My new orchid

I've had a fascination with orchids for about 20 yrs. now. They've come and gone, I.ve given some away as Christmas presents, lost some to disease, power losses in winter, and as with all perennials, they come back from year to year, but they are not immortal. Rebuilding my collection I came across one that I've wanted for a long time. The right place (EBay) and the right price, and a little bit of luck, I obtained this little jewel. Supposedly near blooming size, it started spiking a week after I received it. I remember being invited to dinner at a neighbors house way back when, after dinner we went into his greenhouse and he showed me his orchids, mostly Catleyas, they were breath taking. I got to get me one of those. Of course one led into an another.

This one happens to be a paphoipedilum, Paph Sanderianum 'Show Shan' x Philippinese '9F'.  I always  got a kick from the way R.J. Rands would describe paphs; "The bees aren't as busy as you think, that they would often crawl into the pouch of the phaph and take a snooze," lol.

The long peddles are truly exotic. Ten years ago these were difficult to get. They do make a nice center piece for the dinner table.

If I could only have one orchid, I believe this would be it.