My moth orchid does not do multitasking. It will send up a flower stem. It will send up a new leaf. But not both.

Well, this doesn’t look great, but it doesn’t look as bad as I thought. I guess this is as open and as upright as it’s going to get. Keep trying, orchids!

The orchid is not dead yet. It feels fine. It thinks it might go for a walk.

This does not look good.

The sun is moving. Suddenly, it’s no longer pitch dark at four in the afternoon. There’s a big melt storming in tonight. And the orchid is two.

First thing I learned today:  don’t shovel snow before breakfast. You’re only supposed to do impossible things before breakfast. Shoveling snow is all too possible, but I felt wiped out all day. I had to rest up just to get the energy for a cup of tea.

Bit by bit, the orchid inches open. One, then two wings of petals unfold, drawing aside the edges of the veil cast over the insides.

It’s time for the annual orchid tease.  Almost as if it can feel the moisture and sun of the January thaw outside, it’s peeling just the edge of one petal open, teasingly hinting at the first flower of the year.

I made a mad dash out and in to feed the birds, and another leisurely dash to play with my writing meetup, and all along the orchid is cleverly staying inside.

I haven’t really paid much attention to my moth orchid lately. It rewards that sort of inattention, you see, with lovely flower shoots. It seems like just a few days ago that it was barely more than a bud. Look at it go!