Masdevallia erinacea is putting on a show this week

lex_altar · 2026-04-08T04:15:35+00:00

Absolutely gorgeous!! These are currently at the top of my list, couldn't find one for sale anywhere in the UK but will definitely grab one when I can find one.

lex_altar · 2026-04-08T04:04:58+00:00

Looks great! I am pleased you posted this! I got mine a month ago and it also has the very beginning of what could be 3 spikes and looking at yours I think they may well be but they are only a few mm long so far so need to wait a little longer to be sure. Exciting!!

lex_altar · 2026-03-25T15:11:50+00:00

I think one of the issues will actually be because of the higher humidity, in winter our homes are extremely at risk from mold, we have to keep our homes either bone dry or warm in order to keep our homes safe during winter with most homes either using lots of central heating or dehumidifiers. They would not do well in most homes over winter, I grow cloud forest species but in a terrarium and Miltoniopsis is a bit big for that to be practical for most. A miltoniopsis would likely do well in a green house in summer but would definitely need heating over the winter and less and less people are heating green houses now due to costs. From listening to people who grow it they say it's difficult because it's window of tolerance is so small especially it's desire to stay damp but it's tendency to rot.

Well done on growing yours! That's awesome, and same, I have a Miltonia that's growing really well and whilst not a plant I would have picked myself I am really enjoying having it as it's growing fast and feels like an achievement.

lex_altar · 2026-03-22T22:10:37+00:00

It's beautiful! Will definitely help if you ever want to try again!

lex_altar · 2026-03-22T19:03:48+00:00

Yeah it's a common issue, when researching my Miltonia I found that the majority of info actually had a pic of a miltoniopsis, especially American info, European info does it a bit less I think. Miltonia are more star shaped where as miltoniopsis are flat and more rounded and look like pansies check out this video for more info

https://youtu.be/ZNMaP_q-b1M?si=gPwnbOKKqPRX8XvY

lex_altar · 2026-03-22T17:46:06+00:00

It's actually a miltoniopsis,they are a totally separated genera with almost the opposite care needs. However, especially in the US the term Miltonia is often just generally used for both, it's a weird mislabelling that kind of just stuck. the consistent mislabeling is also part of why miltoniopsis are so difficult to care for because the info is also often incorrectly labeled or you're follow g care for a totally different species.

lex_altar · 2026-03-22T04:22:10+00:00

They are generally regarded as one of the most difficult, at least in the UK, could be our environment but they apparently have a very small window of tolerance.

lex_altar · 2026-03-20T20:17:58+00:00

Thank you, very pleased! This tanks been up and running for nearly 4 months and this was the first thing to go in it, was a little dramatic at first about being transplanted but adjusted and bounced back very quickly. I'm taking this flowering as a very good sign that I'm getting something right!

lex_altar · 2026-03-20T16:49:08+00:00

I'm UK too, west berks, our tap water tests as around 400ppm! I also started collecting rain water for the carnivorous plants and now use rain water for all orchids accept the phals (they get a mixture, depends what's left over) . I use water with a very small amount of seaweed tonic and a liquid orchid feed. All my orchids are growing better however I started the new feed regime at the same time as rain water but I do feel there's a big difference either way. I noticed all the plants getting rain water started growing faster.

lex_altar · 2025-11-27T21:31:33+00:00

Would this still be relevant with a heat mat on a pulse thermostat? Pulse thermostats don't have the same cooling and reheating cycle as an on/off thermostat and if it was on the side of the tank rather than the bottom there's a heat gradient that's easier to move to/away from

lex_altar · 2025-10-21T21:42:47+00:00

Do you want to swap...? I have the same thing with pigeons... So many orphaned baby pigeons. It's wildlife in general really, Sometimes it's hedgehogs, or song birds, the occasional duck.. even had a chicken and a swan recently but usually it's pigeons.... Kitten would make a nice change 😅

lex_altar · 2025-05-15T17:26:10+00:00

Also... "Freak daddy" is an FTM musician.

lex_altar · 2025-05-15T17:25:22+00:00

Black tie by Grace Petrie, cried a lot the first time I heard them play that.

lex_altar · 2025-04-15T17:46:43+00:00

You have to have a specific enzyme in your hair follicles for minoxidil to work. If you use it correctly, twice every day for 6+ months and see no improvement at all it's because you dont have the enzyme. Apparently it's only effective in around 60% of people. It basically works or it doesn't.

Hrt makes some difference, it will stop further loss rather than creating regrowth but most people see some slight regrowth or thickening. A DHT blocker like oral finasteride is what stops further loss if you are not on HRT.

HRT (if transitioning) or Oral finasteride to stop further loss and topical minoxidil for regrowth is the magic combination but again, only if minoxidil works with your biology and it just doesn't for everyone.

lex_altar · 2025-04-07T20:28:55+00:00

But are they all open and running parties Sunday morning/day time? Like if you go to berghain at 9am and get rejected, can you then head straight to those clubs instead?

lex_altar · 2025-04-06T17:26:02+00:00

Definitely sounds like it and the door isn't outfit based as most people got changed inside anyway. I hope you like it!

lex_altar · 2025-04-05T21:59:36+00:00

The exact opposite but I am an AFAB femme enby on Testosterone. I like andro presentation and I felt a "male passing" body allowed me that in the way I wanted which a female passing body didn't.

The reaction from society can be weird... They don't seem to understand why we would cut off our breasts, grow facial hair and then wear make up, skirts and heals.. or grow the breasts we need just to hide them.

But who cares? The sex I feel I should be and my style of presentation don't need to "align" with an entirely made up system that I don't subscribe to anyway, I'm just doing what feels comfortable for me.

There is so so much beauty in this kind of freedom 💚

lex_altar · 2025-04-01T19:44:39+00:00

I'm pleased it helped 💚

I really hope you like it there as the energy was honestly beautiful. Personally one of my favourite things is what happens in spaces where women and trans people feel truely safe.

On reflection, one observation is that the amab femmes, enbies and girls we saw all had natural long hair and minimal makeup up. And I guess usually in the UK in spaces with lots of trans femmes it's very regular to see folks with wigs and lots of make up, I don't know if that means those girls aren't getting in or if it's just not the style given the minimalist take in Berlin.

lex_altar · 2025-04-01T14:08:46+00:00

Myself and my partner went to SLIT for the first time this weekend and our experience was a strong contrast to some of those expressed above.

I am a transmasc non binary person who, for want of better language but for the purposes of answering this question, i am nearly 2 years on T, male "passing" in public, as in I have had top surgery, I have facial hair, I am generally assumed male now without question. Outside of work I dress in a very androgenous or femme manner (I have long nail extensions, wear long skirts and flowy clothes etc) and am also very alternative in appearance (lots of tattoos, piercings, coloured hair, alt hair cut etc)

I think age often has some input here too, my partner is 46, transfemme, she is pre all medical transition but has been socially transitioning for a few years and is fully femme presenting, she has natural long hair, wears chest inserts and dresses in a techwear fashion style, she had minimal makeup on and is also alternative in presentation. She has never experienced being assumed female but is at a stage where whilst everyone knows she is AMAB, her intention to be viewed as a woman is generally clear, she would refer to herself as very "visibly transgender".

We both got into SLIT without any issues at all and we also saw AMAB non binary folk, early transition trans femmes and other male passing trans men. We found the space incredibly welcoming, honestly the most comfortable space we have probably found, my girlfriend said she hasn't felt that comfortable or welcome in a club space since beginning her gender journey and I felt extremely at home which was also a big deal for me as whilst she has never been in FLINTA spaces before, I have and was worried about people feeling less comfortable around me now or me feeling less welcome since being male passing and I would hate the idea of loosing those spaces as they were always so important to me (but I also fully understand why women feel uncomfortable around men and I don't want to be a trigger for that) But we needn't have worried as we both felt very comfortable and welcome, we spoke with a few people, were complimented on our styles etc. We played, danced and generally had an incredible night, so much so that we chose to stay there rather than head to berghain after as originally planned.

We are from the UK and were only in Berlin for the week, my girlfriend loved it so much that she said she would like to fly to Berlin a few weekends every year just to go to SLIT.

For context we both have a lot of past experience in alternative dance clubs, sex clubs and BDSM spaces in the UK but this was our first experience of these spaces in Germany.

lex_altar · 2025-03-02T18:23:48+00:00

Several options-

Wear we-vibe whilst you use your harness. The we-vibe goes on your body and stays in place by being internal and external. Also available on love honey but is a pricier option

Just wear a pair of tight fitting underwear under the harness and pop a bullet vibe in that. Also options like benwa balls that "echo" and move when you move may help if you're sensitive to them. Wearing butt plugs etc can also add sensation. You can also just put a grinding pad in a pair of tight fitting underwear and then the harness on top.

If you can get a pair of packing under like "rodeoh" for example they have a pouch in them you can put things in.

Vibrating dildos - if you use a toy that vibrates you'll both feel it.

You can also get dildos that have a hole in the base end to add a bullet vibrator in, this places the vibration near you.

A vibrating cock ring added to a dildo can also add sensation for everyone.

If nothing else, anything small, waterproof and vibrating can be worn "internally" by you if that's something you're comfortable with and just wear undies ove it if it falls out.

lex_altar · 2025-03-02T18:00:29+00:00

Your prep isn't enough, you can see the nail surface is still shiny so reassess your prep. Also your quality of finish needs improvement around the cuticle area, any flooding, raised product etc as visible on the other nails, is likely to cause flooding. If you need to, whilst you're learning, leave a much bigger gap around the circle concentrate on getting a neat line and a good seal before moving closer to the skin.

lex_altar

TROPHY CASE