Believe it or not, we had NINE trick-or-treaters yesterday! I was astonished! By the time I got home from work Dave had already had one, and then the rest showed up over the course of the evening until about 7:30 p.m. And then I had to turn out the porch light because we were down to one mini-candy bar and I worried about how I'd handle it if two kids showed up.
I guess the porch light really is the signal, because we had no other Halloween decorations and no jack-o-lantern. Maybe people on the street know we're American and thus likely to be participating in this insanity, but as I said yesterday, no one came around in previous years.
I must admit I enjoyed handing out candy more than I thought. At some point I turned to Dave and said, "This is pretty fun!"
He rolled his eyes.
I guess the porch light really is the signal, because we had no other Halloween decorations and no jack-o-lantern. Maybe people on the street know we're American and thus likely to be participating in this insanity, but as I said yesterday, no one came around in previous years.
I must admit I enjoyed handing out candy more than I thought. At some point I turned to Dave and said, "This is pretty fun!"
He rolled his eyes.
Pictures today from our Thanksgiving cacti, which as I understand it really are slightly different from Christmas cacti. Something about the shape of the leaf -- and when they bloom, obviously. (Here's a rather breathless article on the subject.)
This first one is the white -- or really light pink -- cactus that blog reader Frances sent me as a cutting several years ago. It's having its best year ever. I actually have two of them, because I rooted some sprigs in different pots, and now one of those pots dropped a few segments so I have a third one going.
My salmon-colored cactus has about three flowers on it, which is better than last year's one. I've had this plant since 2019 and it's probably the feeblest (healthwise) of all my Thanksgiving cacti, but it's hanging in there.
And finally, here are the bright pink ones, which have dozens of flowers and are easily the most robust. I have two pink-flowering plants. How did I wind up with all these flipping cacti? Basically every time a piece breaks off I root it, because I can't bear to throw it away. Hence, I have more than I ever intended. This is the time of year that it all pays off!
A ready supply of gifts to take when you are invited out?
ReplyDeleteYes, I really should give them away. That might become the plan!
DeleteGood to see that the pale cactus is thriving!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's doing fine! I have two, one in a small pot and one in a slightly larger pot, and the one in the small pot is doing the best -- I think because it drains and dries out better.
DeleteIf you are still in the flat next year - and not working as Jehovah's Witness missionaries way up The Amazon - may I suggest a "BEWARE OF THE DOG" sign on your door with speakers just behind it playing Olga's barking at foxes on a continuous loop. That should keep even the bravest of trick or treaters away.
ReplyDeleteOlga could sound fairly fierce when she wanted!
DeleteThe flowers are stunning. Our neighbor gave me a Christmas cactus. I never have any success with them for some reason and I’m good with plants. Ours is on the terrace and stresses me every time I look at it. I feel like I have to answer to our neighbor when it doesn’t flower.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they're so persnickety. I have more trouble with them than I do with most plants.
DeleteThe bright pink cactus is looking really good. It must have strong genes!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it's the least hybridized of all of them!
DeleteI think the differences are pretty academic, really. Whatever, your plants are looking so good. I must remember to bring ours in.
ReplyDeleteI have to remember to put mine out! But I'm afraid the squirrels might mangle them.
DeleteIt's fun when the kids show up but not so much when you have a bowl of candy and no one knocks!
ReplyDeleteAlways buy candy you won't mind eating yourself! A truism of Halloween shopping.
DeleteChildren! I suppose in England as here, parents feel the need to shadow their children as they trick or treat.
ReplyDeleteYes, the parents were down on the sidewalk as the kids climbed the steps. Even when I was little I think we always had a parent tagging along.
DeleteMy tgiving or whatever cactus has put out a nice lot of new foliage since I repotted it. No buds yet, so we'll see.
ReplyDeleteOur Indian population has not caught onto the lights out signal. They ring and bang at dark houses even, too funny. Mostly it was teens this year, but there had been parties and parades for little kids earlier.
It's funny they don't take the cue from the lights!
DeleteThose cacti are spectacular. I've never seen one that peachy color before. Stunning. I'm glad you had fun with Halloween. I always like doing that and got 60 little packets of two Oreos (instead of candy) with great expectations. I got 15 kids. If I'd known I wouldn't have more, I would have given them two packets each. Eight blocks away they had 200. There were only three lights on our street, and no little kids living on it, so maybe no one figured it was worth it. (Probably wasn't!) Well, I'll be taking Oreos wherever I do. I should have bought the Goldfish packets instead!
ReplyDeleteAt least Oreos are fun to eat and you weren't left with too much of something unpalatable, like candy corn.
DeleteYour cacti are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteSo glad you had some trick or treaters! You neglected to mention their costumes...and I hope some were fun. My friend's granddaughter has on some kind of cute outfit from a recent children's show, (in photos) and I had no clue who she was supposed to be. Lovely cactus flowers!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I was so astonished they were showing up I didn't even notice what they were wearing!
DeleteIt IS kinda fun to hand out Halloween candy.
ReplyDeleteOkay. I am REALLY considering getting some sort of holiday cactus now.
You should! I'd send you cuttings if I thought I could get away with it. :)
DeleteAbsolutely Beautiful And Happy Candy Dispersing Action
ReplyDeleteWay Cool ,
Cheers
Thanks, T!
DeleteIt's a curse. It's why I have so many plumerias. Or did. I've given some away and stopped rooting broken off or pruned branches. Of course plumerias are much bigger than your cacti. Maybe you should start a mini-nursery when you retire.
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to make yourself throw away cuttings that you know would take root with a little encouragement. I have that problem with my Tradescantia too. They root so easily but that stuff will take over!
DeleteLots of beautiful blooms on your cactus! Sounds like you trick-or-treat preparations paid off. It's good that you were ready. I had no trick or treaters at my house and I did have a back-up plan just in case.
ReplyDeleteIt's sheer luck that I thought to buy some candy. And the kids upstairs, who I really bought it for, never came!
DeleteThere are many different cactii now, Mine has started blooming,
ReplyDeleteSome of mine bloom in the spring -- the more desert-like cacti.
DeleteThe lights are definitely the signal (usually). I completely forgot to be worried about getting any visitors since we didn't have candy, but we didn't have the light on (and we've never had any here before).
ReplyDeleteGood thing some of Boud's persistent neighbors didn't show up on your doorstep!
DeleteI was thinking about Boud when I typed that!
DeleteLovely pictures of the blossoms! All our cacti are pink, I wonder how that happened as I could swear we had white and red ones as well. Then there's one odd one that only flowers in summer but it's a different species (family?) I think.
ReplyDeleteWell done with the treats for the kids.
Yeah, the summer one must be different, I think. Maybe your white and red ones died out? I think the more unusual colors are heavily hybridized and ultimately not as strong genetically.
DeleteYour cacti are great bloomers. I love all the color. As things are going to sleep outside in the garden, you have wonderful indoor plants/blooms.
ReplyDeleteI like the trick-or-treaters too. The costumes and excitement from the kids is fun.
Yeah, thank goodness for indoor blossoms!
DeleteMy grandmother in Alabama had a gigantic cactus on a shelf in the service room, it lived there forever in low light and bloomed its little head off. I never thought to take a cutting, of course I probably would have killed it anyway.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where that cactus went? Someone must have inherited it!
DeleteOur daughter went to her friends house so we didn't turn on any porch lights and had just sat down to dinner when our doorbell rang. I saw two kids in costumes but didn't answer the door since I hadn't bought any candy. Evidently they weren't aware of the porch light rule.
ReplyDeleteAt least they didn't play any tricks on you! (I hope not, anyway!)
DeleteThose are beautiful cactuses; I have a weakness for salmon colored flowers. I was disappointed in the number of trick or treaters I got and now have a LOT of left over candy. I like giving it out too and seeing the costumes; John is more like Dave.
ReplyDeleteThose salmon ones are my favorites, too, but they are hard to keep happy!
DeleteI enjoy handing out the candy too. The kids are so happy!
ReplyDeleteAccording to your link, I suspect we have a Thanksgiving cactus and currently it's not flowering. Ha, maybe because it's a Canadian thanksgiving cactus? ;)
Ha! But then it would be even earlier, wouldn't it?!
DeleteYou are like my mum was, every dropped or broken leaf was potted and grew, she had her back porch filled with these and with begonias, leaving just enough space to get to the back door.
ReplyDeleteI just hate throwing something out when I know it would grow with a little encouragement!
Delete