The T-shirt reads “Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.” Yeah, but what do you call people who make custom carnivorous plant arrangements for charity silent auctions? Well, other than “certifiable”?
In classic Harlan Ellison fashion, I started with the punchline, and now it’s time for the preamble.
For the last several years, the Czarina and I have had the singular pleasure of knowing and hanging out with the collective of genius and madness known in Dallas as Hold Fast Tattoos. Dallas has a lot of tattoo venues, but nothing compares to the Algonquin writing circle of oddball culture and deep thought that this place attracts. As of late, I stop by when I pick up the Czarina from her day job on Saturday afternoons, compare notes with the crew on the latest bit of odd science news, and get out before they smoke me on physics knowledge.
Anyway, one of the many interesting people there is Kira, a regular tattooist and piercing specialist who recently had serious medical issues. The HoldFast crew immediately rallied friends and customers to help out, culminating with the Kira’s Benefit party and silent auction. Both because of Kira’s love of carnivorous plants and because I wanted to chip in, I entered a new beginner-friendly carnivorous plant arrangement to the silent auction. Introducing “Denham” (2013):
As mentioned previously, this is a beginner’s arrangement, so it incorporates a small Nepenthes alata pitcher plant and an equally small Drosera spatulata sundew, with additional mosses, ferns, and Tillandsia air plants. This arrangement also incorporates glass, resin, and cork elements to make a living diorama. Give this plenty of indirect sun or bright artificial light and either rainwater or distilled water, and both the pitcher plant and the ferns should take over most of the container.
As of this evening, this arrangement will be on display at Hold Fast Tattoo, for those wanting to bid on it in the silent auction. Get your bids in now, and good luck.
