Hodge Podge

*Warning* This will be a rather "hodge podge" of a post.  

My extended family is pretty small compared to most of the people I grew up with.  High school friends of mine would go to family reunions that would draw up to a hundred people. As most of my friends had dozens of cousins (literally), they would goggle at me when I told them that I had a total of 6 cousins.  But I like the size.  It makes the family small, intimate and we all know each other -- even if we grew up across the country from one another.  

I love to see family and so I was excited when I got a call from my cousin Patrick informing me that he and his sister, Ingrid, would be passing through Richmond and would love to see us!  2 of the 4 cousins on my mom's side of the family in one fell swoop -- fantastic!!!  We met them for drinks and dessert and had a wonderful time catching up.  It seems forever ago that Pat and I were playing "Spit" (a card came) while drinking Pepsi (from a glass bottle) in my Grandma and Grandpa's basement in Iowa.  We laughed over memories of the grandchildren taking turns to crank the non-electric ice cream maker and relived croquet games played in our grandparents' back yard.  

And, as is family tradition, we had to have a "Swedish" picture.  See -- my mother is half German, half Swedish -- nothing else.  In family pictures, all of my grandpa's relatives or ancestors have the most dour looks.  Two of them were so dour (almost scary) that we used to put their pictures up on our mantle at home on Halloween.  Disrespectful to our ancestors --yes -- but sooo appropriate!  :-)  So, to honor our Swedish heritage, here is our "Swedish Picture".  

On to the orchid portion of this post.  I told you this was a little hodge podge.  Dave and I love to go to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens here in Richmond.  Even in the dead of winter, they have beautiful displays in their conservatory.  Dave's favorite room in this amazing building is .... the orchid room.  I am not sure when this love and fascination of his started but Dave is amazed by orchids.  And....on our most recent trip to the Garden, he took some stunning pictures which I thought I would share.

We have the orchid below in our kitchen but since successfully blooming 2 years ago, he hasn't done anything.  Dave is convinced that the lighting in the kitchen isn't the best.

The picture below is Dave's favorite.  He is really quite proud of this photograph -- and rightly so, in my humble opinion.  I love the water droplets!

And here am I --- looking thrilled.  No, not really.  I think orchids are a lovely plant and flower. I am just not as enraptured by them as Dave is.  So, upon entering the orchid room, I will do my lap around the room to see if anything is newly bloomed and then will be here (see picture) -- sitting -- waiting for Dave.  At least the waiting is done in a pretty environment!