I was reviewing some casual observations made way back in the 1950s and 60s when we were blissfully ignorant about what the future might hold. I was struck by how gravely we underestimated the twists and turns society and the economy would make by the turn of the century. (more…)

I happened across a “recipe” for wash day which was printed in the back of an old cookbook I bought at a book sale recently. I print it without edits:

Receipt fer Wash Day  (1916)

1) Bilt fire in backyeard to heat kettle of rain water. 2)Set tubs so smoke want blow in eyes if wind is pert. (more…)

I correspond daily with friends on a wonderful gardening site and today I received a tip that I want to share. Someone posted the following: “My mail carrier told me that the US Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow-jackets and mosquitoes at bay.”

The tip came from a gardener in Louisiana where they have mosquitos the size of helicoptors. All this time you’ve just been putting Bounce in the dryer! (more…)

I found a sure fire way to meet a man in case you’re interested. This morning as I grabbed Lucky and Rebel’s leashes, I saw them smiling. They had plans for me I couldn’t begin to imagine. (more…)

My biggest success in the vegetable garden this season is my habanero pepper crop. I’m harvesting no less than six a day and having a hard time keeping them from dying before putting them to good use use.

Just in case you’re not familiar with this little hotty, the habanero is the hottest chile pepper known to man. Most rate between 200,000 to 300,000 in Scoville heat scale. Yee Ha!! That’s hot folks. I could probably warm the house this winter by placing them over the air vents! (more…)