Spring Peeking Through A Grey Day

 Pregnant Plant in Bloom I  by Finijo

Evidence that Spring is upon us once again is all around my yard. This is a Pregnant Plant, also known as Mother of Thousands. This Seussian  beauty was birthed from a stowaway on a plant we brought with us when we moved into our house in 2006. We tried not to bring any with us, but once you have this plant, you will ALWAYS have this plant.

 Pregnant Plant in Bloom II by Finijo

As the name suggests, this plant is prolific. It's a good thing that I really do like it. Even when it is not in bloom, the succulent leaves are a pleasingly speckled dark and light green. The rose colored, bell shaped blooms are very delicate looking, but the plant itself if drought resistant and hearty. This is the first bloom I have seen since we moved, but as I remember, when the plant bloomed at our apartment after many years of dormancy, it continued to bloom again and again. I'm glad it hitched a ride. 

Spring Onions by Finijo

These spring onions are reborn from mushy old onions that I was about to throw out. As often happens, I bought a pack of onions from the store and only used some of them, leaving the rest of them to go bad. I was about to toss them in the compost, but decided to experiment and trimmed the tops and stuck the bottoms in the dirt last December. In spite of not being covered during the freeze a couple of weeks ago, they have thrived. Now I am looking forward to eating them and planting more.

 

Cascading Weeds by Finijo

I have no idea what this is, but I think it's beautiful. Its seeds must have been blown into the pot, because now it is lush and flowering. I may transplant this into one of the beds in the front, near the street. I think it's pretty, and the fact that it's free, is just an added bonus.

Stolen Cactus by Finijo

I'm not proud of it, but in 1994 when a co-worker told me I could not have any cuttings from a plant that was about 4 times the size of the one pictured here, I took three pieces of it anyway. I still think this is a gorgeous cactus all these years later and I have given away pieces over the years to anyone who wants some. I know it doesn't make up for stealing, but the beauty of this cactus has brought me (and others) much joy over the years, and the victim of plant purloining never noticed the pieces missing.

 

 Cactus Buds by Finijo

This is one of three cacti that I purchased several years ago to plant in the pot with the other cactus after a freeze killed similar cacti in the pot. It is still on my to do list, maybe this weekend I will finally get around to it.