Beautiful show Ursula! I love all of your Dens....what a pretty collection!
I am off to Virginia for a few days and want to wish all my orchid friends
the very merriest of holiday's!

Thanks All! and have a good time!

I am about to get ready for midnight mass. I'll be singing in the choir and playing the bells. It should be a glorious service. I wish all of you a Christmas filled with joy, hope and happiness. Above all, stay safe.

Jim

Here's my little rescue phal, that popped open a little gift for me! A coleus called Florida Sun Rose that I think looks very Christmas-y and my "pet" cardinal.

Such a delight to share our orchids with each other on this forum. Bless you all! Friends are the greatest gift.

Nothing new flowering just the same 2 paphs which seem to flower forever.

Heh, still looking great!

No complaints from me, Bree. You can post those beauties as many times as you like.

Elaine, you should close the windows and put your boots on. It just started pouring here and it is heading your way.

Jim

Snowing very nicely now, but this could be either a whopper of a snow load or fizzle out as a a lot of rain.

That intense band of rain that moved through here only lasted about 5 minutes. We now have strong winds out of the northwest bringing in cooler dryer air. Temps in the OC are holding at 70 degrees. I have one window open on each end for a slight breeze but the rest of the windows are closed. I'm glad I don't have to go anywhere tonight. The last report I saw called for overnight lows of 49 degrees.

Jim

Love those paphs of yours too, Bree. If I see them at the stores, I just can't resist bringing them home, even though I know they are probably doomed by the summer heat. As you say, the flowers last a very long time, though, so that makes it possibly worthwhile. I do have one that survived the summer, but no sign of a flower spike.

Jim, we had the same squall line go by and as you say, about 5 minutes of rain. It's still warm-ish but cooling off as the wind fills in, I'm sure. Hoping it will stay above 50 here, as I do have to go out tonight, so no chance to cover everybody up.

Jim , isn't it wonderful that all you have to do now is open a window..or maybe close it? Remember the old days with your wheelbarrow?!
I am just back from short holiday visit with my family up in Yorktown, Va and look what 'Santa' left me under the tree...
a very pretty double spiked NOID (just add ice!) Phal.
and blooming fragrantly in the greenhouse is B. Nodosa 'Little Stars'

Pretty Phal and I bet the greenhouse smells nice in the evenings. I'm so thankful to have the OC, especially in the winter! Lows predicted to be in the low 40s again tonight but a nice warm up tomorrow. Right now it is 65 and sunny.

Jim

Pretty Phal and Little Stars.
Oh that would be so nice to open the greenhouse now... not! But at least we didn't get a load of snow! The greenhouse smells so good right now too.

Off to see the Hobbit at the movies.....

Love the color on your pretty gift Phal, Ursula.

Yup, definitely a little nippy if you're not standing in the sun today. I am preparing to cover everybody up again tonight.

Jim, do you cover your Phaius out in the garden at all? I have big fat spikes coming on two of mine and would hate to lose them.
How 'bout the Spathoglottis and Epidendrums?

Yes, I will cover the terrestrials but only if the temps are to go to freezing. I have not seen a freeze warning for my area. The OC windows are closed and the temperature out there is 65 degrees right now.

Jim

Elaine, that pretty Phal is blooming for Lindsey! Sorry, can't take credit.....

The Hobbit was great - Imax/3D! If you are going to see it, I would advise to take ear plugs along, it was the loudest movie I have ever seen. Other than that I really liked it.

Cattleya percivaliana 'Summit' opened all buds, I love it!



And Bc Princess Teresa 'Princess Michiko' opens the first spike of the season

Well, you sure have some awfully pretty catts going there, Ursula.

I've got nothing new, but lots in the "Anticipation" category. Almost all my Phals have spikes or are blooming, and one of my NOID catts has popped a bud from a sheath that looked like it was dead and dried up!Whassup with that??

buds still look good though.

Show's ta go ya, never cut off a sheath, right?

I'll be learning new things about orchids until I die, won't I.