I’m with you, buddy...
(This was courtesy of my friend, Joy)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Hometown Memories: The Discovery Of Bad Hair Days
The first year of high school is a transitional period. You’re trying to look all-grown up while still sporting layers of childhood skin. And although you’re not really a child anymore, you’re not quite an adolescent either. You are in between two worlds, the black hole of an upcoming metamorphosis. You enter high school with bad haircuts and unfashionable clothing because you don’t care about those things as a kid. But you do care as a teenager. Or rather, you care because other people care. In any case, it takes time to learn the high school rules of engagement, especially when you’re at the starting line. By the time you head towards the end of your first year in your new school – and stage in your life – you learn, sometimes the hard way. And if you’re not able to learn on your own, believe me, someone will teach you. The hard way.
My first big step into trying to look more grownup was changing my hairstyle. In elementary school I had very long, lifeless hair with absolutely no style to it. Regardless, I didn’t think that there was anything wrong with it. And the kids I played with didn’t seem to think so either. In fact, none of my peers cared about my hair or their hair or anyone else’s hair for that matter. It wasn’t something we thought about or worried about or talked about. Ever. So, I was oblivious to the term: ‘bad hair day’.
Until a heartless grownup burst my blissfully ignorant bubble.
Well.
A good friend of my mother’s decided to take it upon herself to let me know, quite crudely, in fact (or so it seemed at the time), just how “flat and unattractive” my long, lifeless hair was. She went on and on about how I should start putting some thought and effort into my physical appearance now that I was heading towards being a young lady, and that I should take pride in how I looked.
Hmpf.
For a few days after that, I was furious. How dare she be so frank about my hair? What did she know about such things? What business was it of hers if my hair was long and lifeless? Maybe I liked it that way. A few more days passed and I went from being angry to being slightly curious. I decided to stand in front of the mirror and see if there was any truth in what she had said. I still believed that my hair was perfect just the way it was, but perhaps I could make some slight modifications to make it look a little more stylish. Maybe all it needed was to be brushed a different way or to be parted on the other side or to be worn in a ponytail. Why I could even pin it up now and then and make it look very chic. Yes, I would find a way to add some life to my hair without cutting any of it off.
But.
The longer I stood in front of the mirror, the more I realized just how terrible my hair really looked. It did not only look lifeless and boring; it looked, well, childish. It looked like the type of hair an elementary school girl sports. And worse than that, it looked like it had been cut by my mother, which wasn’t all that far from the truth. When I was a little girl, my mom used to cut my hair quite often. And when she didn’t cut my hair, she would take me to a friend of a friend, or a friend of a neighbour, or a cousin of a friend, or anyone she knew directly or indirectly that cut hair in her home at very affordable prices. Because, you know, taking a young child to a fancy, typically expensive beauty salon or hair salon or beauty parlour - or whatever they called these places back then – was unthinkable.
So.
Just a few weeks before I was due to go to school with the ‘big’ kids who were undoubtedly worldly and fashionable, not to mention that they probably had much better haircuts, I discovered ‘bad hair days’. Oh, the horror! I swallowed my pride – although I made it sound like I’d decided this myself without any prompting – and informed my mother that I wanted to cut my hair. Not short. No erratic change. Just a little shorter with perhaps the addition of some layers to give it some extra body. And no, she could not cut it. And no, I did not want to go to a friend of a friend, or a friend of a neighbour, or a cousin of a friend, or anyone she knew directly or indirectly that cut hair in her home at very affordable prices. I wanted to go to a hair stylist that works in a hair salon. And, thank heaven above, she said “okay”.
And so my first visit to a hair salon came to pass...
Now, I don’t know what it is with hair stylists, but they get a little nutty when they’re about to cut very long hair. Their eyes sparkle, their hands shake and their voices quiver: “How much do you want to cut? Only an inch? Are you sure? That’s not very much. Sigh.” They stand behind you, waving scissors excitedly into the air with one hand while the other strokes, pulls and fluffs your hair. You tell them not to cut more than an inch or two, and they nod their heads and smile. You sit there all trusting, feeling secure that they will do as you ask.
And then – for god knows what reason – they go off the deep end and butcher your hair. You have no idea at first that you hair is being butchered because hair stylists always start in the back where you can’t see what they’re up to. Sure you feel your hair being tugged roughly and you hear the frenzied snapping of scissors and you notice how wild-eyed the stylist is and you feel a knot in your stomach. But you did state clearly that you only wanted an inch or two to be cut, and the stylist did nod in understanding, so you feel confident that your wishes are being carried out. There’s no reason to suspect otherwise.
You fool.
By the time you realize what’s really going on with this lunatic, it’s too late; most of the length in the back has been chopped off, and to stop it now would mean leaving with a very uneven and erratic haircut; your hair will look like it got caught in a lawnmower. So you sit there feeling like you’re going to throw up while the stylist chops off a few inches from the sides and front of your hair so it can match the back, and you simply answer ‘fine’ to every question that you’re being asked, no matter what the question may be.
“Do you live nearby?”
“Fine.”
“What school do you go to?”
“Fine.”
“What TV shows do you watch?”
“Fine.”
“Would you like to dye your hair green?”
“Fine.”
Because you’re no longer listening; you’re too busy imagining yourself jumping out of the chair and strangling the hair stylist with the cord of the blow dryer as you scream: “I told you to cut only one or two inches! What don’t you understand about only one or two inches?”
But you don’t kill the hair stylist. The hair stylist finishes the hair massacre and you pay your bill and even leave a tip and you say “fine” when she asks you if you like your hair. And then it’s time to leave but you don’t want to. Because that would mean having to go outside, and when you go outside, the whole world will see your haircut. The ugliest haircut. Ever. Everyone you come into contact with will focus on you and your ugly haircut. There will be finger-pointing and whispering and sneers and snickers and scoffs. And...YOU. WILL. DIE. OF. HUMILIATION.
Well, I clearly didn’t die of humiliation since I’m here today, but I did develop a fear towards hair stylists after that initial experience, an experience that is twice as traumatic when you’re a teenager (a bad haircut can signify the end of the world to an adolescent). And that fear was so intense that I didn’t step foot into a hair salon for another three to four years (my friends and I did our own hair throughout high school). And when I finally did take a chance and visit a salon, I had the same experience all over again. Sigh. Must be me.
Have you had any bad experiences with your hair?
My first big step into trying to look more grownup was changing my hairstyle. In elementary school I had very long, lifeless hair with absolutely no style to it. Regardless, I didn’t think that there was anything wrong with it. And the kids I played with didn’t seem to think so either. In fact, none of my peers cared about my hair or their hair or anyone else’s hair for that matter. It wasn’t something we thought about or worried about or talked about. Ever. So, I was oblivious to the term: ‘bad hair day’.
Until a heartless grownup burst my blissfully ignorant bubble.
Well.
A good friend of my mother’s decided to take it upon herself to let me know, quite crudely, in fact (or so it seemed at the time), just how “flat and unattractive” my long, lifeless hair was. She went on and on about how I should start putting some thought and effort into my physical appearance now that I was heading towards being a young lady, and that I should take pride in how I looked.
Hmpf.
For a few days after that, I was furious. How dare she be so frank about my hair? What did she know about such things? What business was it of hers if my hair was long and lifeless? Maybe I liked it that way. A few more days passed and I went from being angry to being slightly curious. I decided to stand in front of the mirror and see if there was any truth in what she had said. I still believed that my hair was perfect just the way it was, but perhaps I could make some slight modifications to make it look a little more stylish. Maybe all it needed was to be brushed a different way or to be parted on the other side or to be worn in a ponytail. Why I could even pin it up now and then and make it look very chic. Yes, I would find a way to add some life to my hair without cutting any of it off.
But.
The longer I stood in front of the mirror, the more I realized just how terrible my hair really looked. It did not only look lifeless and boring; it looked, well, childish. It looked like the type of hair an elementary school girl sports. And worse than that, it looked like it had been cut by my mother, which wasn’t all that far from the truth. When I was a little girl, my mom used to cut my hair quite often. And when she didn’t cut my hair, she would take me to a friend of a friend, or a friend of a neighbour, or a cousin of a friend, or anyone she knew directly or indirectly that cut hair in her home at very affordable prices. Because, you know, taking a young child to a fancy, typically expensive beauty salon or hair salon or beauty parlour - or whatever they called these places back then – was unthinkable.
So.
Just a few weeks before I was due to go to school with the ‘big’ kids who were undoubtedly worldly and fashionable, not to mention that they probably had much better haircuts, I discovered ‘bad hair days’. Oh, the horror! I swallowed my pride – although I made it sound like I’d decided this myself without any prompting – and informed my mother that I wanted to cut my hair. Not short. No erratic change. Just a little shorter with perhaps the addition of some layers to give it some extra body. And no, she could not cut it. And no, I did not want to go to a friend of a friend, or a friend of a neighbour, or a cousin of a friend, or anyone she knew directly or indirectly that cut hair in her home at very affordable prices. I wanted to go to a hair stylist that works in a hair salon. And, thank heaven above, she said “okay”.
And so my first visit to a hair salon came to pass...
Now, I don’t know what it is with hair stylists, but they get a little nutty when they’re about to cut very long hair. Their eyes sparkle, their hands shake and their voices quiver: “How much do you want to cut? Only an inch? Are you sure? That’s not very much. Sigh.” They stand behind you, waving scissors excitedly into the air with one hand while the other strokes, pulls and fluffs your hair. You tell them not to cut more than an inch or two, and they nod their heads and smile. You sit there all trusting, feeling secure that they will do as you ask.
And then – for god knows what reason – they go off the deep end and butcher your hair. You have no idea at first that you hair is being butchered because hair stylists always start in the back where you can’t see what they’re up to. Sure you feel your hair being tugged roughly and you hear the frenzied snapping of scissors and you notice how wild-eyed the stylist is and you feel a knot in your stomach. But you did state clearly that you only wanted an inch or two to be cut, and the stylist did nod in understanding, so you feel confident that your wishes are being carried out. There’s no reason to suspect otherwise.
You fool.
By the time you realize what’s really going on with this lunatic, it’s too late; most of the length in the back has been chopped off, and to stop it now would mean leaving with a very uneven and erratic haircut; your hair will look like it got caught in a lawnmower. So you sit there feeling like you’re going to throw up while the stylist chops off a few inches from the sides and front of your hair so it can match the back, and you simply answer ‘fine’ to every question that you’re being asked, no matter what the question may be.
“Do you live nearby?”
“Fine.”
“What school do you go to?”
“Fine.”
“What TV shows do you watch?”
“Fine.”
“Would you like to dye your hair green?”
“Fine.”
Because you’re no longer listening; you’re too busy imagining yourself jumping out of the chair and strangling the hair stylist with the cord of the blow dryer as you scream: “I told you to cut only one or two inches! What don’t you understand about only one or two inches?”
But you don’t kill the hair stylist. The hair stylist finishes the hair massacre and you pay your bill and even leave a tip and you say “fine” when she asks you if you like your hair. And then it’s time to leave but you don’t want to. Because that would mean having to go outside, and when you go outside, the whole world will see your haircut. The ugliest haircut. Ever. Everyone you come into contact with will focus on you and your ugly haircut. There will be finger-pointing and whispering and sneers and snickers and scoffs. And...YOU. WILL. DIE. OF. HUMILIATION.
Well, I clearly didn’t die of humiliation since I’m here today, but I did develop a fear towards hair stylists after that initial experience, an experience that is twice as traumatic when you’re a teenager (a bad haircut can signify the end of the world to an adolescent). And that fear was so intense that I didn’t step foot into a hair salon for another three to four years (my friends and I did our own hair throughout high school). And when I finally did take a chance and visit a salon, I had the same experience all over again. Sigh. Must be me.
Have you had any bad experiences with your hair?
Sunday, February 27, 2011
An Acrobatic Squirrel
As pesky as it can be, you gotta love a squirrel’s acrobatic antics and its tenacity. When it comes to food, the squirrel’s motto is: “Whatever it takes”
 |
| "Yum...yum..." |
 |
| Nacho and Mocha watching in amusement. |
 |
| Looking right at the camera. |
 |
| Even suet is fair game. |
 |
| No matter what, I think they are such cute critters. |
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday Silliness
Today’s silliness is all about motivational posters... [giggle, snort] Or rather, 'demotivational'.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Chlorophytum Comosum
During the 1970s, concern about the environment increased, and growing indoor plants achieved phenomenal popularity. Everyone was buying houseplants and creating their own green spaces. Homes were decorated with a variety of plants, college students filled their dorm rooms and apartments with greenery, and parents even bought plants for their kids to take to school with them. Though the trend was mainly focused on foliage plants such as swedish ivy, spider plants and ferns, even philodendrons, jade plants, peperomias, dracaenas, crotons, cacti, succulents and coleus made their way indoors in the 70s.
In addition, macramé hanging baskets were very popular during those psychedelic years, and the plant to hang in them was the most popular of all greenery in those days: Chlorophytum comosum. It was known as the spider plant or, with some people, the ‘airplane plant’ (I’ve even seen it referred to as the ribbon plant but this is quite rare). And even though decades have passed since the flower power days, and trends have come and gone, this lovely plant is still hanging around in many homes – minus the macramé, of course. (Although I’ve seen some of these hanging baskets popping up in stores. Could they be making a comeback? God help us. What’s next? Avocado-coloured appliances?)
Anyway.
There is a wealth of information available for this plant; below is my own contribution on what type of care it needs to stay alive and thrive.
Growing A Retro Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum, perfect in a hanging basket, is one of the most commonly-grown and easily identifiable indoor plants. It’s available everywhere throughout the year, and its immense popularity is perfectly fitting for a plant that adapts to – and easily tolerates – a wide range of indoor conditions. Fast growing, with attractive arching leaves, a Chlorophytum is also cherished for its ability to produce plantlets continuously. You can fill up your entire house with spider plants just from the ‘baby’ spiders you will keep potting up from the ‘mommy’ plant.
Chlorophytum is a large genus that consists of over 200 species, and although the plants are native to Southern Africa, they are also found in Australia, Southern Asia and even South America. There are a few cultivars available, most of which are variegated, although there is a Chlorophytum comosum with dark green, satiny leaves. The variegated spider plants have green edges with white or yellow centers, or white edges with green centers.
A spider plant is relatively free of diseases and pest infestations, as long as it is kept healthy, which makes it that much more appealing. It is not beyond being attacked by any of the common pests such as mealybug, scale or spider mites, but it doesn’t seem to be highly susceptible to them when the cultural needs are met accordingly and the plant is in peak condition.
Spider plants with variegated leaves require bright light – indirect sunlight is ideal - to maintain their variegation. They will adapt to lower light but the distinct colors will be lost; the leaves will turn into a single shade of green. In dimmer areas, growth will slow down and the plant may stop producing plantlets. Therefore, if you want maximum growth and a frequent production of ‘babies’, place your plant near a very bright window. Some early morning or late afternoon sunshine is ideal, but protect against the strong rays of the midday sun, which can burn the foliage.
Dry air is tolerated very well, although it could cause brown leaf tips if prolonged. In all the years I’ve been growing these plants, I have never seen any of them complain about low humidity levels if it’s a temporary situation. But even so, higher humidity levels are always much more appreciated. Although the preference is a slightly cooler location, the Chlorophytum comosum will handle warmer room temperatures of 18-24° C (65-75° F) very well. Avoid cold drafts and frosty areas.
The root system of this plant is large and tuberous, which allows the Chlorophytum comosum to handle water inconsistencies better than most plants. The succulent roots also come in handy during droughts – the periods when you forget to water! Use a fast-draining soil to avoid over-watering and always allow it to dry slightly between watering sessions. During the spring and summer when the plant is growing rapidly, water thoroughly and keep the soil evenly moist at all times. Although a spider plant does not have a true dormancy period, it will slow down somewhat during the winter season, so allow the medium to dry out slightly more during that period. If you prefer to wait for signs of thirst before watering, the spider plant’s leaves will turn pale and droop when the plant is parched. Remember that it’s better to under-water than to over-water. But don’t wait too long to hydrate either! You can also switch to the hydroculture growing style. Convert a full grown plant or start a new one – by rooting it in water - from one of the plantlets. Either way is acceptable. Spider plants adapt quickly to the system, like they do with everything else, with very few negative reactions.
Brown leaf tips, which inevitably appear, are perhaps the only negative feature of this otherwise faultless plant. Besides dry air, sensitivity to fluoride or other chemicals in tap water can cause brown tips. Switch to distilled or bottled water, or alternate between the former two and tap water to see if the browning is reduced. An accumulation of salts from water and fertilizer also cause the browning of leaf tips. Leach the soil of your plants occasionally. To do this, water the soil repeatedly with large amounts of water to flush out excess salts. Try to do this at least 3 or 4 times per year. In addition, remove the brown tips with a pair of scissors to improve the appearance of the plant.
There isn’t really much else to growing this plant successfully. Even under the worst care, this robust plant will manage to hang around. It may end up looking unattractive, but it will cling to life, refusing to surrender to the big greenhouse in the sky. And because it’s so difficult to kill a spider plant, it’s a perfect choice for a beginner and a neglectful grower.
In addition, macramé hanging baskets were very popular during those psychedelic years, and the plant to hang in them was the most popular of all greenery in those days: Chlorophytum comosum. It was known as the spider plant or, with some people, the ‘airplane plant’ (I’ve even seen it referred to as the ribbon plant but this is quite rare). And even though decades have passed since the flower power days, and trends have come and gone, this lovely plant is still hanging around in many homes – minus the macramé, of course. (Although I’ve seen some of these hanging baskets popping up in stores. Could they be making a comeback? God help us. What’s next? Avocado-coloured appliances?)
Anyway.
There is a wealth of information available for this plant; below is my own contribution on what type of care it needs to stay alive and thrive.
Growing A Retro Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum, perfect in a hanging basket, is one of the most commonly-grown and easily identifiable indoor plants. It’s available everywhere throughout the year, and its immense popularity is perfectly fitting for a plant that adapts to – and easily tolerates – a wide range of indoor conditions. Fast growing, with attractive arching leaves, a Chlorophytum is also cherished for its ability to produce plantlets continuously. You can fill up your entire house with spider plants just from the ‘baby’ spiders you will keep potting up from the ‘mommy’ plant.
Chlorophytum is a large genus that consists of over 200 species, and although the plants are native to Southern Africa, they are also found in Australia, Southern Asia and even South America. There are a few cultivars available, most of which are variegated, although there is a Chlorophytum comosum with dark green, satiny leaves. The variegated spider plants have green edges with white or yellow centers, or white edges with green centers.
A spider plant is relatively free of diseases and pest infestations, as long as it is kept healthy, which makes it that much more appealing. It is not beyond being attacked by any of the common pests such as mealybug, scale or spider mites, but it doesn’t seem to be highly susceptible to them when the cultural needs are met accordingly and the plant is in peak condition.
Spider plants with variegated leaves require bright light – indirect sunlight is ideal - to maintain their variegation. They will adapt to lower light but the distinct colors will be lost; the leaves will turn into a single shade of green. In dimmer areas, growth will slow down and the plant may stop producing plantlets. Therefore, if you want maximum growth and a frequent production of ‘babies’, place your plant near a very bright window. Some early morning or late afternoon sunshine is ideal, but protect against the strong rays of the midday sun, which can burn the foliage.
Dry air is tolerated very well, although it could cause brown leaf tips if prolonged. In all the years I’ve been growing these plants, I have never seen any of them complain about low humidity levels if it’s a temporary situation. But even so, higher humidity levels are always much more appreciated. Although the preference is a slightly cooler location, the Chlorophytum comosum will handle warmer room temperatures of 18-24° C (65-75° F) very well. Avoid cold drafts and frosty areas.
The root system of this plant is large and tuberous, which allows the Chlorophytum comosum to handle water inconsistencies better than most plants. The succulent roots also come in handy during droughts – the periods when you forget to water! Use a fast-draining soil to avoid over-watering and always allow it to dry slightly between watering sessions. During the spring and summer when the plant is growing rapidly, water thoroughly and keep the soil evenly moist at all times. Although a spider plant does not have a true dormancy period, it will slow down somewhat during the winter season, so allow the medium to dry out slightly more during that period. If you prefer to wait for signs of thirst before watering, the spider plant’s leaves will turn pale and droop when the plant is parched. Remember that it’s better to under-water than to over-water. But don’t wait too long to hydrate either! You can also switch to the hydroculture growing style. Convert a full grown plant or start a new one – by rooting it in water - from one of the plantlets. Either way is acceptable. Spider plants adapt quickly to the system, like they do with everything else, with very few negative reactions.
Brown leaf tips, which inevitably appear, are perhaps the only negative feature of this otherwise faultless plant. Besides dry air, sensitivity to fluoride or other chemicals in tap water can cause brown tips. Switch to distilled or bottled water, or alternate between the former two and tap water to see if the browning is reduced. An accumulation of salts from water and fertilizer also cause the browning of leaf tips. Leach the soil of your plants occasionally. To do this, water the soil repeatedly with large amounts of water to flush out excess salts. Try to do this at least 3 or 4 times per year. In addition, remove the brown tips with a pair of scissors to improve the appearance of the plant.
There isn’t really much else to growing this plant successfully. Even under the worst care, this robust plant will manage to hang around. It may end up looking unattractive, but it will cling to life, refusing to surrender to the big greenhouse in the sky. And because it’s so difficult to kill a spider plant, it’s a perfect choice for a beginner and a neglectful grower.
Ferret Nail Clipping
Clipping your ferret’s nails is an important part of grooming. How often you carry this out varies from ferret to ferret; it all depends on how quickly their nails grow, although you should trim nails at least once a month, preferably every two to three weeks. But don’t put you pet’s nail grooming on a strict schedule; clip nails as needed. If your fuzzy’s nails are getting stuck on his bedding, or if they’re very sharp when you’re playing with him, cut them, even if you did just a week ago.
Why is this important? Well...
Nails that are too long can get caught on carpet or other fabrics and break, tear or rip off completely. Aside from the fact that this will be painful for your pet, it’s also an invitation to infection. In addition to injury, nails that are not trimmed regularly will start to curl and grow under. Ack... So clip your ferret’s nails regularly to keep them healthy and strong.
I’ve attached a video from YouTube showing how.
And that’s all there is to it.
[Blush] You’re right, Spaz. It’s shameful. You are way overdue for a trim. Now where are those nail clippers?
Why is this important? Well...
Nails that are too long can get caught on carpet or other fabrics and break, tear or rip off completely. Aside from the fact that this will be painful for your pet, it’s also an invitation to infection. In addition to injury, nails that are not trimmed regularly will start to curl and grow under. Ack... So clip your ferret’s nails regularly to keep them healthy and strong.
I’ve attached a video from YouTube showing how.
And that’s all there is to it.
[Blush] You’re right, Spaz. It’s shameful. You are way overdue for a trim. Now where are those nail clippers?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tune Time - You
I was a single mom working full time and taking care of my two young daughters, aged 4 and 9, when I discovered this song in the spring of 2002. I played it every day and sang along with it each and every time. In fact, I sang it so often that I had the lyrics down pat.
I believe that one of the reasons I adored it so much is that it was exactly how I’d feel if I ever crossed paths with that ‘perfect guy’; the type that would rock my quiet world and validate my unyielding (albeit it slightly weakened) belief that there truly is such a thing as soulmates.
Well.
One month later, my husband came along and not only rocked my world, but shook the entire universe. We met in May of 2002 and have been blissfully happy ever since. He truly is the “You” in this song...
Yes, Virginia, there really is such a thing as soulmates...
I believe that one of the reasons I adored it so much is that it was exactly how I’d feel if I ever crossed paths with that ‘perfect guy’; the type that would rock my quiet world and validate my unyielding (albeit it slightly weakened) belief that there truly is such a thing as soulmates.
Well.
One month later, my husband came along and not only rocked my world, but shook the entire universe. We met in May of 2002 and have been blissfully happy ever since. He truly is the “You” in this song...
Yes, Virginia, there really is such a thing as soulmates...
Today's Trivia - Fruits
This week’s useless but interesting information is about one of my favourite foods: fruit.
Let’s get right to it...
- Melons can grow to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) or more.
- There are three kinds of cherries — sweet, sour and dukes, which are a sweet-sour cross.
- Banana ash is used to make soap.
- A medium-sized orange contains the amount of vitamin C that a healthy adult should eat daily.
- Pears are the second most important temperate fruit after apples. The leading producer is China.
- “Batology” is the taxonomic study of blackberries. There are over 1,000 known species.
- There are over 200 different known species of raspberries but only 2 species are grown on a large scale.
- Citrus fruits grew in Asia 20 million years ago.
- Cranberries are in the same family as blueberries: Vaccinium.
- Strawberries were cultivated in ancient Rome.
- Peaches were once known as Persian apples.
- Citrus fruits were first mentioned in literature in 2400 B.C.
- Blueberries are related to azaleas, camellias, heathers, and rhododendrons.
- Cultivated apples all descend from wild crab apples that grow in Northern Europe, Asia, and America.
- Avocados are commonly used as vegetables. Botanically, they are fruits.
- Kiwis were once known as Chinese gooseberries.
- Grape-growing or viticulture is described in detail in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs of 2400 B.C.
- Pineapples contain an enzyme that is used in blood tests.
- There are more than 100 varieties of bananas. Some even have red skin.
- Orange trees first grew in China.
- The world’s most popular pear is the Williams’ Bon Chretien or Bartlett.
- The world picks about 32 million tonnes of apples a year.
- Most raspberries are red, but some varieties are white, yellow, or black.
- Peaches are sometimes referred to as “stone” fruit due to their pits.
- Cranberries grew in popularity in the 1960s with the promotion of cranberry juice and cranberry juice blends.
- Citrus fruits grow in warm Mediterranean climates, and they are very vulnerable to frost.
- Passion fruits were first grown in Brazil.
- Kiwi plants were first grown in China.
- Olive trees can live for more than 1,500 years.
- A peach is 87% water.
- Cranberries are mostly consumed during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- If you plant a single seed from an orange you will probably get more than one plant growing from it.
- Pear trees can grow to 60 feet (18 meters) and may be as old as 300 years.
- Strawberries are a member of the Rose family.
- Nectarines are just peaches without the fuzz.
- “You're a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to the friend you liked.
- Florida oranges may be greener than California oranges because the night temperatures in Florida are warmer, which causes more chlorophyll to migrate into the peel; they are still ripe and sweet, though.
- Strawberries have a museum dedicated to them in Belgium.
- The sharp tang of citrus fruits comes from citric acid.
- 1565 is the starting date of the first peach orchard in Florida.
- There is more fiber in an orange than in most other fruits and veggies.
- Some citrus fruit-growers warm the trees with special burners in winter to avoid frost-damage.
- In China the peach is a symbol of longevity and good luck.
- 4 A.D. saw the first writings on the cultivation of raspberries.
- Fruits of temperate regions must have a cool winter to grow properly.
- The main temperate fruits are apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches, grapes and cherries.
- Plums are dried to make prunes.
- Fibers in pineapple leaves are used to make rope and a cloth called pino.
- Grated lemon peel is called zest, and is sometimes used as flavoring in baking and in candies.
- Oranges were taken to Europe by Arab traders more than 1,000 years ago.
- New pear trees are grown not from seeds but by grafting branches on to roots such as those of quinces.
- Blackberry juice was used to dye cloth navy blue and indigo.
- In 45 A.D. the raspberry fruit was called “ida,” probably after the mountain it was found growing on.
- Blueberries have more antioxidants than most other fruits and vegetables.
- Strawberries were used as a medicinal herb in the 13th century.
- Peaches were mentioned as early as 79 A.D. in literature.
- Apple trees can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) high.
- British sailors were given lime juice to keep them from getting a disease called scurvy (malnutrition illness caused by a lack of certain vitamins). British sailors were often called "Limeys" because of this.
- The strawberry probably got its name originally from the Anglo-Saxon word streawberige, which means "spreading berry".
- Plums came originally from the Caucasus Mountains in Turkey and Turkey is still the world’s major plum grower. The damson plum came from Damascus.
- Apricots were first grown in China more than 4,000 years ago.
- Round cherry pits were used to play games such as marbles.
- Currant juice can be used to soothe sore throats and colds.
- The gooseberry is called the "mackerel currant" in French because gooseberry sauce is served with mackerel, a type of fish.
- Pear wood is hard and can be used to make furniture.
- Apples were eaten by the earliest Europeans hundreds of thousands of years ago. They were spread through the USA by Indians, trappers and travelers like Johnny ‘Appleseed’ Chapman.
- Raspberries used to be called hindberries.
- Brazil produces the largest amount of oranges and grapefruits in the world.
- Blueberries won't ripen once they are picked.
- Citrus fruits are richer in Vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.
- The estimated value of cranberries grown in the United States is several hundred million dollars.
- Strawberries are grown in every state in the U.S. and every province in Canada.
- The name pineapple was the original name for a pine cone (grows on pine trees). Because the fruit pineapple looked like a huge pine cone, it too was called a pine-apple.
- Figs were one of the fruit most often eaten by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
- Soft dates contain saccharine, which is sometimes used as a sugar substitute for diabetics.
- Strawberries were first cultivated back in the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Lemons were spread through Europe by the crusaders who found them growing in Palestine.
- Columbus took limes to the Americas in 1493.
- Peaches are native to China but are now widely grown in southern Europe. Their sweet, fragrant flesh makes them a popular delicacy.
- Black raspberries are indigenous to North America. The cross between a blackberry and a raspberry dates back to 1893 in Geneva, New York.
- The U.S. crop of apples is about 4,427,000 metric tons per year.
- Blueberries are native to North America.
- Citrus fruits are the most widely grown crops in the world.
- There are over 700 varieties of peaches. Some Chinese varieties are even flat like hockey pucks.
- Raspberry breeding made greater gains when American varieties were crossed with European varieties.
- In Florida there are approximately 10.3 million citrus trees on 853,000 acres of land.
Let’s get right to it...
- Melons can grow to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) or more.
- There are three kinds of cherries — sweet, sour and dukes, which are a sweet-sour cross.
- Banana ash is used to make soap.
- A medium-sized orange contains the amount of vitamin C that a healthy adult should eat daily.
- Pears are the second most important temperate fruit after apples. The leading producer is China.
- “Batology” is the taxonomic study of blackberries. There are over 1,000 known species.
- There are over 200 different known species of raspberries but only 2 species are grown on a large scale.
- Citrus fruits grew in Asia 20 million years ago.
- Cranberries are in the same family as blueberries: Vaccinium.
- Strawberries were cultivated in ancient Rome.
- Peaches were once known as Persian apples.
- Citrus fruits were first mentioned in literature in 2400 B.C.
- Blueberries are related to azaleas, camellias, heathers, and rhododendrons.
- Cultivated apples all descend from wild crab apples that grow in Northern Europe, Asia, and America.
- Avocados are commonly used as vegetables. Botanically, they are fruits.
- Kiwis were once known as Chinese gooseberries.
- Grape-growing or viticulture is described in detail in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs of 2400 B.C.
- Pineapples contain an enzyme that is used in blood tests.
- There are more than 100 varieties of bananas. Some even have red skin.
- Orange trees first grew in China.
- The world’s most popular pear is the Williams’ Bon Chretien or Bartlett.
- The world picks about 32 million tonnes of apples a year.
- Most raspberries are red, but some varieties are white, yellow, or black.
- Peaches are sometimes referred to as “stone” fruit due to their pits.
- Cranberries grew in popularity in the 1960s with the promotion of cranberry juice and cranberry juice blends.
- Citrus fruits grow in warm Mediterranean climates, and they are very vulnerable to frost.
- Passion fruits were first grown in Brazil.
- Kiwi plants were first grown in China.
- Olive trees can live for more than 1,500 years.
- A peach is 87% water.
- Cranberries are mostly consumed during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- If you plant a single seed from an orange you will probably get more than one plant growing from it.
- Pear trees can grow to 60 feet (18 meters) and may be as old as 300 years.
- Strawberries are a member of the Rose family.
- Nectarines are just peaches without the fuzz.
- “You're a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to the friend you liked.
- Florida oranges may be greener than California oranges because the night temperatures in Florida are warmer, which causes more chlorophyll to migrate into the peel; they are still ripe and sweet, though.
- Strawberries have a museum dedicated to them in Belgium.
- The sharp tang of citrus fruits comes from citric acid.
- 1565 is the starting date of the first peach orchard in Florida.
- There is more fiber in an orange than in most other fruits and veggies.
- Some citrus fruit-growers warm the trees with special burners in winter to avoid frost-damage.
- In China the peach is a symbol of longevity and good luck.
- 4 A.D. saw the first writings on the cultivation of raspberries.
- Fruits of temperate regions must have a cool winter to grow properly.
- The main temperate fruits are apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches, grapes and cherries.
- Plums are dried to make prunes.
- Fibers in pineapple leaves are used to make rope and a cloth called pino.
- Grated lemon peel is called zest, and is sometimes used as flavoring in baking and in candies.
- Oranges were taken to Europe by Arab traders more than 1,000 years ago.
- New pear trees are grown not from seeds but by grafting branches on to roots such as those of quinces.
- Blackberry juice was used to dye cloth navy blue and indigo.
- In 45 A.D. the raspberry fruit was called “ida,” probably after the mountain it was found growing on.
- Blueberries have more antioxidants than most other fruits and vegetables.
- Strawberries were used as a medicinal herb in the 13th century.
- Peaches were mentioned as early as 79 A.D. in literature.
- Apple trees can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) high.
- British sailors were given lime juice to keep them from getting a disease called scurvy (malnutrition illness caused by a lack of certain vitamins). British sailors were often called "Limeys" because of this.
- The strawberry probably got its name originally from the Anglo-Saxon word streawberige, which means "spreading berry".
- Plums came originally from the Caucasus Mountains in Turkey and Turkey is still the world’s major plum grower. The damson plum came from Damascus.
- Apricots were first grown in China more than 4,000 years ago.
- Round cherry pits were used to play games such as marbles.
- Currant juice can be used to soothe sore throats and colds.
- The gooseberry is called the "mackerel currant" in French because gooseberry sauce is served with mackerel, a type of fish.
- Pear wood is hard and can be used to make furniture.
- Apples were eaten by the earliest Europeans hundreds of thousands of years ago. They were spread through the USA by Indians, trappers and travelers like Johnny ‘Appleseed’ Chapman.
- Raspberries used to be called hindberries.
- Brazil produces the largest amount of oranges and grapefruits in the world.
- Blueberries won't ripen once they are picked.
- Citrus fruits are richer in Vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.
- The estimated value of cranberries grown in the United States is several hundred million dollars.
- Strawberries are grown in every state in the U.S. and every province in Canada.
- The name pineapple was the original name for a pine cone (grows on pine trees). Because the fruit pineapple looked like a huge pine cone, it too was called a pine-apple.
- Figs were one of the fruit most often eaten by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
- Soft dates contain saccharine, which is sometimes used as a sugar substitute for diabetics.
- Strawberries were first cultivated back in the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Lemons were spread through Europe by the crusaders who found them growing in Palestine.
- Columbus took limes to the Americas in 1493.
- Peaches are native to China but are now widely grown in southern Europe. Their sweet, fragrant flesh makes them a popular delicacy.
- Black raspberries are indigenous to North America. The cross between a blackberry and a raspberry dates back to 1893 in Geneva, New York.
- The U.S. crop of apples is about 4,427,000 metric tons per year.
- Blueberries are native to North America.
- Citrus fruits are the most widely grown crops in the world.
- There are over 700 varieties of peaches. Some Chinese varieties are even flat like hockey pucks.
- Raspberry breeding made greater gains when American varieties were crossed with European varieties.
- In Florida there are approximately 10.3 million citrus trees on 853,000 acres of land.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Lovely Tulips From Lowe’s
Recently, Lowe’s opened up a store in my city, which I’m just thrilled about. You can never have too many greenhouses close to home.
Anyhow.
The day before they opened their doors to the public, one of their employees went door to door in my neighbourhood, offering each household a pot of tulips as a gift. No need to tell you how delighted I was to receive a pot full of flowers ready to bloom on a cold winter day.
Lucky for the man that delivered the tulips that my husband answered the door; this allowed him to be in and out in seconds. Had it been me, I would have squealed with delight, thanked him a gazillion times and then proceeded to ask a gazillion questions about the store. And its greenhouse. And its bird feeders. And the bird seed. And, and, and... Well, you get the idea.
The photos below were taken over a period of a week or so, and they show the flowers opening up.
Aren't they just stunning?
Thank you, Lowe’s. If you ever feel the need to do this again, some bromeliads would be lovely. Just saying.
Anyhow.
The day before they opened their doors to the public, one of their employees went door to door in my neighbourhood, offering each household a pot of tulips as a gift. No need to tell you how delighted I was to receive a pot full of flowers ready to bloom on a cold winter day.
Lucky for the man that delivered the tulips that my husband answered the door; this allowed him to be in and out in seconds. Had it been me, I would have squealed with delight, thanked him a gazillion times and then proceeded to ask a gazillion questions about the store. And its greenhouse. And its bird feeders. And the bird seed. And, and, and... Well, you get the idea.
The photos below were taken over a period of a week or so, and they show the flowers opening up.
Aren't they just stunning?
Thank you, Lowe’s. If you ever feel the need to do this again, some bromeliads would be lovely. Just saying.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
I wrote about these cookies a long time ago, but since they are so (OHMYGOD) unbelievably delicious, I just had to introduce the recipe for them once again. Just in case any of you have missed it.
WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (250 mL) golden shortening (I use butter)
- 1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) vanilla
- 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
- 1 package (225 g) CHIPITS® White Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts or almonds
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In large bowl, beat shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until creamy.
3. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture.
4. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.
5. Drop from spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute. Remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Eat. With. Caution.
WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (250 mL) golden shortening (I use butter)
- 1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) vanilla
- 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
- 1 package (225 g) CHIPITS® White Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts or almonds
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In large bowl, beat shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until creamy.
3. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture.
4. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.
5. Drop from spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute. Remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Eat. With. Caution.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Remembering The 70s
I spent my childhood years (also known as the middle years, ages 6 - 12) and my early teens in the 1970s. It was the psychedelic, flower power, free love era that consisted of interesting things such as mood rings, lava lamps, disco balls, skateboards, strobe lights, 8-track tapes, CB radios, avocado green appliances, smiley faces, sea monkeys and pinball machines.
Fashion in the 70s was, for lack of a better word, wacky. Platform shoes, clogs, moon boots, bell bottoms, tank tops, big hair, feathered hair, crimped hair, hippie hair, mini skirts, iron-ons, striped tube socks, tube tops, hot pants, tattoos, tie-dye shirts, tie-dye pants, hip huggers, satin jackets, wallabees and jogging suits were just a few of the wacky styles. And who could forget the popular, highly-flammable polyester leisure suits with their flamboyant colours, winged collars and wide pockets on the legs of the pants?
Board games that we played included classic games, most of which are still around: Battleship, Checkers, Clue, Life, Monopoly, Operation, Parcheesi, Payday, Pick Up Sticks, Risk, Scrabble, Sorry and Trouble. Every little girl wanted an Easy-Bake Oven and a Barbie, and many young boys had a G.I Joe. BB guns were common, every kid had marbles, Rock’em Sock’em Robots were immensely popular, toy boxes contained a Barrel of Monkeys and Mr. Potato Head, and trading and collecting hockey and baseball cards was a favourite pastime. Furthermore, which youngster’s wish list didn’t include a Rubik’s Cube, a Lite-Brite, a slingshot, a slinky, a Spirograph or an Etch-a-Sketch? And who didn’t learn to ‘walk the dog’, go ‘around the world’ or ‘loop the loop’ with their yo-yo?
If you were a young girl, you dreamed of kissing a boy for the first time at a roller-skating rink, read Tiger Beat magazine while sitting on your bean bag chair and had crushes on teen idols like Leif Garrett, Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy, David Cassidy and Rick Springfield. You or your parents owned a pet rock, at least one room in your house had a shaggy carpet, there were designated smoking areas in your high school for students, girls passed Avon catalogues around the classroom and peace signs were drawn on notebooks.
There were many different music styles to suit many different tastes. Heavy metal was available for the rock music lovers, disco (popularized by John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever) ruled the dance floors in discotheques and punk rock became the rage in the late 70s for people who wanted nothing to do with either of the former.
From the outrageous eccentric to the stylish conservative, it was an ‘anything goes’ decade. And although there are many aspects of it that were stylish and interesting, it’s mostly an era that makes you ask:
“What the hell were they thinking?”
But no matter what any of us were thinking in that decade, one thing’s for sure: those years were some of the best years of my life. And if I could go back and do it all over again, you bet your avocado-coloured appliances that I would.
Now, let’s go back in time with a compilation of 70’s music.
A little extra trivia for the information junkies:
What are some of the shows we watched in the 70s?
MOVIES
TV SHOWS - SITCOMS
TV SHOWS - DRAMAS/LAW ENFORCEMENT/MEDICAL/OTHERS
GAME SHOWS
Fashion in the 70s was, for lack of a better word, wacky. Platform shoes, clogs, moon boots, bell bottoms, tank tops, big hair, feathered hair, crimped hair, hippie hair, mini skirts, iron-ons, striped tube socks, tube tops, hot pants, tattoos, tie-dye shirts, tie-dye pants, hip huggers, satin jackets, wallabees and jogging suits were just a few of the wacky styles. And who could forget the popular, highly-flammable polyester leisure suits with their flamboyant colours, winged collars and wide pockets on the legs of the pants?
Board games that we played included classic games, most of which are still around: Battleship, Checkers, Clue, Life, Monopoly, Operation, Parcheesi, Payday, Pick Up Sticks, Risk, Scrabble, Sorry and Trouble. Every little girl wanted an Easy-Bake Oven and a Barbie, and many young boys had a G.I Joe. BB guns were common, every kid had marbles, Rock’em Sock’em Robots were immensely popular, toy boxes contained a Barrel of Monkeys and Mr. Potato Head, and trading and collecting hockey and baseball cards was a favourite pastime. Furthermore, which youngster’s wish list didn’t include a Rubik’s Cube, a Lite-Brite, a slingshot, a slinky, a Spirograph or an Etch-a-Sketch? And who didn’t learn to ‘walk the dog’, go ‘around the world’ or ‘loop the loop’ with their yo-yo?
If you were a young girl, you dreamed of kissing a boy for the first time at a roller-skating rink, read Tiger Beat magazine while sitting on your bean bag chair and had crushes on teen idols like Leif Garrett, Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy, David Cassidy and Rick Springfield. You or your parents owned a pet rock, at least one room in your house had a shaggy carpet, there were designated smoking areas in your high school for students, girls passed Avon catalogues around the classroom and peace signs were drawn on notebooks.
There were many different music styles to suit many different tastes. Heavy metal was available for the rock music lovers, disco (popularized by John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever) ruled the dance floors in discotheques and punk rock became the rage in the late 70s for people who wanted nothing to do with either of the former.
From the outrageous eccentric to the stylish conservative, it was an ‘anything goes’ decade. And although there are many aspects of it that were stylish and interesting, it’s mostly an era that makes you ask:
“What the hell were they thinking?”
But no matter what any of us were thinking in that decade, one thing’s for sure: those years were some of the best years of my life. And if I could go back and do it all over again, you bet your avocado-coloured appliances that I would.
Now, let’s go back in time with a compilation of 70’s music.
A little extra trivia for the information junkies:
What are some of the shows we watched in the 70s?
MOVIES
| Alien | American Graffiti |
| Animal House | Carrie |
| Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Dawn of the Dead |
| Deliverance | Dirty Harry |
| Grease | Halloween |
| Jaws | Kramer vs. Kramer |
| Love Story | Mad Max |
| MASH | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest |
| Papillon | Rocky |
| Rocky II | Saturday Night Fever |
| Star Trek: The Motion Picture | Star Wars |
| Superman | The Deer Hunter |
| The Exorcist | The Godfather |
| The Godfather Part II | The Omega Man |
| The Omen | The Poseidon Adventure |
| The Rocky Horror Picture Show |
TV SHOWS - SITCOMS
| All in the Family | One Day at a Time |
| Barney Miller | Rhoda |
| Benson | Sanford & Son |
| Chico and the Man | Soap |
| Diff'rent Strokes | Taxi |
| Eight Is Enough | The Bob Newhart Show |
| Facts of Life | The Brady Bunch |
| Good Times | The Jeffersons |
| Happy Days | The Odd Couple |
| Laverne & Shirley | The Partridge Family |
| M*A*S*H | Three's Company |
| Mary Tyler Moore Show | Welcome Back Kotter |
| Maude | WKRP In Cincinnati |
| Mork & Mindy |
TV SHOWS - DRAMAS/LAW ENFORCEMENT/MEDICAL/OTHERS
| ABC After School Specials | Night Gallery |
| Adam-12 | Quincy M.E. |
| Emergency! | Rockford Files |
| B.J. and the Bear | Sonny & Cher |
| Baretta | Starsky & Hutch |
| Charlie's Angels | The Benny Hill Show |
| CHiPs | The Bionic Woman |
| Columbo | The Carol Burnett Show |
| Dallas | The Dukes of Hazzard |
| Donny & Marie | The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries |
| Fantasy Island | The Incredible Hulk |
| Hart to Hart | The Love Boat |
| Ironside | The Rookies |
| Knots Landing | The Six Million Dollar Man |
| Kojak | The Streets Of San Francisco |
| Kung Fu | The Waltons |
| Little House on the Prairie | The White Shadow |
| Marcus Welby M.D. | Wonder Woman |
GAME SHOWS
| Family Feud | The Dating Game |
| Hollywood Squares | The Gong Show |
| Let's Make A Deal | The Joker's Wild |
| Match Game | The Newlywed Game |
| Password | The Price Is Right |
| The $20,000 Pyramid |
Sunday, February 20, 2011
A Flowery Birthday Surprise
I celebrated a birthday not too long ago and my husband sent me this lovely flower display.
The flowers are so spring-ish.
Isn’t this just a lovely combination?
You gotta love a man that will brighten up a cold, snowy winter day with such beautiful flowers.
The flowers are so spring-ish.
Isn’t this just a lovely combination?
You gotta love a man that will brighten up a cold, snowy winter day with such beautiful flowers.
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