African Violets...I’ve been doing it wrong for decades

I have a bit of a soft spot for African Violets. I love how old school and beautiful they are. I have never had any luck reflowering them after the original flowers die. I bought two this past year, and I have been treating them very well! Fertilizing, water, everything I can think of. But as usual, no flowers. So I googled ‘why African Violets don’t flower’. Well.....I have no idea where I got the idea about forty years ago, that African Violets could not take any sun, but I must have read it somewhere.....I was completely wrong. It is sunlight that makes them flower and I have never given them any. So I’ve moved my two Violets up to the window. Look, give them enough sun and this is what happens. 

The ‘Hedge from Hell’ is gone!!!

Here is a picture of what the ‘hedge’ looked like before. 

Oh happy day. The family behind us are building a garage in their back yard and the awful Leylandii Cyprus hedge that was over 30’ feet tall and grew about 12’ into our yard....is gone. They shortened it considerably about a year ago which gave us so much sun in our back yard, it was glorious. This is a dream come true. Here are some photos of the removal. 

You can see that there is a tree in there that is about a foot across. That wonderful 

machine pulled that tree out in about a minute. It was incredible. 

Victoria Orchid Show. What a lovely day.

This incredibly beautiful orchid is called Laeliocattleya Drumbeat ‘Heritage’ It was the best in show winner. I was so awestruck I did not get a shot of the whole plant. It is about three feet across and had may be 30-50 or orchids on it. The most beautiful and spectacular plant I’ve seen in 40 years of growing. 

I bought a tiny Dendrobium Amethystoglossum like this. 

I was looking for one of these, but there were none to be had. 

Oncidium Sphacelatum. 

This is a Pinterest photo of an Oncidium Twinkle ‘Pink Perfection’. 

I went to the orchid show with a wish list. This was on the list and I found a very small one. I am pretty excited!!!

I bought a medium size Paphiopedilum Yi-Ying Morning Sun. 

(This is not my plant just a lovely image from the internet)

Blc King of Taiwan

A very large flowered beautiful orchid I chose. (Also not my actual plant)

And to think we don’t usually get snow on Vancouver Island

Snow almost filling up our deck

Snow half way up the greenhouse and almost burying my blueberry bushes

Backyard and gardens buried

The fence over on the right back is five feet tall

We had robins in the willow all week. 

They were feasting on our holly berries the whole time

The street before it got really bad

Early on in the snowfall through my kitchen window

What do you do to keep warm in the Polar Vortex?

There is nothing like a fireplace in the winter. Curled up with a wonderful hot chocolate, or glass of wine. A Scottish Tartan Lap Blanket, cosy slippers and a robe. Your favorite book or music.