Calvin, that is a wonderful website! Thanks very much, a lot of pleasurable looking and reading there. Can't help you with the species, but below is a link to Bedford Orchids. Bedford Orchids is half in Canada, half in US, and Howard Ginsburg, the proprietor is very much *into* breeding, and also, into re-making of old crosses using superior cultivars as parents. He might be interested in joining with you for some crosses. Worth asking, anyway. There's also instructions on the Bedford site about de-flasking. Another person who does a lot of hybrids on his own is Al or Al's Orchids. He is offering some primary hybrids right now in tiny sizes. Again, wouldn't hurt to ask him whether he would be interested in some kind of affiliation. Again, thanks for sharing that great site. Here is a link that might be useful: Bedford Orchids website

I need a new primary care MD and a new dentist. It's no use asking for referrals from people who have always enjoyed good health -- or good teeth! We've rocked along with our present (barely adequate) MD and our (convenient) dentist since 2000. The MD failed to admit me to hospital last month when he saw me a day and a half before I was in the ER at 4 a.m., resulting in a four day stay. ER docs rushed to improve my oxygen uptake and stabilize my erratic heart. I had not *suddenly* become seriously ill. I was ''whooping' when I saw him -- same as when I got to the ER. My DDS has now twice failed to adjust for bite. I have a cracked root on one lower molar (pounded by the new bridge above it). A thrown crown he just reset fractured a day later. ("Oh, you'll need a new crown! $$$$) Is there a shortage of MD's? We only took this one because it was so hard to find anyone taking new Medicare patients in 2000. We saw right away that he was marginal, but the group practice (since absorbed by a hospital group) was efficient -- and we were younger, with few ills! Our prior, excellent doctors retired.

Normally at this time of year it is perfect for sowing cool weather crops outside but seeing as we just got a couple inches of snow and and overnight temps are below 0. I think the best bet is to start indoors. Plus they're calling for more flurries in the next couple of days. If you have a cold frame or some sort of row cover you could try to direct seed outdoors. Although, once your kale has germinated and your seedlings are pretty sturdy, you can try transplanting some outside as they're pretty hardy and snow helps sweeten the taste a bit. I was hoping to get my radishes and beets in. I just started some beets indoors and will transplant outside once we for sure will not be getting anymore snow.(Fingers crossed) Good Luck! :)

I did not care for the closet system with drawers and shelves offered by our builder's vendor, but we needed a temporary solution so I had the vendor install the bare minimum of their inexpensive coated wire shelves in three closets. After we're finally settled, we'll relocate those shelves to a workshop/garage and build out our closets to suit our needs. If you can get the Elfa system that @artemis78 recommended laid out as in Mark's design that could be your best bet. Your plan shows the shelves/hangers turning corners which rarely works (there are some rounded corner units that aren't bad.) Keep in mind that 7 ft will shrink to about 3 ft down the middle once you have hanging racks installed. It's not a generous closet for two, but you still don't have to outfit it all now. We were also surprised that sod had to be installed over the entire lot (minus flower beds and hardscape) before the city will issue our Certificate of Occupancy. Landscapers in our area are charging a premium and it's a terrible time of year to plant anything. We eliminated all trees, shrubs and other plants from our original plans and will take care of them in the fall.