(and sometimes the beast!)

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24.1.13

IN THE MISTY MOONLIGHT...

Early Monday morning I was travelling to work when I saw a huge cactus in flower. I nearly cricked my neck trying to get a better look. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to park nearby and quite a bit of following traffic so, reluctantly, I resumed my trip to the salt mine. I checked it out on my way home that afternoon however all the flowers looked spent.  I resolved to get out of bed early Tuesday in hopes that this was not one of those cactus that flowers once in a blue moon for one night.
Naturally, I forgot all about it next morning until about 9am and was disappointed to find that the blooms were still looking spent.  All was not lost though, because I had a late shift on Tuesday and as I drove by slowly on the way home around 11pm, was delighted to see the flowers were out in all their glory.  Hurray!  One illegal U turn later, there I was trying to look nonchalant.  Everyone takes photos of flowers in the middle of the night, yes?
 I could discern a very slight fragrance but not altogether sure it was coming from the cactus as the garden had other plants I couldn't see which may have been responsible for that. I did stick my nose in one flower but couldn't smell anything. I love the buttery glow that the moonlight (and nearby street light) has given the blooms.    Below you can see what the flash did.  Yukk!  But gives you an idea of the size of the plant.  I had a plan to return another morning but last night could see there were very few flowers left blooming.  Besides, it was raining this morning.  Rain, glorious rain!