This post is to document that my Thanksgiving cactus is still blooming in April.
Texas is starting to warm up, which means the window this cactus leans against will warm up, and quit inducing buds. I’ll get to enjoy them for a little longer.
Wandering the yard I saw a bright green ball amongst the winter browns. Thinking it was trash or an errant tennis ball, I headed over to pick it up and toss it, but what I found was a nearly spherical ball of moss. Hm.
Although my purchased mosses in my mossarium are doing OK, my native moss did not like the inside environment, so I left this lovely mossy specimen where it was flourishing.
It is February in Texas and the only things blooming are dandelions.
We had some warm weather interrupt winter, and the bees came out and sipped from the dandelions. While other yard owners are applying pre-emergents, the bees are feasting in our spring blooms. Dandelions are also edible. Although I have not gone down that path, it is nice to know I could.
As I was wandering outside the dead stalks of last season’s Gregg’s Mistflower caught my eye. I love that the plant took over our front flower bed, and the local insects love the flowers that bloom from Spring to Fall. I started clearing the dried stems in preparation for Spring, and wondered if it would make good weaving material.
I did an initial test by wrapping some stems in a wet towel. I left them overnight and in the morning tested pliability. They seemed flexible. The next step will be to harvest more and attempt some weaving.
It would be fantastic if my new favorite plant could also be a craft material.
It is annoying when leaves catch a ride on a sock or shoe or paw coming into the house, but it is hard to stay irritated when the leaf is in the shape of a heart. Aw.
Critters and Craft 