'Flower Child'

Hey Friends,

I know I've been missing for a while, so I hope you've all been doing well.  I've been trying to keep up with your blogs while in holiday mode.  Soon, all will return to normal.  Even though the holidays can be fun, I think there's something to be said for normalcy.  Now that I've escaped to the computer for a moment of solitude with a nice cup of green tea infused with spearmint and lemongrass (trying to have a Zen moment), I'd like to share something very exciting with you.  The first new bloom of an orchid under my care has been witnessed!  Yes!  It's true!  Here it is:

This is so exciting!

This particular orchid is present for all of our meals at the table, so she has ended up being named 'Flower Child' (FC).   I moved her closer to the china cabinet (should really just call it my teapot cabinet) :-) hoping to find a place FC might look more at home in, but it's back to the middle of the table with her for now. 

FC started out as a moderately sized centerpiece, but now she floats high above the table. Above is my view while seated.  Time spent at the table is even a little more special now. However, if FC taps me on the shoulder while I'm elsewhere in the room, it will be time for a pruning.  Yes, I just threatened a dreaded pruning if things get dangerous!  ;-)  

Oh, please excuse the bougainvillea in the background.  She just moved in for the winter, and is in dire need of a trip to the salon.

'Flower Child' in all her glory (taken last night before the bloom opened). 

Hope you all have a lovely week.  Until next time, keep on shining friends! :-)

Frazzle Dazzle Time

Hey Friends,

Just a quick note to check in with you.  I am a little frazzled lately, but still have to dazzle as most of us do this time of year.  I'm not complaining because this comes with the territory, but my job has demanded a lot of my time lately.  Before schedule dictates again (off to work tomorrow), I would like to share some of my orchid photos with you, and let you know how my orchid project has been going.

Allow me to introduce my office orchids.  Yes, I have my own little Zen garden-on-a-stand by the window.  They flirt with the passersby on the walkway outside, and have drawn quite a bit of attention to themselves.  I'm surprised they haven't been hauled off to the Human Resources office yet for causing a "disturbance." :-) These lovelies have been at the office now for three months, and all of them are developing new buds, leaves or shoots while they are still blooming.  Amazing;  I'm so exited about this!  I love how orchids (or any flowers) draw people in and become the topic of conversation.  Then, before you know it, a new friend has been made. :-)

This one hasn't lost a bloom in three months, and has new buds developing as well.  Thank goodness I finally educated and applied myself to helping orchids thrive!  If only I could have all of those that have gone by the wayside under my care back for a second chance!

This one is still alive and well too!  No new growth of any sort has been detected, but it hasn't lost a bloom in about three months either.

Now that the addiction has been confirmed, stay tuned for a later report on my bathroom semi-makeover.  I'm turning it into a greenhouse of sorts for orchids.  The conditions are perfect in there.  Don't worry, I will do this tastefully.  I am loading up a bamboo rack across the tub with them, and recently hung a 'Staghorn Fern' (one of my impulse buys at the garden center) in front of the window in the bathroom.  Said window is very tall, so there's still plenty of bright indirect light flooding in for the orchids even with the fern hanging in the window.  There's more than one way to get a greenhouse. :-)

Until next time, let's all dazzle even if we're frazzled!  

:-)