No kidding. Well next time I go down to florida to visit the old folks, I should take a detour to Fairchild tropical garden. If you go to the USF plant atlas website and do a search you'll see that dade county doesn't have any vouchered specimens of acer rubrum but mainland monroe does. Then again, the county where I saw some growing wild doesn't either. And I know I've seen some sweetgums in lee county but the map doesn't show those either. Those trees have a huge range. I'm not surprised they tolerate the climate so much as they can tolerate the lack of chill hours and also that someone down there found some to plant or thought to plant them. Do you live in that area?

Everything I've read about the South Beach diet says to have snacks in the mid morning and mid afternoon and dessert after dinner - nothing about snacks in the evening. Seems to me you might sabotage all your good efforts during the day by eating a snack late in the evening. I like lowfat deli ham and turkey rolled up to snack on, also, celery pieces with cream cheese stuffing, plain yogurt with some Splenda and vanilla, and sugar free jello. Deviled eggs are allowed and 2 TB of peanut butter on some celery or simply eaten off the spoon. Nuts are a good snack also. A thin slice of deli cheese, lowfat if you can get it, on top of a thin slice of ham or turkey, rolled up and cut into slices is my favorite snack.

Hello Lana, I have the entire South Beach Bedroom and Dinning room sets (Brand new) available but the bed is queen and you would have to get it from Pittsburgh, PA. If you are still interested let me know and we can go from here? Thanks, Dustin Lebau Here is a link that might be useful: Potomac Homepage

thanks Linda. No, I don't have any before and after pictures because I'm not 'after' yet, I'm only half way to my target weight. Then there is the every day job of maintaining it. Also, I don't know how to post pictures :~) Mush:"...It takes awhile and lots of patience to discover what causes you problems and what you can eat to stay feeling good..." I vow, truer words were never spoken. My Dr said it took him 40 years to find out what works for him, and he drinks two big glasses of instant breakfast every morning! ( first ingredient? sugar.) I'd be 310 if I tried that. Every body is different. What works for me is to eliminate any kind of sweetener, some protein each time I eat along with some healthy oil because it keeps you satisfied for such a long time in addition to the other health benefits. Everything I eat I want it to be nutrient dense. So that means the most vivid colors I can eat in fruits and veggies, add healthy nuts, avocados, olives. Funny how your tastes really do change, and what used to look good just looks like super glue for the veins now...and doesn't even look like it would taste good. The smell of food was my biggest obstacle. Fried foods, sweet foods, they smelled wonderful. That doesn't bother me too much any more, as long as I'm not past due to eat. Everyone just has to find their own way. Normal people can moderate amounts of not-so-good stuff. I can't. I guess that is an all or nothing kind of personality. My Dr is addicted to exercise so can eat more freely. That just isn't going to happen for me in this life. I hate it, always have, always will. Nasty stuff, exercise. Blaugh!! j