A Christmas Cactus

On Thanksgiving night our outside temperature was 31 degrees, so we got busy and brought the porch plants inside so they would not freeze.  I noticed then that our Christmas Cactus had tiny little buds and would soon be blooming.

Since Thanksgiving the days have turned warmer, and the Christmas Cactus has really started to bloom.  Recently I went outside to water the porch plants and there it was beginning to bloom so nicely.  I just had to go get my camera in hopes of getting a picture of the pretty little blossoms.

Christmas Cactus

We have had this Christmas Cactus for many years and he has gotten big and heavy, but I wanted to try to photograph him in better light,  so I first sat him on the back porch rail and snapped a few natural light photos.

I love that beautiful red Christmas color.

Santa gave me a very nice Canon 6D camera last Christmas.  I use the automatic settings, but one of these days I am going to take the time to learn how to get even sharper photos.

I carried him downstairs and put him on the back patio table in hopes of getting even better light for the pictures.  The sky was overcast without sun at this point, but there was better light on the patio than on the back porch railing.  See all those pretty little buds that have not opened up yet ... It should be so pretty in full bloom.

Those are such pretty and unusual little blossoms.

A Christmas Cactus is such an easy plant to take care of.   I guess that is why he has survived at our house for years.  He has a home on the covered back porch except when he comes inside because of an impending freeze.  He gets lots of water about once a week and I can't remember the last time I gave him Miracle Grow ... I should think about that this Spring ...

Looking out to the left  side of the patio wall I could see the Japanese Maple Tree over in the side backyard.  In just a couple of days the leaves have turned bright red and are so pretty!   Of course I had to walk over and get a picture of that pretty tree as well. 

Japanese Maple Trees thrive well in Hardiness Zones 5 through 8.

Japanese Maple Tree

Walking back up to the patio I noticed the Sasanqua Camellias were blooming in the back flower bed.  This particular type of Camellia always blooms at this time of year and looks so colorful in the backyard flower bed.  This Camellia has a cold hardiness zone of 7 - 9.

As I came back up the patio stairs and looked back over to where the Christmas Cactus was setting on the patio table, I noticed the sun had suddenly come out and was shining so beautifully on the Japanese Maple tree in the background.  

 What a difference a little sunshine makes!

When the sun came out it stayed out and made everything so colorful.

I often think about that poem written by Joyce Kilmer in 1913 called "Trees."  I love that poem!  The last stanza of the poem says:  

"Poems are made by fools like me, 

But only God can make a tree."  

I often think how you could add so many other beautiful things to that list of what only God could make,  such as a Camellia Sansaqua and a Christmas Cactus and the list goes on and on!  What an amazing and creative artist the good Lord was!

I'm so  glad you stopped by and visited with us on the back patio for a little while.  I hope you are having a wonderful day with many blessings wherever you may be.

A Christmas Gift Idea

There is nothing like a good book!  With Christmas right around the corner, I thought you might like to hear about a book sponsored and distributed by our local Capital Medical Society Foundation.  The book is a fundraiser for the "We Care Program," which provides medical care for the indigent in the North Florida area.  All proceeds from the book go directly into the  We Care Program.

This book is a collection of stories about growing up in South Georgia in the 1940s and 50s.  This collection of short stories follows adventures and insights, thoughts and dreams, delights and heartaches, and lessons learned through a series of homespun stories.

One of my favorite parts in the book is the "Recipe" collection in the back of the book.  Many of the recipes were handed down through many generations from kinfolks, and from family gatherings.

"This is a lovely, lighthearted book of memories about growing up -
the kind that makes you laugh one minute and cry the next."

-Melvin Schreiber, MD  -  The Galveston County (TX) Daily News

This book may be ordered from the Capital Medical Society Foundation 

by calling this phone number:  1 (850) 877-9018

In the interest of full disclosure I do want to tell you my husband is the author of this book. This is such a sweet book. I thought it was worth telling you about it, in case you are looking for a gift idea for someone on your Christmas list.

Well!  How was your Thanksgiving?  We had a house full, and then on Friday we all enjoyed left-overs which were just as good.  And then for lunch our sweet daughter Debi and grandchildren Ethan and Elly, who visited from South Florida,  and I,  sat and had the most delicious turkey sandwiches complete with cut-up sweet pickles,  just the way my mom used to make them.  It was heavenly!

Sure do hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and that you are doing well wherever you may be.