Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Cat Blogging


You gotta hand it to cats, they know how to optimize their environment. Our cat Sammy knows how to relax, safely ensconced under a Christmas Cactus that originally came from the bride’s grandmother (photo by Gary).

Sammy is 15+ and now deaf as a stone. It hasn't seemingly slowed him down much, although he does meow really loud these days. He remains a real buddy and lap cat. The bride maintains that there is no cat personality as sweet as a male butterscotch tabby. And no plant as pretty and as steeped in hand-me-down tradition as the Christmas Cactus.


Another shot, closer up:




And now for the plant stuff.  Here in Pennsylvania, the Christmas Cactus (hybrid Schlumbergera × buckleyi ) is pretty much a ubiquitous indoor houseplant. Native to South America, they are tough, long-lived, and bloom readily for the holidays if you provide the proper conditions. Namely, the horticultural consensus and my personal experience is to put the plant in an unheated bedroom in October, don’t overwater (it is a cactus), and the blooms will start by Thanksgiving.

 
 

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