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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Time to Limb up for Spring! Proper Tree Pruning by M J Lechner
Early spring, before bud burst, is the perfect time to assess any small trees on your property. A couple of things to think about as you walk around your yard:
Are your pruners in shape? If not, its time to either invest in a good set of by-pass pruners or head to your nearest gardening center to have them sharpened. By pass pruners give you the clean cut you need when pruning.
Do you spot any co-dominate trunks? Now is the time to choose your leader and either remove or shorten the other branches vying for the top spot. As hard as it is to pick, it will save you a lot of heartache in the future- especially when we have heavy wet spring storms! Most limb failure in Colorado comes from unattended co-dominant branches….
Are your small trees becoming exceedingly ‘decurrant’ or bushy? We all want lovely rounded trees, but not too soon. Delay the development of a decurrant form by maintaining the leader and selecting a few strong permanent branches higher up in the tree.
Are your branches ‘in the zone’? For small trees, such as a Chanticlear Pear, you will want your canopy to be at least 5 feet up. You can elevate the canopy by gradually removing the lower branches.
How’s your ratio? A good rule of thumb for any tree is to attempt to maintain a 60/40 ratio of crown to trunk. That means the trunk should be a bout 40% of the total height with the crown comprising 60%.
Take advantage of this gorgeous weather to give your small trees ‘the once over’. They will thank you by living longer, healthier lives in your gardens.
Review of The Salvage Studio
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXxjvcwqFHAPZFWfWOTywWDYUxwDrzmSXsKxK-9bDuVJKJqXUDvDZNoD4871l6ppCay2oHdLhmazPujDHAq_uZO6DUxLb5OaIHCoAhuAPc5qbSLJLZi2-SzUBVg-dYbPkpS4OvoC2a-0/s400/salvage+studio.jpg)
The Salvage Studio: Sustainable Home Comforts to Organize, Entertain, and Inspire is the perfect book to get you in the mood for Spring cleaning, creative organization and inspiration, and some very inspired eco-craftiness.
This book even made me head out to the local antique mall and resale shops to see if I could find some amazing stuff to get my creativity flowing. Unfortunately my trip was a bust but the book is still a must.
The Salvage Studio: Sustainable Home Comforts to Organize, Entertain, and Inspire has me wishing it was summer now so I could hit yard sales and flea markets with abandon.
Click here to continue reading.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBpLpmQhFBDiZEkSjb-DIg8cq0w1sap2QINFriRyIw4RyP6l_oc1nzN2YU09_jGayivqltqff0FjR6qHzS5VqeCx2U95CdL8dTpNce-_SLEYmB3jfRn4KFRUbSBjCNFmxDa8qyi0q9A0/s400/ShabbyBlogsDivider+owl.jpg)
THE 90'S HITS : REMINISCING MY COLLEGE YEARS, THE BEST YEARS IN MY LIFE
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Dilly Giggles for Girls
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz-Lx3n9npxap8Eg3Gfb8shzuyGy4_Oz29ChS5ISDBlpzMbZpXj7WsSPQi4-kGDX1GJButR8C04SE33E0nmCzr3w1u7gvRq_25Z4SFjTX5oC_olWSmNpuVO9BAAt7JbqGwabxJnZbNkw/s400/Dilly+Giggles+fourflavorset.jpg)
Dilly Giggles is an inspired creation by a mom who wanted to give her daughter a safe alternative to the chemical-laden lip balms commonly found at local stores. It all started as a mother-daughter kitchen experiment that worked so well it grew into Dilly Giggles Organic Lip Balms for girls.
The fun and whimsical lip balms designs are catered to appeal to young girls. They come in four flavors: Magical Mint, Fairy Cherry, Sassy Citrus, and Cocoa Kisses featuring cute little critters on the labels- a mermaid, a fairy, a unicorn and a cat.
Click here to keep reading.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBpLpmQhFBDiZEkSjb-DIg8cq0w1sap2QINFriRyIw4RyP6l_oc1nzN2YU09_jGayivqltqff0FjR6qHzS5VqeCx2U95CdL8dTpNce-_SLEYmB3jfRn4KFRUbSBjCNFmxDa8qyi0q9A0/s400/ShabbyBlogsDivider+owl.jpg)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Stevie Nicks
Just for the record, Stevie Nicks is the ONLY person who should EVER sing that song.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPclEB9Xftoeeo_0l0DsJdRKWuVQEa3L780ucSDuWIXLCetxMCxe9iLAhNrXIvacC9YUN7rNuOU4eOe3oIT2MjIo-smcCf2HBoQeiTG29HrWzwfxE4GE1nfaycJBepCMMMGXkVfJzxuQ/s400/A+Stevie+%233.jpg)
Stevie Nicks made this song famous before Ms. Lohan was born. I am sure she has many talents but I would suggest she leave this song to the professionals. There is only one and will only be one Stevie Nicks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y2g2YKfcpQY4h8WjWGk1ZgbLNop4kz-ONsiRvvGr2rMG-a2GJLkp1OnXmFGK1WF-QUhSiMEoHKnmeyR2Ecj6Ts0pLRqCefazCcfDElVgje9wl1RyDA6XDeoC4-AwASoquoPCjyKLqls/s400/A+Stevie+%235.jpg)
Stevie Nicks has one of the most distinctive voices in rock and roll. She is truly one of a kind. I saw her in concert one night and even though she was having a bad night she was still better than most anyone else I had ever seen.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFWkRCYtWqierZiGoqTUBmosglweziqZe9SIPjhJUF1kP77D7XqbX2vr57TcScbYuyINfv8fS2c9PediZEXkDX4KGA9DbYhOG9TnsVEPml8k6yHYUdG7wpQkmce9j-KIKxoH0S9jXx_0/s400/A+Stevie+%231.jpg)
If you have a few minutes, travel back to 1983 and listen to a live version of Edge of Seventeen. This is how it was done for real. And this was done on a stage -- not in a sound studio.
Teenie boopers can have their Lady Gagas and Lindsay Lohans. We had the real thing. And we were and are damn proud of it.
Colorado Cactus and Succlent Society's Show and Plant Sale by Dusty M
Earth911.com Earth Day Contest
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMb51-iSmkdSCQ1hgMzqOa7XN7MG4RavHpD9acpDo-U0o3tB93hEo7M4ZlrFWGSrU9rkFjQ3vmwKccjnnXfZSE4VFVr7TuOrwWMQlFJXeIiNczkEO-gadiKJL1kcFMWBMF17odAjl1dv4/s400/E-GreenWeddingcoverimage.jpg)
Check this out- I am giving away 2 signed copies of The Everything Green Wedding Book for this contest
Earth911.com recently launched a special section of its Web site to mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The channel not only features 40 tips about reducing, reusing and recycling, but also hosts a Twitter contest beginning March 29 and ending in a giveaway on Earth Day, April 22.
“We hope that people participate in our contest not only to learn more about how to improve their waste output and environmental footprint, but also to encourage their friends, family, and followers to do the same,” says Colt Melby, CEO of Earth911. “This Earth Day should be a celebration not of what we will accomplish on April 22, but what we will do the other 364 days of the year.”
During the contest, two tips will be released each day on the Earth Day channel, counting down to Earth Day itself. By simply tweeting the channel’s Web address each day a new set of tips is released (http://earth911.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83da47614bd8be66468397bfc&id=dab9a65664&e=e9a5d88bdb),
members of the Twitter audience will be entered into a drawing to receive eco-friendly prizes from organizations and authors such as:
- One home composting starter kit, courtesy of SunChips
- Two copies of Disneynature's EARTH, courtesy of Disneynature OCEANS
- One historic tree sponsorship, courtesy of American Forests
- One copy of "Ten Ways to Change the World in Your 20s," courtesy of author Libuse Binder
- One Interactive Boxed Set of stationery, courtesy of Ecosaurus
- Two desk clocks and one photo frame, courtesy of Corrugated Art
- One, certified CarbonFree® Certified GoECOlife™ SOHO 8
-Sheet ULTRA-QUIET™ Paper Shredder, courtesy of Carbonfund.org
- One copy of the e-book "Small Spaces, Fast Paces: New York Organizing Secrets," courtesy of author Sharon Lowenheim
- Three pairs of Performance Toesocks™ in CoolMax® EcoMade™, courtesy of Injinji
- One copy of "Celebrate Green!" courtesy of Celebrate Green!
- One iPad sleeve, courtesy of First World Trash
- One therm-o-tote, one acrylic cup, one stainless steel water bottle, and two reuseable grocery totes, courtesy of LittleFeet Big Feats
- One copy of "Suddenly Frugal: How to live Happier and Healthier for Less," courtesy of author Leah Ingram
- Two copies of "The Everything Green Wedding Book: Plan an Elegant, Affordable, Earth-Friendly Wedding," courtesy of author Wenona Napolitano
- Eco-friendly T-shirts, courtesy of Earth911.com
SunChips will also sponsor tips about newly introduced compostable products, as the company recently launched the world’s first 100 percent compostable chip bag that decomposes in 14 weeks when placed in a hot active compost bin.
The contest will culminate on April 22 when the winners from the giveaway will be selected. Those interested in participating can visit the channel for official rules, a list of prizes and daily tips to tweet and also follow Earth911 (@Earth911).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBpLpmQhFBDiZEkSjb-DIg8cq0w1sap2QINFriRyIw4RyP6l_oc1nzN2YU09_jGayivqltqff0FjR6qHzS5VqeCx2U95CdL8dTpNce-_SLEYmB3jfRn4KFRUbSBjCNFmxDa8qyi0q9A0/s400/ShabbyBlogsDivider+owl.jpg)
Easy Ways to Add a Little Eco to Your Easter
Easter is right around the corner. Have you thought about greening Easter this year?
There are several easy ways to add a little eco to your Easter without much effort.
One of the biggest wastes when it comes to Easter is the baskets that get tossed in the garbage every year. This year keep the baskets out of the trash. If you use cheap throw away plastic baskets or other disposable containers every year think about finding a nice, sturdy basket instead that can be used again and again. I found heavy duty wicker baskets that get used year after year for my children. It’s an Easter tradition. Each child has their own basket that is refilled with goodies every year.
Click here to keep reading.
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Sunday, March 28, 2010
OH OH! FACEBOOK CAUSES OF MARITAL BREAKDOWNS? I.E DIVORCES, SEPARATIONS ETC.
- Flirty emails and messages found on Facebook pages are increasingly being cited as evidence of unreasonable behaviour.
- Computer firms have even cashed in by developing software allowing suspicious spouses to electronically spy on someone's online activities.
- One 35-year-old woman even discovered her husband was divorcing her via Facebook.
- Conference organiser Emma Brady was distraught to read that her marriage was over when he updated his status on the site to read: "Neil Brady has ended his marriage to Emma Brady."
- Last year a 28-year-old woman ended her marriage after discovering her husband had been having a virtual affair with someone in cyberspace he had never met.
- Amy Taylor 28, split from David Pollard after discovering he was sleeping with an escort in the game Second Life, a virtual world where people reinvent themselves.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sioux City Courthouse
This was THE picture I wanted to get. It is a distinctive light fixture on the second floor with the dome in the background.
Light many Prairie School Design buildings, they are not always over powering from the outside. One of the first things you do notice about this style are the windows.
There is often ornamental work on the outside of the building.
Here's a closer look at one of the doorways.
There are four large murals above the main lobby. In this image you can see a drinking fountain - it has a blue background.
Here's a closer look.
These are the steps going to the second floor. If you look really close, you can see the flags of seven countries. These were Allies in World War I.
You can see the flags in this photograph. During World War II, the Japanese and Italian flags were covered with black shoe polish. It was just very recently the flags of those two countries were revealed again.
Here's what a courtroom looks like. You won't see many like this. Notice the jury box is made up of four rows of three chairs each.
This skylight is the courtroom.
How 'bout these windows? I believe there are four courtrooms that look like this one.
Of particular interest was this display case filled with musical instruments.
Look at the sign.
The detail in the large dome is incredible. This dome is made of solid glass -- no plastic here!
Photographs do not do a building like this justice (pun intended). But they give you an idea. As Johanna would say, I was completely gobsmacked by this building.
Thanks for stopping by.
Friday, March 26, 2010
GOOGLE CHROME TRANSLATOR, I LIKE!!
Oh by the way, 'Kacang Kuda' is not horse bean. It's CHICKPEA anyway. *Craving for hot steamed chickpea now*
With Love,
![](http://www.mylivesignature.com/signatures/54488/90/7EB933F92B87975CAC212596FA3357AA.png)