So just about everybody and everything needs a second chance at some point in time. There is this dire need to redo something that did not turn out as well as expected or to make up for something that was done correctly. Giving second chances can prove or disprove the intended act. I am all for giving second chances. Third ones, on the other hand, fall into that "three strikes, you're out" category for me. Son often tells me I am too lenient but, once in a while, it pays off.
Back a couple of weeks ago, I was out pushing that lawnmower about the hillside. More oft than not, my mind wanders during this chore and I am completely oblivious to what I am doing. It helps the time to pass quickly and makes the task less daunting. Cutting nigh on four acres with a push mower is not easy when you get my age. Anyway, it was during that cutting that I noticed something in the middle of the lawn. A wee plant did not look like the others. Instead of being a blade of grass, this tiny plant had wide, fuzzy leaves. My brain immediately recognized this as a member of the cone flowers. How did I know that? Other than it being stowed in the cobwebs in the far reaches of the brain, I have no idea. Still, I was confident enough in my identifying of the flower that I stopped the mower, dug up the tiny plant and replanted it by the tomatoes. I figured that it would be safe there until it bloomed and I was able to confirm my suspicions.
Well, this week, the plant bloomed and I was happy to say that I was correct! That little plant was, indeed, a yellow cone flower! Had I not dug it from the yard, I would never have been able to enjoy the loveliness. I gave the wee plant a second chance and it rewarded me with lovely blooms. Hopefully, the blooms will make enough seeds that more plants will grow and fill the gardens but, if not, I am already happy. Giving this plant a place of its own was successful!
Sometimes, timing is everything. When you miss an opportunity, it is gone...never to be seen again. True, there may be other instances that you can "redo" an event but the one is over and cannot be repeated. Take for example a bloom in the garden. Two days ago, I noticed that the Night-blooming Cereus had a large bud. I was excited, although I have seen the plant bloom many, many times. There is just something about those fleeting blooms that only occur at night and for only one night that stirs the kettle of fantasy. Well, things got a bit crazy with the poor, old dog being ill and the bud was forgotten. It opened in all its glory with no one to view it. It went unseen. I missed it. This morning, the bud was spent...wilted...gone.
The Night-blooming Cereus is sort of a family tradition with me. Back when my grandparents were still alive, the buds literally meant a party was to be planned. The whole family would gather to watch the buds open into their dinner-plate size blooms. It was great even though, as a toddler, I thought the goofy bud was rather poky at doing its thing. It was not until later that I fully appreciated the beauty of the plant. Granted I do not throw parties when mine blooms and granted I often forget (like last night) but the plants are still cherished. In fact, there are nigh on a dozen of the plants being cared for in my collection....all from a start from my grandparents' huge cereus. The cuttings are passed down generation to generation with explicit instructions on how to care for the plants.
Night-blooming cereus plants are also called "Queen of the Night" which refers to their habit of only blooming after nightfall. They are a type of cactus that grow long, pencil-thin shoots that flatten into "leaves". It is on the second year growth that the buds will form from these flattened shoots. Because they are night-bloomers, they are highly scented and are pollinated by moths and occasionally even bats. It does not take much care to grow the plants other than an occasional watering and feeding. They do, however, need to be protected from cold weather. Anything below 35 degrees is not agreeable to them! A greenhouse or large, bright window spot is a necessity!
Then, this evening, another bud began to open! By 9pm, a happy bloom unfurled its petals and allowed me to partake of its beauty! Thank you, Grandmother and Granddaddy for teaching me patience. Sometimes, timing is everything.
