My Spring Bloom is Beginning
 

I have made many changes in my yard orchids since my last spate of posting about them.
Some of the ones hung under the West house eaves have been moved to the East side of the house to cut their light during the heat of the day:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps8bldueqh.jpg
The 3 Dendrochilums - magnum, wenzelii and glumacium plus the Epi. porpax bloomed earlier last fall and this winter. I'll get, pics during their next boom.
The Bulbos should be beginning to bloom some time in the near future.
The Ornithophora is a bit beaten up by the high light from the West exposure, Hopefully it will begin to do better soon. Pics of the Drac were posted just the other day.

Others have been moved to the colonnades of King palms lining our driveway:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...psbzxj6bki.jpg
Most of my species orchids are here.

The Encyclia patens [odoratissima] has begun to bloom:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...psuy9i4jds.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...psl9topck4.jpg
For being such a "mud fence" in appearance flower, it has the most exquisite fragrance.
It still brings back hormonally inspired adolescent male memories when I stick my nose into it.

Several others along the palms are getting ready to bloom soon.
A Rhync. gigantia should be next, followed by a Den. anosmum, with several others jockeying for next in line.
I'll post more pics as they bloom.

We're at about 800' in elevation. Winter night temps get down to as low as mid 50*s. while the days reach the high 80*s. Summer temps get as high as the mid to high 90*s with nights in the low 70*s to high 60*s.
My dendrobium and calista [densiflora] section Dendrobiums that need a cool winter rest seem to be happy. I have a couple of Den. freidericksianum plants [one already mounted in its tree] with buds about to begin opening. Then, a Den. chrysotoxum that has begun at least a couple of inflorescences. Pics when they bloom.

Oh what a lovely place you live, and so great you can put the orchids on your trees :cloud9:

Wonderful pictures!

Well, now you're just showing off! :( There's frost outside my windows this morning.

Beautiful pictures of the paradise you get to call home!!! Lucky, lucky man. :D

Paradise! I follow the Cornell U. lab cams(Ornithology) and one is situated in Kauai with the Laysan Albatross nests. Wondering if you've ever noticed them or other nests. TY for sharing!

Thanks folks for the compliments.

Keep in mind that I lived almost 35 years in Alaska, and moved to here from there.
I have earned the right to sit, drink lemon aide, and sweat from mid January to the end of February.
I always thought that I would never be able to acclimate to temps over 79*F.
I was wrong!
Now, I only have problems when it goes over 90* with 60% or higher humidity.

I forgot to add this to the OP:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...psjyxaki74.jpg
A NoID Vanda, It has been open for a week or more.
I call it my hurricane orchid.
I open the morning after Iselle blew through about 1-1/2 yrs ago.

It's not in bloom and should have been included in my "Invasive" post:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps0oimvmip.jpg
This is the Den. Samauri antelope hybrid that I mounted in 4 different places.
It had put out seed pods at every location, this one has 5, seed pods.
I think I have introduced another invasive to our area.

This is the oldest of the brown Vandas I have.
I think it is probably the parent plant for most of the young self-seeded Vandas that are everywhere on our trees.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...psduxezsbw.jpg

You should host this year's orchid board members conference. You are hereby nominated. :D

:drool: awesome!

"Keep in mind that I lived almost 35 years in Alaska..."

I agree, you earned it. :)

Paradise! What a lovely place to live in!

Two problems with that idea.
1.
The biggest problem:

I am not a very social type of person.
I never attend social gatherings.
M'Lady is my only friend.
I am quite happy with that.
I left one friend of 20 years in AK, and have discouraged all attempts here by anyone to begin any more.
I am a social phobe, a consummate loner.
Some call it Social Anxiety.
I find that to be too mild of a term for it.
I have always been that way.
I will die that way.

Some people take offense, get their feelings hurt, take it as a personal rejection.
I cannot help that.
The only way I can deal with it is to shrug my shoulders, and walk away muttering to myself that it's their problem not mine.
Just posting online is a huge social interaction for me.

Sorry to get off onto a rant about this.
I never try to explain this to anyone.
It is too difficult for most people to understand.
But, what have I to lose.
I can always take on another alias and move onto another forum.
I'm just curious to see what happens.


2.
A lesser problem:

While M'Lady is way more sociable than I am, we still might have a problem talking her into dealing with a thundering heard of guests around the house.

Your place looks sooo peaceful, you have done a wonderful job of making it that way. I think Cambria What was kidding you, there is no such conference so don't worry about it...Jean

Thank you very much for sharing !
It was worth the effort.
What a beautiful place !

The only thing you may want to apologize for is not posting enuf of your lovely plants and natural setting. I always look forward to them and am slightly jealous of your adventurous nature.Seems to me that you have all you need to be happy...I get it!

Again, my apology for my reaction to that idea.
I probably had the worst panic attack I've had in many years from visualizing what it might lead to.
There is no way anyone could have expected my reaction.
It is not "normal".
If you're willing, I'm willing to put this aside and forget it ever happened.

So, back to blooming orchids.
One of my Rhyncostylus gigantias, the Red X Alba has begun to open its buds:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...pswtnhcoyt.jpg
It is fragrant.
That's why I mounted it at nose level.

The one next to it is a Rhync. gigantia Red Spots.
No sign of anything developing yet.

EDIT:
Since making this post, I have decided to begin documenting all my orchids as they bloom with one of the whole plant along with a second as a closeup of the flower.
So, here is the closeup for this one:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...psmj8kqkcs.jpg

Hey,you're OK by me and very "normal"...we'd get along. At any rate,think I see one of those thimble fert. thingies atop the Red Spots.Someone here posted their usage also-a great idea!

Yes That was my post, here:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ilizer+baskets

I had bought 100 of them from a Thai vendor through eBay.
I'm beginning to think about ordering more.
I'm starting to get a bit low on them.
I'll want more before I run out.

They do deteriorate from sun exposure, probably the UV.
In high sunlight areas they need replacing in about 1 to 1-1/2 years because the plastic starts to crumble when handled.
Otherwise, their color simply fades out.

I am sorry to have sent you into a panic attack. It was my way of expressing admiration for your situation.

In the future I will be sure to be clearer as to when I am joking with you.

No need to apologize gal.
There's no way you could have foreseen a bit of harmless joking around having that effect.
Normally, I would have just ignored it and wandered off for a while, which is what I should have done.
Instead, I made a reply while still stressing over it.
That just complicated the whole situation.
My bad.

Lovely flowers :) And a beautiful place you live :)

Just wanted to add that I think its okay to not being social, especially if you are fine with it. Its just society that makes it hard being introvert, cause its all made for extroverts. (Of course there is a difference if people want to be social, and cant handle being social- and people that are fine with the fact they like to be alone. I like it in my own company, and I like books)
Anyway- didnt want to keep it going of topic, just wanted to say I understand. Normal isnt for everybody. Besides- one of the reason I like orchids- they are kinda uniqe aswell, and they are weird sometimes- just the way I like it😎
I commented on this because I think its great that you shared that, and I hope you feel comfortable with having shared that aswell. Kudos to you for being so honest👍🏻

Keep posting pictures- you have some amazing flowers☺️👍🏻
Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy looking at them☺️

Your honesty and self-awareness are as lovely to behold as your orchid paradise.

Thank you for sharing!