Lasagna Gardening

Nothing makes me love spring like reading a gardening book in the cold, gray, wet winter. This past January, I was fortunate enough to find Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza in my local library.

Now that I know I have a week off coming up in the spring, I am ready to start layering my garden, and I don't mean with ricotta cheese. A lasagna garden is made of layers, like our favorite Italian casserole, but the garden layers start with wet newspaper and build up with peat moss, dirt, barn litter, whatever's cooking in your compost heap, dried-up leaves, etc. Keep layering away on top of the ground, and when you get to about 18-24 inches tall/deep, you are ready to plant.

One thing about this idea that appeals to me is that it is a no-till way of gardening. I don't own a tiller, so this is sounding better to me all the time.

The question now is, what to plant? I am thinking yellow squash and zucchini, pink eye-purple hull peas and maybe some peppers and tomatoes, although some wildflower mix might be nice for indoor bouquets. In another part of the yard, I am thinking about putting in some blueberry bushes. It's a sure sign of spring when I start dreaming up all the things I'm going to plant. The plants never produce quite like I want them to, with the exception of zucchini. One summer, I overplanted zucchini and everyone I knew got a gift of homegrown zucchini that year! Maybe this will be the year the rest of the garden takes off!

Here is a link to a Mother Earth News article by Lanza -- enjoy!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1999-04-01/Lasagna-Gardening.aspx

Mi Vida Loca

Hi, and I realize this is long time, no hear from. Life has been busy, what with a final project due in a grad school class, taking the U.S. Census Bureau employment test this morning, working at my regular job and also selling Mary Kay on the side, plus keeping up with my four sweet babies (technically, two are young adults, but as I tell them repeatedly, they will always be my babies).

That's life in these times: if you have a job, you work like crazy to keep it and pray you don't get laid off, and then you throw in plans B, C and D, which for me are earning my master of science degree in management to better myself and my chances of being hired should I find myself job hunting; seeing if I can get on with the census bureau since I will be on an unpaid furlough for a week next month; and Mary Kay -- some women get the pink Cadillacs, but I am more interested in it as a little extra money plus a nice discount on 3-in-1 cleanser, mineral foundation and all sorts of other cool products. Check out my Web site at marykay.com/annieo.

Since life is crazy for us all, here are some tips for dealing with it while remembering to be nice to yourself. These are all low-cost or free as that fits my budget, and these have all been tested by yours truly.

- Take a deep healing breath, or several: Inhale deeply and slowly, then exhale, drawing your abs in toward your spine. Guaranteed to lower your stress level.

- Take a hike ... or a run, or be a wogger. I confess I don't do this often enough, since cold weather set in, but get outdoors and move. Take your dog along if you want. Take your iPod along if you want music. This will improve your health while helping you get in those skinny jeans. And -- this is a bonus -- never have I ended a walk/run/workout session in a worse mood than when I started.

- Be good to yourself: Sure, you are short on time, but you've still got time to shower, right? Break out the Lotus and Bamboo scrub, or do a micro-dermabrasion treatment, or just make sure to cleanse and moisturize your skin properly. Men, you can do this too -- get a great haircut and use some wonderful lady-killer after-shave. It'll improve your outlook, I promise.

- Get a snack: OK, who can be stressed if they are having a snack? You see all those runway models and how angry they look? You'd look angry, too, if you weighed 90 pounds and didn't have a snack. My favorite is a Diet Coke and microwave popcorn while I am studying, or better yet, during a study break. Jazz it up a little by throwing a little seasoning on -- I like Cajun seasoning, Taco seasoning or lemon pepper on my popcorn.

- Catch a flick: Do this cheaply with Netflix. The kids and I recently watched Snow Buddies, and tonight, if I need a laugh, Old School is supposed to be in my mailbox this evening.

- Just do it: If you have something you need to do, just get it over with and then you don't have to spend mental energy thinking about it. Same goes with housework -- not that my house is a showplace because it is not -- but do a little bit such as making the bed in the morning, loading the dishwasher, etc. and that's less that you have to come home and face later.

- Plan ahead for crazy times. I usually keep at least one quick dinner on hand in case there is hardly any time to cook. A box of lasagna and a loaf of garlic bread in the freezer can sometimes be a lifesaver.

- Spend time with those you love: De-stress by spending time with your kids, your significant other, friends, your cat or dog, etc.

Fabulous (and cheap) birthdays!

My girl Ladybug will be having a birthday next month. We've been talking about party ideas, and to hear that she wanted to have friends over to the house was wonderful! I say this because the economy is awful and just because I still have a job doesn't mean I won't be without later. In our area, birthday parties at restaurants, kiddie arcades and stores will set you back at least $200, and that is on the conservative side.

Now, I realize this means I will have to clean the house beforehand, prepare the food and clean the house afterward, but I'll save some money and ... here's the kicker ... Ladybug asked for the house party.

I was looking around online for ideas and along came this one from www.kraftfoods.com. These are the prettiest cupcakes I have seen in a long while, and the good folks at Kraft had party ideas. One I plan on throwing my girl's way is a Spa Party, where she and her friends can paint their fingernails and do girlie things, but there were plenty of other cute ideas.

Here's the recipe for the pretty Flower Power Cupcakes shown here, and please, post your party ideas:


What You Need!
1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
Few drops food coloring, any color
24 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows
24 JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1/4 cup colored sugar or colored sprinkles
Make It!

PREPARE and bake cake batter as directed on package for 24 cupcakes; cool completely in pan. Pierce cupcakes with wooden skewer or large fork at 1/4-inch intervals. Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Spoon 2 tsp. gelatin over each cupcake. Refrigerate 3 hours.

TINT COOL WHIP with food coloring; spread onto cupcakes.

CUT each large marshmallow crosswise into 5 pieces with clean kitchen shears to resemble flower petals. Arrange 5 petals in flower shape on top of each cupcake. Place 1 miniature marshmallow in center of each. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Keep refrigerated.

What to do if you get a pink slip...

Start drinking heavily is not the answer, people. If you have your friends Jim Beam and Jack Daniel console you, you'll be just as jobless but with a massive hangover. Not a pretty picture.

Now being that the company I work for has had no less than three layoff rounds in 2008 and unpaid furloughs and who knows what else in 2009, this is a question I face every day. Advice from my wiser-than-his-years son John is to not worry about that which I cannot control. Advice from my DBF Rus is to live month by month, or week by week -- if I have a job in March, it's been a good month.

Now, being a planner, I can't completely do this. As a mom, I have to plan, and I want to know we'll have food on the table and that the bank won't come and take the house.

Given the deteriorating state of the economy, here are a few tips. Hopefully, I won't need them and you readers won't either. These are courtesy of the Better Business Bureau of Mississippi:

Say Goodbye to the Old Job
Employees need to make sure they understand the terms of the situation including any benefits they are eligible for. Many companies provide a severance package and, by law, employees are entitled to any accrued vacation. Laid-off employees should also ask their former employer for references - if they left on relatively good terms - to help with their job search.

Line up Unemployment Benefits and Health Insurance
It’s important to get the ball rolling immediately by applying for unemployment benefits through the state unemployment office since it can take up to three weeks to start receiving checks. Eligibility requirements typically take into account wages earned, length of employment, and reason for unemployment.
If the employee received health insurance under their former employee, he or she can apply for coverage under the Comprehensive Omnibus Budget Resolution Act (COBRA). COBRA provides up to 18 months of health insurance after being laid off. A company’s Human Resources department will have application information or employees can go to the U.S. Department of Labor Web site at www.dol.gov.


Evaluate Family Finances and Cut Wasteful Spending
Having and managing a budget is crucial to success in unemployed situations. If the employee didn’t have a family budget, now is the time to make one. Money will be tight and evaluating expenses, including finding ways to cut costs, will help a family get through the lean times. The worst thing to do is to ignore bills. The BBB recommends keeping in contact with lenders to explain the current unforeseen situation and potentially work together to find solutions for weathering the financial storm.

Keep Busy
Job hunters should take inventory of their career and consider the opportunity to change occupations or relocate to a new city. Being laid off can be a discouraging time to start looking for a new job, but it is definitely not the time to let the grass grow underfoot. Fill the down time in a job hunt by volunteering, learning new skills or taking continuing education classes.

Check with the BBB for information on potential employers and/or employment agencies and counselors. Go online (www.ms.bbb.org) or call 800-987-8280 for information from the Mississippi BBB.

Go Red on Friday!

OK, I am another year older on Friday, Feb. 6, but that's not the only reason I'll be wearing red. I love the color, but I'll be wearing it Friday for "Go Red for Women" Day.

The American Heart Association promotes the event as a way to educate women about heart disease and its prevention. Choices we make each day can either help or hurt our hearts. So choose something fabulous and red to wear Friday, but also choose to eat baked, not fried. Choose to stop smoking. Choose to move more. Choose to give in support of research. Choose to live.

So many people in my life have been claimed by heart disease, including my mother, who feared cancer most of her life but died after a stroke. Heart disease had never been on her radar screen.

Think of all those people in your heart and make the choice to take care of your heart for them. I choose to eat healthy, maintain a healthy weight and exercise for my four beautiful/handsome children and for Rus, the man in my life. And yes, I do it for myself, too.

Check out www.goredforwomen.org for more info, including a shopheart.org link that has some awesome red things, including little "red dress" logo dangly earrings, red compacts, Go Red backpacks, scarves, ties for the men in our lives and more!

Valentine's on the cheap

I don't like to think of "cheap" as a negative word. Frugality is a good thing — I look at it as being tight with money where you don't want to spend lavishly so you can be lavish in areas where it counts, be it for saving for a first home, sending your kids to college (hello! I'm there) or saving for one fantastic retirement later on.

Money does not equal love. Repeat that a few times and let it sink in. The one you love would not want you to max out your credit card on them if they truly love you back. With this in mind, my friends at Community Credit Counseling Service sent me this news release today. Read, think and enjoy!

Love may be in the air, but for many consumers, paying for Valentine's Day may last well into the summer and beyond. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers plan to spend $102 on Valentine's Day gifts and merchandise, $20 less that last year.

While Valentine's Day might offer a post-holiday boost for retailers, for would-be Cupids, the holiday takes aim directly at their wallet. "Showing someone that you care shouldn't involve going into debt," said Sherry Rainey, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Jackson. "Thoughtful, creative gifts are much more appreciated and won't result in late fees and interest penalties."

For many couples, agreeing not to go overboard on Valentine's Day is important. If you set a spending limit and you don't stick to it, it could be a sign of financial challenges in your relationship down the road.

CCCS offers some creative ideas to keep you in love and out of debt this Valentine's Day.

Have dinner in - Instead of making reservations, make her favorite meal and plan a night in. You can have a wonderful meal, complete with dessert and a bottle of wine for a fraction of the cost of eating out.

Be childish - Plan an inexpensive evening roller skating, bowling, or miniature golfing. Dine on "fun food" - pizza, hot dogs and ice cream.

Get crafty - Gather your favorite pictures of the two of you and tickets, postcards or anything else that reminds you of good times. Compile them all in a scrapbook or photo album and present it to your sweetheart.

Valentine's Day cards - Whether you opt for a traditional greeting card, a free e-card (try www.bluemountain.com or www.hallmark.com), or a good old-fashioned hand made card, the most important thing to remember is that nothing beats a heartfelt message telling your loved ones why you think they are special. Write a poem for your loved one. If you can't get beyond the "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue...," try writing down your feelings in a short love note or love letter on a nice piece of paper in your best handwriting. Make a special presentation of it by reading it out loud, or sending it through the mail.

Skip the flower delivery - Instead of spending a small fortune on flowers, hand deliver a single rose or a hand-picked bouquet of wildflowers to your favorite girl. If you want to have something delivered, consider a flowering plant instead of cut flowers. A flowering plant is just as beautiful, and just like your love, can grow.

Make sweet music - Download and burn a CD of her favorite songs, songs special to your relationship, or love songs. Add your own voice between tracks-whispering sweet nothings that make it complete.

Satisfy a sweet tooth - Make heart-shaped cookies or cupcakes and deliver them to your special someone at work.

Be hands-on - A massage package from the spa is always a big hit, but for Valentine's Day it is more intimate - and cost effective - to do it yourself.

Volunteer - Spend an evening together helping others. Work side-by-side in a food kitchen or spend time working at an animal shelter.

Go parking - Arrange for a romantic evening at the park. Pack a picnic dinner, grab a lantern or candles and head outdoors. If it's too chilly, move your picnic inside.

Go Hollywood - Create your own premiere event by renting the movie each of you likes best. Add some popcorn and candy and you'll be the star of the evening.

"Every day provides us with an opportunity to express our love to the special people in our lives," said Rainey. "The best gift you can give is one from the heart. Money can't buy love."

Super Bowl Ads

OK, this year's Super Bowl, XLIII, was awesome. Even though I don't follow either the Steelers or the Cardinals, that was one memorable fourth quarter. But even when it is one of those 1985-style boring blowouts,the Super Bowl is still great fun. Diets get sidelined, seven-layer dip, hot wings and party mix form a triumvirate on the buffet table and there are always those great ads.

This year's ads were very cool: Among my favorites were the Mr. Potato Head ad for Bridgestone Tires, and Budweiser had some fun horse ads as usual, along with a hilarious "Swedish" commercial starring Conan O'Brien.

But my very favorite is the one linked to the title here, for Doritos. The plot is that this young man's wildest dreams come true with every Dorito crunched. Now I love me some Doritos, but I really, really need a family-sized bag of those chips. Especially when it comes to ATMs spitting out money. Watch and enjoy, and share your favorite Super Bowl ads.