Seasun, a south window is great, but 5 feet away is too far. You are not giving your phal enough light and it will decline into death if you leave it where it is. Orchids take some time to die, so you'll think you're doing fine, doing ok, maybe not growing like it should. Oh NO!!! What happened to my beautiful orchid???? Here's how where to put the phal figures: phals need about 1000 footcandles of light to grow and bloom. *Outside* at high noon = app 10,000 FC. You are never getting anything near that indoors because of the ceiling and roof of the house cutting off that directly overhead sun. All you are getting is the slanting sun, of much less than 10,000FC. Cut in half by the window glass and screen. Cut in half again *for every foot away from the window*. At 5 feet from your south window you are giving it *100FC or less* by my fairly generous estimate of what your south window actually lets in. In St Louis, I can keep phals *in* a south window with no damage, just far enough from the pane for a shade to slide down. Start moving it closer to the window. The first day move it to about 2 feet from the window. Leave it there a day or two, feeling the leaves where the sun falls on them (if it does). If they are hot, it's too much light, move at least 6" further away. If barely warm or cool, move closer. Repeat above, moving it 6" closer to the window every couple of days til you are at the place where nearer the window = leaves are hot (or it's in the window). There's been a lot of discussion with newbies about how much light to give phals here lately. Mostly newbies wanting to argue for keeping it on an inside wall in a bookcase where it looks great, more experienced growers arguing for more light, LOTS more. Your phal will love you if you do a search for these threads. Use the search function and put in something lilike "phal + light". If you leave it where it is and it dies in 6 months, put it down to needing to learn things the hard way. Actually that's how most of us learned this lesson.

Linda, I am so sorry you have to go through all of this pain at once....I know it must be very hard for you...I know this won't make you feel better but there is hope...but both my dad and dog were diagnosed with cancer....both of them are doing fine now....my dad had the seeds put in....he had prostate cancer less than a year ago...for now it is all gone... so there is hope.. and my baby (dog) was infested with cancer...she had a late life spay and when they removed her stuff they found the cancer...when they cut her they let it all out....she was dying and I could smell it...you could smell the infection because her body was fighting the cancer so the cut they made to neuter her would not heal...I dont know what the vet did....but its been almost a year now with no sign of it coming back and she acts like a puppy.... My thoughts are with you. Michele

My MIL would defuse a squabble between 2 children by having them sit in opposing chairs and stare into each other's eyes "until the timer goes off"...no looking down...just stare at each other. It always started out with angry glaring and ended with giggles and hugs. Linda C

I love The Good Wife! It has it all..... great characters, humor, drama, love and heartbreak and I learned a great deal about the law. I am embarrassed to say this but I have seen the entire series more than once! Obviously it is one of my favorite searies of all time. Other shows I loved were (to name just a few) The Knick Billions Homeland Fringe Boardwalk Empire Enjoy!!!!