I've had both the privilege and the curse of gardening in a number of very different climates--to my amazement even houseplants respond to differences in what goes on outside. I've also become very aware that wherever you live there are complications and challenges provided by weather. So--being fully aware that some of you lately have been challenged by tornadoes, and heavy snowfall, and flooding, and other difficult situations. But!!! boo-hoo, poor me, and poor my plants--we had wind the last couple days. (It's seldom very windy here.) It's been beautiful and warm lately, so since I've been crowding my plants and filling in every (poor light quality) window, I've been taking things outside. Monday was pretty windy and blew down some pots. I picked things up and tried to set things so they'd be secure if the wind continued, but yesterday a group of us went down to Jefferson Island and then visited a nursery on the way home. (I got a lovely Nun's Orchid full of buds, among other things.) The local weatherman is saying we had gusts to 40--50 mph yesterday. Some places lost trees and some lost power.) When I got back plants I thought I'd secured were slung all over, with some of them knocked clear out of their pots. Sinningia magnifica had three whole stems knocked off the caudex/tuber. S. guttata had leaves damaged. Several chiritas were damaged severely. Of course, with our long growing season they'll all be back in fine condition in pretty short order, but there is a show coming up in a couple weeks and I wanted to introduce some of these that are seen less often. Think I'd have rather lost power. But I'll have lots of S. magnifica especially to share with others!