Cactus flower

About 4 years ago, down the street from our old cottage, there was a lady. This lady had the most fabulous Victorian house ever. She also had a yard sale. At this yard sale she  harbored a metal tricycle plant holder. Upon which sat a dry 5 inch cactus and small friends.

I purchased this lovely tricycle plant holder and the woman said, "Oh let me throw out these dead plants for you". I protested "NOOOO! they're not dead, I want those too!!" She laughed.

I carried the tricycle plant holder containing said "dead" cactus down the street to my cottage. I planted my new friends into my cactus wagon and there they have thrived.

Each day , week, month, and year that goes by adds another spiny layer to my friend.

About  a year and a half ago, we moved to Yuba City to be with Vena, Jon's grandmother. I ,of course, brought along all my plant friends, including my cactus wagon.

Last week, my sturdy friend, who has grown to be twenty inches tall, produced a fuzzy bump, which then turned in to a sleek bud, and then exploded into this magnificent bloom of a flower about ten inches in diameter.

This lasted one entire day. I was lucky to catch it's beauty, since I rarely awake as early as I did this day.

I am astonished by it's mass and tender, soft looks springing forth from such a spiky, gruff base. Deep inside two pincher bugs had made their nest.

I love plants and I am often amazed at their ability to survive. I always save and reuse all my potting soil. We also have a compost pile. Sometimes a plant, thought to be dead for years, has spontaneously started to grow. Like it was just on lunch for a year or so.

Amazing, that's nature.

have fun

*winter