Gifts of Nature

The entire 4 years that I have lived in my house at the edge of the desert, I have watched all my neighbors' agave plants bloom and grow and put forth that giant stem thingy that shoots out of the middle of the plant right towards heaven.  Mine just kind of sat there not doing much.  I worked hard to care for my agave, pulling the weeds that kept trying to choke it out, making sure it got some water now and then, threatening the neighborhood boys with hours of chores if they didn't quit running over it with their bikes.  And still nothing.  I finally gave up believing that my agave would ever flower like everybody else's. 

A few weeks ago, as we started packing to move, the agave plant must have sensed that change is on the horizon.  Imagine my delight when I walked out one day to find this:

This thing appeared overnight!!  Out of nowhere!  And it grows like an inch a week, I swear!   I don't think I'll be here long enough to see it actually flower on top, but that's okay.  I'm good with the efforts my little plant put forth. 

Thank you, Little Agave Plant, for the wonderful going away present.