Orchids that make you smile, which one is your favorite?

When I see a beautiful orchid, in full bloom, my first reaction is to blink... to help focus my eyes on what I'm seeing.  Then, I usually smile and sigh... not a big sigh, a small sigh, but a sigh nonetheless.  How do you react when you see a beautiful orchid flower? (I am assuming you like beautiful things, like flowers, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this post). 

In other words, you can't work around orchid flowers and not be affected (I still get confused with the difference between affect and effect) by their exquisiteness ... yeah, that's the word!  Orchids are exquisite and just being around them makes you feel good.  Some orchid flowers take your breath away more than others.  From hundreds of orchids I see each day, here are a few orchids, most of them Phalaenopsis that not only take my breath away, they make you smile.  (Don't forget to smile as you look at the photos  :)  Orchids make you smile and take your breath away don't they?  At least they do in person, where you can touch them.  I don't know if the photos have the same affect - enjoy!

Doritaenopsis Nobby's Purple

Doritaenopsis Hsinying Mount "Taida Snow Peach"

Phalaenopsis Sogo Yakudian (Flower diameter can reach six inches)

Doritaenopsis Taisuco Fireball x Taisuco Glory

Phalaenopsis Yu Pin Panda

Doritaenopsis Jiaho Kitty Face"M"

 

Doritaenopsis [(Super Stupid - Timothy Christopher) - Ganlin Fairy "M"

Doritaenopsis Taida Pearl "Taida Black Horse"

Phalaenopsis Amabilis Farmosa

Dendrobium densiflorum

Bulbophylum Kathy's Gold

Dtps. Chian Xen Queen "JB18"

Purple Doritaenopsis Orchid (front)

Purple Doritaenopsis Orchid (back) - The sepals were green buds

On your mark, get set, go - summer orchids are here!

That was fast.  It was just raining the other day on a winter night and now Fourth of July is just a few days away.  Time is going by fast.  Jonathon is going to be seven!  I'll have to slow it down.  Close my eyes... breathe...
Well, I can't look at so many orchids without wanting to share them with people who read my blog.  I want to thank Al Gore for inventing the Internet and making blogging possible.  Now all of us can say something and communicate it... that's awesome.
Ok, well here go the photos that were recently taken of some orchids.  Hope you like...
Enjoy,
Steve Peralta

Dendrobium densiflorum

Dtps. Jiaho Kitty Face

Phalaenopsis Taisuco Firball - Taisuco Glory "M"

Phalaenopsis Yu Pin Panda "M"

Mclna. Yellow Star "Stellar"

Phalaenopsis Sara Gold

Renanthera Scarlet Yuka

Dendrobium densiflorum

Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer

It already feels like summmer - the sky is blue and my favorite peach tree is filled with colorful peaches.  Summer starts June 21.  Summer is kicked off by Father's Day, Graduations and celebrations.  Before we know it, we will be sitting under a dark sky waiting for the Fourth of July fireworks. 
Here is a collection of a few of my favorite summer blooming orchids.  Enjoy!

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off this afternoon with the Opening Match between South Africa and Mexico - Woohoo!!

I will be honest with you... I'm not a soccer fan. I played soccer in third or fourth grade. We also played a lot of kickball... soccer is a game for the masses - maybe that's why soccer isn't played in the United States... or is it? It's a game for the masses in places like Mexico and South America and Europe. Come to think of it, I'm not much of a sports fan of any sport. It's not that I don't like the spirit of the game, I do. But, I rather read a book or write a post about why I don't watch sports. A lot of negatives in this post :)
But what is happening in South Africa is something special. It's the FIFA (stands for International Federation of Association Football) World Cup(TM). This is something big - a better word is huge. The television audience is in the billions not to mention the fans at the actual match
Well, let the game begin. Go Mexico! Who knows, maybe I'll watch the game and learn to enjoy the sport called soccer.

A father is...

There are so many things about my father that makes me love him so much.  The scent of his clothes, the touch of his hand or some soft words of inspiration - my father is everything to me - at least he was, he passed away in 1985.  But, he is still a big influence in my life - when I make a decision, I will usually ask... what would my dad do in this situation.  In short my father is everything to me and even though he is no longer here as my father, his memories endure.
Father's Day is Sunday, June 20 - show dad how much you care for everything he's done for you with a blooming orchid plant.  Here is a selection of blooming orchid plants just right for father's day.  Enjoy. 
Steve Peralta

Dtps. Chian Xen Queen

Dendrochilum Magnum

Dtps. hsinying mount taida snow peach

Dendrochilum Magnum

Slc. Hello Sport "Intrigue"

Dtps. Queen Beer "Mantefon"

Cattleya Green Emerald Queen

Encyclia lancifolia orchid

Fucshia epidendrum orchid

Dtps. Taisuco Firebird orchid

White Phalaenopsis Orchid

Slc. Hello Sport "Intrigue" orchid

Dtps. tying shin zebra

Spring Orchids Still in Bloom in California

If you listen you can still hear birds chirping spring songs outside, you know... hey little chick grow feathers so you can fly away...  :) (I made that up).  Yes, it's still spring, the chicks are chirping for food and the mother's spend their days looking for that next tasty morsel to feed their young ones.
California is a wonderful place.  Spring in California is awesome!  Right now, summer is rearing its head with warmer days which means more water to water the plants.  So, this time of spring is very beautiful - not too hot and just right temperature-wise.  It's made extra special by the orchids that I have the privilege to see and touch every day.
Orchids in California are like birds of a feather that fly together, they were made for each other.  California is the pacific rim to the east - most importantly Taiwan.  The relationship that Taiwan orchid farms and California orchid farms have is like the relationship an orchid has with moss.  One must have the other to flourish - Taiwan provides the material and California produces the finished product, mostly phalaenopsis orchids and doritaenopsis orchids also known as moth orchids.  Like these beautiful orchids.  
Enjoy and happy late spring everyone!

Monday, June 21, at approximately midnight is the official first day of summer for 2010

One of my favorite places to eat is Vicace at the Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad... of course, nothing beats the Chateau Brion (spelling) at La Valencia in La Jolla! But this is not a post about restaurants, its about seasons and how much I like seasons.  Season help some of us keep track of time.  It's raining, oh, its winter.. It's hot and sunny, it's summer... It's gloomy - it's fall.  Since we are a little over 30 days till summer, I want to share some orchid photos of early summer blooming orchids... Besides it already feels a lot like summer here in California.

Enjoy!
Steve