I don't know why I haven't seen your log before. Sorry, I would have liked to follow from the beginning.

I would suggest a trip to radio shack. There you can find a 30x (3 loop) glass, and a pocket microscope. I would get both, and the total should be under $25. With the microscope you can get 60 to 100x I think, and it has a light. Sometimes it is hard to focus in at that size, so I like to look in my 3 loop glass too. I also like to lay a flashlight right beside the bud I'm looking at. 30x is about as low as you can go and really see the color of triches well. As for where to look, try a couple spots at the top, middle and bottom of the plant. Some people harvest only the ripest and let the others ripen longer.