Good luck to all of you. We have been fortunate out here. One week in the garage and then everything back outside for the past couple of weeks. Lows here have been in the upper 40's.
Oh, Christmas present. New Acurite remote indoor/outdoor weather unit. Nice, inside/outside temp and humidity. Hi/lo since midnight/date/time.
I'll be hauling out the blankets tomorrow, for sure. But it says there's a chance of rain so I'm hoping the rain will go through and then I can cover everyone up. Don't want soggy blankets on my orchids!
Here's C. lueddemanniana 'Arthur Chadwick'. I have bromeliads with that same species name (lueddemaniana). I wonder what it means? I just know I can't pronounce it!
Thanks for the info, Ursula. I think I've seen his name on other species, too. I wasn't sure if it was a name or if it was a Latin term that referred to a characteristic of the plant. Now I've learned something for today!
Mellie, you should be safe waiting for the rain to clear. It is supposed to thunderstorm here this afternoon, and the wind is still out of the south with temperature around 50. The front is much more severe north of us than south, so you might not get much rain at all. I doubt the front will even get to your area before Tuesday AM. I imagine Tuesday night/Wednesday morning will be your lowest temperatures.
We are supposed to get up to 57 F this afternoon and then Monday morning will wake up to 17 F! Ouch.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)
The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Name: Carol Santa Ana, ca Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Ted, Aren't those things great?! It sure saves a lot of trips outside to check on conditions in the orchid shelter.
Enjoy your rain and snow folks! Around here the only thing saving our landscape is the fog that comes in most nights. Where the Sierra snow pack should be 15' deep, they are finding bare ground, the reservoirs are only at the 30some %, and my rain barrels aren't getting any action.
Eighty degrees and brilliant sunshine found me taking down holiday decorations in shorts and a t-shirt. It is hard to believe what they are saying about the forecast. Predicted lows are creeping up so there is hope. I have electric heaters positioned under the mango and lychee trees but haven't yet broken out the blankets. Let's see what they say tomorrow.
Jim
"Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." -- Steven Leacock
I just love seeing the neighborhood, as I once described, looking "as if a Bed, Bath, and Beyond" exploded all over it. People in FL really like their plants, judging from the number of blankets I see my neighbors using. Jim, you're right about it being a warm day today. I was sweating running around at MOSI trying to round up any caterpillars I could find (six Monarchs!) and lecturing all the chrysalises to stay that way until Wednesday because no one wants to become a butterfly in 30 degree weather. We do have a heat lamp in the flight enclosure and of course the lab where the caterpillars and chrysalises are kept has AC and heat but I still worry about them.
I'm going to have to mist the vandas in the garage; I don't want them to get too dry. I think I can use my little pump-sprayer without making too much of a mess - not that there's much in the garage that can't get wet.
Hi guys ! Wow so many great blooms ! Haven't had a lot of time we've been busy here on the farm, but here's some of what I've got blooming now.
More buds coming which I hope this crazy weather doesn't cause a problem with. Spent yesterday moving stuff inside, or around to make room.
All for two days of major "BURRRRRR " !
Barkeria whartoniana
Blc Little Lulu
Blc Booth Lee Venice
Vanda Robert's Delight
SLJinn x Encyclia priformis
Noid White Phal I've had for a long time and Brassavola Yellow Bird in background
Mj, how very pretty! They are all really nice but I especially love the Blc Booth Lee 'Venice', great color and what is not to love on that contrasting lip. And I am always partial to Barkerias, yours is a cutie!
Stay warm, all. Looks like by Thursday we are all back to more normal temps.
Very pretty, MJ. My favorite is the Cattleya Jinn x Encyclia pyriformis. (note the correct name according to OrchidWiz). Great colors.
It is still in the 60s here but I have decided to break out the blankets. I'm worried about some of the young palms. In a couple of hours from now, the yard will look like an army encampment.
Jim
"Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." -- Steven Leacock
Name: Elaine Sarasota, Fl The one constant in life is change
Finally have a better shot of Blc. Richard Mueller. This one does have a peppering of miniscule dots way in the throat! Lots of Yellow Birds to keep him company.
One little Lc. Goldbrad has opened on a really pitiful plant that lost most of its leaves to the black plague during the summer.
Little plant of Ludisia discolor putting up buds! The leaves are wet from the 10 second rain squall that went by . .. Prettier velvet texture when they are dry.
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Very nice, Elaine. The little Lc. Goldbrad is sure pretty.
The winds began to pick up around 11:00 AM bringing the cold front through Tampa. I was out putting blankets, lights and heaters around some tropical until 2:30 PM when I ran out of covers. Now it is really getting cold but at least the sun is out. I've done what I can do so it is time to sit back with a glass of wine and let the chips fall where they may.
With the sun shinning, the OC is nice and warm and a quick look around found a couple of new bloomers. First is L. purpurata werkhauserie 'Monte' X C. gaskelliana coerulea.
Another new bloomer is Rsc. Ruben's Verde.
Finally, another look at the fully open Schomburgkia undulate.
Jim
"Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." -- Steven Leacock
Elaine, the Lc Goldbrad is a cutie, I love it!! Nice Ludisia too!
And Jim, very pretty!
I wonder if the Ruben's Verde is scented, it looks like a digbyana on steroids! I have a similar one opening right now. I love the clusters on the Schom undulata!
I haven't noticed a scent yet but it is newly opened. I'll keep sniffing.
The all time record low temp for Tampa on January the 7th is 31 degrees. They are now calling for 30 degrees for tonight's low, so we may join the rest of the country in the record books. At least the wind has died down.
Jim
"Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." -- Steven Leacock
Name: Carol Santa Ana, ca Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Ha! We have the opposite record going. This is, so far, the driest winter on record. The local ski resorts (San Bernardino Mountains) are loving it...it's cold enough to make snow on the slopes, and no chains required to get there, while the weather is keeping the avid skiers from flying east. One of the downsides is that the fire danger is still very high.
I really love the Ruben's verde!
They are all really nice but I especially love the Blc Booth Lee 'Venice', great color and what is not to love on that contrasting lip. And I am always partial to Barkerias, yours is a cutie!
