Fade to Black
9.4.22
Today I have been in a dark mood for whatever reason.
My usual pattern is to practice a few new pieces during the week, and hopefully have something in good enough shape to record and share.
Today I couldn’t get it together to get good takes of a couple more upbeat things I have been working on so I went with the flow and recorded this piece. I have been in this kind of frame of mind lately, so I guess its honest anyway.
The picture at the left was taken about 5:30 pm on 8/31/22.
The flower at the right is one from one of my large cereus cactuses. I have been growing these since the late 70s when I got a cutting from Aunt Evelyn in Rochester, NY.
My suspicion is that this might have been something she got from her father Hugo Teute, who started a greenhouse business at the turn of the 20th century in West Henrietta, outside of Rochester. Based on my understanding of things my great grandfather liked big showy dahlias and orchids, so this cactus flower fit his MO.
We will never know though.
The picture at the right was taken at about 9:30 pm on 8/31/22.
The cereus cactus flowers are about the size of the bell of a trumpet. They start to open at dusk, and are fully open around 9:00 pm or so. By the following morning, they are spent. They suffuse the air with a very attractive sweet musky fragrance at their peak around midnight.
The picture at the left was taken at about 9:00 am 9/1/22.