It’s Sunday afternoon in South Florida and we are having a rare rainy day with temperatures in the 40s (F). It’s damp and dreary and my greyhounds are grumpy because they have been cooped up in the house all day. Alan (the greyhound, not my husband) went into the backyard, jumped into the air put both paws over his head and threw his collar off and onto the ground burying it in the sand in disgust.
We have the tropical blues. No sun and no blue skies today. Some Kissy Fish and a new Bromeliad in a blue vase will cheer things up.
I was pleased to find the small Pink Bromeliads (Quesnelia testudo) I planted last fall starting to flower this week. Another one of my mystery plants, bought nameless (3 for five bucks!) at a Botanical Garden sale, I thought these were something else entirely, but the Quesnelia have worked out quite well and flower in mid winter here. Someday I will have a drift of Pink Bromeliads under my Shell Gingers.
Not wishing to venture out in the rain again, I cut the rest of this vase from containers on my front porch. Joining the Quesnelia are: in pink and chartreuse foliage, Alabama Sunset Coleus; chartreuse flowers from Culinary Dill, the darker fine textured foliage is Copper Fennel from the herb containers and a bit of grey Flapjack Kalanchoe flowers and Asian Sword Fern foliage. The blue glass footed vase is a family heirloom.
The Kissy Fish are part of my husband’s collection of unusual ceramics. The artist is Steven Smeltzer of Maui.
Speaking of my husband – he has been in the kitchen this afternoon seeking to cure our case of the Tropical Blues. Baking a Blueberry Pie:
I am sure to feel better after dessert.
The Shrub Queen 
Very pretty Amy. I always enjoy seeing your vases as the flowers are so different, particularly in the depths of winter. I love the Kissy Fish too.
Enjoy the pie, I wish I could pop over and have a piece.
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Thank you, Liz. What is blooming in the depths of winter is particularly fascinating to me as summer gets so hot it often shuts the plants down. Do stop by for pie if you cross the pond!
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Lucky you: A beautiful bouquet and a guy who bakes pies!
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Yes, I am lucky! Thanks
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I love the term Tropical Blues. I can hardly take two days without sunshine and I grew up in the north where the sun barely shined all winter.
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Thanks, my husband is from Ohio and one year his front door froze shut and he didn’t see the sun for so long he moved south!
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Another exotic vase to cheer us all. As Linda says lucky you to have a guy who bakes; mine cooks but not pies! I’m sure your rain won’t last long and the garden must need it.
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Next week I think we’ll have Dwarf Jamaican Heliconias which will cheer me up as they seem to be teasing me! It actually has not rained here in a while (dry season) so the garden did enjoy it!
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You make my Mondays.
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Thank you, Flower
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Your kissing fish made me smile! Hope you’ll get over the one day without sun and blue skies. Your flowers certainly make up for it 🙂
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Thank you. One rainy day reminds us why we love it in Florida!
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Oh yes, desserts can cure almost anything! I love the pink coleus around the base – a very pretty arrangement. Hope your sunshine returns soon. I don’t think you or your greyhounds would like our climate right now…. 😉
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Consider me cured. Thank you. The sun is out and the dogs are basking in it. I think they would have to wear sweaters to visit you.
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Love the fish – and the vase is pretty too 😉 The pink coleus is perfect for the bromeliad and the blue footed dish sets them off really well. Hope the pie did the trick! 🙂
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Thank you, the pie was tasted and the sun came back out, winter in Florida is back to normal.
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Hurrah! 🙂
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I’d say you have a handle on countering the rainy day blues. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a small-flowered bromeliad like that. The kissy fish make the perfect prop for the arrangement. As to the pie, it’s set my mouth watering and it’s no where near lunch time here yet.
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Kris, the Bromeliad is new to me, although they are reportedly very cold hardy and more common in the Orlando area. The pie is a good thing! The sun came back out and blue skies again, what a relief.
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The colours in your vase are so lovely and fresh – and the pie looks delicious!
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Thank you, the pie is delicious.
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Ooh, a man who bakes – lucky you! A keeper for sure. 😉
I love the colors this week, sweet pinks.
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Absolutely, thank you. Sweet pinks, indeed.
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Blueberry pie sounds very yum
Your flowers look so exotic which is warming to us here in the grey England
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The pie was yum. Some of these flowers look pretty exotic to me. I just found out i have an Apocalypta Bromeliad!
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Wow sounds special. Either that or it sounds like a disastrous brum e lad( a youth from Birmingham)
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You and your husband both did well. That bouquet and pie look great. and as for Alan — please tell him I empathize.
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