Yes, we're on tenterhooks here as well, not to evacuate, but whether to move plants into the garage and put up shutters or not.

At least I'm getting some cleaning up done in the garden that needed doing anyway. My potting table out in the back driveway is getting all cleared off and cleaned since it was nearly buried under piles of empty pots. Oh, my do I ever have a lot of ants out there!

I am totally playing Scarlett O'Hara on this whole Irma thing...I'll just think about it tomorrow!

In the meantime, my Stan blooms petered out, so that plant didn't make it to the Orchid Society meeting tonight (for our annual Labor Day pot-luck), so I was sad at only missing it by 2 days! There's another inflo but that one will probably miss next months meeting by a week or more. So I was not very excited about this meeting, but made a huge batch of panzanella salad and went anyway. I figured it would be mobbed (since members usually come out of the woodwork when there's food involved) but it was pretty slow and surprised me. I hardly ever buy raffle tickets (cause I think they are a little high priced) but I went ahead and splurged on $10 worth of tickets, mostly cause the plants being raffled all came from Jim Roberts at Florida Suncoast...and won 4 times!!!! I still can't believe it! 2 are in bloom and are just gorgeous! I'll take some pictures in the morning and post 'em...just had to share my news since I was so excited. At about 5 peoples suggestion, I even stopped on the way home and bought a couple of lottery tickets!

Hope everyone stays safe through Irma. From the news I've read it's expected to intensify in the next couple of days.

As of 7am this morning, she is taking dead aim at me! Good gravy.
I will start taking plants off the benches today and lay in some supplies. I made the invest when I moved here to purchased Miami/Dade hurricane shutters. They are supposedly rated for 200+ mph impact. I guess I am about to find out.

I am crossing fingers and toes for everyone in the path of Irma and hope you come through unscathed!
Bill, surely those shutters will work!

Our HOA rules say you cannot put your hurricane shutters up until a mandatory evac is called then they have to be removed with 3 days of the storms passing. , We are often gone long before and, like last year, could not get back because the county had closed the roads until they could be deemed safe. I thought after Matthew the powers that be would have lifted that silly rule.

I am tired and grumpy and still moving plants to safety.

That absolutely IS a silly rule, Alice. One I wouldn't hesitate to break if you need to. But the current storm track has it missing you at the moment, doesn't it? Looks like it's going through the Florida Straits and up the west coast. Argh.

We had shutters made when we moved into this house, too. For the first time in 10 years we're now considering how to deploy them and when.

As I see it only one model has it going up the west coast. All the others have it aiming straight up the coast toward us. As long as it stays over land and runs out of steam we should be OK but if it builds up steam like Matthew did then it will not be fun. The issue is just that being on an island we have to go, it is not a case of hunkering down. Out this way we only have one two lane road that has many many bridges as a way off/on. We could be without access and/or utilities for weeks. Matthew was a cat 1 and our county roads were closed for 8 days because most of them were under water. They had police limiting access to emergency vehicles only at all (3) roads that enter our county.

Whatever way it eventually goes, it looks like you So. FL folks will take it head on. Stay safe you guys and don't forget to fill your tubs. Remember, that water is for flushing not watering orchids.

But we could give the orchids a 'swim' in it before we use it for flushing. If necessary.

, you are right, I never thought of that. Phil just called to make *just in case* hotel reservations and all the hotels in SC are pretty much filled. Clerk told him the FL folks are on the way. Bad enough you guys get the highway (we are blocked from entering I-95 during storms) now you are getting our rooms too??? Sheesh!

I'm in the process of moving all my clay pots into the garage today and will bring the plants in Friday or Saturday depending on how it's looking. I tried to find some jugs of water and surprise !..they are all gone, no cases of bottled water either, I might have to buy some cheap sugary gallons of something and dump it, just to fill them with tap water !

Scarlett O'Hara here...just thought I'd share the gorgeous orchids I won last night for a mere $10 investment...











These are also blooming in my yard:

a noid Apopka den. (the camera finds more light than there is...it's actually VERY dark, almost black!)


And my avatar orchid, den. Enobi 'purple splash'


Here's Stan. heading for bloom #3
on 9-1


this morning, 9-5

I also took some photo's of our display table last night that I thought you all might enjoy in between filling bathtubs and nailing plywood!




This is a noid den that I thought was gorgeous:

very pretty orchid, but I got a kick out of the id on the 'entry' form!


This is the view out the doors behind the above orchids...our meetings are held at Selby Gardens...and the room overlooks Sarasota Bay and the Ringling Bridge. I thought it was a pretty sunset.

Wow, did you luck out, you can buy a lottery ticket for me any time. that orangy one.

That big orange one is fantastic! Congratulations on your "bounty".
Far too many pretty orchids on the table.
That Cattleya loddigesii sibling cross you won is gorgeous, I flowered it myself, very pretty, very full.
The sunset shots were like icing on a huge layer cake.
Again. So happy for you!

Thank you, thank you! Everyone was in love with the orange one...an audible groan went through the room when I picked that first! Funny thing is, I generally dislike orange--except in flowers---but I don't think I have any besides Golden Peacock in my collection and was recently thinking about adding an orange catt type (I think Elaine's Chief was the culprit!), now I don't have to!

Alice, I did stop on the way home for a lottery ticket!

Bill, I haven't looked up the 2 not-in-bloom that I won yet, so I have no idea what they will look like if I get them that far!

Congratulations Patty! You are going to love that North Miami...pretty and fragrant.Lois Smith and Hawaiian Thrill are stunning..I'm jealous!

Yes, great choices there Patty. I do love the orange one a lot. I'm the same as you with orange, some orange flowers are just wonderful, but anything else, nah.

My little bog orchid Habenaria rhodocheila is pretty happy these days, too. Cloudy weather this morning allowed a bit better pictures showing the color of the flowers.

Very nice, Elaine, such a happy plant!

Patty, I love the gorgeous sunset!! Looks like a good time was had picking up some very pretty new Orchids!! I must be channeling Lindsey, the 'Paradise' really sticks out!!