Miss Orchid Girl

[dshallpost]

Dani has taught me a lot, and much of it is more about the process and the journey than about any particular method or technique. When I first started watching her videos I was dismayed to find that she was all into plastic, then all into clay, and then back to plastic. Into seramis, and back out. She must have had three different set-ups for her vanda orchids. I was tickled, though, when she installed LED lights at about the same moment I did. Curious to see where she goes with them. Eventually she made me understand that there is a lot of experimentation and assessment required, and I admired the fact that she openly discussed why her prior methods turned out to be unsuccessful. It showed me that there has to be a balance between discipline/high standards, and self- forgiveness. She is very rigorous but she is also capable of humor and self-criticism. Sometimes I find her videos a bit overlong -- she tends to repeat herself. But I am very grateful for her energy in pursuing orchid knowledge and sharing it. I admire her energy in putting out so many videos and building it into a business. Oh, and, she has the most gorgeous hands! I think it helps to watch as many folks as you can -- I watch Brad, and sometimes Rachel /Douentza, and Ed for the paphs, and Wade, and Astrid too. She made a terrifically funny video called "Shit Orchid People Say." I felt like I had joined the club as I could relate to all of it. So busy watching orchid Youtube videos (and reading orchid books and online material) that I haven't turned on the TV or read much of anything else in months. I think that acquiring the knowledge is as much the passion as acquiring the orchids themselves.