Orchid Moods

I grow orchids in a small addition to our house, suitably called the "Orchid Room." When the blooms are at their peak, I can spend hours taking pictures of them. Sometimes I think I like my pictures as much as the orchids themselves. Some have a dramatic, moody quality, others a light transcendence. I search through my poetry books, looking for lines that express what I feel. Whether I find the right ones or not, all the orchids are in themselves, stunning and lovely.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Wild and Tamed

Here's a wild Lady Slipper orchid that my nephew, John Kodjak, spotted when he was hiking in Keene, NY, in the Adirondacks.

Below, is the cultivated variety, now called Paphiopedilum,
"Bunny Slippers."

They have the same delicate coloring and the same pouchy form. One can be found in greenhouses, but the other,only in the deep dark woods.