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Monday, March 8, 2010

Black And White Goes Green!



I really enjoyed watching Howard clear masses of snow ten days ago,
while I sat cozily in the conservatory and cheered him on.


After making this collage, I decided to see how it looked in Black & White:


Not much of a metamorphosis, is it?
I think the only change is you can't see a pink tint on the orchid at the bottom of the mosaic.
We pretty much had a black and white landscape for days.

But now?
Change you can believe in!

This is the scene out my sunroom windows this morning:


And look! Cozied up next to the back of the house, new life.
Green shoots of daylilies popping thru the mulch.

Look close!


And inside, at the edge of my kitchen counter, more renewal.

A Christmas Cactus, one of the descendants of my Grandmother's massive plant,
has always had a bit of an identity crisis, and blooms like mad at Thanksgiving, and did so in 2009.

Now, apparently, it has decided it wants in on Easter as well.

It's loaded with buds, simply busting its little cactii guts
to put on a grand display for the Easter Bunny.

How odd.
Welcome, but odd.


I suspect it, too, is just tired of snow and a black and white landscape,
and is doing its patriotic bit to bring color back to New Jersey!
Or, it likes chocolate and black jelly beans.

Thanks to Susan of Between Naps On The Porch, for hosting Metamorphosis Monday. Visit!


Thanks also to Mary, for her hosting of Mosaic Monday. Click here to visit Mary's beautiful Little Red House blog, and see what other mosaic makers are up to.

A bright, sunny, mild Monday -- and my father is being released from the hospital today! Happy Monday, all -- Cass

24 comments:

  1. I had to smile at that colour to black and white exercise - you know it's winter when one is the same as the other.
    My Christmas Cactus is budding too. Is there something going on - something that only the plant world recognizes? (Cue spooky music!)

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  2. Too funny about the Christmas Cactus. Perhaps they want to do their part to bring Spring?

    So happy that your father comes home today!

    Becky K.

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  3. Oh, I'm SO disappointed!!! You forgot to mention the RED TAIL LIGHT in the black/white landscape!!!! How could you miss THAT??? Hehehehehehe

    One good thing about snow - - - when it STOPS, and the air warms up, it really goes away quickly. We're nearly all green (& brown) again here too!

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  4. Spring will surely be welcome here too, Cass. I do envy your lovely conservatory and those beautiful windows
    xoxo Pattie

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  5. There are Easter cactus as well as Christmas and Thanksgiving -- one of mine has been blooming since Christmas and is still blooming -- it has a real identity crisis. Glad you're seeing some green!

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  6. Hi Cass..
    loved the Mosaics..
    loved the sure signs of spring..
    but am ecstatic..
    your Dad is much better..
    and is coming home!!
    Happy, Happy day!!
    warmest hugs..
    laughing smiles..
    Loui♥

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  7. Isn't it wonderful to see the sun shine and the snow melt. I probably won't last but will enjoy it while it lasts. You do not need a coat in southern Ontario this morning. Valerie

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  8. Bring on the Spring. I cleaned leaves out of my flower beds and found a little green popping thru here and there.

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  9. Great pictures , also the ones of al that snow. You sure had your share of that. That cactus is enjoying life too.

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  10. So enjoyed your pics of the snow. Fun to see the difference in the view and the now bits of greens coming up for spring. Christmas Cacti are always a surprise...sometimes they look done for and then they come back more spectaular than before. Mother Nature has sure had a wierd sense of humor this year...Christmas blooms at Easter!

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  11. First time visitor here. I too am a Cass,Cas,Cassandra,Cassie! Lovely old house. We sold our old dream home in Central Phoenix after our baby(29yrs old) graduated from college and got married...now we're condo dwellers in Phx with our dream cabin up in farrr N.Idaho. Isn't it fun to actually live your dream?! Best wishes! Cassie

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  12. As one who owns a whacked Christmas cactus, this made me smile. Mine bloomed all through July last summer. It was a cold, wet July, but really! Lovely to see things are getting green again!

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  13. Christmas, Easter, St. Paddys...who cares!!! The sunshine has changed our lives!!!

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  14. Love your conservatory a dream of mine to build one off our kitchen.
    You fooled me with your first mosaic..I thought that was your view today....whew..so glad to see that you have a Spring thaw..here too..sun is finally shining! Nice to meet you..my first time posting for MM..anna

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  15. Cass, yes getting more like Spring each day. I love your mosaic showing the difference from the snow to now. We were at 74 degrees today. Our trees are just starting to bud.

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  16. I love the snow pictures. black and white and all. I love the life popping up out of the ground. Your Cactus just wanted to say Happy Easter.

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  17. Wow, what a difference 10 days makes.
    Your flowers are beautiful.
    Karen

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  18. Loved your pictures! Spring is definitely coming. I can't wait. Love & blessings from NC!

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  19. Great pictures. I love the mosaics. I have 4 Christmas Cacti. All bloom by the first week in December except a sweet little one in my kitchen window. She is in full bloom now! :) Like some of the other comments left, I have heard that there can be different cacti...Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Doesn't matter to me, just bloom!!

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  20. Hi Cass,
    Fun to watch as spring returns and you are blessed with color. I posted pictures of my 1909 house in Guthrie, OK (post before last post). It is smaller than yours but in some ways reminds me of your house. I like your mosaic too. Winter doesn't have much color!
    Valerie

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  21. Love the green popping up outside! Haven't ventured into our garden yet because of all the mud left over from the snow melting. Spring has sprung!

    -Pam

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  22. What a rapid change in such a short time - Spring is right around the corner, for sure!

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  23. I miss having a Christmas cactus! I meant to buy one this year, but when I went back to the store to buy one, they were all gone! Maybe it's a lucky Christmas cactus you have there, blooming at the advent of Spring!

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  24. I'm not seeing any green here yet but we do have lots of brownish green grass around and lots of muddy fields. Spring is comin'. Enjoy your Christmas Cactus. It may be having an identity-crisis. Deb

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