I have written about the influence my Uncle Dick had on the Mooney family. Everyone called him “Unc” because he was the only one the 5 Mooney boys had, and we spent considerable time with he and his Mother, Mary. In the past I have repeated some of the many bawdy, by the standards of the baby boomers, jokes he told. Today the humor is barely off color. Unc left a lasting legacy for his family in many ways. His beloved Idaho State University has a forever set of scholarships in his name that has started hundreds of kids on their way to a college degree. He helped each of the nephews with financial advice and support. We traveled with him and it was not a party if his unique laugh was not included. He passed away in 1992 at our cabin in McCall, which he helped us buy and was a place he loved. So why do I think of him today? It is Thanksgiving and we all should take time to recall those who made or make a difference in our lives and let them know. Uncle Dick gets a special remembrance this week for his love of the seasonal cactus.
On the back porch of the old Mooney house in Pocatello Unc nurtured the flowering Schlumbergera – better known as a Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus. Each season for as long as he lived the back porch came to life with the red flowers of the many plants. In the process of distributing the saved treasures of his life, we kept one of the cactus plants. The picture you see is Uncle Dick’s blooming plant a full 30 years after he left this mortal coil. The plant was old when we adopted it and Karen has taken over the nurturing of his legacy. A bit of research reveals that this plant originated in multiple species in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. In our climes there are varieties that bloom during Thanksgiving, Xmas, and Easter. It is now obvious to us that our plant is a Thanksgiving variety- which is known to be the most prolific flowerer.
These plants can live up to 100 years and are known as “short day plants” because they flower when the days shorten and the temperatures cool. You can order the starts on line and start a legacy of your own.
It is Hank’s birthday on the 22nd. Time flies and the young man will be 8. Those of you who read my weekly missive, know a lot about our friend Hank. Join me in wishing him the best day ever.
Thanks to all our health care professionals who have delivered compassionate care to everyone in our State. One could understand how they might question those patients who are only in the ICU because of their choice to remain unvaccinated.
Enjoy a safe and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. Mike