Author Topic: It's here  (Read 2182 times)

ACE

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It's here
« on: November 13, 2015, 07:12:21 »
The annual poinsettia has arrived early this year, it slipped quietly in the house hidden behind a box of cornflakes  and popped up on the windowsill as brave as you like. It must be the earliest migration ever, I should write to the Times and announce the first viewing of the year. It's arrival before the winter gin allowance is a very rare occurrence, this much aligned handout  is not even in the bank yet. It has usually been spent by the time the poinsettia arrives.

It is far too early for the poinsettia to go through it's  regime off challenges to see how long it will stay in place before the leaves droop and off it goes to the great landfill in the sky. No draughty corner, no sub zero temperatures, no overwatering  not even a gas fire. It did not even start dying in its pride of place in the cold supermarket entrance. I had better not even start the cigarette end challenge yet otherwise it will be a miserable advent without one. With a bit of care it could make it to twelth night, it certainly will not be here next july when all the other smug owners are bragging theirs is still alive only to find they had been hoodwinked and it was really an artificial one.

It seems strange that this plant has chosen it's seasonal spot on our window sill so early, the turkeys and mince pies with a use by date of dec.1st are still on Sainsbury's shelves, it will be another fortnight before they are cleared and replaced by easter eggs.  I am sat here looking at it and feeling strangely out of place in my summer wardrobe, perhaps it is telling me it is time to shed my lightweight undercrackers and climb into the thermal longjohns, discard the Tshirt and don the silly Xmas pullover I purchased in August. It looks so sad and lonely sat there on it's own perhaps a bowl of walnuts and a bit of tinsel will cheer it up.


Obelixx

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Re: It's here
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2015, 10:50:17 »
Why not put you both out of your misery and despatch the plant to the compost heap before it starts to suffer?  I loathe poinsettias and their euphorbia cousins so they never darken my door or garden gate.
Obxx - Vendée France

Paulines7

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Re: It's here
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2015, 11:00:32 »
If I buy a poinsettia, it would normally be dead a week or so after Christmas, so I gave up buying them.  Last year, however, a friend bought me one.  I knew it wouldn't last long and when it started dropping its leaves, I put it in the bathroom on the window ledge.   It amazed me by producing new leaves throughout the spring and summer even though they were green.  Then a few weeks back it started to get red leaves and I was astounded at such a transformation.  I know it would die if I moved it to one of the living rooms so it can stay where it is now, and who knows, perhaps it will continue to do well. 

I love your post about the turkeys and mince pies use by dates, Ace.... it's so true.  Brandy butter and brandy cream will be next to appear and the use by date is bound to be a few weeks before Christmas!   

Digeroo

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Re: It's here
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2015, 18:57:00 »
Near wet myself.  I have killed several in the past.  The artificial ones are much more reliable.   You can put them in the washing machine and then pack away with the xmas decorations and they you can have the thrill all over again next year.

They had some interesting euphoria in the botanic gardens in Gran Canaria. They actually looked more like a cacti but with pretty red flowers.



« Last Edit: November 25, 2015, 19:08:50 by Digeroo »

 

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