Who am I and What Is My Gender?

I'm Sarah Huff (female).

Where am I? Where do I grow?

I'm in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. I grow in my living room and office
(east and south windows) under full spectrum incandescent light. I grow in
either fir bark or s/h, depending on the type of orchid and its condition
when I receive it. (A local orchid store has an "out of bloom room" from
which I get most of my orchids, and the plants are very often in distress.)

What do I grow?

I grow whatever catches my eye, but I have mostly phals, catts, and
dendrobiums. I'm hoping to expand my collection to include vandas. I have
around 40-50 plants, most of which I'm having trouble reblooming.

The decade of my age?

I'm 34.

How long have I been growing orchids?

I've been growing for about 5 years, although I grew for a couple of years
when I was a teenager.

My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

I've rebloomed my Dtps. New Cinderella hybrid several times. It's been out
of bloom for a while now, but has a little nubbin that could be a spike.
It's growing very slowly (a watched pot never boils - I check it at least
twice a day), but I'm hopeful.

Another big orchid accomplishment was not buying any orchids at the recent
AOS show in Denver. I managed not to spend money I didn't have! :-)

Miscellaneous Info...

I'm single but involved. I'm a non-practicing lawyer, and I teach other
lawyers how to write legal research materials. I also design computer-based
training courses for various departments of the company I work for.

In my free time I'm brushing up on my French (which was my undergrad major
at the University of Cincinnati - I grew up in Ohio), and I enjoy going out
to dinner and seeing movies with friends.

Have a good day, everyone!

Sarah

Hello everybody,

I'm new here and might as well introduce myself:



Karen, female, 44, single, living in a flat near the centre of Copenhagen,
Denmark.

I grow in 2 of my windowsills (SW) and on 2 low room-dividers placed at
right angles to the windows, one of them between the windows, one of them
beside the biggest window. There are also about 10 pots hanging from the
ceiling in front of the biggest window. In the summer I use very thin blinds
to avoid scorching, in the dark part of the year I use artificial lights. I
grow in Green Mix and have many of my pots placed on pebbles in Zink trays
containing a little water to improve humidity.



I have been growing since May 2003, and my collection consists mostly of two
bigger groups: Cattleya, Blc, Encyclia, Epidendrum, Brassavola and
Bifrenaria, Pescatorea, Zygopetalum, Galeottia etc. - I hope soon to get a
couple of Bolleas as well for the second group.

Then I also have some Oncidiinae (Onc, Milt etc) and some mixed stuff: a
couple of Bulbos, Dends, Angraecums, Maxillarias, Lycastes and Cycs, in all
about 85.



My biggest orchid accomplishment must be that I have succeded in making
myself give away in all about 30 orchids I realized I didn't really, really
want, when comparing them to some new possibilities. Having now found out
what I prefer: Laeliinae, Zygopetaliinae and Bifrenariinae, I have decided
that since my space is so limited, I can only keep the ones that I really
love..and each time I am tempted to buy something new, I must give away
something.

Being so new at growing orchids, I also see it as an accomplishment that
some (not all!) of the ones I bought last year have been reblooming - a
couple of them several times.



I hope in a couple of years to be able to try some hybridizing.



I have been reading your posts for a couple of weeks and am impressed that
people here are all so nice and helpful.

I look forward to be here and talk to you!



Best

Karen

Hello everybody,

I'm new here and might as well introduce myself:



Karen, female, 44, single, living in a flat near the centre of Copenhagen,
Denmark.

I grow in 2 of my windowsills (SW) and on 2 low room-dividers placed at
right angles to the windows, one of them between the windows, one of them
beside the biggest window. There are also about 10 pots hanging from the
ceiling in front of the biggest window. In the summer I use very thin blinds
to avoid scorching, in the dark part of the year I use artificial lights. I
grow in Green Mix and have many of my pots placed on pebbles in Zink trays
containing a little water to improve humidity.



I have been growing since May 2003, and my collection consists mostly of two
bigger groups: Cattleya, Blc, Encyclia, Epidendrum, Brassavola and
Bifrenaria, Pescatorea, Zygopetalum, Galeottia etc. - I hope soon to get a
couple of Bolleas as well for the second group.

Then I also have some Oncidiinae (Onc, Milt etc) and some mixed stuff: a
couple of Bulbos, Dends, Angraecums, Maxillarias, Lycastes and Cycs, in all
about 85.



My biggest orchid accomplishment must be that I have succeded in making
myself give away in all about 30 orchids I realized I didn't really, really
want, when comparing them to some new possibilities. Having now found out
what I prefer: Laeliinae, Zygopetaliinae and Bifrenariinae, I have decided
that since my space is so limited, I can only keep the ones that I really
love..and each time I am tempted to buy something new, I must give away
something.

Being so new at growing orchids, I also see it as an accomplishment that
some (not all!) of the ones I bought last year have been reblooming - a
couple of them several times.



I hope in a couple of years to be able to try some hybridizing.



I have been reading your posts for a couple of weeks and am impressed that
people here are all so nice and helpful.

I look forward to be here and talk to you!



Best

Karen

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?


Prem Subrahmanyam, male. Married to my wife of 14 years and
the father of ten children (and one on the way).


-- Where am I?

Tallahassee, Florida, USA (northern Florida, where the climate is
more like southern Georgia).


-- What do I grow?

I grow mostly species orchids of all shapes and sizes...my
smallest plant is a Schoenorchis fragrans and my largest is
a near-4-foot Vanda tricolor.


-- The decade of my age?


35


-- How long have I been growing orchids?


20 years.


-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?


Having orchids continue to grow and bloom under my care much more
often than languishing and dying.


- Other stuff


I'm a computer software engineer, graphic designer, and animator, mostly
working freelance contract-based jobs.

--
---Prem
Orchid art, photography, t-shirts, and related products:
http://www.premdesign.com/orchidpics/

Okey dokey, here's another thumb nail sketch. Probably a good idea, Joanna,
since we get new members all the time.

Who am I? Aaarrrgghh....on which given day?!

Alright, alright, I'll be serious, and like Sue will answer for both me and
Frank.

Diana & Frank Kulaga, Port St. Lucie, FL. Diana, 61, Frank, 71, but you'd
never know it by looking at him. BTW, Frank is a 'he' and I am a 'she'.....
I am Vice President of the Port St. Lucie Orchid Society, and also director
of the display committee.

We grow outside under screening around a pool and also in an extended lanai
that we added two years ago to house the out-of-control collection that we
have been building since we bought our first two St. Rays Dends in late
1999. Ah, the age of innocence! Little did we know....

We grow Catts, Phals, Dends, Oncidiums, a few warm growing Cyms, various
intergenerics (Miltassias, etc), lots of Vandaceous plants including Angs,
and the odd variety here and there. We have finally coaxed a Cirr. to live
and thrive, Yay! Before our recent hurricanes we had about 250 orchids, but
that number shrank as rot destroyed a number of Phals and (sob) my beloved
C. harrisoniana cross. Also, after repotting, some of our intergenerics are
now in smaller pots due to pseudobulb rot, but they are alive and will be
fine.

Let's see, what else? Oh, yes, orchid achievements. Well, I've won two
awards for Best in Class, for Phal. Summer Beach and also for a wonderful
Dendrobium hybrid that we dubbed the 'Queen'. And I am especially proud that
our society has been winning display awards since I put together our team.

Recently I gave a talk on beginning orchid culture for a local garden club,
and Frank came with me. In the past, he has been quick to tell anyone who
would listen that he doesn't grow orchids, I do, and all he does is put in
watering lines and build benches. Yup, and I'm the Lone Ranger. He broke
into my talk numerous times to explain how Phals in nature grow, how it is
we that want them in pots, etc, etc. The crowd loved it, especially after he
said 'he didn't grow orchids', LOL.

Miscellaneous:

Frank is an engineer, and retired from So. NE Telephone as Manager of
Electronic Switching for Connecticut. I did motivational and sales training
along with sales management for a number of years, and for some time owned
two Century 21 franchises and a mortgage company.

Now we are not working, and I have no idea how we found the time to do so!

Happy Holidays!

Diana

Danny, male, 32. I live in metro Atlanta, Georgia. I've been growing
orchids for four years. My girlfriend and I now have close to 400 orchids.
It is a very mixed collection, about half species. Probably a quarter of
the collection is slippers (mostly Paphs). Everything is grown under lights
in the basement, 1200 watts of fluorescent and 1200 watts of Metal Halide.
I'm in the Atlanta Orchid Society, where I am the newsletter editor. I've
also started doing some of the photography at the local judging center.

Danny, male, 32. I live in metro Atlanta, Georgia. I've been growing
orchids for four years. My girlfriend and I now have close to 400 orchids.
It is a very mixed collection, about half species. Probably a quarter of
the collection is slippers (mostly Paphs). Everything is grown under lights
in the basement, 1200 watts of fluorescent and 1200 watts of Metal Halide.
I'm in the Atlanta Orchid Society, where I am the newsletter editor. I've
also started doing some of the photography at the local judging center.

Dayton, now existing in mid-coast Maine (where it's way too cold.

62 and hoping to get to retirement as senior underwriter for a small,
regional insurance company while remaining halfway sane.

Have been growing for about 25 years. First were two mesh bag catts
bought at a nursery/garden center in Connecticut. One died. The other
languished for a few years under a two tube fluorescent (surprise
there). Put it on a window sill and it bloomed. Amazingly, kept it alive
for a number of years.Second try was a grocery store phal that lasted
for years.

Have five jammed windows; one HID and four shelves of fluorescent with
about 175 children, primarily phals, mini catts and tolumnias but will
try almost anything not too large and that I think I can avoid killing.
Wife likes the in flower plants brought into the living room but is
otherwise hands-off.

Greatest accomplishment: keeping three cyp flavas alive for the past
half dozen years in a back yard that has gotten as low as minus 35.

Enjoy reading, intensive outdoor gardening, listening to good music and
photography along with four (one letter "T") cats.

Dayton, now existing in mid-coast Maine (where it's way too cold.

62 and hoping to get to retirement as senior underwriter for a small,
regional insurance company while remaining halfway sane.

Have been growing for about 25 years. First were two mesh bag catts
bought at a nursery/garden center in Connecticut. One died. The other
languished for a few years under a two tube fluorescent (surprise
there). Put it on a window sill and it bloomed. Amazingly, kept it alive
for a number of years.Second try was a grocery store phal that lasted
for years.

Have five jammed windows; one HID and four shelves of fluorescent with
about 175 children, primarily phals, mini catts and tolumnias but will
try almost anything not too large and that I think I can avoid killing.
Wife likes the in flower plants brought into the living room but is
otherwise hands-off.

Greatest accomplishment: keeping three cyp flavas alive for the past
half dozen years in a back yard that has gotten as low as minus 35.

Enjoy reading, intensive outdoor gardening, listening to good music and
photography along with four (one letter "T") cats.

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 01:50:00 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

What do you think? I think it's been a while since we have all introduced
ourselves to each other here on rgo. There was the exchange of photos of
ourselves on abpo in August-September, but unless I have missed it, I think
the last time we had a "Who We Are" thread on rgo was in January-February,
and I know we have newcomers (including new regulars) since then (and maybe
some lurkers will de-lurk like they did the last time for this thread?).

If you are a newcomers, or if you did not respond the last time, or if your
answers to "What do I grow?" or "Where do I grow?" or "biggest orchid
accomplishments" have changed quite a bit in the meantime, please please
respond!

Even if you have responded before, here are a few reasons for you to reply
again: newcomers may not know you yet, not everyone searches the archives
and even if they did this kind of thread is not as easy to find since the
title contains only common search words and newcomers won't know which terms
to use to search for this, and Groups Google is in the process of changing
their site and thus I am not sure how safe it is to post links to old
messages and threads.

In November 2001 Kye posted a message containing a set of questions to
encourage fellow rgo'ers to introduce themselves. I think that this is worth
doing on a regular basis. So here are Kye's questions with my revised
answers:
---------------------------------------------------------
-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Joanna, female (How many male Joannas do you know? I was thinking of
omitting Kye's gender question, but then I thought of Kenni Judd, who I
assumed for the longest time was male, and who is female, and so I decided
to leave it in after all.)
-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Alexandria, Virginia (Washington DC area, USA). Windowsills and shelves of
one and a half bedroom apartment (northern exposure with supplemental grow
lights). My orchid collection has meanwhile expanded to all 4 windows in
the apartment, but there is still room for many more orchids since the
shelves have more levels than are currently occupied..

-- What do I grow?

24 Phals/Dtps, 5 Paphs, 1 cochleanthes amazonica, and 1 miniature cattleya
(31 orchids total, and beginning to have trouble counting them -- 21 of
these were acquired in 2004 (How many will I have this time next year, I
wonder? shudder)

-- The decade of my age?


3rd

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Started in May 2001 with an orchid that was a wedding present, and was
decapitated accidentally with the window blinds a week later, and so I
acquired a second to be able to truthfully say "yes, the orchid is doing
beautifully" on the phone to the gift-giver of the first one. 3.5 years
later, both of these orchids have rebloomed every half or full year since,
except that the first one leaped off the shelf and broke it's most recent
spike not too long ago (I'm innocent, wasn't even in the room when it
happened). The other one is in bloom again now.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

15 of my orchids have rebloomed for me, and only 2 of the 10 orchids that I
have had over one year long have not rebloomed yet. Also I haven't killed a
single orchid yet, though I have come close (there is one currently that is
barely hanging in there, but I am beginning to think it will make it). And
no, I have not given away any that were not doing well, so I'm not cheating.

-- Miscellaneous Info...


I am a new US citizen this year (voted for the first time, and am really
looking forward to the next election, which I hope will turn out
differently.) I am originally from Poland, and then Austria, but sometime in
the next year I will have lived half my life in the US. I work as a Web
application developer (contractor on federal government projects, most
recently for the Department of Education). I am married to David, who is a
very considerate orchid addict's spouse (for example, he comes with me to
Al's orchid greenhouse, and he is usually willing to let me acquire more
orchids than I would have probably gotten on my own.) My hobbies include:
orchids (who knew?!), bread making with bread machine, crocheting, reading,
and teaching Sunday School at church (to a group of 2 through 11 year olds).


My name is Ron Priest last count 54 plants, i caught Orchididus 3
years ago, i have 11 phals, 2 paphs several oncidiums only 2 cym,s
several dens 4 catt,s 1 zygopetalim 2 pansys and other odds and
ends the one that really supprised me was ludisia discolor i didnt
know for 2 weeks that it was a orchid ! it was given too me along with
some other sick orchids and i assumed it was something other then a
orchid . any way low and behold its in bud now. i am 74 years old a
retired welder and crane operator, i live with my wife of 51+ yrs. in
Port Townsend Washington , i grow the phals and the 2 paphs in our
dining room with a east, south and west exposure the room is shaped
like half a octagon the phal,s seem to love it. there the rest of the
gang are in my basement wash room with no windows so i use neon grow
lites being it has a toilet and wash basin and washer and dryer it has
a natural high humidty , i have the lites on a timer and a fan that
brings in outside are to help cool the room at nite, so far it seems
OK this summer might cause a problem ??? this is my first time on this
group. however i have posted on alt. binaries pictures orchids. Ron

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 01:50:00 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

What do you think? I think it's been a while since we have all introduced
ourselves to each other here on rgo. There was the exchange of photos of
ourselves on abpo in August-September, but unless I have missed it, I think
the last time we had a "Who We Are" thread on rgo was in January-February,
and I know we have newcomers (including new regulars) since then (and maybe
some lurkers will de-lurk like they did the last time for this thread?).

If you are a newcomers, or if you did not respond the last time, or if your
answers to "What do I grow?" or "Where do I grow?" or "biggest orchid
accomplishments" have changed quite a bit in the meantime, please please
respond!

Even if you have responded before, here are a few reasons for you to reply
again: newcomers may not know you yet, not everyone searches the archives
and even if they did this kind of thread is not as easy to find since the
title contains only common search words and newcomers won't know which terms
to use to search for this, and Groups Google is in the process of changing
their site and thus I am not sure how safe it is to post links to old
messages and threads.

In November 2001 Kye posted a message containing a set of questions to
encourage fellow rgo'ers to introduce themselves. I think that this is worth
doing on a regular basis. So here are Kye's questions with my revised
answers:
---------------------------------------------------------
-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Joanna, female (How many male Joannas do you know? I was thinking of
omitting Kye's gender question, but then I thought of Kenni Judd, who I
assumed for the longest time was male, and who is female, and so I decided
to leave it in after all.)
-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Alexandria, Virginia (Washington DC area, USA). Windowsills and shelves of
one and a half bedroom apartment (northern exposure with supplemental grow
lights). My orchid collection has meanwhile expanded to all 4 windows in
the apartment, but there is still room for many more orchids since the
shelves have more levels than are currently occupied..

-- What do I grow?

24 Phals/Dtps, 5 Paphs, 1 cochleanthes amazonica, and 1 miniature cattleya
(31 orchids total, and beginning to have trouble counting them -- 21 of
these were acquired in 2004 (How many will I have this time next year, I
wonder? shudder)

-- The decade of my age?


3rd

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Started in May 2001 with an orchid that was a wedding present, and was
decapitated accidentally with the window blinds a week later, and so I
acquired a second to be able to truthfully say "yes, the orchid is doing
beautifully" on the phone to the gift-giver of the first one. 3.5 years
later, both of these orchids have rebloomed every half or full year since,
except that the first one leaped off the shelf and broke it's most recent
spike not too long ago (I'm innocent, wasn't even in the room when it
happened). The other one is in bloom again now.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

15 of my orchids have rebloomed for me, and only 2 of the 10 orchids that I
have had over one year long have not rebloomed yet. Also I haven't killed a
single orchid yet, though I have come close (there is one currently that is
barely hanging in there, but I am beginning to think it will make it). And
no, I have not given away any that were not doing well, so I'm not cheating.

-- Miscellaneous Info...


I am a new US citizen this year (voted for the first time, and am really
looking forward to the next election, which I hope will turn out
differently.) I am originally from Poland, and then Austria, but sometime in
the next year I will have lived half my life in the US. I work as a Web
application developer (contractor on federal government projects, most
recently for the Department of Education). I am married to David, who is a
very considerate orchid addict's spouse (for example, he comes with me to
Al's orchid greenhouse, and he is usually willing to let me acquire more
orchids than I would have probably gotten on my own.) My hobbies include:
orchids (who knew?!), bread making with bread machine, crocheting, reading,
and teaching Sunday School at church (to a group of 2 through 11 year olds).


My name is Ron Priest last count 54 plants, i caught Orchididus 3
years ago, i have 11 phals, 2 paphs several oncidiums only 2 cym,s
several dens 4 catt,s 1 zygopetalim 2 pansys and other odds and
ends the one that really supprised me was ludisia discolor i didnt
know for 2 weeks that it was a orchid ! it was given too me along with
some other sick orchids and i assumed it was something other then a
orchid . any way low and behold its in bud now. i am 74 years old a
retired welder and crane operator, i live with my wife of 51+ yrs. in
Port Townsend Washington , i grow the phals and the 2 paphs in our
dining room with a east, south and west exposure the room is shaped
like half a octagon the phal,s seem to love it. there the rest of the
gang are in my basement wash room with no windows so i use neon grow
lites being it has a toilet and wash basin and washer and dryer it has
a natural high humidty , i have the lites on a timer and a fan that
brings in outside are to help cool the room at nite, so far it seems
OK this summer might cause a problem ??? this is my first time on this
group. however i have posted on alt. binaries pictures orchids. Ron

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 01:50:00 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

What do you think? I think it's been a while since we have all introduced
ourselves to each other here on rgo. There was the exchange of photos of
ourselves on abpo in August-September, but unless I have missed it, I think
the last time we had a "Who We Are" thread on rgo was in January-February,
and I know we have newcomers (including new regulars) since then (and maybe
some lurkers will de-lurk like they did the last time for this thread?).

If you are a newcomers, or if you did not respond the last time, or if your
answers to "What do I grow?" or "Where do I grow?" or "biggest orchid
accomplishments" have changed quite a bit in the meantime, please please
respond!

Even if you have responded before, here are a few reasons for you to reply
again: newcomers may not know you yet, not everyone searches the archives
and even if they did this kind of thread is not as easy to find since the
title contains only common search words and newcomers won't know which terms
to use to search for this, and Groups Google is in the process of changing
their site and thus I am not sure how safe it is to post links to old
messages and threads.

In November 2001 Kye posted a message containing a set of questions to
encourage fellow rgo'ers to introduce themselves. I think that this is worth
doing on a regular basis. So here are Kye's questions with my revised
answers:
---------------------------------------------------------
-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Joanna, female (How many male Joannas do you know? I was thinking of
omitting Kye's gender question, but then I thought of Kenni Judd, who I
assumed for the longest time was male, and who is female, and so I decided
to leave it in after all.)
-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Alexandria, Virginia (Washington DC area, USA). Windowsills and shelves of
one and a half bedroom apartment (northern exposure with supplemental grow
lights). My orchid collection has meanwhile expanded to all 4 windows in
the apartment, but there is still room for many more orchids since the
shelves have more levels than are currently occupied..

-- What do I grow?

24 Phals/Dtps, 5 Paphs, 1 cochleanthes amazonica, and 1 miniature cattleya
(31 orchids total, and beginning to have trouble counting them -- 21 of
these were acquired in 2004 (How many will I have this time next year, I
wonder? shudder)

-- The decade of my age?


3rd

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Started in May 2001 with an orchid that was a wedding present, and was
decapitated accidentally with the window blinds a week later, and so I
acquired a second to be able to truthfully say "yes, the orchid is doing
beautifully" on the phone to the gift-giver of the first one. 3.5 years
later, both of these orchids have rebloomed every half or full year since,
except that the first one leaped off the shelf and broke it's most recent
spike not too long ago (I'm innocent, wasn't even in the room when it
happened). The other one is in bloom again now.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

15 of my orchids have rebloomed for me, and only 2 of the 10 orchids that I
have had over one year long have not rebloomed yet. Also I haven't killed a
single orchid yet, though I have come close (there is one currently that is
barely hanging in there, but I am beginning to think it will make it). And
no, I have not given away any that were not doing well, so I'm not cheating.

-- Miscellaneous Info...


I am a new US citizen this year (voted for the first time, and am really
looking forward to the next election, which I hope will turn out
differently.) I am originally from Poland, and then Austria, but sometime in
the next year I will have lived half my life in the US. I work as a Web
application developer (contractor on federal government projects, most
recently for the Department of Education). I am married to David, who is a
very considerate orchid addict's spouse (for example, he comes with me to
Al's orchid greenhouse, and he is usually willing to let me acquire more
orchids than I would have probably gotten on my own.) My hobbies include:
orchids (who knew?!), bread making with bread machine, crocheting, reading,
and teaching Sunday School at church (to a group of 2 through 11 year olds).


My name is Ron Priest last count 54 orchid plants i caught Orchididus
3 years ago, i have 11 phals 2 paphs several oncidiums only 2 cyms
several dens 4 catts 1 zygo 2 pansys and other odds and ends people
have given me the orchid that really supprised me was ludisia
discolor, i didnt know it was a orchid for 2 weeks i ran across it
looking up another orchid on the net and found out that it is a orchid
and low and behold its starting to bud!i am74 retired const. weldor
and crane operator i live with my wife of 51 + yrs. in Port Townsend
Washington, i grow the phals and paphs in our octagon shaped dining
room it has a east , south , west exposure the phals seem to love it
they just keep throwing spikes then bloom on and on all 11 are either
in bloom or in spike one has 5 spikes. the rest of them are in a
underground landry room on shelves with 5 neon shop lites with grow
lite bulbs being the room has a toilet wash basin and washer and dryer
it has a natural high humidty the lites are on a timer as well as the
small fan that brings cool outside air to help cool the room off at
nite so far its OK this summer could be a problem?? Ron

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 01:50:00 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

What do you think? I think it's been a while since we have all introduced
ourselves to each other here on rgo. There was the exchange of photos of
ourselves on abpo in August-September, but unless I have missed it, I think
the last time we had a "Who We Are" thread on rgo was in January-February,
and I know we have newcomers (including new regulars) since then (and maybe
some lurkers will de-lurk like they did the last time for this thread?).

If you are a newcomers, or if you did not respond the last time, or if your
answers to "What do I grow?" or "Where do I grow?" or "biggest orchid
accomplishments" have changed quite a bit in the meantime, please please
respond!

Even if you have responded before, here are a few reasons for you to reply
again: newcomers may not know you yet, not everyone searches the archives
and even if they did this kind of thread is not as easy to find since the
title contains only common search words and newcomers won't know which terms
to use to search for this, and Groups Google is in the process of changing
their site and thus I am not sure how safe it is to post links to old
messages and threads.

In November 2001 Kye posted a message containing a set of questions to
encourage fellow rgo'ers to introduce themselves. I think that this is worth
doing on a regular basis. So here are Kye's questions with my revised
answers:
---------------------------------------------------------
-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Joanna, female (How many male Joannas do you know? I was thinking of
omitting Kye's gender question, but then I thought of Kenni Judd, who I
assumed for the longest time was male, and who is female, and so I decided
to leave it in after all.)
-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Alexandria, Virginia (Washington DC area, USA). Windowsills and shelves of
one and a half bedroom apartment (northern exposure with supplemental grow
lights). My orchid collection has meanwhile expanded to all 4 windows in
the apartment, but there is still room for many more orchids since the
shelves have more levels than are currently occupied..

-- What do I grow?

24 Phals/Dtps, 5 Paphs, 1 cochleanthes amazonica, and 1 miniature cattleya
(31 orchids total, and beginning to have trouble counting them -- 21 of
these were acquired in 2004 (How many will I have this time next year, I
wonder? shudder)

-- The decade of my age?


3rd

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Started in May 2001 with an orchid that was a wedding present, and was
decapitated accidentally with the window blinds a week later, and so I
acquired a second to be able to truthfully say "yes, the orchid is doing
beautifully" on the phone to the gift-giver of the first one. 3.5 years
later, both of these orchids have rebloomed every half or full year since,
except that the first one leaped off the shelf and broke it's most recent
spike not too long ago (I'm innocent, wasn't even in the room when it
happened). The other one is in bloom again now.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

15 of my orchids have rebloomed for me, and only 2 of the 10 orchids that I
have had over one year long have not rebloomed yet. Also I haven't killed a
single orchid yet, though I have come close (there is one currently that is
barely hanging in there, but I am beginning to think it will make it). And
no, I have not given away any that were not doing well, so I'm not cheating.

-- Miscellaneous Info...


I am a new US citizen this year (voted for the first time, and am really
looking forward to the next election, which I hope will turn out
differently.) I am originally from Poland, and then Austria, but sometime in
the next year I will have lived half my life in the US. I work as a Web
application developer (contractor on federal government projects, most
recently for the Department of Education). I am married to David, who is a
very considerate orchid addict's spouse (for example, he comes with me to
Al's orchid greenhouse, and he is usually willing to let me acquire more
orchids than I would have probably gotten on my own.) My hobbies include:
orchids (who knew?!), bread making with bread machine, crocheting, reading,
and teaching Sunday School at church (to a group of 2 through 11 year olds).


My name is Ron Priest last count 54 orchid plants i caught Orchididus
3 years ago, i have 11 phals 2 paphs several oncidiums only 2 cyms
several dens 4 catts 1 zygo 2 pansys and other odds and ends people
have given me the orchid that really supprised me was ludisia
discolor, i didnt know it was a orchid for 2 weeks i ran across it
looking up another orchid on the net and found out that it is a orchid
and low and behold its starting to bud!i am74 retired const. weldor
and crane operator i live with my wife of 51 + yrs. in Port Townsend
Washington, i grow the phals and paphs in our octagon shaped dining
room it has a east , south , west exposure the phals seem to love it
they just keep throwing spikes then bloom on and on all 11 are either
in bloom or in spike one has 5 spikes. the rest of them are in a
underground landry room on shelves with 5 neon shop lites with grow
lite bulbs being the room has a toilet wash basin and washer and dryer
it has a natural high humidty the lites are on a timer as well as the
small fan that brings cool outside air to help cool the room off at
nite so far its OK this summer could be a problem?? Ron

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 01:50:00 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

What do you think? I think it's been a while since we have all introduced
ourselves to each other here on rgo. There was the exchange of photos of
ourselves on abpo in August-September, but unless I have missed it, I think
the last time we had a "Who We Are" thread on rgo was in January-February,
and I know we have newcomers (including new regulars) since then (and maybe
some lurkers will de-lurk like they did the last time for this thread?).

If you are a newcomers, or if you did not respond the last time, or if your
answers to "What do I grow?" or "Where do I grow?" or "biggest orchid
accomplishments" have changed quite a bit in the meantime, please please
respond!

Even if you have responded before, here are a few reasons for you to reply
again: newcomers may not know you yet, not everyone searches the archives
and even if they did this kind of thread is not as easy to find since the
title contains only common search words and newcomers won't know which terms
to use to search for this, and Groups Google is in the process of changing
their site and thus I am not sure how safe it is to post links to old
messages and threads.

In November 2001 Kye posted a message containing a set of questions to
encourage fellow rgo'ers to introduce themselves. I think that this is worth
doing on a regular basis. So here are Kye's questions with my revised
answers:
---------------------------------------------------------
-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Joanna, female (How many male Joannas do you know? I was thinking of
omitting Kye's gender question, but then I thought of Kenni Judd, who I
assumed for the longest time was male, and who is female, and so I decided
to leave it in after all.)
-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Alexandria, Virginia (Washington DC area, USA). Windowsills and shelves of
one and a half bedroom apartment (northern exposure with supplemental grow
lights). My orchid collection has meanwhile expanded to all 4 windows in
the apartment, but there is still room for many more orchids since the
shelves have more levels than are currently occupied..

-- What do I grow?

24 Phals/Dtps, 5 Paphs, 1 cochleanthes amazonica, and 1 miniature cattleya
(31 orchids total, and beginning to have trouble counting them -- 21 of
these were acquired in 2004 (How many will I have this time next year, I
wonder? shudder)

-- The decade of my age?


3rd

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Started in May 2001 with an orchid that was a wedding present, and was
decapitated accidentally with the window blinds a week later, and so I
acquired a second to be able to truthfully say "yes, the orchid is doing
beautifully" on the phone to the gift-giver of the first one. 3.5 years
later, both of these orchids have rebloomed every half or full year since,
except that the first one leaped off the shelf and broke it's most recent
spike not too long ago (I'm innocent, wasn't even in the room when it
happened). The other one is in bloom again now.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

15 of my orchids have rebloomed for me, and only 2 of the 10 orchids that I
have had over one year long have not rebloomed yet. Also I haven't killed a
single orchid yet, though I have come close (there is one currently that is
barely hanging in there, but I am beginning to think it will make it). And
no, I have not given away any that were not doing well, so I'm not cheating.

-- Miscellaneous Info...


I am a new US citizen this year (voted for the first time, and am really
looking forward to the next election, which I hope will turn out
differently.) I am originally from Poland, and then Austria, but sometime in
the next year I will have lived half my life in the US. I work as a Web
application developer (contractor on federal government projects, most
recently for the Department of Education). I am married to David, who is a
very considerate orchid addict's spouse (for example, he comes with me to
Al's orchid greenhouse, and he is usually willing to let me acquire more
orchids than I would have probably gotten on my own.) My hobbies include:
orchids (who knew?!), bread making with bread machine, crocheting, reading,
and teaching Sunday School at church (to a group of 2 through 11 year olds).


My name is Ron Priest last count 54 orchid plants i caught Orchididus
3 years ago, i have 11 phals 2 paphs several oncidiums only 2 cyms
several dens 4 catts 1 zygo 2 pansys and other odds and ends people
have given me the orchid that really supprised me was ludisia
discolor, i didnt know it was a orchid for 2 weeks i ran across it
looking up another orchid on the net and found out that it is a orchid
and low and behold its starting to bud!i am74 retired const. weldor
and crane operator i live with my wife of 51 + yrs. in Port Townsend
Washington, i grow the phals and paphs in our octagon shaped dining
room it has a east , south , west exposure the phals seem to love it
they just keep throwing spikes then bloom on and on all 11 are either
in bloom or in spike one has 5 spikes. the rest of them are in a
underground landry room on shelves with 5 neon shop lites with grow
lite bulbs being the room has a toilet wash basin and washer and dryer
it has a natural high humidty the lites are on a timer as well as the
small fan that brings cool outside air to help cool the room off at
nite so far its OK this summer could be a problem?? Ron

Hi everyone,

My name is Eric Hunt, 32, male, living with partner of 4.5 years in the
Mission District of San Francisco, CA.

I've been growing orchids almost 5 years. Right now I am growing half in a
north-facing bay window and half under lights in my kitchen. Kitchen light
setup is sub-par, but that's not my main focus now. Bay window is much more
successful - Dendrobium ionopsis is just coming into bloom with several
dozen inflorescences and I had a spectacular blooming of Dendrobium forbesii
just finish. Oncidium leucochilum bloomed nicely for me this year in the
window. Trying to get Neofinetia falcata to bloom, but I'm learning my
day-night temp differential may not be high enough. Masdevallia mystica
under lights tends to bloom on and off when it feels like it, the rest just
sit there, so we won't mention names. =)

My biggest orchid accomplishment was a 3 week trip to Ecuador this past
January to see orchids in the wild. Best two encounters: two different cliff
faces covered in dozens of blooming Phrag. besseae and encountering a large
Anguloa virginalis in full bloom in secondary forest. I ran into fellow
r.g.o. member Danny in Quito at the end of the trip, btw.

I am a member of the San Francisco Orchid Society as well as the Bay Area
and National Pleurothallid Alliance and am an avid supporter of The Orchid
Digest.

My biggest orchid-related effort is my orchid species photography website -
www.orchidphotos.org. I spend untold amounts of time taking the photos and
placing them online for everyone to enjoy. I post many of the photos over on
the UseNet group alt.binaries.pictures.orchids - so come over there to enjoy
photos of orchids.

I am the president of OrchidMania, Inc., an all-volunteer orchid-based
nonprofit in San Francisco. We have a greenhouse in San Francisco where we
maintain a permanent collection of species orchids and take care of donated
orchids of all kinds. I get most of my orchid culture fix by working in the
OM greenhouse.

We sell the donated orchids at the World's Largest Orchid Garage Sale over
Mother's Day Weekend in May, as well as throughout the year directly from
the greenhouse. All the net proceeds are donated to grassroots HIV/AIDS
groups in Northern California, Thailand, and Colombia. This is our 15th year
and my 4th year with OrchidMania. www.orchids.org

Thanks for listening!

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org