Author: Flower Roberts

Shame and the Snowmen

| Flower Roberts

Back about twenty years or so ago, we only had one nativity scene.

My daddy made it, so I loved it.

But…

It was brown. Flower does not like brown things, she likes green things.

There were only two wisemen and no camels.

Or maybe they were shepherds, but there were no sheep either.

It was hard to tell Mary and Joseph apart. They both seemed to have beards.

Jesus was square.  Poor Jesus.

So this brown, hodgepodge nativity scene was set up in the basement.

The shame occurred in my Sunday School class.

We were discussing the true meaning of Christmas.

Our class was sharing stories of all the distractions of the holidays,

that put Jesus in the “basement.”

Flower, being the open-book fool that she is,

shared the information that her Jesus actually was in the basement

and that our main floor was decorated with colorful snowmen.

Some good Lutheran gasps were heard ’round the room.

So every year since, I have found one special Nativity scene to add to my holiday decorations.

Just to remind me what Christmas is all about.

See any snowmen?

FLOW

Saving Mona

| Flower Roberts

Just as I am basking in the Schlumbergeras’ glory,

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Gold Schlumbergera, with pink tint due to cooler temperatures.

something starts snacking on my Mona Lavendar.

At first I thought Mona was just losing leaves,

but where did they go?

Then I saw the tell tale (and tail) signs. (Pun intended.)

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Poop from a caterpillar!

Here I am thinking everything is blooming and growing,

while Mona is being devoured right under my nose.

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A gardener must never rest.

Even in winter, at night time, inside.

Stay vigilant folks.

While you are waiting for Santa, you may be visited by a Grinch-green, eating machine.

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FLOW

Saved by Schlumbergeras

| Flower Roberts

Just as the days get too short and the nights too long

and my garden outside dies from the cold,

my Schlumbergeras come into their glory

and bloom with explosive profusion

to show me that a FLOWER

can survive and thrive

inside in winter

and so shall I.

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FLOWER

The Supreme Schlumbergera

| Flower Roberts

It is so difficult to choose a favorite Schlumbergera bloom.

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How can one possibly pick a favorite among these lovely and vibrant contestants?

It takes an experienced judge to discern which one should be given the honor.

Should it be salmon, orange, fuchsia, red, white or pink?

 

The competition is tough, but not Ruth-less.

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Our wise judge seems to be pointing to the salmon-colored Schlumbergera truncata.

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Such an appropriate and well-thought-through decision.

So the salmon Schlumbergera has been selected Supreme for 2018.

Great call RBG.  Keep up the good work.

FLOWER

 

 

 

Life Comes to You

| Flower Roberts

I was expecting a quiet and lonely day today.

I even slept a little late, thinking I would not miss anything by sleeping in.

But sometimes life comes to you.

I turned on my computer to find a message from “Another Mother” half a world away.

I have another blog you see.

Her crying made me cry.  I messaged my family, especially Rose.

Then there was all this noise. Chain saws?

I looked out my window to see a man high in a tree.

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The memories flooded back to the days I climbed trees.

I can remember being high up in an oak looking at the moon.

Me up a tree. Those were the days.

So as I write this, there is a lot of noisy action going on next door.

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Quiet and lonely?

I have a new friend in Vietnam and an acrobat performing out my window.

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Glad I got out of bed.

I would have hated to miss all this.

FLOW

 

 

Saving My Ears

| Flower Roberts

Elephant ears are mostly water.

Mojito Elephant Ears Colocasia

So if they freeze, they turn to mush.

I let the frost kill the leaves, then I cut off the droopy parts.

I dig them up and haul them inside my already crowded workshop.

There are too many plants in there to get much work done,

but it’s a great place to go think and breathe.

Black Beauty came inside in its pot.

My Mojitos are in a box.

The Frydeks are in a bucket.

And YES, I did bring in those trouble causing Coffee Cups.

They are reclining in my lawn cart.

Flower has more heart than sense.

I must not end this post without a photo of the cutest ears of all.

Bunny ears.

Barley and Charlotte, New Zealand Lop Rabbits

FLOWER

 

How Do They Know?

| Flower Roberts

(Lyrics sung to the tune of “How Will I Know?” by Whitney Houston)

How do they know that it is November?

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They’re making buds on every segment.

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They will be blooming in a few weeks.

I’m asking you what you know about these things

How do they know that it’s time to get lovely?

I brought them in to escape the frost (Halloween)

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Watching them bloom is such a sweet treat.

They won’t bloom long, only several weeks.

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How do they know?

How do they know?

How do they know?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING from the Thanksgiving cacti , Schlumbergera truncata

Singing FLOW