Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Ghost in the Graveyard
























So what really happens to the thousands of poinsettias produced each year for the winter holidays?

I cannot answer that question. My guess is that a nationwide "poinsettia-cide" is practiced in silent conspiracy across this country. And what leads me to this conclusion? Last November, I purchased several poinsettias for my home. Now that I live in a space that is larger than my beloved east village double-wide on stilts, I have hosted several large holiday gatherings. I was counting on the deep red leaves to distract my guests from the fact that I still had the same sparse amount of furniture as I did in my east village double-wide. The plants made it look like a festive waiting room.

Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went as did the New Year,  Martin Luther King Day, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Ben's Birthday, April Fool's Day, Opening Day for the Red Sox and Palm Sunday. Lo and behold, my two poinsettias are still thriving.

As a child of the 60's weaned on plastic, red dye number 2 and MSG, I just figured they would politely drop dead shortly after their brief use. This is not the case. Observe the picture above. Both plants are still going strong on my window sill. There is no way I have the heart to throw them out. Perhaps I should start a shelter for unwanted poinsettias? People could leave them in unmarked baskets at my doorstep. It sure beats buying more furniture.

What's Cookin -  Two weeks ago ,I swore before God and everyone else in the grocery store that I was buying my LAST 16 oz. bag of $7 organic granola. Well, I made good on my promise. The heavens opened up and led me to a recipe for maple granola that is simple and equally delicious as the granola that has been running my family into bankruptcy for the last three years.

Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I am free at last!!

5 comments:

Terry at Blue Kitchen said...

One of our landlords in Chicago used to give us a poinsettia every winter. Our always did the decent thing and died--or at least seemed on their last leg, so we could throw them in someone else's dumpster where our landlord wouldn't spot them.

jodi said...

Mine is still alive also. When we lived in Florida they grew outside our diningroom window. I may just put mine outside in a pot and see what happens.

Like the new look on your blog!

east village idiot said...

Thanks Jodi - hope your boys are well!

Dr. Deb said...

My mom puts her Poinsettias in a dark spot in the garage and somehow gets them to rebloom the next year.

The Blogcabin Dweller said...

Wow! Who knew?! What a worthy investment. I always thought the same, that they would automatically go the way of the old year., can they be replanted in a garden in the Spring, I'm wondering? I love what a loyal blogger you are. It looks great! I, on the other hand, am such a slothful snail!