... for joy I mean ...
Dick and Nelle sent me an Orchid for Christmas. The joy of it came from the fact that Dick had noticed me gasping and spluttering, tears springing to the eyes when we visited the Orchid Room at Longwood Gardens in early December. When the plant arrived in a long box all the way from Florida, the gasping, spluttering and tears sprang to my again again. He had noticed, remembered and cared enough to spend hours on the Internet finding one for me.
I guess joy comes with tears.
The Christmas cactus is eighteen years old. The move took his breath away and come October, for the first time ever, there was not a bud in sight. I carried him carefully into my study huffing and puffing, wrapping my arms around the old clay pot he has lived in for so long. Placed him on a pedestal close to all the other plants in my room in full view of Fairmount Park and the winter sunshine. Buds began to sprout and the first ones opened during Christmas week. As I write he sits blooming and blossoming next to me, a waterfall of color. He survived.
It is amazing what wrapping your arms around something can do for it, don't you think?
beautiful
Posted by: nappy40 | January 11, 2006 at 10:07 AM
I **LOVE** orchids. There's a great non-fiction book by Susan Orlean called 'The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession' you should check out... I read it years ago and loved it. I can also recommend 'Orchid Fever' by Eric Hansen.
Posted by: kimbofo | January 11, 2006 at 02:37 PM
Kimbofo, I don't know the Orchid Thief but I did find the movie "Adaptation" intriguing - based on the book:
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?021209fr_archive02
Posted by: Tamar | January 11, 2006 at 07:22 PM
Thanks for the link, Tamar. I never got to see Adaptation, mainly because I tend to baulk against anything starring Nicholas Cage, but maybe I should swallow my distaste and check it out.
Posted by: kimbofo | January 13, 2006 at 01:47 PM
It's an interesting ... weird movie, kimbofo. Am not sure if I actually liked it and you get a double dose of Nicholas Cage who plays two characters - brothers. So that might be a bit much for you : ) Lots of interesting twists and turns. I recommend it but don't guarantee you will *enjoy* it!
Posted by: Tamar | January 13, 2006 at 06:08 PM