tuesday blooms

-
We treated ourselves to three orchids when last visiting Louis Del Favero's Orchids on July 18th (and I'd link to their web page, but they don't have one, they're at 6601 Gant Road Tampa, FL 33625).  Two are in bloom.  This is a beautiful Dgmra. Memoria Jay Yamada, 'Kauai'
From orchids
These are easy outdoor growers here in central Florida.  Just be careful not to overwater and protect them from our infrequent freezes.  The next one is  a little one, but not the littlest of the collection.  I love these tiny bloomers!  It is a Phal. cornu cervi.
From orchids
We also purchased a "surprise" orchid, by which I mean they didn't have a blooming specimen, but I knew from the name (It's a brassia hybrid) that it would be beautiful.  I'll post a picture and the name when it blooms.  We just went for orchid potting mix...really, we did.  I justified buying the orchids by saying it's my birthday (and it was, almost).  

On the 11th of July we went to the the Tropical Plant Show and Sale at the USF Botanical Gardens and bought this Z. (zygopetalum) Arthur Elie 'Tombstone' New fireball x royal burgundy from Gross Orchids.  He always has a wonderful display and is happy to give advice, as are all of the orchid people we've met there. 
From orchids
Unfortunately, during a thunderstorm, a branch broke from the oak tree that shelters our orchids, falling on this new plant and breaking off the blooms.  At least, I took pictures first.  
The most exciting bloom for me is the tiniest one.  We've had this cleisostoma crochettii for a couple of years now, and this is the first bloom spike since we brought it home.
From orchids
That's a pencil eraser, in order to give the size some perspective.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

trellis lace bookmark

-
Image
It took me more time to make the written charted pattern for this bookmark than it did to knit it! I'm still learning how to use Apple's Pages. Just click on the link above for the pattern. It's free to anyone who's interested. I'm still pretty bad at making tassels. I think I may invest in one of those little tassel making tools that they sell at Joann's.  I found the lace pattern for this in Barbara G. Walker's Charted Knitting Designs: a third treasury of knitting patterns . Here's the finished bookmark: From knitting From knitting Enjoy! This pretty little orchid opened this morning. With all the rain we've had, two of the three buds dropped, but at least I have one flower. This is Pot. Burana Beauty. From orchids
Read more

leaf me alone, i'm reading

-
Image
I'll have to knit one of these to keep for myself one day.  I'm giving them all away.  Here's a new lace bookmark design.  I call it (actually, Wayne thought of the title) "Leaf me alone, I'm reading".  We stopped by Fiber Art, Inc . last Saturday and I bought 3 more balls of Mini Mochi in different colorways.  I've got enough now to knit 30 or so more bookmarks.  The pattern for "Leaf me alone" is here . I'm accumulating quite an assortment of bookmarks of all kinds.  The Ephemera Society of America posts an article on the history of bookmarks .  Yet another collection.  Add it to the dragons (I will post about them, eventually), orchids, skulls...can't leave out the knitting yarn, needles, and patterns (those seem to multiply like breeding rabbits!).  I have bookmarks in two books I'm reading now: Aimee Bender's  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake , and  The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume Four .    Ephem
Read more

Trois Fleurs Lace Bookmark

-
Image
I finally got down to typing up the chart I made for the new bookmark.  It has three lace flowers surrounded by eyelets around the edges.  The fun bead I picked for the tassel echoes the flower shape of the lace.  I found out that the Windows version of CET Knitting Symbols font works almost perfectly with Apple's Pages.  Almost.  I just could not get any of the alt-codes to work, so had to improvise a "t" for the more commonly used knitting symbol for a twisted stitch.  You can find the finished charted pattern here . I love the part where I get out the pencil and graph paper and draw the design. From knitting The finished bookmark looks great with this color-way of Mini Mochi yarn.  Blocking: From knitting Finished: From knitting Fueled by homemade turkey pot pie, I was able to get through the frustration of (still) learning Apple's Pages version of working with tables as opposed to Word.  The pot pie is to die for.  I'll share my recipe next blog.
Read more