Bloom Once

I don't have a green thumb, but like growing things.  A few years ago Mom bought me two air plants for my birthday (I asked for them).  They are thriving.  I bought the glass bowl for .50 at the thrift store long ago and filled it with local shells.  The big air plant lives in a broken Moon Snail shell.  Moon Snails live here but their shells are difficult to find in one piece.  They are all up and down the Pacific Coast and in real life their slimy bits are far larger than the shell.  See here for what they look like when alive.  

 If you don't own an air plant(Tillandsia) you should.  They are super easy to take care of, just need a spraying of water about every two weeks.  And if you forget they just go dormant and can be woken up again with regular waterings.  I was watering this one this week and saw that it is about to flower!!!! This is a once in a lifetime event.  Seriously, it only blooms once.  When it's done blooming it will offshoot a baby or two and that is it.  That is why air plants are generally pretty expensive.

The bud!

 About a year ago at a thrift store, I found this empty sea urchin with what looked like a fake plant glued to it for 50 cents.  In fact, I immediately knew what it was.  A dormant air plant!  After watering it for several months it slowly reawakened.  It has a little string on the shell and is meant to hang so that it looks like a jellyfish.  Once the kitchen (only have a tiny bit left to paint in there) is finished we are going to hang it in the window as it was meant to hang, like a jellyfish with its tentacles dangling.  For now, it sits upside down on the window sill next to the other air plant arrangement.  These things love sunshine.

 And while I am showing you plants in the window I couldn't forget my 8 year old african violet.  I have no idea why it is still alive or likes me but it loves the window sill and looks fabulous in this collectible piece of 1960s Blue Mountain Pottery (bought back in 2012 for $2 at a garage sale).  This is the most blooms on it I think I have ever seen but it tends to bloom every month or two year-round.  I guess it likes being totally dried out then watered.  The good thing is because it is over the sink when it starts to look too dry by dropping a leaf I remember to water it.

Today is Easter Sunday and although not really religious (baptised Catholic non-practising) it has always been a time to gather with family.  Since we can't do that we BBQd ribs and I made a huge potato salad and we took Mom her portion last night, enough for 2 meals.  We are going over to the condo and will do some raking/spiffying up of her back patio for her and have a short visit there sitting 10 feet apart when we are done.  I am taking her some of my everbearing strawberry plants as they did really well over winter and are now set to go crazy again.

So yes, my silly plants give me some pleasure even though I've never had a green thumb.  Apparently, if you plant/water things they grow!