Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day February 2012 ~ Rain~ Orchids

“Love like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots keeping itself alive.”

― Paulo Coelho, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

Sunset after Rain by Gene Sasse

The cars sparkled from the car wash. The new smart irrigation controller for the sprinkler system installed. It rained, inching Southern California ever closer to a "normal" rainfall total.


Emerald green grass thanks God for the rain and me for the fertilizer. The young coyote thanks us for making so many rabbits grateful for our lawn.  We will have to be careful. Coyotes do not understand the wrath that will come if they mistake our indoor pets out on their daily runs for free-range brunch.



Rest in peace, Whitney Houston. It was a revelation to hear you live as your star began to catapult toward the heaven where you now reside. You begged forgiveness for a cold. If you hadn't mentioned it, no one would have known your vocal chords were in the slightest compromised.  Such is the life of a performer. We who admire your craft took what you gave up for granted. Forgive us our impatience with your imperfection.

The best of who you were lives on through your music and the generation of artists you inspired.  


This month, this orchid is my private performer. She has a twin in a more sheltered position whose bloom is not quite as developed.  


Largely ignored since health issues hit our family last year, the orchids have proven to be quite the troupers. Now that things are settling down, their beauty radiates against a mostly green garden.

Love trinket box by Gene Sasse
Valentine's Day is unevenly celebrated here. My husband was likely on travel through many. How we are treated in the every day more than mandatory gift giving days that are important.

The year my husband bought me a car, Chuck next door teased him on behalf of the husband's union "How are you going to top that?"  This year, we split a pastrami sandwich from The Hat World Famous Pastrami , and I couldn't be happier than if we had flown to the best deli in New York. Presence trumps presents.

The blossoms of Magnolia Soulangiana fill the background

Seen through my living room window, a bird hesitates on the clipped branch of the tabebuia. While, most of the feeders have been allowed to lie empty for a thorough seasonal cleaning, the birds are thrilled with this avian equivalent to a people's protein bar.


Linking to May Dreams Gardens GBBD

Thank you to Good Reads for the quote about rain.




9 comments:

  1. A Beautiful Post, my dear....And such a LUCIOUS ORCHID!!! WOW!! Sometimes benign neglect produces miracles...!

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  2. Yes, Lydia, lovely post.

    I agree. The way my hubby treats me ALL YEAR round is way more important to me than having a special day (as Daryl says, it makes $$$ for Hallmark and See's candies)that you recognize your sweetheart. I told John to please ignore the day which we did.
    Just Eric, dad and me home for dinner and we had a lovely one with tasty pork chops, asparagus and tortilini with marinara sauce.

    As for your orchard I am so jealous! A long time ago Judy brought me an orchard for a hostess gift. Somehow thru neglect it stayed alive and looking nice. THEN John bought we orchard food. Fed it a tad and it killed the blooms! The leaves are still there but have split. He just transplanted it for me into a larger container. Keeping finers crossed that it will once again bloom.

    Hugs, Trisha

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  3. Lydia,

    Orchids are gorgeous. Old Lady of the Hills is correct about benign neglect in the garden. I have one of those and it continues to amaze me. Oddball bulbs planted in the most unlikely places, self seeding ageratum mini-beds popping up, my favorite tomato red geraniums providing color the year round, Ca holly loaded with berries,huge great grandaddy staghorn chugging away...lots of large trees....the garden is a wondrous place. XO Edda

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  4. Your garden is a little piece of Heaven! Just beautiful. I checked your friend's link ... orchids in the snow! Yikes. Glad it's her and not me. Our snow never lasts. Yeah! As for Valentine's Day, it is still nice to get gifts of love. It really stopped being a romantic day when it became Brian's birthday, but then my Darling always got me something. The day after he died (2-12-07) his son was here and found a little box in his dad's truck with heart earrings in it. He always remembered! A true romantic and I loved him for it. xo

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  5. aloha,

    sharing a delicous pastrami sandwhich sounds sweet, i'm sure you have alot of special moments that don't have to be justified as a valentine moment...love the orchids.

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  6. What a heartfelt post!
    And I loved the tulip magnolia in the background. It's beautiful.

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  7. Delicious word picture of our slowly greening land, Lydia. Here's to more rain! Your orchids look gorgeous through your new camera :-)

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  8. Thank you all for writing in. With about 60% of an inch bearing down yesterday, it is race to catch up on all I am behind on outside.

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  9. Gorgeous orchid, oh my! I have one that my sister gave me years ago for my birthday. It is still green, but hasn't bloomed since.

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