Passing it Along

Ok, so I'm back a little sooner than expected, but I'm just passing on a message.
Josh wants everyone to know that, though he sustained a few minor injuries from the Man Eater (apparently the Man Eater's venom is poisonous, and so anywhere it got on Josh, he had angry red welts (really just on his arms, nothing too crazy)), he's healing up just fine. His injuries have almost completely gone away. He was sure that you would all be concerned.
That's all :)

Man Eater, The Final Chapter: Josh vs. The Man Eater

Alright, I know that I said that it was over, but I lied. Last night, Josh engaged the Man Eater (if you're totally lost at this point, please refer to: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter4, Chapter 5, and/or Chapter 6 in the Man Eater Saga) in an epic battle. Only one could remain standing. The Man Eater lost. Oh, how the mighty have fallen...
I have put together a commemorative slide show to uhh... commemorate this event

Before moving on with life, I just want to highlight some of those pictures from the night it all went down.

Here's the beast, minding its own business (or so it would lead you to believe...)

First, it was chained

Then Josh stealthily hooked it to his truck

He pulled, it would move a little, but did not come down (this went on for a long time, it was like some epic tug-o-war)

Finally, it tumbled...

And it flew after Josh and his deadly Danger Ranger

Here he is, the conquering hero, standing over his dead adversary



Don't worry, though, the Man Eater didn't go down without a fight. It took one of our stepping stones with it as it fell.

The End :)

Man Eater Update

So... two things... first... I never realize how long-winded I am until I write a post like that last one. Two... an update on the Man Eater...
If you recall, three months ago (pre-blooming) it looked like this...



Today it looks like this...



Sad, I know. It has indeed shrunk (well, according to Josh, technically it hasn't shrunk so much as it hasn't maintained its size. Whatever).

AND, as if shrinking weren't enough... It's now majorly leaning...



I swear the camera was perfectly perpendicular to the ground for this shot. So... due to the obvious pain that the poor thing was in (as well as the threat that it posed to our carport (and my car)), Josh put it out of its misery today...



The End.

Man Eater Update

Josh wanted to re-emphasize how freakin' tall this thing is.

Man Eater Update

Just a little update, What we have here is a three week progession tracking the blooms. Fascinating, I know...

In other news, I thought that I would add a photo to once again reiterate the enormity of this beast-plant.

Man-Eater Update

I'd like to take this time to post an update of the Man Eater. It has begun to bloom. If you notice, the top of the stalk is way up at the very top of the picture, and it has those little nodes growing off of it. Yay for giant Man-Eating cacti.
Meanwhile, sorry about the quality of the pic. It's SOOC, and as my computer at work doesn't have photoshop I haven't yet adjusted the levels on it.

Only Slightly Awkward...

This is the stalk of the Man-Eater as it stood a week ago (it's probably grown another two feet or so), three weeks since we first noticed it. It's huge. You can't see it as much in this picture, but it's easily higher than the peak of our roof. So, until further notice, our house is the one with the giant phallus in the front yard. Oh well :/

Man-Eater

This is the giant man-eating American Agave that lives at our house. Josh's grandmother planted it 40 years ago. It is also called a "Century Plant". This is because it only blooms once "every 100 years" (by this I mean, it doesn't bloom very often, and when it does, it's a really big deal). When they bloom, they grow a stalk that can get up to 25' tall (yes, feet, not inches). Our plant, being somewhere between 30 and 40 years old has never bloomed before. Until now. About two weeks ago, Josh and I noticed a stalk sticking strait up from the center of the plant. It was at that time, barely level with the lowest point of the roof. It is now above the roof.
Pictures to come.