Orchids are a sensitive subject to me. I have two beautiful orchids in my home right now. They were both gifts from dear friends, as I would never dare to purchase one for myself.
One is a stellar, white orchid donning seven perfect blossoms down it’s stem. The other is a yellow and red beauty that looks as perfect as the day it was delivered to me. See it in the picture below?
Both of them were gifts during Christmas. My secret is this; I’m afraid of them. Yes, I can hardly look at them. I have to steal glances of their perfection because if I even look at them, they will die.
I have a friend in San Francisco (who will remain nameless, but you know who you are) who has given me fabulous orchids and I’d tend to them,
but not often, knowing that they like to be left on their own. I did invest in the special food for them. I kept track of when they might need the food or a tiny bit of water. They always died. She’d come to visit and I’d have lots of pots of green leaves, no flowers. I visit her and see her lush, amazing orchids with friendly blossoms dripping down their stems.
Why can’t I make an orchid bloom again? And with this being true, why are these two still living? I think because I do nothing to them. I have never fed them. I have never watered them. I have never even touched them. I only look at them when I am walking past them and even then, I walk quickly.
This weekend I’m going to San Francisco to see this friend. She’s taking me to The San Francisco Orchid Society’s Pacific Orchid Exposition. I’m very excited. I’m going to stare at all the orchids. I’m going to take pictures and dare them to die on the spot. I’m going to try to learn something about these fragile, mysterious flowers that are so gentle and beautiful.
Do you see how the yellow and red orchid, in the photograph, has a Christmas ribbon woven though it as part of the arrangement design? If I play my cards right, it will still be alive this summer, Christmas ribbon and all because I’m afraid to touch it!
The orchid I can really look at is the one on our papers. The potted orchid is shown above on our invitation and is great for a spring occasion you are planning in the near future.
Tradition means bringing something from the past into the present. It can mean a holiday tradition or something that is passed along from one generation to the next.
May Day
