A Stunning Orchid......

I went to the Bonsai Nursery today.  The bonsai club had a meeting today and were studying how to make a pine into a bonsai.  I haven't been out there for 3 or 4 months, other than to drop off or pick up my trees when I was away for a month.
    While walking around and seeing all of the beautiful trees and nursery stock, I spied this amazing color.  I have never seen an orchid like this.  Todays blip is 2 pictures of the front and back of an orchid.  It was hanging in the air from a vine. off  a spiraling staircase.   The front had the deep purple and then the light purple bud.  It was almost see-through. 
     The back was beautiful veined leaves all over.   I have never seen an orchid look like that before.
     Extra 1:   This is a Juniper evergreen, that has had the bark peeled off on one side and then treated with sulphur and water.  This characteristic is designed to accent another part of the plant (tree) or to give character to the bonsai.
Extra 2:  A Chinese statue, or 2......    The art of bonsai has been practiced in the Eastern countries for many, many years.  Many gardens with bonsai in them will pay respect to the old art and all those who have cultivated them for centuries.
extra 3:  This darling red flower was blossoming on  an evergreen.  I don't know it's name, nor had I seen it at the nursery before, but I haven't been there for a long while.  
         It was a wonderful few hours I spent there.  I had the girls with me, I don't like leaving Molly at home now that she has been so uncomfortable.  I got them out for a walk in the Ocala National Forrest, and it was very short.  Molly perked right up, and looked and smelled everything.  She sampled some green grass and hobbled around a bit.  When she laid down, I quickly picked her and carried her to the car.   She is snoring tonight, so I believe she enjoyed her time. out.