My cacti flower has opened! It only opens at night and closes in the daytime. It was just chance that I happened to see it open.

My little dog Doobee enjoys going out late at night to see what's prowling the yard (he thinks he's a big old tough guard dog). He sits on the patio and just stares at the back fence, waiting for something to move so he can chase it and bark. Last night it was a opossum. I don't let him carry on too much. I don't want my neighbors to get mad.

When I went outside to stop him from barking, I noticed my cacti flower had opened! It was beautiful! I was wondering how was I going to get a picture of this flower when it was so dark outside? Well, my sister held her flashlight over the top of the flower while I took the picture! It worked just fine!

Why does this cacti only open it's flower at night?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cactus

Many cactus species are night blooming, as they are pollinated by nocturnal insects or small animals, principally moths and bats.

Hi there!

Have you all been surviving the heat? I can't believe how hot it's been! It's been way to hot to work in outside. The weeds are taking advantage of my absence and are slowing creeping into the garden.

My poor little squash plant has been having a rough time. First it was fungus, then some kind of insect and now the heat!

The eggplant that the tortoise munched on has recovered. I've harvested a few and they were delicious! The bell peppers and tomatoes are fruitful too. But this heat is burning and wilting the plants.

Although the heat is taken a toll on my veggie garden, my cacti loves the heat! My neighbor gave me several cactus cuttings. I didn't do much with the cactus. I always seem to get poked by the thorns. I just stuck them in some soil and left them alone. Yesterday I noticed one cacti has huge blossoms! I think the flowers only open at night. I don't know what type of cactus they are.

Little Red Rose

You know the type I'm talking about. The kind your local grocery store carries, especially during holidays. They always seem to have a plant section with miniature roses in various colors, sitting there in their four inch pots with their perfect little buds and flowers calling to you "buy me...take me home...I'm beautiful...I won't die on you..."

I have never had luck with any miniature rose I've purchased. As soon as I bring them home they begin to wilt and die. It didn't matter where I located them...in the house, on the patio, planted in the ground. Maybe I gave them to much water or not enough water. Or maybe I gave them to much sunlight or not enough sunlight.

Then a few months ago my sister brought me home a miniature red rose as a surprise! I really felt bad for it. I knew it's fate. But surprisingly, the little red rose is thriving! After the first bloom, I replanted it into a larger pot and put it on the patio. I am amazed at how well it's doing! It's about three or four times it's original size!

Today, as I was giving Little Red Rose (yes I named it...after all it's a survivor) a drink of water, I'm almost sure I heard it whisper..."see...I told you I wouldn't die on you" :)

Mr. Tortoise ate my eggplant!

Mr. Tortoise chomped on my eggplant! All that's left is a stem with a few leaves. I wonder if it will grow back? I knew I should have fenced off my little garden area. Mr. Tortoise didn't know that's it's forbidden fruit...he just knows it's tasty!

My Squash has a flower!

Oh wow! I went outside to take a picture of my squash and it has a bright yellow flower about the size of my baby finger. I don't want to jinx it, but usually I have a brown thumb. I am so exited to see my veggies thriving!

Did you know that squash have male and female flowers? That they are monoecious?

Veggie plants are in the ground!

They are in the ground and growing! I now have tiny red tomatoes on my vines! They were suppose to be full size tomatoes but low and behold they are cherry tomatoes (which I love). I also have a Japanese Eggplant, green and yellow Bell Peppers and a Crooked Neck Squash.

In a few months I should have lots of fresh veggies...that is unless my tortoise decides to feast on them.