Cactus saga

On my sister's place adjacent to CMO, there's a Desert Night-Blooming Cereus.*  To our knowledge, it has bloomed only on May 6, 2010 and May 3, 2022. When it budded out to bloom again this year (May 1), my sisters hovered over it so we wouldn't miss the event. It blooms during the night only. They contacted me, but after making so many bear trips** to the oasis, I wasn't able to go down last night to witness the grand opening. Here it is last night just before dark.

 See "Cirri" on ground in front of Julie and Ann

At 9:30 PM I got a text from my sister with this photo and cryptic message, "last photo." Nothing else. A little strange I thought. Just one, and not the usual dozens from all angles. I didn't give it any more thought. Never remotely did I imagine the truth.

Here is what Julie said on her Facebook:

"May Day! May Day!

The wait is over. After watching for two hours in a cold wind last night, just as Cirri was opening, I was walking carefully around her, wrapped in a fleece blanket, to smell her lemony scent, when the wind grabbed my blanket and smashed it into Cirri, killing her instantly. Gaby said it sounded like a snap bean. Not my finest moment!

Ann took Cirri home with her and she opened right up and still smells lovely this morning. Maybe she'll bloom again next year."

Personally, I'll be surprised if it ever blooms again. I have to admit, when I got over the shock, I had a good laugh about it! I feel horrible for the loss. Blooms are to them as birds are to me, but, what can I say? I found humor in envisioning their mortification!

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*To our knowledge there's only one other on her property and none on mine. The second one is smaller and has never bloomed. This one bloomed only in 2010 and 2022. The year after 2010 was the horrible drought year that killed tons of stuff, including half of our Cholla Cacti. Ann speculates that it took the Cereus 12 years to recover from that drought before it bloomed again.

**No more bear sightings at CMO. Problem seems to be solved. Eventually, we'll concrete the feeder to where it can't be moved and dispense with the electric element, but for now, we're good.