The Home Farming Movement

July 29, 2010 By

I have a dream. I think it’s a fairy simple one and hopefully one day obtainable too. I dream of having a four bedroom house in a quiet neighborhood and a big fenced in backyard. I dream of seeing my kids shooting hoops in the driveway or riding bikes on the side walk while I tend to our garden in the backyard. Someday I hope to make that dream a reality.

I grew up next door to my great-grandparents. My great-grandfather was gifted when it came to growing fruits and veggies. He could grow them all with ease. He must have had the biggest “green thumb” out of everyone I’ve ever met. I can still picture my great-grandfather tending to his garden while I indulge in a few of the strawberries that he grew near the house. Even back then I always dreamed of having a garden like my great-grandfather so I could grow pumpkins, watermelons, peppers, cucumbers and all my favorites.

The reality is that we live on a top floor condo and my “yard” is really a rickety old 6′ x 12′ wooden balcony.

 

I actually have tried to grow some veggies on our balcony. Oh did I try! I gave it my all. Things like string beans and peppers were not meant to be grown in itty bitty clay pots. I DID actually see veggies, too bad they were Barbie Doll sized. No kidding. They were the tiniest veggies I have ever seen. The string beans were as small as a paper clip!

I really want to have my own garden so I can grow fruits and veggies for my family. It would save money and I know my family would be enjoying fresh, home grown produce free from unknown pesticides and who-knows-what. As an added bonus I would know that I was doing something to help the environment. The less trucks, planes and boats hauling produce to the markets the less gas is being used and less pollutants sent out into our atmosphere.

Community and home based farms are becoming more and more popular these days. I’m assuming for the same exact reasons that I wants a garden for.

Have you noticed the specialty marked boxes of Triscuit crackers that help support the home farming movement? On each special box of Triscuits you’ll find actual plant seeds. I have some Dill seeds and some Basil seeds from boxes of Triscuits.

I ♥ Triscuits. I started eating them back when I was much younger. My Mom always set up Triscuit crackers with some NY Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese and slices of pepperoni to go on top. YUMM! Not too long ago I discovered the Laughing Cow cheese wedges. Its a low calorie spreadable cheese that goes GREAT on Triscuits too. They are even great right out of the box.

Shhh… I’ll let you in on a secret. They are good dipped in Nutella too. The combination of hazelnut spread and the crispy saltiness of the Triscuit go so good together.

Triscuit would like to enourage people to start their own backyard or community gardens so they are offering up seeds on 4 MILLION boxes of their crackers.

I have planted my Basil but not the Dill as of yet. I figured since I have no luck with growing plants I best wait to see how the Basil does before growing the Dill. If I happen to kill off my poor Basil plan (which is now a little nub of a plant – but growing!) I’ll give the Dill to a lady that I’m friendly with who has a garden in her yard. Plus I know what to use Basil with. I’m not 100% what to do with Dill.

Not only is Triscuits giving away free seeds but they also set up a special website and online community to help you learn more about gardening, ask questions of the experts and interact with other home and community gardens both online and in your own neighborhood.

 

Their website is http://www.kraftbrands.com/homefarming.

Everything you wanted to know about farming can be found on the site. I especially like the feature that lets you find home and community gardens near where you live. I found a farmer not too far from here. She has a 50 square foot garden and her goal is to produce 500 pounds of food in one year. Nice! That is a great goal to have.

The site also tells you all about growing different types of foods. I learned, for example, that my itty bitty Basil plant could grow to be 1-2 feet in height and it will take about 12 weeks before I can “harvest” the Basil to use for cooking. It’s already been a few weeks. I anticipate using my Basil by mid-September if all goes well.

You don’t need to have a yard to have a garden. I know people who CAN grow some veggies on their balconies. I’m limited to what I can do because of our cats and our dog. They seem to feel that anything green and leafy is fair game for them to nosh on. Not that I mind, per say, but I don’t want them eating something potentially poisonous to animals.

Whether you are curious to learn more about setting up a garden in your backyard, getting together to form a community garden, or simply grow a few herbs on your balcony, check out the Triscuit Home Farming website for more information. Don’t forget to pick up specialty marked boxes of Triscuits for your FREE seeds too.

 

Kimberly

*I received free products samples and a gift card in order to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

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SLEEP: Me, My Pillow and a Pile of Hair

July 29, 2010 By

I am the “mom” to four cats and a dog who thinks he’s a cat. We also live in a shoe box sized condo.

Lots of pets + small space = HAIR EVERYWHERE!

I love our four legged family members. I don’t mind snuggling up with them when I’m watching TV and I don’t mind my one cat, Padmé (pronounced Pad-May) sleeping at my feet at night. I DO mind the hair. It’s everywhere! Even the dust bunnies have been scared off by the hair monsters.

You know you have a lot of hair in your home when even when your home is as clean as it can get you can still see an occasional “tumbleweed” of hair roll across the kitchen floor. Ewww!  I think we keep those sticky hair roller removal brushes in business. Ha Ha.

Like I said, I can deal with the hair. If I see a poof on the floor I clean it up. If I see hair on the desk I clean it up. However I can’t stand SLEEPING with the hair.

Since our home is so small it’s hard to keep the animals confined to one area. Not only that I don’t think it’s fair to them. Plus I know they LOVE stretching out on our beds whenever they can. It’s also not their fault that they shed. Even though we brush them there is only so much we can do.

A company called Live Well Pet Products (www.LiveWellPetProducts.com) has the perfect (or shall I say “purrfect”) solution to the hair problem. No, it’s not shaving our pets down to their skin (although my husband has suggested that). It’s called Paws Off.

Paws Off is an incredibly soft and snuggly throw blanket that covers your bed to keep the hair off. After you make your bed in the morning all you need to do is cover the bed with the Paws Off spread and your bed is protected from your pets hair should your four legged family member decide to take a snooze on your bed when you are not home. When you are ready to hit the hay and call it a night all you need to do is remove the Paws Off cover and get into bed.

Paws Off features wide elastic bands on the four corners that can be tucked around the corners of your bed to keep the Paws Off from accidentally being knocked off your bed. I tried to get a picture of one of the bands. As you can see to the right of the photo Padmé was already on top of the Paws Off, even though it wasn’t on the bed yet. She LOVES sleeping on it.

As I was putting the Paws Off on the bed Padmé and our dog Espn (pronounced Es-Pin) were already staking claim to their spots on top of it. Sheesh! They couldn’t even wait for me to get it fully on the bed yet. That just goes to show how much they love sleeping on it. That is until Espn pushed Padmé off the Paws Off because he wanted it all to himself. LOL!

Espn is in dire need of grooming. Normally his hair is shaved so that you can almost see his skin. It’s apparent that he hasn’t been to the groomers in a couple of months.

Our other cats are feeling left out because they didn’t get their picture taken on the Paws Off. So in fairness I have to mention them too: Velcro, Kitty and Anakin.

Paws Off is also washable. When you feel like it’s getting a bit too hairy all you need to do is try and grab off as much hair as you can (unless you don’t mind it going in your washing machine) then toss the Paws Off in the washing machine.

Paws Off is made from 100% high grade, multi-fiber polyester fleece.  It is also available in standard king, queen, double and single mattress sizes and accommodates to all mattress depths.

Paws Off is available in three neutral colors- sand, chocolate, charcoal – to easily match your bedroom decor.

Our family gives Paws Off 10 paws up, two from each of our five pets.

For more information you can visit the official website www.PawsOff.com.

Kimberly

*We received a free sample product in order to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

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Betty Crocker is Dead!

July 29, 2010 By

 

Please! Don’t get into a panic! Betty Crocker was not even a real person. If you want to be technical she’s alive and well and living in my kitchen closet (ha ha).

Did you know that Betty Crocker is an invented persona? The Washburn Crosby Company created the name in 1921. They came up with the name “Betty” because it was seen as a cheery All-American name. ”Betty” was giving the last name ”Crocker” in honor of William Crocker, the Washburn Crosby Company director. Her name was used as a way of giving personal responses to consumers questions (think Dear Abby, or in this case, Dear Betty Crocker). Today the iconic name is owned by General Mills.

Betty Crocker is Dead is just one of the silly obituaries found in the new book Mr. Ed: Dead and Other Obituaries of the Most Famous People Who Never Lived. How is that for a long title? LOL!  For the sake of this review I’ll just stick with Mr. Ed: Dead or my poor Carpal Tunnel will kick in. Ha Ha.

 

Inside the book you’ll find faux newspaper clippings of both obituaries and newspaper articles telling you about the demise of beloved iconic characters such as Hello Kitty, Snow White, Mr. Magoo and of course Mr. Ed and Betty Crocker.

The book is written by Barry Nelson and Tom Schecker. There is more information about the book available on the website www.TomsChecker.com. There you will find a great synopsis of the book.

Mr. Ed: Dead recounts, in laugh-out-loud detail, the lives and deaths of hundreds of illustrious characters: Mr. Magoo, Holden Caulfield, Snow White, Forrest Gump, Betty Crocker, Hello Kitty, Doogie Howser, and the Fonz.  These characters had a fictional life, and, darn it, they deserve an equally creative death!

Fully illustrated and presented in scrapbook form, Mr. Ed: Dead blends obits with news stories, classified ads and police reports.  The book unearths long lost diaries, medical histories and product recalls, often using the fictional world to satirize real-life people and events.

Some of the stories are beyond genius. The authors truly have very creative minds and a wicked sense of humor. Some stories are a bit morbid and disturbing, like how Herbie the Love Bug committed suicide because he was distraught over killing Benji. Herbie was found in his garage with his engine running. Yeah, that’s funny, morbid, but funny.

Other stories are laugh out loud funny. To cite a few examples…

- Wilbur the Pig was discovered dead by the farmer’s daughter after a spider web alerted her. The web said “Dead Pig”.

- Lucy Van Pelt (aka Lucy from Charlie Brown) was found dead in her Psychiatrist office. She was pummeled with an old football. Charlie Brown fans will certainly find a good chuckle out of that one.

- 347,000 former summer campers testify to being the real John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. Probate Court erupts in repetitive song. Session lasts for hours.

Other famous “people” found within the pages of the book include Fred Flintstone, Barney, Cruella De Ville, Marty McFly, Jack Beanstalk and many others who you wouldn’t expect.

This is more of an adult book then a children’s book. My 10 and 13 year olds just didn’t “get” most of the stories. Whenever I read something that make me laugh out loud they would ask me what was so funny. When I tried to explain it to them they just stood there with blanks expressions on their faces. You could tell they were trying to process what I just said to them. Meanwhile my husband would start laughing too because he totally understood what I was saying. Most of the characters are only icons that adults would be familiar with.

Mr. Ed: Dead is 187 pages and would make a great summer time read. Be prepared for some strange looks from people wondering what you are laughing at. There is no way you can read this book from cover to cover and not find yourself laughing out loud.

Kudos to the authors for their brilliant imaginations and fantastic sense of humor.

For more information please visit www.TomsChecker.com.

Mr. Ed: Dead is available at most book retail locations including Amazon, B&N and Borders.

Kimberly

*I received a free sample copy of this book for review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

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Pop Weaver – A Heart Healthy Snack Option

July 29, 2010 By

 

Who doesn’t love popcorn? There is nothing better on a Saturday night then snuggling with your kids or your significant other with a great big bowl of popcorn and a good movie.

Popcorn is the ideal treat. It’s easy to prepare, inexpensive and low in fat and calories if you opt for popcorn with no salt or butter. Best of all you get A LOT of popcorn in a serving size, especially if you are someone like me who is watching what you eat in order to lose weight.

Popcorn is a great snack food to pack in school lunches. It stays fresh, it can be eaten at room temperature (no need to keep it warm or cold) and it doesn’t get crushed from the other lunchbox contents.

Popcorn can also get “jazzed up” with toppings such as garlic, herbs, chocolate and caramel. Mmm…good! It also goes great mixed with other snack treats such as pretzels and nuts.

Popcorn is an all-around ideal treat for everyone.

In my opinion one of the best microwave popcorn on the market is Pop Weaver. I have tried every brand on the market and have liked a few, however Pop Weaver is one of my personal favorites.

Pop Weaver popscorn is approved by the American Heart Association. That is a great fact to know especially with heart disease such a serious issue in our country. We all need to eat more “heart-friendly” foods and exercise more.

Pop Weaver’s regular buttered popcorn is only 100 calories for 5 cups of popped popcorn. Do you know how much five cups is? Go into your kitchen, grab a measuring cup and a big bowl. Then fill the bowl up with 5 cups of water. Now imagine that as popcorn. That is a lot of popcorn! And for only 100 calories that makes it the ideal snack for those watching their weight.

Each cup contains 1 gram of fat, however it’s not trans fat or saturated fat, which are considered the “bad” fats. Out of the 100 calories for 5 cups, 50 calories come from fat.  

The ingredients for the Pop Weaver varieties of microwave popcorns is simple: corn, canola oil, salt. That’s it! There is less then 2% of additional ingredients like natural and artificial flavors and citric acid to preserve freshness.

Speaking of freshness, Pop Weaver is one of my personal favorites because of it’s freshness. I have consumed microwave popcorn in the past that literally tasted like puffs of cardboard. Have you ever tasted stale popcorn before? I have actually had popcorn that tasted stale even though it was freshly popped and well before the expiration date. To me, Pop Weaver popcorn tastes fresh, just like the kind of popcorn you make yourself  the “old fashioned” way on the stove with kernels and oil.

I also enjoy Pop Weaver popcorn over other brands because I don’t like popcorn that is either too salty, too buttery or both. The Pop Weaver popcorn is a perfect balance between both salt and butter. It’s not overly salty or overly buttery (I don’t like greasy fingers when eating popcorn!).

Pop Weaver popcorn is made with Canola Oil. Canola Oil  provides a source for healthy fat (monounsaturated fat) that is essential for every diet.

I know that some people are against Canola Oil for various reasons. I am not a scientist or medical expert. I cannot do my own research and testing. I’m just an average person who relies on the experts to steer me in the right direction towards what is a healthier option for me and my family. The FDA approved a qualified health claim that Canola Oil has the potential to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Since the FDA has all the scientists and medical experts at their disposal then I would have to assume that they know what they are talking about, therefore I will follow their guidelines.

If you are looking for a snack option that fills you up, is low in fat and calories, approved by the Heart Association, is diet-friendly and best of all tastes great why not pop yourself a bowl of Pop Weaver popcorn.

To learn more about Pop Weaver popcorn visit www.PopWeaver.com.

Kimberly

*I received some product samples free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

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Check it out! I’m in a Press Release for Sabra

July 29, 2010 By

 

Wow talk about a great way to start your day. The press release announcing the judges for Sabra’s Taste Intervention contest was send out. Its pretty cool to see your name in a press release.

Here is the press release found on PR Web, http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/07/prweb4321714.htm

Autographs are always free (I’m kidding).

Remember there is still time to enter Sabra’s Taste Intervention contest. The grand prize is an amazing trip to Turkey that will truly make your taste buds come alive. The second place prize is not too shabby either. You could win a meal cooked by a gourmet chef in your home for your family and friends. As much as I’d love to win a trip to Turkey I think the second place prize is wonderful too. It would be fun to share a fancy, gourmet meal with family and friends.

I am also having a Sabra giveaway here on my site. You can find the giveaway on the right side bar under “Win It”, or you can click on this link, http://www.shescribes.com/2010/07/exciting-news.html.

For more information on the Taste Intervention contest or Sabra products please visit www.Sabra.com.

Hurry! Both contests end on August 1, 2010.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this information for the benefit of my readers, as well as to share my excitement.

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Just Jen Birthday Tee Giveaway

July 29, 2010 By

 

Do you have a very special birthday coming up? Perhaps you are turning 30, 40 or 50? Or do you have a daughter about to celebrate her sweet 16 or an infant fast approaching their first birthday? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you might want to consider one of the fun birthday shirts from Just Jen. Just Jen also offers custom bridal shirts, holiday shirts, maternity shirts and more!

I remember when my children were little and celebrating their first birthdays (seems like only yesterday). I went all out with the “First Birthday” outfit, bib, hat – you name it! I think it’s innate in parents to want to let everyone know that their child is celebrating a very special birthday.

Fast forward to your child’s Sweet 16 birthday. Most teen girls want the entire universe to know about their special day in any way possible. My daughter has been planning her Sweet 16 since she was 6! Ha Ha.

Perhaps you are someone like me who realize that age is just a number and nothing to shy away from. Are you proud of the fact that you are turning 30 or 40? Maybe you are one hot mama at 50 and want to let the world know that it’s your 5oth birthday. A great way to do that is with one of the many birthday shirts offered by Just Jen. 

Just Jen offers a variety of birthday designs for your special occasion. From a child’s first birthday to your own you can have a birthday tee shirt created just for you by Just Jen in your choice of shirt style, shirt color, rhinestone color and personalization. You can even have your design put on a tank, hoodie or other apparel.

Just Jen let me create a special shirt for myself. Since it’s not my birthday I thought it would be fun to go with my Zodiac sign, Gemini.

Ordering is VERY easy. First you need to select your design. Then you get to chose from nearly a dozen different apparel styles. I chose the unisex t-shirt that is unfitted. I don’t like my tops too tight.

My next choice was to pick out the size I wanted. The Just Jen shirts range in adult sizes from small to 3X. I chose 3X because I like it very loose.

You also get your choice of shirt colors such as pink, white, black, lavender, baby blue, red and more. I opted for black. I thought the rhinestones would really shimmer and “pop” on a black background (plus black is “slimming”).  

Next was the hard part. I had to choose the color of the rhinestones to use on my design. There are nearly 2 dozen color options so it was hard for me to pick. I ended up going with a dark green/Emerald color since that is my birthstone.

 

That’s all there was to it. I didn’t have to jump through hoops to place the order. It was as easy as 1-2-3.

My shirt arrived very quickly. The first thing I noticed was how very soft it felt. It was very snuggly and it fit like a dream. It’s by far one of the most comfortable tops I own.

I LOVE how sparkly the dark green/Emerald crystals look, especially when the light hits them “just right”.

I tried very hard to get a good shot of the design. The flash kept interfering with the design and making the colors look washed out (including the shirt). In person the shirt is jet black in color and the rhinestones are a beautiful dark green/Emerald color.

I’m sorry. I wanted to have my picture taken actually wearing the shirt but I chickened out. I’m a bit camera shy (to say the least!).

I’ve worn the shirt out a few times and I have received a couple of compliments. I think it’s because the rhinestones really catch people’s attention and it draws their eyes to your shirt. So far I have heard “I like your shirt” and “I love the design” from total strangers. My 13 year old daughter loves it. Since she’s a Gemini too she wants to wear is however she’s a size small and my tee shirt is a 3X so that won’t work. So it has teen appeal too.

I’m giving my Just Jen birthday shirt two thumbs up for it’s comfort, the beautiful rhinestone designs, ease of ordering and fast shipping.

To learn more about Just Jen customized rhinestone birthday shirts and more visit www.JustJen.com.

Just Jen would like to award a lucky winner a birthday shirt of their own. It can be for you or a gift for someone special in your life. Thanks Just Jen!

To enter please visit the Just Jen birthday shirt section, http://www.justjen.com/shop/birthday-tshirts.htm, then come back here and comment on what birthday shirt you would order (design, style, color, rhinestone color). Don’t worry. If you are the winner you can change your mind.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have  done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe and/or Follow (Google Friend) She Scribes. Both options are found on the right side bar. I ♥ my subscribers & followers!

- “Like” Just Jen on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/JustJenShop.

- Follow Just Jen on Twitter, http://twitter.com/JustJenShop.

- Follow She Scribes (@She_Scribes) and tweet about this review/giveaway. Please include me in the tweet too so I may see it. This is limited to three spaced apart tweets per day.

- Use any of the social networking buttons found below to promote this review/giveaway. Please let me know what you did and if possible provide a URL and/or name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on August 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using  a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name, address (no PO Box) and t-shirt choice or a new winner will be chosen.

Please show the ♥ and consider “liking” She Scribes on Facebook (found on the right side bar).

Other great giveaways are found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I received a free sample shirt in order to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

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