I just got an email from my local #rockgarden society notifying the death of a member. In fairness I did not know the person, but here's why it's sad:
When I attend, I am the youngest person there.
I'm 43, and the youngest person in the room.
This is true in many niche clubs. In the Dallas #Orchid Society, I was the youngest. In the #Bonsai I'm one of a few under 60.
The median age of these groups has to be somewhere around 70. As they dwindle, we lose valuable experience. There will be no one to digitize their archives, no one to teach hands on skills, no one to pass the passion down.
I can't stress it enough, join the clubs. Access to their old magazines is worth the money and time.
"I can tell you character traits I admire and work to develop in myself - perseverance, self-discipline, courage to stand up for what is right even when it is against one's friends or one's self." ~ Dalia Mogahed
The final day of ‘23, a new orchid flower opened 🤗 The last three are waiting for ‘24, hope the year has more good things in store, peace and unity especially.
To send off the year, a bonus apistogramma and a pleco on leaf cleaning duty for a Red Tiger Lotus, started the tank almost 7mo ago!
My office just inherited a splendid white orchid. Nobody knows what to do with it. Little did they know, a few years ago, I went through several iterations of orchids, I tried them in every window of my house, in all the different possible places I could think of, using all the internet tips I could find. I murdered them all, some quickly, some slowly, but I just couldn't keep them alive. 1/2
There was a guy selling orchids from a stall in the shops. I was gonna get a cheap little one, but this one was only $50, and it's so pretty! 😍 Hope I can keep it alive.🤞 I put it in a less precarious position after taking this photo.
Here is the results from some #orchid hunting. More Diuris than I've ever seen before and dense patch of what I think is some yet to flower Sun Orchids.
I will be returning here next week so I hope that patch of Sun Orchids has decided to open. Would make for some amazing photos.