AAAAhh, I love that color ... and the shape...

I think I have to get more into Paphs and Phrags, saw some real cuties yesterday at the society meeting too.

Thanks for sharing.

Check out 'Lucky Girl Orchids' in Idaho who have some nice Paphs and Phrags at much more reasonable prices than some of the big shots in the Paph and Phrag universe.

So Banana Susan is obsessed! You need to earn your spurs to be labelled truly obsessed. The Pleurothallis Alliance had a meeting scheduled in San Francisco for a certain Saturday (I live in LA). My son turned 40 and the entire family was congregating in San Diego to celebrate the blessed event that Saturday. The PA alliance had an auction scheduled to benefit an Orchid Conservation group. No problem, I'd skip the meeting and be with my family.

Thursday evening I get a list of the auction plants -----Pleurothallis collossus is on the list. That plant is normally unobtainable, nobody has it This obviously gave me no choice. I went to SD Friday evening to have supper with my son and wish him happy 40. Left for SF at 4:30 AM Saturday morning, made it to the meeting, pretended to be interested in their good deed and bid for that plant.

By 4PM I was heading back to LA, arrived near midnight but had the collossus. That is obsession. They have 9 step treatment programs for people like us but they usually don't work.

Nick

It is OK Nick. Orcaholism is prevalent among us and a non terminal happy disease.

Wow, yes, 'Lucky Girl' has a pretty big selection of different Paphs and Phrags. I did not see the miniature (Mexipedium xerophyticum) that I saw at the society meeting there though.

Nick, I can only aspire to your level of obsession. Currently, I have a 3 & 6 year old who occupy much of my time as well as nearly an acre of yard, flowers and veggie garden to attend to. The orchids feel like extra children who don't wake me up at night and reward me with flowers as long as I am diligent in making sure their needs are met. It's especially rewarding in the dead of winter when everything else is at a standstill.

20 years from now I expect my kids to roll their eyes when talking about their mom being a "crazy orchid lady" which I suppose is a notch above being a "crazy cat lady"? Not sure. My own mother is a "crazy dog lady" so there's a bit of a destiny to fufill ;)

You are OK, nothing to worry about. If you had considered giving up your kids for adoption so you could have more time of the orchids, I would have been concerned.

Nick

Ha! I suppose you've never met my 3 year old. I consider giving her up for adoption on a daily basis, but it has nothing to do with the orchids :)

I went on an orchid buying spree when I was pregnant with my daughter (some of those have actually survived, had to get rid of some when we moved out of state and back). The next 13 years I was pretty much busy fulfilling my motherly duties. Recently then I decided my daughter was old enough and certainly did not need me to tuck her in any more (a lot of days or nights I actually turn in before her now). So I joined the local orchid society, go to shows and nurseries, read up online on every orchid I`m interested in and have a great time.

I think I probably have that "happy disease" as well, shavedmonkey!

suzabanana, I still have those adoption thoughts occasionally!

Eric Young is blooming again :)