A friend found this on the AOS forum. Thought I'd share, as I believe it
expresses what many of us feel.

Diana

Following is a partial transcription of a chapter in a digitized book
published in 1893.
The book that the excerpt comes from is at:

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/...=jpg&PageNum=2

About Orchids
A Chat
by Frederick Boyle

Among the gentle forms of intellectual excitement I know not one to compare
with the joy of restoring a neglected orchid to health. One may buy such for
coppers--rare species, too--of a size and a "potentiality' of display which
the dealers would estimate at as many pounds were they in good condition on
their shelves. I am avoiding names and details, but it will be allowed me to
say in brief, that I myself have bought more than twenty pots for five
shillings at the auction-rooms, not twice nor thrice either. One half of
them were sick beyond recovery, some few had been injured by accident, but
by far the greater part were victims of ignorance and ill-temperment which
might still be redressed. Orchids tell their own tale, whether of happiness
or misery, in characters beyond dispute. Mr. O'Brien alleged, indeed, before
the grave and experienced signors gathered in conference, that "like the
domestic animals they soon find out when they are in hands that love them.
With such a guardian they seem to be happy, and to thrive, and to establish
an understanding, indicating to him their wants in many important matters as
plainly as though they could speak." And the laugh that followed this
statement was not derisive. He who glances at the endless tricks, methods,
and contrivances devised by one or other species to serve it's turn may well
come to fancy that orchids are reasoning things.

Diana Kulaga wrote:
A friend found this on the AOS forum. Thought I'd share, as I believe it
expresses what many of us feel.

Diana

Following is a partial transcription of a chapter in a digitized book
published in 1893.
The book that the excerpt comes from is at:

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/...=jpg&PageNum=2

About Orchids
A Chat
by Frederick Boyle

Among the gentle forms of intellectual excitement I know not one to compare
with the joy of restoring a neglected orchid to health. One may buy such for
coppers--rare species, too--of a size and a "potentiality' of display which
the dealers would estimate at as many pounds were they in good condition on
their shelves. I am avoiding names and details, but it will be allowed me to
say in brief, that I myself have bought more than twenty pots for five
shillings at the auction-rooms, not twice nor thrice either. One half of
them were sick beyond recovery, some few had been injured by accident, but
by far the greater part were victims of ignorance and ill-temperment which
might still be redressed. Orchids tell their own tale, whether of happiness
or misery, in characters beyond dispute. Mr. O'Brien alleged, indeed, before
the grave and experienced signors gathered in conference, that "like the
domestic animals they soon find out when they are in hands that love them.
With such a guardian they seem to be happy, and to thrive, and to establish
an understanding, indicating to him their wants in many important matters as
plainly as though they could speak." And the laugh that followed this
statement was not derisive. He who glances at the endless tricks, methods,
and contrivances devised by one or other species to serve it's turn may well
come to fancy that orchids are reasoning things.




"Like the domestic animals they soon find out when they are in hands
that love them"

Says it all

K Barrett.

If orchids are like domestic animals, I think they are more like cats than
like dogs though:

They expect and demand certain things from you, and they don't do tricks on
demand but rather act mostly as they please and if it happens to please the
humans involved as well, that's fine, but surely we know who is really in
charge. ;-) Theirs is not an unconditional love and need for constant
affection. And while they do indeed seem to know when they are in hands that
love them, benign neglect may suit just fine as long as the home is to their
liking, and they get water and food, and otherwise are pretty much allowed
to do things their way.

Just as many a cat has told its human "you may pet me now" and then "leave
me alone", an orchid ultimately decides what happens and when (even though
with food and other incentives we may try to coax it to do otherwise, and we
may even be successful). It may decide to flower and reflower almost
non-stop, while another of the same species or hybrid (or even a sibling
plant) that is treated in much the same way in seemingly the same conditions
may wither away or decide that it would rather be a leafy plant no matter
what you do.

Joanna


"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
snip
"Like the domestic animals they soon find out when they are in hands that
love them"

Says it all

K Barrett.

Heinlein had it mostly right, he just left out the orchids when he said
something to the effect that "Women and cats will do as they please, men and
dogs should just get used to it." Or maybe he meant Catts G. Kenni

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:kBqmf.726$Jz6.489@trnddc06...
If orchids are like domestic animals, I think they are more like cats than
like dogs though:

And don't you all just love to keep us guessing! And (mostly) don't we love it
;-)

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 21:11:25 -0500, "Kenni Judd"
wrote:

Heinlein had it mostly right, he just left out the orchids when he said
something to the effect that "Women and cats will do as they please, men and
dogs should just get used to it." Or maybe he meant Catts G. Kenni

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:kBqmf.726$Jz6.489@trnddc06...
If orchids are like domestic animals, I think they are more like cats than
like dogs though:

Dave Gillingham
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To email me remove the .private from my email address.

Reminds me of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "How Do I Love Thee":

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Perhaps a little too fulsome for just a plant, no matter how much we love our
orchids. BTW, in acknowledgement, I copied the above from
http://www.amherst.edu/~rjyanco/lite...nttheways.html

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 18:19:34 -0500, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

A friend found this on the AOS forum. Thought I'd share, as I believe it
expresses what many of us feel.

Diana

Following is a partial transcription of a chapter in a digitized book
published in 1893.
The book that the excerpt comes from is at:

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/...=jpg&PageNum=2

About Orchids
A Chat
by Frederick Boyle

Among the gentle forms of intellectual excitement I know not one to compare
with the joy of restoring a neglected orchid to health. One may buy such for
coppers--rare species, too--of a size and a "potentiality' of display which
the dealers would estimate at as many pounds were they in good condition on
their shelves. I am avoiding names and details, but it will be allowed me to
say in brief, that I myself have bought more than twenty pots for five
shillings at the auction-rooms, not twice nor thrice either. One half of
them were sick beyond recovery, some few had been injured by accident, but
by far the greater part were victims of ignorance and ill-temperment which
might still be redressed. Orchids tell their own tale, whether of happiness
or misery, in characters beyond dispute. Mr. O'Brien alleged, indeed, before
the grave and experienced signors gathered in conference, that "like the
domestic animals they soon find out when they are in hands that love them.
With such a guardian they seem to be happy, and to thrive, and to establish
an understanding, indicating to him their wants in many important matters as
plainly as though they could speak." And the laugh that followed this
statement was not derisive. He who glances at the endless tricks, methods,
and contrivances devised by one or other species to serve it's turn may well
come to fancy that orchids are reasoning things.


Dave Gillingham
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To email me remove the .private from my email address.

LOL! Leave it to Joanna to parse this down to the last word!

How are you feeling these days? Aren't we all due to become uncles and aunts
pretty soon?

Diana

Diana,

Grin.
Feeling pretty well most of the time. Though walking has become less
comfortable, and it is more difficult to sleep since there is no comfortable
lying down position at this time. Oh yes, and earlier today I had a major
anxiety attack thing, way out of proportion to the problem at hand. So I
guess I am just acting like a typical pregnant woman. The due date continues
to be January 4th, so yes it is soon, though I am beginning to think that it
is not soon enough.

Joanna

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
news
LOL! Leave it to Joanna to parse this down to the last word!

How are you feeling these days? Aren't we all due to become uncles and
aunts pretty soon?

Diana

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 15:19:34 -0800, Diana Kulaga wrote
(in article ):

A friend found this on the AOS forum. Thought I'd share, as I believe it
expresses what many of us feel.

Diana

Excellent find, Di.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon D70

Joanna, try lying in the fetal position, like spooning, with a pillow
between your knees.

--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

J Fortuna wrote:
Diana,

Grin.
Feeling pretty well most of the time. Though walking has become less
comfortable, and it is more difficult to sleep since there is no
comfortable lying down position at this time. Oh yes, and earlier
today I had a major anxiety attack thing, way out of proportion to
the problem at hand. So I guess I am just acting like a typical
pregnant woman. The due date continues to be January 4th, so yes it
is soon, though I am beginning to think that it is not soon enough.

Joanna

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
news
LOL! Leave it to Joanna to parse this down to the last word!

How are you feeling these days? Aren't we all due to become uncles
and aunts pretty soon?

Diana

Wendy,

Thanks, but I've tried that, and I keep trying that, and occasionally it is
comfortable enough too, but most of the time it just ain't. I've also tried
sleeping while sitting propped up, and that is a bit more promising. I've
currently got 5 different pillows and I generally use at least 3 of them in
one way or another, including a full-body pillow and a little wedge pillow.
I am now thinking of buying a 6th pillow: the kind of pillow that they sell
for airline passengers for around the neck -- especially when I am sleeping
half-way propped up in a sitting position. I am also thinking of trying
sleeping in the recliner instead of in the bed, haven't tried that yet at
night-time -- though during the day-time no dice yet, I have always had
trouble napping while the sun was up even when I was a child myself -- I
will have to learn to overcome this major deficiency and learn to sleep
whenever I can, wherever I can, and for however short I can, or else I will
be in major trouble.

One of the problems with the recliner napping idea by the way (just to
return to the subject of orchids) is that the recliner is positioned in the
living room within viewing distance of the orchids, and when I am in the
recliner I may get distracted and want to look at the orchids instead of
falling asleep. :-)

Joanna

"wendy7" wrote in message
news:sNPmf.3233$du.3062@fed1read02...
Joanna, try lying in the fetal position, like spooning, with a pillow
between your knees.

--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

J Fortuna wrote:
Diana,

Grin.
Feeling pretty well most of the time. Though walking has become less
comfortable, and it is more difficult to sleep since there is no
comfortable lying down position at this time. Oh yes, and earlier
today I had a major anxiety attack thing, way out of proportion to
the problem at hand. So I guess I am just acting like a typical
pregnant woman. The due date continues to be January 4th, so yes it
is soon, though I am beginning to think that it is not soon enough.

Joanna

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
news
LOL! Leave it to Joanna to parse this down to the last word!

How are you feeling these days? Aren't we all due to become uncles
and aunts pretty soon?

Diana