The winter doldrums have certainly set in. Grandma Peggy has the flu, the days are short, the weather is questionable, and I have the blahs. I don’t chose to have the blahs, they just come. When I get this way, I look at my cactus collection. It is not a huge collection, but I’m willing to bet that it is the largest one in Frankfort.
Why do I look at the cactus? For one thing, they are beautiful plants. How can a spiny thing like a stag horn cactus be beautiful? I see all life as beautiful. Even a blah day has a beauty about it. All I have to do is to switch my mindset to anticipation of a bright sunny day, and life is good. The cacti give me an outlet to vent my frustrations. At times, when I get upset with someone, I tell them to go hug a cactus, and if I get very upset I’ll tell them to go kiss a cactus.
Cacti grow in extremely harsh environments and they are hardy survivors. They live without water for months, sometimes years. A cactus can withstand high temperatures, and suppress predation with their spines. Like all living things, they do succumb.
My cacti are not treated to a life of high temperatures, but do get treated harshly. In the winter, I bring them indoors and place them in a low light environment. Occasionally, I sprinkle them with a few drops of water. When the temperature outside is above freezing, I move them into the garden. I place them strategically between the perennials to add interest, and confusion. How confusion? Have you ever walked a perennial garden in the Mid-West to spot a desert plant nestled among the traditional plant life?
During the summer, my cacti are stressed, not by the heat but by the large amount of water they get. In the desert, light, heat, and water add up to procreation by flowering. Nature compensates the gross stems and the spiny foliage with brilliant beautiful flowers. I have only had luck with one of my plants. It flowers every year, but the others have not. Obviously, my basement and yard do not yield the correct conditions to promote flowering. That is one problem to challenge the blahs. I look forward to learning what it takes to get them to flower as beautiful as they do in the desert.
Here are some of my critters, and some real desert cactus in bloom.
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Filed under: family, Funk, Garden, Gardening, Memories, Motivation | Tagged: cactus, Desert, Flower, Gardens |
Thank you, its nice to see something suited to warm weather in the winter.
Thank you for all the great comments during the year. You are one of my most avid fans. Have a really great New Year.
Lovely post and images, Thank you for sharing them. I do hope the Mrs. is feeling better real soon.
Thanks for the good wishes. Peggy is feeling a little better today. Two doses of Tamiflu makes a huge difference, but it also makes one dizzy. Have a great New Year.