There are times in one’s life when one must step back and evaluate one’s biggest hobby…

Last night was one of those times.  It was supposed to go down to 38°F overnight, according to The Weather Channel, so I had to bring my plants in.  This is no big deal for someone with a few house plants, or a few potted herbs.  I have something in the region of 250 potted cacti and succulents, ranging in size from 1-inch pots to plants I need a hand-truck to move.  All afternoon, between loads of laundry and dinner preparation, I worked at getting them into the house.

Finally, at about 8:30 pm, I brought in the final plants, with the help of Rich and Chris.  *WHEW.*  This is a HUGE project, and as much as I feel I am denying some of the more hardy plants a few weeks more of rays of sun, they are all inside for the duration. Every year when I have to do this, I wonder whether I should keep up this hobby.  In the end, I usually decide that I just need a *little* bit bigger house, or a better climate, where they can stay outdoors for the winter with little protection.

The madness sets in about the time I realize that they cannot share my kitchen counter and our dining table with my appliances and my family.

Here are most of the rest of them (at this point, I hadn’t moved the plants from the kitchen to this area).  There are more in the laundry room, under fluorescent lights.

Here are some photos from today, while the plants on the window table were basking in the sun.

Where do YOUR plants live for the winter?

P.S.  I made myself a new fall-colored theme, and Rich made me a new header.  What do you think of them?

Hi, all!

Just wanted to share some recent flowers with you.  For some reason, they were all pink in the week that I took these pictures.

Thelocactus bicolor v. bicolor:

Mammillaria grahamii:

This is the second round of flowers this season for both of these plants.  Echinocereus reichenbachii, and Echinocereus reichenbachii v. caespitosus:

Here’s Adenium obesum, showing its stuff.  Note the grasshopper on the lower right-hand leaf…that was shortly before I mercilessly dispatched him.

This one isn’t pink, but I am proud of it nonetheless.  I planted a whole bunch of these red day lilies last fall, and this is the only one to bloom so far:

Enjoy!