# Happiness is...



## cnycharles (Mar 31, 2010)

I was trying to come up with some 'happy thoughts' this morning after I had to use the plumber's snake to pull a wad of hair and 'some other substance' from the drain, and thought that the gurgling of a clean drain was a 'happy sound'! :rollhappy: 

So, I thought that everyone here might have something that really makes them happy like a new orchid bud, or a large tax return or really anything at all that they might like to share with everyone else. If you've got a pet you love, you can just type it "happiness is..." and a picture of your pet (or a piece of cheesecake, or your new orchids or whatever you like!) or whatever creative way you can come up with telling us what you really like

* and remember you don't have to put them all down at once, and can come back and add more!

Happiness is... seeing the sun shine at the end of a cloudy, rainy day


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## Hera (Mar 31, 2010)

Happiness is... hearing my two year old niece talk to me on the phone.


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## Rick (Mar 31, 2010)

After last month:sob:

Happiness is seeing our test animal cultures start acting normal again.

I'll also take the sunny days and big tax return too?


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## Yoyo_Jo (Mar 31, 2010)

Happiness is seeing and hearing the first robin of spring in my yard.


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## SlipperFan (Mar 31, 2010)

Happiness is seeing flowers peering through the ground after a long and snow-covered Winter.


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## rdlsreno (Apr 1, 2010)

Tax return....Sunny Skies and seeing a seedling blooms for the first time with an FCC potential!:clap:

Ramon


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## nikv (Apr 1, 2010)

Happiness is . . . . that first sip of coffee in the morning. There's nothing else quite like it.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 1, 2010)

I agree with Dot, spring flowers!


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## fbrem (Apr 1, 2010)

happiness is the first nice score of morels this year, can't wait, that eastern hog nosed skake my partner found yesterday, and my mexipedium I just found in spike!!!

Forrest


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## etex (Apr 1, 2010)

Happiness is being part of your first orchid show and watching the magic of the transformation from a large empty room to a beautiful blooming wonderland.

Husband had to use the snake yesterday,too. Happiness is having the bathroom functional!


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## Shiva (Apr 1, 2010)

Happiness is learning something new.


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## goldenrose (Apr 1, 2010)

Happiness is - THE ANNUAL AUCTION HAS BEGUN! :rollhappy: :clap:


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## NYEric (Apr 1, 2010)

Happiness is having all the plants watered, the fans blowing, the windows open, and the temperature and humidity feeling 'just right'!


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## eOrchids (Apr 1, 2010)

Happiness is driving with the top down (convertible) on a long stretch of road on a clear, sunny day.


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## cnycharles (Apr 1, 2010)

happiness is... broiling that porterhouse to just about medium rare, and eating it seasoned only with garlic salt


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## Rick (Apr 1, 2010)

fbrem said:


> happiness is the first nice score of morels this year, can't wait, that eastern hog nosed skake my partner found yesterday, and my mexipedium I just found in spike!!!
> 
> Forrest



MOREL SCOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE:clap::clap::clap::clap:


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## NYEric (Apr 2, 2010)

Happiness is: _"and with your order we threw in a free plant!"_


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## SlipperFan (Apr 3, 2010)

Happiness is more Spring flowers:


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 3, 2010)

Cool shot Dot! What is amazing is that your bloodroot beat mine to the punch. Different climates can have really uneven results with flowering, etc.


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## SlipperFan (Apr 3, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Cool shot Dot! What is amazing is that your bloodroot beat mine to the punch. Different climates can have really uneven results with flowering, etc.


Hmmm -- that's strange. I would think yours would have been out before mine. 

I love that these spread their seeds around. I think I started with 3 plants (or bulbs) and now they are in several places in my beds. The leaves are pretty, also!


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## fbrem (Apr 3, 2010)

Rick said:


> MOREL SCOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE:clap::clap::clap::clap:



Happiness is the morels I'm about to eat after today foraging. I finally started finding some nice morels today, but this year seems like it's going to be a poor one. Any one else hunt wild edible mushrooms?


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## cnycharles (Apr 3, 2010)

I pick the shelf oysters and the brown 'italian' ones from standing or fallen non-pine-type trees (hard and softwoods, usually black ash and a few others)

happiness is cooking for and being with friends and family on a holiday or get-together


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## NYEric (Apr 3, 2010)

Happiness is, nobody pushing my bid on ebay!


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## Clark (Apr 4, 2010)

fbrem said:


> Happiness is the morels I'm about to eat after today foraging. I finally started finding some nice morels today, but this year seems like it's going to be a poor one. Any one else hunt wild edible mushrooms?


 It has been over thirty years, but the memories will last forever.
Always feast or famine, year to year.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 4, 2010)

Cyp. formosanum about to flower!


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## Yoyo_Jo (Apr 4, 2010)

Oh, and that photo makes me happy. (And of course we'll need to see another when they open). Fabulous!!! :clap:


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## cnycharles (Apr 9, 2010)

happiness is an approaching weekend!


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## NYEric (Apr 9, 2010)

Happiness is a good practice and beating the team of D2 players w/ a D4-5 squad!


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## etex (Apr 9, 2010)

Happiness really is an approaching weekend, not having to cook mountains of food this weekend, and nice weather. Happiness is also seeing a bud on your Paph Lynleigh Koopowitz.


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## suss16 (Apr 9, 2010)

Happiness is a puppy, a sleeping puppy.


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## biothanasis (Apr 9, 2010)

Happiness is..... the interval between two sadnesses!!!


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## Phrag-Plus (Apr 9, 2010)

fbrem said:


> Happiness is the morels I'm about to eat after today foraging. I finally started finding some nice morels today, but this year seems like it's going to be a poor one. Any one else hunt wild edible mushrooms?



Yes! I do! And I like that! hummmm! 
Happiness is being love, good friends, a laughing, signing birds, flowers smiles, morning breeze, fly fishing, playing music, walking with my dog, sun set, sound of a waterfall, silence.... Happiness is being able to appreciate all the little things in life....


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## NYEric (Apr 10, 2010)

Happiness is disa growing a spike!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 10, 2010)

Sanguinaria canadensis 'Multiplex' in flower!


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## etex (Apr 10, 2010)

Happines is seeing above pic-gorgeous!


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## Clark (Apr 10, 2010)

....getting 1/2 price on this weeks gardening supplies.(saved $35 by buying ripped bags, contents intact)


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## paphjoint (Apr 10, 2010)

Happiness is a hole in one


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## cnycharles (Apr 10, 2010)

happiness can be the smile on a certain someone-else's face


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## biothanasis (Apr 10, 2010)

Happiness is the total absence of fear...!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 10, 2010)

biothanasis said:


> Happiness is the total absence of fear...!



#1 truth, you hit it right on the head. Also could be stated as in the bible, "Love casts out fear".


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## emydura (Apr 10, 2010)

Happiness is my new 300cc vespa which I got a couple of days ago.

Frustration is my new vespa breaking down on the first day in the middle of nowhere (without a phone) from where I had to hitch a ride, catch a bus and then organise the transportation of my scooter back to be fixed. "Not happy Jan".

Anyway back to happiness. The scooter is now fixed (the battery wasn't charging). It is a beautiful thing to ride, so much better than my previous Gilera 125 cc which was also a nice bike. I had to get a red one of course as everyone knows that red goes much faster  and this thing really flies. It also looks pretty nice IMHO.

David


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## biothanasis (Apr 11, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> #1 truth, you hit it right on the head. Also could be stated as in the bible, "Love casts out fear".


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## likespaphs (Apr 15, 2010)

happiness is new boots and dry feet!


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## NYEric (Apr 15, 2010)

80's and short skirts!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 15, 2010)

NYEric said:


> 80's and short skirts!



Come to Japan, short skirts rule here, even on cold winter days!


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## SlipperFan (Apr 15, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Come to Japan, short skirts rule here, even on cold winter days!



That doesn't sound like happiness to me! :rollhappy:


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 15, 2010)

SlipperFan said:


> That doesn't sound like happiness to me! :rollhappy:



For me, the viewer, it can be pleasant :drool: :rollhappy: (except when my girlfriend catches me and gives me a jab to the ribs ), but I always wonder how those woman handle the cold winds that constantly whip off the harbor. I feel cold and I've got long pants on and long johns on underneath! Slaves to fashion I guess!


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## NYEric (Apr 15, 2010)

I would like to suffer thru that view. :drool:


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## cnycharles (Apr 15, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> For me, the viewer, it can be pleasant :drool: :rollhappy: (except when my girlfriend catches me and gives me a jab to the ribs ), but I always wonder how those woman handle the cold winds that constantly whip off the harbor. I feel cold and I've got long pants on and long johns on underneath! Slaves to fashion I guess!



when I was working at the ski area in jackson hole, wyoming years ago, I couldn't believe how many women would ski without a hat, just because they didn't want to mess up their 'do... it could be below zero plus the obvious wind chill


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## cnycharles (May 4, 2010)

happiness is (for the neighborhood kids) a dead-end street where they can ride their bikes back and forth...

happiness for me will be when I actually get two days off (or at least 1 -1/2) in a row and it doesn't mean I just got laid off for the winter


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## Lanmark (May 5, 2010)

Happiness is freedom from Verizon contract! Yayyy! ^_^


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## Clark (Aug 15, 2010)

Happiness is getting close to one's subject.
'Free chase'.


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## SlipperFan (Aug 15, 2010)

Looks like it caught a rat. Good bird!


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## goldenrose (Aug 16, 2010)

That looks like an interesting fallen/damaged tree that hawk is in!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 16, 2010)

Ah, the fresh taste of meat on a Sunday morning...


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## Lanmark (Aug 17, 2010)

Good hawk! Poor rat! 
_____________________________

Happiness is when the pill kicks in, or maybe it's just relief.
 oke:


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## Clark (Aug 18, 2010)

About the rat- it has to be the only/last one, San Fran is spotless.
Rose- have you been to the Golden Gate? Tree is within view of bridge.


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## cnycharles (Aug 22, 2010)

happiness is that first shower when you haven't been allowed to for three days, and icing on the cake is the hot water tank that doesn't run out (ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....)


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## Clark (May 19, 2011)

Happiness is bagging some wallhangers on vacation. 
free chase





Sandhill Cranes.


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## SlipperFan (May 19, 2011)

The cranes seem very unconcerned.

Someone said that Sandhill Cranes -- the flocks of juveniles, can be very destructive in farmer's fields, but the mating pairs are no problem.


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## Rick (May 20, 2011)

That's cool!

I was about to say that looks like a place in Florida I saw some Sandhills at, and then saw that you are in Florida.


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## Rick (May 20, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> The cranes seem very unconcerned.
> 
> Someone said that Sandhill Cranes -- the flocks of juveniles, can be very destructive in farmer's fields, but the mating pairs are no problem.



What's the size of these flocks? I've never seen more than a half dozen or so together at a time.

They pop up near me in Tennessee too, but never have seen more than 2 in a field at a time.

On the other hand I've seen flocks of hundreds of Canada geese on a field, and can imagine that could end up a mess.


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## Marc (May 20, 2011)

Happiness is... 

Going on a trip to the German Eifel tomorrow to see and make pictures of European Orchids


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## Clark (May 20, 2011)

Hello Rick.
The cranes appear to be paired up. With and without young.
Far and few between. Since Saturday, seen total of six adults, two juvies. Have 900 miles on rental car. These are uncommon in Jersey(home).

Hello Dot.
My stalk started about 300ft. away. The last 100ft. took an hour. As silly as this sounds, when the birds seemed uneasy, I would mimic behavior.
This included throwing pieces of vegetation in the air. When the grass was flying, they went back to preening themslves.
The day before we thought two birds were exibiting courtship behavior. Good learning lesson for me.

It was a killer evening. Can't remember the last time I puddled up.


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## Heather (May 20, 2011)

You must have been quite a sight!


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## SlipperFan (May 20, 2011)

Interesing observation, Clark I'd never have guessed to mimic their behavior.


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## cnycharles (May 20, 2011)

happiness is... a chocolate milkshake made with coffee ice cream
mmmmmmmmmm


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## Clark (Feb 13, 2012)

Happiness is...
shooting feral hogs and otters (feeding behavior), back to back.

got otter, in the exact same footprint as sandhill cranes. thumbs up!


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## Shiva (Feb 13, 2012)

Happiness is...
Writing an editorial or other piece in l'Orchidofilière (The Orchid File) and being told by people that's the first thing they read when they receive the newsletter of the Montreal Orchid Society. 

I hope my sci-fi novel to be published next year will do as well. 

Michel


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## Gilda (Feb 13, 2012)

Happiness is being on the beach in South Florida in January !!!!!!!  and seeing Sandhill cranes in FL ! We saw them coming out of Orlando from our hotel, they were right smack dab next to high rise hotels and sidewalks . ....and on the way back along I-4 at a rest area !!!!!!! No pics though...I could barely blurt out what they were, I was so surprised at seeing them. Didn't see Clark doing his imitation of a Sandhill though....darn !


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## Ray (Feb 13, 2012)

Rick said:


> What's the size of these flocks? I've never seen more than a half dozen or so together at a time.
> 
> They pop up near me in Tennessee too, but never have seen more than 2 in a field at a time.
> 
> On the other hand I've seen flocks of hundreds of Canada geese on a field, and can imagine that could end up a mess.


As an ex-soccer referee, I can tell you that after the geese have been by, the fields look like they had been overrun by a huge pack of small dogs!

Back when I was the "ISO 9000 Guy" for a large chemical company, I used to travel to a plant in Seagraves TX - near the bottom of the panhandle, about 80 miles from NM - that was in the flyway. Come October, there would be 15,000-20,000 sandhill cranes out on the peanut farmland. Talk about impressive!


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## cnycharles (Feb 14, 2012)

happiness is....


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## paphioboy (Feb 14, 2012)

Happiness is.... a box of new plants!


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## Clark (Feb 15, 2012)

Happiness is...

pulling up to Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and having the first sapien in contact say "Is that Clark???"

My wife could not believe it either.


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## Gilda (Feb 15, 2012)

Clark said:


> Happiness is...
> 
> pulling up to Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and having the first sapien in contact say "Is that Clark???"
> 
> My wife could not believe it either.



I'm jealous...we didn't make it to Corkscrew this year...how was the birding??


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## Clark (Feb 18, 2012)

Gilda said:


> I'm jealous...we didn't make it to Corkscrew this year...how was the birding??



Hi Gilda!
Better than last May, as we got to see the Painted Buntings, Barred owl, numerous short tailed hawks. Best to be there at 7 am. Pm me if you get down that way, got some better spots.

Happiness is...
shooting gators and crocs in the same hour. Free chase, of course.


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## cnycharles (Jun 26, 2012)

finally having another day off from work


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## cnycharles (Mar 15, 2013)

hopefully someday finding another job


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## keithrs (Mar 18, 2013)

Not being sick!


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## MorandiWine (Mar 22, 2013)

Happiness is ........ when my 2.5 year old holds my cheek and says "I love you" and when my 9 month old looks at me smiles and giggles.


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