An Orchestra of Orchid - Rainbow Connection Winners!

For almost two months now, the members of Rainbow Connections have been seeing wisps of Orchid floating across their screens...

We've honored memories of mothers much loved (Aunties, too - waves at Aunt Lu).

We've explored the glories of nature...

We've seen spring race by and summers' heat descend...

We've dreamed of cooler, less hectic days.

We've watched our tulips come and go.

We've seen  lilacs blossom and wilt.

We've tried to catch up on our rest so we could jump into the quick pace of summer with energy galore...

In the midst of busy days, we've longed for simpler times...

We've opened our faces to the sun and tried to cheer up...

We've expressed ourselves in whatever way we know how...

We've poured our hearts out in verse, and rhyme and portrait...

And yet, somehow, the glory has passed us by.

We look, we taste, we hear, we smell scents and sounds and sights from those simple days when an orchid was something so special we could hardly fathom it...

We try to recreate the soft, warm, fuzzy feelings we had as children...

And yet, no matter how we try...

That old-fashioned magic just isn't as easy to find as it might seem...

The world is bent, and the lines aren't straight like they used to be...

There are so many different varieties of lilacs, and orchids and everything in the world that it is hard to keep them - or anything else - straight.

Some days, all I want to do is set the air conditioner on low, snuggle under a big, fluffy quilt, and sleep. How about you?

And then... an orchestra of orchid comes to awaken me... playing, singing, making beautiful music... and I am reborn.

The winners of the Rainbow Connection's Orchid theme are listed below. Please congratulate them!

Thank you again for your patience while I try to catch up and get back on track with my Gather groups!

Random Rainbow Sightings

1st Place is by Linda T:  Double Rainbow

2nd Place is by elizabeth e:  Dreaming of Rainbows

3rd Place is by Trudy P:  "Farmer's Market Flowers"

4th Place is by Marianne R:  A Beach House Rainbow!

5th Place is by Mary M:  Awesome Dolphin Artwork

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Orchid Photos

1st Place is by Lisa K:  Almost Open!

2nd Place is a Pair of Photos by Tina Coruth: Tiny Wild Flower AND Evening Sky

3rd Place is a Pair of Photos by Marianne R: Lady Slippers AND Orchids

4th Place is a Pair of Photos by j - Frugal Mom - r: High in the Trees AND Orchids on the Beach

5th Place is by Carol S:  Elusive Eggs

6th Place is a Pair of Photos by Aunt Shanny:  Mom's Garden AND Orchid Star

7th Place is a Tie Between Tim T:  Flowering Orchid Tree AND

Rose H:  Many Shades of the Color Orchid

8th Place is by Bubbeh Maisse (aka) GT:  A Garden in the Rain, Dunvegan Castle, Isle of Skye

9th Place is a Trio of Photos by Marilyn M:  Angel in Orchid AND A Rock in Orchid AND Orchid Azaleas

10th Place is a Pair of Photos by Sue M: Orchid Magic AND Pretty Pink Orchids

11th Place is a Tie Between Faith is ready to be creative and enjoy her life!:  The Color Orchid

AND Marianne M:  "Orchid-Colored Clematis"

12th Place is a Tie Between Karen R:  Ice Flower

AND Gul Dixon:  Waterlily

Lucky 13th Place is by Praj S:  Pretty Blooms

14th Place is a Pair of Photos by F. Jeanette c:  Violas AND Thistles

15th Place is a Tie Between Katherine "Kat" W:  Hazy Moon

AND Kay M:  Clematis

Sweet 16th Place is a Tie Between devaa *DEBASISH SARKAR:  Foxglove

AND Kim M:  Daisy

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Photo Essays Inspired by Rainbows

1st Place is a Pair by elizabeth e:  "In the Land of Honalee" AND  "In the Land of Honalee" - Utilizing Constructive Criticism

2nd Place is by Cristina S: A Visit to Swarovski:  Kristallwelten in Wattens, Austria

3rd Place is by Julie G:  Always on the Look-out, and Still I Almost Missed It

4th Place is by Rose  (just an old GA peach) Williams:  Of Mustard Seeds and Rainbows

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Poetic Expressions

1st Place is by Sheila Deeth:  Rainbow

2nd Place is by Putul S:  Ribbon

3rd Place is by devaa *DEBASISH SARKAR:  ReCALL

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Altered Images:

1st Place is by Carol S:  House Near Chimayo, New Mexico

2nd Place is by Julie G:  Magic Kingdom

3rd Place is a Pair of Photos by Denise E:  "Wildflower Picking" AND  "Promise of a New Start"

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Orchid Original Art:

1st Place is by Haim Kadman:  "Bat-Sheva" Ballet Group