Heartsick

I want to tell you about something cheerful below as it might help: My young dog is sick again and we spent last night in the ER together, lying on the floor as we do too often now. He is here at my feet again now, the place where he has gratefully chose to make his life. I ask you to think of him today and please send good things his way. I do not ask for much emotionally in this life of caring for a military family but that I have a trustworthy guardian for us when Josh is not here. I don't know what I would do without him. This is an agonizing time, please bring whatever form of mercy to which you subscribe to bear for him today.

Now, I have acquired one of these. Just one. It is also seated next to me as I write to you. A little joy in this frightening day.

This hybrid orchid is called phalaenopsis (fal-en-OPP-sis), the "moth orchid".


Citrine and heliotrope. It was impulsive, but I thought it would be lovely on the buffet. Impulsive, because they are notoriously fickle plants which bloom only for short periods through the year. I discovered this variety was a long bloomer after buying it: maybe it will have flowers for three months once a year. That is okay by me, no one can turn it on all the time.

Orchids seem to make a cult of their admirers and I am not into cults: Too time consuming and single-minded. I just wanted this one, maybe two, in the interest of symmetry. And I will learn something from a houseplant, which have long been flora non-grata here.

I have plans to read up. We'll see how it goes. All of it.


Understanding Orchids, William Cullina. Here.