Room to Grow and Bloom

The last few days have been quite busy.  We went to see my husbands siblings and mother on Thanksgiving day.  We worked around the house and then went out to eat with another daughter on Friday.  I took my grandchildren to see their mother on Saturday.  Today, we did some rearranging and reconfiguring.  I used some discarded doors with rollers on them to make a display board for my fall drawing class, which is coming to a close and will formally end with a show on Thursday night.  I hope to take some pictures.  I also put out a flat of pansies today with the hope that they will get over being transplanted before the cold sets in later this week.

The picture above is a collage from my sunroom.  My digital camera is, as I've mentioned, getting quite tempermental but I like these anyway.  They are, from top left, a bougainvillea, an angelwing begonia and a Christmas cactus.  These are, of course, common names.  The magnifying glass will enlarge them somewhat.

It's funny how plants you live with take on meaning.  The begonia isn't blooming right now.  It takes a rest every so often.  The plant is one I got from my mother and I know it's at least 30 years old.  For a while, it didn't look well and seldom bloomed.  Now, it's gotten much healthier and blooms frequently: rich heavy drooping clusters of orangey-pink flowers.

The bougey is one I bought about 10 years ago.  It blooms frequently as it is now.  Sometimes it will rest and gather strength for the next go round.

The Christmas cactus was blooming when my daughter brought it home about 15 or 20 years ago, but never would bloom after that.  The last two years, it has been gorgeous.  I don't know what I'm doing right, but I hope I can keep it up.

I have two other bloomers, but they aren't in bloom right now.  They give the sunroom a nice appearance and a feeling of life happening.  I've never been a very good gardener, but I'm learning from both my mistakes and my successes when I can identify them!

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a good day and plenty to give thanks for.  DW