The Columbus Day Rite

As night turns to day, 

on Columbus Day

the houseplants come inside for the winter

The reason?    

It's still warm outside and they can get used to the lower light before the

drying heat comes on.

Oh, there's been a few years that we've had to rush them inside before Columbus Day

as temperatures plummeted

But I must admit that is rare

I like the summer house --

it's bareness with very little greenery inside

(the violets and my Mother's beefsteak begonia)

But I also like the house come fall

When the plants come inside!

My 11 year old Christmas cactus

It's white

It does like that spot

Bought for the breakfast room table the year we built the breakfast room

It definitely has outgrown that tabletop!

I always think of this as Becky's Christmas cactus

Given to me by friend Becky

It has grown leaps and bounds

It was one of those tiny little things that grocery stores sell --

It's a real plant now!

I like the touch of green

It takes the house seem more alive!

An Easter cactus

Bought because every bed and breakfast had them when we took a Lenten trip to Germany one year

And I'd never seen one here!

It came from Sam's and although it bloomed when I bought it -- it didn't the following year!

Will it bloom next spring?

The big leaf Boston type fern

I'm not sure what it's called

But I've had it a while which is more than I can say about

any Boston I've bought

It's shaping into a pretty fern

Thanks to being on the porch all summer

For last year it was a bit lopsided

as Husband Jim put it on the baker's rack on the patio

And it grew out but the backside didn't!

There wasn't room!

And one of the reasons we have all the doors in the breakfast room

For the plants!

The Calamonda orange (bought in 2003), the Meyer Lemon (not old and this year we'll get a lemon or two -- I can't say that every year)

And the Christmas cactus that Jim got me for our anniversary last year

It was so thoughtful of him!

And it is a busy day for not only do I haul all of those pots in

But I also haul all the plant stands up

(for they summer in the basement)

And I haul all of the porch stands down!

Since most holidays are associated with food at Linderhof,

Columbus Day is no exception

It's meatballs and spaghetti!

And tonight . . . 

The first fire of fall!