It’s just a simple bloom, but it made me smile. My mother
had two cacti, one was a Thanksgiving cactus and the other a Christmas cactus. Every
year they were loaded with pretty pink blossoms. After mom passed away we
neglected to care for them properly. Between my dad, my sister, and I our care
alternated between drought and drowning. A plant really only needs one keeper!
Both cacti began to shrivel up and turn brown. I asked my dad if he’d mind
if I took them home and tried to save them. They looked so bad he thought I
should throw them out, but my heart just wouldn’t quite let me do that, so they
came to my house this spring. One of them perked up, but the other was beyond
help. I finally gave up on it and dumped it near the edge of the woods. Imagine
my surprise when several weeks later I realized it was living and growing.
Taking it out of the pot had evidently allowed the roots to finally dry out. I
re-potted it and put it back on my porch. Not only is it growing, but I spotted
this little bloom. It’s neither Thanksgiving nor Christmas, but I’m not
complaining. It can bloom any time it gets ready.
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What a special gift. I agree plants need only one keeper.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful surprise and what a sweet memory of your mother. I have one of those cacti. It has one keeper but my 2 year old cat used the cactus as a teething toy. The poor cactus after more than a year is finally putting on new leaves. Fortunately the cat now older has left the poor plant alone.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful little story about the cactus that has resuscitated! That bloom is also so symbolic and a sweet reminder of your mother. The pretty bud is as if the plant is thanking you for your extra care and giving it what it needed to return to health!
ReplyDeleteThe effects in the photo are gorgeous, and the bud is a a perfect reminder of the potential for rebirth.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet reminder of your mother and her love :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful surprise that must have been and a wonderful reminder of your mother.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I love this story so much! I'm so glad your mother's cactus came back to life for you. I've found that my "Christmas cactus" (which blooms whenever it feels like it) thrives on what I think of as benign neglect. It seems to like being root-bound and having its soil dry out between waterings.
ReplyDeleteno wonder you smiled, it is a smile from your mom i am sure. she just needed a little attention!!!
ReplyDeleteOh that's a wonderful story! All could be quite metaphoric too. You must have felt your mother so near at that time.
ReplyDelete