Live and Learn (4/03/16) has an early reference to the Christmas Cactus.

This was a neglected cactus given to me to nurture; received in February, or March, 2016. Transplanted into a larger planter on April 2, 2016–from a four-inch pot. 

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Early afternoon, October 16th, I moved three Christmas Cactus into “the basement” of my trailer home. I’d heard of need to put them in the dark so checked the Internet for information. Here is one link. ~~ Actually, the plants were probably already getting enough “dark” but I put in the basement before reading web sites. Less than three weeks later I observed that this cactus appeared to be dying. I planted a number of the broken branches–and hoped to revive the parent plant.

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Now that the cactus is beginning to bloom, it has been identified as a “Thanksgiving Cactus.” A friend tells me her cactus is in full bloom–and beautiful.

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This transplant will have special attention in hopes I’ll have beautiful blooms next November.

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“You can take the girl out of the garden but you can’t take the garden out of girl.”

It’s a soggy Sunday and I can’t work in my “yarden” but I **can** prepare several blog messages about several of my plants. (I can [and did] search for the origin of the quotation.)

Poinsettia

Confession: I’ve always been a good speller. I started this message on June 22nd and “spell check” told me I misspelled the name of the flower I was writing about. Really?? So I went to the Internet to get information. Okay, I didn’t spell it correctly but I must be doing something right. The plant remained attractive from December through May. Seemingly overnight, I saw the new growth. ~~ When I added a picture on July 22nd, I questioned (myself) about earlier (earlier) pictures. I did a thorough search December through June and, strangely, no picture of the plant when I received it as a gift. (I take so many pictures of my plants; how did I skip this one? Especially while sitting at my computer, I see it dozens of times a day!!)

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For two months, the Poinsettia has been hidden away “in the basement”–in total darkness. I hoped the leaves would turn red. The plant is healthy but absent of Christmas color. Rereading the instructions re: plant care, I’m encouraged. With the plant indoors, getting daylight, the leaves may change?!

“K” is for Kalanchoe.

I’m looking at it every day as I spend time at my computer. I want to share the picture showing how it doubled in growth in one year.

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Please read the earlier Christmas Cactus blog message.

Directly below, four pictures from 2015. Current images at the bottom of this message.

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Changing the subject….

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As promised, I’m working on “dumping” or “donating.” It’s amusing the things I’m finding among the boxes recently transported from the mini-storage to my resident site. I have several boxes of “disaster preparedness” and I’ve discovered that they have been packed for many years. Am I prudent or pathetic?? ~~ Remember my earlier message where I was preparing,  locally, for “hurricane preparedness”??

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**If** I load all my “preparedness” into my KIA, the back two-thirds of my vehicle will be FULL. One act of preparation I must not ignore: Keep the gas tank full.

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**If** the CARE residents evacuate, we’ll be going about fifty miles to a shelter in Lufkin.

Wimpy old lady ventured out–wearing a coat–but quickly returned to the warm trailer. She wanted to “check” the Christmas Bottle Tree. (Warm trailer and the computer.)

That’s “subjective,” isn’t it?

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Look at the time stamp on the picture identified as “Time to mulch the plants.” Just shy of ten o’clock. Time to take a break at twelve noon but I’m delighted with all that I accomplished this morning.

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I’m a “bargain hunter” and could not resist the purchase of a looks-like-new trash container. I’ve looked at those (at Tractor Supply and Lowe’s) but would not pay their high price. Tentatively (in the Spring), I plan to plant the Texas Lilac in that container so I can maneuver the Lilac for “just the right location (in my yard).”

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Postscript, 2:00 PM: The air temperature “feels” cold and damp although the outdoor temperature still records sixty-one degrees. After lunch, I returned to outdoor projects but I’m “wimpy” and retreated to the warmth of my trailer home.