Thanks for the tip. Wish I'd seen the Epi. Annalie Wans first - more fringe is better. :) However, maybe a primary wouldn't do as well in the orchid room - RH in the 20% range in the winter, even with a humidifier. Lois Duffin's site lists the Epi. Annalie Wans. I haven't run across this grower before, and they're not listed on the Orchid Mall site. They don't list prices and haven't updated the site since last January. Ambiguous. Thanks, WC8 Here is a link that might be useful: Lois Duffin Orchids This post was edited by whitecat8 on Sat, Jan 25, 14 at 23:34

Babs, that's a magnificent sunset--- very striking and a beautiful "bookend" to your January 6 photo of the same field. All of you photographs of the back fields recall a book of photography I saw years ago that was taken by a woman from a particular apartment window overlooking Central Park. I think her book included a year's worth of photographs of the same view from one window in different seasons and times of day. Claire, I love the subtle coloration in the grays to blues to greens to grays and tans of the bay at low tide behind that hawk in your first picture. That's a photo I'll share with my DH. It will be a great inspiration for some of his paintings. And, boy! Do I remember that "rule" about curfews, street lights and sunset. Those were the days! We kids played for hours and hours outside with no worries ---- and no fears for our parents in those gentler times. Molie

I'll continue the Mexican food theme with braised pork tacos I recently made courtesy of Rachel Ray. I made it last week and Chris and I really enjoyed them. I am not usually a huge fan of her 30 minute meals but I searched for braised pork tacos and the recipe sounded good with 5 star reviews. Plus it's not a 30 minute meal. I prepared exactly as directed my only critique is I would have liked a little more heat but I like my food spicy and that can easily be fixed. Oh and I used green jalapenos instead of red chilies because that's what the grocery store had available. Maybe that was my heat problem. I was thinking of not making the pickled onions but I was very happy I did. They really balanced the flavor of the tacos and were super simple to make. INGREDIENTS 1 (4 to 5 pound) boneless pork shoulder Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 onions, cut into wedges, root end attached 4 large cloves garlic, crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves, half a palmful 2 red chiles, thinly sliced 4 bay leaves 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer 2 cups chicken stock 4 oranges, juiced about 2 cups 1 chipotle pepper, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce 2 limes, juiced 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 2 small red onions, thinly sliced 1 cup drained sliced store-bought pickled jalapenos or banana pepper rings 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or 2 cups shredded Monterey jack 16 corn or flour tortillas, charred over open flame and kept warm in tortilla warmer or towel DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, to taste, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pat the pork dry with a paper towel. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Put the pork in the pot and evenly brown the meat all over, it will take about 10 to 12 minutes; remove the pork to a plate and reserve. Turn heat down to medium-high, and add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pot, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the onions and garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, the oregano, 1 sliced chili pepper and 2 bay leaves and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Deglaze the pot with the beer, scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir in the chicken stock and orange juice. Add the reserved pork back to the pot (the liquid should come about 2/3 the way up the meat) and bring to a simmer. Cover and put the pork in the oven, turning the meat halfway through cooking, until the meat is very tender, about 2 1/2-3 hours. Remove the pork from the pot, to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat apart with 2 forks. Simmer the braising liquid over medium heat until reduced by half. Add the chipotle and adobo sauce and the lime juice. Add about 2/3 of the shredded meat and stir. Cool the remaining shredded pork and chill for another use. While the pork is cooking, prepare the pickled red onions: in a small saucepot, bring the white wine vinegar, sugar, teaspoon of salt, remaining chili pepper and bay leaves to a simmer over low heat. Put the sliced red onions in a small sealable container. Carefully pour the hot liquid over the onions, cover and give it a shake. You may need to lift the lid to release some of the pressure. Every now and then, give it a good shake. Refrigerate to cool. To serve, put the chipotle pulled pork on a platter and garnish with pickled onions and pickled jalapeno slices. Serve with shredded cabbage, crumbled cheese and tortillas for wrapping.

Y'all are doing GREAT!! I also managed to get through the holidays with no real gain. My weight has more swings than Babe Ruth's bat, so I cannot let the scale be my guide! DH got me a FitBit for Christmas. Depressing, I tell you. With our new insurance, maybe I can figure out what is wrong with my metabolism. I average over 16,000 steps per day. Not doing anything besides taking care of the horses, dogs, cats, and family. When I log food, (no cheating, I even log the wine), I have 1200- 1400 calories LEFT OVER , so I should lose a pound every third day. I have 45 minutes of "activity" in my normal routine. I had to drop my gym membership, because I could not take 2,5 hours out of my day to go anymore. I live 20 miles from the gym, 10 miles outside of town. I love classes, not so much the equipment, so the schedule conflicted with taking care of the horses. I am still trying, and have been for 30 years, lol, to get DH off of the drive-thru food kick. If I send food with him, it rots in the car. He believes french fries are a vegetable, and lettuce and tomatoes on a hamburger make it healthy. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Nancy