This time last year, my mom, sister, niece, Chris and I were sitting on a bench eating gelato at the City Market when this man and his son walked by carrying the most beautiful hanging baskets I’d ever seen. Mom and I both paused mid gelato bite to stare and point with our spoons. I stopped him and asked him where he’d gotten them. The man’s age was hard to tell. He was fit and good looking in a daytime soap kind of way. He said he’d purchased the last two at the booth and they were for his 98 yr-old mom. We thanked him and they went on there way, but that’s when I should have staked him in the heart for that plant because obviously this was a family of vampires. There’s no way that guy had 98 yr-old mother. That and the guy didn’t just take the last two of that day. He took the last two of that YEAR. I know because I went back every weekend for three months looking for that plant and they never had it.

A few weeks ago I was back at the City Market, this time with my brother and sister-in-law and there was my plant. I bought it immediately. Isn’t it lovely? It’s called a Chenille plant, at least that’s the technical term. I like to call it my Cheeto plant. I feel this is a more appropriate name. And it’s just gotten more lovely each day.