Kalanchoe Care Special: Hen and Chick Flowers!

Coolest thing I've seen in all the time I've been keeping Succulents!

Pics above and right: The Red Robin Hen and Chicks I only JUST got for my Mom for her Mothers Day/Birthday gift. A month later, BOOM! Beautiful Bubblegum Pink and white variegated flowers! 

Left Pic: I don't know what I did, but now ALL my other Hen and Chick plants (who I must admit wintered here VERY well!) Are making Flower heads. This one is called a "Berry Blue" Hen and Chicks.

Right Pic: This is the Hen and Chick plant that started it all as far as finding Perinnial Succulents that can survive a Zone 4 winter! This is the "Desert Blossom" Hen and chicks and the biggest one I personally have ever owned. :P 





 Final thoughs: I have no idea what the other plants are going to make for flower colors but amidst all the excitement there is a bittersweet moment which is "Once they make a flower head, The "Hen" will die." Thankfully, the "Chicks" will continue to live and once THEY make flowers, THEY die.... and then the cycle just keeps going like that.... unless something obliterates them all!..... what that may be, I have no idea.

God bless and thanks for reading! 

A.M.

 

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 22: Succulent Arrangement.

Okay, I finally got some plant filming done after so long. Enjoy my first attempt at making a Succulent Arrangement! :)

                                      

After filming, I went digging around through the house and found an old bag of tiny river-wash pebbles to make for a nice finishing touch!

 

 

I made sure to not crowd the tiny leaf cutting and micro plants that were trying to hard to grow. I also stuck in the one last piece of Watch Chain and gave it some water. I don't think it's dead, just severely dehydrated.

In other news, my Christmas Cacti are all doing fairly well but they can't handle the extreme sunlight we've been getting so, as much as I LOVE seeing them out in the sun in their bright green colors, I dare not let them stay out there for fear of rampant burning. So, In the house, in their basket in the south facing window is where they will stay. :) 

My Aloe Hawaorthia (Or Aloe Astarte, I can't remember) Is making it's one valiant effort to flower. I imagine it wouldn't be so stretched if it was outside but again, super strong sun. The problem we faced this year was in the span of a week we went from freezing at night to ROASTING hot! And when you have as many plants as I do, I'm NOT lugging that many plants in and out EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Not happening. :P 

As far as my Christmas Cacti go, I wish I knew  why some of the leaves (middle left pic) have been making roots but NOT making leaves. :( Did I mention this has been going on for months and years for keeping these things? @_@

And the bonus Post for you all today is... (drum roll please)
"Anything can be a Succulent pot!"
Check out this adorable little Parrot pot I've had for YEARS after trying my hand at Air Plants (obviously it died) It has no drain hole but it IS un-glazed Clay so it will wick away moisture and I put a bunch of very small rocks in the bottom so it has a drain layer. Anyway, The plant I put in here is the "I-Don't-Know-What" Succulent. I've had this thing for a few years and it's never really grown much but it IS alive so I figured "Eh, what's the worst that could happen?" Really, this thing is just a stump at the bottom with a very short root network, so it should do nicely in here.

This will be watered VERY INFREQUENTLY! Or if the dirt dries out oddly fast. ;)

Thanks so much for reading all the way down. Sadly I have nothing else to say.

Honestly, there's nothing else to see here.

Okay. Here's a funny goat picture! 
 

Alright! Honest to goodness! That's All!! Nothing left to read!

God Bless and have a good day! Later Taters! :)

A.M. The Ocarina Player!

June Update: Sorry. Again.

Like it says, Sorry for no new ocarina uploads or plant updates.

Honestly though, there really hasn't been that much going on besides being swamped with butt-loads of work. (May was nuts) Though I did get one really nifty surprise. Apparently, Aloe Haworthia can make flowers! :O No, I had no idea this was possible either!

Picture is not mine. Just there to give an idea of what plat I'm even yammering about. :P

I have NO IDEA what color flower it's going to make (yes, there's only 1 little bud) but I was SO excited and surprised, I literally carted the poor plant around the house and showed every family member who would've been remotely interested: "LOOK!! It can make flowers!!"


As for ocarina work, I've been swamped with work to the point, I have not had as much time as I would like to devote to music. (I have made some time for piano though :)

Also, Once August rolls around, I will be getting a new phone, ergo, NEW CAMERA!! Hopefully, it will work better than my current equipment... meaning none at all as of now.

If I can't get a new enough phone to have a decent Microphone, I'm going to finally break down and get myself a smartphone Mic like the RODE IXY-L or the Zoom IQ7. Then, it won't matter how junky my phone is! I'll have one of THESE PUPPIES!!

 

Depending on if I end up with an Apple phone or an android, will determine what microphone I can get because most smartphone mics work with only a lightning port.... oh boy....


And that's all she wrote... for tonight anyway.

God Bless, have a great day and thanks for reading!

A.M.

"We are Gathered" Traditional Ukrianian Hymn on Ocarina.

Here's the "next weekend" upload that should've been up yesterday. :P

I'm gonna see about booting myself in the A$$ and get a vlog update for the plants made reasonably soon. (sad and decrepit as they may be from the excessively long winter...)  

On a side note, I was decidedly SHOCKED at the page counter jump after last weeks post. If anyone reading this contributed to that counter jump, THANKS SO MUCH! Knowing that someone out there enjoys my humble ranting and Ocarina playing means SO MUCH to me.

God Bless.
A.M.  

"Thrice Holy" Traditional Catholic hymn on Ocarina [Ukrainian Version]

I'M BACK!!.... and very sorry... :/ Work, work, being sick, my LG phone used for filming dying and my new phone is crap for recording and more work.... yeah... But hopefully I should have some ocarina stuff ready for Easter and a little into May. :) 

Today's Ocarina Hymn.... even though this should've been uploaded before Christmas.... *sigh* I'll get the latest upload done next weekend then you'll all be caught up... :)
The original name for this hymn, sung during Byzantine (or Eastern Rite) Masses (and orthodox masses) is "Trisagion", meaning Thrice Blessed which dates back to the year 400 A.D. (Yeah, old OLD hymn!) The more common name, as seen in the video is "Holy Holy Holy". 
There are many versions of this hymn but this is the version we sing in the Ukrainian church.... at least where I live. :) 
P.S. this is one of my favorites to sing. Enjoy!

Kalanchoe Care Update:
Everything is doing fine. I got 2 of my Kalanchoe to bloom again. My big yellow which never fails to please and my 2014 mystery cutting that survived the aphid massacre of 2015. One of my very first succulents lives on! :) 

My Christmas Cacti are all doing well including some new colors. Pink, and purple. 

I will make a video update for the plants as soon as I can.

God Bless and have a good day!
A.M.  
   

"Immaculate Mary" Traditional French Catholic Hymn on Ocarina.

Sorry about not posting this (or anything else for that matter) when I was suppose to but I have been sick and up to my ears in works of every size and shape over the summer. 

Still, better late then never. 

Fun Facts: This Traditional Catholic Hymn dates back to 1873 and was written by French priest and seminary director Jean Gaignet. 

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 21: Summer cuttings and new plants update!

I'll fill this in later.

"The Mournful Mother" Traditional Ukrainian Catholic Hymn on Ocarina

Have a Good Friday everyone! :) 

History: The Mournful Mother, a traditional Ukrainian Catholic Lenten hymn, was written to perfectly encompass the purest essence of what our Holy Mother Mary was going through during Jesus's Passion and Crucifixion. 
Even mentioning how in his youth (his Nativity for that matter), Mary knew already what was going to happen to him. 
How torn she must've felt inside for her only son and her God and savior, knowing beforehand what horrendous tortures he was going to be subjected to.

Even in the classic Christmas Carol "We Three Kings" it reads that Myrrh, the 3rd gift of the Wise Men, is for the time of mourning and preparation for burial in remembrance of the ancient prophecies that the "Messiah" would die at the hands of sinners. 

Can you imagine for even a moment what that must've felt like?...

Being a good Ukrainian Catholic, this to me is one of 2 Good Friday Cornerstone hymns, the other being a piece called "Beneath the Cross".
Personally, I have yet to hear in any way, shape or form a piece of music that can come close to matching this haunting, heart-wrenching hymn.

But then again, I must be dead inside because I've listened to this so many times I don't bawl my eyes out anymore listening to or singing it..... yes, I sing in Church. 
In Byzantine Rite (which is what Ukrainian Catholic belongs to) It's all chant.

God Bless!
Later!
A.M. 

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 20: It's SPRING! and Kalanchoe Flowering Success!

Like it says in the video, I'M SO SORRY for no updates over the winter!!! :( Also, I only just checked but WOW! I had no idea I've already hit 20 installments of Kalanchoe Kare. ☺ ..... and I've cleared 20,000 views!? THANKS SO MUCH!! Both to my music fans and fellow plant lovers. celebrate the little things, amiright?

Thanks so much to all you wonderful people for reading and keeping up with my plant adventures. You have no idea what it means to me. ♥

Just to let you know, there were 3 things I forgot to mention. 

1: My Kalanchoe specifically were ignored (water wise) about every 7-10 days over the winter and kept in a relatively dark place for not 6 weeks but 5 MONTHS! If anyone else has trouble making their Ks flower, it's possibly because of not enough time in the dark overall.

2: I never mentioned how my baby White Christmas cactus was doing. It's alive..... 2 out of 3 of the original leaves I made into cuttings lived. That 3rd one you ask? Something fell into the pot and snapped the base leaf in half. :(

3 My paddle plant rotted. Wrong soil. *cries* Time to find another one. :P

Finally, if anyone has any clue as to what the heck some of my plants are, it'd be great if you said something. ☻


Thanks again for watching and reading.

God Bless.
A.M.

Christmas Caroling on Ocarina.

Merry Christmas and God Bless all!! Thanks so much for another year of keeping up with my Ocarina and Plant Care series. :) ♥♥♥

Market Theme from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Ocarina

Enjoy! I'll type something here later. :P

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 19: It came in like a wrecking ball & MORE NEW PLANTS!

Okay, once again, I'm sorry for being so lazy with the updates. :/ At the least, here's a nice photo gallery of my new goodies. If anyone knows what some of my new tenants are, please say something. :) If you're wondering where November's Ocarina performance is, I assure you I have not forgotten... just... life keeps getting in the way... and Piano. Be on the lookout next Monday. :D

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 18: Elephant Bush?? and a Big Surprise!

As far as what my new plant cuttings are, I honestly have no idea. 
I'm going to need to search deeper into this but rest assured, I will keep you all posted on my findings. :3

God bless and have a good day all!

Later! A.M.

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 17: Christmas in September! New plants!

As I say in the video, I have no idea what 2 of the new plants are but they're totally rad and I heartily look forward to learning more about them!! :D Enjoy! 

[UPDATE]

Here's the actual list of what the new plants all are.

-Paddle Plant (duh) related to the Kalanchoe family and the Crassula family (jade plant)

-Living Coral Jade plant (double duh) (this is correct, the video is not. Will be corrected in future.)

-Woolly Rose (the fuzzy one) 

-Pat's Pink. (the peach one)  A hybrid of the Sedum (burro tail) and Echeveria family.

Let it all out from Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Ocarina

Sorry that this isn't up to my usual standards but I've been so swamped with everything you could imagine. Hopefully, I'll have new recording equipment by next month... maybe November... -_-"

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 16: Bonus photos!

Okay, so I'm sure you've seen in previous videos and pictures that for most of the summer my plants have been chilling on this weird, white tray thingy (I picked it up from the side of the road near my house...) but since it's getting to Fall where I live, that means any time the temperature drops to 10c (40f) I need to ferry my little lovelies into the house for the night. 

Problem is, that's close to 20lbs of water moist dirt and plant to lug in every night. Did I mention the screen door and the hordes of hungry mosquitoes?... So, I decided to take a cue from my mom's friend who lent me the crown of thorns: Put em in Baskets! All shot on my new LG G3 phone and color adjusted with GIMP. Enjoy!

 







On the left is the whole crew. Took me a while to find the right baskets. 
On the right is all my cuttings in one basket. You might call it the baby basket. XD Only ones not there are the jade and Christmas cactus.

The Bottom right is all my Kalanchoe adults and newbies plus the C.O.T.

Next in the bottom left, say hello to my new "Donkey Tail" or "Burros tail" plant. Really just a lil schafer but DANG! is it cute! 


I felt so sorry for it and all the other succulents on the display stand. I suggested to the store I bought them from to think about watering them because I'd feel terrible if their new shipment of succulents dried up and died on them so quickly. :( 
At least I saved one. (it was quiet a large selection really, they even had broken rock plants!! :O )

God Bless! Later Taters! A.M.

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 16: Ghost plant update and new Light room.

This year, I swear! I will make you all flower!! >:D 
If not.... oh well. You're all still pretty to look at. ;P

P.S. I am so sorry I'm late with this months update. Work, work and more work. @_@ On the bright side, I'm finished with my summer job. The downside, back to my regular spare driver job. -_-" oy vey... 

His Theme from Undertale OST on Ocarina

I Told you I was gonna do it! :) Enjoy!

Kalanchoe Care Chapter 15: Cutting update and Mexican Ghost Plants

Plant profile: Mexican Ghost Plant aka "Mother of Pearl"
(Latin name Graptopetalum paraguayense)

Click to read more.. ;)

Kamiki Village theme from Okami on Ocarina.

Here's the last Okami cover for some time... Not that I don't like Okami anymore but there's loads more music out there to play. ;)