Sunday, February 02, 2020

My contribution for the 15th Annual Blogger's (Silent) Poetry Reading for St. Bridget's Day.




Oh, Had I a Golden Thread
Pete Seeger

Oh, had I a golden thread
And needle so fine
I've weave a magic strand
Of rainbow design
Of rainbow design.

In it I would weave the bravery
Of women giving birth,
And in it I would weave the innocence
Of children over all the earth,
Children of all earth.

In it I would weave the restlessness
Of men going ever forth
Through heat and blistering desert sands
And blizzards of the north
Through the frozen north.

Far over the waters
I'd reach my magic band
Through foreign cities,
To every single land,
To every land.

Show my brothers and my sisters
My rainbow design,
Bind up this sorry world
With hand and heart and mind,
Hand and heart and mind.

Far over the waters
I'd reach my magic band
To every human being
So they would understand,
So they'd understand.

Oh, had I a golden thread
And needle so fine
I've weave a magic strand
Of rainbow design
Of rainbow design.

Saturday, February 02, 2019

My contribution for the 14th Annual Blogger's (Silent) Poetry Reading for St. Bridget's Day.




Aware
by Sue Brady

Always on the lookout
Hidden faces, watchful eyes
Past deep and rolling time

Holding silence but aware
Standing witness, standing guard
I see them everywhere

Hubris leads us ever on
Ours to take? …no, ours to lose
What we do will matter



Friday, June 22, 2018

Tiny beauty

Here is my Schoenorchis fragrans, blooming right on schedule. Last year, the first flowers opened on June 22.  This year, the first flowers opened on June 22.

Schoenorchis fragrans

It's so tiny and so very cute.

I got this at the 2017 Portland orchid show and this is its first rebloom for me.  Last year it came to me with three spikes, but only made one this year; this isn't too unusual, since it had to acclimate to an entirely new location.  It did grow a lovely leaf this year.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Air plant surprise

I had a surprise yesterday- my Tillandsia ionantha bromeliad is blooming!

Tillandsia ionantha in bloom

I've been noticing it getting redder and redder this spring, which I knew they do before blooming, but never having bloomed an air plant before I was not expecting it to actually do its thing!

What a great surprise.  It must be happy in the corner of my east-facing kitchen window.

Sunday, May 06, 2018

Rebutia heliosa

So pretty.  This is Rebutia heliosa, a cactus that originates in Bolivia.  This is repeat bloomer for me, right on schedule since I got it about this time last year.

Rebutia heliosa

The flowers are just so vibrant and bright.

Rebutia heliosa

There are still lots of buds forming, so this show should last a good long while.  It's so gratifying when a plant blooms again.

Rebutia heliosa

Thursday, May 03, 2018

Trisetella hoeijeri

I have a repeat bloomer in my big orchid terrarium! 

This is Trisetella hoeijeri, a delightful little mini-miniature orchid. The leaves are about 1.5" tall, and the flower has a 3" spread. (This particular flower is facing the back of the terrarium, so I had to turn it for the pictures.) This is the second blooming for me since I got it a year ago.

Trisetella hoeijeri

The flowers are so cool looking, with their graceful sweep of whiskery sepals.

Trisetella hoeijeri

Even when it's not in bloom, it's a very tidy, pretty little plant.  It seems very happy in its hole in the log.

Trisetella hoeijeri

Compare that picture above to the next one, and you can see how much the plant has grown since October.  And look at the moss!  I will need to trim it back soon, it has really taken off!

Trisetella hoeijeri

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Cactus extravaganza, with bonus succulents

Ready?  It’s getting to be cactus time.  Not many words needed.

Mammillaria bocasana roseiflora, second year in my care, second blooming.
Mammillaria bocasana roseiflora
Mammillaria bocasana roseiflora

Mammillaria zeilmanniana, second year in my care, second blooming.
Mammillaria zeilmanniana
Mammillaria zeilmanniana

Matucana aureiflora, second year in my care, second blooming.
Matucana aureiflora
Matucana aureiflora

Rebutia hoffmannii, second year in my care, second blooming.
Rebutia hoffmannii
Rebutia hoffmannii

Mammillaria backebergiana.  This was blooming when I got it in March 2016, and this is its second rebloom for me. It has grown another inch taller this year, as evidenced by the scarring about two inches down, where the horrible fake flower was glued on the top when I got it.
Mammillaria backebergiana
Mammillaria backebergiana
Mammillaria backebergiana

Mammillaria bombycina, another that I got in March 2016 and on its second reblooming for me.  This one also grows about an inch per year.  The fuzzier, whiter part on the top 2/3 of the plant grew while it was under my care.  I love this plant.
Mammillaria bombycina
Mammillaria bombycina

Mixed pot of Easter cacti, got it in bud a month ago and now it's blooming.
pink and white Easter cacti
pink Easter cactus
white Easter cactus

Rebutia pulchella, new last winter, first bloom for me.
Rebutia pulchella
Rebutia pulchella

Echinopsis subdenudata, new last winter, first bloom for me.
Echinopsis subdenudata
Echinopsis subdenudata
Echinopsis subdenudata
Echinopsis subdenudata
Echinopsis subdenudata

Echeveria derenbergii, first bloom in my care.
Echeveria derenbergii
Echeveria derenbergii

And lastly, Sedeveria 'Letizia', first bloom in my care.
Sedeveria 'Letizia'
Sedeveria 'Letizia'