The dark, rainy weather the past few weeks has brought on a bad case of plant hoarding, which I am happy to say does not make me feel guilty one little bit. Which means despite the windy, grey, wet conditions outside, the view inside is looking quite green and leafy and happy. Who needs hot cocoa and thick blankets when you can have tropical orchids and aloes instead? Psssh, not me.
It all began last Saturday when a post-field service jaunt to Kona turned bad. Real bad.
After working the territory out in Pahala, we decided an extra 80 mile trip to Kona would be worth it, you know, to flee the rain and soak up the rays and get some roasted chicken from Costco. Problem was, there were no rays to soak up, and unlike Hilo which at least has greenery to fall back on when the skies turn grey and ugly, Kona's landscape of lava rock punctuated with stunted mesquite trees wasn't exactly giving me the warm fuzzies. Thankfully, Kona has a Lowes garden center.
Uh oh.
Tillandsia caput-medusae and Tillandsia funckiana1
Kona also has a KMart with a less than exciting nursery where I hardly ever find anything very interesting. But I always take a look of course- you know, just in case. Unfortunately this time, these two Aloe hybrids decided to pop up within sight range. And they were cheap.
Uh oh again.
Aloe Fire Ranch and Aloe Grassy Lassie
Finally, right around the corner from Costco and their roasted chicken, I spotted a great Crasula ovata varigata from Margo at Sunrise Nursery... the perfect replacement for the recently deceased Pelargonium crispum at the entrance to our house. So I purchased that too and pluncked it down on the floor behind the driver's seat along with my Aloes and Tillandsias. By this point, I had already given up on the "uh oh's" and decided instead to go ahead and squish as many plants into the back seat as possible while laughing manically, rubbing my hands together and jumping up and down. The varigated leaves go well with the color of the previously empty ceramic planter and house, don't you think?

Crassula ovata variegata at the entrance to our house
All excuses for rain-induced plant hoarding went down the tubes yesterday since the weather here in East Hawaii took a turn for the better and we had clear blue skies and strong, cool breezes and a nice group for service. But as life would have it, Suz casually let it slip that she had received an email about an orchid and succulent plant sale over in Waimea at the community center.
I thought to myself: "Too bad I already hauled home a bunch of plants last weekend."
And then I thought to myself: "Too bad I already got stuff to do this afternoon."
This was rapidly followed by: "Although, wouldn't a drive to Waimea after working the territory be nice? Especially on a nice clear, cool day like today. And it would give us a chance to cover the Mauna Kea Park public area at the same time if we took Saddle Road."
So...
Dracula carderi, Dracula lotax (FREE!), Masdevallia paivaeana
Well, the hoarding bug stuck again once we arrived an hour later in Waimea, because the weather had once again turned rainy and cold and windy... absolutely PERFECT for lingering indoors among the vendor tables, and I walked away with some orchids from Fat Cat Nurseries in Paauilo.
Close up of Masedevallia paivaeana bloom
Pendant blooms on Dracula carderi
So there you have it. Two weekend's worth of plant hoarding goodness. Isn't it great?
Of course I'll admit that all the plants in the world don't warm the heart as much as being with the friends and this weekend, we had the privilege of hanging out with 3 visiting couples. We met Olaf and Silvia from Frankfurt Germany, during dinner at Henry and Sandy's place that night, and yes, by that time, it was raining heavily in East Hawaii.
Again.
Olaf und Silvia
Then today, Luis, Mara, Jose and Ruth visited our group (Luis gave our talk) and we had lunch at Don's. As you can see, it was pouring outside.
Still.

During lunch, Luis tells us they were up on Maunakea yesterday and it was beginning to snow. Looks like a cold, windy winter has officially arrived which probably means there is more plant hoarding to come, but I think I'm done for the time being. And you know something? A cup of hot cocoa and a blanket DO seem good right about now.
1 and I typed that last bit reeeeal carefully.
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