…and she has to sit down to put her pants on. Why? Oh, overdoing things, just a bit, when weeding. Think I’m coming out on the other side now.* And I channel the wonderful Anne Bancroft…Though I think me dragging on a pair of jeans is somewhat less sexy than her in that scene from “The Graduate.”
I note that it’s been a while since I blogged. What is the punishment for such dereliction? Are we de-blogged? Sent to Coventry? Probably just removed from reading lists…
But, since I’m here…I have a few pictures to share.
We had several trees in our not-very-big yard which needed to be quite severely “trimmed.” Not with any blades we possess. Oh, no, these gargantuans had gone ‘waaay beyond secateurs. 
The left side of the house had been hidden by a huge Cassia fistula; in this picture it’s already been cut and fed through the grinder. And behind the blue wall on the right is the next target, a whopping Scheflera actinophylla. Sadly, this one had to be permanently removed is its roots threatened to take out that wall, plus a fair chunk of the fence. There are others, but they are not yet flowering. And once they do flower the birds will feast like kings.And excrete seed-laden waste.
The aftermath…
There was more, much more, too painful to relate…
But gardeners have an innate optimism and we are already making plans to replace some of what is gone.
And yesterday, as a pick-me-up after a week of creeping about like a wizened gnome, I went with a friend to the local Orchid Show.
Lots of lovely things! I think we did two circuits of the stalls outside (the dangerous area where things had price tags!) and then went into the orchid house, a more permanent display of orchids, ferns, bromeliads and sundry other lovelies. Yes, of course I had a camera…
A lovely Swamp Orchid, Phaius. No name tag.
Another tagless beauty. Isn’t that colour beautiful!
Paphiopedilum “Wossner Black Wings.” What a cracker! One day…
Bulbopyllum graveolens No varietal name that I could see.
No, not a hand of bananas- flower buds and back-bulbs of the one above!
I get a bit rattled when there are no visible labels. This is a Phalaenopsis, but that’s all I know. (Ditto the yellow one behind this.)
A Dendrobium but I couldn’t read the label!
A collection of Phaius. One day…
And now, moving on to my purchases. Yes, you knew I’d be tempted, didn’t you? I love the Vanda tribe, but have always been told they are finicky and I’ve only ever seen them growing beyond any height I could provide. But I am now a delighted owner of Vanda sp. “Pat’s Delight” and assurances that it will grow happily “just about anywhere here.” And if those aerial roots become a trip hazard, they can be cut back. 
Also, this sweet little Phalaenopsis “Allura Crimson Glory.”
It’s lunch time. At least, it is according to Sporran and who am I to dispute that. Pasta, I think. I have some carbonara in the freezer…
*I could probably have phrased that a little more delicately. No offense to my gentleman friends!
Sporran (black) is “modifying a cardboard egg box. Mr Ginger has found a cockatoo feather. When she was much younger, Sporran had a “thing” for shed feathers and brought quite a few home from her jungle (garden) expeditions.We keep them in a pewter mug , on the kitchen counter.Mr Ginger was pretty quick to learn this and now helps himself to a feather when he feels like playing. At least that’s less destructive than swinging on curtains!
Or consult your local Weed Police list!
Isn’t it nice not to have to wade through a sea of sameness? 