It's very beautiful just as it is. You'll probably laugh when I tell you that what little I know about orchids I learned reading Nero Wolfe novels. According to Rex Stout, the author, Mr. Wolfe had 10,000 orchids in his rooftop plant rooms. The TV series never did them justice :)

The ruination of time and its odd beauty is your passion, even in "the frail duration of a flower."

Susan, I learned about Stout and his huge orchid collection in a much earlier comment - maybe from you. That would be a sight to see.

Marly, lovely words, thank you. I had to look up the quote...by Philip Freneau, whom I don't recall. The name sounds French but was American.

They last a long time where it's cool. I saw a lot of these moth orchids in many lovely colors at a plant sale but did not buy them. They don't thrive in our location but do great in other locations on the Island.
Wish I could bring you one!

Hattie, I love the ones you have in your tropical climate but I know you know they probably wouldn't like it in our usually cooler climate.

Marja-Leena: Is it not wonderful how nature repeats and repeats its patterns in such a wide diversity of forms and places? The patterns in those petals might have been water marks on a beach, old river beds on Mars, or patterns on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Or just patterns on one's fingers that have been immersed in water for some time.

Tom, absolutely - so well said, thank you! Maybe that is why I was drawn to this image, not only the flower per se, but just those patterns you mention. Textures may be another word or variant, for that is what I love about printmaking.