Driving the cold winter away

Last week, my friend Susan called up to see if I wanted to go to a local greenhouse's annual orchid open house. Sure, I said, so Jamie and I met Susan and Liam, her 4-month-old, and Susan's mom and we enjoyed a little break from the Midwestern winter.

I explained to Jamie that it was kind of like visiting his ancestral home. His grandfather, my father, spent a lot of time in greenhouses, either while in college, while teaching or while researching. I have a greenhouse in the back yard that is, unfortunately, in disrepair and something I have to make up my mind about, because it's not a little greenhouse.

It's bigger than the garage and taller than the house.
Helpful friends have suggested I use the greenhouse to, er, grow illicit plants. When I point out that I wish to avoid getting a police record or attracting the attention of the child welfare agency, they suggest that another reasonable thing to grow might be orchids. Because that takes no special knowledge. Hah.



After seeing how it's done, I think not. They're beautiful, but temperamental. We saw one room in the greenhouse that had hundreds of glass jars where the orchids live on growing medium for years before being transplanted to pots and soil.


Anyway, I explained to Jamie that his grandfather liked greenhouses and plants a lot (mostly because he didn't like people so much) and that if he wanted to grow up and hang around in greenhouses, it was a good thing to do - as long as he didn't get himself a police record in the process by following the advice of his mother's insane friends.


And I resisted the urge to buy a $15 houseplant that one of the cats (Spoot? I'm looking at you) would eat. Aren't they gorgeous, though? Such a temptation.

In other plant-related news, I finished my version of the Tulips baby sweater. Although I have a kit, I raided the bag of worsted weight yarn for a selection of blues and greens instead. It's funny; I bought the kit - which is the "girly" version with all the pinks in it - long before I was pregnant, thinking for some reason that I was going to have a girl once I had a baby.

Hah.
Now I have what's going to be a really nice baby present for someone down the line and a good blue and green sweater for Jamie when he gets a little older. Here it is, unblocked with the ends not woven in on a kid who is a little too small for it yet. I'll put up a better picture when it fits him in a few months.



The next question is, what sock pattern for this yarn? It's Socks that Rock, Puck's Mischief, and I love this colorway with a mad passion.

Comments

rachel said…
that is an amazing picture of jamie. that look on his face is "mom. how many of these things am i going to have to model for you? because it's already been quite a few."
---jen said…
Actually, what I find adorable about the picture of Jamie is that I see physical resemblance to Mom, but Dad's quizzical expression. :D

And the colors on that sweater are awesome. I love blues and greens together.
Sandy said…
he does look like you. Very sweet
Anonymous said…
thant you thank you thank you for the orchid pix! I needed that boost of cheerful color today!

of course, jamie is also adorable! and what a big boy is is becoming!
Anonymous said…
Lettuce and tomatoes grow in greenhouses, and are legal. Just saying.
JakkiMitch said…
Oh, wow! Jamie's a little man already!!
RNY said…
Hey Meg, I stumbled on your blog the other day!

I loved your Dad's greenhouse. I have such great memories of our weekends hanging around the house and Greenwood and the greenhouse and the garden. I also loved your dad. And your mom. They were awesome.

I can't wait to meet Jaime. He's a beaut already. He and Emmett need to wrestle. May the best baby win! Emily
Lorna said…
Love the orchids! And Jamie's sweater turned out so cute - besides when you have child #2 - it might be a girl!

The yarn is screaming "Leyburn" socks to me...

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