Hi I'm the OP on this thread, and let me just say thank you very much for all
the wonderful ideas and points of views.

now for the good news!!!

what I though were brown, dying stems turns out to be orangish colored flower
stems. Three big flowers have opened and 7 more up the stalk are on the way!
The petals are orangeish with reddish spots on them.

This Vanda is about 24" tall from where it emerges from the lava rock, I'm
curious how tall do they usually get and how does a person propogate them?