Shooting Star Black Gold Orchid

I brought in many of my potted plants to protect them from the recent frost. There was a wonderful surprise. The one orchid I haven't managed to kill yet had a stem full of buds on it! They have finally bloomed to my great delight.

This is a "Shooting Star Black Gold Orchid" according to the label, and it is a Brassia type orchid according to my "All About Orchids" book. Despite having a wonderful book on orchids, this is the only type of orchid I have been able to successfully grow. Most likely because it doesn't mind being forgotten among a bunch of bromeliads. So forgotten, that if it hadn't snowed, it's effort to bloom might not have been noticed at all. Poor little orchid.

Now it is enjoying a place of honor on the kitchen sink window sill before which I spend much of my time! Orchids make wonderful gifts. Their blooms last so long (especially phalenopsis orchids) and give so much joy. Then you get the pleasure of killing it or helping it thrive to bloom again depending on your orchid growing skills. Mine are about a 3 on a 10 scale.

This is three of the tomatoes I picked during the snow. Some ripened up...the others didn't have a chance to. We fried them. To make fried green tomatoes, Slice the tomatoes dip in egg and milk mixture, coat in flour and fry in about 1/2 inch of oil. Very yummy.

Me and my girls had a few minutes to kill between music lessons, so we stopped at Tuesday Morning to look around. We found this great quality reversible tablecloth. It's original price was $150.00. Way to pricey for me. Somehow it made it's way into Tuesday Morning wadded up in an unappealing ball in it's plastic bag. I was thrilled with the $19.00 price tag and purchased it right away.

It's great quality and I expect it to last a very long time if cared for. It's better to buy quality items that will last when trying to live a simple life. If you have patience, quality turns up in the most surprising places, and you don't have to settle for cheaper lesser quality items that will have to be replaced shortly.