Sarasota Orchid Society Auction

Every year our orchid society hosts an auction.  The orchids are supplied by growers that participate in our annual show in January.  It is the very BEST place to shop for orchids.
Last evening close to one hundred orchid enthusiasts gathered to bid on the plants they couldn't live without.  Bidding started at five or ten dollars depending on the size and type of plant.   It is so much fun!  You win some and you loose some and everyone goes home with something.  I waited all evening to bid on Paphiopedilum Macabre (right top).  Because some folks had left by then, I paid $22.00 for it.
The second plant down is Blc. Marge Putnam.  It will be a large plant, not exactly what I need on my small lanai but I loved the big flowers.
The third down is another Blc. Doctor Joe Walker 'Cotton Candy'.  It has a wonderful fragrance and is a gorgeous flower, don't you agree?
The fourth down is Blc. Meditation x California Girl.  Do you see a pattern here?  I am a sucker for cattleyas.  This too has a scent
And last but not least (and I promised myself I would not buy a Phal.) is Phalaenopsis New Cinderella.
It is the same color as a plant from my Mother's collection.  It died after 14 years of regular blooming.

Money raised from this auction goes for research.  It is a totally enjoyable evening for everyone.  Thanks to the growers that donated so generously.  I hope everyone will 'rebloom' their plants next year.  

Challenge "Fife"

Oh wow, I got lucky this week.  A couple of weeks when I saw the new tangle "Fife" on the Zentangle site, I had some fun with it.  So seeing as I have a room full of gifts to wrap, I will call on an already completed tangle.  That will give me time to do my ZIA gift tags.

Biggified and colorized

Christmas shopping was finished this AM.  Husband was off to golf, soooooooo I had some time to play with my water colors and markers.  I am trying to start an 'art journal' but don't have anything remarkable.  I find it difficult to use water colors on gesso and not sure just what it is I want to say.

"Biggify" Zentangle challenge

This Challenge was too much fun!  To get started I unearthed an old tangle, cut out a little frame from a magazine page and selected what I wanted to 'biggify'.  I did the second one and then used my little "frame" again and did the third one.  Usually when I step out of the box, I am VERY uncomfortable.  This was nothing but fun for me.  Thanks, Laura!

November Orchid Blooms

I love the fall.  Just when I think the summer rains and heat have wiped out my orchids, they present me with nice fat sheathes.  The Dendrobiums have been blooming since early October but the Cattleyas are just getting started.  Would love to hear from other amateur growers.  

C. King George Serendipity

Brassavola makkai

Dendrobium King of Money

Dendrobium Liberty White

unnamed Dendrobium

My Merry Christmas Poinsettia

Blogger frustration

Man oh man!  Either I have a problem, or Blogger does.  My orchids are blooming and I am wanting to upload some photos.  Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?  NOT!  When I click on the photo icon that takes me to my iphoto library, I get my photos from two weeks ago, not the ones I have taken since.  So after maybe 10 tries (not joking here), I go to "help".  What a joke!  One hour later,  after reading anything they had to offer, I try again.  No luck.   And then I decided the best thing to do is to 'throw up in public.'  Maybe someone else has this problem or better yet has SOLVED this problem.  I know I will never solve it with "Blogger help"  Any ideas???????

Orchid care in the fall.

Sunday is watering day for my orchids.  Because it rained last week, I haven't really looked at them for a couple of weeks.  Did they have a surprise for me!  There are buds everywhere popping out of their sheaths.  My dendrobiums have been beautiful but are on the downside of their bloom.  Now the cattleyas are getting ready to burst forth.  The orchid is a wonderful plant.  It likes to be ignored provided you keep bugs to a minimum.  I use Neem oil for that.
The first Monday in December is the annual Sarasota Orchid Society auction.  I can't wait.  It is an opportunity to bid on some different, healthy orchids.  Last year I bought three and all are alive and well today.  Wonder who will be joining us this year...