Today is Friday, June 20. This is the 172nd day of the year with 194 days remaining in 2008. Later today, summer will descend on us, providing us with the longest day of the year. The first day of summer is timed with the summer solstice which for most of the United States, occurs today. In Europe it’s June 21. In Australia it’s six months later, on December 21. In the U. S. the exact moment is 6:59 CST in case you want to celebrate.

This is a great time to begin a small flower garden. You can turn an unwanted section of lawn into a bed of flowers. As a “lazy gardener”, I’m doing it the easy way. Simply cover the area you want to convert with old newspapers or plastic bags. Cover with composted wood chips for a tidy look. This will cause the turf underneath to bake in the hot summer sun and kill every single weed and blade of grass. In a few months you will have a wonderful space for planting colorful mums or cabbages and pansies for the fall and winter.

I also use the lazy gardeners way of planting. I remove the plastic (if that’s what I’m using) and dump a 40-pound bag of topsoil over the new bed. It’s now ready for your pretties.

If you asked me what I would dine on if there were only one thing left in the world to eat, I would say “chocolate chip cookie dough.”

That’s right. Raw as rain. Everyone thinks Ben and Jerry invented cookie dough ice cream, but it was really me. I can recall freezing a big blob to eat later after everyone had gone home. I would eat it like an apple. (more…)

Several weeks ago I made gentle fun of a gizmo that I charged would be a dust collector. It was called the “Meal Measure.” Of course, the only reason I was introduced to this item was because I am always looking for ways to eat healthier. I failed to mention that.

Plus, since I’m fifty something and still have problems controlling my weight, it would be criminal to let this gizmo collect dust. (more…)

Producer Leslie Watts was slap out of produce when I arrived. All he had left was tomato plants.  I don’t think they would taste very good.

Someone accused me of being wishy washy the other day.

Imagine! Me - a bullheaded May baby, born under the sign of Taurus. I form snap judgments so fast I get whip lash! I grab on to an idea like a turtle and won’t let go until it thunders – or a hurricane comes and blows it clean out of my head. (more…)

Now, if I did this, people would accuse me of having too much time on my hands. But I spotted a brilliant idea to introduce into your garden whick is both functional and decorative.

It’s a life-sized outdoor “tick tack toe” game which will keep your children and grandchildren occupied. It will also require so much work on your part, that you won’t have time to get in trouble yourself.

The gardener created the game by pouring concrete into square forms which were studded with colorful “found” objects around the house - old marbles, small toys, sand dollars, etc. After the squares set up they can be arranged in the garden. Huge butterflies and hockey pucks were used to mark the squares.

Does anyone know how to mix concrete or where to buy the forms? This is one project I’m going to do. Heck, I may line my garden with a giant monopoly set.