My husband took a wander out to the meadow and made a lovely discovery: bluebonnets in progress! I like his photo composition as well, with the arc of a twig, opposing arc of dried grass, and the line of bluebonnet leaf clusters trailing down from the top right to the bottom left.
Our front window at our house gets the most sunlight, enough that cactus are happy. This would be a great place to start seedlings, so I ordered some hanging acrylic shelves to put in the window.
I received two sets of three shelves, and installed them centered in the right and left window panels. The idea is that it gives me more space for sunlight loving plants, and raises the plants above the windowsill so the cats too can enjoy the sunshine.
The shelves consist of formed acrylic trays, twisted-steel polymer-coated flexible cable, and tubes threaded for screws that act as stoppers. The assembly wasn’t difficult, but did take some time. Could I have made a wood and rope version? Absolutely. I like that the acrylic lets light through.
Did you know that there are Thanksgiving cactus and Christmas cactus? I did not until a reader kindly sent me a link. I thought I had a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) blooming for the last few years in my house, but it is actually a close relative, the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). The easiest way to tell, for me, is the spikes on the edge of the leaves, characteristic of trucata, where bridgesii has rounded edges on the leaves. Care for both is the same, but truncata is a sturdier plant, which is good in my house. I did go back and update my previous posts with the correct information. I post often on this cactus, apparently!
It is good to start the New Year with some updated information!
Oh yes, my Thanksgiving cactus is blooming!
I took some green time and walked through the woods. I can still see the results of the heavy rain we had, the path I cleared years ago had been swept clean by the water, making a path about two feet wide through the leaves.
I saw some nice mushrooms too, another sign we’ve actually received significant moisture.
I have what I believe is a mulberry tree in the back woods. It is growing under the canopy, so is spindly but keeps making a go of it each year. I was sad to see that something, probably deer, have stripped the bark on one side of the tree.
And of course there were cats. I was able to get a picture of Mr Tom in his glorious winter coat before he wandered off.
Critters and Craft 