Tag: Cee’s Flower of the Day

FROM BUD TO BLOSSOM: TWO SQUARES FOR BECKY B AND A FLOWER FOR THE DAY – Marilyn Armstrong

From Bud to Blossom and Flower of the Day

The interval between the fullness of a bud and the opening of the blossom is a time for the season. The Christmas cactus continues to bloom and our time is cactus time!

As I watch the changing cactus, I realize that before there were clocks, there was the growth of the soil, the height of the corn, the flowing, and drying of waters. The movement of sun and moon as the seasons change.

This is all around us. Every breath we take is a tiny piece of our life.

The bud
The flower
Flower of the Day – FOTD – 12/14/2018

A TIME TO BLOOM AND A TIME TO FADE – FLOWER OF THE DAY – Marilyn Armstrong

A Time to Bloom and a Time to Fade – FOTD – 12/12/2018

I thought, when I watered the cactus yesterday, the blooms would vanish quickly. And indeed, two flowers dropped — but two new ones opened up. So it lives on and maybe, if I am very lucky, it will make it through the holidays.

Still fully blooming!
Bigger and more beautiful.

CHRISTMAS IS A COMING & THE BUDS ARE GETTING FAT – Marilyn Armstrong

And the buds are getting fat! – FOTD – 11/29/2018

The buds are fatter and today, I finally watered the plants. Worriedly because watering too soon can kill all the buds. I did it last year and had to start the whole process of growing buds all over again.

Full bloom
Amidst branches
Which one will bloom next?
Amazing what a little light will do for a macro photograph, isn’t it?
Is it ever going to bloom?

Just so that you understand what I mean that even with the best conditions, you can’t know exactly when your cactus is going to bloom, I included at least one picture of the other cactus which has not one single bud on it. It has stood in the same window and gotten the same light. I watered it exactly when I watered the other cactus.

Buds!

Yet this plant has not a single bud. Which only proves that no matter how good a gardener you are, you just can’t force everything to come out your way. But you can try.

 

ALL BUDS YESTERDAY, FLOWER TODAY – Marilyn Armstrong

From Bud to Flower -FOTD – 11/28/2018

So as I follow the progression of my Christmas Cactus, it was full of buds yesterday and blossomed today. Just one blossom, but there are many more buds and a few of them are nice and fat.

I love watching flowers develop. Right now, I’m trying to decide whether it’s time to water it or not. It still feels a little bit damp, so I’m waiting. Maybe tomorrow.

Because it has been so gray, it is taking a really long for everything to dry up.

No processing. It looked so impressionistic without any assistance. A little more light would be nice! I hear we may get some day after tomorrow. Maybe.
Yesterday’s buds are tomorrow’s flowers.

It’s interesting to see which color comes up in the blooming. Some years, the color is very close to orange.

Soft bloom
And one in focus!

This year, the blossoms are deep red. As yet, the second plant has no buds so it could bloom as anything from light pink to dark red.

BUDDING CHRISTMAS CACTUS – Marilyn Armstrong

FOTD – November 25, 2018

Proving again that you really do need light to take pictures please enjoy the impressionistic photographs of my budding cactuses.

They are impressionistic because there was almost no light. I think maybe I’ll start a little earlier tomorrow.

Cactus bud
More buds

THE FIRST BLOOM ON THE CHRISTMAS CACTUS – Marilyn Armstrong

First Bloom on the Christmas Cactus
FOTD – November 21, 2018

They have been full of buds for a week, but this morning, one bloom opened. And I’m pretty sure that before the blooms fall off the two Christmas cacti, there will be buds on the orchids, too. Just as well because it’s cold out there and the birds are very happy to have a feeder in the ‘hood.

Christmas cactus

STILL AUTUMN IN MY MIND – Marilyn Armstrong

FOTD – November 18, 2018

It’s cold out and there’s snow in the driveway. We haven’t found a plow guy yet, but we live in hope. As long as he or she (we’ve never found a she who drives a plow, but why not?) gets here before we need an oil delivery, we’re good.

Martha Kennedy suggested YakTrax so we can walk up our frozen driveway and not fall on our collective heads and the dogs like snow a lot better than they like rain. They hate rain.

Well, to be fair, Gibbs feels that the sofa is the right place for him pretty much all the time, but the Duke loves everything. Bonnie only goes out when it’s 72 degrees with a light breeze.

Never you mind. We will survive winter. I just wish it hadn’t decided to begin before Thanksgiving.

The last time we had a big snow in early November, we got 120 inches for the season which was an all-time record. Even if you really like snow, that is a great deal of snow and a lot of money for plowing.

Meanwhile, I’m still living in my dreams of the autumn we almost had. Don’t ruin my dreams. I need them.