I have suffered from a problem all my life: I get addicted to various things very easily and then completely lose interest for months at a time. I've started study in many a new field with extreme enthusiasm, absolutely sure that this will be my one true passion, only to put it down in a few weeks and wonder why I was ever interested. To wit:
- my art closet. This 6'x4'x4' behemoth cabinet is filled to the brim with enough supplies to make just about every kind of art project you can imagine.
- my collection of fish tanks. I once had 14 aquariums of fresh and saltwater fish going at once, many of them breeding populations.
- my kitchen appliances. I've had so many baking and cooking projects that needed just the right piece of equipment that I have a pantry that only has enough room to fit food on two out of 6 shelves.
- my coffee equipment. I could have an entire room solely dedicated to my contraptions used to roast, grind and brew coffee.
- and much, much more.
Which brings me to my current obsession - PLANTS! I haven't had this one come up in a while. I used to be an orchid addict. I had specialized lighting, humidifiers, moisture trays and pots dedicated to these stunning but finicky plants. Then I moved onto vegetable gardening and had entire binders devoted to notes and research. These days, I'm into exotics. The weirder the better. I'm thinking of putting together a bog garden since bogs have been a source of utter fascination for me from childhood on. In the last few days I've broken down and purchased really, really neat plants online including:
Selaginella umbrosa, aka Red
Clubmoss. This native of Mexico is related to the super cool resurrection plant which can rehydrate itself with drops of water after being completely dessicated. This one, however, is much prettier.
Begonia "
Phoe's Cleo". While not a particularly rare or remarkable plant, it's really neat looking and blooms in the winter when all Vermonters need it most.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum aka "Night Blooming
Cereus". This truly wonderful and weird plant is a night blooming member of the orchid cactus family. Pure white flowers, the size of a dinner plate and super fragrant, open as soon as the sun goes down and stay open all night, closing in the morning which is perfect for an insomniac like me. I'm completely in love.
Sarracenia "Scarlet Belle". Ain't she a beaut? This pitcher plant eats insects and grows in water. Need I say more?
Nepenthes Rafflesiana. This gorgeous pitcher plant, unlike its cousin above, is a climbing vine. It produces two distinct types of pitchers (heavily modified leaves), which are used to capture and kill insects. The lower pitchers are generally round and squat, while the upper pitchers are more narrow. Mostly it's a really neat bog plant that eats bugs.
Since I'm moving to an apartment in June that has much more natural light than my current digs, I could be in for quite a fun ride with these plants. Josh, however, who's moving in with me, may not be quite as thrilled. Pity him, for I am stubborn.
