Orchid

When I read The Orchid Thief, it was a turning point in my writing. I doubt this creative nonfiction book would have any significance for anyone else, but it did for me. It made me realize a key thing I was consistently getting wrong. I was reminded of that great book when we toured the U.S. Botanical Gardens in Washington D.C. After climbing flights of stairs, I walked along the inside perimeter of a 93-foot dome in the Conservatory. Essentially, I was in the mezzanine, the steamy tree canopy of a tropical rain forest. I loved the Botanical Gardens.

It's only fitting that I post some photographs and a link to a video tour that is more representative of what the place really looks like inside.

Currently, I'm working on three things, the chemistry article, a revised first chapter from several years ago (wow, WHAT an improvement), and that piece of fiction that I am enjoying tinkering with. Now that I really have a handle on the article (or so I think), I need to come up with questions for the three scientists. I'm happy to say it's pretty much down on paper, the beginning is really polished, but it loses steam quickly.