WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS

Take a minute and think about your close friends. Are they all within ten years of your age? If so, do you think that's by choice or by happenstance? Does age make a difference in our choice of friends? We tend to develop friendships with people who share our hobbies, our line of work, our religion, etc, etc. Of course we tend to feel most comfortable with and gravitate toward those people who also share our world view. Last night I met a woman who is in her early nineties. It turned out we had a lot in common and we chatted for quite awhile. I think we could become good friends. Today I was introduced to a young mother who is in her early twenties. Interestingly enough, we also had a long conversation and elected to continue our conversation over lunch next week. I think sometimes we dismiss people as potential friends because we assume they are too old fashioned or too modern for our tastes. Unfortunately, if we never start the conversation we may never discover what might be a golden fit.

IT'S ALL RELATIVE

I traveled from Michigan to spend the Thanksgiving holidays in Los Angeles. My son's mother-in-law, Linda, hosted Thanksgiving dinner. Linda decided to purchase plastic patio chairs for extra seating as about thirty people were expected. So, in addition to last minute food purchases we shopped for plastic patio chairs. No chairs were found at Costco, Home Depot, or two supermarkets. When we arrived home, I called Target and Walmart. No one had the chairs and can you guess why! "Plastic patio chairs are seasonal"...they were no longer on the sales floors but stored until spring. What! In Michigan seasonal changes are drastic and obvious. Are those subtle temperature fluctuations in Los Angeles actually called seasons? Do retailers realize their customers actually use their patios year-round? Isn't that the point of living in Southern California!

WHAT WAS I THINKING

How many times have you done something that you wonder "what was I thinking"? Lately I feel like I'm practicing to participate in the "what were you thinking" Olympics. My latest antic was locking myself inside the gates surrounding the pool area at my son's condo. I wasn't sure the key I picked up as I left his house was the correct key but of course if it didn't work I would come back and find the right key. However, someone had left the pool gate ajar so I just walked in. As the gate slammed behind me the little voice inside my head warned me I didn't have the right key. The voice was right, I was locked inside and no one was around. I had planned to relax in one of the lounge chairs near the pool and finish my mystery. I had on a t -shirt, light -weight pants and sandals but It was a much cooler day than I'd anticipated. After about twenty minutes I was feeling pretty darn chilly so I warmed my feet in the hot tub. I sat there reading while hoping someone would come to use the tub or that my family would realize I hadn't gone for a walk. I finished my book and began to pace around wondering what the neighbors were all doing on a quiet afternoon. Where were the dog walkers! Just as I thought I would need to lay out a plan to climb the fence, a neighbor walked by with her two little dogs. She alerted my son and I was saved. Thank goodness.

Election Day

What a day, what a day!! For a couple of months I had been channel surfing among the all-news stations, even spending a little time listening to the Fox talking heads. I fell asleep with the TV and woke up with the TV. My emotions and moods changed with the results of each new poll. This last week my shoulders started to ache and my right eye started to twitch. My anticipation was so great I could hardly think of anything other than election day results. Last night I flipped through channels, listened to opinions and forecasts as the numbers slowly came in. When Pennsylvania turned blue, I allowed myself to relax a little. The electoral votes stood at 209 for much too long. Then Virginia and Nevada were declared blue. All of a sudden someone was announcing that Barack Obama was President-elect. Unbelievable!! The first thing I thought was, I wish my Dad were alive to witness the election of an African-American man as president of the United States. He would have been so proud, so proud!

HANGERS-ON

Although I'm in the process of saying goodbye and doing fall cleanup, there are some gifts in my garden that are just not ready to give up yet. These flowers look lovely and vigorous, oblivious to the chill in the air and date on the calendar, behaving as though it's July and not the end of October. I think there is a lesson to be learned from my hangers-on, stand strong in the face of adversity.

GOODBYE

During the month of October the weatherperson is the most important person in my life. I listen closely to the daily forecast, hoping I won't hear the "f" word, FROST. At least four times this month I have run around with old sheets covering my tender perennials and tropicalsA couple of the Brugmansias have not even bloomed yet and there are still plenty of buds on the Tibouchina. The Dahlias are blooming like crazy. I can't bear to say goodbye to any of these plants until the last bud has opened. Tonight, however, the forecast is for a hard frost. I have to say so long to the growing season. All is not lost though. I cut as many blooms as I could and made bouquets. Ah, the lovely bouquets look so nice on my front porch.

CHRISTMAS CACTUS

The first time I saw a Christmas Cactus in bloom (about 35 years ago) I was overwhelmed, to say the least. How in the world could such a beautiful orchid-like flower emerge from such a flat ugly leaf! Actually, the Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera sp) is found in the same environments as orchids. They are epiphytes and native to the jungles of Central and South American. Although I've had at least one Christmas Cactus plant over the last twenty or so years, the bud production on my plants this year is the most abundant ever.

I had repotted my three plants in the spring, using potting mix and a slow release fertilizer. The cacti spent the summer outdoors in a shady area along with my other houseplants. They got a dose of liquid fertilizer a couple of times during the summer. About a month ago I noticed flower buds forming. This was about the time when daylight was noticeably shorter and night temperatures noticeably cooler. According to research, cool temperatures or long nights are required to induce bud formation. However, if temperatures remain in the range of 55 to 65 degrees for a six week period the plants will develop buds regardless of day length.

I think my plants will be in full bloom within the next couple of weeks. Hmm, does that make them Thanksgiving Cacti? Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) is actually the more common plant. Bloom time, however, is not necessarily what distinguishes the Christmas Cactus from Thanksgiving Cactus. The leaves of Christmas Cacti have rounded leaves as compared to the sharply serrated or "toothed" leaves of the Thanksgiving cactus. Also, flowers of the Thanksgiving Cactus are asymmetrical and have wings on their ovaries.

Okay, okay, I guess my Christmas Cactus is really a Thanksgiving Cactus.