Decorations at Wind Creek Casino in Atmore

The Wind Creek casino at the Atmore Exit Interstate 65 has a beautiful Christmas lights display. I find it difficult to take pictures of Christmas lights so this is the best I can do at this time. But they were lovely. I have always loved Christmas lights and think that Christmas cannot be complete without a Christmas lights tour. do take a look at the casino's decorations. You don't need to gamble or buy anything. Just walk in and enjoy. That is if you can stand the sight of people loosing money they may need next week. The lights are on the outside though , but you do have to enter the casino to get to the outside display.

Nepenthes 'Miranda'

On a recent trip to Southern Homes in Wetumpka, I was pleased to see several pots of Nepenthes 'Miranda". I have several different Nepenthes, but unfortunately they are not nearly as well-grown as these. I really like these plants because they are so exotic and different. They were also not cheap, about $30/pot. But knowing a bit about what it takes to grow them and how scarce they are on the market, that does not seem unreasonable to me.
I grow them in the greenhouse and try to water everyday in summer and fairly frequently in winter. The plants must not be allowed to dry out or it will usually prove fatal. after all, they are native to very jungley moist and humid areas. they are sometimes called Monkey Cups as monkeys have been observed drinking from the urns. All I can say is they must have very strong stomachs. occasionally in the greenhouse I brush against one and the liquid that fills the cups spills on me. Pu eeee! Time for a clean shirt. The cups or urns catch rain water as well as exude compounds into the water that are helpful in holding and digesting hapless insects, lizards, etc that become trapped. I want to try my smallest newest one in a terrarium as they are recommenced for smaller plants. Over time the plants can become quite large.

Pot Lady Has a New hat

Someone thought the pot lady needed a new hat and provided it for her fall attire. Note the turkey feather.

More Fall Orchids

Another of God's beauties. And it is fragrant,too.

More Fall Leaves

It's nice to look back on these beautiful leaves now that there are hardly any leaves left. my drive way was stunning (second picture). I wondered if the person who planted the trees in the first picture had an idea of how beautiful they would be, or just hit it lucky. Sometimes we gardeners do that, you know.

Thanksgiving Cactus

I had some beautiful Thanksgiving cactus this year. It always seems that one day I go into the greenhouse and there they are--in full bud and bloom. I bring them up to the house and put them in the window over the sink and they are beautiful for about a week or 10 days at the most. That's the trouble with these things. You wait all year and then they are just a flash in the pan. Poinsettias on the other hand last so long that you really get sick of them and stop watering them adequately or put them in a dark corner till their leaves start to yellow. Then you can sneak them out to the compost pile.  As the days grow steadily shorter, it is a fine thing to have some bright blooms in the kitchen where I spend a lot of time in December.
The other day I overheard some one talking on and on about Point Setters.I began thinking of all the ways that might be a good name for Poinsettias, like maybe the pointed bracts that make up the blooms, or that maybe they could be given to the basketball players with the most points at the end of the game. (Now that's a way we could get rid of those tired things in February!)

My Pumpkin Harvest

I've kinda let things slide here and the next several entries are from fall.
This is my pumpkin crop. There are miniature pumpkins, perhaps a type of gourd. I had saved the seed from a miniature pumpkin I bought last fall. I got them planted late, i think it was into August, and it was very dry. The little water they did get, I splashed on them with a hose. At last they began to bloom and this was the cute (some might say pathetic) result. That is a quarter for comparison.