So pretty on my counter . . .
by Lorna Barrett / Lorraine Bartlett
One of my favorite Star Trek The Next Generation episodes is "Cause and Effect," where the Enterprise is caught in a time loop. (I just love those kinds of stories.) In it, Beverly Crusher clips the dead blossoms off her orchid. A very BIG orchid with lots and lots of flowers.
They used orchids a lot on Star Trek, probably because they look so strange to most of us. Strange because people on budgets just don't plop down nearly $40 on a plant.
Several years ago my mother started buying orchids. Hey, I even bought two of them for her. (On sale for $20 and $17.)
Two years ago, I watched "Cause and Effect" about four times in a couple of months and decided, "Hey, I want an orchid." Do you think any went on sale anywhere? I had to wait until Christmas 2010. I was in the grocery store, picking up a few items and checked out the sale rack and, hello! they had a bunch of mini orchids for sale. I'd bought one for my mother for $7 the previous Christmas (oops, almost forgot about that one), and they had them on sale for $2. Hey, just my price range.
It had two flowers. One dropped off almost immediately, but the other lasted for two weeks. Then it was bare for about a month. I was sad, and I figured it would take a LONG time before it blossomed again.
Happily, I was wrong. Almost immediately it started to grow more and soon there were FIVE buds. Weeee! But then I forgot to water it for a couple of days and two of the buds shriveled up. Boo-hoo-hoo! But three have survived. One has bloomed and I hope another will soon. (I don't think that third one will.)
But isn't it pretty?
Now I want MORE orchids. I want different ones. I want pink ones and yellow ones and striped ones and spotted ones. I like that the blooms sometimes last for months. I like that they're so delicate and yet so strong. I like them because they're strange and beautiful.
I just like them!
What plant brings you the most pleasure?
One of my favorite Star Trek The Next Generation episodes is "Cause and Effect," where the Enterprise is caught in a time loop. (I just love those kinds of stories.) In it, Beverly Crusher clips the dead blossoms off her orchid. A very BIG orchid with lots and lots of flowers.They used orchids a lot on Star Trek, probably because they look so strange to most of us. Strange because people on budgets just don't plop down nearly $40 on a plant.
Several years ago my mother started buying orchids. Hey, I even bought two of them for her. (On sale for $20 and $17.)
Two years ago, I watched "Cause and Effect" about four times in a couple of months and decided, "Hey, I want an orchid." Do you think any went on sale anywhere? I had to wait until Christmas 2010. I was in the grocery store, picking up a few items and checked out the sale rack and, hello! they had a bunch of mini orchids for sale. I'd bought one for my mother for $7 the previous Christmas (oops, almost forgot about that one), and they had them on sale for $2. Hey, just my price range.
It had two flowers. One dropped off almost immediately, but the other lasted for two weeks. Then it was bare for about a month. I was sad, and I figured it would take a LONG time before it blossomed again.
Happily, I was wrong. Almost immediately it started to grow more and soon there were FIVE buds. Weeee! But then I forgot to water it for a couple of days and two of the buds shriveled up. Boo-hoo-hoo! But three have survived. One has bloomed and I hope another will soon. (I don't think that third one will.)But isn't it pretty?
Now I want MORE orchids. I want different ones. I want pink ones and yellow ones and striped ones and spotted ones. I like that the blooms sometimes last for months. I like that they're so delicate and yet so strong. I like them because they're strange and beautiful.
I just like them!
What plant brings you the most pleasure?
No comments have been added yet.
