Stargazing

I remember the time when I used to go the rooftop of a building and lay there stargazing; I was so carefree then. It's not that I was a loner. In fact, I go the rooftop to get in touch with family and friends by using a two-way radio system when distance kept us from seeing each other when practicing my profession was all that mattered to me. Being a member of an amateur radio group which I guess was a fad during my time, I was obliged to "check-in" with the rest of the group every evening using amateur radio terms. My enthusiasm with the hobby started at home where this kind of radio system was used by my father to check all of us his six children when he had to go home late past midnight. Where "height is might," this type of communication system requires a towering antenna with minimal interference to send signal for transmission. My workplace didn't have that kind of antenna so that explains why I had to climb the rooftop. Hahah.With my handheld radio and a 4-feet telescopic antenna, I was transmitting as far as 80-100 kilometers distance at 100 feet high building. I can still recall how I enjoyed talking "anything under the moon" with friends and family under those starry, starry nights.

Nocturnal site sings,

as pale, damp wind come lingering by...

Now, looking at my Cryptanthus, Dusty Emerald, I still remember those nights when I used to do stargazing on the roof top. I bought this Cryptanthus several months ago because of its uniqueness among other bromeliads: stemless with crinkled, elongated variegated leaves. I like how the leaves are arranged like a star growing close to the ground. And look at these tiny three-petaled white blooms. These meteoric flowers tend to unfold pretty fast.

shortlived "meteoric" three-petaled flower