Gifts

I confess to being somewhat of a "plant nerd," especially for certain plants in a specific corner of the plant kingdom ~ namely zygocactus (Christmas or Easter cactus) and epiphyllum.  There was a time when I had maybe a dozen varieties of zygos, but not any more.

Several years ago a neighbor gave me two 2" nubs off a couple of her epiphyllums (nerds call them epis), and now I've got two awesome, albeit weather beaten, plants growing outside.  This is the first year they've bloomed, and each is in its second bloom cycle for the year.

These pink flowers are on one plant.  The other, scarlet, will bloom in the next few days and I'll be sure to get a photo.

I love other cacti as well, and have a few.  The one in the background of the second photo is a variety of euphobria, but it took me years (I've grown this variety since 1988) to identify because its growth habits are quite a bit different than more common euphorbs.  Anyhow, when they get too big to keep inside any longer, they get moved outside.  It doesn't get all that cold here in the winter, and they're all in a place that's protected from potential frost, which is rare here.  And, they actually do better outside.  Who'd a thunk.

I made this birthday book for a dear friend in Washington who turns 60 this month.  Another friend had given me this book she was recycling, I pulled the innards out, put in new pages, and rebound it.

The cover, spine and endpapers were so glorious that I kept them all intact.  The book is 6 x 6 inches (I think -- I forgot to measure it before sending it off), has two signatures, and is bound with the Lightning Bolt stitch.

Happy Birthday (next week) to Jeannie!