Newsletter January 2007

Inside this issue you'll find:


Turn a Vacant Lot Into A Community Garden

Many of us have small backyards already fi lled with swings, lawn furniture, grills and other family essentials, so our gardening efforts tend to be limited to borders full of perennials or evergreen bushes. If you've always wanted to do some veggie gardening, but fi gured it would have to wait until you had more land, you might consider an idea many communities have adopted: If neighbors share the dream, start a group garden that spreads the labor and bounty.

Obviously, no community garden can put down roots without a plot of land, so if your neighborhood has a vacant lot, that's where to start the project. Get permission from the plot's owner to set up the garden and you've already got a big portion of the work done.

Since it's January, you've got time to put the neighborhood's collective energy to work. Make this the time you do all the planning necessary to start digging as soon as winter morphs into spring. Conservationists recommend taking these steps to jumpstart your own community patch.

  1. Get a commitment from neighbors wishing to be part of the garden project and require each to sign an agreement to be part of the team. If you need a model agreement, check with your local agricultural bureau, librarian or school, e-mail ydsavio@ucdavis.edu or visit www.celosangeles.ucdavis.edu for resource material you can adapt for your group effort.
  2. Decide how to deal with the important issue of irrigation. Gardens require water, and no communal effort will last for long if worker bees must become water bearers to keep the garden going! The best water source is a home in close prox-imity to the plot. A promise to pay part of the homeowner's increased water bill usually seals the deal.
  3. Sign a lease with the owner of the vacant lot for $1 (find sample lease agreements at a local office supply store like OfficeMax, Office Depot, Staples) to bind the agreement. You'll need to be assured that you'll have cultivation rights to the land for the entire growing season.
  4. Plan the garden during these long winters months when you've got more time than sun and, as a bonus, any excuse for a neighborhood get-together perks up the grey days.
  5. Set a volunteer schedule for everyone who wishes to be involved with the garden. It should cover planting, weeding, watering, pest control, security, insurance and vandalism issues up front - before the fi rst seed goes into the ground. Schedule weekly meetings during the growing season to make sure everyone stays on the same page.
  6. Harvest the bounty! Share equally in the fruits and veggies of your labor and be sure to discuss changes volunteers recommend for future efforts so next year's garden isn't just more bountiful but a lot easier, too.

» Back to top


Creative Cleaning Tips!

Ever wonder what tricks hotel housekeeping staff use to clean rooms to standards set by management? From bed linens to carpet, walls and rest rooms, hotels teach their staffs the latest methods minimize the time and energy spent when so many rooms awaits attention every day. We've found a couple of innovations that beg to be shared and you're the recipient.

  1. Vinyl blinds (some homemakers consider this their least favorite task). Vanquish dirt and dust fast by zipping down the ribs with fabric softener dryer sheets. You'll have clean, sweet-scented blinds on all of your windows presto.
  2. To remove heel marks on waxed fl oors, pick up an ordinary pencil or spear a tennis ball with a stick and you've got two tools that make quick work of the worst scuff marks.
  3. This tip comes to us from a spa where hairspray on mirrors is a daily challenge. "Because hairspray is alcohol-based, using another alcoholbased product (like window cleaner) just doesn't cut it," said a veteran housekeeper. "I use hot water instead and the spray is gone in a flash."
  4. We love this one. Take the word of the head housekeeper at a prestigious, 100-year-old hotel when she reveals her red wine stain secret: "I use white wine to remove red wine stains," she says. "Works every time!"
  5. If vacuuming is the one constant in your cleaning routine, boost your vacuum's deodorizing power by putting a cotton ball dipped in clove or other essential oil into the blower compartment. Every time you pick up offending dirt, the unit will lay down a sweet smell. Now, that's clever!

» Back to top


Make a Health History Card for Family Members

Think back to the last time you or your kids went to the doctor for a check-up. The fi rst thing the nurse did was update your fi le, asking about new medications and changes in health conditions. The data is tucked away in what grows to be an irreplaceable history of your health - a record that can prove to be irreplaceable when a diagnosis or revised medical plan must be considered. But, suppose you're not at your doctor's offi ce when a crisis arises - will life-saving information be immediately available to medical personnel treating you? It can - if you make sure your full medical picture is available and portable, by creating a Health History Card for every member of your family to carry.

We've created a sample below and invite you to photocopy it on 3" x 5" postcards. Personalize a card for each member of your family, then tuck them into purses, backpacks and briefcases. For kid's cards, make two; one for each child and a copy for Mom and/or Dad. Time is critical when it comes to medical response, so give everyone the tools they need to make sure any potential emergency has a happy ending.


» Back to top


Kid's Corner: Mommy Moments

Three creative things you can do to help your kids

  1. Getting to know the parents of your child's schoolmates can be a hat trick. At the dinner table, you hear about Tommy falling off the swing or Tiff's new baby sister - you may even meet one or two schoolmates at a birthday party, but is that enough? One inventive working mom came up with an idea that's too terrific not to share: She started a Mom's Club, taking it upon herself to organize a monthly event at a local restaurant so moms could meet and share ideas. At fi rst, the meet and greet attracted only a couple of attendees, but as time passed, word spread and friendships developed. The group became so close that by the end of the school year, moms offered to re-organize the group and the club went on for years! If this idea interests you, get the ball rolling by clearing it with your child's teacher, then send enough invitations to school for every child in the class. For a great icebreaker at the fi rst meeting, place a photo of each child on Mom's or Dad's nametag.
  2. Make a phone book for your little one: A St. Louis mom had seen so many TV stories about kids saving family members that she wanted her son to learn to make emergency calls. But when this mom attempted to teach Junior to memorize the numbers, her little one proved just too young. Not one to give up easily, Mom came up with an idea you'll want to imitate if this idea appeals to you: She made a "phone book" from a top-spiral steno book. On each page, a headshot matched the phone number below it. Grandma, a policeman, a fireman, the neighbor, Dad's work number and more each received a separate page. A ribbon tied the book to a hook beside the kitchen phone. Mom's mini-directory idea took the pressure off Junior and everyone breathed a little easier.
  3. When her daughter came home from school chattering about her school's annual fund-raising candy sale, one healthconscious mom realized the school was sending mixed messages to students after cafeteria fare had been overhauled in the name of good health. A sharp businesswoman, this mom also knew the candy sale was a tradition and realized it's likely the committee running it never even thought about alternatives. She took the bull by the horns, came up with alternative products and even contacted various manufacturers about the specialized packaging needed to make the fundraiser work. She was able to negotiate a great deal, then put together a presentation for the committee. The school was thrilled with the new fund-raising solution and launched it the following year with dried fruit, gourmet pretzels, heart-healthy baked chips and other healthy alternatives. If this idea appeals to you, consider it for your child's school the next time the subject of fundraising comes up.

» Back to top


Food for Thought

You want to feed your family delicious, nutritious meals but you don't want to mortgage the house to do it. What's a mom to do? Develop a personal meal prep philosophy that maximizes both your time and money. Here are a few meal prep tips you might never have thought about. Adopt even one and you'll be ahead of the food game.

  1. Buy bread and bagels in large quantities; carefully wrap half and freeze for later use.
  2. When bread gets stale, don't throw it out! Make croutons, toast them in the oven and save them in a sealed container for yummy salads.
  3. Be a cheese miser. Store leftover cheese pieces in a tightly sealed storage box. When fi lled, blend the cheese bits with salsa, then heat to serve with tortilla chips and dip before dinner.
  4. Do you have a kitchen window? Grow a few of your favorite spices there. What used to cost 50¢ could now set you back $4, so fi ght escalating spice prices by cultivating your own crop of fresh herbs year-round.
  5. Cook for two (meals, not people!). When you prepare meat, buy a larger cut, cook it and know before you start what kind of meat pie, stew, casserole or other dish you'll make with the rest.
  6. (Our favorite). Next time you make pancakes or waffl es, double the recipe. Serve half to your family; freeze the rest. Who said Aunt Jemima is the only breakfast freezer queen?

» Back to top


Carpet Talk

techs would love to be consulted before a customer purchases the carpet they'll wind up having to clean, repair and restore. Select the right carpet type and technicians will breeze through your house at regular intervals, saving you time and money.

Researching your best options just got easier, thanks to Angie's List, a website devoted to helping consumers make wise decis-ions about topics like carpet selection. Angie's List members should know about such things: they spend nearly $6 million on carpet sales, installation and repair annually and approached their purchases with the following questions:

  • Where will my carpet be installed? Wise padding and material choices should hang on how heavy the traffi c is in the room being upgraded.
  • Will I be in this home for a long or short time? Picking a bright color could limit the number of offers you get when you put it on the market, so go with neutrals if a sale is in your future.
  • How much should I spend? Again, this depends on whether you plan to stick around or are looking to perk up the house for the resale market. Be certain prices you collect include product and installation so no surprises await you when the job is done.
  • Who will do the measuring? Do-it-yourselfers confi dent in their ability to get it right could be shooting themselves in the foot by insisting on doing their own measuring. Installers don't charge extra do the math, so save everyone headaches by staying out of the measuring process.
  • Do I understand all of my options? Knowing the difference between nylon, olefi n, polyester, acrylic, wool and blends can ensure a long, happy relationship between you and your carpet, so if you don't get answers from your salesman, call your carpet cleaner. He or she is trained to know all about carpet fi ber, weave and upkeep. You'll be glad you did!

» Back to top


15-Minute Vegas Wedding Soup

Ingredients:

  1. tablespoons vegetable oil
  2. chopped red onion
  3. cloves of chopped garlic
  4. teaspoon each, dried Italian herbs and dried fennel seed
  5. teaspoon salt
  6. teaspoon each, red pepper fl akes, ground black pepper
  7. quarts low-sodium chicken broth
  8. frozen Italian meatballs
  9. 16 oz. package of Italian blend vegetables
  10. cup any type of small, dried pasta
  11. tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  12. 5-ounce bag spinach or baby arugula
  13. cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven
  2. Add onion and garlic; cook about 3 minutes until soft and fragrant
  3. Add Italian seasoning, fennel, salt, red pepper fl akes & black pepper
  4. Cook 30 seconds, add broth and increase heat to a boil
  5. Add meatballs, vegetables, pasta and vinegar to pot
  6. Lower heat to medium; cook until veggies & pasta are done (about 10 minutes)
  7. Stir in arugula or spinach; cook until the leaves have wilted (about 2 minutes)
  8. Top soup with plenty of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

We welcome 2007 with a great new winter soup that requires no special occasion to prepare. This version of the ethnic favorite wedding soup has all the fl avor and charm of the original, but it takes just about as long to make as some Vegas weddings (Hence the name!). Toss a salad. Fill a basket with a tempting mix of ciabatta and garlic bread plus Italian bread sticks and your family will think you've been slaving over a hot stove all day long, but you don't have to confess. Remember: what happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen!


» Back to top


EcoFresh News

German Environmentalists: Limit Autobahn Speeds. Speed limit of 75 mph on no-limit stretches of highway could reduce emissions. But others fi ght for culture.

BERLIN (Reuters) -- German environmentalists hope the country's stewardship of the Group of Eight and the European Union in 2007 will help steer the car-crazy nation towards imposing speed limits on its unrestricted autobahns. They say that if motorists took their foot off the throttle a little, this would cut greenhouse gas emissions and help Germany brush up its green credentials.

Fight Breast Cancer With Exercise. By Lucy Williams, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Want to avoid breast cancer? You may want to hit the gym. New research reveals high levels of physical activity could help postmenopausal women reduce their risk for breast cancer.

"Exercise may lower a woman's risk for breast cancer by favorably changing certain hormones associated with breast cancer cell growth," Melinda Irwin, M.D., of Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., told Ivanhoe. "Exercise has shown to decrease estrogen and insulin, hormones known to be associated with breast cancer."


» Back to top

 



Site developed by: bieszk.com