I spent some time this morning snapping photos of assorted plants that I have growing in containers on my deck. The Christmas Cactus is placed there for the summer months, which actually improves it's appearance over that course of time. Unbelievable as it seems to me, the placing of this plant in it's out door location has been a ritual for the past six seasons.
It is a special plant to me as it once belonged to my Mom and Dad. It is at least twenty-five years old..maybe, even older. The folks kept it in the middle bedroom, which had been unused for years, except for a few house plants placed on an old chest by the bedroom window. My parents watered and tended to each plant's care...keeping them alive and thriving throughout the many years they were kept in that room. The plants sat directly in front of the window where they were exposed to incoming daylight controlled by my parents when they periodically opened and lowered the window shade. The Cactus always managed to get the right levels of light and darkness, thereby guaranteeing many wonderful blossoms every holiday season. Since it has been home with me, I have yet to duplicate the same magical formula for the annual flowering of this plant. However, the good news is that over the years it has grown ever so big while in my care. The branches are bountiful, healthy looking and shiny, and it responds well to it's summer location on a shaded corner table of the backyard deck.
I like to think of this plant as a continued blessing and reminder of a parent's love that remains with me even though they are no longer a part of my life or of this world.
It is a special plant to me as it once belonged to my Mom and Dad. It is at least twenty-five years old..maybe, even older. The folks kept it in the middle bedroom, which had been unused for years, except for a few house plants placed on an old chest by the bedroom window. My parents watered and tended to each plant's care...keeping them alive and thriving throughout the many years they were kept in that room. The plants sat directly in front of the window where they were exposed to incoming daylight controlled by my parents when they periodically opened and lowered the window shade. The Cactus always managed to get the right levels of light and darkness, thereby guaranteeing many wonderful blossoms every holiday season. Since it has been home with me, I have yet to duplicate the same magical formula for the annual flowering of this plant. However, the good news is that over the years it has grown ever so big while in my care. The branches are bountiful, healthy looking and shiny, and it responds well to it's summer location on a shaded corner table of the backyard deck.
I like to think of this plant as a continued blessing and reminder of a parent's love that remains with me even though they are no longer a part of my life or of this world.
No person is ever truly alone ~ Those who live no more, whom we loved, echo still within our thoughts, our words, our hearts ~ And what they did and who they were becomes a part of all that we are ~ Forever ~
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