Now that's creative thinking! Very cool, Carolyn

Marci

Ok Carolyn.

The thing is I need more orchids and I have space to put them in so last month I went to our annual Orchid festival with very little cash and my check book to buy some more and when I get there I search for my check book which I might add am sure I put into my bag. All this was for naught because I didn't find it and there fore wasn't able to buy any but still had a nice time looking. The thing is that I found my check book at home because my DH had taken it out to make sure I didn't blow all my wages on Orchids. YOu know to say the least I am still mad at him.

Neyra

Well, I don't know that my story will be award-winning but maybe some of you will get a laugh.

I've always had a black thumb. Since I can remember, I've had a natural talent for sucking the very life from all things vegetative and lovely. I've been given beautiful potted plants and flowers, ferns and even cacti and have systematically killed them off one by one. Many of them have met their untimely demise at the hand of over-eager watering, but somehow many more have come to an early end through fashions still unknown.

While this will in no way encourage you to give anything living to my care, just for entertainment's sake let me give you a few of my favorite murder stories.

* I accidentally Drain-O'd a plant once. I was trying to unclog the sink using liquid clog remover and a plunger and the water splashed onto an impatien on the counter. It gave up the ghost with haste. I did finally get the clog out of the drain, though -- the culprit was a wad of macaroni.

* I've left a plant on top of my car and driven down the road only to hear a sharp shattering noise and look into my rearview to see shards of terra cotta and fragments of African violet bouncing tumultuously down the asphalt behind me.

* I've left a plant in the refrigerator. I had a lovely little flowering cactus that had been given to me as a gift and had stopped at the grocery store on the way home. I tend to be tunnel-visioned the moment I near the refrigerator -- my theory is that my love of food is so intense that the moment I'm within striking range all other thoughts are purged from my mind in the glorious pursuit of sustenance. I've left cell phones, TV remotes, magazines and a host of other weird items in the refrigerator, but this must have been the strangest. Apparently in bringing in the gallon of milk I'd just purchased and my small little cactus, I opened the refrigerator and sat my plant on the shelf with the intent of picking it back up after rearranging or perhaps finding a satisfactory food item for the evening. I never picked it up and to my dismay found it in the fridge the next morning. It turned black shortly and expired. (I still say that cactus shouldn't have died -- it gets plenty cold in the desert.)

Now, as alarming as all this may sound, here recently my black thumb has been fading. I've successfully grown a window full of paperwhites, have planted some thriving azaleas, my bromeliads seem happy and I even have some mostly contented Phals in my bathroom window sill. Will it last? Who knows!

A new challenge has been posted :) This is a rescue project for a Paph. Black Buddha x Kevin's Wine (originally from EOoM).

Thanks!
Carolyn

Carolyn, i had expected a better response to your challenge. Heart wrenching, sad stories but perhaps that will apply to the decline of Paph. Black Buddha x Kevin's Wine.

Arthur - Did you venture over to the exchange area? There are a few more stories there in direct reply to the exchange.

I had thought that there might other growers who have free-for-postage type plants to part with. It's a great way to make more room because you don't have to get one back! And, honestly, I'm offering plants that I wouldn't list on ebay. But maybe these other less than perfect plants are already heading to OS meetings or friends' houses.

Carolyn

Carolyn

I'm thinking about doing a spin-off on your idea. Just have to give it a little more thought and wait until the temps return to normal. 16 F tonight and for several more to come. Don't like this cold stuff now.

K

I now wish I hadn't traded all of my unwanteds off for just postage.

I didn't even get 'thanks, I got them' notes from most people. At least this way you know the people want the plants enough to work for them. :D

Stacy

I think that you should send the paph to the frantic lady that just posted she got nasty meally-bugged paphs in the mail.

organic_kermit - Well she'll be in the running if she tells us a story...

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Most recent challenge

I just posted what may be my last challenge/free-for-postage exchange for a while-

..."Ode to Orchids"...

While watching 'The Mind of Mencia' DH suggested that I ask for an orchid Rap or Hip-Hop song. I'm not sure how far that genre will go here, so how about any orchid lyrical piece at all. That includes a poem, a haiku, Rap/Hip-Hop of course; all of it rhyming, or not. You can 'enter' as many times as you like, and I welcome lyrical submissions even if you don't really want the plants.

C'mon people! Let's get creative!
Carolyn

Carolyn,
Love your latest challenge! Cutterpup sounds as desperate for the twinkle as I was for your Paph. Made me laugh sooo hard even my hubby couldnt help chuckling. Baby of course figured I was singing to her and started dancing. lol
Thank you Carolyn, this has been entertaining.
J'Lynn

I'm going to regret this...
Note: phrases in [brackets] must be read together quickly in order to compensate for too many syllables. Ahem.

My name's Big Rob and I'm dressed to kill
Got my arm hangin' out of my Caddy Deville
I got Catts, Paphs, Oncidiums too
[The best day of the month is when I get a plant thats new]
------------Urban Beats----------------
300 watts of light so bright
[At 5:45 in the morning];
it wakes me up alright
Got Orchid Bark, Perlite, Sphagnum Moss
My closet's overflowing
My roommate's getting cross
------------Urban Beats----------------
Now don't be confused; don't be misled
Orchids aren't the only plants next to my bed
Nepenthes Ventrata, Drosera times two
[They eat the bugs around my lights at night for food]
Dyckia Platphylla, the pineapple from hell
Sits next to Lavender, so all is well.
Huernia Zebrina - Mr. Prickles is his name;
Blooms all the time, it's his claim to fame
Now these are just a few;
Of the babies in my room
They number thirty in all
I hope you'll visit soon

Word.

Now, I don't mean to toot my own horn, but c'mon, as far as raps about orchids go, that's not bad.

Bob,

I love it!

Word.

thanks!
carolyn

Woohoo Bob that was GRRREAT! Cutterpup, love yours, too. Thanks for the smiles! :>)

Marci