Archive | May, 2012

Victory Gardening

Victory Garden

Last Spring I wrote about naming our small well-intended garden.  What I didn’t know then, was the term “Victory Garden” is already taken.

Victory Gardening

Our Victory Garden

 

During World War II, nearly 20 million Americans answered the call of duty by participating in the Victory Gardening efforts when government food rationing  kept supplies at an all-time low.  During this time, the government urged every American Citizen to help food shortages by planting individual gardens in any plot of land they could get their hands on.  On April 1, 1944, Franklin Roosevelt issues this request:Victory Garden

“I hope every American who possibly can will grow a victory garden this year. We found out last year that even the small gardens helped.

 

The total harvest from victory gardens was tremendous. It made the difference between scarcity and abundance. The Department of Agriculture surveys show that 42 percent of the fresh vegetables consumed in 1943 came from victory gardens. This should clearly emphasize the far-reaching importance of the victory garden program.”

I asked my grandmother (“Grams”) about Victory Gardening and she remembers her family growing sugar beets to process for sugar and chicory root to grind in with coffee beans to share during the war.  Grams grew up on a farm, so the idea of growing crops to share with others was just part of her life.

What made the Victory Gardening movement so inspiring was the participation of urban residents planting gardens in front yards, backyards, rooftops, and any vacant land they could to help meet the food shortage.

We’re fortunate to not have to worry about gardening to create crops for canning or sharing (for now).  Rather, our home garden is a place for the kids and I to get outdoors and spend time together while doing something inspiring, educational and productive.

Recently, as part of her Let’s Move! initiative, Michelle Obama planted the first vegetable garden at the executive mansion since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden.  Does she know something I don’t?  Or, like me, she most likely finds that teaching kids about where food comes from and encouraging that love of food, is a great way to establish a healthy mindset early in life.

I did feel it was appropriate to rename our garden, and it is now called, “Hope Garden”.  And, if- God forbid- duty does call upon us one day, I know this family is willing and ready to take up the challenge of helping the nation… one carrot and beet at a time.

Read more about the Spilsbury Hope Garden:

home gardening

"The Earth Is Generous To..."

 

home garden

A Bit of Earth

 

gardening seeds

Seeds of Hope

 

home gardening

The One That Got Away

 

garden photo

A Summer Garden Photo Shoot

 

summer garden herbs

Summer Herbs Are Here- Now What?

 

garden birthday party

A Fairy Garden Birthday Party

 

And recently, we did a campaign with SheStreams TV to create a pizza garden with the kids in celebration of the Disney Epcot Flower & Garden Festival going on now through May 20th.  Check out the video here:

 

 

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Winner Announced! Homemade Guacamole Contest

Updating this post to announce that while it was a very close contest, Brandie’s Tropical Guacamole takes home the Grand Prize. Congrats to all our finalists!

Homemade Guacamole Recipe Contest

We had so many fabulous homemade guacamole recipes submitted by our readers for our Homemade Guacamole Recipe Contest, it was hard for our panel to choose just three finalists. Participants submitted their recipe for a chance to win prizes from our friends at Paradise Grove including one avocado gift basket for each finalist and a avocado-of-the-month gift prize for the grand prize winner.

Homemade Guacamole

Homemade Guacamole Recipe Contest

 

Our Three Finalists!

So, after much review and taste-testing, below are our three finalists who will each receive a beautiful avocado basket from Paradise Grove.  If you’re in the mood for good homemade guacamole this Cinco de Mayo, none of these recipes will let you down!

 

Finalist #1:  Debby Mitchell with “Guaca-Guacamole”

Debby had a pomegranate tree in their yard and decided to use this in her guacamole.  No pomegranates?  No problem- Debby says, you can substitute with dried cranberries!  Read Debby’s recipe here and vote by leaving a comment on her recipe post (not this one):

Homemade Guacamole

Debby's Guaca-Guacamole Recipe

 

 

Finalist #2:  Serene Katschke   “Guacamole Fresco”

Serene uses fresh citrus ingredients like lemon and lime for the fresco flavor.  Read Serene’s recipe here and vote by leaving a comment on her recipe post (not here):

Serene's "Guacamole Fresco"

 

Finalist #3:  Brandie’s “Tropical Guacamole”

Brandie uses tropical fruits like mango and pineapple in her guacamole recipe which turned out delicious!  Read Brandie’s recipe here on her blog but come back to vote by leaving a comment below (in this very post):

guacamole recipe

Brandie's "Tropical Guacamole" Recipe

 

Paradise Groves is a beautiful California avocado orchard with amazing gift baskets for all occasions- check out the great selection of delicious, heart-healthy gifts here: Paradise Grove Avocado Gifts.  Our three lucky finalists will receive one of these beautiful avocado gifts, so congratulations to Debby, Serene and Brandie!

Vote Now!

Voting ends at midnight Cinco de May (May 5th) PST so vote now for your favorite homemade guacamole recipe by submitting your comment below.  You can also cast your vote by leaving a comment on our Facebook page with your selection, and if you do both- that’s two votes for your favorite recipe! We will not be accepting more than 2 votes from any individual person (checked by IP addresses). This is a fun little contest so lets stick to the spirit of it.

Also visit and chat with us and our finalists on Facebook!

 

 

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Afternoon Inspirations and Pick-Me-Ups

A New Day

My days begin with a few minutes in the morning for “me” when I try to connect that stillness inside me with the universe- when all I can hear at this hour are a few chirping birds and maybe a garbage truck out in the distance.

And then it begins- another hectic day.  After getting the kids dressed, fed and off to school, I jump right into emails, chores and errands.  I juggle multiple jobs throughout the day.  I’m a recipe creator, meal designer, food photographer and blogger one minute, co-founder of a local charity to build a school for the blind the next minute, and parent volunteer for Kindergarten class after that.  And somewhere in between I squeeze in laundry and grocery shopping.

The Afternoon Crash

The day flies by at lightning speed and then… afternoon hits.  Like a steam engine that just ran out of coal on its way up a mountain, the afternoon crash hits me from out of nowhere.  I’m the little choo-choo that begins to fall backwards down the hill just before reaching the peak.  This is the time of day I need a “pick-me-up”.

The Pick-Me-Up

I find the only way to regenerate and keep going to pull my freight car load over the mountain is to grab an afternoon beverage and change scenery.  Whether I’m indoors all day working or arriving home from driving around for hours, the mere act of changing scenery helps shift my perspective and revive my body and mind.

Inspiration can come with just a few minutes of stillness while connecting with what’s much bigger than my day and my schedule.  Inspiration can be right outside my door- literally.

Today, a package arrived with a sample of International Delight Iced Coffee– and Mocha flavor at that (my favorite)!  All I had to to do was pour it over ice and “head for the hills”- or in this case, my backyard.  With only a few minutes to spare, I needed to regenerate.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I do the majority of my shopping at my local Sam’s Club, which is why I’m happy to discover that this refreshing afternoon beverage will be available at Sam’s Club this next week.

International Delight iced coffee

Mocha flavor

 

My advice for an afternoon pick-me-up- no matter how much you have going on, taking a few minutes to regenerate will make you even more productive- those dirty dishes and that unread email will still be there in ten minutes.  Have a beverage on-hand that’s easy to prepare, like International Delight Iced Coffee, and most importantly- find somewhere close by that inspires you.  Then chill.

Find a quiet spot to sit, be still and refresh.  Oh, and have a notebook handy because it’s amazing how much creativity can come out of a few minutes of inspiration and stillness.

 

 

Made it through another day.

Join the afternoon pick-me-up buzz with International Delight on Twitter, Facebook or at idicedcoffee.com.

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. All opinions expressed herein are very much my own.

#CBias #SocialFabric

 

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How To Make A Pinata

How To Make A Pinata At Home

Looking for a fun project to make at home for Cinco de Mayo?  The girls and I decided to make a pinata at home for the first time and had a blast.

How To Make Pinata

How To Make A Pinata At Home

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own festive pinata at home:

  1. balloon
  2. newspaper
  3. 1 cup flour & 2 cups water mixed together for paste
  4. scissors
  5. kite string
  6. crepe paper to decorate
  7. glue
  8. candy

Here is a step-by-step tutorial:

 

Step 1:  Lay down some newspaper because it’s going to be messy!  Then tear some of the newspaper into strips.

how to make a pinata

tear newspaper into strips

 

Step 2:  Blow up a balloon

pinata tutorial

blow up balloon

 

Step 3:  Dip newspaper strips into paste an layer onto balloon leaving 3-inches open around the tip of balloon.  You’ll want to have at least 3 or 4 layers, and there’s no need to allow each layer to dry individually- just pile it on!

dip newspaper strips into paste and layer onto balloon

 

Step 4:  Allow balloon to dry overnight.  You can use a medium-size bowl to prop your balloon up.

this is what your pinata should look like drying overnight

 

Step 5:  Once paper is dry, pop the balloon and pull it out.

pop the balloon

 

Step 6:  It’s time to decorate!  Using crepe paper and glue, create any design on your pinata.

time to decorate

 

use scissors on crepe paper to create fringe

 

7.  Fill the bottom of the pinata with crumpled crepe paper to help with better distribution of candy

crumpled crepe paper allows for better distribution of candy

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

How To Make Pinata

time for candy!

For dinner ideas this Cinco de Mayo visit:

cinco de mayo recipes

 

 

 

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