Succulents and More™

While I was in Germany , a lot was happening in the garden. The weeds were growing like, well, weeds, but far more exciting was the first wave of cactus flowers. Fortunately, my wife kept a close eye on the goings-on and captured the flowers in the photos you see below. All credit goes to her. Echinopsis ‘First Light’ ‘First Light’ is always one of the first echinopsis hybrids to bloom in our garden. The flowers are show-stoppingly beautiful. See for yourself. First one flower... ...then a whole bouquet of flowers On the downside, the flowers are fully open for just one day. They begin to wilt the next day. Echinopsis ‘Flying Saucer’ There’s only one echinopsis that rivals ‘First Light’ in terms of sheer beauty, and that is ‘Flying Saucer’. If anything, it might even be more spectacular, mainly because the flowers are quite a bit larger, up to 8" in diameter. But like ‘First Light’, they’re short-lived. My wife’s hand for scale Echinopsis ‘Salmon Queen’ ‘First Light’ and ‘Flying

Nürnberg, or Nuremberg in English, is the closest “big city” to my hometown of Hersbruck ( see this post ). Downtown Nuremberg is just 20 miles away, a 30-40-minute drive depending on traffic. The smarter choice is to hop on a train, which takes just 15 minutes. And unlike elsewhere (here’s looking at you, Amtrak), trains are plentiful and generally on time. Along the River Pegnitz Nuremberg has a rich history that stretches back over a thousand years. The city’s story began in the Middle Ages when it emerged as a major center of trade and commerce in the Holy Roman Empire . In the 11th century, Nuremberg became an imperial city, granting it a considerable degree of autonomy and self-governance. The city flourished as a hub for manufacturing and craftsmanship, particularly in metalworking, textiles, and printing. It also became renowned for its annual trade fairs, attracting merchants from across Europe. During the Renaissance, Nuremberg was home to artists such as Albrecht Dürer , a p