Glenda, What you said is so true, and for decades now, if you say you eat or garden organically, a lot of people instantly lump you into that whole 1960s-hippie-back-to-the-land-movement (not that I mind that). Even when we moved here in 1999 and I put a big organic veggie garden in the front pasture, between the road and the house, everyone thought I was crazy. The old farmers and ranchers couldn't wait to tell me how I was doing stuff wrong and was going to fail. They didn't think much of my wide raised beds, narrow paths, hay mulch, companion plants ("you're wasting space on weeds") and (horrors!) my reliance on manure and compost instead of liquid fertilizers. When I refused to use pesticides, they gave up on me. One even said to me "You probably do yoga and eat granola". (I do! LOL) They also weren't impressed with the appearance of my heirloom tomatoes, which were the wrong colors, too lumpy and bumpy, etc. You know what, though? Every now and then over the years one or another of them has asked me about an organic solution for this or that, so I've won over a few of them. There are aspects of the green movement that bother me, including the way the government dumbed down the organic standards and allow practices which devoted organic gardeners never would use, but for which the commercial industry had lobbied. I do think a lot of the green news we hear has more to do with marketing than with doing anything for the right ethical reasons. Still, I do see lots of folks (many of them right here on this forum) who are quite serious about gardening in the most healthy way, eating organically when possible, etc. That gives me hope that we're realizing there's a better way to raise food and take care of Mother Earth too. The spice place made me nuts, but in a good way. I didn't want to leave. Tim just stood in the pepper room talking on his cell phone while I put bag after bag in the basket. At one point I handed him the basket to hold for me while I was looking for the turmeric, and he headed for the cashier's register, thinking I was done. I had to chase him down and say "Wait, I'm not finished yet!" LOL Silly guy. Just because the basket was full, he thought I was finished shopping. I want to know why Fort Worth has all these interesting food places now---they didn't have them when we lived there. Dawn

Sad story about my pigeons . . . or pigeon. You may remember the story: Theresa had "run off" with Wild Tony after Old Tony disappeared, probably as a victim to a hawk. It was obvious that Tony & Theresa were in a "continuous" laying mode last Summer. It was also obvious that wherever their nest was (probably at the bar), it was not being populated by baby pigeons. But, they kept trying. After a couple weeks of showing up together, they'd go back into the 1st-one-and-then-the-other schedule as one or the other was occupied by setting on a nest. A few weeks would pass, and then they'd be back, as a couple, for meals. Then the process would start again. As Autumn came to a close, they just "suddenly" failed to come again. Theresa was really beyond her abilities pretending to be a wild pigeon. As a Birmingham Roller, she was only about 75% of a wild pigeon's size. If you decide to get pigeons, Michelle, this breed is a good choice. They are likely to be available in your area, come in a variety of colors, and you and DH can sit out on the patio and enjoy the aerial acrobatics!! I guess wild pigeons can become tame. Wild Tony was sorta tame but it was Theresa's attachment to home that kept him around. He was willing to show up for a handout under the stress of brooding babies but I suspect, if Theresa was lost last Fall, Tony may still be hanging out on derelict buildings and feeding off the grain cars down on the tracks - living "on the wild side." d'S'

Rococogurl, Thank you for that info. Really appreciated. Evaperconti, love the way the Aga looks. Could definitely do it, but with my inbuilt yankee thriftiness gene I'd probably be eyeballing it all the time expecting some other greater feat than searing. But I do really love the look. Solarpowered, I like the drop in induction because it would be lower profile, but my significant other just doesn't like the concept of induction. Would have to get him to convert. Still trying. I can get the Thermador for around $1,300 for a floor model (there's that gene again) so that may be preferred, but I am definitely listening to all the great thoughts here. And I'm just going to have to defend my poor little old early 1950s Hotpoint refrigerator. Just like Cpovey says I had always heard they were inefficient. Then I read an alternate view that said because they don't have defrost, water, ice, etc. they are actually more efficient. Again, this goes for the pre-defrost machines. The 1960s ones are supposedly higher energy consumption machines. My experienced appliance repairman confirmed this. But this was not good enough for me. Oh no. I did a test of sorts. The house I am renovating was vacant in June and July. In June I used the energy star refrigerator that I had. In July I plugged in the "new" Hotpoint instead. Because the house was vacant and I was not using power tools at the time, heat or AC I had a pretty good control environment. I was also not opening one fridge more than the other. The only factor was the higher heat in July which is what the Hotpoint was up against. The result - my electricity bill dropped by several dollars a month using the Hotpoint. So there you go, lower electricity consumption and I have a butter warmer. Now if you really want an efficient fridge you might find this interesting. http://www.sunfrost.com/refrigerator_features.html Then again, you all probably know about it all ready. Thanks again everyone. This is all very helpful and insightful. If there are any other ideas I would really appreciate it. Getting close to a decision. Surprised no one came out in favor of the Bluestar.

Jim: Trader Joe is a local store, that's where I get my RAW nuts to roast. RAW cashew roast at 300 for 15 min. is great snack. Folks who eat more nuts have smaller waist line. Google MUFA and belly fat loss, you'll see plenty of studies backing that up. MUFA is mono-saturated fat in nuts, olive oil, and avocado. Still feel bad that my Dad died of a stroke when he was 85, that could had been prevented if there's a Trader Joe back then. My Dad loved nuts, but all the nuts were salty back then. Now I buy RAW nuts and roast them to avoid the salt. Eating nuts cut down the risk of stroke by 30%, if there's no salt. Carol: Losing weight is easier than taking care for my kid. Hopefully she likes salad. ANYONE know of a tasty salad-dressing for kids? Full-fat is OK, I need to get her to like salads. Here's a link "6-salad ingredients that help to lose weight": Hemp Seeds "These trendy seeds are a great source of satiating protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber," says Kohn. Also, because they're slightly sweet, they satisfy your sweet tooth without added sugar. You can add a tablespoon to your salad for a reasonable 40 calories. Avocado Half an avocado (160 calories) is loaded with heart-healthy vitamins, minerals, and fats, says Kohn. Plus, the fruit is so creamy and smooth, it can also function as dressing—so you can subtract the 100 or so calories you'd normally take in from ranch, Italian, or even oil and vinegar. MORE: 5 New Ways to Use Avocado Apple Cider Vinegar Using just two tablespoons as part of your salad dressing could contribute to weight loss. "The vinegar may suppress appetite, stimulate the metabolism, and reduce water retention and bloating," says Kohn. And at five calories." http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/best-salad-ingredients-for-weight-loss *** From Straw: I agree with apple cider for weight loss, the acid helps with digestion of starch. Ever since I squeeze fresh lime into my water, I eat much less. Before this the sugar in commercial juice really stimulate my appetite. What's your favorite salad dressing, or bottled salad dressing? Thanks. I checked Pinterest and the most popular salad dressing recipe, is also the most simple: Copycat Babe's salad: http://www.sugarandgrace.com/2013/06/15/copycat-babes-salad/ INGREDIENTS: 2 TBS sugar 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper 1/4 c apple cider vinegar 2 Tbs canola oil (I usually use olive oil in salads, but here I feel it is just too strong) 1 head iceberg lettuce