·eng·ing, scav·eng·es
v. tr.
1. To search through for salvageable material

this is what we are doing
as i am told.

Most plants that have been damaged need at least one or 2 leaves to photosynthesize and regenerate.
Coleus are very simple, primitive plants. they can be pinched and put into water until they root, at which point you can plant them in dirt.

a pinch of the little coleus was stolen from a neighbors garden and it has lived through the winter, something it would never be able to do outside here.
it lived until February when its one little stem was broken and left to die on the floor.
that was the night when i yelled
"if you are so unhappy then you should go"
and she yelled
"maybe we should break up"
and i yelled
"maybe we should"

and i got out of the car
and she drove away

the next day i put the poor little broken coleus in water to see if it would sprout some roots.
i have been waiting
and tending its water
and making sure it has sun
nothing
nothing
nothing
until yesterday
there they were tiny tiny shoots
not nearly enough to plant yet

but if i keep taking care of it
maybe soon