Waiting for a beautiful, giant stink

Ever hear of the Amorphophallus titanum?  Maybe you know it by it's more common name the Corpse Flower.  Doesn't that conjure up some vivid images? 

We have one here in Houston that is about to bloom.  This is what it looked like on Thursday when I first heard about it:

All weekend they have been promising us that it would bloom.  Once it does you have 12 hrs to view in all it's fragrant glory. I assumed we'd wait until the air cleared to see this rare flower.  However, my 16 year old really wants to smell it too. 

But Lois is being a bit stubborn and is making us wait. 

So we have been watching the HMNS webcam to know exactly what our window of opportunity is for this rare visual and olfactory experience.  And that is why when I woke up at 5 am I hurried to my computer to see if she had bloomed.   

There is definitely some ruffling around the leaves that wasn't there when I went to bed.  But the bulb is still closed tight.  Come on Lois!  Bloom baby bloom!  (Can't believe I am so excited about something that smells like rotting flesh.)

I'll let you know all about our experience once Lois actually blooms.  I'm sure you can't wait!