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Misc Blogging Stuff
Dec
13
AeroGarden, Part 2
Filed Under Kitchen Gear | 4 Comments
The basil plants are going strong and currently stand 4 to 5 inches tall and are very fragrant, though the Globe Basil for whatever reason is still only about 2 inches tall. The roots extend well into the water and are as long as 10 inches.
Over the weekend the unit reminded me to add water and nutrients, but this time was different from the first. At four weeks, the plants now need growing nutrients and the kit provides enough for six feedings. This and every other feeding hereafter require the unit to be emptied, rinsed, and refilled before adding nutrients. The water tank lifts easily off the base and the pump shuts off automatically. I carried the tank to the sink and easily lifted off the growing surface, the roots dangling like something seen in a sci-fi movie. Michael held the plants while I emptied and rinsed the container, then we put it back together just as easily as we took it apart. I put the water back in, added the nutrients, then put the tank back on the base and pushed the Reset button. Simple as that.
Dec
10
Holiday Shopping Tips
Filed Under Shopping Tips | 1 Comment
Happy holidays! Today I am featuring two places that can help you finish your gift shopping.
Chef’s Catalog specializes in high-end products and usually has the price tag to match; however, their Sale Items usually have some good deals and hidden treasures. Right now they have the following in their Sale area:
- Holiday Snowman Cake Pan, for making a 3D snowman cake (reg $35, sale $17.99)
- Children’s Cooking Apron, ice cream stripe, (reg $15, sale $9.99)
- Valrhona Cocoa Powder, 250 g (reg $9.00, sale $4.99)
They have a free gift wrap deal on orders placed before December 12. Their recipe collection is also worth browsing.
Christmas Forest has been making and shipping beautiful handmade wreaths since 1976. I first heard of them in 1996 when I was living in Saudi Arabia (go figure). One of the teachers at the school placed several of their brochures in the workroom and said that she had been buying the wreaths as Christmas gifts for her family ever since she moved overseas. She said the wreaths were beautiful, and they certainly looked good in the photos. I took her advice and ordered wreaths for my family. All the recipients raved about how beautiful they were and how *good* they smelled when they arrived. They also said that the wreaths held up well throughout the holidays.
I ordered one for myself the first year I was back in the U.S., and I have ordered them every year ever since. They have lots of styles available, but the Cascade (pictured) is my personal favorite. The wreaths are made from boughs that are trimmed from the trees each year to help promote growth, so they are sustainably harvested.
Dec
5
AeroGarden
Filed Under Kitchen Gear | 16 Comments
As a gardening enthusiast and cooking addict, I enjoy growing my own herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Because the climate in Northern Virginia does not permit year-round outdoor gardening, I keep an indoor herb garden most of the year in an attempt to have a regular supply for cooking. Over the years I’ve grown many different kinds of herbs indoors with varying degrees of success, and I’m always looking for ways to improve herb yield and quality.
I first saw the AeroGarden® on television over a year ago and thought that it looked interesting. I tried hydroponics several years ago when I was growing alfalfa sprouts, but this was different and definitely a step or two up from the very basic non-motorized system I had used. I wanted to learn more and decided that I should review it myself. I contacted the company to see if they would consider allowing me to take one for a test drive and write an honest review, and they graciously agreed. They packed up a Classic AeroGarden and sent it to me. Read more