Last October I made some tissue paper flowers and attached them to my bloomless orchid.  I have a reputation with plants that includes the words ‘black’ and ‘thumb.’  I had convinced myself that my orchid was a goner but kept watering it to keep the stem looking green.  I’d read somewhere about orchid food or fertilizer or something like that but decided I would likely kill it anyway so why not save myself that hassle and money.  Over the winter I continued to water the roots although the time between waterings got longer and longer.  It wasn’t unusual for it to go 2+ weeks without a single drop of water.  So, imagine my surprise when I discovered this just a few days ago…

See that new budding sprout off to the right of the main stem?  That little orchid is a fighter.  A survivor, I tell ya.  But then I got to reading about orchids and it appears they go through a necessary resting phase every year usually during colder months.  Eventually, when they’re ready, spikes will form off the main stem leading to buds and flowers weeks – or even months – later.  So it appears my orchid is having a little resurrection of its own…just in time for Easter.  Now I feel obligated to keep this baby alive.  Since it is Earth Day tomorrow and all.

Anyone know how to properly grow and care for orchids? Do I repot, fertilize, water more, water less?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!  My orchid thanks you in advance.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

…we were in Florida vacationing at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  They live in a little Gulf Coast town called Weeki Wachee {pronounced just like it looks and pretty fun to say}.  Their backyard backs up to a fresh water canal which leads to a fresh water, sand-bottomed, crystal clear river which leads out into the Gulf of Mexico.  You can start up their boat in the backyard canal and easily be in the Gulf in less than an hour.  As a child, my siblings and I would stay with my grandparents for one month out of every summer, and we loved it.  {I’m sure my parents did too!  One month without four kids sounds restful.} Packing was light and easy:  a few pair of underwear, a swimsuit, a T-shirt to sleep in and sunscreen.  We’d spend that month swimming in the river, going on boat rides, deep sea fishing, watching beach sunsets, eating homemade comfort food, kayaking, catching lizards, paddle boating, picnicking, visiting my aunt’s goat farm, riding bikes and petting manatee.  Those summer days were long but never boring. We were very lucky kids.  Oh, how I wish I could go spend a month there every summer now!

Before last week, I hadn’t been down to my grandparents’ place in two years.  So, we packed up the car and the kiddos and made the 14+ hour drive down to Gigi and Great Graypa’s {that’s what my boys call my grandparents}.  I was so excited to see my kids experience it all. Neither of them had remembered being there 2 years ago.  Here’s a brief recap.

Poor Everett hadn’t seen his legs in months.  The first time I put him in shorts on vacation, he cried, “There’s dog hair all over me!!”  I finally convinced him it was ‘Everett hair’ not dog hair.

We did some swimming in my aunt’s pool.  She lives on a 20-acre goat farm further inland from my grandparents.  The property is like a sanctuary.  Every time I’m there, I forget I’m in Florida.  Who knew The Sunshine State had country?

I felt so inspired by the mossy trees, feathery ferns and rocky ground cover.  So much green!  We tried making buddies with the goats but they didn’t want anything to do with us.  I think they were scared off by two “baaaaa’ing” boys chasing them down.  We finished the day off with a down home fish fry complete with hush puppies.  All the fish was caught in the Gulf by my Grandpa and he fries up a mean batch of hush puppies to go along with it.  Mmmmmm….  Back at Gigi and Great Graypa’s house, we enjoyed cool mornings, boat rides, more homemade meals {thanks Gigi!}, fishing off the dock, grasshopper hunts, basking in the sun, fragrant jasmine, and manatee watching.

{Nobody tell them the motor is off and that they’re tied to the dock.}

With little to no cell phone and internet service, I was left with a more than usual amount of time to read every day.  I didn’t complain; I LOVE reading.  I finished these two books and highly recommend both.

{Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert:  a quirky, insightful, honest, and comical look into the history and future of marriage.}

{Apartment Therapy’s Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan:  a collection of small, inventive, creative, and livable spaces.}

A week of family, sun, good food, and limited social networking does a body good.  It was just the break we needed to reconnect and rest up.  Thanks Gigi & Great Graypa and Aunt Janice & Uncle Bucky for putting us up and filling our bellies!

What about you?  What was your favorite vacation spot as a child?

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking