Hi all; I would like to introduce myself, too, although I'm afraid my story is more of a lab notebook entry than a fairy tale. I am a newbie in this forum, although I have been growing African violets for a few years. I have always liked the green and yellow ones, but most of my collection did not survive moving across the country 4 years ago. After that, I was content with my three survivors (Blue Dragon, Blueberry Splash, and a trailer that I grew from a Park seed packet). I enjoyed them, but didn't really feel like getting any more. Then I read this interesting book called "The Botany of Desire." The main premise is that just as plants and insects co-evolve, shaping each other's characteristics, we have a powerful effect on plants, and they have an effect on us. Offering something that people want, like fruit, flowers, or bioactive natural products, is a good evolutionary strategy for a plant. However, the downside of this comes when everybody wants the same thing - the huge genetic diversity of the ancestral apple tree is ignored because everyone buys red delicious apples. This made me think about my African violets, and how a lot of them have been selected to make a flat, symmetric rosette for showing, and I started wondering what other interesting things lurk in the African violet genome. And then I discovered the David Senk plants. I'm a huge fan. So far, I have a plantlet of Say What, and two leaves of Merlot. I can't wait for Merlot to produce plantlets. It's so weird! Longfolia, bustles, a little bit of variegation, what could be better? I also thought it would be nice to check out some of the older varieties, so I picked up Blue Tail Fly and Celery. Hooray for eBay! Anyway, it's nice to (virtually) meet you all -seems like a good crowd. Rachel

I wonder if it's normal that one will change their focus, many times, in the life time. For me, I began when I was 13 with Cactus then Fern-African Violet-Epicia-Begonia-Bromeliad- when I was 20 I imported Tillandsia-Bromeliad again, especially Crytanthus that I order 40 varieties from Southern Exprosure and some from Pine Apple Place. It was around ten years ago, Mr Ted Green, a Hoya specialist, of Green Plant Reserch from Hawaii visited my house. I had ordered from him and Michael Miyashiro a hundred of Hoya to Thailand (Most of them you can find in our market today) In reverse, I also introduced many new species to the trade in USA, such as Hoya curtisii, H. mitrata, H. lobbii, H. 'Wee' bella, etc. via Mrs Christine M Burton of Hoya Society International (The Hoyan). Due to my job, a nature history publication, I had to be in a jungle, months a year, then I change my interest to study our native Orchid species, especially Bulbophyllum. From my expeditions in Thailand's tropical rainforests, I had discovered 3 new species of edemic orchid and many new records for our country. One of them I and Prof. Gunnar Seidenfaden named it, Bulbophyllum smitinadii, for dedicating our botanist. I had many times visited interesting places, Madagascar, Borneo, Tibet, India, South Africa etc. I've seen many native floras that ispirate my interest again. One day, I found that all the neglect things in my house should be restored. Then I started to collect some more succulents, especially caudiciform that I imported from EXOTICA in Germany. In the mean time, one of my good friend who always visit USA, he brought me some Dyckia and xeric brom from his friends in CA and FL : Dutch Vandervort, Bill Baker and Denis of Tropiflora...so this is my story. Some of my succulents & caudiciforms collection today. Me & Pachypodium gacilius in its habitat, Isalo National Park, S Madagascar, 2004.

Just wanted to say, I've decided to go for it...and I'm redecorating the bedroom in my version of' fairy tale' style. It's been a lot of fun and allowed me to try something a bit more unexpected. After finding a beautiful dark purple quilt and shams (which looks great with a few cranberry red accents we already have) I decided to mix in some leaf prints and green/gold accents. I really need to tone down the 'purple' to get my husband on board. When I get done, I'll take some pictures, but so far the whole scheme seems to work. It's unexpected, but I decided I needed a leaf print for the drapes and maybe the headboard...after seeing some of the great sets on 'Once Upon A Time'. This is our current house (so no fireplace, yet) but I'm really excited about doing something a bit different, than what I see in the magazines :)

Once upon a time a guy ask a girl to marry him..she said YES!!! She got to stay home the rest of her life if she wanted to...Or go out with the girls whenever she wanted to. Sometimes the money was a little short....but she loved what she got to do. She could wear sweats too and played softball for years... It wasn't always heaven but most of the time it was close... It ain't all bad... patti