Cactus Blog 

No cactus in this sketch. Maybe behind the house.

OK, so that was a lot of cactus salt and pepper shakers yesterday. But I’ve saved the best for last, and waited a whole day to post it. I was really tempted to post this yesterday, since it’s the best one, but I held back, kept my impulses in check, and saved it for today. But now that it is christmas eve, it’s time to share with you this final cactus salt and pepper shaker that I’ve found on the web. The best one, after all.

But you’ll have to click through after the break to find out who won the title of Best Cactus Salt and Pepper Shaker. (more…)

Offered here is a Vintage Made in Japan Cactus Salt & Pepper Shakers in excellent condition. Marked on the bottom. So cute for your kitchen decor and even one is missing the cork still in perfect condition!!

The dimension of each cactus is 3” tall.

These are perfect for the guest house out back, with the little kitchenette. You wouldn’t want these on your dining room table in the main house, or even at your beach house on Martha’s Vineyard, but it will go perfect with your retro decor and all the other knick-knacks you hide out back in the guest house.

i wonder how many cactus salt and pepper shakers there are in the world? I’m up to 5 already and I’ve barely scratched the surface. These are for sale on EBay, of course.

CACTUS SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS – CUTE!!!!

Well, I think we can debate that characterization.

From the Wing Thing we find some classic styling.

Cactus Salt and Pepper Shakers

These are vintage salt and pepper shakers that would be perfect for backyard dining, retro casual fare. There is no chipping, but a little bit of paint has worn off a corner (see shaker on the top left – the right hand corner) from being used. Otherwise, the condition is very good. They both have cork in the bottom and are 3″ high. Most likely from the 40’s/50’s. Probably made in Japan, but unmarked.

I suppose these will increase in value since they’re vintage. Not yet antique, but well on their way.

Now this pair is amazing. I think you’d want the salt in the cactus and the pepper in the vulture, but that’s just an opinion. On the other hand, I am the Cactus Blogger, so you will do as I say.

Vulture/Cactus Salt & Pepper Shaker Holder from Wrangler Iron
Length: 4.00″ Height: 5.75″ Width: 2.00″

Salt & Pepper Shakers are not Dishwasher Safe.  Sponge Clean Only.

Oooohh, that may be a deal killer.

A modern interpretation.

Cactus Salt and Pepper Shaker from EXPREZZO, the European design store for the home

I wonder what species these 2 are? I would guess Echinopsis terscheckii and Stetsonia coryne.

Cactus Salt and Pepper Shaker Set

Bring a piece of the Sonoran Desert into your home with the Saguaro and Prickly Pear Cactus Salt & Pepper Set.

I think that’s very nice of them to offer you such a nice way to bring a piece of the desert home with you. notice the details of the little cactus wren, and they caught the cacti in full bloom too!

Dry Stone Garden has a very nice winter blooming Calandrinia going along the sidewalk. Pictures ensue.

Not much going on in the news. People are focused on other things this time of year. Maybe a christmas cactus or two, but that’s about it. Well, let’s look a little deeper and see if we can’t find something in news.

Well, now this is interesting. Giant Jeans Parlor has turned a breadpan into a succulent trough. I’ll bet they drilled holes in the bottom, and then you’ll never be able to use it for bread again. They do have instructions along with this nice picture I’m borrowing:

Now it looks like they have an Aloe, a Anacampseros, and a Fenestraria (aka Baby Toes) in there. I’d worry about the baby toes getting too much water, but with a little careful care, it should do well.

Cartoon cactus
Holiday happy time
Be one with the wind, catch hold!

It’s probably too late to order one of these for this year, but keep it in mind for next year.

6′ PVC Cactus
2,528 Tips – 420 Clear Lights – Green

You know I’m sure there’s plenty of incredibly interesting things I could say about a plastic cactus christmas tree with lights, but then I think it would diminish the power of the image to speak for itself. And that is one powerful image.

There once was a cold spell in California
That frosted the cacti we sold ya’
The rain fell all day
the clouds wouldn’t go away
Until cactusblog wrote poetry in the morn’ ya’.

From Chef Gary Edward Hamel via Planet Green.

Cooked Cactus Sauce
Ingredients:
Onion
Corriander – Ground
Cumin – Ground
Roasted Diced Nopales Cactus
Garlic
Tequilla – Hornitos
Limes
Cilantro
Salt
Tomatoes
Chipotle Peppers
Veg/chicken stock
Shrimp (Substitute with fish or seasoned firm tofu)
Sweet corn tamales

Directions after the break (more…)

The nursery quiets down around 4pm on weekends in the winter. It’s a nice time to blog, but all I’ve got is this blog post about how it’s a nice time to blog after 4pm on weekends in the winter. Thin gruel indeed.

Yesterday I posted a fresh cactus salsa recipe from Big Oven, so today I’m posting a ground beef cactus recipe.

Ground Beef with Cactus
Ingredients
1 lb Ground beef
1/2 c Onion, chopped
14 oz Jar of cactus, drained
14 oz Diced tomatoes w/ chilies

Instructions for Ground Beef with Cactus
Cook ground beef and onions until done, drain off grease. Mix in the cactus and tomatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes. Posted to MM-Recipes Digest by Paula

That sounds pretty simple. You’ll let me know if it’s delicious, now won’t you?

‘Tis the season for teapots. Cactus teapots. All kinds and sizes of cactus teapots. Some are more functional, others are more attractive, and most are available for you to buy right now.

Tea for One By Decole Japan at Sugar Pine Beauty

Mini Cactus teapot from Mary’s Teapots at Tea Infusion

1 inch Cactus teapots for $2 each from Siamsmalls

Cactus teapot by FF Japan on Ebay Canada

And one more special teapot after the break…. (more…)

Tara’s photo of David and the dogs, Chirac and Orson.

Yesterday I was looking for a cactus version of Mr. Potato Head and I didn’t find one. However, today I found a class in how to make a Mr. Cactus Head. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it’s not nothing to sneeze at.

Little Digger’s workshops
Jan 11th – Growing Mr. Cactus Head
Feb 8th – Get down and dirty in the garden
Mar 8th – Bulbs
Mar 9th – St Erth Festival
Apr 5th – Heronswood Festival (Autumn)
11-2pm. Competition results, seeds, seedlings, craft.
May 10th – Cooking with Skeet
Jun 14th – Mr. Potato Head

Notice how Mr. Cactus Head comes before Mr. Potato Head on the calendar. Very nice. Now you just have to be in Australia to take advantage of this special offer.

Cactus Salsa
Ingredients
1 Jar Nopalitos; (cactus)
2 Green onions
1 sm Jicama
1/3 bn Cilantro
2 Tomatoes
1/2 ts Salt
1 Jalapeno

Instructions for Cactus Salsa:
Rinse the nopalitos well, and cut into small pieces, about the size of a corn kernel. Place the cactus in a bowl.

You’ll have to click through to Big Oven to see the rest of the instructions. I wonder what it would take to substitute fresh nopales for the jarred variety listed above so you could make fresh cactus salsa?

I don’t know what this means.

Cactus Head Minnow from danscustomflys.

I don’t know if the minnow is a cactus head or if the lure for the minnow is cactus head.

Anyway, I was looking for a cactus version of Mr. Potato Head, a Mr. Cactus Head if I were so lucky, to give as a very special gift, and this is the best I came up with. But don’t worry, I’ll keep looking.

Apartment Therapy asks the question What are the “Best Plants to Give as Gifts?” and I think you know the answer.

The Cactus Garden in Sector 5, which is Asia’s biggest garden devoted to rare and endangered species of Indian succulents, was named after its founder Dr J S Sarkaria today.

The decision, which came a long time in coming, has been lauded by the Sarkaria family as they had been demanding the move since a long time. A Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) official said the garden has been renamed as Dr JS Sarkaria National Cactus and Succulent Botanical HUDA Garden and Research Centre.

According to the weather report, we got down to 35 last night, but at the nursery we were 31. Those 4 degrees make a lot of difference. For one thing, I had a thick layer of frost on my windshield this morning. And for another thing, it’s a good thing we got the blooming kalanchoes indoor last night before the company party or they’d be flopped over and bloomless. Blameless too.

Frost blankets over the Agave attenuatas seem to have worked well.

Wool socks are standing me in good stead this morning.

Hot coffee seems particularly hot today.

Benjamin is particularly whiney about the cold, and well he should be what with no body fat and a tiny short haired fur coat. But he’s easy to fix – blankets and electric heaters seems to take care of him. I forgot the camera, or I’d show you a picture.

Here’s a link to a short video, well more like a still photo, of a snow covered cactus.

Capree at My Adventure is Your Advantage has a very Modern Christmas. No succulents, it’s true, but those mirrored christmas trees are tres moderne.

So here’s a succulent post link if you prefer. In this edition, Capree’s dog bites the heads off her baby toes. And there are pictures too!

At the Crucible’s Fire Arts Festival in Oakland.

Bizarro Saguaro by Robert “rigger” Kilpatrick via California Cowgirl’s flickr stream.

Here’s another gift item for your favorite cactus friend.

It’s a kitchen magnet from Swisstoons on Zazzle.

Buy it for the design, cherish it for the humor.