Check out this site. Cyp roots cure insomnia and anxiety? :confused: http://www.somersetmedicalcenter.com/113155.cfm

Pete, this is how it works:
If you own a Cyp. you might lose sleep and become anxious over the lack of roots. So when you see your Cyp. growing roots, it cures your anxiety and insomnia. :Grin:

:lol: Good one! :lol:

I find the forum here also a good cure for both! :)

Some traditional uses for African Orchids

The orchid Ansellia africana (whole plant) is largely used in asthma treatment in southern Mozambique (Fato, 1995).
Recipes: V(134, f), to prevent the flight of the pigeons, (shona) soaked plant in drink
There are many beliefs relating to power of orchids in rural areas in South Africa. Orchids are used in love, death and fertility charms and mixtures which are believed to repel evil or protect from lightning. Parts of some species have also been used as aphrodisiacs (especially parts of Eulophia species and of Ansellia africana).

What a plant...keeps you healthy, HAPPY, and prevents you from being struck by lightning :Party: :Party: :Party: Ansellias anyone? :D

I'm not surprised. Often plants are used medicinally based on folklore and tradition but usually have some basis in truth if you research them. Think of how mandragora has been used as well as ginseng because of the historical references and allegory to 'sexual prowess.'

Orchids have almost always been tied to human anatomy during the scientific naming process and most infamous is the 'orchidectomy' as a surgical procedure. *shivver*

but related in my mind....I've been looking for the opportunity to bring this up for a while. )

Susan and I recently discussed how few really vocal women we have here. I mean, we have a few other women around who are pretty chatty but in counting (yes really) we have something like 136 active male posters and 40 active women.

What's *that* about?

Is it the fact that women don't grow slippers much as opposed to other orchids?
If SO - why is that?
Is it the anatomy thing? ( :evil: )
Is it the victorian thing? That women weren't ALLOWED to grow orchids for a period of time? ( :twisted: )

Is it that we just like hanging out w/ lots of guys? ( :evil: :twisted: )
:poke:

but related in my mind....I've been looking for the opportunity to bring this up for a while. )

Susan and I recently discussed how few really vocal women we have here. I mean, we have a few other women around who are pretty chatty but in counting (yes really) we have something like 136 active male posters and 40 active women.

What's *that* about?

Is it the fact that women don't grow slippers much as opposed to other orchids?
If SO - why is that?
Is it the anatomy thing? ( :evil: )
Is it the victorian thing? That women weren't ALLOWED to grow orchids for a period of time? ( :twisted: )

Is it that we just like hanging out w/ lots of guys? ( :evil: :twisted: )
:poke:

Hey Heather

I don't know the reason, but what you see on this forum is pretty much reflected in my local societies according to some of the older members I spoke with a while back.

It could be cultural but if so I would expect a lot of younger women to be interested in Orchids due to the changes that have happened in the recent past. I don't believe it's anatomy or sexual bias (I'm straight and Gary Yong Gee aint).

Women, to my knowledge, have never been excluded from growing plants. In fact if you look at the early hybrid names I believe there are many women there. I think that was probably a form of encouragement.

I've got some theories for the disparity but they're a wee bit wacky.

Cheers
Stephan

Women, to my knowledge, have never been excluded from growing plants. In fact if you look at the early hybrid names I believe there are many women there. I think that was probably a form of encouragement.

I've got some theories for the disparity but they're a wee bit wacky.

Cheers
Stephan

I want to hear your wacky theories! :poke:

I'm pretty sure women were not allowed to grow orchids (or slippers in particular? Not sure) at least in Victorian England and it was because of their "sexual" attributes. I will look it up - I think it is in Orlean's book and Hansen's as well...I have a history of growing around here somewhere also. Will post quotes later.

I think it was the Catts' sensual looking lips that were thought to be too "sexy" and that was why women in the Victorian era were not allowed to own and grow them. While we're discussing sexes, I used to show pure bred mastiffs when I was younger and the majority of the breeders and handlers were women, why is that? I have often wondered about that. In the orchid world, yes males are in the majority.

Hmmm, Pete. I think the same may apply to riding & showing horses. At least for beginning riders. The classes & horse camps had very few boys attending. Most were young girls. I noticed that in adult riders, the ratio of the sexes seems to equal out.

When I rode horses as a kid, true, I don't think I knew any boys who rode, nor at shows, all girls/young women.

Horses and bull mastiff eh, sounds almost Freudian but I won't elaborate. :twisted: Here's an interesting excerpt I read:

“People have risked life and limb to collect orchids, some have even killed for them,” says Darrin Duling, who is the curator of the recent orchid shows and full-time curator of glasshouse collections. “The ancient Chinese cultivated orchids; and, in later years in the West, it was the Victorians with their passion for horticultural collecting who spurred the craze. In fact, some disapproving individuals found orchids just a bit too suggestive,” he adds with a grin. “Well, from a natural history standpoint orchids are trollops — with all sorts of intriguing seductions for luring their pollinators.”


I think personally that the pursuit of orchid culture was limited by control of funds and degree of education to males as the 'Victorian' bread-winners and only in the last few decades have women taken the steps into the more intellectual aspects as opposed to just saying "oh the pretty flowers, buy me some." What enhanced the 'male only' was that males were the explorers into the nether regions where the most spectacular blooms were and carried them home for the amazement of fellow explorers. Once gathered while on some wild Borneo safari and not having to worry about the neverending battle of 'household' chores, I'm sure males took to cultivating and propagating their orchid prizes to continually embellish their stories to both friends and family and a tradition was started.

I have heard that the roots of Cyp. acaule can be boiled down into a tea, and drunk to relieve stress and stomach aches from untreated stream water and berries. I have read this in one of my hiking manuals for medicinal plants for the Appalachain Trail. I haven't hiked for a long time in GA in the woods, and have never found a Cyp. acaule to ever try it, and would scared to do it, I don't want to eat a plant in which I want to keep. I have only seen two little "clumps" of Cyp. acaule, out of bloom, up ni Sky Valley, GA. It was growing on either side of a small bed on the side of the Pool house (a Lanai by the pool), and I did not know what it was until I left the next day. I did take a spike that finished blooming, that had that curved floral bract, and thought hard about it. It was still green, so the flowers must drop off hen done blooming. I cannot belive I was that stupid. Days earlier, I found thousands of colonies of Goodyera pubescens, plants as large as a small Ludisia. They were all in bloom, and I took only 2 plants I found in my grandmother's garden among her daylilies.....

Anyways, someone should try and make a tea out of the roots of a plant they are willing to give up..... I would do it if I had lots of plants of Cyp. acaule.....

ttyl,
-PM <-----wanting Cyp. acaule.....

My old books on wildflowers mention Cyp. pubescen's roots as a Cherokee Indian cure for worms and internal parasites. But that was probably because the roots looked like worms.

As for the "orchid growing population", I've always found it quite interesting. Ours is predominately men, and everyone in the society but me is over 30. The women in the society seem to like "pretty flowers", while the men seem to collect specific genera or species. There is an exception or two, but they tend to be few and far between.
I can't say I'd mind more girls in their early twenties joining though...

Jon

Aww Jon, IMHO it's too intense a 'brainwork' job for modern young ladies in their early 20s and I'm sure mostly limited to 'pretty flowers' as I mentioned. Raising orchids is a leisurely task requiring patience and few under 30 seem to have that these days for survival reasons. Informally poll the ladies you do have in your orchid affairs and I expect you'll find the majority are financially endowed as well as reasonably educated.

Aww Jon, IMHO it's too intense a 'brainwork' job for modern young ladies in their early 20s and I'm sure mostly limited to 'pretty flowers' as I mentioned. Raising orchids is a leisurely task requiring patience and few under 30 seem to have that these days for survival reasons. Informally poll the ladies you do have in your orchid affairs and I expect you'll find the majority are financially endowed as well as reasonably educated.

Hmmm....
too intense a "brainwork" job? Care to explain what you mean by that?
This brings up a MAJOR peeve of mine - my generation was dubbed Gen X - and basically that meant we were a bunch of lazy ass idiots who sat around w/ no drive. Ya, well now, we are the people who aren't having children until much later in life because of our drive! Or because we've turned into obsessive orchid maniacs. (:D)

I am close enough to have been recently under 30 to take a bit of offense at this generalization, and frankly modern young MEN in their early 20's can have as many issues as young women (no offense to any of our modern young men OR those who may have started growing 20 or 30 years ago in THEIR teens!) I was perfectly mature enough to care for orchids in my 20's. I cared for pets, house, male housemates, career, etc.!

I don't think it necessarily has to do w/ money or education either. Though of course, the former will allow for a better collection.

Aww Jon, IMHO it's too intense a 'brainwork' job for modern young ladies in their early 20s and I'm sure mostly limited to 'pretty flowers' as I mentioned. Raising orchids is a leisurely task requiring patience and few under 30 seem to have that these days for survival reasons. Informally poll the ladies you do have in your orchid affairs and I expect you'll find the majority are financially endowed as well as reasonably educated.

Hmmm....
too intense a "brainwork" job? Care to explain what you mean by that?
This brings up a MAJOR peeve of mine - my generation was dubbed Gen X - and basically that meant we were a bunch of lazy ass idiots who sat around w/ no drive. Ya, well now, we are the people who aren't having children until much later in life because of our drive! Or because we've turned into obsessive orchid maniacs. (:D)

I am close enough to have been recently under 30 to take a bit of offense at this generalization, and frankly modern young MEN in their early 20's can have as many issues as young women (no offense to any of our modern young men OR those who may have started growing 20 or 30 years ago in THEIR teens!) I was perfectly mature enough to care for orchids in my 20's. I cared for pets, house, male housemates, career, etc.!

I don't think it necessarily has to do w/ money or education either. Though of course, the former will allow for a better collection.

This is great you guys!!! (Heather, this is only a figure of speech) Hang in there girlfriend!!! :whoo: Again, I take the bait. Let me explain!

I'm in that huge money-sucking-baby-boom generation, as Ernie is. I got mixed messages as a young girl, but I was good at math & science so I was encouraged to take the acedemic route. I went to a good public high school that was ahead of its time. Had I had to take Home Economics and Typing 101, I probably would have flunked and dropped out. But I did very well in a class full of males, didn't think much about it, and went on to get a full scholarship to go to college.

Point is, I've been used to being one of the few females in a male dominated field. Never had any problem with it. This includes being a "professional" musician in my 20's. When I first entered the business world as an accountant, it was the first time I had noticed any gender discrimination between the sexes. It was interesting, because growing up, even in my generation, this was the first time it happened to me. I fought back, learned the guy's rules, and played like a guy. It worked. It was not easy.

Now we come to Generation X. I have a Generation X daughter. She is fearless. She is closer to your age, Heather, than I am and I see her courage, as I see yours. :D

It is great. Now how many guys would like to do this??????? Meet Miss Lulu..... Girls Rock!!!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/dustyatticstuff/Lulu1.jpg

This includes being a "professional" musician in my 20's.

Ohhh, you are one of those ARTY types like me! (Stephan - this is for you, dear! :poke: )

LOL, hope you didn't play the bassoon!

Seriously, I am so a "girl", more traditionaly I guess, when it comes to academia - NO science or math - tho I am willing to admit I am much more interested in them when they pertain to my beliefs and interests (*cough* evolution.) The only time I did well in math was statistical analysis in Anthro class (w/ a tutor, but at least I understood the basics - and passed!)

Nice pic, Christina (Sooo, when are you joining the forums???)

Ok, H - signing off - must read more Darwin....

Oh Yes, Lulu.... I don't know what she is, I asked my Generation X Daughter and I think she told me that Lulu is a Burmese Python...but an albino form. I think Lulu is rare and weighs in at over 40 lbs. Kind of reminds me of orchids. I'm very proud of my GENX girl. She knows all the correct species terms for her snakes. If orchids were snakes, they would not just be pretty flowers to her. She would want to know everything about them. like she knows about the snakes.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/dustyatticstuff/Lulu5.jpg

Cheers!!!

Heather said "LOL, hope you didn't play the bassoon! "

Geeazzz, no double reed instruments for me. Clarinet is as far as I could get, although I love the sound of oboes & bassoons.

But, no I played bass in a rock band before I settled down to being a respectible person at age 28. Even then I still played a stand-up bass in a country string band. Oh, and sang.

Best time ever was playing the upright bass at some sort of festival when I was 7 months along with our daughter!!!! It was the PERFECT performance in my life: as art imitates life. As I said, I was obviously pregnant and singing a song called "Beware Young Girls." (They're fooling you..trust them not, they're fooling you.... )

It was a great time. I wonder if any young girls took my advice. :lol:

Here's my theory, and it's just a generalization.
Men are generally more visual creatures, so we are drawn to the aesthetics of orchids.
Females are drawn to the character and personalities of dogs and horses, and as a bonus, you are rewarded with affection from the animal.
Snakes generally see more male collectors, because they look cool - not much personality in a snake to love.

Here's my theory, and it's just a generalization.
Men are generally more visual creatures, so we are drawn to the aesthetics of orchids.
Females are drawn to the character and personalities of dogs and horses, and as a bonus, you are rewarded with affection from the animal.
Snakes generally see more male collectors, because they look cool - not much personality in a snake to love.

Awww, come on! There is not personality in Lulu??
I dunno - that second pic is awesome!
I could say other things though, perhaps - which I will refrain from. Not regarding Ms. Lulu in particular, of course! ;)

Seriously I am TERRIBLY visual to a fault - so maybe there is some truth to that - though I am also rather audial. I have trouble imagining things in my head, what things look like and such, but if you show or tell or I smell it, I remember very well.

Contradictory to this - I play music by ear - can't read it really at all. But hum a tune and I can play it very quickly. I play piano and flute - or I did.
I still will hear a song and run off to the flute or a keyboard and try to discern what the chords are. I had an excellent piano teacher who let me do what I wished. I never learned a thing, except how to play by ear. In retrospect this was not a good thing, and the reason I did not end up going into a music therapy program in Rochester, and became more interested in Anthro.

Whew, do I ramble or what????

Ain't no way I'm elaborating yet, hehe, you guys are doing fine. :poke:

Ain't no way I'm elaborating yet, hehe, you guys are doing fine. :poke:

Yup, Ernie, you should chime in. :twisted:

Heather, I play more by ear. I can read music, but I absolutely hate it. I have no problem with notes, but more with timings. Especially if I have to sing. My musical training was just basic school stuff. But my sister has perfect pitch. I don't but I am close. I woud rather play by ear than read notes. It just makes more sense to me.

My husband is a trained classical guitarist. It is interesting how he plays. When he is in classical mode, he relies upon written notes. It is a language of its own. Now that he is starting to compose, he has to write his ideas down as notes. The fact that he can do that, and read it again amazes me. I prefer his new original compositions to the regular portfolio stuff he has to play. Still, he has to rely upon notes to remind him.

Best,

Susan, is that an albino python? It is just beautiful!

I would worry if we had a thread that stayed on topic :poke: (just kidding, the OT stuff is the best part)

I have to agree(as a generalization, with many exceptions) with Marcus, as most people I know in the orchid world are very visual brained people, male and female(though we do have our share of rich and well educated people Ernie).
On a visual, standardized type "IQ" test I was accused of cheating more than once in school(though I don't know how you could cheat on one)...guess I look more sinister than smart to teachers. Math, art, science, and anything else requiring memory or visualization, have always come to me without trying and in college I was always the half asleep person staring a thousand miles away and not taking notes yet still doing better than most of the class. Yet music may as well be in some mysterious lost language because I can't "hear" music at all. I don't know how to describe it, but I am virtually untrainable since I lack some part of the brain that lets you pick out differences in notes or imitate ones you hear. I can understand written music, as a language of sorts, but I can't imagine in my head what it would sound like other than the basic up and down from a middle point.
Orchids also seem to be a hobby of people who like to collect things. Some like stamps or other cliche collectibles, and mix that with a love of nature and it's extremes and voila, a collection of plants that will never be complete is born, then companion plants, companion animals.... Of course you have to see one to know they exist first, and I owe that to an old houseplant book with a pic of a complex paph I inherited before I can remember. Mix that with a mom that goes out of her way to support an interest(I had stacks of field guides by the time I was in kindergarten...and most of them memorized) and before I knew it I was working more so I could buy plants than I was to buy gas or other things I don't really need. Luckily orchid people are the worst kind of enablers...always wanting you to be more addicted, and now I am realizing I'm only at the beginning of this hobby and my collection is only growing. Great, now I've gotten so off path I forget where I was going with this...oh well

Dusty, I think if memory serves me, that is an albino burmese python...since I think leucistic ones don't have the yellow coloration. I wish I had digital pics of the snake I had growing up(amongst MANY other pets). She was a Grey Banded Kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna 'Blairi'...named Blair of course and she definitely had personality(typical of a Blair, LOL).

Jon

Dusty

The snake's "cute" and not quite as big as the one I had to "move on" but still probably quite a handful if she feels a little "antsy". Heather never picked up on the "double reed" in the basoon and perhaps doesn't also understand why the distinction makes for a memorable partner :twisted:

Time for my theory - It needs refining

We all know that, generally (very generally) men and women are "wired" differently, right? It's the "generally" that allows for the statistical divergence and confusion - that's my belief anyway. O.K. then this is my theory

Men are culturally, and perhaps genetically, predisposed to "the chase". This can take many forms but generally involves desire and a goal and doesn't necessarily involve the opposite sex.. It can be the meal on the table, a smile from a pretty woman, sex, family and property. Moving along to property, what's the ratio in the fortune 500 between Men and Women I wonder? It's people who are predisposed to "the chase" who I believe are more likely to develop an affinity for Orchids

Women on the other hand appear to be culturally, and perhaps genetically, predisposed to "nurturing" (:Yuck: bad term). This generally precludes an avaricous or aquisitive nature. A person with this nature would normally not be an "explorer" or "risk taker". This sort of person is not precluded from having hobbies I just believe that they avoid ones that involve experimentation, hazard, loss and "grief".


There's my 2 centavos (Is that O.K. Heather? :) )

Cheers
Stephan

Heather never picked up on the "double reed" in the basoon and perhaps doesn't also understand why the distinction makes for a memorable partner :twisted:

Stephan


Oohhhhhhh.....:twisted:

Men are culturally, and perhaps genetically, predisposed to "the chase". This can take many forms but generally involves desire and a goal and doesn't necessarily involve the opposite sex.. It can be the meal on the table, a smile from a pretty woman, sex, family and property. Moving along to property, what's the ratio in the fortune 500 between Men and Women I wonder? It's people who are predisposed to "the chase" who I believe are more likely to develop an affinity for Orchids

Women on the other hand appear to be culturally, and perhaps genetically, predisposed to "nurturing" (:Yuck: bad term). This generally precludes an avaricous or aquisitive nature. A person with this nature would normally not be an "explorer" or "risk taker". This sort of person is not precluded from having hobbies I just believe that they avoid ones that involve experimentation, hazard, loss and "grief".
There's my 2 centavos (Is that O.K. Heather? :) )

Yes, that's okay! :)
Funny, earlier today I was doing that "what animal are you" quiz again, and there was a question about "the thrill of the chase" and I was thinking about this exact issue at the time!
I guess in going w/ your theory, Stephan, certain things pertaining to my personality make a lot of sense. I am definitely into the thrill of the chase (finding and GETTING that plant you want!) However at the same time, I think of my plants as little less than children, I care so deeply for them.

Perhaps it is not so gender based but more simply a commonality among folks possessing this combination of traits. What always blows my mind around here is how SIMILAR we all are! In talking with one or more forum members, there are a lot of "coincidental" shared interests beyond the actual plants which brought us all here.

I agree with the "Thrill of the Chase" idea. Also about being predisposed to collecting things. From personal experience, I started collecting antiques years ago. I'd have collections of stoneware, staffordshire figurines, butter molds, on & on, always refining, buying & adding. Then you start selling as you lose interest, need space, find something better, whatever.

But it was always the thrill of finding something of value, rushing into flea markets when they first open to grab the good stuff before the other antiquers get their hot little hands on things. It was quite the adreniline rush!!! :twisted: :twisted:

At this stage in life, I'm looking at all the "Stuff" I've collected and am trying to simplify, keep only my favorite pieces, and thin out the rest. It's not easy....and meanwhile, I've transferred the collecting instinct to collecting Slipper Orchids.

Reading what I wrote, I realize that there is also a "nesting" or "nuturing" instinct involved. The antiques are part of that "nesting" instinct and the orchids, as living things need to be nutured in order to survive.

So, perhaps there are elements of both agression and nuturing involved in our collecting. Like the Male/female, yin/yang duality of things, perhaps there are elements of both.

OK, enough rambling & speculating for now. :D

Aww Jon, IMHO it's too intense a 'brainwork' job for modern young ladies in their early 20s and I'm sure mostly limited to 'pretty flowers' as I mentioned. Raising orchids is a leisurely task requiring patience and few under 30 seem to have that these days for survival reasons. Informally poll the ladies you do have in your orchid affairs and I expect you'll find the majority are financially endowed as well as reasonably educated.

Hmmm....
too intense a "brainwork" job? Care to explain what you mean by that?
This brings up a MAJOR peeve of mine - my generation was dubbed Gen X - and basically that meant we were a bunch of lazy ass idiots who sat around w/ no drive. Ya, well now, we are the people who aren't having children until much later in life because of our drive! Or because we've turned into obsessive orchid maniacs. (:D)

I am close enough to have been recently under 30 to take a bit of offense at this generalization, and frankly modern young MEN in their early 20's can have as many issues as young women (no offense to any of our modern young men OR those who may have started growing 20 or 30 years ago in THEIR teens!) I was perfectly mature enough to care for orchids in my 20's. I cared for pets, house, male housemates, career, etc.!

I don't think it necessarily has to do w/ money or education either. Though of course, the former will allow for a better collection.

It's probably about time I explained my position a bit more and of course I had no intention of stereotyping or generalizing too much but you know, sometimes if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck....

Overall I think we're talking three different cultures here and not necessarily the Gen-X as an overall grouping.

The first being the Victorian Age where it was male dominated and orchid collections were symbols of male prowess in exploration and part of the effete intellectual pursuits of the day while the women slaved away at more so-called feminine tasks like quilting or cooking. Making ANY progress away from that perceived role of women has been a long and painful road for both sexes.

The second being the Victorian Age cultural products which Susan and I are from, the so-called baby boomers of the post-ww2 ages. We have a blending of the Victorian principles from our families as well as a rebellious streak that most youngsters learned while growing up in the 60s and 70s. We as a group KNEW education and money was the foundation to leisurely pursuits like collecting and if we didn't 'zone out on drugs' eventually pursued those. Breaking the Victorian mold became a priority for women and even after all this time we're now only starting to realize a breaking of the 'glass ceiling' which affords a lot of women the money and time to use all that education in more intellectual pursuits like raising orchids. When you're comfortable in life, usually your path takes on more expressive and creative pursuits

Then the last group, sigh, the children of us Baby Boomers, the MTV, death-metal crowd who lose themselves in instant gratification enterprises or computer games. I full well realize not ALL are like that and my oldest son is a graduate of the Air Force Academy...but. The overall condition of growing up today though has forced our youngsters into taking a stance of aggressive, self-protective behavior that doesn't allow for the 'frivolous' pursuits of collecting, especially something as patience needful as orchid growth. They're just not rewarding in the short run. I see teen to thirtyish males hungry for fast cars, fast women, fast cash and an attitude of to hell with tomorrow. I see a lot of women after the 'bad' boys and sharing in all that 'now and not tomorrow' perspective. Concurrently, my wife delivers babies for a living and young women of 13 through the mid twenties are OFTEN delivering their 4th or more child from a 'baby daddy' instead of a real father. None of those behaviors lend themselves to seeing a lot of young people in orchids as we are or collecting stamps or any of the other traditional intellectual pursuits.

In summary (yes, I can be verbally prolific until that small toenail gets caught in a molar), I believe it's a rare treat to see a young person (under 30) enjoying our hobby, especially a female. Sure, you can relate to male ego conquest theories or to nesting theories as some have explained quite eloquently but I'm saying it's a matter of sociological circumstance and opportunity.

Okay, you and Susan can shoot me now Heather. :wink:

Actually, Ernie - after doing some thinking of my own on this over the last couple days, and listening to some key sixties thoughts this morning - I think we are on more of the same page than you think.

I still think it may be a combination of all factors- some for some of us, maybe even all for some of us! I definitely see my self in a little bit of ALL of these thoughts! Nature vs. nurture perhaps? Including the way we were brought up. My mom was pretty anal. - so am I.
As an RN (public health) she saw a lot of shit in the early 60's that is unfortunatley more common today then it was then.

My mom is of your generation, Ernie and Susan - well, a little older than you guys but still , she dealt w/ parents who were of the victorian mentality. The SHHHH, don't talk don't tell generation whose parents vehemently felt that way (if you don't say it? It doesn't exist!) and their children attempted to break free of it! My mom is wicked cool, btw - But she was in a strange spot - graduated colllege in '60 and married right away, though she did not have kids until she was 25 or so, which in that day and age was late, and I came at 32. I always say she "skipped" the rebellious days of vietnam by a few years but she didn't really. She just doesn't talk about it much.

At any rate - in this day of STILL having inequality (edit - in parts of the world) I think discussion of these topics is SOOO important! Who knows what minds we'll change? Or at least cause to think a bit more!

Actually, a house fell on my female parental unit someplace in Kansas I think it was and I was raised by my Grandparents, both of which were born in the 1903-1911 era. The parental unit is still alive someplace in the stix of North Carolina but I haven't checked the welfare roles lately to be sure of where.

Have you read "Wicked" ? You should!!!

"The Sparrow" also - another excellent book related to these topics!

Ernie --- WOW :shock:

Very thought provoking and, I believe, closer to the root of the matter than my surmise.

Thanks
Stephan

:wink:

No Ernie, I'm not going to shoot you. Despite the Henryanum. :poke: :poke: It is interesting to have the male perspective, or should I say, just a perspective? It does not necessarily have to be from a male perspective.

I agree we are of the same generation, but in my situation it was not a Victorian influence that I was rebelling against, as you implied, as that was your personal experience. Maybe it is because of where and how we grew up? I grew up in NY. My parents were immigrants from Czechoslovokia and Austria. (Actually back then, the area was called "Bohemia," when it was the Holy Roman Empire.) They moved to the USA and worked hard and were eventually a product of the Great Depression. As a result, they scrimped and saved, bought their homes for cash, and were very financially conservative. That is about all I got from them that shaped how I think. Otherwise, I was encouraged to think for myself and my parents were very supportive of whatever I would come up with.

The only "Victorian" aspect that they had was their attitude about the "Birds & the Bees." They would never feel comfortable about discussing THAT with me. That was very easy to learn about as we still lived in the "country" and we could observe for ourselves. We had a super "kid network" and we figured out things by our own really fast! Like about age 6. :D :D

One thing about the way I was raised, is that I was never encouraged to be "dumbed down" because I was a female. So, I
"just"did it." despite being a female. I think that was due to my parent's depression mentalilty. I really think they encouraged their kids (both girls) to pursue financial independence. I also think my parents were the first bunch of European immigrants who were allowed to choose their own mates. (How amazing is that???) I know that my grandmother's husband was chosen for her. How Horrible!!!!! Grandma was not a happy camper. But it worked out OK for her.

As a result, I think my folks gave me a bit of leeway and allowed me to be what I was capable of doing. Funny, they did not prod me or poke me :poke: into any one direction. As a result, I was somewhat undisiplined until I got a "real" job.

Sorry, I apologize. I'm rambling again.

Susan - don't apologize!
I have a friend who's folks are the same generation as your's - grew up during the depression. My god they are the worst pack rats!

They collect EVERYTHING!!!
:)

That's all I got right now - rough nite. :(

Susan - don't apologize!
I have a friend who's folks are the same generation as your's - grew up during the depression. My god they are the worst pack rats!

They collect EVERYTHING!!!
:)

That's all I got right now - rough nite. :(

Sorry, get rest.... :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: Good for the body and the soul. Yup, my Depression Era Mom was a packrat, too. I'm trying to get over it. Both my sister and I inherited that Yankee frugality sensibility from her. I also happened to "inherit" the Rabbit Foot Fern that my Mom had. Yup, it must be at least 25 years old, maybe more. I took it back to Maine in 1988, after my Mom passed away and my sister tossed it to me & said "Here! Take this back with you.!!!" Well, it is still very alive & happy.

I'm getting even with my sister!!!! :lol: :lol: I'm visiting her and will be bringing a very healthy & happy Maudaie in low bud. She won't be able to kill it as they are indestructible.

What goes around comes around.... something like that. :evil: :evil:

I see a lot of women after the 'bad' boys and sharing in all that 'now and not tomorrow' perspective. Concurrently, my wife delivers babies for a living and young women of 13 through the mid twenties are OFTEN delivering their 4th or more child from a 'baby daddy' instead of a real father. None of those behaviors lend themselves to seeing a lot of young people in orchids as we are or collecting stamps or any of the other traditional intellectual pursuits.

In summary (yes, I can be verbally prolific until that small toenail gets caught in a molar), I believe it's a rare treat to see a young person (under 30) enjoying our hobby, especially a female. Sure, you can relate to male ego conquest theories or to nesting theories as some have explained quite eloquently but I'm saying it's a matter of sociological circumstance and opportunity.

Okay, you and Susan can shoot me now Heather. :wink:

Ernie, thanks for the perspective and for the reality check. I agree in part, taking the facts & circumstances that you so eloquently described. First of all, there is a problem with society. In an ideal world, young girls should not be getting pregnant. But this is the real world and it happens. And yes, once that happens, the new mothers have other priorities. Young girls that age should be learning how to take care of children and not orchids. Caring for children, obviously, takes priority over caring for orchids.

You are in Mississippi, yes??? I hope I spelled it correctly. I hope what you described about the young girls & pregnancy rates is inaccurate. I doubt it, though. There are so many teenage pregnancies.

Still, I'm sure that there are quite a few well educated young women who are very competent orchid, even Paph, growers. If they have the right knowledge, support, and financing they could start a business. Really!!!! It is possible!!! :D