Author: Flower Roberts

Flower Flotation

| Flower Roberts

It is hard to put a value on my winter flowers. They are not expensive nor exotic. They are, however, treasures to me. I have to work to make it through winter. I must be part plant.

Poinsettia gift from three years ago. No dark treatments needed.

I need the sun. I am an outside dog. I must be under the sky, not under a roof. This winter has been kind so far, but cold will come. Then I will be inside trying to stay alive until spring.

Schlumbergera still blooming since early November.

My flowers keep me afloat. They brighten my rooms with their blooms. My colorful, little life rafts hold me up. The Schlumbergeras and amaryllis/hippeastrum save me until spring. For this I am grateful.

Amaryllis Santiago from Easy to Grow Bulbs

FLOW

Hooray Holiday Display

| Flower Roberts

Our family has been driving past this over-the-top display of lighted figurines each Christmas Eve for years. It is on the way to my parents’ house. We had always looked forward to this eclectric, electric holiday show as part of our Christmas Eve traditions…and then it disappeared.

We were sad that one of our bright spots during the holidays had vanished. We lamented its removal… until several weeks ago. I was driving home from running errands. I stopped at a stop sign and looked left. I could not believe it! There they were! All our beloved characters were in a new location. I immediately texted the good news to my family.

There was the choir in the bleachers.

There were the snowmen.

The Gingerbread Village.

The Dickensonian carolers.

The penguins and the igloo.

Many Santas and snowmen.

Polar bears and brown bears.

The Nativity was separated from the fray in its own display.

All our beloved characters had moved to our county.

Close enough to visit numerous times.

I even braved getting out of my vehicle to photograph the scene.

I hope these folks know how appreciated this yard full of light is to others.

Happy Holidays

The Oak Out My Window

| Flower Roberts

Growing up, I had an oak watching over me.

It was small when I was small. We both grew.

Now it reaches for the sky with its beautiful branches.

I walked around my old home place on Christmas Eve.

Feeling grateful for a safe place to grow up.

Happy I had a room under this lovely, sheltering tree.

FLOW

DECA DECO

| Flower Roberts

I used to invite my friends over to play with glitter, glue and napkins, too.

We spent hours sitting around a table carefully tapping napkins onto sticky Christmas balls.

Laughter sent scraps and glitter into the air and everywhere.

The floor was a mess afterwards. I smiled as I swept.

There will be more glitter, glue and napkins, too.

But for now, I will hold each ball in my hands and remember my friends.

LOVE FLOW

White Christmas Blooms

| Flower Roberts

Flowers in December are so appreciated.

I have enjoyed a sunny afternoon under a quarter moon.

Wandering beneath the Mistle Toe.

Relishing the first bloom on ‘White by the Gate.’

Bending down to see the faces of the Paper White Narcissus thrown out years ago.

We may not have much snow in the south, but I love blooms in December.

FLOW

Stow Away Spores

| Flower Roberts

My house is full of plants now. I stay busy watering, turning and trimming them.

I was so happy to see these tiny mushrooms in the “Hibiscus Circus” pot by my couch.

They have sprouted by my favorite reading spot.

The entire pot has little colonies of different sizes.

This is the kind of surprise that makes me smile.

It is much more pleasant than finding dried up worms on the floor like last year.

Flow

Flower between Flowerings

| Flower Roberts

Once the Schlumbergeras stop blooming, I know there will be no more flowers for a while. This is the tough part of the year for me. Everything outside is bitten back by freezes and brown. My tasks now involve clipping off dead tops and blowing leaves.

This has been a big acorn year. It amazes me that the oak trees put so much energy into millions of progeny. The chipmunks appreciate them, but I do not.

My other blog, Seizure Mama and Rose clips along during the winters. My ‘Other Mothers’ need me year-round. This blog however, sputters to a stop about now.

I will probably share a post about my Christmas tree, the usual Poinsettia (third year), and some other house plants. I read a lot in the winter, usually books about plants and trees and human diseases. I may share some information about these.

Do not worry if I stop posting for a while. I will keep reading your blogs. I love your birds, cows, wildlife and crafts. My blogger friends have been a constant over these tumultuous times. I used to say, ” She/He is not a real friend, but a blogger friend.” I don’t say that anymore. You are real friends.

Stay safe during this wave of cold, flu and Covid. I need you people.

Love, Flower

Schlumbergera Struggles

| Flower Roberts

Many of my precious Thanksgiving cacti are struggling. Some plants are shriveled from lack of water, many are misshapen from not being turned regularly, a few are contorted from lack of pruning/purging, some are discolored from wrong minerals or wrong lighting. There are even a few which have no buds at this late date.

These are all signs of a bad mama. I have been ‘bad busy’ again. I also have too many green babies. I will be having a Plant Purge Party in the spring. I cannot keep up with the needs of so many plants. ‘Old Woman in a Shoe’ syndrome will not do!

I did go through most of the care steps as usual, but I have not been attentive. I treated them all the same, instead of noticing the needs of each. They should have been watered more frequently and thoroughly. I missed some feedings. Neglect is apparent to the trained eye. The blooms are still beautiful, but the plants have signs of struggling.

No worries. I have started a rehab program…for the plants. Each is getting time in the kitchen to be purged and watered. I know it is not the best time to do this, but we only have now. So I am doing it now. Better late than later.

All’s well that ends well!

Bad Mama FLOW