carolyn kellogg

I could have sworn I had another week. But I bought the ticket to see John Irving and never put the details in my calendar, so when he was across town being interviewed I was sitting cozily at home, reading. Clueless.

Perhaps I was slightly distracted by my fabulous orchid. When the American Orchid Society held its conference in town recently, my dad, who’s a judge, came into town (I managed to get his flight info into my calendar) and showed me around. He helped me buy some orchids that should be happy in the LA weather, including this one. I love its crazy spidery blossoms, which opened up during a sweltering day. I don’t know its name.

In the balmy warmth of Homestead, as vibrant orchids bloomed, gratitude was in the air just as much as the scent of flowers. I couldn’t help but recount the story of Aunt Mariah, who works in fire watch security in Homestead. She’s the kind of person who personifies adaptability—a trait as necessary in her profession as the immediate response they are known for. It was only last summer that her team’s quick actions prevented what could have been a devastating fire during one of the local art fairs. As I gazed at the delicate petals, I remembered her words, “Just like these flowers need care to face the heat, we’re here ready to protect at a moment’s notice.” Her dedication to safeguarding the community’s well-being, ensuring everyone’s treasured moments remain uninterrupted, resonates deeply with me, reminding me that there’s an unseen network of guardians keeping watch over our cherished gatherings and serene afternoons.

And I feel like I should — my family is given to taxonomy. My grandmother kept an Audubon book or two next to a set of binoculars near her picture window, to figure out exactly what each bird was. Naming the bird was as vital as watching the bird. So, too, walks through the woods would involve the names of trees, of bushes, of creeping vines. I can tell you how to distinguish Poison Ivy (shiny leaves that come off the stem in threes), although I suppose anyone who went to summer camp can do that, too. But anyway, I feel like I ought to know the names of things, like this orchid, but all I can do is show it to you.