BOOK FAVORITES

About 20 years ago, I had a list of about 200 books that I wanted to read. I only wish I could find that list now. But I am going to make a list of 1000 books that I really should read. So here are a few of my favorites. I hope you have time to list yours. Then I may get a few more ideas. I am starting with a list of 200 I got from a best sellers list. It may take me a while to find all 1000.

Here are my favorite books.

1. Favorite of all time – Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawles (Did you know at one time he lived in Idaho Falls? He came to my elementary school and talked to us.)

2. Book you could read over and over again – Robinson Crusoe, Daniel DeFoe, 1719. (Did you know there is several versions of this book, one is much longer.)

3. If you could only read one book in one year, what would it be – Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, 1936. Still the most readable long novel ever written, with over 1000 pages. The movie came out in 1939, produced by David O. Selznick, winning 10 Acadamy Awards. ‘The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind’ has great history and insite about the filming of the movie.

4. Honorable mention – Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain, 1876. Did you know Mark Twain wrote over 50 books?

5. Honorable mention – 100 Pounds of Popcorn, Hazel Krantz, 1967.

6. Honorable mention – Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery, 1908, over 50 million copies sold.

7. Honorable mention – And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie, 1939, over 100 million copies sold.

8. Honorable mention – A Perfect Day, Richard Paul Evans, 2003. Mr Evans also wrote: The Walk, The Christmas Box, The Gift and many others.

List your favorite books.

1. Favorite of all time
2. Book you could read over and over again.
3. If you could only read one book in one year, what would it be?
4. Honorable mention
5. Honorable mention
6. Honorable mention
7. Honorable mention
8. Honorable mention

SO PAM THINKS SHE CAN COOK – OR – LITTLE KNOWN COOKING TIPS

Most of you know ‘I CAN’T COOK’, but I have lots of cook books I love watching cooking shows. So I have learned a few neat tricks and tips along the way. Here are a few of them.

1. Using a wisk when mixing dry ingredients with flour eliminates the need to sift the flour.

2. Using a electric mixer to make mashed potatoes can cause them to be gummy, use a hand masher instead.

3. When sauteing garlic, it is important to make sure not to over-cook it. It burns easily.

4. When making peanut brittle, it is best to stir often, this mixture can scorch easily.

5. When using lemon or lime zest it is best not to grate any of the white stuff that is just under the outer peeling.

6. Using a plastic ketchup bottle makes a no-mess pancake batter dispenser.

FAMOUS CHRISTMAS TOYS, THE RESULTS

Here are a list of 35 Christmas toys and games and the years they were popular for Christmas.

THE WINNERS ARE MELISSA AND BRIANT WITH THE MOST CORRECT ANSWERS. They answered 3 correctly and missed 4 by only one year. Great job and thanks to everyone for playing!!!!!

First place wins 10 PRO PHOTO notecards, a $25 value.

Here are the results.

1888 TIDDLY WINKS
1903 CRAYOLA CRAYONS
1929 DUNCAN YO-YO
1931 SCRABBLE
1934 SORRY, BOARD GAME
1936 MONOPOLY, BOARD GAME
1943 CHUTES & LADDERS, BOARD GAME
1945 SLINKY
1949 CANDY LAND
1949 CLUE, BOARD GAME
1952 MR POTATO HEAD, FIRST USED REAL POTAOES WITH PLASTIC PARTS
1956 YAHTZEE
1959 BARBIE
1959 CONCENTRATION, BOARD GAME
1960 ETCH A SKETCH
1960 GAME OF LIFE, FIRST RELEASED TO CELEBRATE 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MILTON BRADLEY
1965 G.I. JOE
1966 LEGO
1966 TWISTER
1967 SPRIO-GRAPH
1968 HOT WHEELS
1973 MASTERMIND
1975 PET ROCK
1980 RUBIKS CUBE, OVER 100 MILLION SOLD IN TWO YEARS
1982 BMX BIKES
1983 CABBAGE PATCH KIDS
1984 TRANSFORMERS
1990 TEENAGE MUTANT NINGA TURTLES
1991 NINTENDO LAUNCHED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
1995 POGS
1996 TICKLE ME ELMO
1997 BEANIE BABIES
1999 WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONARE BOARD GAME
2000 PUSH SCOOTERS
2008 ELMO LIVE

WENDY’S LESSONS

The most important thing Wendy taught me is, “Don’t go anywhere empty handed.” (In other words, keep busy, always doing something).

Also, “Not to talk, you learn more that way.”

Which leads me to what I have learned about training. “The more you learn the less you know.”
–Paul U

SEEDS, SEEDS…THOSE GLORIOUS SEEDS

Okay, so maybe not…

But, just to let you know, the seeds are beginning to appear in the stores, I bought several packets today at Home Depot.

I must remind you to take an inventory of the seeds you have. I know I have several packets of lettuce seed that is so old it probably won’t germinate. So try not to waste money on seeds you already have at home.

It is fun to take a count of you packets, plus is gets you in the gardening mood when it is snowing outside. It is one of those jobs that you can do ahead of time so you are prepared when you come across that full seed rack at a store. It is a good idea to keep a list of what you need in your purse or wallet, then you can refer to it when you are seed tempted.

MOVIE FAVORITES?

As I was watching part of the Golden Globe Awards the other night. I got to thinking about my all time favorite movies. So I thought I would give you a chance to list yours.

List your favorite movies.
1. Favorite of all time
2. Movie you would watch over and over again.
3. If you could only watch one movie in one year, what would it be.
4. Honorable mention
5. Honorable mention
6. Honorable mention
7. Honorable mention

Here are mine:
1. favorite – Ferris Buhler’s Day Off, 1986, Matthew Broderick
2. over & over – Mad Money, 2008, Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes
3. one a year – The Game, 1997, Michael Douglas
4. honorable – 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, 1954
5. honorable – The Unsinkable Molly Brown, 1964, Debbie Reynolds
6. honorable – Man From Snowy River, 1982, Tom Burlinson, Kirk Douglas
7. honorable – Somewhere Tomorrow, 1983, Sarah Jessica Parker

Okay, so these movies are kind of old, but my favorites none the less. I do have more recent movies I like but these are truely my favs.

Okay, now it is your turn, what are your favorites?

SEED GERMINATION

When planting seeds it is best to speed up the germination (sprouting) process. Sometimes it is best to soak the seeds first. Some seeds have a rough outer shell. To help with germination, try scoring the tough seeds first with a file or sand paper. Then soak the seeds in Accent meat tenderizer overnight in a diluted solution. Use one teaspoon tenderizer to one quart of water. Another tip is to soak them in a thermos of warm water for a couple of days. The tannic acid in hot tea will also soften the outer coating. Some people use hot water when watering their seeds for the first time, claiming they soften the seeds faster.

My trick is to use a bathtub. Yes a bathtub!! Put four 4-packs upside down in the bottom of the tub. Then place a planted flat on top of the 4-packs. Place each 4-pack under a corner of the flat. Then fill the tub with ‘hot’ water up to just below the flats. Drain and fill the tub with hot water three to four times each day. This creates a humid environment that plants love. You will be surprised how fast seeds will germinate this way. Peppers will germinate in 13-15 days and tomatoes in about 10 days, squash and pumpkins in about five days. I only use this method when I need to speed up the germination of some of my seeds, don’t leave them in the tub too long or they will get leggy from growing too fast.

Another technique that people use is to soak the seeds in a wet paper towel placed in a zip lock bag. Then plant the seeds after they have sprouted. This is a more time consuming task, but you can plant only the seeds that have germinated and usually don’t need to thin the plants later.

Before I plant things like squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and cantalope, I soak the seeds in water for about five days. Then plant them in the ground about five per hill, thinning to three plants later.

Before planting corn, I soak the seeds in a jar of water overnight. I don’t soak pepper, tomato, pea or bean seeds before I plant them.