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Post by lloyd on Jan 2, 2007 21:16:43 GMT -5
Has anybody heard from Al Bickell? His idirect email address isn't valid anymore even though his website is still up.
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Post by Flytrap on Jan 15, 2007 12:18:07 GMT -5
I heard back from Al a few years back... but haven't heard a peep since. I noticed that he has some old Nepenthes pictures I took still on his web site: webhome.idirect.com/~bickell/davidwon.htmlgreat old memories :-) I'd be interested in hearing and catching up with him. David
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Post by Rick Hillier on Jan 15, 2007 14:57:39 GMT -5
So would I. Back when my wife and I had a brief haiatus from our marriage (separated 3 years, but fully reconciles and much better now ), I lost all of my neps,except for an alata specimen, when I had to move my CP collection up to my parents cottage. At the time, it wasn't used in the winter, so we tried to find a temperature that would get the sarracenia dormant, but not kill the nepenthes. Unfortunately, I failed in the attempt and lost several neps that I had for over 20 years, including a rafflesiana clone that I'd love to have back (vigorous grower, large nasty pitchers with a cream coloured base with chocolate brown splotches all over with a cream/chocolate striped peristome). I had sent a cutting to a fellow by the name of Robert St. Jean, who got it growing well. He subsequently sent me a cutting back, but I was not successful with it at the time. Robert, if you ever read this, please contact me and name your price When I purchased a new house and was able to provide decent growing conditions, I posted my story on the CP ListServ, looking for sources to repurchase some of these plants. A short while later, I got a message from Al Bickell requesting my mailing address. I thought that maybe he was going to send me a catalog or something. To my complete and utter surprise, he sent me several young nepenthes (mirabilis, rafflesiana, two sanguinea (orange), and a cross between maxima and ventricosa). Once they restarted my heart, I potted them up and still have them all to this day. This was back around the year 2000. The generosity that courses through the CP community is simply astounding. I have been the humble recipient of this generosity on several occasions. I can hardly wait until my collection grows out to a point where I can give something back to this community by helping out someone who is new or has had a setback. >>> Rick <<<
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Post by lloyd on Jan 15, 2007 20:41:47 GMT -5
I visited Al when I was just getting into CP's (except for the usual VFT) and bought some small nepenthes which are still going strong. He had a beautiful selection of orchids and nepenthes in his greenhouse and an interesting assortment of CP's in TC. I'd like to ask him how he got his ceph's to grow in TC.
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Post by Rick Hillier on Jan 16, 2007 10:38:17 GMT -5
I wonder if someone in the Southern Ontario Orchid Society (his area club) might know of his whereabouts.
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by Flytrap on Jan 29, 2007 12:51:12 GMT -5
I got a note that he's alive and kicking. I'm not sure if he wants all his fans to contact him all at once I guess if he wants to say hello to us, he'll drop a note on this forum
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