New Blooms

  Spring can not be far away, it has started to rain in Texas and with the first sunny day in almost a week things are already changing. Moving plants out after a winter of harboring them in the living room to protect them from the brutal north winds. A couple hours of direct sun and the Flaming Katy Kalanchoes are already breaking out in their vibrant red blooms. Spring must be just around the corner.

Looking for a little sunshine.

And the day is blooming.

Something New

Here is a true sign that I am spending way more time at home. I notice this long stalk emerging from the center of one of the aloe vera plants I have growing in a pot on my patio. I have been watching it for a few weeks thinking that it really resembled one of the beautiful century plant blooms I so often see in the desert. Yesterday I notice that the blooms were actually weeping a honey like nectar. I asked the green thumb folks that I now if they have ever seen an aloe vera plant bloom before, but it seems as unusual to them as myself.

Not that I am an expert or anything but I have had these plants in pots for more than 10 years and have never seen them do this. Turns out to be a really dramatic flower. It is the thing I learned today, these aloe vera blooms are yellow with a tinge of red and drip a really sweet nectar.

I'm writing that one down.