Surprise, Surprise

The first flowers growing outside

and Kumquats growing inside, in my greenhouse. 

 I had no idea that Kumquats were forming on my little tree. 
 I couldn't see them when they were green.  

Brought these candied Kumquats from Italy. 
Wish I knew the recipe. 

Have a lovely weekend dear friends, 

Gina 

Grafton

Grafton today

Alive and well.

Where on a starry night and in the middle of Summer you can dance with the descendants from this almost forgotten place of the American West.  

Really not forgotten because of a catchy little tune 

from the Movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".  

The open space in front of the old schoolhouse was the perfect place to film the now famous bicycle ride scene.  

The marker announces "Killed by Indians April 2, 1866".

Gravestones are everywhere.  Mounds of graves, unmarked, are everywhere.  

I had the uneasy feeling that I was walking on their graves.  In fact, I fell over that stone in front of the enclosed gravesite.  

Too young to die.

It's a lovely valley.

 Brigham Young, the leader of the Mormon Church, sent his followers to this valley with the mandate to grow cotton. 

My Friend and every day walking partner Lynn has added this interesting note about this charming little house:

It was actually my great, great Grandfather who built this house.  My Grandfather was born and raised in Grafton.  One of the sweet things about the house is the detail in the brick, especially the foundation.  When they came to Grafton, of course it wasn't full of pastures and orchards as it is now, and I think he wanted something pretty for his wife in what must have seemed a God-forsaken place.  To have taken the extra time to make that brick detail seems a lovely thing to me.  

The house Lynn's great, great Grandfather built.  

There it is on the left. 

Many from the same family.

Repeated floods, Indian raids and famine finally drove out the last resident in 1945. 

And did you know that Zion National Park is just a half hour drive down the road?  

Wishing you a wonderful week. 

Gina 

The not-to-be-forgotten bicycle ride

Grafton Utah, near Zion National Park

It takes about half an hour from the charming little town of Springdale to drive to the ghost town of Grafton, Utah.

Grafton, near Zion National Park, Utah was the filming site for
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31qhtm

Have a great weekend dear friends, 


Gina 

I was there, a Quiz

I was there, yesterday

Do you recognize this place?  

Many of you have seen it. 

Maybe not in person. 

I will tell you in a few days. 

Gina

Happy Valentine's Day

It's a very special day!

It's a day when we can throw caution to the wind 

and 

eat an entire box of chocolates. 

Have a most wonderful Day. 

Gina 

http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2011/02/-to-wear-all-year-around.html

and here is the direct link for just the hearts

http://www.exatmo.de/20366/trachten-schmuck-prachtvoll-verziert.html

I have waited for almost a year.

And now they are beginning to open.

A few weeks ago  we talked about how to get orchids to re bloom. 
http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2016/01/orchids-like-bath-now-and-then.html

First I noticed the new spikes.  These orchids have been waiting patiently in a quiet corner by an east facing window.  

All they needed was a weekly watering and a lot of light 
(not direct sun).








I never know what color they will be  (I should label them).
Sometimes you can tell by the new buds.  

All of the buds will open and will bloom for at least another 

6 months or more. 

In another corner, these orchids have been blooming for more than 
5 months.  Soon they will fade and the blossoms will drop one at a time. 

Over the years I have had some very colorful orchids. 

I love them all.

This corner, in my dining room, faces south and west. 
 Conditions are just right and often I will be rewarded with secondary spikes. 

After blooming, these Dendrobiums like to be placed outside where they will be watered with the rest of the plants.
  
 They need a light frost to set their spikes.   That is in October in our area.  

Often I place several orchids into one decorative planter.  They don't mind as long as you water them at least twice a week.  

Miltonia orchids come in many sensational colors and have a very haunting scent.  

Their blooms only last a couple of weeks and it is difficult to make them bloom again. 

That is why I like Phalaenopsis orchids.  It may take a while but they will reward you with  many blooms.

You can tell how healthy your orchid is by the length of the spike they throw.  

When all the blooms have fallen off look for the buds at the end of the spike to grow and thicken.  Often you will notice an additional 5 or 6 new blooms forming. 

Most people prefer an all white Phalaenopsis.
Sometimes a little color is just what the doctor ordered.  

This is still my favorite Phalaenopsis, white with a pink center. 


Have a wonderful week 

Gina 

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

My World

Contrasts

It's been a few years since we have had this much snow.  

Still below freezing every day. 

Piles of snow are getting higher and higher.

When it melts it can all flow into the pond.

No picnics under the picnic tree. 

But soon, doors will be open wide.

The January thaw has come and gone.  

There will be new grass.

The air is sharp and crisp. 

I'm painting and waiting for my daffodils to poke their heads through the snow. 

Have a most wonderful weekend my dear friends. 

Gina 

Are you lost?

More precisely, are your Guests lost? 

Have you walked endless halls looking for the Powder Room?

Oh, oh, finally a sign.

On the Door, of course.

Painted just for you, for your new door, for your old door.

Any color any language.

Even the kitchen or what about the Library?

All available in my Etsy shop.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryVillaCeramics

Wishing you a clear road ahead, my dear Blogging Friends.

Gina

First published May 2011