The Lack of Sleep and a Thing of Beauty!

   A few years ago, my brother gave me a piece of a plant that he had on his front porch.  He said that it was there when he moved into the house.  The home used to be our grandparents' place and I do recall there being a lot of plants there when our grandparents were alive.  The plant was a cactus of sorts and greatly resembled the Night Blooming Cereus that I had (from the same grandparents).  He said that his plant had never bloomed to his knowledge even though it was about 30 years old.  Hmm...well, it was still interesting so I gladly took my "leaf" home to root.  The cutting did well and soon became a huge plant that I lugged in and out of the greenhouse to protect.  I was happy with the night "non-blooming" cereus just because it was an interesting cactus.  Whereas the other cereus plant leaves were flat, these start out triangular and then flatten.  Such an odd addition to my "rainforest".

  Well, now three years after the gift of a cutting, the cactus decided it was time to bloom!  Last night, I stayed up far too late for this old lady just so I could view (and photograph) the bloom.  Needless to say, that 4am rising time came before I was ready but Bat, the cat, thought otherwise.  Happily, the bloom was still open although a bit weary itself.  I smiled as I stepped out the French doors before dawn.  Seeing that single flower well made up for the lack of sleep.

  Now comes the bit of studying time to find out exactly what type of night-blooming cactus this is.  There are so many different types out there!  Having the triangular stems (leaves) and the smaller bloom should help in the research.  Also, rooting more has become a priority!  

A Sunbeam Fell To Earth

  Just a couple of days ago, I was elated to find the prickly pear cacti in bloom.  The plants were full of buds and had open blooms.  The bright yellow was like sunshine in the garden spot.  The blooms brightened the day starting at dawn.  Then, this morning, I find that all of the blooms and the buds are on the ground.  Some critter had decided to tangle with the cacti and obviously did a bit of thrashing about after being stuck by the many spines.  Those needle-like things can cause major irritations when lodged in the skin.

  Now, I am pondering just what came in contact with the cacti.  They are in pots in the middle of the yard so this was not an accidental, gentle "rub by".  I am thinking more of a squabble between two coons.  Perhaps there was a territorial spat in the back yard and the pair wound up inadvertently pummeling the cacti.  If this was the case, I can only imagine how both coons must feel now.  Those spines are a doozy to remove!  

  It saddens me to know that the cacti are lacking buds but I did get one last photo of the beauty.  A single bud actually unfurled even though it had been ripped from the cactus.  It was tossed onto the ground but still opened and brought joy.  

A Smile To Brighten The Day

  Back when this whole quarantine thing started, I noticed on social media that a lot of folks were having a hard time coping with the idea that they had to stay home.  It seems that, even though we should be thankful we have a home, it is a struggle to be there for days on end.  I do not have that problem as the Bayou is where I prefer to be and I prefer to be there without other people.  But, back to those folks grappling with the prospect of being home-bound for a length of time.  When I realized they were only seeing the downside of things, I decided to post one photograph each day of something to hopefully lift their spirits.  I created "Thing of Beauty" posts and asked my friends to do the same.  It went over well with several following suit.  That, in itself, is a thing of beauty.

  Today, I posted a photograph of an Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus.  The image was particularly interesting to me as I managed to catch the first sun rays of the morning illuminating the bloom.  It was almost as if the yellow flower was glowing.  So, I used that idea to make a point about how each day is a gift and we should try our best to "glow" in appreciation.   That idea got me to thinking about how it is totally up to us how we start our days.  Yes, things do often go awry but our outlook determines how we deal with whatever is thrown at us.  Beginning the day with a positive attitude goes a long way in determining the path we will follow.  Going back to the quarantine, I refuse to look at it as a bad thing.  Folks are being forced to become family again.  Folks are being made to realize that not everything they "had to have" a few months back is even pertinent now.  Folks are sharing, caring and being generally nice folks.  Yes, there are those "people" (some people are just not folks) who are taking the wrong road and going off the deep end.  But those are the few....the many are being decent human beings.  They are glowing...something folks have not done for some time now.

  The cactus will keep on growing and blooming.  Hopefully, folks will keep on growing, blooming and glowing right along with the plant.  Life is only as good as you make it regardless of the situation.  No, a smile is not going to make the virus go away.  It is not going to repair financial problems.  Nor will it keep you from going stir crazy because you cannot be with your friends.  It will, however, make the day brighter...for you and anyone who is on the receiving end of your friendly gesture.  Be happy, folks.  Glow!

In Time For The Holidays!

  Growing up on the farm, I was always surrounded by plants.  Pop had enormous fields that were always planted in something and he took pride in keeping the yard in bloom.  He had that proverbial "Green Thumb" that people say about those who can make plants flourish.  Mom, on the other hand, always said she had a "Black Thumb".  She was quick to declare that anything she planted never grew.  In fact, she insisted that plants died under her care.  Whether this was a fact or whether she was secretly avoiding the planting duties of the farm was never to be understood.  So Pop took care of all of the plants....except for one.

  Mom's pride and joy was a Christmas Cactus that was always kept on the front porch.  The screened porch provided the perfect conditions to allow the plant to do well.  Of course, Pop always fertilized the plant when needed but Mom did water it.  In late November, she beamed when the bright red buds began to show. The month of December saw the cactus in full bloom and it was moved into the living room where it sat through the holidays.  

  I was always fascinated by the plant.  It was rather peculiar looking as far as plants go.  The "leaves" were nothing more than flattened stems that would break off in one inch segments if treated roughly.  Those same segments could be stuck in dirt and rooted to make new plants. The blooms (red on Mom's cactus) were like none I had ever seen.  They were shaped entirely different that any of the garden plants.  The plant was beautiful!

  Back years and years ago, Mom had given a small rooted plant to me but, alas, over the years, the plant withered and died.  I was saddened by the fact that I had not cared properly for it.  Years went by without me thinking of a new plant.  This year, however, I have not one but two Christmas Cactus plants.  Mark bought these for me and I am happy to report that they are doing well and have a couple of blooms for the holidays!  Hopefully, I can figure out how to care for these so I will have mine for years to come and they can become covered with blooms like Mom's always was.

Home is where the heart is!

  Today was moving day.  It is official now.  My daughter and her husband are here on the Coast.  They have bought a house not too far from the Bayou and this was the day to move their furniture from our place to theirs.  It was an all day job using a cargo van, pickup truck and three SUVs each making several trips.  She and I stayed behind at the house to arrange furniture and unpack boxes as the fellows drove back and forth loading and unloading.  Tonight will be their first night spent in their new house.

  This morning as we were loading vehicles, Elizabeth pointed out that my cactus had several heart-shaped lobes.  I think that cactus was trying to tell us something and Elizabeth summed it up in one sentence.  "Home is where the heart is, Mom!"....and she is right.  My heart (Elizabeth) is now home..back on the Coast.  

  The day was hard but fun.  She and I did a lot of chattering and laughing all the while unpacking.  The house is now in some semblance of order and we are exhausted but it was so worth the effort.  Seeing these young folks starting out in their new home does the heart good. Happy lives, kids, happy lives!  Mom and Dad love you!