Valentine’s Day: Ten Unique and Original Ways to Celebrate

Published by
ebell
at January 21, 2010 in Holiday and Kids & Family. 0 Comments

Some people dislike Valentine’s Day, other folks relish it, but one thing’s for sure: A lot of people celebrate it!  Valentine’s Day is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the United States, with millions of couples buying chocolate, roses, or going out to a special dinner.  But what if you’re bored with the traditional Valentine’s Day routine?  Here are ten fun and original ideas to make your Valentine’s Day special and unique for you and your sweetie.

Roses
Photograph courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Idea #1:
Plan a Valentines party for those you love.  Make it a potluck to cut down on the expenses.  Decorate your house with hearts and anything red and pink.  Invite lots of people you care about, such as neighbors, friends, relatives, and their children.  It’s also particularly nice to remember those who have lost their spouses.

Idea #2:
Make Valentine treats and take them to the pediatric unit at your local hospital, a nearby nursing home, or even surprise your friends who might be spending the evening at home alone.

Idea #3:
Event tickets are a unique gift idea, and are enjoyed by almost everyone.  However, these don’t necessarily need to be used on Valentines Day or even shared with you.  Consider purchasing tickets for your loved one so he or she can go to a special event that they could enjoy themselves, such as a women’s lecture series or a fishing and camping show.  Be sure to get two tickets so they can invite a friend who shares their interest!

Idea #4:
Order dinner in and serve it on your good china.  Even better, have a family picnic on the living room floor!  Gather candles from around the house and eat by candlelight, and be sure to include the younger members of the family.

Idea #5:
Plan an evening outdoors, doing something like skiing, sledding, or snowboarding.  If you have children, go outdoors and build a snow fort in the back yard.  Dinner can occur before or after the outdoor activities, and can be something as simple as pizza at home.  End the evening with hot chocolate and cookies in front of the fire to warm everyone up again.

Idea #6:
Recreate the “good old days.”  Visit your favorite old restaurant, if it is still nearby.  If you have since moved away, call the restaurant to inquire if they will freeze and ship your favorite entrees to your home, so you can enjoy them as a special treat.

Idea #7:
Clean things up!  Have your loved one’s car cleaned and detailed.  Be sure to include a full tank of gas and a new emergency kit, if they don’t already have one.  A freshly cleaned car is something everyone can appreciate!

Idea #8:
Sleepover!  Host a sleepover for your grandkids to give their parents a much-deserved Valentine’s Day break.  Everyone benefits-you get to have special time with your grandkids, plus mom and dad have some time alone to rest and recharge.

Idea #9:
Call in the pros!  Give your loved one a gift certificate for a professional housecleaning.  Or if you are brave, surprise them having the house cleaned while they are away.  There is nothing like entering a spotless home when someone else has done all the hard work!

Idea #10:
Say it all!  Make a list of all the things you love about your special someone, including unique quirks and special secrets that only the two of you share.  Write everything down in a beautifully bound book, or write each note on a separate slip of paper, and put them all inside a special box.  This will likely become one of your spouse’s most treasured gifts.

Valentine’s is such a fun and special time of year for anyone who is in love.  Make it really special this year by doing something unexpected.  Your loved one is sure to appreciate your thought and efforts, and it will hopefully create lasting memories for the two of you to share and remember in years to come.

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Growing Your Own Herbs

Published by
maduncan
at January 20, 2010 in Garden. 0 Comments

If you enjoy cooking or gardening, or perhaps both, you should consider growing your own herbs at home.  There are literally hundreds of herbs that you can grow yourself.  Not only do fresh herbs make a wonderful addition to a kitchen garden, but they can also be attractive plants to weave in with other flowers, perennials, and bushes.

Basil

When considering what types of herbs to grow, first ask yourself which herbs you use the most in cooking.  Consult your recipe box; are there any particular herbs that you routinely buy fresh at the grocery store?  If so, these should be your first choices.  Also remember that fresh herbs will taste far better than dried seasonings purchased in little bottles.  While you may not care for the taste of dried dillweed, you may find that fresh dill is a real treat.  When it comes to growing herbs, don’t limit yourself.  They don’t require a lot of space, so start with a variety and see which ones you like best.

When it comes to homegrown herbs, parsley may be one of the most popular choices.  Parsley is routinely used in cooking, and freshly cut sprigs of parsley are also commonly used as a garnish to make a plated meal look more attractive.  Parsley is grown as an annual, so you’ll either have to start new seeds each year or buy young plants from a nursery.  There is a saying that parsley seeds must go to the devil and back seven times before they will germinate, simply meaning that if planted all at the same time, you’ll see germination from your other herb seeds long before parsley will finally appear.  Like many other herbs, parsley is a good choice for growing in containers, and it may be possible to overwinter plants indoors or in a greenhouse.

Chives are a wonderful, almost maintenance-free homegrown herb.  A perennial, they will not need to be restarted from one year to the next.  Get a good start of chives from a friend or neighbor, plant it in your garden, and they’ll keep coming back year after year.  Chives also boast attractive purple flowers that can be a nice addition to a flower garden.

Basil is favorite homegrown herb for anyone who loves Italian food.  If you grow tomatoes, you should grow basil, too, because tomatoes and basil go together like milk and cookies.  Basil is another annual that will need to be restarted each spring, but it can be easily grown indoors from seed and then transplanted into the garden once the soil is thoroughly warmed.  Be sure to keep basil pinched back regularly for full and productive plants.  And when you see flowers begin to appear, remove them quickly so that the plant does not go to seed.

Rosemary is a very attractive herb to grow, and in most areas it will grow as a perennial if treated with care for overwintering.  Rosemary is not easily grown from seed, so to get it started initially, buy a young plant from a nursery and transplant it into your garden or else find a friend who already has some and request a cutting.  Rosemary can be grown in containers, but it will need to be brought indoors for winter.

Mint is another favorite herb that can be used in cooking, dried to make teas, and even crushed and bottled for perfumes or to be sprinkled on clean clothes and sheets.  There are many varieties of mints to choose from.  Spearmint and peppermint are quite common.  For something more unique, try pineapple, apple, or chocolate mints.  Mint is a perennial, so there will be no need to replant in subsequent years.  Take caution, however, before letting mint loose in your garden.  Mint spreads rapidly by underground runners and can quickly overwhelm a garden.  Once mint has been planted in the ground, it can be nearly impossible to completely eradicate.  Mint does grow well in containers, however, and when watered thoroughly before a hard freeze, will overwinter quite well.

The herbs we’ve discussed are just a few choices.  Other possibilities for an herb garden might include tarragon, cilantro, dill, sage, lavender, bay, marjoram, thyme, and more.  Don’t limit yourself!  Herbs are fun and easy to grow, and they don’t require a lot of space in the garden.  Whether you’re an established cook or gardener, homegrown herbs are a wonderful addition to any kitchen garden.

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Freshwater Shortages: Humanity’s Greatest Threat

Published by
maduncan
at January 19, 2010 in Environment and Home Improvement. 0 Comments

In the United States, regional water shortages are not uncommon.  Parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and other dry Southwestern states deal with water shortages and rationing on an almost annual basis.  But for U.S. residents, such water shortages usually mean that we have to water our lawns or wash our cars a little less frequently.  The United States has never had its supply of fresh drinking water threatened.

Lake Erie

Now consider this: Worldwide, it is estimated that approximately 1.2 billion people lack access to freshwater.  That’s about one sixth of the entire world’s population.  Furthermore, one third of the world’s population has no basic sanitation facilities for bathing and cleaning.  Why is this?

Most of us don’t even realize that there is a lack of freshwater.  In the past, water has always been readily available and inexpensive, and thus we don’t consider it to be a precious resource.  After all, 75% of the Earth is covered in water, right?  This may be true, but most of that water is in oceans, and salt water is not drinkable.  Of all the water on Earth, only about 2.5% of it is freshwater.  And of that amount, much is contaminated and is not suitable for drinking.

Many of us are accustomed now to hearing in the news about various crises around the world.  Wars are being fought, AIDS has become an epidemic, and global warming is causing climate changes that could lead to catastrophe.  All of these are serious problems, but none more so than the lack of clean water.  The difference between freshwater shortages and other issues is timing.  Without freshwater for drinking, humans and animals cannot survive more than a few days.  Furthermore, drinking contaminated water wreaks havoc on an otherwise healthy individual.  The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of illnesses and death in developing countries are caused by unsanitary water.  This is a very real and immediate problem, killing people on an hourly basis.

While this issue doesn’t directly affect many of us in the United States, we must be aware that it will affect us sooner or later.  The U.S. government estimates that within the next 3-5 years, at least 36 states will have to deal with water shortages.  Most of us cannot imagine what it might be like to live without freshwater.  In African countries, many people spend several hours each day in search of freshwater.  It is essential to life, and we must have it in order to eat and live.  Can you imagine taking two or three hours out of your day, every day, to walk several miles in search of freshwater for your family to drink and eat and bathe?

The biggest threat we face today to our supply of fresh drinking water is the world’s growing population.  During the 20th century, the world’s population tripled, and it continues to grow today.  Some scientists believe that within 25 years, half of the world’s population may have trouble finding freshwater for drinking and sanitation purposes.  In China, for example, each year the country is consuming 30 cubic kilometers more water than can be replaced by regular rainfall.  This amount is going to add up quickly as time goes by.

The fact is that water is the world’s most important resource, and it’s been taken for granted and wasted for a long time.  When and if the day comes that we begin to see serious freshwater shortages in developed countries, war will undoubtedly break out over this precious resource.  So while we should be concerned about issues like AIDS, foreign wars, and global warming, we should be just as concerned, if not more so, about the growing issue that may someday become more critical to us than any other: a worldwide shortage of freshwater.

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