My sister lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for several years in the 1960s and still has close friends there. The internet vastly improved their ability to stay in touch. About 10 years ago she went back to Patagonia for a great nature trip.

Jim, I'm glad you visited Iguazu Falls. It is one of my favorite places in the country. There are many orchids growing there
And you are so right Katty!! Internet is so good to stay in touch !! It is very important to me with a son so far in your country !! But we speak and see each other through the computer and that is great !

Moved from January (because I wasn't paying attention, as usual)

Hi everyone! Happy Groundhog Day! Although, I heard he gave us bad news again...

Anyway, Selby posted a picture on Facebook today and I thought I'd share it and their message with you guys. Here's the photo of a Grammatophyllum scriptum. All credit for the photo to Selby.




And the message said: "Like to have this green beauty? It’s a Grammatophyllum scriptum, a species of orchid! Won’t have to wait too long...“Dan and Margie Orchids” will have for sale at Selby Gardens’ Plant & Garden Festival coming in just 3 weeks—we can’t wait"! http://www.selby.org/events/20...

Now, I don't know if the exact plant will be for sale but I thought if anyone was interested or happened to be heading down that way they might want to know about it. I've never heard of Dan and Margie Orchids - may have to check them out.

What a gorgeous, gorgeous plant, Melanie!! Polish your buying shows!!

Talking about Iguazu - we were there in 1992 and we hardly saw the Falls on our first visit that morning, we just marveled at the orchids just covering every branch, all bathed in the spray. And the wonderful vegetation all around, we totally loved it. By afternoon we took another walk and this time we actually saw the Falls too!
I wonder if the Coatimundi still hang out there…

Melanie, that plant is awesome !!!! I wonder how old is it.

Ursula, coaties ( I don't know the english name) are still in Iguazú and you must be very careful or they will steal your food ! I saw one stealing a sandwich from a table.
And you are right! the branches are covered with all kind of epiphytic plants: bromeliads, rhipsalis , orchids....It is beautiful.

I wish I could see this now! Instead we have an unexpected whopper of a snow fall right now, it is snowing like crazy!

Not here today, this is a southern New England storm. When I painted tile murals for a living, I painted a jungle scene with a coatimundi. But when I lived in Arizona I met them in person begging food from people.

Great picture, Kathy!! Sure looks well fed!

Are they related to our "coons"?

Yes, they are in the same family.They sure look like it, right?

Sure do.

Some pictures from Iguazú.

Babies!!

That brings back memories. I have also seen the falls from the Paraguay side.

I'm just reading about the weather forcast for you folks in the northeast. Storms seem to be lining up just to visit you. Stay safe.

Jim

Beautiful Iguazu pictures, Ceci! Thanks for posting!

We got done shoveling a bit over 8 inches of fairly heavy show. The weather report had mentioned ca 1-3 inches……I would say they were a tad off!

I took some pictures in the greenhouse under a snowy ceiling -
Cattleya trianae v. amoena opened another scented spike


Vanda Martha Ragan grew a very long sturdy spike this Winter, only to drop most buds. Perhaps next time it will do better ( as it usually does)


and pics in front of a poster board -
Cranichis muscosa is a cute little thing and keeps on opening the tiniest blossoms


and Dialaelia Mizoguchi 'Princess Kiko' ( from Cal Orchids a few years ago) starts blooming

I love Princess Kiko! Great color. The Vanda is nice as well. I wish I could get one of mine to bloom.

Jim

I just heard from a friend in the local orchid club that my recent posted bloomer has a name. The latest is that C. gaskelliana x C. purpurata is in fact Cattleya C. G. Roebling. Note that our old standby, Laelia purpurata, is now Cattleya purpurata which is what was throwing off my search. In my old school mind, C. gaskelliana X L. purpurata should be Lc. C.G. Roebling but I shall climb off of the soapbox and go sit down. Therefore, I hereby present Cattleya C.G. Roebling:


Jim

How nice to attach a name to this beauty! I am stubborn and still would call it Lc...

Nice one, Jim! I once had a Lc. C.G. Roebling 'Sentinel' but I killed it. It was one of the first losses to black rot back when I was young and naive and didn't know any better. I've seen it since at orchid shows but didn't want to buy it again because I always get this feeling like once I've killed something I've somehow cursed it forever. I guess I'm a superstitious orchid grower!