Orchids - Dig This!

Rhyncholaelia Digbyana that is -

I got blooms last year in December and January, and this year it is blooming in November. Could be the really cool nights we are having right now!

I have quite a few orchids with flower spikes, mostly the Schumbergkias. My Oeceoclades bloomed in September. I have quite a few that I have yet to accurately identify, so am eager for the blooming to begin.

Puppy Update - Corre went to live with Gary on September 19. Reports are that both are happy! I have avoided asking for a visit, just too difficult; But hear through mutual acquaintances that all seems to be well.

We had 2 people interested in Tech but both were unwilling to take her until all parasites were gone, which here in the tropics is practically impossible and is only effective with regular quarterly drugs. Even healthy dogs apparently require the quarterly maintenance drugs. Being from Colorado, the high desert, we never really had to deal with any of these issues so it's been a real learning experience. So anyway, with only ONE puppy in residence the dynamic changed tremendously and we've decided to not say 'Good-Bye' to Tech.

Somehow she seemed to know - Duh, just look at that face!

HUH?

Here she is helping Tom to clean papers from the file cabinet, She's the safety shredder.

Tears; of hope and fear

I am pleased with the Election outcome.

I had been a strong supporter of McCain BEFORE Sarah. He sure had me fooled; shame on him.
McCain's and Obama's policies on many things are quite similar, especially how to recover from the current financial situation. What a comforting word, 'situation'. If only George Carlin were still here I'm sure he could help me out on a catchy one-liner. I liked his experience - I liked enough things to consider voting for him...
The thought of what Sarah Palin could now become thanks to him selecting her as running mate scare me equally as much as the thought of her as President; which was a very threatening possibility if they had won. I get the shivers just thinking about it.

I am thrilled and once again proud of my home country - I had lost some of my pride thanks to 12 years of Bush reign. I am proud that we have evolved to the point of selecting a President outside the norm, but still disappointed that we were unable to embrace a woman, too far outside for now I guess. But maybe someday; and then who knows, maybe a black woman...

I am also so fearful right now - I am afraid for Pres-Elect Obama and his family. We have not come out of our racist past, it still lurks, hiding, waiting... Please let us be bigger than our fear and ignorance. As my hero, Yoda once said, "Fear leads to Anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to Suffering."

It's been incredible hearing about and seeing the celebrations around the country; and the record number of voters -WOW! The Bushes gave us something, I like to think there is something positive to be found in every situation, and so the Bushes gave us this, the largest voter turnout in 90 years - Record numbers of people willing to come together for change.

So I am pleased with the Election turnout, and I do have tears; tears of joy for the progress we are making, tears of joy for the prospects, and tears of fear.

I Voted!

Our Absentee Ballots arrived on Thursday, a bit crumpled and folded in half to stuff into our mailbox, but they arrived. And, as luck would have it a friend was departing for the USofA on Friday AM. Lucky for us we already knew what we were doing. In Colorado Springs, our County has a huge Ballot this year, so a large Ballot of Issues to discuss and debate.

One that I have never understood is the electing, or re-electing of Judges. Every County election there are any number of Judges, and the Ballot will read something to the effect 'Shall Judge Bite the Bullet McGraw be retained as 63rd District Judge?'. Now the only people that really know much about this judge are Lawyers, or Criminals, hmmmm, Neither of whom I want casting a vote! A thousand pardons to all you Lawyers out there reading my blog!

Natures Amazing Pharmacy!

I got an email containing this info the other day. I found it to be fascinating, whether completely true or not, I don't know. I know I've heard the reported benefits of some of these things...

I tried finding the source of the email/info on the internet but am unable, so reproduce it here without authority

_________________________________________

Natures Amazing Pharmacy!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Cool Stuff This - just wanted to share!

Now, if I could just find the health benefit co-relation for a T-bone Tom would be happy!

The 'Season' is upon us, dust off your fancy dress clothing

Seems we are in 'Season' again. There are no presentations at Court, No endless rounds of balls, dances, and exhibitions... Well that's not entirely true!

Here we are coming into Fall and there are more gallery events, big ticket theatrical events, and even a few rock concerts thrown in than one can experience in an evening. It's like we've just been biding our time waiting...and now the waiting is over, it's time to get busy.

It's odd to me - those of us that are here year round still visit amongst our friends, still attend theatrical events, and still go out to concerts, they all just seem bigger, better, and more grand when in 'Season'. Plus now we also have all our 'snowbird' friends here so we are trying to catch up on all their past six months of activities.


Merida is also just starting its 'Otoño Cultural', a month of workshops, exhibitions, and performances of artisans including song, dance, music, and theatre. All this building up to Carnival, woohoo!

So pull out your fancy dress clothes and get ready to Parteeee
It's a GREAT time to be in Merida.

Corre update

Corre has found a new home and will leave us this Sunday, I am in tears just sitting here keying this in.
Her health is now very good, she is really energetic for play, but calm when you ask it of her.

Here she is hiding on Sept 19
Here she is in her playful mode, October 12

Tech update

Tech - I can't beleive the change.

September 19 October 12


I just need to share the change in Tech, it's been tremendous. Many who saw her didn't think she'd survive, but survive she has, and with a cheerful playfulness that is amazing. Still looking for her a home.