Same idea slightly different scenario. I have heard Fred talk, been to his greenhouse and have been growing the FCC 'After Dark' for a couple of years. The roots on the new growth have just reached 2" and I moved it from the dry area to be watered. I think 4" to 5" is too long a wait. The Calanthes are different in that at the beginning of their dormancy they start to grow the flower stalk. Entirely with the energy stored in their now leafless bulbs, they make 2' to 3' long flower stalks with many beautiful flowers. Then in Feb, right about now the new growths appear. Again it is recommended that water is withheld until the roots are at least 1" long. Some people recommend to cut off the flowers to give the plant more energy for the new growth. These plants are much more forgiving than the Mormodes and some watering is tolerated. Another interesting thing I have learned is that some of the deciduous Calanthes have hour glass bulbs. The link will take you to a photo which is a composite of 4 . Look at the lower left and you'll see the hourglass shaped bulb. http://www.orchidspecies.com/orphotdir/calancardioglossa.jpg This is part of their reproductive effort. All you have to do is look at the top part of the hourglass and it will break off. I just got the plant from Andy, a purple one and the alba version, both had multiple bulbs and despite careful handling, by the time I got them home all the top parts had broken off. This is normal, they will be planted and make new plants. I bought 2 plants but will end up with 7 because of this. The owner of Haiku Maui Orchids from whom I bought 3 more clones told me that he actually stopped selling some as the customers were upset over the breakage. He said they did handstands to try to stabilize the top portion of these bulbs but were unsuccessful. Nick

Buff, I love the name. I'll bet you are floating on clouds. Congratulations. Carla

I hate Blistex and Chapstick and Burt's Bees and every other lipbalm I've ever tried. The only thing that works for me is Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Butter (Dark Chocolate & Peppermint flavor). It tastes great, looks amazing (people always think I'm wearing lipstick, even though it's clear), and works beautifully. If my lips are in the state you describe, all I have to do is put some on before bed, and when I wake up, my lips are perfectly moisturized. I love it to the point that I buy 10-15 of them when I see them; out here, very few stores have it, but I can sometimes find it at Walgreen's. In the Midwest, Meijer's usually has it. So does drugstore.com. See below. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Butter (Dark Chocolate & Peppermint flavor)

LOL I just reread what I wrote and my grammar isn't very good. LOL I had fun opening the boxes to see what Martha had sent. I knew of some of the items like the books and the dessert set and crystal and I knew she was sending me some Christmas decorations but not as many as she sent. LOL Except for the glassware I have to hoist all this stuff up to the attic tomorrow. I still have my Christmas decorations up but I think I will take them down now because the rooms look so cluttered with all this extra stuff. I can pack away the decorations with my own decorations. I'm not sure where or if I want to hang the prints yet and may wait until Spring to decide. I also have 2 stitched pieces I inherited and I just received in December so have to decide where to hang them too. I am very sentimental. My Grandma had all kinds of Royal Doulton figurines and Royal Doulton Toby Jugs and I would sit and look at them and let my imagination take me away. I would think of stories that told tales of the Balloon Lady, Ribbon Lady and the Pot Maker and the Rug Seller selling their wares in the market. I had stories of the Robin Hood and Beefeater Toby Jugs along with many others whose faces I didn't know. Grandma also had a Royal Doulton BullDog with a Union Jack on his back which represented Winston Churchill and a little white bone china dog who stood playfully looking at the ladybug on its tail. I imagined all the pretty lady figurines dancing away and their children - Hummel kids swinging on their tree branches. I drank tea from the finest china with tiny shamrocks on them and lined up the highball and shot glasses of men in their tartan kilts. Whenever I gazed upon the 2 dimensional large plates on Grandma's kitchen wall I used my fingers to cross the drawbridge and climb the steep stone palace stairs and I would stop next to the man in armour who stood guarding the palace door. I so wanted to see his face - my knight in shining armour you know. LOL My Grandma's things are priceless to me. My cousin only visited once or twice a year so has no attachment to these things and it is her right to sell them if she wishes or give them away. I can still have my memories of the things and the stories they told. LOL I was just tickled to received some of the things she did decide to part with. Anne