A Lady Slipper Orchid on a Snowy Day

Yesterday I did the Holly Fair art & craft show in Mora.  It was my first time as a vendor.  Yes, there was a winter storm warning with 6-11" of snowfall expected in 24 hours, but that didn't stop the craft fair.  Thankfully it was close to home for me and the roads were just wet going in, but slippery and slushy coming home.

The hardest thing about doing craft fairs is not buying a lot of other people's stuff.  I just couldn't resist this Lady Slipper orchid -

I hope I can keep it alive, the guy said a cool windowsill on the north side of the house and let it dry out well between waterings.  He also said there's a little side shoot coming along that should bloom in February.  That funny looking plant on the left of it is a Pregnant Onion that I cut back because it was growing crooked.  I got its parent plant years ago for $1.  I gave the original plant away, but I found this little bulb growing in some old potting soil this summer.  So I guess I was destined to have another pregnant onion plant.

But back to the orchids, it sounds like they can be as addictive as the Shetland sheep, so many different colors and textures, you can't have just one.  But the first step is to see if I can keep it alive.  I just love it!

I also got the cutest little egg cup scented candle.  After my recent night without electricity, I appreciate candles more. Plus, I figured once the candle is gone I can display one of my eggs in it. I also got a local author's signed book, "True Tall Tales from the Land of Sky Blue Waters" and some homemade candies from another vendor.
After the craft show I had to buy groceries -- my least favorite thing to do. But when you're out of milk and bread, you'd better stop.  The orchid is in the car and it's cold out.  So I quickly grabbed the essentials and tried not to talk too long to anyone, and then the check out lines are all winding around the front of the store. Just my luck!  Okay, so I drive slowly home through the slush and the sheep greet me with HUNGRY bellows.  Unload the orchid, groceries, and the craft show stuff and head out to feed the sheep.  Snow from the roof of the pole building piled up about 3', and it's very wet, compacted, and heavy. Sticks to the shovel.  Okay, fed those sheep and head over to the Shetlands.  Big armload of hay for their feeder only to find they had tipped over said feeder.  Dang! I hate when that happens. I tossed a flake off to one side to get them away from my legs and tried to right the feeder with my free arm.  I think we'll pound some T-posts to tie up that feeder so no one gets hurt.

Inside the little red barn, I see the little Buff Chantecler hen who has just recently started laying.  She's settling in a corner of the barn, hollowing out a nest spot for her next egg.  She's picking up bedding with her beak and tossing it over her back.  Oh, so cute. But I was too just tired to wait for the egg's arrival...hopefully I'll find it this morning.  I've got to get out and take photos of the snow covered landscape. Yeah, snow!