New Galoshes

Sometimes they are big things like job assignments or old homes, and sometimes they are smaller things like an out-of-date pair of jeans or too tight shoes. It’s those things we have, that for some reason, attach to us. We’ve fallen in love with them. We don’t want let them go. We are aware of their faults, yet we have the hardest time releasing them for something that will be better for us. These things that don’t serve us keep us stuck. They often make us not only stuck, they can make us feel uncomfortable, angry, frustrated, sad, etc. I have found in situations like this, it takes a deep breath for courage and a bit of impulsiveness to move forward.

I’ve been wearing the same galoshes for five years. We’ve been through a lot together. I didn’t choose them. They were a gift. Although they are mud brown and hot pink checks, and at first bulky and difficult to get used to working in, they soon became one of my favorite things. They’ve kept my feet dry from puddles, mud, snowy driveways, the high water of flooded basements and murky garden ponds. I look forward to turning them into a fashion statement in even the mildest snowy and rainy weather — which doesn’t take so much the right outfit as it does attitude and creativity!

They started to leak a little late this past winter. I ignored it. The way one always ignores the first gray hair or wrinkle. I convinced myself it simply wasn’t happening. No, not yet! I had, in fact, gotten that attached to these silly galoshes that I was willing to let my feet be a little damp and chilly! No, my feet were not just chilly… they were cold. My galoshes had become like old friends — I was ignoring their flaws.

Spring came. I began to plant the garden. Mud was getting into my galoshes! Then the rains started and my trusty galoshes began to allow the puddles to really soak my socks. There was no ignoring the fact that they were leaking but I had a hard time giving up the galoshes. I attempted to dry them out after each use but they were alway damp. I worried. The galoshes began to smell.

AND here’s the turning point, this is when you absolutely must do something about that thing that is no longer serving you… People may not notice when your “fashionable galoshes” make your feet cold, you may be able to temporarily ignore the muddy and soaking wet socks… BUT others are going to notice when you start to smell… even if you think you look good.

I was now only wearing the galoshes for outside tasks — no longer as a fashion statement. I was definitely going to have to replace them. I’d search each time I was out for another pair of galoshes. There were plenty to choose from but I couldn’t commit to a replacement. How do I replace something I had become so attached to? We had been through adventures together… conquered many flooded basements, cleaned ponds, dug holes, held steady on ladders while scooping muck out of gutters, shoved tons of snow, waited for tow trucks, met up with friends, tailgated, shopped, and… Would the new galoshes be as good as the old ones? Would they keep my feet as dry? AND then there is the whole style question — would I feel as stylish in a new pair of galoshes that I pick out myself — maybe the galoshes need to pick me, like my old ones had?

Summer came. The pond cleaning was quickly destroying my galoshes and despite the hot weather they never completely dried. My mother and I found galoshes on sale. On-the-spot a decision was made. For twenty-five dollars I now have new galoshes with very a pretty bright blue flower pattern. Even on the rainiest day, putting them on makes me happy…

So far, my feet are dry — no leaks! Many adventures into the pond, scooping gutters, through puddles and wet basements will prove if they are as wonderful as the original galoshes. Maybe there will be a few new places we’ll go together… I’m sure the first snowfall will put my new galoshes on the top of the list for this year’s fashion finds — I’ll keep you posted!

You can contact the Best Girlfriend Ever! at Marycarol_sullivan@yahoo.com

© July 30, 2012, Mary Carol Sullivan, New Galoshes • Mary Carol Sullivan is The Best Girlfriend Ever!, http://www.marycarolsullivan.com

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Party!

The Best Girlfriend Ever! can’t resist the bright colors, rhythmic music, spicy food and cocktails of the Mexican and Spanish culture. On May 5^th (Cinco de Mayo) celebrate it all! You’re running out of days to prepare but with a little guest to participation there is plenty of time to put together a great party! I’ll help you get started…

Invited Your Guests: Encourage guests to dress in traditional Mexican clothing — sombreros, jeans, boots, and serape (shawls). Red, green and white are festive colors for Cinco de Mayo.

The Decorations: Set the scene with colorful flowers, balloons, and streamers. Use bright colors — Red, Green, White, Orange, Yellow and Green will create a festive atmosphere. Let your imagination go wild… Mexican flags, sombreros, piñatas, serapes, masks, and maracas also make great decorations. If your party goes into the evening string lots of twinkle lights — white or multi-colored… more is better for this party!

The Menu: A Taco Bar, of course! This is easy for you and tons of fun for your guests. Set up a buffet table with different taco fillings —beef, chicken, ground turkey, shrimp, and fish. Put out corn and flour tortillas — both soft and hard types. Set up another table for all the taco toppings — lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cheese, guacamole, beans, olives, sour cream, cilantro, pico de gallo, and salsa, etc. Shop you local party store for Mexican theme table coverings OR shop your own linen closet for anything that is brightly colored — Red, Yellow, Blue, Green; solids or stripes — it will all work! Use colorful paper or plastic plates to make clean up easy. Brightly colored bandanas make perfect napkins for this occasion — try wrapping the utensils (inexpensive plastic works fine for this event) in the bandanas and putting them in a basket for a colorful display on the buffet table! Pick up a few extra bandanas to line baskets of corn chips.

The Bar: Make sure you have plenty of water, lemonade, and Mexican beers* on ice. It’s also a good idea to a make a pitcher of mixed cocktails such as a Mexican Sangria* or Margarita* for non-beer drinkers. Here’s my recipe for Mexican Sangria. Please drink responsibility!!! Have a separate cooler just for beverage ice.
(*Alcoholic beverages are only for persons 21 years or older.)

Mexican Sangria

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 cups fruity red wine
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup lime juice
• 1 cup tequila
• 1/4 cup triple sec
• 1 -2 cup sparkling water
• orange, lemon and lime slices

Directions:
Boil the sugar and water together in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear. Set the syrup aside to cool. In a large pitcher mix together the sugar syrup, wine, juices, and liquors. Just before serving time, stir in the sparkling water. Add the fruit slices (as many as you’d like, there are no rules! — put extras in a bowl and use for garnish). Serve chilled over ice.

The Music: Traditional Cinco de Mayo music consists of many genres of music including mariachi, meringue, salsa, and Latin. Consider hiring a mariachi band to play at your party or create a festive party playlist for your iPod to set the tone for your event. Dance the cha-cha-cha, rumba, salsa and mambo! Have plenty of maracas or other instruments lying around for guests to get into the music and encourage fun!

Fun for Foodies:  Have a salsa recipe contest! Invite your guest to create and bring their favorite salsa. Set up the Salsa contest:

1. Put a sombrero on the contest table to use as a ballot box;
2. Keep the chefs a secret by transferring the salsa in to plain bowls and using numbers instead of names to identify the salsas;
3. Have plenty of chips on the table for taste testing;
4. Pass around ballots and have guest vote for their favorite salsa;
5. Tally the votes and crown the winner salsa king or queen — you can use the ballot sombrero or have a specially decorated crown ready! Encourage your guest to bring multiple copies of their salsa recipes — it’s fun if recipes are shared!

(If salsa isn’t your thing, try this idea with guacamole or dessert!)

Enjoy your Cinco de Mayo Party. Let me know who wins the salsa contest!

You can contact the Best Girlfriend Ever! at Marycarol_sullivan@yahoo.com

© May 02, 2012, Mary Carol Sullivan, Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Party! • Mary Carol Sullivan is The Best Girlfriend Ever!, http://www.marycarolsullivan.com

Original Ideas and Creativity

Is there such thing as an original idea? Maybe not, but your interpretation of an idea or concept can be completely your own. Think of your interpretation of the idea as another “layer” to the idea. There is something very cool about this — with your interpretation you are adding to the history of an idea or concept. By using creativity you can change any idea or concept into something unique and personal. You are no longer just copying some one else’s idea or following instructions to create something someone else has already created. Whether that idea or concept is huge and is going to change the way world works; or the idea is simply to switch-up a recipe with a new ingredient, when you use your creativity it is now uniquely your “layer.” You have just added history to that idea or concept! WOW!

Let’s talk about ideas and “layers.” Ideas come from all the things we are exposed to — what we consume and see in everyday life (ideas/concepts already out there). We mentally place these things in our “to-do” file. Often they are items that for one reason are not or we don’t want to purchase — things that would be fun to make ourselves, or maybe things that we would like to purchase but would like them modified to suit us better (a different color, flavor, material etc.). Somewhere deep down you have the instinct you could make it yourself. Sometimes you’ve actually said out loud that you intend on doing so!

• The irresistible cookie they serve at the coffee house around corner
• The lovely salad your mother-in-law made for lunch.
• The beautiful flower arrangement you saw in a magazine.
• The cake you have eaten 500 times at your girlfriend’s house.
• The cocktail the local bartender whips together for you Thursdays after work.
• The hand painted t-shirt your sister wears every Friday afternoon to yoga.
• The decorated headbands, belts, sneakers, etc. you see at street fairs.
• The distressed furniture in the catalog.
• The funny message sign at the vacation gift store.
• The simple handcrafted birdhouse that you see during your morning walk.

The list can get long and is ever-growing… BUT— Now that you think about it more (probably too much) — How do you, with no instructions, create any of these and will any of it turn out exactly as you intended? YIKES! Oh my! I think I am sensing fear… and maybe a dash of procrastination. I am here to officially push you to GET OVER IT, stop wasting time and get you creating! Of course, it is NOT going to turn out exactly as the original — AND it shouldn’t! …Come on! You know you have the basic skills.

Use the original idea or concept only as inspiration. Add your interpretation to it and create a new unique “layer.” I know, it is always nice to end up with something wonderful… try not to let being perfect get in the way of the process of experimenting with something new. Remember creating is about the ACT of making something, not necessarily the results. You may even discover you have created something completely different and more wonderful— bearing very little resemblance to the original inspiration.

AND that is exactly the point — to create something that is uniquely your “layer!”

It’s easy to just follow the instructions and know (if we follow them correctly) we will get results. This week, I challenge you to add your unique creative “layer” to an idea or concept. I can’t wait to hear all about what is created!

© April 26, 2012, Mary Carol Sullivan, Original Ideas and Creativity • Mary Carol Sullivan is The Best Girlfriend Ever!, http://www.marycarolsullivan.com

You can contact the Best Girlfriend Ever! at Marycarol_sullivan@yahoo.com

You may also be interested in reading:

The Best Girlfriend Ever! ABOUT on Feb 14, 2012.
http://marycarolsullivan.com/general/be-yourself/

The Best Girlfriend Ever! Color and Mood on Feb 28, 2012.
http://marycarolsullivan.com/around-the-house/color-and-mood/

The Best Girlfriend Ever! Color and Mood on March 2, 2012.
http://marycarolsullivan.com/around-the-house/color-and-mood-2/

The Best Girlfriend Ever! ABOUT page
http://marycarolsullivan.com/about/

Up a Tree

I started this week hanging on to a sturdy tree, climbing a bit higher than I thought I could have — or probably should have — and with a little faith, sawing off a large limb that was blocking a good deal of sunshine.

Now that I have your attention I’ll give you a few details. I really did climb the tall straight up cherry tree in my friend’s garden to do away with one of it’s branches that was blocking the sunlight from hitting a weeping cherry tree. Of course I was nervous, I haven’t climbed a tree for at least three-decades — but couldn’t let the big tree know it.

I stayed focused on the facts:
a) The weeping cherry could no longer be hidden under the shade of the limb.

b) Trimming the over-hanging limb was going to be easier than digging up the established weeping cherry and moving it.

c) Trimming the limb was also going to make the straight up cherry tree better. BONUS!

Determined, up the tree I went, saw in hand. Don’t worry. My friend was right there cheering me on from the ground, ready to catch the limb or me — which ever fell first! The limb came down. I stayed up.

Seems I have no problem climbing up a tree to do whatever necessary; coming down proofed to be a bit scary. I sat for a good while, feet dangling just six-feet from the ground. My patient BF stood waiting with open arms telling me to he’s right there to “catch” me. Finally, with as much faith as I had to climb up, I took a deep breath, handed him the saw and jumped. PHEW. I had done it.

This week I continue to “climb” around on new limbs and I think about being up in that tree. Where does one get the courage to trim away part of something strong to give light to something new and beautiful? FAITH. I had read somewhere that faith is when you trust that there will be something solid for you to land on OR you will be taught to fly. I think faith is teaching me it is both.

 Tips for trimming branches:

1. Pruning cuts should be made just outside the branch collar. To remove a large limb, first reduce the weight of the branch. To do this, first make an undercut about 12 to 18 inches from the limb’s point of attachment. Make a second cut from the top, directly above or a few inches farther out on the limb. This will remove the limb, leaving the 12- to 18-inch stub. Now remove the stub by cutting back to the branch collar.
2. Most flowering trees set their blossoms the year before they bloom. Therefore, they won’t bloom if these flower buds are trimmed off the tree. The best rule is to always trim flowering trees within 3 weeks of when they finish blooming. That should prevent you from inadvertently removing buds containing next year’s flower show.
3. Landscape trees require a higher level of care to maintain their safety and aesthetics. Pruning should be done with an understanding of how the tree responds to each cut. Improper pruning can cause damage that will last for the life of the tree, or worse, shorten the tree’s life. Consult your local tree expert before any major pruning.

© April 11, 2012, Mary Carol Sullivan, Up a Tree • Mary Carol Sullivan is The Best Girlfriend Ever!, http://www.marycarolsullivan.com

Music and an Orange Salad

I love when gatherings here at the cottage include live guitars and singing! I don’t play an instrument and I believe my voice is better heard happily humming from the kitchen… AND so this past Saturday, I was happily creating in the kitchen while the musicians “serenaded” me from the living room.

Probably the only thing, other than this harmony, that brings me such surprising joy is the smell of ripe oranges. From what I know about aromatherapy I may not be not alone. The smell of oranges may help provide emotional balance and bring on a positive outlook. Once when I was personally experimenting with a particular bottle of orange oil I had an incredible rush of happiness and an uncontrollable urge to laugh out loud! I can’t really explain it — it was completely unexpected, but terrific! In a previous blog (03/02/12 http://marycarolsullivan.com/around-the-house/color-and-mood-2/) I discussed the color orange and it’s potential power to, among other things, increase creativity!

…AND then there is this ice cream place in Florida where they make the most wonderful orange ice cream. Yes, it is true, I am a fan of all things ice cream, but a more joyful fan when the ice cream is this particular orange. One small cone filled with this orange creamy goodness and troubles instantly melt away! I like to think of it as “edible happiness.” You can actually see the happiness increase on the faces of the people (of all ages) as they stand around licking their cones!

Which brings me back to last Saturday night — while my talented musician friends played, I created the most wonderful salad of Naval Orange and Poppy Seed for the evening’s dinner. As I was peeling the orange with the guitars playing and the voices singing I thought of how lucky I was to be there at that moment. It gave me such a high I started to laugh out loud!

Orange Poppy Seed Salad
(makes 6 side salads)

• One Bag Fresh Express^® Spring Mix Baby Lettuces, Greens and Radicchio
• 1 Naval Orange, peeled
• ¾ cup slivered almonds, toasted (more if you’d like!)
• 1 cup Jarlberg Swiss Cheese, graded
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 to 3 Tbsp Poppy Seed Dressing

Poppy Seed Dressing
(makes about 1 cup)

• 1/3 cup honey
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Vidalia onion, grated
• 3 Tbsps. white wine
• 2½ Tbsps. lemon juice
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. poppy seed

Direction:
Heat the honey in the microwave for a few seconds to warm. In a large jar combine all ingredients for dressing, secure the lid and shake well. Set aside.

Peel the rind off the orange and remove as much of the pith areas (white membrane) left on the orange with a small sharp knife. Separate the sections of the orange and cut the sections into thirds. Combine lettuces, orange, toasted almonds, graded cheese, and bacon in a large salad bowl. Give the dressing another couple of shakes and then toss the salad with 2 Tablespoons of Poppy Seed Dressing. Add more dressing if you like but be careful not to over dress — as you toss and the salad rests, the oranges will add to the dressing of this salad. Serve immediately. Save the rest of the dressing in the refrigerator for next time. •

The full dinner menu consisted of a simple Grill Pork loin and Roasted Mixed Vegetables and Cheesecake for dessert.

Read more:

The Best Girlfriend Ever! blogged about the color Orange on March 2, 2012. http://marycarolsullivan.com/around-the-house/color-and-mood-2/

The Best Girlfriend Ever! blogged about a great Strawberry Salad on March 30, 2012 http://marycarolsullivan.com/in-the-kitchen/the-strawberry-tops-weekend-menu/

The Strawberry Tops Weekend Menu

Although not fully in season until later in the Spring, there is something about the luscious juicy strawberry that encourages me to incorporate them into menus as soon as Spring shows any signs of springing!

Perhaps it is because, after the long winter, my body is craving all the vitamins and minerals this wonderful bright red berry has to offer. Among other things strawberries are great immunity boosters; are delicious defense against different forms of cancers; they decrease the possibility of contracting age-related macular degeneration; they aid in heart health; and strawberries help in bone building and in maintaining proper-bone structure. All this… and fresh off the vine or piping hot strawberries are always a tasty treat!

So last weekend when pulling together a dinner at the cottage, it was no surprise that I couldn’t pass the produce section of the grocery store with out putting a couple pints of strawberries in my cart. I thought of using them in a dessert but instead decided to fore-go my planned dinner salad and create a baby lettuce and strawberry salad instead.

Here’s the recipe for the salad.

Baby Lettuce with Strawberry Salad
(makes 6 side salads)
Salad:

• One Bag Fresh Express^® Spring Mix Baby Lettuces, Greens and Radicchio
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 pint strawberries (cut tops off and then slice thin)
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• ½ cup candied walnuts (more if you’d like!)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (more if you’d like!)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
(makes 1 cup)

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup olive oil

Direction:
In a jar, combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing. Put the lid on the jar and shake the jar until all the ingredients are incorporated. Set the jar aside.

Put the lettuce into a large salad bowl and tear lettuce slightly. Add carrots, strawberries, blue cheese, and candied walnuts. Give the jar of dressing another couple shakes and drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing onto the salad. Toss the salad. The blue cheese will soften into the dressing a bit. Add more dressing if you’d like but be careful not to over dress — the strawberries will add to the dressing of this salad as you toss and the salad rests. •

The full dinner menu consisted of Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken, Roasted Red Potatoes, and Pan Seared Asparagus with Orange Peel. For dessert, I had planned on a simple brownie but the boyfriend brought angel food cake, chocolate sauce, orange Gran Marnier, whip cream and a quart of (you guessed it) STRAWBERRIES! Delicious!

Needless to say, I had plenty of leftover strawberries. I experimented and indulged all week! The favorite creation was this incredible sandwich!

Grilled Brie Cheese and Strawberry Sandwich

• 2 slices of rustic whole grain bread (cut thick)
• Brie cheese with rind cut off (enough to cover one slice of the bread)
• 2 or 3 strawberries (tops cut off and then cut thin)
• sliced turkey (optional)
• 2 pats of butter

Directions:
Arrange Brie cheese (with rind cut off) on one slice of rustic whole grain bread. Top Brie with one layer of strawberries. (If you choose to add sliced turkey, add it between the Brie and the strawberries.) Top with second piece of rustic whole grain bread.

Melt 2 pats of butter on a non-stick skillet. Spread the melted butter evenly around the area of the skillet. Slowly grill sandwich turning the sandwich so that both sides brown and the cheese melts. Remove sandwich from skillet and slice sandwich in half. Serve immediately. •

This rustic sandwich recipe can be adapted to a lovely Brie and Strawberry Bruschetta for a cocktail party! Top mini whole grain bread (cut about ¼”) with Brie cheese and thin strawberry slice. Broil on low until cheese begins to melt and bread starts to toast lightly. After removing the Bruschetta from oven and plating, drizzle with a little honey. If you have some candied walnuts, chop them up and sprinkle them on top for yet another layer of favor! YUM!

Two Fish Create a Tiny Universe

Last Spring my friends announced they were moving north. Their family was part of our tight community and would be terribly missed but the move was necessary for their personal growth. Like all growth, some tears and much happiness continue to be shared as we all grow through the transition of missing them.

I, having dug a small fishpond several years ago in my front garden, became the lucky guardian of their two children’s carnival goldfish, Koi and Po. Weeks before the big move north the children arrived for a “release” ceremony. They carefully reached into their pail of water and scooped their goldfish out of the safety of the container into the pond. The fish immediately began exploring. It was a happy afternoon watching the fish swim about and the children play in the garden.

Before they left, the youngest gave me goldfish food and careful instructions on feeding my new wards and the older handed me a beautiful drawing of the goldfish she was now leaving in my care. Suddenly, the responsibility I had taken on occurred to me.

I began checking on the fish as if they were babies. Shoeing away the neighborhood cats, building underwater caves for the fish to hide under, testing the water temperature, and, of course, shaking a little fish food into the pond, became part of my daily gardening routine. I eventually netted the pond which made brushing it down a bit complicated but Koi and Po were much safer from the neighborhood cats.

Soon, summer was in full bloom and the pond lettuce was adorning the edges of the pond. While having coffee one Sunday morning we noticed what looked like tiny glass shards skimming the surface of the pond — Hundreds of them! Upon closer inspection we discovered they were baby fish! Tiny see-though, baby fish! I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I was out there for hours just staring in wonder at this small pond universe. I had had fish in the pond before but never babies created. Watching the pond became known as my “perfectly wonderful waste of time.” All I could do was watch and wait to see what would happen next.

Of course, not all — but a lot, grew. They were about an inch long by the end October — and were a murky grayish color. When the first snow hit at the end of October, there were probably about 30 to 40 small grayish 1-inch fish swimming around the pond with Koi and Po. After that, the fountain pump had to be pulled in and the last of the garden was raked. Leaves blew and landed on top of the pond net. The pond froze and thawed through out the winter months. I went on faith that the fish would be okay. Other fish had made it in that pond through colder winters. But deep down I worried about the two fish and their large young family. I worried about how I would explain it to the children if the fish didn’t survive… Should I have done something to guarantee their safety? Could I have?

With Spring’s early arrival, last weekend the leaves were removed from the top of the pond net. I held my breath. The weather hadn’t been too bad but it had been a pretty tough winter for me… at times I felt I barely survived! I was holding my breath for the fish… for me. If they could survive, I thought  — I could too!

The fish survived! Not only did they survive they seemed to have thrived! Bigger and stronger then ever! The tiny 1-inch grayish fish are now full color and real-sized goldfish! Some are white, some are orange, others are spotted and still more are black — all sorts of tail types and joyfully swimming around! One fish, two fish, three fish… how many? Too fast to count… Wowee! Koi and Po have grown too! Needless to say I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I ran inside and grabbed the fish food. They must be hungry!

Stay tuned for more news from the fishpond. I noticed the bullfrogs are still around and the peonies are already pushing up from the ground! …The Wisteria has a few leaf buds, and the azalea bushes will be showing flowers in just few weeks!

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Forcing Spring Branches

I get a bit over anxious this time of year waiting for the Spring to finally explode in my garden! I find myself purchasing early greenhouse tulips at the grocery store like potato chips… Only to have them fade and stretch beyond their small four or six inch container and eventually drop all their pedals well with in a week. Awhhhhh, the short life of potted greenhouse tulips — they have nowhere for their roots to explore! The Best Girlfriend Ever! believes everything deserves a second chance, so I am thanking them for the fleeting beauty they gave me and burying them in my garden for rebirth next year.

Longing for my garden to get going this time of year, and needing more than the sweet potted tulips can offer, I start “forcing branches.” It’s easy to do, makes for fabulous long lasting indoor flowering displays, costs nothing and keeps the garden tidy. Forcing gives you blooms in a couple weeks (or so) before your outside trees or bushes flower. To keep me smiling during those last few “ify” days of Winter and early weeks of Spring, I find there is really nothing like “FORCING” Spring to arrive early — if only it is in the living room! Here’s how you can do it:

You will need:

• A flowering tree or bush just starting to bud  (like a azalea, beautybush, crab apple, flowering quince, forsythia, magnolia, pussy willow, redbud, rhododendron, serviceberry, spirea, witch hazel, and fruit trees such as cherries, pears and apples)
• Garden clippers
• Heavy Vase, Large Jar, or Pitcher (for displaying your branches)

Instructions:

1. Cut your branches on a relatively warm day. Look for swollen, plump buds. There will be both flower and leaf buds on the stems, but flower buds tend to be rounder and larger than leaf buds. Cut your branches at an angle and be sure your cut them long enough to display.
2. Submerge the entire branch in slightly warm water for about an hour or so.
3. Gently towel dry.
4. Fill a large jar, heavy vase or pitcher with water (room temperature).
5. Arrange branches in the water filled container — clipping the bottoms of the branches at a wide angle and stripping the branches of any buds that would land beneath the water line.
6. Place the jar in indirect sunlight — you don’t want them to open to quickly, half the fun is the anticipation. Check and change the water as needed. Your forced blooms can last for weeks!

Once the flowers have faded the pedals will drop. Some braches will grow leaves and some will show signs of rooting. Contact your local nursery if you want to investigate rooting your branches. If not, remove your branches from the water and dry on your woodpile for kindling or dispose of in your compose.

I really enjoy watching the tiny buds open a little more each day until “Ta Da!”
I can hardly see any branches!
I hope you try forcing your own branches. Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theBestGirlfriendEver and post pictures of your flowering displays.

Eliminate Moisture with Chalk

Eliminate moisture with chalk and then have some fun!
Anyone who has a house at the lake, beach or on a wooded lot — where moisture tends to be an on-going problem — this tip is for you! Tucking a bundle of white school chalk (12 pieces, or so) in your closets and dressers can absorb moisture and help protect your wardrobe and linens. The chalk is odorless, won’t stain, is environmentally friendly and will help prevent mildew.

AND, if you keep a few pieces in your toolbox, the super moisture eliminating powers of chalk will also keep tools rust-free! WOW!!!

Replace the chalk every few months for best results, but don’t throw it out…

Give (old) the chalk to the kids, or better yet create a masterpiece yourself! The driveway is a wonderful giant canvas and the damp chalk is perfect tool for drawing on the rough surface. Imaginations take off! Not feeling like an artist — play hopscotch OR draw a big scoreboard and keep score during a family fun game of basketball! Chalk can be washed way easily with a squirt of the hose or a good rain. Have fun!

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Best Brownies for Late Night Study

Quick and easy…
One box of Betty Crocker^®  Turtle Premium Brownie Mix prepared as per the instructions on the box BUT switch-out the required 1/4 cup water for 1/3 cup brewed coffee (left over from the morning) AND then stir in about 1/3 cup chocolate chunks. Bake as per box directions…
Soft, chewy, chocolately and gooey…
These brownies will make you look forward to having to stay up late to study!