Orchids 2014

Santa Barbara has, each year, an astoundingly beautiful Spring orchid show at their fairgrounds.
I don't know when I first started attending, but I do know it is how I welcome SPRING!
(And where I buy orchids to put in my kitchen window.)
A few years ago- after my back was badly injured- I was waiting for an operation, unable to walk well and I went to this event because in a few days my operation was going to come. My husband thought this would cheer me-it did. Missing it would have been another loss. I remember how hard it was just to go through the exhibit once.
This year a woman in a wheelchair, lovely lady, asked my husband to take a group photo of her and friends. As she stood and went through a lot of effort for the picture I thought about how that was very close to my reality. With syringomyelia it remains always the next day's possibility.

When I go through the orchids now-it is interesting to think about the last few years.
This year the exhibit was not bright pink. It was earthier-greens, yellows, deeper reds. There were so many orchids that are a kind I like, ladyslipper like. They are shy, with secret thoughts.

I FINALLY figured out something. Apparently cruise ships dump in for the show-this year Russia or the Ukraine. Last year I think the ship was from Japan. One year Italy. I kept thinking there were massive amounts of people living in the area from other parts of the world that came to the show together. This makes for interesting people watching for me. Or my complaining about who is pushing into me, if you ask my husband! But I'm not terrifically fond of being shoved, it happens some years, and personal space in an orchid show is a negotiation.
We all want both to see but also "get that perfect shot."

I'm going to try to embed a slide show of the orchids. It was a stunning group of plants, and I got two lovely orchids at this wonderful sale they have. Several of mine are blooming now from past shows. Quite a remarkable part of my life.