My Snake Plant

My "Snake Plant" (Sanseveria trifasciata) is blooming. This is a very old plant. I started it about 25 years ago from one that my grandma brought my mom as a gift after my birth. The original is still alive, and has only bloomed twice. It's about 50 years old now (I'll make it just a little older than I am!). The flowers are not beautiful in a decorative sense, but very interesting. (At least I think so!) Each has a little drop of nectar where the flower separates from the stem. Apparently, the African violet and the snake plant (also African in origin) were among the houseplants Woolworth's sold in the 1930's. My grandma had beautiful African violets, and I have several plants that are descendants of hers. Grandma had a sense of humor. An alternative name for the plant is "Mother-in-Law's Tongue"!
I'll update my photograph as it unfolds!

January Thaw

We've had an unusually warm week. Temperatures got up into the 70's at the start of the week, and plant life is very confused. The daffodils are starting to break ground, and some of the Bradford pears are beginning to bud. Temperatures are trending downward, though--and we should be solidly back to winter next week.