I've long been coveting a carnivorous plant

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Last summer I visited a shop in Stinson Beach and got to talking to the shop owner.  His work space was surrounded by a few carnivorous plants.  I expressed my surprise that he was keeping them inside and would want such terrifying plants so close by*.  He said that you wouldn’t believe how many bugs they catch–bugs that he doesn’t have to hang out with in his workspac

Well, I didn’t think that there were that many bugs to catch in my workplace.  I noted his eccentrities and moved on.

But every since I notice dozens of bugs a day!!  And every time I see (or hear) one I covet his carnivorous plants silently chugging along to do their part in making a peaceful workplace.    Continue Reading

today

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I took a picture of my Columbine plant. The Columbine is the Colorado State Flower. I bought a set of six back in…way early Spring 2006 at one of my favorite places in the world… that one plant store on my favorite street in the world… or not quite there. Anyway, if you care, we’ll go there and we’ll have a marvelous time. I particularly enjoy their succulent selection. FYI, they’re closed on Sundays.

The Columbine plant blooms between February and March. I was looking forward to it. I’d never seen a Columbine bloom, and I wasn’t about to look it up at Wikipedia when I was about to experience it in the real world. So I waited. The Columbine is rather a fickle plant. It would seemingly despair during the extended periods of neglect the year held, but it would come back with a vengence with a healthy watering. I grew to respect it. To love it.

Only one of the six has survived. (Maybe one and a half. That other one could totally come back.)

According to a reputable source, Columbine blooms come in a lovely variety of colors.

Mine is white, it turns out. I have to say, it has the most satisfyingly detailed and delicate white little petals. And big petals. So exciting!

I love my Columbine Plant

I’m in love.

I have a new office. It’s in C.Z.:

My Office in Casa Zimbabwe

It’s a pretty nice office. I have more light than ever. Glare on the computer screen even. It’s totally annoying.

This is the mural I stare at, if, for some strange reason, I’m not looking at my computer screen. (Which I always am. For frighteningly long periods of the day. Satisfyingly long periods of the day, granted, but frighteningly. I close my eyes and I see Tetris. Wait. That was 1998.)

Mural in Casa Zimbabwe, 2007

The mural reads, “There is no realistic optimism.” And the buddies there are bleeding out of their eyes! Bleeding out of their eyes!! Thank god we saved those murals, CZ. They’re certainly good for employee morale!

Tomorrow, I have jury duty. I heard J. Lo was hella pleasant when it was her turn. But she spent the majority of her time TMing her friends. I totes have a role model, yo. I hope they have wireless.