$$ The Green Hou$e Effect $$

I remember I was a junior in high school, history class with Mr. Douaihy, when I learned about the Great Depression. My public high school text books were nothing to brag about. Maybe it really was the quality of the photos in the books that made the people in them look that much more desperate, that much more gray-er. I thought then how awful it must be to one minute have a job, and the next, to be huddled on a heat vent with children, just tying to stay warm.

What will future children read about these times? A news report yesterday said that NYC is offering one-way free flights for the homeless. The unemployment rates are near 11%. The most popular vacation is the stay-cation, or homation. Basically, we're not going anywhere this summer kids, have fun on your Wii we charged for you 2 years ago.

As we enter into the school year, more uniform swap gatherings are popping up everywhere. Last spring during prom season, I can remember many of our seniors going to Cinderella's Closet, a place where the girls could buy a donated, used dress for $20.00. Even the most popular, the most well off girls sported their Cinderella's Closet dress at the prom. No shame in hiding the bargains these days.

And then, there is the worst part of this economy; the emotional factor. The fact is, it appears to be no end in sight. It feels that way, anyway. Logically it has to end. Financially, most of us just can't tighten the belt any more. (actually many of us probably can because we have cut down on eating out, buying fewer groceries, and getting more exercise because we are walking instead of driving everywhere).

Truth be told, this is probably just what Americans need. I know I do. I need to know that it is ok not to charge outlandish items, just to keep up with the Jones'. I know the Jones' aren't charging, they aren't going on vacation, they are also trying to chip away at their credit card debt. The Jones' dad just lost his job or the Jones' aren't going to the new swanky restaurant..they're having a BBQ this weekend, too. We all spent together, we all lost money together, and together we need to rebuild. If I need a pick me up, so do the Jones'!

Positive things to do in a crummy economy:

• Have more family time - yes you do really love each other
• Board games & cards can be fun - try learning a new game, like bridge which can last for hours!
• Try one of your family's recipes. I recently made my mom's stuffed peppers.
• Try something new - I started a blog, it's free!
• Visit the library - we check out 2-3 movies a week, for free!
• Have a "vacation" at a friend's house. Take a trip to visit a long lost friend. You won't have to pay for a room and it will give you a break from the same old routine.
• Does your city offer free concerts? Our city offers concerts on Sundays. We might not even like the music but it is fun to get out and be social.
• Walk - cancel the gym membership
• Visit the farmer's market - you are helping your local economy & you will buy healthier items
• Go to the flea market - the best part of the flea market is people watching, you don't need to buy a thing!
• Start a book club - a great way to get together with friends. check out the book @ the library and have everyone bring a little something.
• Clean out your closets! if you can't afford to buy anything, and you are going stir crazy, start weeding though your stuff. Pack it up and bring it out again in 6 months. It will be like a whole new wardrobe! If you have money by then and want to buy clothes, then donate the ones you don't want.
• Put unused items on Craigslist, and make a few extra dollars
• Have a yard/garage/tag sale - and have your neighbors get involved so it is a neighborhood event
• Volunteer!! It keeps you busy. I now know why retired folks volunteer!!
• Read books online! thousands to choose from and they are free! http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/
• Sort your photos...oh, yah, remember that project you started years ago?? Try scanning them into the computer to Picassa to preserve them electronically.
• Start a garden. You can plant a garden almost any time of year, depending upon where you live.
• Write letters. Stamps are only 44c and getting a letter in the mail is just great. You can even make fun stationary online. http://www.freeprintablestationery.net/
• Do one of the TV exercise programs on cable or satellite. I know, they are annoying. But, what do you have to lose? A few lbs?
• Pamper yourself. Soak in the bathtub. Give yourself a pedicure or facial. Here is a simple facial recipe:

1 medium to large Banana; soft and peeled
1/3 to 1/2 cup oatmeal(depends on the size of the banana)
Instructions:
Mash the oatmeal into the soft peeled banana a little at a time. Continue until all of the oatmeal is moistened. Apply to your face evenly, leaving it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water or soft wash cloth

All in all, these times are tough for everyone. What is difficult for everyone to accept, whether you were once rich and are now less rich, or once paycheck-to-paycheck, and are now, paycheck-less, is that we will survive this. This may not be how we intended our lives to be, this is not how we expected to be rewarded for all of our hard work. Bottom line, our lifestyles and quality of life have been disrupted, so we need to adjust. Lastly, we need to stick together and help each other though these times. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "When you have come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."

Cucumber Beetle

These very pretty, striped or spotted beetles have become my nemesis this summer! Beware of these awful little creatures. I have not come across too many solutions to removing them. Apparently, waking up very early in the morning while they are feeding, then plucking them from cucumbers and squashes, is the most effective way to ridding oneself of them.

I decided to write a poem as a tribute to these little buggers.

Cucumber Beetles

LiftLift

under there?

pick

lift

pick

pick

cucumber beetle

cucumber beetle

squish, squish

lift

damnit!!! my flower!!!!

squish

lift

cuCumbeRrr -- beeTle

DAMNIT!
CUUUUUUUUUUUUU CUMMMMMMM BER BEEEETLE

STAY OOOOOOF my CUUUUUUUU CUUUMMMMM BERRRRRS!

ska wissh!

Food Additives & Eating More Naturally

Why in the world do we need some scientific research to tell us that by putting more chemicals in our bodies, that we are going to have negative side effects?? I understand why some farmers and food manufacturers will add these preservatives, food additives and pesticides to their products...money, money, money. The time is now, people, to go back to basics. Sure, a completely organic and whole food diet can be challenging. I am struggling myself. In this economy, when we are just barely making ends meet, we are charged MORE money for eating FEWER chemicals and preservatives!! As an example, a lb of organic baby cut carrot is nearly a whole dollar more than non-organic.

Just to let you know, I am very proud of my backyard garden. I have 23 tomato plants, 8 string less bean plants, 6 cucumber plants, 4 butternut squash plants, garlic, chives, basil, carrots, and corn (which usually doesn't yield anything but looks cool). It really takes up only a portion of my yard (15x15) and little attention. For my family of 2, this is way too many plants. Just think what you can do in your yard. One of my favorite things to do is to mix some of my vegetable plants in with my flowerbeds. Carrot tops are so pretty, and cucumbers have a beautiful leafy vine. Just put them in your planters! Hang some of the upside down tomato plants from your porch.

Other than feeling a little more connected to the earth, you will be shocked as to how a real vegetable is suppose to taste. Yes, they taste very different than the store bought ones. So, you think you know what a cucumber really tastes like? How about sun ripened tomatoes with fresh basil? They say, that after 1 hour of picking fruit and vegetables, the flavor begins to dissolve. So, what are you waiting for?

If you have not started your own home or backyard garden for this summer, I urge you to visit your local farmers' market. But don't be fooled!! Everyone is there to make money. Make sure you look at the fruit & veggies and make sure the box isn't marked "Imported from Mexico."

Read the following article about how these chemicals are affecting your kids.You need to be an advocate for your child. Contact your school lunch program and have them review the ingredients. Believe me, I see this every day in school!! Remember when the period after lunch was sluggish?? No anymore folks!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1659835,00.html

Homegrown Garlic

Yes, I am very new to this blogging thing. I am sure that years from now, when I am a successful blogger, I will look back at my first blog and say, "What were you thinking?" But right now, I feel it is very important to discuss the simple pleasure of garlic.

Once used to scare away vampires and scorpions, to treat infections and dog bites, this staple from the onion family swept me off my feet today. To fully understand, we need to go back in time a bit. Last summer, while shopping for my latest order, I picked up one of those 5-garlic-in-a-net things. At the end of the summer, with a full garlic left over, (and having heard roomers at the farmer's market of how easy it is to grow) I planted the garlic cloves on the southern edge of my garden. This spring, sometime around April, a strange thing happened. I forgot that I planted garlic, and these tall thin shoots popped up, even before my crocuses and daffodils. It wasn't very long before I realized what they were, and quickly congratulated myself on being so efficient.

So, the garlic grew along side my freshly planted seedlings for some time before they developed these very alien beak-like tips, that after a few more weeks, burst into orbs that must replicate another planet somewhere. They were beautiful with pinkish color, softly scented like garlic, but unlike anything I had seen before. I then went online to see what in the world they were, and, is this normal? Some sites said to chop it, others said to fry it, I decided to leave it alone. To me, it was like a rose in my vegetable garden.

Earlier this week, I noticed that several of my garlic orbs had started to wither. Many of the stems had turned brown. I then read online that it is OK to dig up the garlic at this point. So I did. How amazing it is to see how it had grown, beneath the soil, through the harsh and cold winter, and unbeknownst to me, the wost garlic farmer east of the Mississippi! (My sister would be the worst garlic farmer west of the Mississippi.) I washed off their octopus roots, trimmed the stem, and set them on a plate in the sun to dry out. They were so clean and white.

This brings me to tonight. My husband wanted spaghetti for dinner. In a pot I started to saute some onion, and decided to add some of my garlic. After a few seconds, my husband said that our house smelled delicious. I told him it was only onion and garlic. But it wasn't. Something was happening. My husband and I just could not get enough of the smell. Like children we fought to take a whiff of the pot. It smelled like garlic, but sweeter and with wine, and with all the flavors of love that I did not have on hand to add. I added the ground beef, the tomatoes, that fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh rosemary. A little more of this and not much more of that. When it was done, and when we had had our fill, we took one look at each other and knew, it was the garlic.

So, my friends, the lesson here is to take the time to plant some garlic. Who knows? You might need to ward off a vampire, or need to heal a very nasty dog bite. Or, just maybe, you are looking for that simple secret ingredient. Fresh garlic tastes a lot like love.