**FEATURE
ARTICLES* *
Bringing Springtime
to Your Table
by Arleen Kaptur
About mid-January, everyone starts thinking about Spring -
warm breezes, flowers beginning to blossom and scents of nature
coming to life. Surprise your table with this "springtime"
basket when your salad course comes to your mealtime: Fill two
lettuce cups together. Fill with tossed salad and use split green
pepper rings for the handles. Top with dressing and some crumbled
cheese. Trim with some "marigolds (just notch thin slices
of carrots) and you have a really wonderful "salad basket."
Sunshine Fruit: Slice top from a large orange. With paring
knife, remove orange sections and any white membranes. Combine
orange sections with banana slices, strawberry halves, blueberries,
raspberries, or whatever you like. Refill orange shell and sprinkle
some chilled ginger ale over fruit. Trim with mint sprigs and
thoughts of springtime will grace your table.
Springtime Dessert: 1 pkg. (8 ozs.) cream cheese, softened,
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 cup
whipped cream, 2 quarts fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries,
1 carton (8 ozs.) frozen whipped topping, thawed In a bowl, beat
the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add
the cream; beating until thick. Spoon mixture into 10 mounds on
a waxed paper-lined baking pan. Using the back of a spoon, shape
into 3" cups. Freeze overnight. To serve: fill each cup with
fruit and garnish with whipped topping and chocolate curls. Aw,
the beauty of the Season!
Each season brings with it a very special appeal- ENJOY!
©Arleen M. Kaptur 2003 January
Arleen Kaptur may be contacted at http://www.arleenssite.com
akaptur@centurytel.net.
Author of books and articles on living a simple, rustic lifestyle
- and getting the most from each and every day. Websites: http://www.arleenssite.com
30 Simple Ways to Celebrate Spring
by Susie Cortright
Throw open the curtains and spread good cheer. Spring has
arrived! Here are thirty ways to celebrate. 1. Borrow a convertible.
2. Take the kids to the zoo.
3. Bring a rocking chair onto your front porch.
4. Make strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream.
5. Hook up the hammock.
6. Get out the sidewalk chalk. Play hangman, tic-tac-toe,
or devise an obstacle course to follow on the pavement.
7. Share a jumbo box of popsicles with the neighborhood kids
on the front porch.
8. Hang a tire swing.
9. Take a historic walking tour of your town or city.
10. Read outside.
11. Turn off the furnace and open the windows, even if it
means you need to put on a sweater.
12. Hike through your nearest wildlife area or state park.
13. Sit on the grass with a book.
14. Take the kids on a bike ride.
15. Make a great big salad for dinner. Grill chicken, cut
in strips, place on a bed of lettuce, and top with your favorite
veggies.
16. Paint your toenails bright pink.
17. Buy a straw hat.
18. Eat raspberries.
19. Play disc golf. Set out for a local course or just designate
a few trees as your "holes" and toss away.
20. Host an outdoor tea party.
21. Fly a kite.
22. Blow bubbles.
23. Dine al fresco.
24. Treat yourself to a glamorous new pair of sunglasses.
25. Make sun tea.
26. Sit on a park bench. Just sit there and do nothing at
all.
27. Make a homemade fruit smoothie for breakfast, and serve
in an elegant wine glass or goblet.
28. Give each of the kids a disposable camera, and take a
walk through the neighborhood. Document the signs of spring.
29. Resolve to get the body you want, before summer, simply
by eating more healthy foods. Mike Brescia's behavior modification
series can help: http://www.momscape.com/thinkrightnow/eatingforhealth.htm
30. Write down your own favorite ways to celebrate spring.
About the author: Susie Cortright is the editor of two "just
for you" websites: BestSelfHelp.com, which saves you time
and money by cataloging only the best personal growth tools, and
Momscape.com, devoted to helping busy parents find balance.
Today, Momscape visitors receive Susie's "6 Days to Less
Stress" course free: http://www.momscape.com. And BestSelfHelp
visitors receive a free self-help classic: http://www.bestselfhelp.com
About the author: Susie Cortright is the founder of momscape.com
and Momscape's Scrapbooking Playground - http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking.
Join her scrapbooking club here: http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking/scrapbookclub
or learn more about starting your own scrapbooking business with
Susie's help: http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking/business.htm
Why People Flock to Lake Havasu for Spring Break
by Jennifer Bailey
Teens and twenty-somethings are beginning to think of this
body of water as a prime spring break location. In addition to
the spring break requisite body of water, the area also has beautiful
scenery - including the Sonorun Desert, the Mohave Desert, and
the Chemehuevi Mountains.
Right alongside the Colorado River, Lake Havasu offers spring
breakers plenty of outdoor aqua action. Lake Havasu spring breakers
can partake in boating, fishing, swimming, and white water rafting.
For those visitors who prefer land-based activities, the surrounding
area offers plenty of hiking and mountain biking opportunities.
Once the sun goes down, the real nature of spring break comes
out. Many different clubs are available to party hoppers, and
some even offer outdoor parties on the Colorado River. Reflections
Lounge, Mudshark Brewing Company, Javelina Cantina, Slainees,
and Kokomo's on the Channel are among some of the popular places
for party-goers to hit up. Kokomo's is perhaps the hottest dance
club in the area, with an island-themed watering roll that has
a wide variety of drinks and a great view of the Colorado River.
Not only is it the largest indoor/outdoor dance club in the country,
it also boasts three full service bars, dancing cages, a stage
of live concerts, and a pool for guests to cool off in.
Lake Havasu has become such a popular resort that visitors
need to book early if they are planning a spring break vacation.
Due to the high demand of hotels and rental boats, visitors should
plan on getting a reservation up to two or three months in advance.
Lake Havasu Info
provides detailed information on Lake Havasu City and Falls, Homes
and Real Estate, Spring Break, RV Resorts, and more. Lake Havasu
Info is the sister site of Bahamas
Vacations Web.
Radar Detectors
Info provides comprehensive information on best wholesale
and retail motorcycle and cordless radar detectors. Radar Detectors
Info is the sister site of Defensive
Driving Web.
Jennifer Bailey may be contacted at or jennifer@e-radardetectors.com
The Top 10 Things to Expect After Your Spring Break
(And What to Do About It)
by Susan Dunn
1. A LETDOWN.
What goes up must come down. If you had a great time, returning
to the normal routine is hard. Perhaps you saw loved ones who
live far away, or went to a beautiful resort where you were waited
on hand and foot, or you left one of the worst winters in Massachusetts
for an island in the Caribbean. It's "back to reality"
and it's a jolt.
REMEDY: Expect it. Ride it out. It will pass. You can't live
in the highs and lows all the time.
2. FATIGUE.
Typically you work harder before you leave to clear off your
desk. Then when you return, it's piled high again, and you over-compensate
by working very hard the day you return. There can also be jet-lag.
REMEDY: Don't try and do a week's work your first day back.
Plan on getting a good night's sleep that night. Give yourself
a break. If, in thinking it over, you planned too hectic a vacation,
plan it differently next time!
3. REJUVENATION.
You'll have a new perspective on your life. Getting away does
that for us. That's one benefit you can count on.
REMEDY: You just got one! Enjoy it!
4. BETTER HEALTH.
Even though you may experience fatigue and let-down, your inner
wisdom, your body, knows it had relief and you'll benefit from
this. This is especially important if you tend to get on adrenalin-highs
where you can't relax. Hopefully your vacation achieved this,
and it gives your over-worked immune system some relief.
REMEDY: Count this in when you assess the stress before and
after the vacation, especially if there were travel woes. You
may have that "Two minutes back here and I'm a mess"
feeling, but if you were able to truly relax during your vacation,
you've done your body a lot of good, at the elemental level.
5. FANTASIES.
Some of us, when we leave on vacation, are afraid they'll find
out they can do without us, and we'll lose our job. Others, when
we leave on vacation, are sure we're indispensable, they'll not
be able to function without us, and think we'll get a standing
ovation when we return.
REMEDY: It's likely the truth is neither of the above.
6. HAVING TO WORK YOUR WAY BACK IN AGAIN.
We're all a bit xenophobic, eg, afraid of strangers. When you
leave, you leave the fold and they go on without you. Then when
you return you're just a tiny bit "the stranger" again.
REMEDY: You'll need to hang out in the coffee room to catch
up on the news, visit around and chat, find out what went on while
you were out, and let them get used to you again (and vice versa).
7. WANTING TO GET IT BACK.
You may find yourself wanting to eat out at a fancy restaurant
"just once more," or to wear those comfortable sandals
to work, or have trouble concentrating as you daydream about the
great Broadway shows you saw in New York.
REMEDY: Snap out of it. Negotiating beginnings and endings
is an important lifeskill.
8. WANTING TO 'SHOW AND TELL'.
You'll want to tell everyone about the wonders of your trip
and show all your pictures. REMEDY: Find the right person, place
and time. Use a little sensitivity. If they're busy at work, that's
not the time! If you and your new lover just went on a $7000 river
cruise up the Volga and your colleague just filed bankruptcy and
is going through a divorce ... well, what does your EQ tell you
to do?
9. FOCUSING ON WHAT WENT WRONG.
Just like in the newspaper, bad news makes a better story.
You may find yourself telling everyone about your canceled plane
flight, your lost luggage, your car-sick kid, or the big fight
you had with your impossible sister, with who you plan never to
travel again.
REMEDY: War stories effect everyone negatively in terms of
physiological stress. When we tell them, we relive the adrenalin
rush, and the same thing happens to our listeners. Why bring this
back with you, and back to the folks at home? Why not focus on
all the good things!
10. PROCESSING.
Your mind will be full of what went well and what didn't.
REMEDY: Direct your ruminations and make use of them. You may
have discovered that you and your partner need a more active vacation,
or that you'd feel more rested if you'd been lying in the sun
somwehere instead of skiing (or vice versa), or that 10 days with
your in-laws is too much of a good thing, or that finding a Snooze-You-Lose
cruise on the Internet is a superb and economical solution.
Make some notes, mental or on paper, to use in the future.
Use your Intentionality, an EQ competency. Consider the PURPOSE
of your vacation, and what fulfills that. We each have our own
answer.
Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc , mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc.
Coaching, Internet courses and ebooks around emotional intelligence
for your personal and professional success. Coach Certification
Program - fast, affordable, no-residency, training coaches worldwide.
Email for free ezine.
Susan Dunn may be contacted at http://www.susandunn.cc or sdunn@susandunn.cc
Three Family Spring Break Ideas
by Deborah Crawford
Woo-hoo! Spring Break is Coming! It’s time to dust off
ol’ man winter and head outdoors. Here are a few ideas to
get your family through the restless Spring Fever days.
Your Own Backyard
If you can’t get away for a short trip, try vacationing
in your own town. Contact your local visitor’s center, chamber
of commerce or public library for ideas. Or, tell them what you
are interested in—outdoor activities, free activities, walking
tours, picnics, educational opportunities, learning new hobbies,
or sampling new cuisines. They can give you recommendations that
would fit. Perhaps you could picnic in a different park every
day for a week, or drive an hour or so outside of town to visit
a flea market, or visit your town’s historical churches.
Whatever you can think of that would be a refreshing change from
your norm will do the trick.
Hit the Beach
Be sure to search for “family-friendly” and avoid
the usual college-kid hangouts. You don’t want to be kept
awake all night or trip over party debris on your early morning
beach walk.
Road Trip
Get an atlas and pick a random destination you can drive to
within 2 or 3 hours (more if you have time). It might be fun to
let your children pick! Book a place to stay, pack up the car,
grab some car games and cd’s and head out. Car travel can
be trying and stressful but, with careful planning (take the car
to the shop for a check-up first); you can make some great memories
on a road trip. Sing-alongs are always fun, and parents tend to
tell more “when I was younger” stories, which kids love!
If you need to keep the little ones entertained in the car,
check out these products:
Travel
Yahtzee
Crayola
Travel Case
Box
of Silly Word Games Card Games
Click here if you need new Road
Trip Music.
Whatever you choose to do this year on Spring Break, be safe
and be happy!
Deborah Crawford is an expert in smart, affordable marketing
techniques to grow businesses. Visit www.smart-marketing-works.com
for more information and ideas.
Deborah Crawford may be contacted at http://www.smart-marketing-works.com/ideas or
Deborah@smart-marketing-works.com
Is Spring Cleaning Or
Easter Eggs The Health Hazard
by Kacy Carr
(3/10/06) What is it about spring that brings the goodness
out in people, could it be waking up to our feathered friends
whistling their morning tune? Is it to do with the buds on the
pink cherry blossom trees or the lemon daffodil trumpets standing
tall with pride? How about the spring lambs or the hatching of
yellow fluffy chicks. Could it be the coming of Easter bonnet
parades - is our sense of feeling on top of the world encouraged
by chocolate Easter eggs or is it the rising of our lord Jesus
Christ that gives us all the reason behind why we feel as good
as we do bringing out the goodness in us all?
All these pleasant happenings and events contribute to how
we celebrate the spring seasonal months. How do we do this? By
spring cleaning of course where no stone is left unturned, it
is where every inch of the house is cleaned right through from
top to bottom - no cobweb goes unnoticed or scum mark on the bath
ignored.
Spring cleaning can be a health hazard if you take on to much
at once or it can have its advantages where you can treat it as
a form of exercise workout. Who knows you may get to enjoy it
to an extent where it gets done on a regular basis, therefore
you keep in shape and into the bargain a spotless home.
Spring cleaning is time consuming so the best thing you can
do is to sit down and plan a time schedule for each job in advance.
Allow yourself tea breaks in between. Spring cleaning can be very
fulfilling and rewarding if not rushed. If there are certain parts
of the house that need more attention than others then direct
all your energies on those rooms. Get the heavy work out of the
way so that you do not have to face these as you begin to tire
from other tasks performed.
The only ammunition you need for this battle against dirt and
grime is a checklist carefully mapped out. Allies, bleach - disinfectant
- feather duster and a little elbow grease then you are well on
the way to winning this war. Choose a day preferably when you
are not likely to have visitors, if kiddies are on the scene call
the grandparents to baby sit. Older children send to the cinema
in another country if need be. Take one room at a time do not
have two or three on the ago at the one time you may lose control.
Consider doing the laundry a couple a days before i.e. sheets
curtains. If your list of your jobs on your checklist are followed
through the way you intended then all should run smooth. Cutting
corners can cause misery.
Throw open every window in the house to let some fresh air
in. Have your favourite music playing in the background and sing
along at the top of your voice to let the neighbours know you
are feeling on top of the world as you dust away. As the day draws
to an end run a hot bath, fill with bubbles, light a few candles
and relax. Send out for a take away meal pizza or curry we don`t
want to dirty the pots now do we.
A great way to keep yourself in good shape as well as the home
is to relax. http://www.want2yoga.com. Before the home we have
the wedding, all essentials found here http://www.your-wedding-planning-help.com
Hi Kacy here, a thank you for reading my articles I hope to
continue to provide pleasure and at the same time help people
with their problems on some of my chosen subjects.
Kacy Carr may be contacted at http://www.benidormbeaches.com or kacycarr@yahoo.co.uk |
