Favorite Flower: Orchids

Dear All,
I had a request about two weeks ago for a blog post on orchids.  You see, I really like orchids they're one of my favorite flowers.  I think that they bring an ordinary room to life.  : )  I got my first orchid as a senior in college.  I loved how it brought such cheer to my room and it gave me something to nurture.

Orchids are quite finicky about what kind of environment they like to live in, but once you understand the environment that they come from, it makes total sense.  Orchids are native plants to the rain forest.  They actually don't have a root base in the ground, but attach themselves to the bark of trees.  Orchids are not parasites, but rather have a symbiotic relationship with the trees, doing them no harm.  The information to glean then from understanding their natural environment is the following: orchids like bright light, but not direct light (they have filtered light in the rain forest, they don't rise above the tree canopy), orchids like to have moist roots, but not wet roots drowning in water (growing on trees the environment is quite humid, but the tree bark does not retain a lot of water, so when it rains the roots catch what water they can).  These two elements of orchids can make caring for them quite difficult.

However if you find yourself gifted with an orchid or desire to buy one, here are my suggestions, find a place in your house that gets bright, filtered light.  Sometimes the place you think will be the best spot isn't the best.  My orchids are currently in the window by my entryway.  I would have thought that the draft of cold air when the door is opened and closed would have bothered them, but since there is a heater vent right below the window the cold doesn't affect the flowers and they love it there.  Second make sure that the "dirt" that your orchid is planted in is more of a bark mulch than potting soil.  Potting soil holds too much moisture.  Bark allows for the water to get away from the roots, but also provide a humid environment for them.  Lastly watering your orchid.  A lot of orchids that you can buy are "Just-Add-Ice Orchids."

The problem I've found with watering orchids with ice is that it doesn't provide the plant with enough water and it tends to freeze the roots.  Remember orchids like warm tropical environments and ice doesn't fit with that.  My suggestion is to just water them one to two times a week and give them about two to three seconds of water.  Also it is good to get Orchid Miracle Grow and give your plants that every so often when you think they need a boost.  Those are a few of the things that I have learned about these beautiful plants.

Loving on my Plants,
The Adventurous Farm Wife

Perfect Timing

Dear All,

Good Morning!!!  It is a beautiful morning here in Minnesota and spring is definitely in the air...finally!  For a Kansas girl spring does not come to Minnesota as quickly as it comes to Kansas, which can be slightly depressing, but then again I do enjoy winter.  :-)  Anyways, lately I have really been reminded a lot by the Holy Spirit of God's Perfect and Amazing Timing.  I've been reading through the story of Moses the last couple of days and looking at it with logical thought and reasoning one could conclude the God's timing really stunk.  I mean why did God harden pharaoh's heart so that time after time pharaoh wouldn't let the Israelite people go, even though it would have been to his benefit?  Why suffer through all of those plagues?  However, God saw pharaoh's heart and knew that pharaoh wouldn't be convinced of God's sovereignty until it hit his home and family.  God wanted pharaoh to know that it was God and not pharaoh who decided timing.

I continually see God's Timing in Handsome and I's life as we construct these two barns.  This last week went so well that only God could have planned it.  The concrete crew for the farrowing barn arrived first thing Tuesday morning to set up forms for a pour on Thursday.  The weather Tuesday and Wednesday was perfect for forming, but was less than ideal for pouring.  They were ready to pour Thursday and the weather was perfect for pouring, absolutely gorgeous!  MPCA showed up on Thursday just in time to do their review of the farrowing barn pad and do a final look over the Breeding barn before we shut it up and prepare it for piggies to arrive next week!  Friday we had rainy weather all day, perfect for concrete curing!  Now mind you, everything with these projects hasn't gone perfectly the way that we wanted it to, but I have an idea it was perfectly how God wanted it to go.  Just like the Israelite people, Handsome and I, may not always understand why things go the way they do, but I think when we look back over it we'll see His Mighty Hand guiding us the entire way.  The important thing is to trust Him right now.

My God is Amazing and I hope you'll join me in praising Him for the great things He has done.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
The Adventurous Farm Wife

Catch UP

Dear Friends and Family,
Sorry its been awhile since I wrote last.  I keep having ideas to write about, but a lack of time to sit down and write about them.  However I have finally, it seems, caught up on things and have a bit of time to write this morning.  I had a lot of fun this weekend cooking/baking.  In fact in consumed my weekend, but I'm okay with that.  : )

One of the many goodies I made this weekend! So fun!
I hope our workers enjoy them.  : )

I have found from the last several weeks that during the week I rarely have the desire or time to cook/bake, but we need to eat.  Sooo, this means I cook and bake on the weekends.

This is what has been consuming our time during the week!

Handsome and I like to pack our lunches for work and we like to eat homemade food with few preservatives and artificial flavors.  In other words we don't like to pop open a can of soup and microwave it for lunch, one buying canned soup is expensive and two it doesn't taste nearly as good as homemade soup.  Just saying.  These wants though mean that I have to prepare ahead of time food that is easy to grab out of the frig and pack in a sack lunch early in the morning.  Here are a few things that I have learned:

1 - 8 oz Mason Jars are great for baking food in, packing in a sack lunch, and storing in the frig as well as once you're done eating the goodness out of them you don't have to throw anything away, wash and reuse.  : )

2 - Its important to have variety, so don't be afraid to try new recipes.  Yes, there will be a few recipes that you wish you hadn't tried, it just means that you're learning.  Learning = Good  : )

3 - Find recipes that make great leftovers.  Hot lunches are really nice to have, but can be bad if the leftovers don't heat up well.

4 - Salads are great so long as the dressing stays away from the lettuce until eating.  A great way to solve the dilemma of having too many containers is to put the dressing at the bottom of a mason jar, then add toppings, then the lettuce.  This keeps the lettuce separate from the dressing and makes for a colorful jar of goodness.  

5 - Above all, Have FUN!!!  Its easy to get frustrated and discouraged, but view providing meals for you and your spouse as an adventure.  Get creative and let your inspirations take form.  Meals can be exciting for your spouse, and when they are chances are they're bragging to their co-workers about what an amazing wife they have.  I know mine is.  : )

In other news:  The Breeding Barn is coming along really well!!!  Gilts are scheduled to be moved in next week!!!  It is so exciting to see our dreams becoming reality!  Our banker and insurance agent came and toured the barn last Friday and were extremely impressed.  At one point the Banker said, "So what you're telling me is this barn is going to be a state-of-the-art facility?"  Yes, sir it sure is.  : )  We're excited to move the gilts in and have our workers start working in it.  God is so Good!!!  He has shown Himself to be faithful and true to protect and provide for us.  It is our hope and prayer that our workers would see and experience this as they work in this facility.  

Anywho, sorry this got so long.  I'll try to get a few of the ideas that have been rolling around in my head written on here soon.  : )  Until then may God bless you all!

Much Love from Minnesota,

The Adventurous Farm Wife