Beauty and the Beast

This is a plant only a mother could love. I mean, look at it. Tall and spindly with awkward limbs and prickly things all over it. The poor thing. I guess it's original mom (my neighbor) didn't even love it because she abandoned it by the roadside when she moved away.

So I, being the mother of all lost and lonely things, decided to adopt it. I sent my husband across the street to get it for me. He kept asking me if I was sure I wanted it. He knows that I have no love for gardening. I have a brown thumb--no, make that a black thumb. Only plants that require no care and prefer to be left alone, are plants that will survive in my home or yard. I said "Yes, I am sure. It's a cactus, I can't kill it."

Poor thing. He has been through a lot. He is bruised and scarred. See that front limb that is cut off? That was an act of vandalism. Our house happens to be next to a greenbelt that gets a lot of foot and bike traffic. I guess someone took offense to Mr. Cactus (or to us) and thought mutilating a poor, homely, defenseless little cactus would be fun. Can you believe it? People can be so cruel. So we promptly moved him to a small little patio that is protected by a fence.

And there he sits. Bothering no one and asking for nothing. Sometimes he gets a little water because I do remember that a cactus needs a little water now and again. Quiet and unassuming is a good thing in a plant.

Well, I guess Mr. Cactus is grateful for even the smallest of favors.

Remember when mother told you, "Never judge a book by its cover?" Well, never judge a plant by its cover either. It is true in people and true in plants, that beautiful and wonderful things can lurk beneath the most unlikely facade.