I love wrapping up a long stretch of serious work and then headed outdoors for some fresh air! I did just that this morning and set out for a walk with my mom on one line and Pregtastic on the other.
Sure looks like springtime! [And next week’s forecast is insanely warm!!] I love warm weather so much I wonder if I should have lived in Florida my whole life. I don’t mind 100 degrees or 100% humidity.
Since I’m missing Pump tomorrow to drive to visit my grandmother, I decided to go to the noon express class today. Boy was I glad I did because it was a great one. Maybe it’s the weather or maybe it’s the second trimester, but I felt strong and fit and even added two baby weights to my squats. Today’s challenges were squats + tris. Gonna be sore!
I took this dense and delicious Trek bar on my walk and nibbled as a tide-me-over to a late lunch. I definitely have to be more conscious of hunger these days because it comes on hard and fast. LOVE these Trek bars – have to get Matt to put them on the menu!
Back at home, I decided on another SIAB and a cheese + cracker plate for lunch. Have you noticed how much I’m repeating lunches? Once I get hooked on something now I can’t stop thinking about it! Plus this is such a great way to get in protein and veggies.
My smoothie contained:
- 2 big handfuls spinach
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2/3 cup frozen berries
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- Honey bunches on top
Cheese tasted SO GOOD. I paired manchego and sharp cheddar with shredded wheat, which was just like eating cheese + triscuit crackers! Nice because the “crackers” are smaller so you’re getting the effect without wasting excess cracker.
Does anyone have any advice for my orchid? It was a gift in September and bloomed all fall and most of winter, but now it’s sad. I’ve watered it and brought it outside for more sunshine, but it seems to be on its last leg. Will it bloom again?
Black thumb = help!
The flowers look beautiful! I am dying to get outside and enjoy this weather! I have a little over an hour left. It’s supposed to be 70 degrees outside where I live today 🙂
My cousin gave me a gorgeous orchid as a house(apartment)-warming present before, and sadly, I killed it. I wish I could help! The blooms outside look gorgeous. Your walks sound so lovely! That’s great that you’re feeling strong and dominated Body Pump today 🙂
I have not been to pump in a week and I am super excited to go tonight – whoop!!
Enjoy your time in Bmore 🙂 The weather is super lovely here as well!
Orchids are pretty tricky to get to bloom again. I usually just end up with the big green leaves. If they do bloom again it will definitely take some time. They’re only supposed to be watered like once a week and they say the best way is a few ice cubes on top, not drenching it in water.
The wind almost knocked me off my feet today! But I’m loving the warmth too.
I actually read something on RealSimple.com that orchids should be considered as long lasting bouquets. They like humid areas with morning light but will rarely last 6 months. And here I kept thinking I was killing them! I love orchids anyway so I’ll just keep buying them.
I had an orchid for YEARS and would constantly forget about it, so it was very neglected. I would water it by putting it in the sink with the water running on it for a few minutes, then draining and putting back on the table, and it would bloom once a year for a few months. I seriously would forget about watering if for a month or two at a time, so I would just cut off the dead bloom and it will come back!
This is exactly what my parents do (the soak and drain method) and they have all kinds of orchids in their house. They keep most of them in the kitchen but Sean’s parents keep theirs in the bathroom where it’s more humid. I would say just to leave it alone, not water it as much and it should be okay.
i have such an awful black thumb which makes me sad because my parents have gorgeous gardens of flowers and veggies and herbs but I can’t keep a house plant for the life of me. 🙁
The daffodils look beautiful! Yay Spring! Our crocus’ are popping out from under the snow that we had last week. I’m hoping the warmth sticks this time!
I’ve got a black thumb, too, so I can’t help with the orchid. I’ve heard they are really,really hard to keep alive.
It was definitely spring in NH today! Almost 70 degrees and beautiful – love it!
We somehow maintain 5 orchids in our house. I would cut back the stalk which flowered all the way down to the leaves. You will get a new stalk eventually. I recommend feeding it once a week too.
It will bloom again! They always surprise me! I’ve found it’s best to just forget about them and only water about once a week. It will start to look like it’s dying, but mine always come back. You can also get orchid food that helps keep them green!
The orchid will bloom again in about one year, don’t put it in direct sunlight and water it only once a week!
great advice, definitely DEFINITELY keep them in diffused sunlight ONLY! do you have a spot like in the breakfast area that a shade can be pulled high and the orchid can get only diffused light? they hate direct sunlight! just keep watering once per week and it shall bloom again 🙂 we have 6 plants/orchids at our house 🙂
They hate drafts as well apparently so keep them away from windows and at a constant temp if you can. Mine don’t seem to be too fussy and flower every 5 months or so with me just watering them around once a week and cutting dead stems back
it will bloom again, but the flowers don’t last forever. Sometimes, the flower shoot will send off another shoot with some blooms, but usually a brand new one develops from the root system. Water it once a week (I give mine a shower in my shower) and feed it every other watering. Orchids like filtered light- if its too direct, it will scorch it. I have found that morning sun is the best so find the window with filtered morning sun in your house and it should thrive! And they don’t like soggy feet, so once a week waterings are usually sufficient. Good luck!
Best place for an orchid is the bathroom, don’t water and let steam from your shower do the waterinhg.
i’m so jealous of the flowers you have popping up! we are experiencing warm(er) temps, but not too much color yet 🙂
Those pics are so pretty!! Enjoy the warm weather 😀
Look at all of those flowers- I love it!! Hooray for an early spring (what was that groundhog talking about last month?!)
I have a black thumb too- I can’t help ya with the orchid.
Enjoy the rest of your day- I’m so excited to finally get out to see daylight today! 🙂
Oh I much rather be loaded with square than lunges !
Ooh, good idea about shredded wheat in place of crackers! I agree with your sentiment about “wasted crackers!”
For a second when I read “two baby weights” I thought you were hinting that you were having twins, but then I realized you meant small weights for the bar (I think!!) I could totally live in Florida too… heat and humidity year-round is not a major concern at all!
It is a blustery warmer day today…my run was a battle with the winds! I am so jealous of the flowers and budding trees! Everything here is drab! My mother loves orchids and she is forever challenged with them but keeps on buying them. Hers do come back eventually…I think she cuts them back like a reader suggested. A new shoot will suddenly appear so it can happen. She has them by her north facing windows…they really are beautiful when in full bloom.
Just wondering…. but is it safe for the baby if you keep working out like you do while pregnant? Not sure if it puts stress on the baby or not.
Yes, absolutely. Exercise is highly recommended. Just no contact sports or high risk sports.
cheese + triscuit crackers or with PB on them…that was dinner many, many nites in my early 20s. Oh, the memories. Washed down with wine, of course 🙂
Hard to tell what type of orchid plant that is, but the general way to trim an orchid is to cut it 1/2 inch above the second node. A new shoot will form, and new flowers will bloom! Good luck 🙂
I’m glad your body pump class went well and that the weather is so nice! and I always get into food ruts, sometimes I just crave one dish over and over again!
A green thumb, I have not! I wish! I kill everything…
Our orchids at home look pretty sad, so I’d be no help.
Way to up your pump weights! Go second trimester!!
Orchids love a SMALL splash of water once a week. I keep mine where it gets late afternoon sun and it has thrived for months. 🙂
I love all the signs of spring this time of year. Makes me so happy my toes tingle!
Cheese and Body Pump in one post? You’re making me jealous! Haven’t been to Pump in a week (and won’t get there this weekend). I miss it already!
it’s spring time in durham, too! 🙂
First and foremost, congratulations on the baby! I’m thrilled for you and your family. Enjoy every last moment of being pregnant (even the bad days).
Secondly, I’m so impressed with the evolution of your eating style. I am trying to eat more ‘whole’ foods, and I was wondering if you had any suggestions on books. I saw that you reccomend SuperFoods Healthstyle and Fit From Within. Any others?
Thanks so much for the time, and put your feet up when you need to…. 🙂
Omg, I am so thankful you asked about your orchid! I am in the same boat. A friend gave me an orchid in December as a housewarming present and I knew right off the bat that I should be careful with overwatering. I only watered it once a week, and set it on my dining room table which doesn’t receive any direct sunlight. The blooms lasted several weeks but now it looks just like yours, where it’s still alive but looks so sad! The leaves are super green and look healthy, and there are even new sprouts that seem to be coming up. It looks like a couple people mentioned clipping the plant so I’ll try that and let you know if I have any luck.
Like I always say, if you don’t have crackers, just have CEREAL and cheese instead! Right.
100% humidity is my worst nightmare, lol. I love FL in the winter months, but I’d probably hate it in the summer. Then again, it gets hot and humid here in NY, too, so not much different. 🙂
I’m a currently a horticulture student and I’ve learned first hand that orchids are very tricky! Like the others have said, it doesn’t like to have “wet feet” or to be watered too often, so one ice cube per week will do the trick. If you really want to make it happy, they likes to be fed about once a month and there are orchid fertilizers anywhere you would find regular plant fertilizers or potting soil. Not sure how cold your nights are (I’m from Iowa) but they don’t like getting too chilly either! Best to keep it away from a window if it gets below 50* F, just in case. I can’t relate to your pregnancy happenings, but I know plants!
Here is a website that is full of advice and stuff Great place :
http://www.hydro-orchids.com/pc-basics.html
From lesson #1 – Planting an orchid in potting soil and treating it like a houseplant is a sure way to kill it. To copy nature, orchids are planted in bark, moss, coconut husks, etc.
From lesson #3 – Fading flowers does not mean your orchid is dying. Orchids do not bloom continuously. They have a growing season and a blooming season
No more black thumb after this!
Didn’t it snow earlier this week in Cville?? Crazy weather!!
Your grandmother is going to be quite pleased you are worried about your orchid. You can show her the picture tomorrow. Uncle Chris is also deep into orchids too. Sadly, I did not inherit the green thumb element of the family.
I’ve been reading for awhile but this is my first time commenting (I was a practicum student at the same school you sister was interning in last year). My dad has had an orchid for 7 years that will die and then reblooms. He keeps it above the kitchen sink next to the window and trims it when it dies. They are gorgeous flowers! Hope that helps!
Thanks for your first comment!!
Love the Shredded Wheat idea! May put that idea in my back pocket for cardiac rehab appointments!
I work at a plant lab and one of my colleagues who raises orchids gave me a couple for my office. I’ve had them for a couple of years and they’ve bloomed like crazy at least twice. Every now and then the guy who gave them to me comes by and comments on how fantastic they look and jokes about taking them back because he can’t get his to bloom like mine. I leave them sitting in the windowsill in my office so that they get morning sun and I water them once or twice a week, just enough that the leaves stay smooth-looking; they start to wrinkle if you don’t water them enough. Once the stem doesn’t have any buds on it, you can cut it off and it should bloom again later this year–from the picture, your’s looks like it’s done, so you can just cut it off near the bottom. The lowest leaf might eventually start to wither; you can cut that off, too.
That weather looks lovely! Hopefully it only continues to get better from here, enjoy it!
On a side note, I got my CVille Cluster shipment today — Oh. My. Goodness. Why I haven’t I jumped on this train sooner?! Thank you to the Great Harvest team for baking and bagging it with love! You can really taste it in each bite. Delish!
Yay! So happy to hear it!
I wonder if the orchid is similar to the mum I have, mine dies every summer and I keep watering it once a week and every winter it blooms again. I do always cut way what is dead, but keep a couple of leaves. I wonder if you cut it back quite a bit and keep watering it if it will bloom when it is warm.
Your post made me want to take a walk, but it is rainy here 🙁
my orchid did the same thing!
Kath ,
Got my granola order today and I’ve already eaten nearly half a bag ! I told my husband to go hide the rest of it because it’s not safe around me. Oh my this stuff is good.
Congratulations to you and Matt about the baby.
So glad you like it!!
It’s like springtime here, too. Our jasmine smells ultra wonderful!
It was indeed windy today! So warm though 🙂 70 degrees in Philly? Oh baaaaaby.
Yum! i’m going to have to try smoothie in a bowl. I found the honey bunches trader joe’s version and had it with greek yogurt this morning…delicious!
What kind of crackers are those? looks good!
have a great day! I’m really enjoying reading BERF. I love how honest you are with your experiences makes me appreciate the beauty of pregnancy 🙂
Thanks for all the orchid tips!! Sounds like I’m doing everything wrong 🙂
Wow…you already have trees blooming? We have buds but no blooms yet. Daffodils are up,though, so maybe another week or two for the trees.
I was born in Florida and just moved to PA six years ago. I couldn’t take the heat and humidity anymore. It would be perfect for you. 🙂
So actually my first comment ever – but I love orchids and do have a lot at home.
Just put them on a sunny, warm place and give them some water once a week. My first orchid needed one year to bloom again, but now she is coming every year with a different colour 🙂
Many greetings from Vienna AND
your blog is great 🙂
Spring is in the air here as well! The birdies are chirping ever so loudly and happily 🙂
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
First comment!! Woo hoo!
Kath, I love your blog, love the pictures and love the food.
About the orchid, just keep watering it once a week and in a couple of months it will form buds again and it will blossom. That is at least what has happened to my orchid.
Don’t give up, it is resting and will bloom again.
Greetings from Amsterdam, the Netherlands and I wish The Bakery was around my corner!
Kath, I too was worried when my orchids stop blooming. I always kept them inside and had no luck with re-blooms. Then I decided to take them outside, but first I trimmed the dead buds and placed them under our Oak tree. I live in Florida, so I’ve only had to bring them back inside when the temperature was going to drop below 40. I don’t water mine regularly or feed them. I just let them get water from our sprinkler system which only runs once a week. So far, all of my orchids have bloomed again.
LoveMaegan actually has a step-by-step post about how to regrow orchids: http://www.lovemaegan.com/2011/07/how-i-re-grew-my-orchids.html Good luck!
Mmm…cheese! Fun using the shreddeds as crackers 🙂