Check out my Twitter Account

Hi guys,

You might have noticed that I don't post all that much here. I'll still be posting in the future but in the meanwhile, please feel free to browse my Twitter account (you don't have to be a member).

I post photos and stories on Twitter almost every day and it's a nice community of plant loving people, too. Looking forward to seeing you there!

https://twitter.com/LithopsStories

The last lithops flower and a butterfly (2 pics)

Well, looks like this is the last lithops flower this year. There weren't many but I'm happy with any I can get. The next excitement is watching the winter growers waking up and maybe even flower as well as checking up on seedlings. I've sown a lot recently and plan on sowing more soon. Watching those tiny blobs grow is a very special joy.

In unrelated news, I finally went to the Butterfly Garden in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg (ca. 30 min away from Trier). Oh pardon, I meant of course Jardin des Papillons ;) It's quite small but nice and very very warm. Like a little piece of Summer. Too bad it closes in Winter or I'd go regularly just to warm up. I took great many pictures but it was difficult to take good macros because they move so much. Surprisingly the only pic of which I thought the camera would never focus was the quite sharp one below with this very friendly and curious papillon. I feel like a flower now.

The service of Deutsche Bahn

Dear readers, as you might know I went to the Cactus and Succulent Market in Essen on Sunday July 5th and I would rather post a long report about that but there is a pressing matter I feel like I have to write about first.

Moving to a new apartment!

Dear readers,

I have neither been updating the blog for a while nor replying to your emails but I'm here and I'm well and I'm going to do both soon. It has been stressful at work and I have horribly neglected the plants due to that. I'm sad to report that some will surely not survive this winter (probably because of bugs, I don't even have time to check) but it can only get better from now on. In fact, it will get much better pretty soon since I finally found and rented an apartment that is big and sunny and perfect in any sense I can think of! It will also provide plenty of room for plants so that I can take care of them right after the move. That is also when I'm going to report on all the changes. I'll try to keep you posted on twitter if you don't mind :)

Now I have to run and look for moving boxes!

Kakteen- und Sukkulentenmarkt in Essen 5.7-6.7

I think I have some readers from Germany here so this is basically for you! If you live near Essen make sure you don't miss this!

Sa 5.7. bis So 6.7.2014

Kakteen- und Sukkulentenmarkt 
Ausstellung, Beratung, Verkauf
rund um die Orangerie im Grugapark, 10 bis 18 Uhr

http://www.grugapark.de/2014/kakteenmarkt.html

I'm seriously thinking of going there on Saturday, July 5th, even though it's a long trip for me ;)

Random

My Lithops had a surprise visitor recently. It didn't want to be discovered and found a plant that was best for disguise ;)

about my plant list

I've finally made a proper list of the lithops I own which now can be viewed here or via a link in the navigation bar to the right. I'll try to update it regularly. Most of the plants listed are provided with a link to an entry here in the blog where you can see pictures or other descriptions. I think it should help you get an overview of the blog and help me see what I'm actually growing :)

filler post

Two months to go until the Big Lithops 2009-2010 Change Comparison!! I really am excited to see my plants - I'm sure they've changed a lot since the last time I saw them. :) There are going to be quite some before-after posts here when I'm back, haha.

Having nothing new to show yet I only can go for archive pictures or unrelated ones for now. Like this old photo of my first ever lithops flower. This lesliei belonged to the second bunch of plants I got in a store. I didn't know anything about lithops back then but was eager to lern. The reward was my first lithops flower ca. one year later, that inspired me a lot. Like it happens, from what I hear, I lost this plant to the mealy bugs this year, but I'll keep it in my heart as the first one to blossom on my watch.

On an unrelated note, I just couldn't keep this photo to myself. There are swallow's nests everywhere here in Nara. They are so near you can touch them (but you don't!). These cute babies will soon be ready to fly~

Please click to enlarge!