Feathering My Nest with Orchids

It's a beautiful Spring day with morning temperatures around 50* and our high this afternoon will be 82* with no humidity. That is extremely pleasant for our part of the world, North Florida. Our high humidity and intense heat will arrive soon. I will fully enjoy this weather as long as I can with early morning coffee and reading on my patio or screened porch and the afternoons on my covered front porch sipping wine or a cocktail. Doesn't get any better than that.

This past weekend I was out of town on a girls trip. We went to Biloxi Mississippi to see a concert, Gladys Knight. Wow did she put on a terrific performance and a good time was had by all. While gone though I missed one of my favorite things, our Orchid Show which I haven't missed in years.  Much to my delight I came home and found several of my own orchids beginning to bloom and I want to share my "finds".

 

This one seemed perfect to sit at the end of my kitchen island that I pass a hundred times a day.



This one sits out on the patio. The plant I have had so long and it has gotten so big I don't even have a pretty container that will hold it to bring it inside. In the meantime it is enjoying where it is. I only have one bloom on it right now but there are surely more to come.

 

I almost always have at least one orchid in my family room.

It too likes where it is, a very sunny location. This one has been there for at least three months and has given me bloom after bloom.



And this is what I placed on my screened porch to enjoy while dining al fresco. I can also enjoy this from my kitchen as well when the door from my kitchen is open. Actually, the door to my porch is full length glass so while in the kitchen I can admire it all the time.

 

Coming home to all these beauty's made up for the fact that I missed our annual Orchid Show.

 

Now no girls trip is complete without some good ole "retail therapy" as we all know. I had gotten some inside info about a little town near Biloxi called Ocean Springs. What a wonderful suggestion from a dear friend. We discovered this fabulous shop called Hillyer House. They have artistic jewelry, handmade pottery, creative glass and it also was an art gallery. They feature 400 artists with an exciting collection of original watercolors, oils and mixed media. It was the most incredible shop, one of those places where you wanted one of everything. Wellllllllllllll, this is what came home with me.



 



This was a handmade piece of glass artwork made by Annie Morhauser who is an American artist and has work as part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. My photo doesn't do it justice but I felt this was a unique piece to place an orchid in, covering it with green moss and sitting on my dining room table. This will make a beautiful centerpiece and I can also use it for flower arrangements. I also found the candles in the same color, how lucky was that?

There were sooooooooo many beautiful pieces in this shop/museum that it was hard to make a decision. The truth is I may be calling them back and have them ship me two other pieces that I have decided I can't live without. Ooops.

I am linking this post to Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch.

I hope each of you are enjoying a beautiful Monday.

Carolyn