Rainy and Chilly in So. California

It has been rainy here for the last couple of days (no complaints) and it's a little on the chilly side(60*). The weather focused my attention on my Thanksgiving floral arrangement--yes, I know--that was almost 5 months ago. But in November I gave myself 4 orchids to place in an antique Imari bowl AND THEY ARE STILL BLOOMING.  They were healthy plants when I bought them and were very inexpensive. When I got them home, I noticed that one spear/spike (right word???) had bent in half and and I fretted that the buds would die and wondered whether I should exchange it (but it was a big schlep back to the store and I am basically a non-confrontational person). The rest of the plants were gorgeous and bloomed profusely. One day (sometime after Thanksgiving), I looked over at Mr. broken spear/spike (I should have given him a better name) and a few inches down from the break was a new spike with one just-emerging bud. Little did I know that THREE of the plants would send out new bloom spikes.


My step-father was a world renown orchid grower who was one of the first to explore the Amazon to collect orchids and bring the newly discovered varieties back to the US--he even climbed the forest canopy to get to specimens. In the past I had always followed his instructions regarding orchids and had never been very successful in getting the plants to re-bloom. I would fertilize with just the right fertilizer, water only in the mornings and on schedule, place the plants in morning sun, etc., etc., etc. But with these guys, I basically ignore them; water when I think about it; they sit in a southern facing window over the kitchen sink; no fertilizer and not much potting material either. But I have remembered to thank them for their beautiful blooms and to apologize for not watering them more frequently.


Maybe they like all of the action at the sink? Maybe they like Mini Beast? Maybe sometimes in life it is best to relinquish control; so that those under our care can grow and stretch without being pulled and pushed....Maybe it is a question of faith that all beings are created with a certain intentionality and that this intentionality provides what is needed.  Still working on this concept as it applies to me--but it's coming.


(I would try to reorganize the photos, but I'm afraid of the software glitch coming into play. Can you see the dried out original spike together with fully blooming new spike? I have no idea why these photos came out with the black  background??? And they are not bad for someone as technologically challenged as I am. Those scars on Mini Beast are from when he was a big fighting tom cat--now he just likes to stick close to me and torment Maddy.)


Have a wonderful week-end.
Mary, Jones (and Cole)