Drive the old one, Jim.

Last time I bought a car, I took my son along since he does the future repairs!

How lucky to have a son that can keep your car running.

I just replaced the tires on my 1994 Silverado (yesterday), and thought I had an electrical problem as well. All I knew was that the "idiot" check-battery light was coming on. My alternator had to be replaced ($200) and the tires cost $600. It was kind of funny when the owner of the shop went out to check the tire size...... he sort of did a double-take. I saw him look at a front tire, turn and look back at me (inside the shop), and then look again. He came in and said: "You know that we replaced those tires the last time, right?" I said that he had done all my tire/brake work for two decades (on three different vehicles). He checked my account records and said the tires I had on my truck were put on in 2003, twelve years ago, and that in those twelve years, I had driven the truck less than 8,000 miles. He said tires are just not supposed to last that long. I told him this truck was my "baby" and I would keep it until the day I died. I told him that these new tires would dry-rot before the rubber wore out. Probably true.

Beautiful blooms Carol and Elaine! I love that David Sanders...it's gorgeous!

Jim, I have been drooling over your Stan for the last few days, wishing mine was in bloom....I have not been out in the heat for a few days, and finally braved it for a quick look at the plants a little while ago......apparently wishes come true when you arent looking...






I think there are 2 more bloom 'spikes' on either side of the big cluster? I'm SO excited...this was in bloom when I bought it about 3 years ago from Raphael and it hasn't bloomed again--till now!!!!

Then I spotted this little un-tagged gem:

Love the "untagged gem"!

Patty, strange tag on the Stanhopea cross. Both the saccata and wardii are species yet the tag shows capital S and W. When I see tags like that it makes me wonder. Anyway the orchid is still not registered. Both parents have showy flowers so I'm looking for something really special here. The spikes and buds look really good. I looked at mine this morning and it had already started to fade. Anyway, I'm excited so keep us posted.

No rain yet today so it is really hot and humid. It's a good day for napping indoors.

Jim

Pounding rains this morning and it looks lie we are in for at least light rain for the rest of the day. It just keeps coming.

Out in the OC, Ctna. Maui Maid x Mcp. brysiana has opened some flowers on the end of a 30 inch spike.


This is a NOID Dendrobium and someone once gave me a name for but I seem to have lost it. This one wants to sprawl and is walking out of its pot so I think I will tie it into a basket and hang it up out of the way. When these hard cane Dendrobiums take off, there is no way to contain them.


Jim

Heavy rain this afternoon and Odessa and surrounding area are on a flood advisory. I just went to the supermarket for a few things and there is standing water everywhere. Try getting wet in shorts and sandals and then walking down the freezer aisle at the store. Brrrrrr...

Jim

That NOID Den is really nice Jim, I love the white shadings on the petals/tepals. ?? My little purple NOID Den from Trader Joe's has been in constant bloom since May 1st and just opened a new spike yesterday. It is much more blue than the pictures show.

We've had rain most of today, too but I'm not quite ready to launch the boat yet. This is the weather situation where I envy you the protection of the OC. If the forecast holds, I'll be moving orchids under the eaves tomorrow. They've all had enough water today, and where it usually pours then clears up and the wind blows, today it's just been raining steadily without much wind. Much worse for the black rot situation. Wet, wet and more wet. Update on David Sander who is already out of the rain.

You just can't beat David Sander.

Jim

Just a final note before turning in, it's still raining, steady and hard.

Jim

Beautiful "stuff" Patty, Jim and Elaine!

A quick note, we just came back from from a really nice German vacation, we had a good time and now I will spend the next few days doing mountains of laundry and go through my many pictures. Tomorrow I can inspect the cage and deck, see what's blooming!

Welcome home, Ursula. We missed you, and your lovely pictures although you sure did a good job of staying in touch.

Can't wait to see what's popped out in your cage.

Raining hard down here too, Jim. Guess we're probably not going sailing tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a little garden work done between showers? At least it will be a bit cooler.

I woke up this morning at 7:00 AM to thunder and heavy rain. I couldn't find the 24 hour rainfall totals for Odessa but Holiday, the community just to our west, is listed as 8.25 inches. Yes, over 8 inches in 24 hours and it is pouring as I sit here with my coffee.

Jim

Thanks Elaine!
At one point I was without Internet for ca 5 days due to us being in a very pretty valley, surrounded by the Thuringian mountains. It looked like my IPad was connecting, but it just kept spinning, and phone service did not work either for those that tried.
Looking at the water level in the pond, we must have had rain but not in excess. It sounds like Jim's Gators are ready to greet him smiling at the house door soon?

I hope the ever approaching gators get the critters that ate my mangos.

Welcome back, Ursula! You did a good job of keeping in touch but we are all looking forward to catch up pics from the cage. Germany is such a beautiful place so I'm looking forward to those pictures as well.

Jim

I don't think I have ever seen such a large inflorescence or a more rich orange on my V. Sunlight Orange. My V. tessellate hybrid is a couple of weeks behind the Sunlight. This will be the third blooming for both of them since April.

Very nice Vandas, Ken. Good growing!

Jim

They seem to thrive on more sun than I have ever "given" them before. These two may have to take up residence in the fall/winter months in my (to be built) sunroom as well as my huge NOID Dendrobium, which has been in bloom for three months and is still throwing out inflorescences. Just getting those three out of my "Orchid" greenhouse would free up some space. I am now thinking of moving my Dendrobium a bit outside the canopy of trees so that it gets more sun. I am not sure I want it to become even more vigorous though. With 4' tall, 3' wide canes and 2-3' inflorescences, its about as big as I want it to be.

I don't know, Ken. My Dens get morning full sun through the cage. I think they might bloom more and grow a little less with more sun. Besides if it gets too big won't you just divide it?

Those are fantastic looking Vandas you've got going there!