Wednesday, May 6, 2009

beauty in the mystery


is it ever amazing: this night-blooming cactus beside our house. 

i mean, it's hideous. and then it produces these gorgeous blooms. just look!

right now it's loaded down with at least 30 blossoms that have either just opened or are getting ready to. i drive by other ugly cacti like this when i shuttle the kids to and from school, and the most buds i've seen on any other one around our neighborhood is about 3 or 4. and that's about how many this particular plant has produced in the past.

i am just stunned. it's so mysterious--the blooms open only once, and then they turn black and fall off. 

i am hooked. i love seeing the beauty in such seemingly ugly things. have you ever experienced anything like this? seen something that surprised you like this?

3 comments:

mrs boo radley said...

We have a dying dogwood tree...at least we think/thought it was dying...but it blooms and looks amazing!

Karin said...

The blooms are gorgeous. I'm so glad you got pictures this year!

Amelia Plum said...

i love the top two pictures, those blooms are quite beautiful for an ugly cacti