Grown from a single leaf...

April 7, 2006 to November 8, 2007.

For my birthday a friend brought me a tray of African Violet leaves nestled in styrofoam cups full of dirt. She had given me cuttings from her splendid collection. It was one of those real gifts--like donating blood or giving up a weekend.

This week, one of them bloomed! My first! At last!!

(So the gestation period was, evidently, about18 months?!)

What is the botanical term -- there are three stalks just for flowers, with three buds per stalk.