At Home with My Amarylls --- Day 12/23

 Walk:  Hoods

Distance: 4.8 miles

So sometime early in the holiday season Ciwt received a medium size, fairly weighty package. Not usually being the beneficiary of many holiday presents, she opened it to see who she should forward the contents to. But, surprise!, it actually was for her. From a farm in Connecticut. Hmmm?

Opening further she discovered a dark brown basket with a big dry lump in it.  Hmmm again.  Then she realized it was a plant bulb. And from a long time close friend according to an enclosed card.  

Unsure whether it was dead already, Ciwt placed it in draftless full sun and began watering it according the farm's instructions.  Weeks went by with absolutely no progress so she began trying to figure out what to tell her generous, thoughtful friend. Then the entire stalk with all its leaves flopped over and she was sure she'd have to report to her friend - but understandably put that off.

Luckily, because the very next day, it pulled itself full upright again.  And, well, as you can see from the picture above, began blooming.

And such a bloom!  As her readers probably know, it turned out to be an Amaryllis plant.  But who could have predicted such height and wonderful splash of color?  Not Ciwt obviously, so she sent pictures of it off to a friend who is nearly a professional gardener and a mini collector of amaryllis plants.  And that friend was as smitten as Ciwt with it, its look and its impact on Ciwt's place.  I quote:

Oh, you have a top grade amaryllis!  Not all of them perform as yours is performing!  It is a beauty.. And it looks very much at home in your place ... with the sun streaming through the window.

Ah, flower power.  How perfect for San Francisco.