Cactus Flower

We celebrated my husband's birthday last summer with a patio party for neighbours and one kind gift was a spiny little cactus, labelled 'sunny cactus'.  On closer examination the bright yellow flowers positioned at the top of each three cacti proved to be artificial.  We removed these with a pair of small pliers and disposed of them.  The cactus then sat on a sunny windowsill, as advised.

Last month I noticed that our cactus, which appears to go by the common name of Powder Puff Cactus or botanically Mammillaria had produced pointed buds which subsequently opened into a cluster of pink flowers.  

My next challenge is to sketch it.  I had the opportunity of a free two-hour adult education drawing class at our local library and have subsequently bought a sketch pad and pencils.  The book I have borrowed takes me right back to the basics drawing squares and circles free hand.  I need to progress to ellipses, starting with glass tumblers, before I can hope to draw the cactus and the pot it sits in. 

Unlike artificial flowers, real flowers blossom and fade.  I hope I have time to do this.

Tubers

It is now a month since I planted Charlotte, our second early potatoes and they are doing well.  Each morning before breakfast I go out into the back garden to look at them.  The ones in the sunnier spot will eventually need earthing up, the overflow others are a little slower.

In addition to our potatoes we now have Jerusalem Artichokes.  These 'random' plants were emerging in an unfilled bed in our home-made compost.  At first I thought they were weeds, then we dug up the tubers or part tubers.  A wild suggestion of sweet potatoes was discounted and we identified them; one white tuber at least looks like Fuseau.  We acquired free artichokes on our allotment too after other plot-holders had composted the remains of their crops.

I have fond memories of Jerusalem Artichokes although they are not to everyone's taste.  In challenging times I used to curry them with various pulses or turn them into soup.  In the autumn they will retail in our local emporium at a price that reflects their status as a delicacy.  

My husband has reminded me that once you grow them they are almost impossible to remove.  At the moment we have three.  They have been confined to a sunny spot in the same bed as our runner beans.