One More Rite!

Four or five years ago, my wife suggested that she wanted to buy me an orchid for our wedding anniversary. Like my mother, I had often mentioned that someday I would like to try growing an orchid. Just one - to see how it did.

Unlike Mom, however, I actually selected one - a really pretty Phalaenopsis hybrid in shades of pink and white. And it has responded surprisingly well to the very moderate and casual level of care I give it. Every year its buds burst into bloom just in time to bless our anniversary with at least a few flowers. The full spike develops over the next couple of weeks, until it looks like the picture over there (taken this past weekend) -->

I will admit that, seduced by the success achieved with this specimen, I tried for a while to raise more than one orchid, but none of the others flourished - or even survived. Maybe Mom had the right idea, even if she never acted upon it - "... try ONE orchid ..."

Or maybe I'll try another Phalaenopsis sometime, if I just happen to see a particularly appealing specimen. But, whether or not I ever try my hand at another orchid, this one will always be very special to me - partly because of its beauty, but mostly because of who gave it to me.