One of our little cacti is blooming again, on the windowsill in the dining room. It has bloomed before -- in 2019, 2020 and 2021 -- and it looks like there are still a couple of unopened buds, so I think a few more flowers are still to come this year. I feel a little bad for it, going to all the trouble to flower in an environment where there are no pollinating insects. Sorry, cactus! If I lived in Arizona I'd put you outside!
Not that I'd ever want to deal with cactus seeds.
The cactus on the right has never bloomed in the three years we've had it, and I'd love to know what its flowers would look like, but it still shows no sign of producing any. Maybe not all cacti flower, or maybe it has to be much older or bigger. Who knows.
I took Olga to the Heath yesterday. Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be isolating, but I figure being outside can't be harmful as long as I don't stop and chat with anyone -- and I don't. We walked to the Heath and were there just long enough for Olga to lie in the grass, roll around a few times and half-heartedly chase her tennis ball twice. Then we came home. I think she enjoyed the walk but she didn't have a whole lot of steam.
In the afternoon I continued reading Etgar Keret and ate some leftover fortune cookies from a Chinese takeaway we had for dinner last week.
Do you suppose that incorrect "your" is intentional, given the message?
Finally, last night Dave and I watched "Tár," with Cate Blanchett. It was good, with very polished production values and nods to the New Yorker-reading, NPR-listening armchair intellectuals of our day, and it gave me a lot to think about. Some of the dialogue and musical references were so "inside baseball" that I told Dave, "I'm amazed this movie got made. I imagine only about 12 people in the country would understand this conversation." But in the end, the musical terminology didn't really matter. It was all about the character, and Blanchett embodies her perfectly.
I remember when I had COVID two years ago. I had to go to a branch of Kwikfit to pick up my car having previously informed the manager that I had COVID. The nasty, condemnatory comments I received from a couple of visitors were most upsetting. I wonder if they will condemn you in the same way. I won't. Like me you weren't endangering anybody when you took Olga on her Saturday walk.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that all cacti do flower, but I've always found it much ore difficult (often impossible) to get the indoor ones to do so. Outdoors, it's a party. But you've got such a way with plants. One of these days the other will probably surprise you. Don’t get me started on “they're” questionable aphorism from the fortune cookie. All it takes to be happy... yada yada yada.
ReplyDeleteThe use of "your" for "you're" is creeping in everywhere these days. I think it is terrible. Also "of" for "have" which is as bad or even worse if that is possible. I have seen Tar twice. Kate Blanchett was superb
ReplyDeleteI remember YP's car pick up comments.
ReplyDeleteI am sure we had a cactus like yours on the right and one year it did spectacularly flower. Pink or orange...I can't remember but I do have a photo in an album.
I doubt the 'your' is intentional. What I have seen posted in places by one of my nieces and my nephew made me think they were almost illiterate. But then suddenly that stopped and they started to write properly. I've not really thought through as to why. They clearly knew how to write properly but chose not to. Very strange.
I love your little cactus flower. It's a pretty one. I haven't seen Tar yet. I'll get to it one of these days.
ReplyDeleteSweet little cactus flower.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you did not endanger a single soul on our walk and that it was, in fact, a very good thing for you and your soul. And Olga's, too, of course.
Most cactus have a beautiful flower but they need the right amount of moisture whatever that would mean.
ReplyDeleteAnother movie I haven't heard of. Turns out I had heard of the Whale.
ReplyDeleteCactus flowers are always so lovely. And Minnie was very low key yesterday too. We didn't even go on our short walk.
Carlos has several cacti in our sunroom that flower often, and are quite pretty.
ReplyDeleteCarlos, as a musician, would probably totally understand the Tar dialogue, while I would not!
That cactus flower is so beautiful. I hope the one on the right flowers too someday. I'd love to see that.
ReplyDeleteI think you were fine and safe out with Olga at the Heath. Take care there.
The cactus flower is beautiful. I listened to review on Tár on NPR on my ride home from school last week. It seems like a good film. They had some audio clips from the movie that they played. I have not seen one of the academy award nominees!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to decide if I'm just going to let grammar go altogether. I mean, it feels like very few people really care anymore, so do I want to keep getting upset?
ReplyDeleteI musn't get started on bad grammar and usage, too upsetting! It poisons communication when people say...no, not going there! And I'm just as irritated when people loftily claim they have better things to worry about, etc. We all do!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, about the cactus, I've never had one flower. I wonder if the non-flowering one is male? I don't know a lot about the sex life of cacti!
That's a beautiful little flower. I didn't realize that all cacti flower, not living in a place that has them. I think an outdoor walk is completely acceptable! (and much needed)
ReplyDeleteI had several large cacti for a number of years when I was younger, but none of them ever bloomed. Yours is lovely.
ReplyDeleteVery nice photo of Olga!
I love the cactus, such a beautiful yellow.
ReplyDeleteAs for being happy, I think the only way to be happy is to not give a damn about anything, but that's easier said than done isn't it?
Love Olga as usual.
Briony
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Perfect Sunday - Olga Girl And Blooming Cacti - Simply Fabulous
ReplyDeleteCheers
Cactus flowers are amazing, aren't they? It has always seemed odd to me that a thorny plant will produce such beautiful blossoms.
ReplyDeleteI have seen that movie advertised, and I don't find myself drawn to watch it, but I've heard so much about it, that I probably should. Curious though what Dave thought of it, being all 'inside baseball' as he is.
ReplyDeleteI really have been wanting to see the Banshees of Inisherin. Have you read about the 83 year old woman who knitted the sweaters behind the movie? So sweet.
That movie lead me right to another 'Calvary' which also stars Brendan Gleeson and looks very, very good.
Lovely cacti and a good walk...nice fresh air will do you both the world of good, and you didn't mix with anyone so fine.
ReplyDeleteYour?.... auto correct probably!
What gets my goat? "My bad"....however did that develop from "my mistake"? !
Grammar seems to be the topic of the day!
ReplyDeleteIt is refreshing to see that people really do care.
What does a cactus seed look like and is there is reason you don't want them? My father used to love growing cacti. He had some beauties.
At the risk of stirring the pot, I think that the whole isolate with Covid thing has become a bit redundant. Half the time we don't even know we have it and it gives people the excuse to infect others with other nasty bugs because "it's ok I don't have Covid".
I like the cactus flower. The other one might flower if you hold back on the water a day or two per week? My Hoya which lives outside rarely flowers because I water it too often, the one year I barely watered anything it flowered and overnight one of the neighbours cut the blooms :(.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you and Olga got to enjoy the heath for a while.
YP: I mean, life goes on, doesn't it? As long as we're not putting anybody in danger I don't see why we can't do essential tasks and get some exercise.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: Sometimes plants work with me and sometimes they don't!
Rachel: It's funny how language evolves (or devolves). Lately I've seen a lot of people use the phrase "I got a pit in my stomach," when in fact it should be "I felt (something) IN the pit of my stomach."
Andrew: I think some young people in particular distinguish between informal writing (as in a text) and formal writing.
Sharon: It's worth it. It's very good, but it starts a bit slow.
Ms Moon: It WAS a good thing to get out and about. I know I needed it, as well as the dog!
Red: I never know what's going to produce a flower. Sometimes I think they bloom more in spite of me than because of me!
Ellen: Aging dogs! They just lie around a lot.
Bob: I wonder! Dave followed it but he was distracted by Tar's conducting, which he thought was ridiculously histrionic.
Robin: I'd love to see it too. That's my goal, to get a flower out of that one!
Michael: It's been a good year for interesting movies. The nominees I've seen have all been impressive.
Bug: Ha! I think the age of the text and WhatsApp and all that has diminished our concerns about proper writing and grammar.
Boud: Yeah, I wondered about that too, but I suppose even the male cacti must do SOMETHING. I think good grammar is a basic underpinning of social order.
Margaret: I do too. I can't see how it would hurt anyone.
Kelly: I think some are probably more particular than others. Fortunately this little yellow one is quite forgiving!
Briony: But that's not really being happy. That's just denial!
Padre: It was indeed a good Sunday. :)
Jim: I agree. They always have such amazing flowers, and in environments where you'd think there might not be many pollinators.
Debby: I've wanted to see "Banshees" too, but haven't done so yet. I've heard it's very dark.
GZ: Ha! Yeah, I don't know where "my bad" came from. I think it started out as something rappers said.
Caro: I think growing cacti from seed takes a long, LONG time. As for Covid isolation, I'll follow whatever guidelines the NHS offers up. But you're right, there are plenty of other things out there we could be infecting each other with!
River: Your neighbor cut your flowers?! Unforgivable! I only water these cacti once every couple (or several) weeks.
Blanchette is an amazing actress and this sounds like the role of a lifetime. I'm a ilttle sorry she didn't win the Oscar but then she already has a couple on her shelf.
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