Miracles

Back in the late 1980's I joined the Alpine Garden Society and started attending meetings of the Norfolk Group.  At one of my first meetings I won a seedling Cyclamen graecum in the raffle.  After a while a second seedling appeared in the pot.  Each was lovingly potted on but resolutely refused to flower.  Cyclamen graecum (similar to the widely grown Cyclamen hederifolium) has long fleshy roots which like to delve deep for moisture while the tuber is close to the surface getting baked in the summer heat.  In the end the larger plant did start flowering when I put it into a deeper pot with only the lower part plunged in moist sand.  The second seedling, by the a decent sized plant, was planted out under the south wall of our house nineteen years ago.  I don't think it has ever flowered ... until now.  A little miracle after all these years.

Another miracle may take place when Ruth overcomes her anxieties about college life.  I am back in Birmingham again, for three days this time, to be on hand if a crisis occurs.  If it doesn't I get a short break from the chores at home .... OK actually I get to fall further behind with repotting the bulbs.

One more miracle and my life will be complete.