Something completely different: a rowan tree, the one that has the pretty clusters of berries in Autumn. We have a few in our estate, much to the delight of the birds.
Daily Archives: 29/12/2017
Daily Prompt: Beware of Extravagance
“Are you sure that’s the one Fred.?”
“The photo was in the newspaper, a rare flower, there are only four in the whole world. It’s valued at around one thousand dollars. Just imagine if we let it grow it will make seeds. There is a profit to be made on this one.”
“Don’t like the look of those tentacles. I would rather steal some diamonds or rob a bank, at least I know what I am getting. Looks a bit dodgy to me. Did you notice when you began to speak it turned in our direction.”
“They are not tentacles, just petals. Plants turn towards the sun, not humans, and now it’s night.”
“And it smells a bit funny, like sewage.”
“It’s probably one of those plants that attract flies with their smell.”
“I don’t like the idea.”
“Don’t be silly it’s only a flower, but an expensive flower. We will be rich. So dig it out and put it in this pot. No-one will miss it.”
“No, I’m not touching it.”
“Do I have to do everyhing myself?”
“OK, but I don’t like the way it’s looking at me. Ow.”
“Now what’s the matter?”
“It bit me.”
“Joe, plants do not bite, they might sting but they do not bite.”
“This one does, look you can see the teeth at the end of those tentacle petal things.”
“Where? It does look a bit funny. Look a bit closer, does it really have teeth. Joe not that close. Where are you going? Now that’s funny he disappeared and that flower is twice as big as it was. ”
It was then that the plant made a sort of belching noise. Fred decided that stealing rare plants from the exhibition at night was not a good idea and when he noticed that the plant did have teeth in the petals he fled with the plant following him. The next morning the gardiner discovered that the flower had died, but in its place there were two large seeds. If you listened you could hear them calling to each other.
Good Morning
I would call this “sunrise of the month”, although we haven’t had many sunrises in December. Generally I awake to grey skies, but today there was a real show. I could even see a couple of peaks of the Bernese Overland from the garden and I am sure if I was on higher land I would have a spectacular view. It is icy cold and I almost froze whilst taking the photos, but what we do for a photo knows no bounds.
We have had no more snow so it looks like smooth runnings to the supermarket today. Again I spent time yesterday on composing my shopping list in a cloud for the next few days. The shops are open on Tuesday again, but I decided to wait until Wedesday. I can cover myself with provisions until then and if there is anything life saving to be bought, Mr. Swiss usually takes a trip to town in the mornings in any case.
Yesterday we had the perfect bird parade in front of my window. The blackbird seemed to do the organising and the sparrows made the most of the seeds that had fallen to the ground from the bird house. It is funny, some days they eat pratically nothing and others they empty the food supply in in a few minutes.
We always have a pair of blackbirds somewhere, but this Winter we have more than a pair. I think word has got around that there is a constant supply of food in the AnglosSwiss cage.
My schlumbergera, or Christmas cactus, opened its first flower yesterday and I noticed that there will be many more to come. This is just the first, but the leaves are full of little buds so it looks like it will be a success.
The TV programmes are now full of reflections on the past year, mainly of those that are no longer amongst us. I also heard that the Queen is going to give Ringo Starr, drummer of the Beatles, a knighthood. OK, why not, Paul McCartney has one as well. It just seems strange to have a Sir Ringo Starr. Mr. Swiss is also a drummer, but jazz drummers do not seem to be in the list, or perhaps he got missed out because he is Swiss.
Otherwise nothing spectacular is happening here at the moment. I might try an excursion with my newly acquired electric wheelchair this afternoon if the snow stays away, otherwise I will be learning the controls at home. I discovered wheel chair driving is really not so easy, so many buttons and dials.
And now to depart for the daily vacuum cleaner walk before I enter the unknown. Have a good day/night wherever you are and see you later. I hope there will not be so much traffic on the road today as everyone will be on their food hunting journey.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 