Schlumbergera bridgesii: aka Christmas Cactus

This week one of our Schlumbergera bridgesii began to bloom. Last spring I had posted a poem
about Christmas Cactus and when one "chooses" to bloom. You can find it here.

I have just quit calling this beautiful blooming plant a Christmas Cactus. As soon as I do it doesn't bloom at the holiday season. This week we can call it the Thanksgiving Cactus. This plant decided since family was coming it would show off for this holiday. I noticed when googling information the name has even been changed on many sites to Holiday Cactus. That makes more sense to me. It takes away that feeling of failure when Christmas arrives and leaves and there are no showy buds opening. You can then hang onto the hope it will be on the schedule of another holiday. There is New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Valentine's Day, President's Day and St. Patrick's Day and a few in between that the plant can coordinate with.

If you are a novice at growing this temperamental bloomer, just take care of it and let it be. It has a calendar all it's own! I tried the dark room at night, changing temperature, special food, and repotting. When I just left it and cared for it like any other plant it has been the healthiest.

I do have a theory though. I am obsessed with music for each season of the year. Perhaps each bloom cycle is driven by the music it hears. Did "Over the River and Through the Wood" and "We Gather Together" put it into bloom as I belted out these songs last week? This is a new plant so I can't do a scientific study, but when another one bloomed it was right at Easter. Did I sing " In Your Easter Bonnet" and "He Has Risen" more often last year around that plant?
Now that it is Christmas Music City at my house for the next four weeks, perhaps I will set up a control group and an experiemental group.
Ummmm.... just a theory.

Sunday Scribblings: Near the Window

The topic of Sunday Scribblings this week is Misspent Youth.

Near the Window

The lamp near the window glowed long into the night,
the wonder of words kept me turning the pages.
Curling up with Nancy Drew, Bess, and George
creating a life of intrigue and mysteries to be solved.
Finding poetry at the public library and saving words
as I hunted and pecked on the manual keys.

The stereo filled the hall room with beautiful sounds.
I wore out certain songs as I listened again and again.
I joined the Broadway cast of My Fair Lady and Oklahoma too,
and The Ray Conniff singers backed
me up on Somewhere My Love.
How many times could I repeat Three Dog Night
singing One
While belting out the lyrics with a makeshift microphone?

Near the window I could breathe in spring,
In winter the panes frosted, then melted in a thaw.
If opened in summer a breeze gave a small reprieve,
Burning leaves crept in at the closing of fall.

The neighbor kids gathered for Kick the Can
or Spoons, but
I cocooned myself in my bedroom upstairs.
Finding comfort near the window with my pile of books.
Broadway seemed visible, images from poems remained.
I didn’t pine away about a misspent youth.
I still carry the words and remember the poetry,
And l hear those melodies when I
sit near the window in my childhood room.


by inlandempiregirl


to find other Sunday Scribblings go here.

Sibling Assignment #45: Being Thankful

Our sibling assignment this week was given by Silver Valley Girl. In the spirit of Thanksgiving we were to create a video focusing on what we are thankful for. You will find a heartwarming creation about her family Silver Valley Girl produced while staying at my house here. Raymond Pert's will be here.

I loved the assignment. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on all my blessings. It was a much better way to spend my day than lining up at stores for Door Busters at sunrise.

Images of The Thanksgiving Gathering

A Peaceful Then Busy Thanksgiving Morning

The sunrise this morning was a peaceful way to begin the day as JEJ and I got up early to build the fires, make coffee, and heat water for tea. The color of the sky changed over the lake as the sun began to rise above the fog and clouds. The sun didn't warm up the below freezing temperatures. The pace began to pick up as soon as Mom Mary got out the Betty Crocker cookbook and began preparing pie crusts. As most of you remember pie crusts are not my expertise so I rely on Silver Valley Girl and Mom to prepare the pie crusts. See how Mom makes it look so easy as she cuts the pie dough? Silver Valley Girl adds a special touch to the loganberry pie by cutting out cute turkeys for the top crust. The best part of the pie preparation is the extra dough. As long as I can remember Mom made special pie crust cinnamon rolls with the extra dough that we got as a treat.I got that special childhood treat today to fortify me for continued preparations!

Thanksgiving Week Blessing: Breakfast for Dinner

After school today I had an appointment in town and had to do the last minute shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. I knew that would put me home after seven o'clock so JEJ agreed to be in charge of dinner. JEJ doesn't cook dinner often, but the dishes he does are always delicious. One of his specialties is basic breakfast: tonight that included fried potatoes, bacon, and eggs over easy. When I got home he filled the house with the smell of frying bacon.

Next the potatoes began sizzling in the pan. Last the eggs were cooked. We splurged a bit more and had cinnamon bread toast. What a perfect way to end a long, hectic day- breakfast for dinner. Now I am off to my "to-do" list as I countdown to Thanksgiving dinner. Let's see... now where is that "to-do" list?