Time to Get out of the Winter Funk

Ok I have to admit it's hard to write about gardening in the winter. Now it's time to start shaking off the winter blahs and start thinking about some nice fresh mouth watering veggies. Well the other day in the mail I got an advertisement for the Earth Box

This is apparently the ultimate in container for gardening in. I would love to try it but I'm not sure if I really want to spend $55 to $60 on a plastic pot for plants. I think I will have to keep an eye out to see if I can find one for less so I can try it. If it works as wonderfully as the ad promises it would be worth the cost in the long run.

A Miracle in Haiti

I was watching the news this morning, which is something I don't usually do since televised news is so morbidly depressing. But today I was watching with my Hubby and they were talking about Haiti again. This time however the story was awe inspiring. 15 days after the earthquake they pulled a teenage girl out of the rubble still alive. Weak and dehydrated but still fighting. Here is a link to one of the stories if you wish to read it.

MSNBC.Com

Have A GREAT Day!

What'a Wrong With This Picture?

I was at the grocery store the other day and saw this truck. Isn't water naturally skinny? Doesn't it already have 0 calories 0 sugar and 0 guilt?

We have to have some company dump a bunch of chemicals into it and try to sell it as something that is good for us? Isn't plain old water Good for us?

I have to tell you I'm getting a little sick of companies messing with our water. Americans have access to some of the cleanest water in the world but companies just have to screw with a good thing for profit.

A little Confession

I haven't been being the best cheapskate I can be.

I know I can save more money on grocery shopping then I have been. I don't check the sales ads and haven't been using my coupons. I really need to start because that is our biggest money pit. So I've decided to start today. Why today .... Well for starters today is when all the grocery ads come in the paper. I don't have any shopping to do but I can start taking a look to compare prices. That is one good thing about living in a well populated area ...... lots of stores to chose from. Next I need to start comparing whats on sale with what coupons I have. I only cut out coupons for stuff I actually use there is no point in cutting out the ones I don't.

I think I should ask at the library to see if I can start a coupon exchange box. That would let someone else use the coupons I don't need.

I also need to set a budget. I'm thinking of starting at $100 a week and once I accomplish that try to make it even lower. Anybody have any suggestions on how to save more money? What is your secret tip.... come on fess up

Top 10 Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill at No Cost

Ok some of these I've Posted before but I thought it would be fun to do a Top Ten list so here goes.

10. When using your oven use the window instead of opening the door to check food. It reduces your oven temperature 25 to 30 degrees every time you open it. Then it uses more energy to heat it back up.

9. Clean your dryer lint filter every time you change loads to use less energy. Need a Crazy use for all that dryer lint check out these ideas. Dryer Lint

8. Wash your clothes with cold water.

7. Use a clothes line or drying rack to dry clothes. If you have to use a dryer then do all your laundry on the same day so the dryer doesn't have to keep reheating for each load.

6. Lower your Thermostat on your Water Heater to 120 degrees.

5. Turn down or Turn off your Water Heater when you will be away.

4. Lower the Thermostat on your home and grab a sweater.

3. Clean your air filter.

2. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations. You want the air to blow down in the winter pushing warm are toward the floor. In the Summer you want it pulling the cooler floor air toward the ceiling.

And the top number one way to Conserve Energy............

1. Unplug all appliances when not in use. They are the biggest energy hogs in the house and if your not using it why pay to power it.

HGTV Dream Home Giveaway

It's that time of year again when Home and Garden TV gives away a Million Dollar Dream home. I have to say for once I really really would love to win this home. Usually when I enter it was always rather lackluster I would like the home or the location but never both. This time I think I"m in love LOL. The home is in New Mexico and I would love to move there. The home is a single story home (I hate stairs) with beautiful views and the kids rooms aren't on the other side of the home from the master bedroom. In one of the homes the master bedroom was in a total separate building! Could you imagine the trip when one of your kids have a nightmare? Not to mention you would have to use a baby monitor again just to hear if they have a nightmare then when they hit the teenage years it would be so easy for them to sneak out.

This one is actually (for me) a Dream Home, though I would have to do some greening up. Personally I think all homes build in the southwest should have solar panels we could probably power half the U.S. LOL

Any way go enter and if you win let me know so I can be jealous LOL. Here is a link just for you

HGTV Dream Home Giveaway

Reuse Wrapping Paper

Ok it may be to late for this post because you probably have already gotten rid of your excess wrapping paper but hey Birthdays happen all year long. So here is a list for ways to reuse that wrapping paper instead of throwing it out.

Cover a shoebox or clean tin can to create beautiful storage containers.

Use in school projects or for paper mache.

Reuse to cover smaller gift boxes.

Rip to shreds and use as packing filler.

Make colorful backgrounds on scrap booking pages.

Use for creative mats for framed objects.

Let your daughter create paper doll clothes from scraps.

Sorry I Forgot to Post my Pumpkin Recipe

It's been a little nuts around here with all the Christmas stuff and working more hours. I forgot to share my tasty recipes with you. Well I hope you froze some of that pumpkin you made (or at least have a can or two lying around after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here are a few of my favorites.

Easy Pumpkin Loaf

Preheat Oven to 350.

1 C Sugar
1 C Cooked Pumpkin
1/4 C Salad Oil
3 egg Whites
2 TBS Skim Milk
2 C Sifted Flour
1tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Cardamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 C chopped Walnuts (optional)

Combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs and milk. Mix flour baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices then add to sugar mixture. Blend well and add nuts. Pour into a greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Casserole

Preheat oven to 350

3 c Cooked Pumpkin
1/3 c Butter
1/4 c Light Cream
2 TBLS Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Mix ingredients in given order and pour into a buttered casserole dish. Spready with net topping and bake for 30 minutes.

Nut Topping
1/4 C Dark Brown Sugar
2 TBLS light corn syrup
2 TBLS melted butter
1 c Chopped Walnuts

Mix until crumbly.

Pumpkin Soup

3 C Cooked Pumpkin
3 C Chicken Broth
1 Tbls Butter
1 Tbls Flour
2 Tbls Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 C Julienned Ham
3/4 C. nonfat condensed Milk
Nutmeg

Melt butter in pan and add flour stir until flour is golden brown. add pumpkin and chicken broth. Mix well. Mix in other ingredients in order listed except for Nutmeg. Heat but do not boil! Serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg.