Orchids

lthough it seems that I am doing nothing but socializing and introspecting these days, I have also been spending some time alone and apart from my thoughts.  When life beckons, one must rouse oneself to answer the call.  What's been yearning for some attention are my poor orchids. The other weekend I made some time to tend to their poor, dried up and dull leaves and roots.

Have you noticed how easy it's become to get orchids over the past couple of years?  I was casually talking to my boss, who lamented about how orchids have now been so hybridized and inundated into the market that they are no longer "special," so he no longer buys them as gifts.

But I stil do! (My boss and I work on different budgets.) And I love to receive them as gifts! I now have a total of five plants: one from a co-worker, received two Christmases ago; one from Mrs. C, a birthday gift that she received but passed along; one thank-you gift from by bro and SIL, and two received as birthday presents a few months ago. Despite some bad previous experiences with orchids, they were doing really well -- up until about three weeks ago...

[orchids, shriveled]

...through no fault of my own, I assure you! They have been moved around a bit much, without my knowledge, mind, in an effort to find optimal conditions. Under the notion that orchids need a great deal of moisture, three of the orchids were put in the shower. That turned out to be too much moisture for them! I brought them outside and finally made some time to save whatever I could.  In cutting off dead leaves and dried roots, I discovered some mold (yuck!) but also that there was still some green at the very core.  I hope that means these plants are still salvageable.  I decided to re-pot them, take extra good care of them from here on out, and see what happens.

[orchids, shed]

[orchids, repotted]

The last orchid got put (by me) into a different bathroom (the one I use); (therefore)  it sits underneath the window and receives a nice amount of indirect light as well as some residual bathroom moisture, and is doing well, as you can see.

[orchid, thriving]

I am ever hopeful for new leaves and new sprays of phalaenopsis orchids in a year or two. But only time can tell what will become of all of these. Let's hope for the best!