Happy New Year! 2021 is here!

[phyncke]

So it is here - 2021. The longest year of our lives is finally over. Am I right? Did 2020 seem to go on forever? Time seemed to stretch a bit and just stopped at certain moments. I think time was playing with us there really. Well finally it is a new year so let's see what this one has in store. Let's get this going!

Today, I did stuff around here. I went for a good long walk first thing - started that out right. The walks are starting to feel good. The first part is a long incline so I get the body pumping and really work it. So I like the challenge of that. The whole round trip walk is about 3 miles so that is a good stretch. It takes me about an hour to do. Not too bad. Today I ran into some succulents on the route. There are some great gardens here in Berkeley, CA so I took a picture of some pretty succulents I saw today. Love these.



And then I came home - cooked a nice breakfast of pancakes and turkey bacon and then got to work on some of my own plants. I have some that I have been meaning to repot for a while so got that done today. A couple of succulents and a fern. I love how they look when they are finally in their new pot. Just so happy. Here is a pic of those. Yay!



So I am doing good today. Getting things done. I really like new year's with all its hope and promise and newness. A shiny new year - let's just see how it goes. I have noticed people are pretty optimistic on social media and things are looking better on there. I do think it will take a while for the pandemic to clear up here in the United States and they need to get on it with the vaccine distribution so we have some things to get going on - but hey - at least we have the vaccine and a new administration to get it out there. I am looking forward to the return of some competency to our government. That will take a while too - so patience will be important.

Anyhoo. Happy New Year to you and hope you are feeling the optimism.

Comments

[eller]

Hi! Snowflake Challenge brought me here. I just wanted to say - Happy New Year! And those are some beautiful plants! I like succulents a lot, but I'm not very good at keeping them alive, so I mainly keep orchids. But I appreciate the beauty of all plants! :D

[phyncke]

Great to meet you - I am horrible at orchids. I have killed many an orchid so if you are good at those - that is a real talent. I find succulents really easy and there are so many really cool ones. They take very little watering and they just seem easy to me - though I did kill a couple of them.

I am really having fun with the Snowflake Challenge. I am new to it this year and really like it so far. Happy new year to you!

[eller]

Heh, I just kill everything but orchids. Oh, and my tillandsia is still alive, too. But succulents, uh, nope, they die. :/

There are some "easy" orchids. I think most Phalaenopsis hybrids these days are almost impossible to kill, as long as you get them from a serious grower (so, not your average flower shop) because those usually already have root infections when you buy them, so, the poor things are doomed from the start. (I suspect that's the main reason orchids gained the reputation of being "difficult".) Otherwise, just make sure they're watered every two weeks or so, get enough light (I have plant lamps, because, Germany XD), and they're fine.

This is my first time doing the Snowflake Challenge, and so far, it's really fun! :D

[phyncke]

Maybe I will try another orchid - they are really pretty. That is all really good to know. I usually got my orchids at Trader Joe's or places like that - probably not the best quality ones.

I am loving the Snowflake Challenge - my first time too. I got back interested in dreamwidth and LJ again so this keeps me posting. So this is very fun! I agree!

[eller]

If you ever do, look at the roots. ^^ A Phalaenopsis hybrid (which is the one I'd recommend to orchid beginners) should have green roots without any fungus growing on them, and without suspicious black spots. (Also, it should be in a transparent plastic pot, because a) the roots do photosynthesis, and b) if the grower hides them anyway, they usually have something to hide.)

Eh, sometimes you can have luck with cheap orchids, too. One of my favorites, I got at the weekly market. LOL. As long as the roots are healthy, that's okay - Phalaenopsis hybrids aren't expensive.