A Rainy Wednesday Morning

Glorious rain, soft and gentle, soaking the garden and saving me from at least one chore today. If it were just a little cooler, I'd go for a rain run. I love splashing through the puddles and feeling the cooling drops on my cheeks and soaking my ponytail. But I have trouble breathing in this much humidity though, so it will be a treadmill morning for me a little later on. Too many years of smoking and some damage is irreparable, no matter how long you've managed to quit.

So yesterday's Project 365 pictures are of the orchid blooming in my garden window. This orchid was one of the first things I bought for the house when we finally got moved in last June, along with the little greenhouse I discovered at Walmart-both were love at first sight. And my garden window is probably my favorite thing about our house. I keep it filled with my houseplants all winter long so I have something pretty and green, and sometimes even blooming, to add a little life to the drearier days of cold and grey. The window looks out on the backyard, all lush and green through spring and summer, then the gorgeous autumn tones take over the trees in fall. Full moons and lightening occasionally illuminate the window at night and winter snow storms make me feel as if I'm captive in a snow globe, fresh white flakes softly cascading all around.

I found this gorgeous little orchid at Lowe's, after I had already bought the greenhouse. I thought it was a perfect fit and a necessary splash of color for my window. It bloomed all summer long last year then when the flowers finally fell off, I wasn't sure if I would be able to get it to blossom again the next season. Nevertheless, I kept it watered and misted, the central focus point of the window, surrounded by my collection of Willow Tree angels and other tchotchkes I've collected over the years.

As spring temperatures warmed up, I moved most of my plants out to the deck or the front step to spend the summer in the fresh air and sunshine. My orchid stayed inside and sent out a new root, reaching to the far corner of its greenhouse. Then one day I noticed a new bud stem growing up! I was so excited that it was going to bloom again-another summer of gorgeous pink flowers to brighten my garden window! A wonderful gift of God's design...