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

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

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Scottie, and I am female. Parents really wanted a boy to name Scott Jr.
Married almost 35 years to Gary, who is the grower (I'm the enabler).

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

We live in League City, Tx., a suburb of Houston between Houston and
Galveston, about 7 miles from Galveston Bay. We have a small kit greenhouse
(which is way too full) for this time of year and grow outdoors from about
the first of May until October.

-- What do I grow?

Gary loves Phrags, Phaphs, and Tolumnias; I love Dendrobiums, and we also
have Vandas, various Catts and Catt hybrids, Oncidiums, Phals, and various
species. I keep losing track of the total number.

-- The decade of my age?

Will both be 58 in January.

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Since 2002, I think. Seems like forever, but I guess that's because I've
always been a gardener..

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

I think that every single blossom is the biggest accomplishment!

-- Miscellaneous Info...

Gary is a Toyota Master Technician; he has worked for various Toyota dealers
in Colorado, North Carolina and Texas since 1976; he enjoys anything to do
with flying from building model planes to piloting gliders and sailplanes,
and sailing. I work at a small public library where I catalog books, keep
the computers running, manage the network, and try to answer patrons'
questions. I have been a gardener since childhood and enjoy sewing,
reading, photography, and 'messing about in boats'. We lived for 13 years
aboard our 32' Westsail, Betelgeuse; the last year the deck was covered with
orchids which finally forced us to move landside. We belong to the
Galveston Orchid Society where I am secretary and show chair, and we have
clerked for judging twice during the last year at shows in Houston and
Austin.

And I thank you all for all I've learned from you through this group.

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Scottie, and I am female. Parents really wanted a boy to name Scott Jr.
Married almost 35 years to Gary, who is the grower (I'm the enabler).

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

We live in League City, Tx., a suburb of Houston between Houston and
Galveston, about 7 miles from Galveston Bay. We have a small kit greenhouse
(which is way too full) for this time of year and grow outdoors from about
the first of May until October.

-- What do I grow?

Gary loves Phrags, Phaphs, and Tolumnias; I love Dendrobiums, and we also
have Vandas, various Catts and Catt hybrids, Oncidiums, Phals, and various
species. I keep losing track of the total number.

-- The decade of my age?

Will both be 58 in January.

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Since 2002, I think. Seems like forever, but I guess that's because I've
always been a gardener..

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

I think that every single blossom is the biggest accomplishment!

-- Miscellaneous Info...

Gary is a Toyota Master Technician; he has worked for various Toyota dealers
in Colorado, North Carolina and Texas since 1976; he enjoys anything to do
with flying from building model planes to piloting gliders and sailplanes,
and sailing. I work at a small public library where I catalog books, keep
the computers running, manage the network, and try to answer patrons'
questions. I have been a gardener since childhood and enjoy sewing,
reading, photography, and 'messing about in boats'. We lived for 13 years
aboard our 32' Westsail, Betelgeuse; the last year the deck was covered with
orchids which finally forced us to move landside. We belong to the
Galveston Orchid Society where I am secretary and show chair, and we have
clerked for judging twice during the last year at shows in Houston and
Austin.

And I thank you all for all I've learned from you through this group.

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Scottie, and I am female. Parents really wanted a boy to name Scott Jr.
Married almost 35 years to Gary, who is the grower (I'm the enabler).

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

We live in League City, Tx., a suburb of Houston between Houston and
Galveston, about 7 miles from Galveston Bay. We have a small kit greenhouse
(which is way too full) for this time of year and grow outdoors from about
the first of May until October.

-- What do I grow?

Gary loves Phrags, Phaphs, and Tolumnias; I love Dendrobiums, and we also
have Vandas, various Catts and Catt hybrids, Oncidiums, Phals, and various
species. I keep losing track of the total number.

-- The decade of my age?

Will both be 58 in January.

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Since 2002, I think. Seems like forever, but I guess that's because I've
always been a gardener..

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

I think that every single blossom is the biggest accomplishment!

-- Miscellaneous Info...

Gary is a Toyota Master Technician; he has worked for various Toyota dealers
in Colorado, North Carolina and Texas since 1976; he enjoys anything to do
with flying from building model planes to piloting gliders and sailplanes,
and sailing. I work at a small public library where I catalog books, keep
the computers running, manage the network, and try to answer patrons'
questions. I have been a gardener since childhood and enjoy sewing,
reading, photography, and 'messing about in boats'. We lived for 13 years
aboard our 32' Westsail, Betelgeuse; the last year the deck was covered with
orchids which finally forced us to move landside. We belong to the
Galveston Orchid Society where I am secretary and show chair, and we have
clerked for judging twice during the last year at shows in Houston and
Austin.

And I thank you all for all I've learned from you through this group.

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?

Dave Sheehy, male.

: -- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Rocklin, California (Sacramento area). My orchids are in east and north
windowsills with no supplemental lighting. I also have some Cymbidiums
on the front porch (a couple of the Dendrobiums are out there right now
as well getting the requisite winter chill). I have taken to hanging a
number of orchids in the windows as all sill space has been consumed.

: -- What do I grow?

I think Sue said it best, whatever catches my eye, and I have a pretty
diverse eye. I have several Vanda related plants (Vanda, Ascda, Vascostylus),
several Catt Alliance (including a Brassia verrucosa and a Laelia lucusiana),
several Phals, an assortment of Dendrobium species and hybrids, a couple of
Encyclias (that have yet to bloom for me), a couple of Cirrhopetalum spp.,
several Oncidium/intergenerics (many recently acquired), and an Aerangis
luteoalba. Oh yeah, and those Cymbidiums out on the porch (I always forget
about those guys).

: -- The decade of my age?

I am 47.

: -- How long have I been growing orchids?

I started sometime in the early 80's, I forget exactly when. The first 10
years were pretty lackluster and I did little more than keep a few alive
and killed the rest. Once I got into a house that wasn't so dark my success
rate and interest grew (funny how those two things seem to be related :-) ).
I still have a couple of orchids from those dim times, a Vanda that I bought
in a 1" pot at Kmart, and a Cattleya that a friend coerced me into buying at
a UC Davis arboretum sale.

: -- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

My Dendrobium hercoglossum bloomed this year for the 1st time (an Andy's
orchid on a stick hanging in the window). I'm particularly proud of my
Aerangis luteoalbo because it is not just growing in somewhat lower humidity
than it would like but it's bloomed 2 years running and should be spiking
in the next month or so.

In the mixed success category my Dendrobium phaelenopsis and glomeratum
bloomed last year but not this year. I'm not sure what's up with that. One
of my Cirrhopetalums spiked this year but the bud blasted. I had fertilized
two days before so perhaps I shocked it.

: -- Miscellaneous Info...

I'm an R&D engineer working on computer storage protocol controllers. My
other hobby is sal****er aquariums and I have 4 aquariums in the house.
I'm married and have 2 kids, a girl and boy. I'm not affiliated with any
orchid club but there are 2 in my area and I attended one meeting (the
topic was about Paphs which for the most part I have no interest in).

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?

Dave Sheehy, male.

: -- Where am I? Where do I grow?

Rocklin, California (Sacramento area). My orchids are in east and north
windowsills with no supplemental lighting. I also have some Cymbidiums
on the front porch (a couple of the Dendrobiums are out there right now
as well getting the requisite winter chill). I have taken to hanging a
number of orchids in the windows as all sill space has been consumed.

: -- What do I grow?

I think Sue said it best, whatever catches my eye, and I have a pretty
diverse eye. I have several Vanda related plants (Vanda, Ascda, Vascostylus),
several Catt Alliance (including a Brassia verrucosa and a Laelia lucusiana),
several Phals, an assortment of Dendrobium species and hybrids, a couple of
Encyclias (that have yet to bloom for me), a couple of Cirrhopetalum spp.,
several Oncidium/intergenerics (many recently acquired), and an Aerangis
luteoalba. Oh yeah, and those Cymbidiums out on the porch (I always forget
about those guys).

: -- The decade of my age?

I am 47.

: -- How long have I been growing orchids?

I started sometime in the early 80's, I forget exactly when. The first 10
years were pretty lackluster and I did little more than keep a few alive
and killed the rest. Once I got into a house that wasn't so dark my success
rate and interest grew (funny how those two things seem to be related :-) ).
I still have a couple of orchids from those dim times, a Vanda that I bought
in a 1" pot at Kmart, and a Cattleya that a friend coerced me into buying at
a UC Davis arboretum sale.

: -- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

My Dendrobium hercoglossum bloomed this year for the 1st time (an Andy's
orchid on a stick hanging in the window). I'm particularly proud of my
Aerangis luteoalbo because it is not just growing in somewhat lower humidity
than it would like but it's bloomed 2 years running and should be spiking
in the next month or so.

In the mixed success category my Dendrobium phaelenopsis and glomeratum
bloomed last year but not this year. I'm not sure what's up with that. One
of my Cirrhopetalums spiked this year but the bud blasted. I had fertilized
two days before so perhaps I shocked it.

: -- Miscellaneous Info...

I'm an R&D engineer working on computer storage protocol controllers. My
other hobby is sal****er aquariums and I have 4 aquariums in the house.
I'm married and have 2 kids, a girl and boy. I'm not affiliated with any
orchid club but there are 2 in my area and I attended one meeting (the
topic was about Paphs which for the most part I have no interest in).

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.

Dave Gillingham - male - age 62

I started growing orchids living in Townsville (tropical Queensland,
Australia) in my early teens. My collecting was probably prompted by
an older good friend who had also started collecting. In those days,
& at that age, all I could afford was whatever I was able to collect,
swap, or be given through the kindness of older members of the
Townsville Orchid Society. That probably started my abiding interest
in native dendrobes.

I am much clearer on why I *continued* to collect orchids: There was
this girl across the road from my home who also decided to be
interested in them. Assisting her to expand her collection (ie me
scouring the local bush for plants for her collection) was good for
lots of brownie points. Unfortunately, around about the time there
were no new types to collect, a sort of friend of mine became an
apprentice carpenter. He decided it would be a good idea to build her
a shade house with scrap material from his worksites. My brownie
total faded rapidly into insignificance :-(

Family moved south to Brisbane - most of the collection died in the
back of a removal van in the midst of a Queensland summer.
University, work, marriage, kids (3 lovely girls) etc, and, while the
interest remained, the commitment faded. The only plant I still have
from those days is a D. discolor I posted recently on abpo.

After retiring, one of my projects was to construct a rainforest area
beside a gully running through our property. One daughter, knowing of
my interest in orchids, gave me four intending that they be tied to
trees in the rainforest.

It seemed wrong to do that, so I bought a weldmesh shelf, mounted it
on star pickets by the edge of the rainforest with an easterly aspect,
& put the plants there.

Well, there was spare space on the shelf, wasn't there? So I bought a
couple more. Or so. Then I bought another shelf to take the
overflow. Spare space - more plants - overflow - third 2.4 metre
shelf - overflow - replace three 2.4 m x 450 mm (ie 8' x 18") shelves
with three 2.4 m x 600 mm shelves - more plants - new shelf currently
required to help with about 200 plants.

In my current incarnation I've been growing for about two years. I've
joined the local branch of the Australasian Native Orchid Society,
where I feel to be the least knowledgeable of members.
Accomplishments? Not sure there are any of note - I just love growing
them & seeing them thrive.

I think my saga has sort of covered most of Joanna's topics. In a
way, I now have too many plants. With the small collection of my
teens, every plant was an individual. A new root was a matter for
joy, & was monitored closely. A new shoot was cause for celebration -
and for devastation if anything happened to it. Flower spike? Break
out the champagne - weeelll, at that stage, the Coca Cola & celebrate
with the girl across the road. I certainly wouldn't part with any of
my collection, but I do miss those days when I derived such joy from
the performance of individual plants that were almost part of the
family. None ever wore sunglasses though, Reka!
Dave Gillingham
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To email me remove the .private from my email address.

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.

Dave Gillingham - male - age 62

I started growing orchids living in Townsville (tropical Queensland,
Australia) in my early teens. My collecting was probably prompted by
an older good friend who had also started collecting. In those days,
& at that age, all I could afford was whatever I was able to collect,
swap, or be given through the kindness of older members of the
Townsville Orchid Society. That probably started my abiding interest
in native dendrobes.

I am much clearer on why I *continued* to collect orchids: There was
this girl across the road from my home who also decided to be
interested in them. Assisting her to expand her collection (ie me
scouring the local bush for plants for her collection) was good for
lots of brownie points. Unfortunately, around about the time there
were no new types to collect, a sort of friend of mine became an
apprentice carpenter. He decided it would be a good idea to build her
a shade house with scrap material from his worksites. My brownie
total faded rapidly into insignificance :-(

Family moved south to Brisbane - most of the collection died in the
back of a removal van in the midst of a Queensland summer.
University, work, marriage, kids (3 lovely girls) etc, and, while the
interest remained, the commitment faded. The only plant I still have
from those days is a D. discolor I posted recently on abpo.

After retiring, one of my projects was to construct a rainforest area
beside a gully running through our property. One daughter, knowing of
my interest in orchids, gave me four intending that they be tied to
trees in the rainforest.

It seemed wrong to do that, so I bought a weldmesh shelf, mounted it
on star pickets by the edge of the rainforest with an easterly aspect,
& put the plants there.

Well, there was spare space on the shelf, wasn't there? So I bought a
couple more. Or so. Then I bought another shelf to take the
overflow. Spare space - more plants - overflow - third 2.4 metre
shelf - overflow - replace three 2.4 m x 450 mm (ie 8' x 18") shelves
with three 2.4 m x 600 mm shelves - more plants - new shelf currently
required to help with about 200 plants.

In my current incarnation I've been growing for about two years. I've
joined the local branch of the Australasian Native Orchid Society,
where I feel to be the least knowledgeable of members.
Accomplishments? Not sure there are any of note - I just love growing
them & seeing them thrive.

I think my saga has sort of covered most of Joanna's topics. In a
way, I now have too many plants. With the small collection of my
teens, every plant was an individual. A new root was a matter for
joy, & was monitored closely. A new shoot was cause for celebration -
and for devastation if anything happened to it. Flower spike? Break
out the champagne - weeelll, at that stage, the Coca Cola & celebrate
with the girl across the road. I certainly wouldn't part with any of
my collection, but I do miss those days when I derived such joy from
the performance of individual plants that were almost part of the
family. None ever wore sunglasses though, Reka!
Dave Gillingham
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To email me remove the .private from my email address.

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


-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Bill, male

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

St. Petersburg, FL. I grow in a 320 sq ft screened in orichid room I
built on the back of the house.

-- What do I grow?

Lot's of different stuff. I've had the best sucess with vanda types,
and phals. FWER, I struggle with catts and oncidiums.

-- The decade of my age?

I'm guessing the correct answer to a question worded in such a way
would be 4.9

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Three years.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

Getting stuff to re-bloom

-- Miscellaneous Info...

Inherited, in a way, a collection of about 200 sick orchids. So, I
got started the hard way. It seems tough enough to keep a healthy
orhcid growing, so when you start with 200 assorted orchids in poor
health, it's a challenge. I'd say I lost about half of them. I'm
back up to about 150 now. I'm at the point now, if it thrives in my
care I'll keep it going. If they don't like what they get at my house
and decide to die, I'll not replace that kind.

bb

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


-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Bill, male

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

St. Petersburg, FL. I grow in a 320 sq ft screened in orichid room I
built on the back of the house.

-- What do I grow?

Lot's of different stuff. I've had the best sucess with vanda types,
and phals. FWER, I struggle with catts and oncidiums.

-- The decade of my age?

I'm guessing the correct answer to a question worded in such a way
would be 4.9

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Three years.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

Getting stuff to re-bloom

-- Miscellaneous Info...

Inherited, in a way, a collection of about 200 sick orchids. So, I
got started the hard way. It seems tough enough to keep a healthy
orhcid growing, so when you start with 200 assorted orchids in poor
health, it's a challenge. I'd say I lost about half of them. I'm
back up to about 150 now. I'm at the point now, if it thrives in my
care I'll keep it going. If they don't like what they get at my house
and decide to die, I'll not replace that kind.

bb

In article cz6vd.3959$N%6.2873@trnddc05, 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.
---------------------------------------------------------
-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

DeVona, female

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

I live in the suburbs of Boston, MA. I grow in a sunroom with natural
light plus flourescent light and HID light. I also have plants in the
living room (east-facing wall is glass) and on the kitchen windowsill.


-- What do I grow?

Phalaenopsis/Doritaenopsis: 68 plants, but it does seem like that many
Cattleya family/crosses: 36 plants
Dedrobiums: 15 plants
Oncidium family: 14 plants
Cymbidium family: 2 plants
Phaps: 6 plants
Vanda family: 3 plants (seem to be a lost cause...)
Brassia family: 2 plants
Miltonia: 1 plant
Zygossepalum: 1 plant
Encyclicia: 1 plant
Cirrhopatalum: 1 plant
Unknown: 4 plants

Hum, need to cut back on the dendrobiums and start growning some
phrags...


-- The decade of my age?

5th

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

Time flies, but I think it's been about five years.

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

Well, I don't know that this qualifies as an accomplishement, but after
a couple of years of killing phals, I finally figuring out that the
problem was that I was overwatering them. This was a turning point for
me.

-- Miscellaneous Info...

I'm married and have three cats. Neither my husband nor the cats have
much interest in orchids, but they tolerate my interest. When I'm not
tending my orchids, I work as a freelance developmental editor and
writer. I work at home, and my office is the sunroom where most of my
orchids grow. Working in my little jungle sure beats working in some
corporate cubicle ...
I've travelled to Costa Rica, South Carolina, Florida, and California
to look at orchids and visit orchid vendors. I'm hoping to take a trip
to Hawaii in the future.

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Richard, male

-- Where am I? Where do I grow?

I live in Lincoln, Nebraska - 9 hours from Chicago going west on I-80, 9
hours east of Denver going east on I-80. Member of the Lincoln Orchid
Society.
I grow in the house (kitchen, south facing window with semi-diffused light
before it gets in the house) during the year, in the summer most of my
plants get set out on the north side of the house.

-- What do I grow?

Mostly phals and cattleya hybrids, some paphs, phrags, and small vandaceous
hybrids. And the occasional various species. The number was up to 80 at one
time, a real bad scale infestation followed by rot dropped it down to
around 30, now back up to the 40s.

-- The decade of my age?

Since I am in my early 40s, I am in my 5th decade (1st decade 0 - 9, 2nd
decade 10 - 19, etc.)

-- How long have I been growing orchids?

I was growing plants since I was a boy, long before I got interested in
orchids. I purchased my first orchids in 1994, I believe. They died before
the end of the first year, due to a combination of a paranoid roommate
(kept closing the window curtains and shutting off the lights), not enough
water, and poor selection (Miltoniopsis hybrids do not do well in Nebraska
summers). Waited another 4 years before I bought my next plants (an orchid
growing co-worker convinced me to go in on an internet purchase with him, I
got a $4 Lc. Stephen O Fouraker - the shipping charges were more than the
plant! But it's still growing...)

-- My biggest orchid accomplishment(s)?

Not killing off every plant I own - although for a few of them, I'm on the
3rd try. Blooming my first phalaenopsis seedling, and my first Ascocenda.
FINALLY getting a plant to bloom at the right time for displaying in the
LOS display at the Greater Omaha Orchid Society Show in February.

-- Miscellaneous Info...

Partner who tolerates my hobby, especially the talk about getting a
greenhouse someday. Three cats (was four, but one laid to rest earlier this
month) who have exquisite taste in orchids, or is that who taste my
exquisite orchids? I'm constantly reminding them that the growing area
isn't a salad bar.

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 05:35:50 GMT, Richard
wrote:

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Richard, male

Three cats (was four, but one laid to rest earlier this month)
who have exquisite taste in orchids, or is that who taste my
exquisite orchids? I'm constantly reminding them that the growing area
isn't a salad bar.

Condolences on the loss of one of the hedge trimmers. Could I
suggest a new "cat grass" pot for them to trim? I have trouble
only with them trimming the Christmas Cactus that insists on
waving to them.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Susan Erickson wrote in
:

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 05:35:50 GMT, Richard
wrote:

-- Who am I and What Is My Gender?

Richard, male

Three cats (was four, but one laid to rest earlier this month)
who have exquisite taste in orchids, or is that who taste my
exquisite orchids? I'm constantly reminding them that the growing area
isn't a salad bar.

Condolences on the loss of one of the hedge trimmers. Could I
suggest a new "cat grass" pot for them to trim? I have trouble
only with them trimming the Christmas Cactus that insists on
waving to them.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php


They turn up their whiskered noses at the wheatgrass grazing bowls we set
out for them, then nibble at the cattleya flowers.