Hi from a cold grey England.

I run two central heating boilers for the house, and two for the orchids, so moving to warmer climes is very attractive for me.

But tell me. How do you get your Dendrobium nobile's to flower? Aren't Plieones all but a pipe dream to your warmer climes? Masdevallias?

Weng

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:55:18 -0500 in Mick Fournier wrote:
Diana,

What's Lent?

Personally, I am closed just now only because I got some Lint in my flux
capacitor last Wednesday, but I should be good again by Monday. As far as
letting any more people into Florida I say no. We got enough of 'em now.
They're everywhere around here. Send the rest to Montana... or California.

I'd just settle for them going away from North Carolina.

--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

On Feb 25, 4:56 pm, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:
river and on the shore... I don't know how that works geographically,

The *river* is the Indian River, aka the Intracoastal Waterway. There is
also the St. Lucie River, which has lots of tributaries. It gets kind of
confusing. Yes, you can get to one from the other. When you see *river* in
Port St. Lucie real estate ads, they mean the St. Lucie River, because Port
St. Lucie doesn't abut the Intracoastal. This city is quite young, and was
originally built by GDC for retirees, with little houses. Those original
areas are giving way to commercial development, and PSL is not even close to
being a retirement community. We wouldn't have come here if it was....

Retirement Community-- synonym for the vestibule to the mortuary.

I drove through "The Villages" a while back. Imagine a city populated
exclusively by old farts in golf carts, where the main industires seem
to be cardiology and oncology.

J. Del Col

Retirement Community-- synonym for the vestibule to the mortuary.

God's waiting rooms, for sure. There are gated communities that cater to the
retired. To me, they are so contrived and structured that it would feel like
a prison. They are full, so I guess it's just us. But I think any gated
community would be wrong for us. Frank wonders if they have a community wake
up call. We're probably the people they put up the gates for, LOL!

Diana

We're in Port St. Lucie, about 40 minutes north of W. Palm Beach.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
.. .
Um, y'all come on down! That means all y'all! (No, I don't really talk
like that, but I'm considering adopting the language.)

Sue, we do have seasons here. They are not as onerous as northern
seasons, but they are defined. And as far as heat goes, we are geared
toward it. Everything is a/c'd. Lots of tiki places on the water for
eating and drinking, if you are so inclined, and there's always a breeze.
In the height of summer we have our afternoon t-storms to cool things
off. They last just long enough to take the edge off. Pools are common,
not unusual.

Not for a million bucks would we go back! It's as close to Paradise as
one can get.

Where are you located?


Diana

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:SwkEh.1113$QI4.730@trnddc01...
I visit Orlando about every other month. When I get off the plane this
time of the year I ask myself "I don't live here because?"

Let's see ... Housing prices about 1/3 of the cost of DC area. Mild
weather in winter....hot in summer (but I like hot weather).

I'm ready to go. 6 inches of fresh snow this morning. YUK!

Gene



"unknown" wrote in message
...
i just finished reading an article on professional finishing of phals in
commercial greenhouses, and it mentions in passing the considerations
of
cost of heating the 'house the further north you go. it got me
wondering how many of you who grow (either commercial or amateur) in
the
-ahem- cooler climes have ever considered just picking up and moving
someplace warmer for the sake of the plants? (as soon as i win that
lottery, west palm beach here i come....)

--j_a

What's Lent?

What the bank did.

Diana


Personally, I am closed just now only because I got some Lint in my flux
capacitor last Wednesday, but I should be good again by Monday. As far as
letting any more people into Florida I say no. We got enough of 'em now.
They're everywhere around here. Send the rest to Montana... or
California.

Mick

===================

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
.. .
You and my husband, both pulling up the ladder, Mick. Are we closed for
Lent?

Diana

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
.. .
Unknown,

Awwww sorry, Florida is closed now since last Wednesday.

Mick

Our orchids are at least as safe as we are if there's a 'cane. We panel off
the back of the house, where there's a fairly deep patio under cover.
Everything goes in there or inside.

Living on the beach is another story. We're about 10 miles from the
Intracoastal, so no salt problems here. And if it floods where *we* are, cut
FL off the map.

Diana

"Eric Hunt" wrote in message
news
One word:

Hurricanes.

Too many personal friends in Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana have been
devastated by them. I can't imagine building up a collection and having it
blown away or flooded with salt water.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

On Feb 26, 3:11 pm, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:
Retirement Community-- synonym for the vestibule to the mortuary.

God's waiting rooms, for sure. There are gated communities that cater to the
retired. To me, they are so contrived and structured that it would feel like
a prison. They are full, so I guess it's just us. ...

My mother will be 86 in April. She lives in Apopka. When she was
deciding what to do after my dad died in 2004 we asked her if she
wanted to move to a retirement community. "Why would I want to live
surrounded by all those old people?" she said. She did move from
Jacksonville to Apopka, to an even bigger house in a neighborhood full
of kids. She has become an avid bird watcher, ever since a bald eagle
perched on her back fence.

J. Del Col

Diana,

Ohhhh, I see. I haven't had to have them Lent me anything in a long, long
time. I should have said Tuesday.

Mick

-------------------------



"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
.. .
What's Lent?

What the bank did.

Diana


Personally, I am closed just now only because I got some Lint in my flux
capacitor last Wednesday, but I should be good again by Monday. As far
as letting any more people into Florida I say no. We got enough of 'em
now. They're everywhere around here. Send the rest to Montana... or
California.

Mick

===================

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
.. .
You and my husband, both pulling up the ladder, Mick. Are we closed for
Lent?

Diana

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
.. .
Unknown,

Awwww sorry, Florida is closed now since last Wednesday.

Mick

Chris,

Ah yes, I agree. NC is full also.

Mick

=================

wrote in message
g...
On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:55:18 -0500 in
Mick Fournier
wrote:
Diana,

What's Lent?

Personally, I am closed just now only because I got some Lint in my flux
capacitor last Wednesday, but I should be good again by Monday. As far
as
letting any more people into Florida I say no. We got enough of 'em now.
They're everywhere around here. Send the rest to Montana... or
California.

I'd just settle for them going away from North Carolina.

--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

jadel wrote:
On Feb 26, 3:11 pm, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

Retirement Community-- synonym for the vestibule to the mortuary.

God's waiting rooms, for sure. There are gated communities that cater to the
retired. To me, they are so contrived and structured that it would feel like
a prison. They are full, so I guess it's just us. ...

I have some older, retired friends who moved from the frozen wastelands
of Ohio into one of those gated communities. When I visited the first
time, I was shocked how HUGE it was; we went for miles after the gate
before reaching their home. It is a beautiful place, a lovely home and
they are very happy there. Caveat: they've never been untra social, so
it doesn't bother them they make no new friends from their neighbors.
They like the quiet and the security. They are both pursuing second
careers in their hobbies and seem quite pleased with their situation.
But their is another side for some people --


My mother will be 86 in April. She lives in Apopka. When she was
deciding what to do after my dad died in 2004 we asked her if she
wanted to move to a retirement community. "Why would I want to live
surrounded by all those old people?"

And that's it. There's a lot to be said for many folks about being in
the midst of life and the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Keeps
them active and interested, younger in a sense. While I can't say that
when I'm at that stage I'll want to be annoyed by screaming children and
loud neighbors, I've always found the vitality of younger people
infectious, and can't imagine being surrounded only by a bunch of sedate
quiet traditional elderly. I'll still want folks to go dancing and
canoeing and skating and hiking with. I'll find a nice compromise
somewhere there's no winter...and don't worry, Mick, not FL. My friends'
experiences there in Ft.Ladida, Naples, and Titusville the last few
years have soured me on that idea. Now southern CA or the AZ desert, on
the other hand, sound very inviting...

If only there were some way to shield Key West from the
hurricanes...it's so lovely there I could see living there forever -
except for that one tiny problem!

Damn! That's exactly where I wanted to go.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
.. .
Chris,

Ah yes, I agree. NC is full also.

Mick

=================

wrote in message
g...
On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:55:18 -0500 in
Mick Fournier
wrote:
Diana,

What's Lent?

Personally, I am closed just now only because I got some Lint in my flux
capacitor last Wednesday, but I should be good again by Monday. As far
as
letting any more people into Florida I say no. We got enough of 'em
now.
They're everywhere around here. Send the rest to Montana... or
California.

I'd just settle for them going away from North Carolina.

--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:27:54 GMT in KITEh.15732$sv6.12937@trndny08 Ray B wrote:
Damn! That's exactly where I wanted to go.

Hey, if you think you can tie up atleast a few acres to keep it from turning
into a 1/8 acre lots "ghetto" subdivision...

--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

On Feb 26, 11:48 pm, tennis maynard

If only there were some way to shield Key West from the
hurricanes...it's so lovely there I could see living there forever -
except for that one tiny problem!

absolutley-! i love KW.

and speaking of port st lucie:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/16.../16havens.html

although i just saw something about retirees moving back north... some
stats about FL too..

ah:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/us...=1&oref=slogin


--j_a

On Feb 27, 9:42 am, wrote:
On Feb 26, 11:48 pm, tennis maynard

although i just saw something about retirees moving back north... some
stats about FL too..


Unfortunately, there are still way too many people moving to FL. The
state is rapidly becoming a wasteland of housing developments and
shopping malls, New Jersey with palm trees.

The Empire of the Rat and its clones have all but destroyed Orlando.

Read Carl Hiassen's book -Paradise Screwed-- for a good account of
what's become of the Sunshine State. His novels are funny, too,
loaded with stereotypes, but very funny.

J. Del Col