St. Patrick's Day Traditions, Luck, Lore and FOOD!

I LOVE ST. Patrick’s Day

Warnning: This is a photo heavy post and I get a bit… umm… weird, pretentious and full of my self inthe first part of this post .. not apologizing .. just warning. So I won’t be offended if you skip to the other stuff. Honest! Also there are some photos of meat cooking , sorry if that bothers you, but there is plenty to read here and that part is easily skipped. I want to apologize for some of the photos, i am currently not able to use my regular monitor and the one i am using currently isn't super clear..

( now , just like dinner, this post is complete as i have added all the photos)

Ok here goes ..

I LOVE ST. Patrick’s Day

No , Not for the Green Beer, nor the parades where they happen, nor for the silly hats and shirts , no not even for all the green water you can find (died or other wise…).. even though all those things help to add to the wonderful energy of the day most certainly.. They are just extra goodied that come with the day if you like those things..

I love the St. Patrick’s Day because in my house it was and is a family day.

The smells of all the foods being readied, and the fresh flowers that come into the house, and the sticking of ones fingers in the cream of pies or frosting of coffee cakes and the snichen’ of a piece of warm soda bread along with all the hustle and bustle reminds me of the times spent in the kitchen with My Grandma Grace and my Mother , and their three days of cooking they would do getting ready for the holiday. There were always loaves of soda bread and jars of winter or early spring canned fruit jellies and jams to be dispersed amongst family members, neighbors and friends. And oh those rare and magical weekends when the morning after St Patrick’s Day fell on a Saturday or Sunday and spending time watching my dad make corned beef hash with pancakes and eggs and quizzing him about everything from what it was like when he was growing up to wont mom be mad you for putting her good cast iron pot on top all of that mess??? Those became even more fun mornings when Grandma Grace and Grandpa Red moved in with us after his first stoke.. he would tell us all kinds of stories about growing up in Ireland and about his parents and brothers and sisters and Irish folk tales ( al though I some times wonder how many were Irish and how many were Grandpa Red’s “folk tales”…)

While I cant go back in time to be with them all again, I can bring their memories a bit more for front in my heart and honor them by Sharing as much as I am able with my family, and friends.. They were strong people who lived through some of the toughest times in history .. This year I hope to teach some of the youngest of our family , the measure of strength in us all through stories of those who went before us and hope that they can take away from those stories the strength , wisdoms, patients, creative ingenuity, generosity, and selflessness they will need to stand strong in honest endurance as they muddle their way through these our the current trying times. ..

Ok sorry got a little on the soap box there.. the whole point is that its another day to spend with family and friends .

So

On to the good stuffs

Did you Know?:

Erin go braugh' is an incorrect spelling and is essentially meaningless. ‘Erin go brea’ the correct phrase and means ‘Ireland the beautiful’. 'Erin go deo' means ‘Ireland forever’. Other common spellings include "Erin go brah" and "Erin go bragh". The correct spelling of the phrase is 'Éirinn go Brách' or in some dialects of Gaeilge 'Éirinn go Brágh'… ( it is possible that braugh has been misspelled due to phonics… in other words spelling it how it sounds)… 'Éirinn go Brágh' is now commonly used as a patriotic cry meaning 'Ireland forever,' - 'go Brágh' meaning forever.

From an old Gaelic Prayer:

May the blessing of light be upon you,

Light without and within…

And in all your comings and goings,

may you ever have a kindly greetin’

from them you meet along the road.

Grandma Grace's Traditional Corned beef and cabbage

Corned beef replaced the traditional bacon when Irish who immigrated to
America found the bacon to expensive.

Ingredients
• 4½ pound corned beef brisket
• 3 allspice berries
• 1 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 whole bulb garlic, cut crosswise so each clove is cut in half but the bulb stays in tact
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 medium head cabbage, cut into eights
• 1½ pounds small red potatoes
• 1 shot (ounce) true Irish Mist or Irish whiskey (optional)
Cooking Instructions
1. Rinse corned beef under running water. Place in large pot.

2. Tie allspice, bay leaves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, into a piece
of cheese cloth using green floss (or white string) and add to the pot
with the brisket.

if you do not have cheese cloth you can use a coffee filter.

Place the coffee filter into a cup to help form the shape.

place the herbs and spices in to the filter







and then tie them up as you would for cheese cloth

3. Add the whiskey,Pouring it right onto the top of the meat

then add onion and garlic.

and the herb and spice pouch

Add enough water to cover.( I prefer to use Irish mist)

4. Bring to a boil, skim any scum if needed. Reduce to a simmer and
cover. Cook about 3 to 5 hours, or until fork-tender.

Remove and keep
warm. (wrap in aluminum foil )

5. Remove spices and vegetables from cooking water.

Add cabbage and
potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook about 30
minutes until potatoes are fork tender.

Slice the brisket thin.










Want a real goody, pour a bit of the liquid left from the meat, potatoes, and cabbage on top of your potatoes instead of butter or with the butter!

Irish Blessing
Like the shamrocks of old Ireland
May your joys grow all year through-
and Irish luck and laughter
be a part of all you do!

Did you know …

Eating cabbage or other greens is considered good luck because the green leaves are representative of money. Did you know the Man in the Moon who was allegedly banished to the moon after being caught stealing a cabbage from his neighbor on Christmas Eve; and that cabbage throughout the ages has been a reported cure for hangovers?!?

And for the day after you have GOT to try this with the left over Corned Beef, cabbage and boiled potatoes dinner .. it is to die For!

Grama’s Corned beef Hash

3 Tbsp. olive oil ( more or less)

Left over Corned Beef Brisket , Chopped fine about 3 cups

Left over cooked cabbage, chopped fine about 1 cup

Left over boiled potatoes, cubed small about 2 cups

1/2 medium-small sweet onion, chopped fine

1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup beef bullion

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp cumin powder (Watkins is recommended)

1/2 tsp. dried parsley (Watkins is recommended)

1 tsp. dried oregano (Watkins is recommended)

1/2 tsp. dried lemon thyme

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper ((Watkins is recommended)

1/2 tsp. Sea salt (Watkins is recommended)

1/2 tsp. dried Rosemary (Watkins is recommended)

10 inch cast iron skillet and an 8 inch cast iron skillet, and a study metal spatula

In small dish combine all the spices and salt. Set aside.

Prepare the left over Corned Beef Brisket; working with the brisket cold, remove the

fat form the fatty side. Then slice into the smallest sized cubes you can manage. Next,

with good meat cleaver, chop till fine ( or to desired texture_ my family likes medium-

fine).

Prepare the cabbage, by balling it in your hands as squeezing as much liquid as you

are physically able from the ball . (Work it in your hands over and over to remove as

much of this liquid as humanly possible !) With the cleaver, chop the cooked cabbage till

is resembles a course “paste” place this in a small dish and set aside.

Place chopped meat into a small bowl and set aside

Now, finely cube the potatoes and set them into another small bowl .

Chop the onions, sweet red pepper and finely mince the garlic and place them in

another small bowl together.

Prepare the beef bullion and set it aside. Then measure out the Worcestershire sauce,

and flour into separate small dishes and set them aside.

Place the 10 inch cast iron skillet on the flame ( I use a gas oven ) over medium high

heat. And coat the bottom well with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil ( or more) . let this get

Just to the smoking point and pour in the onion, pepper, garlic mix and stir . Let the

onions just start to turn light golden brown then add the potatoes. Continue to cook till

they start to get a little brown around the edges ( remember to lightly scrap the little bits

from the bottom of the pan .) Next add the macerated cabbage to the potato mixture and

fry them together 3 to 5 min. stirring constantly with the metal spatula. Now add the

chopped corned beef , Worcestershire sauce and the dry spice-salt mixture and stir them into the potato-cabbage mixture well. Press this to the sides of the pan ( in a circle) and

add the beef bullion to the center of the pan and give it a good stir to help remove any

stuck bits , then remove 2 to 3 Tbsp. of the warm liquid and add it to the flour to form a

past the stir the flour past into the liquid in the middle of the pan . Mix this all together

very well with the spatula . Smooth the hash out evenly all over the pan and place the

8 inch cast iron skillet, bottom side down into the pan on top of the hash and give it a

little press. Let this cook for 5 min. CAREFULLY lift the 8 inch pan out and scrap any

thing sticking to it back into the 10 inch pan and give every thing a good stir being sure

to scrap the good stuff from the bottom of the pan and turning the has over on itself.

Replace the 8 inch pan and let set another 5 minutes and give it another good deep

bottom scraping stir. Repeat this process 2 more times. Then leave the 8 inch pan off

and continue to cook the hash till brown and crispy, stirring frequently.

This is best when served when topped with eggs fried over easy and slices of fresh

cantaloupe on the side.

Note: some time you need to add a bit more oil to the pan while frying the potatoes and

cabbage to keep things from sticking to the pan.

The Blessing of Light:

May the blessing of Light be on you,

Light without and light within.

May the blessed sunlight shine on you

and warm your heart till it grows like a great peat fire,

so that the stranger may come

and warm himself at it,

and also a friend

Irish Soda Bread

This recipe has been floating around Grama’s ol wooden recipe box for longer than I can remember. I am not claiming it to be an ol family recipe or a true traditional Irish Soda from “the old country” , just that it is the recipe is traditional in our house ,and admittedly I tend to play around with . But either way it is an important part of our St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Pre-heat oven to 375degrees F.

4 cups unbleached flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons course (or regular) sugar ( I use vanilla sugar)

1 and ½ cup raisins ( prefer golden when I can get them)

2 tablespoons caraway seed

1 and ½ cups buttermilk

Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar together into a large mixing bowl

Now add other ingredients and blend well.

Shape into 1 round loaf and sprinkle the top with sugar.

Cut a cross into the top of the loaf and bake on lightly sprayed (or greased) baking sheet for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and bake for 45 minutes,

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Slice and serve with coffees, teas, and jellies or jams.

An Irish Blessing:

May your thoughts be as glad as the Shamrocks,

May your heart be as light as a song,

May each day bring you bright, happy hours

That stays with ye all the year long!

OH.. And Don’t for get to wear the green! ( or green white and orange )

The phrase "the Wearing of the Green" began when the shamrock became an emblem of rebellion in the 19th century and Queen Victoria made the practice of wearing a shamrock by member's of her regiments punishable by death by hanging.

Irish legend states that green clothes attract faeries and aids crops.

Here is a bit more about St. Patrick’s Day

In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is more of a religious holiday similar to Christmas and Easter, and the saint of the day St. Patrick is a Christian saint who was buried in Northern Ireland on March 17^th . Saint Patrick's Day as a celebration of Irish culture was rarely acknowledged by Northern Irish loyalists, who consider it a festival of the Irish Republicans, but there are new steps being taken to change this view. For instance, currently, during the Belfast parade only the flag of St. Patrick is supposed to be used as a symbol of the day so that it is not seen as a time which is exclusively for Republicans and Nationalists. This policy is to allow both Unionists and Nationalists to celebrate the day together. The Unionists wear orange instead of green on St. Patrick's Day and are often referred to as “orangemen” (orange often but not always represents the Protestants of Northern Ireland.)

St. Patrick's Day in Dublin, Ireland is a five-day festival, but for at least one day of the year, March 17^th, both Christians and non-Christians the world over, can celebrate a version of the holiday. And they do so by wearing green and/or orange, eating Irish food and/or green foods and drinks, drinking Irish drinks (usually Guinness or Irish whisky), and attending parades and festivals and more. On St. Patrick’s Day it is said that Every one is (or wants to be) Irish.

As pagans we might look to myth, legend, lore, history and traditions of old to find ways to celebrate, rejuvenate and create the energies of hope and prosperities to come. Others of us my simply look to current traditions to celebrate. But no mater how or why we celebrate, we can all experience the joyous energy of “the luck-o-the-Irish”.

The Legend of the Shamrock (a 3 leafed clover)

Seamrog - a compound of "seamair", or clover, and "og", meaning young or small. ( aka what we now call the shamrock). The traditional Gaelic spelling ,"seamr q" means summer plant. This plant, (but it must be a true shamrock) is said to have mystic, even prophetic powers. It is said the leaves will stand upright to warn of an approaching storm and will lean to the direction of coming danger or wilt away from a person overtaken by an evil spirit.

It is said that the Shamrock, Trifolium dubium, the three-leafed plant was used by St Patrick to convert Ireland from Paganism to Christianity. The reports are that he used it ( in the 5^th century , to teach the principle of the Christian Holy Trinity . He taught that it was a living representative of the “ Three-in-One” ( a.k.a. the Christian Holy Trinity) in that each leaf represents God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and that each part made up the whole of the plant stem. The first mention of a link between the saint and the holy clover comes in the early 18th century from the diary of a wandering Protestant cleric Named Caleb Threlkeld who wrote: "This plant [white clover] is worn by the people in their hats upon the 17th day of March yearly, which is called St Patrick's Day, it being a current tradition that by this three-leafed grass he emblematically set forth to them the mystery of the Holy Trinity." This is the fist found mention of this legend which came about many years after the Bishop Patrick passed away. No one is saying that is wasn’t possible, just that is was not a proven fact reported during his life time. Regardless the truth of the legend, the shamrock has become the icon of the Nation of Ireland, and you will find sprigs of it proudly pined to the lapels of young and old alike on St. Patrick’s day. ( I would like to note that the official symbol of Ireland is the 12-stringed harp and not the iconic shamrock) . The symbolic meaning of the clover’s trefoil growth would not have been original to the Protestant cleric Caleb Threlkeld nor Saint Patrick. The ancient Celts may also have revered the clover because of the trinity of its leaves too. These people had a myriad of powerful beliefs based on triads, which we see in the triskelion, triquetra, triple spiral, Druid marks, and various knot-work found in so much of the art from their time. The representations of three , depending on how depicted, indicated aspects of goddesses, gods, time, balance and a wealth of other things connected in colorations of 3. But regardless of who saw it first, the myth, lore and legend of the shamrock dose and will always spark the magick of hope, prosperity and rejoicing and the promise of growth, success, good health and spring eternal in our hearts and minds .

Shamrocks upon the lapel all evil will dispel!

( you can use Green, Orange, White thread .. or a twist of all three colors if you choose)

Go out into the grass in your bare feet ( weather permiting) and gather up the longest stemmed shamrocks you can find. This is best done at sun rise before breakfast on St. Patrick's day but any time on that day is fine .

cut a length of the thread 5 to 7 inches long

gather the shamrocks into a a bouquet.

Wrap on end of the thread lightly around your little finger to anchor it

While holding the tiny stems of th ebouquet in your fingers wrap the end of the thread that isn't wraped around your pinky up to 3 times around for the tripple Goddess/God , then once more for prosperity , once more for protection, and once more Ireland . Then one last time for all. ( a total of 7 wraps).

Tie the thread with 3 knots to secure.

Leave the thread long so that this bouquet can be hung in the home for luck all the year long at midnight on St. Patrick's day.

Ware the bouquet over your heart till midnight !

Did you know

The sweet smell of clover is said to induce a feeling of peace and calm with in ones self.

Dr Charles Nelson, a leading Irish botanist and a specialist on shamrock, says that the “Shamrock” only exists on St Patrick's Day. Every other day of the year, it's just young clover

A survey conducted by the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin found that the "shamrock" worn on St Patrick's Day is, in fact, not one plant but four different varieties of trefoil or clover. Varieties used are red clover (Trifolium pratense) and black medick (Medicago lupulina), White clover with no white marks on it’s leaves (Trifolium dubium) which is the traditional, and white clover with white marks on its leaves(Trifolium repens).

The 4 leaf clover:

Celtic druids considered the four-leafed clover to be a lucky charm.

Even today it is said that to find a 4 leaf clover is lucky indeed… to find one on St. Patrick’s Day is apparently luckier still!

The 4 leaf clover is said to grant good fortune in 4 different aspects of life. Happiness,

Hope, Peace and Love. These aspects are represented by the leaves of the clover .Never show another your lucky clover, for the power of the blessings it brings will leave you and go to them. The 4 leaf clovers luck last for just a year and a day, but do not throw it away! Place it your book of shadows or plant journals with information about it’s luck and what luck it brought you, or just a little note or 2 bout it’s legend and lore.

And finaly…:

Luck isn't just something you find -- it's something you create. This Household talisman just might help.

Place a healthy plant in a blue pot. Stand in the center ( or as close as you can get) of your home and face North then locate the farthest (left) corner of your home and place the plant there.







Beneath the plant place three silver (or shiny) coins to boost your financial luck, growth and prosperity level .

(a lush green plant that grows in a vertical direction will also help to lift your spirits, increase your luck, and draw positive energy upwards into your environment . If this is tied to a piece of wood to help its vertical growth, this too will help attract good fortune and increase personal growth in many aspects. If the leaves have a striped pattern to them, this too can help increase the power of this household talisman, as the stripes of the leaves can help the energy flow more freely and smoothly)

The readings of the tarot on St. Patrick’s Day are said to be the truest if the laid in the Celtic Cross fashion.

To dream of clover is said to symbolize attainment, growth, financial gain, success, good health refinement, wellness, satisfaction and contentment

One last bit o' Irish lore
click on the photo to read the legend of the Irish Claddagh










Always remember those who've gone before thee, and give thanks that thier sacrifices and survival brought thee to me !

Happy and prosperous Blessings of of the Weefolk be with thee always !
Ma Fey

Lots-o-stuffs from baskets to scones, Random Acts of Kindess-3 and a home for a Kitty

Woooowee! What a ride the last few days have been !

Warning : this is a long article and there are a good number of photos so it might take a bit to load for you. Thank you for being patient.

By last night I was so physically and emotionally exhausted I went to bed at 9 and slept solidly till 9:15 this morning. I know I needed it because I normally don't sleep that much in on night. It is nice to have nothing but normal house hold chores to do today because I am spent!
So lets see if I can put some of all this in some fashion of a perspective ( for my self ) while I share the Good stuff ( and some not so good) with you!

Tuesday we went to see the Surgeon and he wants to do a but load more test between now and the 22 of this month. On that date he will be looking into my "innerds" and taking some biopsies of some "inflamed" and enlarged tissue areas of my stomach, duodenum, colon, and large and small intestines..

Of course that was after the strange day in the kitchen and was on the day i found out i won that wonderful wind chime in Mrs. B's Giveaway

My husband found out he is in line for a promotion to the position he has been working for for a long time ( he is so lucky to have his dream job!) Which comes with a pay raise and health benefits too!! among other perks !

We also learned that day, that a long time friend was tragically killed in a work place accident. He was reaching out to attach his safety harness when he fell through a snow covered sky light that apparently wasn't on the schematics/ blueprints to this place..he fell 45 feet! There is some comfort to know he died instantly and didn't have to suffer further. This came after he fought his way back from a massive heartache. I pray that God and Goddess cradle his family in love, strength, and healing so they can face all they must in the coming days .

and that was just Tuesday

Yesterday (Wednesday) , I started the day In the garden . I wasn't out long , but long enough to stain my nails with sweet Mother Earth by pulling early spring weeds and checking on all the little plants beginning to peek up. It was so quiet which was wonderful . The birds were singing, the sun shinning , the scent of Springs promise filled the gentle breezes that swirled around me. It was just the spiritual and physical energy boost I needed.

Shortly after, we were off to the hospital to begin all this testing, then over to the pharmacy to turn in my normal monthly 16 scripts plus 3 new ones!!! ( thank goodness they are only temporary ...I Hope!)

While we were waiting to get them filled, my Sweet Sweet Hubby took me to a local thrift shop (not something I physically am capable of often.. but as I said yesterday was a very good day physical ) and among the treasures I brought home were....





this Beautiful dish for $3.00 for our Ostara alter
I love the beautiful earthy tone swirls with the pink and green accents and its oval shape.




It's marked Cal tempo "fish fin" and what looks like AW??
If i remember right Cal temp is 1950's vintage but I am not 100% sure.. I just know I was rather smitten and quite happy with the price








I love this sweet little taper candle holder and snuffer set..

$1.00 ( candle wasn't included)



With the spring storm season fast encroaching upon us this will be a sweet little holder to keep in the kitchen encase of a power outage.


Of course it was perfect when I purchased it and some how we nicked it and another piece before we got them home ( they were in the same bag) But I still love it !






See the nick??





there at the bottom of the rim



it's on the bottom of this sweet little soup and rice bowel set

I love these sets, but don't normally find them locally so this was a real find at $3.00






( then we had to go an nick the thing dang it!)






at least these made it home safely

I love the pot-tea cup and sake set

$8.00 and in perfect condition

Then I found this little vase for $0.50

it's' motif doesn't match the pot-tea cup-sake set exactly but it really looks cute with it .










And I found a box of 2 of those little plant watering globes.. For $5.00


Maybe not the best deal on them but I have been wanting to try them to see if they really work so the price was right for me.







This is Random Act of Kindness Moments !As you know I have been taking part in Random act of kindness month over at the Domestic Witch.. sooo

Tuesday
I managed to arrange with my friend a time to meet at her Mother's house and have my husband deliver to her mom my "treat Box".








My Scones looked so pretty... My Friend's Mother is from Great Britten and Knows her Scones... So I had my fingers crossed that mine would pass her intense scrutiny.







I included 3 kinds of teas, some Girl Scout Short Bread Cookies ( mine were a bust and I didn't have time to make a fresh batch) , and some home made "false" Devonshire Cream, using one of my Gramas ol' recipes, some candied orange peel.. and a sweet little card just to let her know she is loved and always thought of!


The Scones where a HIT !!! My friend has been having a dicken's of a time lately trying to find thing her mom can/will eat.. I guess she Gobbled them Down. My Friend Said that this gift really went a long way to Lifting her moms spirits and making her feels special.. I am soo Happy for that .. because that also meant my friend had a wonderful day with her mother!


Wednessday
2nd : while I was at he thrift store I picked 5 random children's book off the shelf and stuck a $1.00 bill in each . ( Sorry, I just wasn't sneaky enough to to take a photo of the books with the dollar bills in them)

ALso Yesterday (Wednesday)
3rd: while I was in the thrift store, ( this is kind of why it was soo hard to get a photo of my effort) there was this adorable little boy , whom apparently thought I was a safe adult to ask questions of, who kept coming up to me and asking little Questions like, " can you tell me what size this is mommy said i have to have a 4, is that a 4? " and asking if i could help him reach things- which i would with a nod of approval from his mother. At one point became curious as to why i walked with the "that thing" ( my walker) . .so I just told him I had a "bad back" and my knees didn't work as well as his probably did.. that is a much easier explanation for a kid to understand... His Mother was so apologetic, and I assured her he was fine and that I was having a good time helping him and answering ALLLLL his little questions... Then I slipped a buck into the pocket of his hoody when he wasn't looking..

I have a "random act" planed for today too . But I will post about that one tomorrow..


So the last of the new is double edged in a couple ways..

remember me saying that we had sent some groceries to a friend and his kitty-cat who's been a little down on his luck lately.. well , yesterday when we got home from all the days activities, he was here waiting for us. I knew something was very wrong by the way he was caring hims self. As soon as we made eye contact , his eyes welled up with HUGE tears, and he let us know that he came home from work to find his kitty had died ... Our friend lives alone and Tomas was his only constant companion .. I know the heartache of loosing long loved critters .. and it broke my heart.. I think my husband and I were sobbing almost as hard as he was.. He was kind enough to help us into the house with our packages. My hubby took him into the living room and I made coffee , and we all sat and talked about Tomas and our memories of him and Our friend Shared some funny stories with us about him. Ok to make a long story short....

I have had 4 kitties here i have been looking for homes for... and one of them .. my Lil' Star just would not leave him alone...
He has always been a bit smitten with her....









He took her home with him last night (photo is of him and her in his apartment )... So Lil'Star Has a New home and our friend has a new companion..

I hope they will have many long years of happiness together.



Many Happy and Loving Blessings every one !
Ma Fey

Update:Rhipsalis - Mistletoe cactus: are Endangerd in Florida!

(photo is after cleaning up the plant and the planter )


I was cleaning up the plant and pot a bit and found a plastic hand written tag that said "Rhipsalis aka Jungle cactus." That was a serious help , lol, wish i had found this sooner it would have saved me all that energy I spent guessing at what it was! (insert head smack here)


I can not believe that with all the horticulture books, plant encyclopedias, cactus books, and flora and fauna literature I have in this house, I don't have but one dang picture ( and not even a good one at that ) of this plant BUT i did find some good stuff through comments left on my blog ( than goodness for you guys) and through privet emails with friends who own a couple green houses and the internet . ( and I have only begun to scratch the surface ... )

Guess I need to hit the book store ( used and new). humph!
(but, then,... any excuse to hit the book stores right?! ;P )

I have had such a blast the last 24 hours learning about a new plant baby.. There are so many photos out there of really gorgeous specimens of this plant, I hope I have as much luck with this one . Here is some of what I have learned thus far.

apparently these are:
a cacti, (not a succulent but that source could be wrong as I have not found other info else where either confirming or denying it)

a non damaging parasitic plant, living on trees ( again causing no damage to the tree itself).

usually found in tropic/sub-tropic climates and an "old fashioned" floral planter green, rarely used in the USA currently

and endangered as a wild species in Florida ( but I don't Think I have that species???? I want to believe mine was in a floral arrangement sent to the individual who had it first)


Names:
Rhipsalis (rhipsalis comes from the Greek word for "wicker")
Mistletoe cactus
Jungle cactus

Genus: Epiphytic cactus (to be epiphytic is to grow sitting on trees or to root in the tops or bends of host trees ... not exactly the definition, but I get what they mean )
Genus: Rhipsalis , aprox. 40 members strong ( give or take)
Family: Cactaceae

Other names I found for it: ( they had to have a photo that was a very good representation of the plant I am working with currently for me to list the "Folk or Common Names " I list here)
Old Man's Beard
Wickerware cactus
Witches Hair Cactus


Some Basics:

Slow grower

Higher water needs than standard cactus ( once every 2 weeks in the indoor environment when established; when ever the soil looks dry on top when rooting; and When ever the first top inch of soil is dry while out side in summer months .. this could be any where from every day to every week.)

Benefits from a tropical plant type humidity level as apposed to the dryer cactus type environment.

indirect bright filtered light for at least 2 to 4 hours a day in winter and more so in summer ..

Soil : should be slightly acidic composed largely of organic material ( some one even suggested I should grab up some oak leaves ( sounds good) and "hair trimming" -yes my hair - and mix this in to help enrich the growing medium... I will have to think about that one - the hair trimming thing i mean..lol) : best to use an equal parts mix of orchid soil, perlite, sphagnum moss or peat, crushed rocks , and sand,

Apparently it is safe ( so long as the soil quality is good) to harden off any cuttings for 24 hours ( but apparently no longer ) before planting it and it can be stuck back in the pot with the parent-plant so long as there is adequate room for the baby plant to grow.


in the wild:
Lives on trees in the tropics as a non parasitic plant which lives on a host such as a tree.. usually under the canopy as it need filtered bright light.

Effort to re-claim the plant (my combining of suggestions of many sorces came ot these conclusions that hopefully will work best for me) :

first I watered my plant-rescue and let it rest (going on 48 hours now). Because of the conditions of the substrate (completlly dry through out) and the look of the stems (some shriveled to death literaly and others on theier way to it), I now don't think overwatering was the problem. I think this plant had been left to dry for to long, and that is most likely its main source of distress currently.

Second, I peruned this in the following mannor .. ( as suggested by an local-ish botanical employee from Fort Wayne)
Gently grasp a stem that wasn't green between my thumb and first 2 fingers. Give it gentle but firm push with your thumb into your slightly seperated fingers .












The stems that are dead should just pop like... well what they were, dead twigs, and the ones that were still viable barely bent just like she said.

She also suggested I wait at the very least t 48 hours after watering before attempting any propagation technique to give the plant a chance to absorb moisture/nutrients since it was in such questionable shape.

any little stems or such that fell off i placed on a paper plate till tomorrow and will plant those as well to see what can be coaxed to growth and what cant.

So that is where I am on this rescue currently.


In the mean time, I am off to purchase some high grade orchid soil to mix in with the other stuff it is suggested I should use that i already have here.

Some other informations that has really helped:

I found a lot of helpful information on couple of the blogs I follow and thier owners were soooo kind to share what they knew. again THANK YOU !

Here are some other useful Places I found on the web if any one is interested. I will post new photos once i have repotted the parent plant and the new cuttings and learn more about my new to me plant... nothing like a new plant to rekindle a passion hey?

Blessings of renewed passion to everyone
Ma Fey

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services :
Rhipsalis baccifera (Sol. ex J.S. Muell.) Stearn
mistletoe cactus ;
"Threatened and Endangered Information: Rhipsalis baccifera (Sol. ex J.S. Muell.) Stearn...This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state. Common names are from state and federal lists. Click on a place name to get a complete protected plant list for that location....Florida...Mistletoe cactus...endangered"
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RHBA2



Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
Article: Epiphytes, Birds, and Coffee:..
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Science_Article/default.cfm?id=14

Cacti in the Mist by Renee O'Connell
http://www.cactuscollection.com/articles/cactusinthemist.html

Cactus Blog
http://www.cactusjungle.com/blog/category/costa-rica/
http://www.cactusjungle.com/blog/2009/03/24/mistletoe-cactus/
http://www.cactusjungle.com/blog/2009/03/25/closeup-of-an-epiphytic-cactus/

You Grow Girl
http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2007/11/10/windowsill-plants/

Michel Combernoux's Website Epiphytic Cacti
Article: Epiphytic cacti propagation
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/cactusepiphytes/z_page_multiplication.htm

Holiday Cacti /Christmas and Easter Cactus
http://holidaycacti.com/rhipsalis/

Houseplants- Care and Propagation
http://houseplantz.net/rhipsalis-baccifera-mistletoe-cactus/

Cacti guide . com
http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Rhipsalis
http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Rhipsalis&species=baccifera

Herself's Houseplants
http://herselfshouseplants.com/2007/04/old-mans-beard-rhipsalis-capilliformis.html

Rhipsalis Capilliformis
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/lifeforms/epiphytes/b0808tx.html

sftrajan's photo stream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57453294@N00/1802105280

Save Florida's Native Bromelaides-Epiphytes
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Frank/savebromeliads/epiphytes.htm

Help with Rhipsalis or Yikes! a much needed plant rescue!

Oh you Poor Poor Mistletoe Cactus! I Know the person who had you before now was no longer able to care for you , water you. and trim you back when needed ... But your hear now.

But should I cut and re start you in your currant condition , or should I water and fertilize you now and see if i can get you through the last of winter before cutting and re potting??

So meet My latest plant in need of a serious rescue


this is ( to the best of my Knowledge )
a Rhipsalis
aka: Mistletoe Cactus

and obviously a very old one.


apparently these are a rare cactus, or at least that's what i was told, but more research is needed as i have had little experience with this particular plant









I'll bet it was gorgeous in it's day
but now just needs to have a lot of stuff cut away

I think it is more like a succulent than a cactus but i need to check.

it obviously has a hanging nature.

wonder if i should put cactus soil substrate i it's pot or should i include some decaying woods and leaves as this is suppose to grow in trees .









I think i want to do alot more research before i make a mistake of hacking it up to do new plant starts..


hummm ok off to looking up what i can find on this baby.

Any Help any one can give on this would be seriously appreciated .

and I will update this post as I learn more

Poinsettia

the poinsettia

Every year , my husband buys me a poinsettia for our anniversary. It is a Much Loved ( if only by me) tradition we have . It doesn't matter the size, as that is usually determined by availability~vs~the wallet.

My favorite always has been and always will be the traditional/old fashioned red. Though I admit the purple and white i saw this year Really tempted my, but the red is my love. I carried them in my wedding bouquet and where central to all the flower arrangements for the wedding. But I loved them Longer than my second husband ( though definitely not as much as I love him)
Never say thank you for a plant given to you , it is said to be bad luck for the plant . You can acknowledge the gift with somethings along the lines of, " I can not tell you how much this will be appreciated." But No thank yous. You can explain why to the giver and i am sure they will understand .

The best poinsettia I have ever had that lived the longest was one we spent $0.99 US on. I had that one for several years and it out lasted others of it's kind that cost 12 to 30 times more. But alas, it met it's end last year .. so I am gonna try it again .


Here is a link to some really good poinsettia info
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/poinsettia/index.cfm

According to my plant journal, this is what I do to keep mine going so long.

With the exception of some hybrid/cultivators , poinsettias loose thier leaves! Don't assume it's dying or dead just because the leaves are falling . as long as the trunk and branches are green they are alive ! Stop fertilizing till you see it's first new leaves then resume fertilizing with a common house plant fertilizer every 2 weeks

my house is dry in the fall,winter months so i keep it among my other tropical plants and I mist it once or twice a week (even after the leaves fall )

i try not to change it's location to much. with the exception of moving it out side once night time temps steady to 65 degrees F or higher. I start to bring it in about late August working it into lower light and the house hold temp and humidity differences slowly.

and to "change the top leave color to red: at bed time starting in about the 1st or second week of October, i put it in the closet at night before i go to bed and take it out after sun set to check it over and give it a misting , water, fertilizer, what ever it needs at that time and let it sit among the tropical till bed time then about mid November i bring it back into the light , I should have red leaves by Christmas if all went well . (it's harder than it sounds to get them to go read again , BUT it does happen)

oh the poinsettia is a large bush in the wild( up to 10 feet) and with proper care can become a good sized house plant. so transplant it to a larger pot of good organic potting mix it every other year .

Good luck to you and yours should you try to keep yours going !
Ma Fey

Pedilanthus tithymaloides aka Devil's backbone, Zigzag plant,Jew Bush ...

Yikes! this poor baby is in need of a make over !!
meet my Devil's Back bone .. at least I think i have identified this properly as ...

Pedilanthus tithymaloides

it's a succulent in the Euphorbiaceae Family.

This one may be a variegated variety but when I received this it didn't have leaves so I am just starting to find out .

It (along with several others) was given to me by a home health aid who had a patient who had to move and could not take thier house plants with them .

The zig-zag shape of the stems are a dead giveaway for one of it's commen names , The Zigzag plant; but it also lends its self to another of the plants names, The Devils Backbone .

When the stems die and dry they turn very hard and white. These lend themselves nicely to dried floral arrangements when left tall and are very interesting additions in wood or floral crafting projects .

It is so over grown it's hard to know if the interesting turns and twist the branches are in are how the plant is growing or if these are remnants of some topiary form it once held .

Though after finding a few places "braided" , like in this photo, I am leaning toward the topiary theory...
I think.

Yup, Yup.

I'll bet it was neat looking in it's day .











The Jew Bush ( another name for this old fashioned house plant) likes Medium light and does not like direct sun light.

Apparently the light it was in previously was not quite bright enough as you can see from some of the first leaves, but I have read and seen other photos of the leaves and there are some solid green like these on the plant, but this plant had all solid green leaves , so I moved it to a bit brighter spot.











As you can see there is some variegation in the new leaf colors ( insert Big Cheesy Grin here), but again the "Variegated" variety should have some whites, pinks and darker reds ...
But i think i have the light .. almost right. which will help me find it's permanent home in the room it's in .

apparently there is a variety of Pedilanthus which the leaves of are used in the Philippines Medicinally . I don't think I want to try to use this one not Knowing EXACTLY what I have here.


As you can tell from this photo it is rather tall as well as unruly.. but now that I think I have it's name right, I can try to cut it back and propagate it.

(yes it's in the bath tub, my plants tend to get a bath at least every 2 weeks in the winter ) It's about 3 feet tall in it's current state.


This plant Likes to dry out between watering and being a succulent, can grow in cactus/succulent appropriate soil mixes.

It seriously needs to be transplant as well in to a mixture of equal parts, cactus potting mix, sand and leaf mold, and the cuttings will be placed in a mix of equal parts sand and peat to root ..






WOW! that's gonna take some doen' to untangle and make seance of all that .. but here goes......















Lots of new growth in there too .. that's very good news considering it sat from mid June till now with no leaves and no new growth . I was getting a bit worried i had killed it or it would never have leaves .

This plant apparently blooms with red "flowers" on the branch tips, which presumably lends it self to another of it's names , the Japanese Poinsettia.

Well, un-tangling didn't do much for it that I can tell , but it gave me a good idea of what there is to this baby. I think I may look into a large coconut fiber stake and see if I can tie the branches up and try to get them to straiten out.. or maybe look into a topiary frame of some sort... I am not sure yet. I bet this plant is over 4 foot tall if those branches where straight.

I think I am going to enjoy knowing and learning more about this plant...