night-blooming cereus (epiphyllum), at our house in san diego

I drove down to San Diego this weekend to hang out with my family and to visit a few friends. My parents were given a little leaf of a night-blooming cereus plant by some family friends (who had brought it with them from Taiwan) over twenty years ago. Now, the plant lives in three large planters in our San Diego home and sprawls out over ten feet in length. It's a neat plant, because it blooms only at night (not sure how often, but it seems to be blooming every few months...?). It's amazingly fragrant, and we typically have fifty or so blooms each night, for a few nights. By morning, the flowers wilt and die.

our huge night-blooming cereus plant, after 25 years of growth	night cereus blooms
1 day before blooming	wilted flower (1 day after blooming)
wendy
anna @ ki's

Oh. When we were driving down, we saw what looked like a disfigured mummy sitting in the back of a pick-up truck. Upon closer inspection, we realized that it was a wood carving, tied up and wearing some sort of sheet.

It's still scary looking.

amabelle, at the santa anna federal building	shoeless me, at the santa anna federal building
the scary mummy thing.

Also, I was picked up for the first time by a stranger! I was at a car dealership, and this young woman (just out of high school) started chatting with me while I was sitting around, waiting. I gave her my card on the way out. That same evening, she called and asked, "what time are you leaving tomorrow? I was wondering if you wanted to go to the beach with me." (!) So flattering!

I should move to San Diego. :)