Pride smashed :(

Even though it is early, my Christmas cactus was blooming a couple of weeks ago. I was so proud there were 8 blossoms on it, I took this picture.

Last year it only had 2 buds and one of them fell off before it bloomed so I was ecstatic when I saw this years crop of buds; Marty even congratulated me!

Last week I was near Pittsburgh for work on Friday; I have a niece who lives on the south side.  I called her and asked if I could stay over with her & her mom on Saturday night.  It so happened there was a hockey game scheduled, so it would be a great night at their house, pizza, Pepsi and the Pittsburgh Penguins, darn near a perfect evening.

As I walked through the door, I glanced to my right and saw her Christmas cactus, also in bloom.  What a coincidence I said, we both have a blooming cactus but unfortunately that is where the similarities ended.

The pride I felt for my cactus, just a few short days ago, was dashed and I was overcome with out and out ENVY!!  I have never seen a cactus that looked like hers and I can't imagine I will ever see another.  I want my cactus to look like hers, I want to know her secret and I want to know it right NOW!

My ex sister in law has a green thumb, there is no doubt about it.  When she and my niece lived closer, I was often quizzing her about her great looking house plants; I admired the profuse crop of cuttings, she had arranged in clever containers on her window sill.  Her outside garden seemed to have constant color and blossoms and her deck always looked so welcoming with all the potted plants arranged ever so perfectly all the way around........in essence, she made me sick with jealousy!

The thing that is so infuriating, she is so nonchalant about it all and always says she doesn't do anything special, just gives them lots of TLC.  Well in my book of gardening tips, TLC means "Throw Lame Cactus" out!  Honestly though, she is great, she shares tips and offers ideas, even sends cuttings home with me but my efforts just don't produce the same results.  I guess it's like baking, we can all follow the same recipe and we'll all end up with a different and unique end result.

Imagine you'd like to see the cactus I'm raving about.........

SEE WHAT I MEAN....absolutely amazing huh?  She did tell me the plant is old, she got it the December my niece was born and she'll be 17 in 10 days.  Perhaps there's a chance in 15 more years that I'll have a show like this but I'm not holding my breath :)