Could it be a huge aloe arborescens? It really looks blueish. The smaller aloe is actually pretty wide at about 30" or so. Thanks

The reason lard works so well for pastry is the size of the fat crystal in lard is larger than in shortening or butter, so besides the flavor, there is some science to it. And definitely find fresh lard, not the boxed hydrogenated stuff at the grocery store. Cholesterol is essential for all animal life, and people tend to forget that now that the medical world has made billions of dollars off of it. In a test using lard, olive oil, corn oil and safflower oil, the life span of test animals fed diets containing these different fats had the highest survival rate with lard, and the shortest survival rate with safflower. Go figure.... From what I've studied on the subject, hydrogenated fats is where the problem is. I can get frozen fresh lard this time of the year at a local meat packing plant and I use it for a couple old family recipes for the holidays that aren't the same without it. If there is any lard left, I'll have good old fried chicken in a cast iron skillet. I think you had to be raised on lard to appreciate the flavor. A friend of ours has been a sales rep. for a paper goods distributor for 48-years. He was telling us the cardboard boxes for lard were his #1 seller for years, and now they don't even carry them. Times they are a changing.... -Grainlady

I'm still occasionally thinking about backsplash tile as I get some free time. "Reading other people's suggestions is like a brainstorming session that gets me thinking in new directions. I'm not married to one idea! I also never tire of looking at Houzz photos for ideas." - exactly! Also, I've run across two of those last three kitchen you posted:) (maybe too much time on houzz?...nah) I picked up more samples. I really like the white tile below, and want to share. Unfortunately, I don't think the white goes with the white on my upper cabinets. I doubt the tumbled stone tile will be popular here, but I really like the colors. If I went with stone, I would probably go all the way up and around the window as well. Any opinions on this? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Merola-Tile-Okaido-Nordico-Decor-19-3-4-in-x-19-3-4-in-Ceramic-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-16-5-sq-ft-case-FCG20OND/206402828 I like the center designs (they vary), but don't care for the larger pattern. Maybe I could cut up each sheet and make a new pattern? It seems to be unobtanium anyway; out of stock online and not sold in stores. cp - you have really converted me to the idea of patterned tile, if I can find the right one. Still looking.

I volunteer once a week to our local pantry. We pack and distribute food to the clients. It's like a drive-thru, clients stay in their cars, volunteers have carts and load the veggies, fruits, dairy, meat, bread, frozen goods, cakes and pastries, occasional toiletries and diapers (if requested). This is run by Catholic church, so most of the volunteers are Catholics who are retirees, though we have a group of young men and women who are Mormons and doing their mission in our town for few months at a time. I used to deliver foods to the senior citizens' apartments, also from the pantry but switched to "in-house" last year. I like volunteering here, knowing we help in own little way. And someone cooks brunch for us! We always joke that we work for the good meal we get :)