I am SOOOOOOOOOO freakin’ excited! In fact, a song from Fiddler on the Roof keeps running through my head (but with a few altered words)! I wanna bust out singing, but the neighbors are out messin’ around in the garage and I’m afraid they’d call the cops! What would I sing?
Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracle!
God took a barren plant by the stem.
Gave it a kiss and miracle of miracles!
God just made it bloom again!!!
Now you’re probably thinking I’ve gone round the bend getting so excited about a “bloomin'” plant. (I’ve written about this plant before, btw…) But this is a very special plant to me. My Aunt Starling gave a start of it to my mom to bring home to Utah from Ohio in (somewhere around) the late 80’s. But no matter what mom did to it or where she hung it, it would never bloom.
When she passed away in 1998, it was leggy and sparse and looked like it was going to wither and die any second. But I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out. So I brought it home and hung it in the kitchen. Nineteen years have passed and I’ve had no luck even identifying what kind of plant it is, though I knew from my cousin it was supposed to get flowers on it.
Last year I finally repotted it, fertilized it, broke off a few viny parts and stuck them in vases in the window to root so I could give my sister her own pot of it after all this time. The big plant thrived, though still without flowers, and the rooted vines have been sitting in the window waiting for me to pot them for over a year.
Then last night his lordship came hurrying into the bedroom and dragged me out of bed into the kitchen. And lo and behold (!) one of the starts had produced a bloom! Now whether this is just a bud or the actual flower remains to be seen, but this is nothing short of miraculous to me!
Well, I still don’t know what the name of this plant actually is, but I still believe in miracles. 🙂 I think that little miracle was meant to strengthen my sister. That start was for her house, and her husband is incapacitated with what was lung cancer. He no longer has cancer, but the effects of the trial drug left him nearly paralyzed. At a foot shorter than him it is amazing how she cares for him all on her own. 🙂 They REALLY need a miracle. (From my comment to doodletllc below…)
(I dedicate this post to Martha Reynolds (Martha Reynolds Writes) who loves Broadway musicals, and Amy Harke Moore (A Rural Girl Writes) who loves plants! I’m so glad I got to know my new neighbors during the A to Z Challenge!)
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Amy Harke-Moore said:
Oh my gosh! (Blush.) I’m so honored. 🙂 Hey, that is my kind of miracle! I love it! And I am SO glad you are feeling better and writing. (And singing!)
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calensariel said:
😀
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Martha Reynolds said:
LOVE this post! Thank you, my friend, for the shout-out 😉
You inspire me 💚💚💚
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calensariel said:
Ditto, girl! 😀
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Denise Hammond said:
I’ve had a Hoya since the mid-1970’s. It is blooming now, but there have been years with no flowers. Back when I bought mine, I saw one in a conservatory that was over 100 years old.
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calensariel said:
Isn’t it amazing how old some of them can be? Mom gave me an African Violet when we got married. Regardless of how many times the kids knocked it off and broke pieces, I still have it 45 years later. 🙂
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Clare said:
Hi Calen, I have one of those given to me recently by my cousin just after my aunty passed away, and it will reside in a special place in my heart. Small world isn’t it. As to what it is – it’s a HOYA and I hope this article helps:
http://www.gardenclinic.com.au/how-to-grow-article/how-to-grow-hoya
At the bottom of the article, you will find an image of the same blooms that are now appearing on your beloved plant.
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calensariel said:
Oh! Clare Bear! You found it! Thank you so much! I’ve bookmarked the article to send to my sister and cousin. They’ll be thrilled. 😀 {{{Clare Bear}}}
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Clare said:
It’s my pleasure
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Clare said:
BTW – glad you are feeling better {{{Calen}}}
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calensariel said:
Finally got a regular neurologist yesterday and am on a course of prednisone now. fingers crossed. I may STILL get to take that trip!
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Soul Gifts said:
Just saw this after I posted my comment that it looked like a wax flower plant !
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calensariel said:
I’ve never heard off that one either.
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amileinmyshoes said:
How lovely. I wonder what has changed? Has it been watered less whilst you’ve been ill. Maybe it’s a sign of brighter days ahead.
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calensariel said:
Well, it’s rooting in water so it’s not that, BUT I did just start ANOTHER piece of the plant next to it in the window. Cross pollination of some sort maybe?
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janebasilblog said:
I found a notification of this in my post, and when I came to your blog, I realised that you posted yesterday AND Tuesday… I’ve been kind of distracted.
If those are just buds, and it looks that way, will you post an image of the open flowers, please.
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calensariel said:
Yep, I will. Clare left an article up there a couple posts. She found out what it was. Have a look!
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janebasilblog said:
heard of wax plants, but never knew what they were – those flowers look lovely 🙂
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LuAnne Holder said:
Love this happy post – and love that song, well the whole play. You made me smile. I have a peace lily that was at my mom’s funeral 16 years ago. It does not bloom any more but it is now taller (and fortunately wider!) than me. That plant you nurtured is a wonderful tribute to your mom.
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calensariel said:
Have you ever tried fertilizing the lily? I know they can sure get big! Glad I made you smile. 😀
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LuAnne Holder said:
I haven’t fertilized, just watered. What kind of fertilizer would you suggest?
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calensariel said:
I read an article on it (https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/peace-lily/peace-lily-fertilizer.htm ). It says you don’t need to but it encourages blooming.
“When it comes to fertilizing a peace lily, any good quality, water-soluble houseplant fertilizer is fine. Look for a product with a balanced ratio, such as 20-20-20, diluted to one-half or one-quarter strength. Be sure to water after feeding your peace lily to distribute the fertilizer evenly around the roots. Never apply fertilizer to dry soil, which may scorch the roots.”
Miracle-Gro has a nice indoor liquid fertilizer or you can also get it in little spikes that you just stick in the soil. I’ve used both. Worth a try?
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Opher said:
However there is a caveat to my earlier identification – I do happen to suffer from colour blindness.
Let’s hope the green shoots of blossoming (is that an oxymoron?) extend to your own health!!
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calensariel said:
Thanks, hon. I think this little miracle was to lift my sister’s spirits. (See my response to doodletllc’s comment below. 😉 )
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calensariel said:
Seriously? Color blind? 😦
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Opher said:
Well I’m a Biologist Cheryl and with all my extensive knowledge of Botany I think I can safely say that it appears to be a green plant with pink bits. I hope that helps.
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calensariel said:
Your expertise, my friend, amazes me! 😀 😀 😀
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Soul Gifts said:
Oh well done, Opher !
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doodletllc said:
What a perfect sign of only good things to come….stay well my friend…you have been in my thoughts and prayers.
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calensariel said:
You know, I think that little miracle was meant to strengthen my sister. That start was for her house, and her husband is incapacitated with what was lung cancer. He no longer has cancer, but the effects of the trial drug left him nearly paralyzed. At a foot shorter than him it is amazing how she cares for him all on her own. 🙂 They REALLY need a miracle.
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janebasilblog said:
I didn’t know that your BIL no longer had cancer…
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Soul Gifts said:
But it came through YOU – in YOUR home – and YOU saw it 🙂 It looks to me a little like what Mum used to call a wax flower plant. Hers never flowered for years either – and then it did. She got just as excited about it as you did 🙂
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calensariel said:
The Huntsman Cancer Center says the cancer was eradicated with the trial drug. What has left him debilitated is the debris left from the destruction of the tumor in his brain. His body had not absorbed it as it should.
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