Caesalpinia Pulcherrimaa, common names are Dwarf Poinciana, Peacock flower, Red Bird of Paradise, Mexican Bird of Paradise. Pride of Barbados and flamboyan-de-jardin. I love the last one if I could pronounce it.
The dark and dank basement was haunted. Every time I went down to get coal for our wood burning stove, I had to walk to the back of the basement, where the funnel came through the wall to the place where they dumped our coal.
I could feel something, I felt as if there were someone there with me. I scampered quickly to fill the coal bucket and back up the stairs. We lived in a 9 room frame house, 6 downstairs and 3 up, and one coal burning stove in the corner of the living room to heat that house. Many mornings I woke up with ice on the inside of my bedroom window.
My dad always told me the feeling in the basement was in my head. But when I was in my 30's he admitted to me and my mother that he felt it to, but would never admit it.
41 comments:
These are the most beautiful blooms! I am enjoying your memories from the basement! Hope you have a nice day, Sandra.
Beautiful flowers! Beth here....I know the feeling about the basement....I would RUN upstairs!
Dwarf Poinciana is soooo beautiful. Wish I could grow it here in Canada!
Gorgeous flowers. Such a beautiful bloom.
I love your trivia/memories from the basement. I would be running as fast as I could (which was pretty fast back in my heyday as an athlete). I think this is the vist time I've visited your blog. It won't be the last!!
No matter what you call it, it is a gorgeous addition to your garden.
Dark, dank basements are where the things that go bump in the night live.
Hugs Madi
Love all the color!
I have never seen anything like this...it has such a tropical look!
Very pretty blooms- love the bright colors!
i was raised in an old farmhouse w/ 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom (2 parents and 8 kids). it had a dark, dank basement with a huge wood stove in it to heat the house. we woke up with frost on the inside of the windows in the morning, too. :)
I have been enjoying your header version of those graceful blooms. They look like happy flowers to me. Maybe your dad missed his calling as a physician.
During my childhood a number of my aunts' trips to the doctor would result in the pronouncement "It is all in your head." As pain or symptoms would persist they would finally go to another doctor to be diagnosed with shingles or whatever was really plaguing them. I guess your dad just didn't want you to freak out. Engaging post!
Nothing better than your own backyard! And I was a scared-dy-cat too as a child. If we'd had a big house like yours, I may not have made it. lol Thanks for the story.
sandra, these are fantastic blossoms and shots!
the header photo is lovely, too.
you have a way of making my day start great!!
xo
Oh my gosh, what an ending to your story!!!! I am now convinced that something bad must have happened in that basement. LOVE the pictures, I now wonder what the non-dwarf one would look like, are there any in Florida? How long will these blooms last? That is fabulous, so many blooms on that one thin tiny stem, it's a wonder it can hold up.
Beautiful pics! SO pretty! Oh the things we come up with when we are young....however, I am like that now too....what's up with that? ha ha!
I can help you with the last pronunciation...those flowers are really neat.
Beautiful colors and so bright and vibrant.
Stunning blooms. I have never seen this plant before. It sure does produce some real beauties!!
I can remember being a tiny bit scared in our old basement in the farm house but I don't think as frightened as you were! More stories?
oh no!!! that was nice of your Dad to finally admit to his thoughts but little good it did you :) The flowers are gorgeous-no matter how you pronounce them!
Wow! He finally admitted that he "felt it too."
Kinda' mean of him, to wait all that time, to share this, though. -pout- To me it seems mean, anyway.
“Now the noisy winds are still; April's coming up the hill! All the spring is in her train, Led by shining ranks of rain...”
~Mary Mapes Dodge
I can't pronounce the last name of these beautiful blossoms either, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying your photos. What did you say to your Dad once he finally confessed to his feelings in the basement of that house?
The house I grew up in, had a very old basement too. Dirt floor, stone and mortar walls, etc. Oh and a toilet down there. LOL. No sink to wash hands, but there was an extra 'pottie'.
And a work bench.
And a very old wooden cabinet, holding very old home put-up food. Naturally, we'd not eat them, since they had been there so long. But it was an interesting spot. :-)
I didn't love being down there. But I wasn't afraid to be, either.
Interesting memories...
“Now the noisy winds are still; April's coming up the hill! All the spring is in her train, Led by shining ranks of rain...”
~Mary Mapes Dodge
In my childhood it was my grandparents' cellar I did not like, narrow stairs with no railing, always chilly and damp... Back then in the summers they were still using the outhouse but in the winter there was the 'bathroom' in the cellar, a grey cement room with no tiling or floor mats or anything, just the toilet in one corner and a chain to pull to flush; and a rather scary-looking bath tub with claw-feet along the opposite wall.
Beautifl blooms! I just love the colors! Your basement story freaks me out! I wouldn't have been able to be down there!!! I would run and not look back!!!
Your story gave me a chill down my back.
Sometimes when I was very young I felt there were EYES under my bed. It creeps me out just thinking about it.
Okay...lets think about the beautiful flowers instead.
Love the bright and cheerful colors Sandra.
I love this plant, such vibrant colors. Haven't we all had a fobia for cellars, it was always scary to go down there. Hope you're having a great day!
Eva
Love the Poinciana, Sandra... Awesome little flowers...
Maybe a spirit was living in that basement... (I really do believe in them.) I don't blame you for being scared.
The old inn where we stayed recently gave us a report saying that ghosts were in that inn... In fact, when we were in our bathroom, we could hear bumping on the walls.... SPOOKY....
Hugs,
Betsy
So colourful... wonderful flowers to see..
Gorgeous photos and flowers.
So what to you think was down there or who?
Sandie
I sure enjoy hanging out in your backyard. Those flowers are so pretty.
When I was little I was convinced that there were little men living behind my dresser. I swore I could hear them talking when I went to bed at night.
Beautiful! Really beautiful...
I have some vivid memories of our old basement,from childhood. I never did like it.The flowers on the other hand are gorgeous.They are so brilliant.
You have the prettiest and most colorful blossoms, Sandra. I am enjoying the MadSnapper trivia posts too. Luckily, we don't have a basement!
In Arizona these are known as Mexican Bird of Paradise and they're everywhere. I have yet to see them in the area of Texas where I now live.
Now that's one spooky story!
Beautiful flowers Sandra! They remind me of the Dancing Ladies at the Hospital in Kentucky! Just gorgeous!
Did you ever research anything about the house that might had happened there before your parents bought it? I do believe there were spirits watching you.
spooky.....those flowers are awesome...
have you made your playdoh yet??? THH
lovely colors!
The Dwarf Poinciana is just gorgeous.
That must have given you a chill to find out your dad and mom got the same feeling in that basement. That is creepy.
your flowers are wonderful! :)
The story and flowers are a quite the blend of beauty and coal and the haunted basement. How come it got so cold in winter? Were you not in Florida?
Wow, so gorgeous! Love that color...
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