GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)

Everything You HAVE TO KNOW about Dangerous Genetically Modified Foods from Jeffrey Smith on Vimeo.

That video was found on this page: http://www.organicconsumers.org/

American Chesnut Trees

Today at the dog park in South Park I noticed a sign.... I've seen these trees before many times, but did not realize what they were or what they were doing in, of all places, a dog park! The sign mentioned something about American Chestnut foundation or something to that degree. So there was my answer finally! Someone had planted American Chestnuts here in this dog park! If you don't know, American Chestnuts are susceptible to a blight that was carried into this country on the Asian Chestnut tree, which is resistant to the blight! But not ours! Ours have been affected by this blight severely. So....check out this site and become a member or volunteer! Save these beautiful trees!

http://www.patacf.org/patacfhome.htm

Paph. villosum

My Paph. villosum grew two new growths after the original growth flowered and eventually withered away, but I am proud to announce that the two new growths look to be growing a bud each! I am hoping against all hopes that it will bloom about 2.5 months later than it did last time so that I can put it in our spring show to be judged! I may have to move it to a cooler room until I want that bud to be opening up! This is what the first bloom looked like:


Last year and the year before I had my Phal. equestris in the show, but both times it was suspected of being a hybrid. Well this last weekend at the Orchid Festival a different vendor (than I got mine from), also had a Phal. equestris....suspiciously like mine! I asked Tim about it....he seemed to be into Phals and whatnot (he specializes in them!) and he agreed that it was Phal. equestris. I told him my story and I knew I had a good plant! It ***IS*** Phal. equestris! He said they come in all different colors and I even showed him my plant, a pic of the flower, and a spent flower and he agreed that I was right! So next time that I show it, I will have to let Tim know and he said he'd bring in a bunch of publications to show the judges. Maybe I will finally get an orchid named after me! One can hope... :)

This is a flower of my Phal. equestris:

Orchid Festival

So Saturday morning I was supposed to do the Heart Walk. Meanwhile, my alarm decided it had other plans for me. Maybe it was a good thing since I was wiped out and needed sleep badly. I woke up a half hour before I was supposed to be there and I could've made it except I had guests over and our one and only bathroom was occupied. So instead, I decided to go back to bed and sleep in! I made it to the Orchid Festival around noon-ish. Ended up purchasing two little Phals, a Masdevallia, and a terrestrial orchid that I can plant outside!

After that was over I went home and skipped the Halloween party we were invited to also because I just did not have the energy to stay up late and socialize and Justin did not feel like it either after his fiasco with the car.

This morning I again got up late, figuring that the Orchid Festival isn't nearly as busy as our spring show and I was right. I found parking right away! I think (hope) that the vendors were pretty happy with their sales. I hope it was worth it for them to come! I couldn't help myself...bought a Cyp. pubescens today as well as 5 double pot hangers for my Epiphyllums.

After coming home, I planted my Betilla striata alba next to my regular pink Betillas. I sunk my wild blackberry into the ground to save it from the winter. I will dig it back out come spring since I planted it pot and all into the ground. I also planted the saffron crocuses that almost washed away during the spring storm. They had all sprouted and was ready to bloom! The only thing I did not sink into the ground was my miniature evergreen. I think I might take my chances and leave it on my enclosed front porch and see. Worst comes to worst I can throw it in the coal cellar where it stays around in the 40s during the winter.

I think I am ready now...waiting for the first hard frost so I can plant my garlic. I am also hoping my mystery peppers will ripen up before the frost hits! Still trying to decide if I should sink a pot of grass into the ground also....probably should as well as the pot of strawberries and succulents. Need to find more space where they won't be mistaken for weeds!

I forgot....I still need to dig up my sweet potato vines once the frost gets them as well as my caladiums. They are getting there! The sweet potato vines are a bit wilty today. I wish I had a greenhouse! It'll be interesting by the time we move out of this house. I am taking my plants with me! Yes, the ones outdoors! The three peonies and all the orchids are coming with me!

I am quickly running out of space indoors....! Help!

I'm Not Ready Yet!

Looks to me like we are going to have our first frost this weekend. :( I am so not ready! All my plants are inside the house so they don't get frozen. My Bulbophyllum bloom is wilting. My Phrag. is about to bloom its second bloom. I have two more orchids in spike! I think they are finally getting the hang of blooming all year round finally :) We finally turned on the heat today! THANK GOD! It was FREEZING in here! 59˚F this morning!

I did my first clinical today, future in-laws are coming in tomorrow afternoon, Heart Walk Saturday morning (I hope it doesn't rain/snow!), Orchid Festival this weekend at Phipps Garden Center on 5th & Shady, and if I can handle it....a Halloween party. I might have to bail on that one! I am lacking in enough sleep as it is already!

Oh yeah, I also cut down my Black Krim tomato plants. :( Unfortunately I do not have any seeds from it saved, but maybe that big large rotten tomato I threw into my vermicompost bin will sprout :) I also moved my lilies back against the garage wall. Just need to pick the last of my unripe peppers and plant my garlic!

Fried Green Tomatoes

So I thought maybe it was just a fluke, but it seems like my green tomatoes were starting to rot. Why I have no idea. So today I cut them all off and trimmed off all the bad parts and made fried green tomatoes for the first time tonight! They sure taste unique! I think I like them though! :) Have enough leftover that I have frozen them for next time!

This just bloomed: Bulb. Sanguineopunctatum x Bulb. annandale

Just got this from Sarracenia Northwest and it was in bud! Look how cute the little flower is! It is Pinguicula emarginata.

This is Phrag. sangentianum 'Candor' x Phrag. besseae 'Candor Fireball'. This time it spiked and bloomed outside and the color seems to be deeper and the flower bigger also! Nature did it well apparently! This flower just fell off. It is a successive bloomer so the second bud is getting ready!

This is some sort of bean vine I saw in bloom while trying to find where they were filming a movie in my neighborhood. It's real pretty!

I thought this was pretty cool....this was taken at the Waterfront Lowes where a bee was eating from one of the Echinacea flowers in bloom. Looke closely...there are pollen stuck to the bee's legs!

Tomato Plants

My tomato plants are well above my head and was blooming like crazy, but lately...the leaves look like they got burnt by a hot exhaust or something. There are a few green tomatoes on there still...one is ripening up. Maybe all the rain last week did the damage?

On a non-tomato note....my Plumeria is in bud, but since I had to move it back inside it is trying to go into dormancy. I don't know if I'll get to see the flowers or not! :( My Paph. & Phrag. are still in bloom! Things are going well....indoor watering is winding up! Been quite chilly here lately...I love fall, but I am certainly not looking forward to winter!