The year was about 1975. We lived in Carrollton, Texas. A new family moved in up the street from us. That's kind of an ironic thing to say because, we were the new family in the neighborhood too. But they moved in after us so they were newer. They had a girl that was my age and we became friends. Her name was Kelly and I thought it was pretty neat to know her because she moved there from Hawaii. AND... she knew how to hula dance. Really well. She even did it at a talent show at school and impressed every one with her hula skills. During the summer, they went back to Hawaii for a vacation. She brought me back a gift. It was a Hawaiian bulb.
My Mom planted it in a pot to enjoy as an indoor plant. She has had it ever since.
It moved from Texas to New Mexico with our family. And then again to her new house down at the lake in Southern New Mexico. It moved again, years later to Colorado, where it has been in her home there. It has only bloomed once in all of those years. It was when she had it in her garage in her home at the lake. The bloom surprised her after all those years. It is a plant that has not required a whole lot of care. We don't really know what it is.I think Kelly had told me it was a Hawaiian lily.
My Mom is planning another move in the near future. Back to Texas. This time she said the plant would not go with her. She is scaling down the size of her home and it is just not on the top of the list of things she will take with her. So...she said..."It is your plant. I don't want to move with it. Your friend gave you the bulb. Take it if you want it. The table it sits on goes with it." Ok, I said and we loaded it into the car.
I know that she is wondering how it made the trip. It made it just fine, Mom. The leaves are all still green and not bent. It has a new home in front of our window. So far, it doesn't seem to notice it isn't in Colorado anymore. Or Texas. Or Hawaii, where is started over 35 years ago. I'm hoping it will decide to bloom another time now that it is in a warmer climate again.
So Mom, thanks for taking care of that little bulb Kelly gave me all those years ago. I hope it will continue on as it has all these years while you had it. I'll keep you posted if it happens to bloom.
And, you can visit it any time you'd like. Smile.
We all survived all the transplanting we did as we moved from state-to-state. It's good that the plant has done so as well. It will probably bloom as you have pretty good luck in that area. I'm remembering the cutting from our grandmother that bloomed under your care and the Christmas cactus.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat story. That plant is more traveled than me.
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