Today was the local society's orchid auction. What a blast!

Put a flower on the end of a stem and people will pay outrageous prices for
them. There were clearly two groups in the crowd.....the average Joe who
was just looking for a blooming plant and the society member who had very
particular tastes.

It was great fun watching the average Joes bid up phal prices to twice what
they would pay normally. Even the scruffy plants that had some wear and
tear on them went for top dollar if they had a bloom on them.

Some of the collector plants were bid up by the society members.
Competition is a dangerous thing. People did not want to lose a plant and
would bid more than it would cost to get the same plant elsewhere just to
make sure they did not lose.

Personally, I donated six plants and returned home with 5...well technically
one of the five was one of Al's flasks with 25 plants (but they take up less
room than the plants I donated).

One of the plants I gave to the auction was a piece of the Bakerara
Everglades Hunter "Swamp Buggy" HCC/AOS. Last September I bought a big pot
and while repotting it a piece fell off that I putted in a 4 inch pot and
put it on the bench where I had forgotten about it. Last week the little
piece was in spike. It sold for $32.00.....I only paid $18 for the whole
plant!

Now I'm off to divide everything I have and sell it at auction. I'll be
rich!

Good Growing,
Gene