Spring was cold and damp in Delaware and now it seems as though we are heading into a hot and dry summer. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to start a garden and now the Mint has taken over. If you are thinking about starting a vegetable garden at home, here is a great article with tips from my guest blogger, Ella Andrews.
Making your own vegetable garden at home can be an excellent way to save money and to make your extra space useful. You can easily grow about ten pounds worth of fruit over each season if not even more even with a small amount of space. In almost all of your cases the variety and texture of your plants will be something that could even exceed grocery stores if you handle it right. In the end growing vegetables can be fun, as you will spend plenty of time outdoors and you can make use of your gardening efforts in many ways. The following examples will explain how that can be done:
Choosing the right plants for your vegetable garden
The first thing you need to consider is working on the job by starting small. Many gardening chances will open up each season, giving you a chance to plant many of them. A lot of gardeners will end up planting plenty but they may end up overwhelmed by the amount of work necessary. The first thing you should consider is figuring out a good gardening plan with your family, as certain vegetables in general, such as peppers, squash and tomatoes will provide you with what you need. Carrots, radishes and more will be a good addition to your home, so once you figure out the optimal solution for your needs. Keep in mind that not all the space you have will be useful of course, so you may need to work on containers on a balcony for examples or a different solution that would make use of limited options. The following tips will give you the information you may need to make it work:
Choosing the right spot
No matter the size of your gardening space, you will need to carefully consider what you want to plant in there, as not all plants have the same preferences when it comes to soil, sunlight levels and more.
Full sunlight
Most of the vegetables out there will need a good six to eight hours of full sunlight if you want them to thrive. If you don’t do this there won’t be much they can do to survive insects and diseases, so you should look for a chance to make use of the full amount of sunlight each day if possible, especially for leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. If your climate is hot, then you may need to look for better cool season varieties such as peas that would work better in partial shade.
Proper irrigation
Since most vegetables are not exactly tolerant to drought, you will have to give them plenty of water to thrive. A clean and ready source of water should be readily available at any time, especially during summers so make sure you keep your gardening organized and ready at all times.
Choosing the right soil
The choice of proper soil could make or break your efforts to keep things afloat, so you should choose wisely, supplementing the nutrients in the soil with organic matter such as mulch, compost and manure if need be.
Bio: Ella Andrews is dedicated writer and blogger, who has great flair for home improving and home maintenance projects. She is constantly searching for new sources of inspiration. Presently she contributes articles mainly on gardening and landscaping related themes. For more helpful tips visit: Gardeners Elmstead Ltd.
They were so nice that I wore them twice…as a matter of fact, I think I have worn them more than twice since the last “You Choose The Shoes” episode. I just love the black and white print with the solid yellow heel and pairing them with this red dress which is also from Avon was a great match.
However, don’t let me muddy the waters because the other shoes which have a floral print are just as nice so you be the judge.
Once again I chose to highlight the yellow heels with a yellow purse, this one was purchased from Kohl’s last season. I then decided to change it up with a black clutch purse from The Rainbow Shop.
The dress has a cinched waist so it’s a bit more flattering and less clingy. The accessories for this outfit is a Goldtone coin necklace and an over sized multicolored bracelet to coordinate with the floral pink heels…that’s if I chose to wear them.
So what do you think, which pair would you have chosen to wear with this dress? I was thinking that maybe the chunky heels were too over powering but it seems as though chunky heels are back in fashion for the season and can be worn with any outfit.
Thank you to all who voted last month in the “You Choose the Shoes” episode #4. The overwhelming majority chose the Avon print so perhaps they will win again…let’s see how they fair this month.
If you are anything like me you bought a few bags of Tortilla Chips and a jar of Salsa to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but also like me you didn’t use the entire jar of salsa. So there it sits in the refrigerator until the next time you want to dip in a tortilla chip … which is no time soon.
I kept pushing that jar of salsa from one side of a shelf in the refrigerator to the other until I realized that I could probably use it to make a meatloaf or even turkey burgers instead of throwing it away.
Using the following ingredients I decided to make enough meatloaf to last two days because I had a meeting the next day after work and wouldn’t get home until late.
Ingredients
3 pound package of Jennie-O Ground Turkey
1 – 1/2 cups salsa
1 – 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 – 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Package of Taco Seasoning
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix the ground turkey, salsa, bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, and seasoning package. Transfer to a 5×9 inch loaf pan.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).
I also made a pot of Kale which is one of my favorite veggies to serve with any meal. To the boiling water I added one bunch of kale, Apple Cider Vinegar, chopped onions and a few sprinkles of white sugar.
Every time I make meatloaf, I think about Ralphie, the kid from “A Christmas Story” remember when he complains about this all too often served meal – meatloaf meatloaf beetloaf!
What is your favorite way to cook meatloaf?
Disclosure: I am a member of the Jennie-O Switch Circle and have received products to facilitate my reviews. All opinions are 100% my own.
Hello friends, are you ready – this is it – the first official weekend of the summer – woohoo. The sun is shining, the temps are rising and I am ready to be outdoors until late into the evening.
This afternoon we will be heading over to the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware to see our son graduate from the CLSC Program and I am so excited!!!
CLSC stands for Career and Life Studies Certificate. CLSC is a two-year, nonresidential certificate program at the University of Delaware for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). CLSC provides integrated academic, career/technical and independent living instruction in preparation for gainful employment. CLSC students attend classes, participate in internships and work experiences, and engage in all aspects of campus life.
Keep an eye out on my Instagram and Facebook pages to see our smiling faces! Speaking of which, if you saw the pic of my #OOTD on Monday you would have known that I wore white shoes and carried a white purse which according to old fashion rules is a no-no!
Do you still adhere to the “no white before Memorial Day” rule – or is it alright to wear white right after Easter? This skirt is a recent purchase from Ross and initially I was going to pair it with a different top, but with all the rain we had this month I decided to wear it instead with a crisp white shirt.
Then after looking deeper into my closet, I said, hey what the heck and grabbed these white sandals and purse. I was comfy all day and with just a few pops of orange this outfit really made the start of my week less dreary.
So are you ready, will you be heading to the beach or the shore or just hanging at home with family and friends? Whatever, you decide to do – be safe and have fun.
Next month, our oldest son Tayair will be celebrating his 24th birthday which is a miracle.
You see, Tayair was born on June 23, 1992, 3 months prematurely weighing only 2.8 lbs, with a condition called Trachea Esophageal Fistula. He had more surgeries than I care to remember and had a feeding tube inserted into his stomach until the age of 5, which meant he didn’t eat his first real meal until around the age of 6.
He was not able to be around others without health complications so a home nurse was his first friend and formal teacher. When he was able to attend pre-school the nurse would follow behind the bus then sit in the office until it was time to administer his nebulizer treatments and pour a can of Pedisure through his feeding tube which was his lunch.
Tayair struggled through school but was mainstreamed into regular classes so that he was able to learn despite being labeled “intellectually disabled” This miracle son of ours is going to be the next speaker in our house.
A few weeks ago we attended a meeting with his DHSS counselor and she was very impressed in what he stated with regards to his career path as well as his ability to create Powerpoint presentations. He had been chosen to be a representative for the UDel CLSC Program last summer and had presented at a workshop in Virginia.
She asked him if he would be interested in presenting at one of their monthly staff meetings and naturally he said, “yes”.
Tayair’s father and I have been presenting in front of audiences for years and Tayair has been the photographer at many of my Social Media Workshops, therefore, public speaking is literally in his DNA.
However, this was the first time we both had an opportunity to hear him speak and our hearts were filled with pride and excitement!
The audience was quite large and he did an amazing job as you can see from the following video. Tayair spoke briefly of his experience in learning how to drive and being stopped by a cop for speeding and how the Trooper treated him.
His father and I were then asked how we felt about having an adult child with disabilities and letting go so the presentation became a family affair.
Tayair is definitely destined to be the next speaker in our house and I know he will carry on the legacy with greatness. Remember, “being disabled doesn’t mean you are not able!”
ABlake Enterprises presents @ 1 Million Cups Wilmington
1 Million Cups is a free, weekly national program designed to educate, engage, and connect entrepreneurs. Developed by the Kauffman Foundation, 1MC is based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and network over a million cups of coffee.
Every Wednesday morning, one or two early-stage startups present their companies to a diverse audience of their peers, mentors, educators, and advisors.
Each founder presents for six minutes, followed by a 20-minute question-and-answer session with the audience.
Afterward, each startup receives feedback via audience comments and questions from local organizers and in our session were also students from DelTech Community College.
The culture surrounding 1 Million Cups is that of a supportive, neutral space welcoming entrepreneurs to be open and honest about their businesses and the challenges they face.
1 Million Cups is led by more than 300 volunteers in 35+ states, one U.S. territory, and six time zones. It attracts an estimated national weekly attendance of more than 2,500 people.
On Wednesday, May 4th, I presented ABlake Enterprises in front of a diverse audience which also included two of my “bestie” friends, Lisa Bryant of LBAFG Consulting, and Nicolle Surrett, NspiredbyNicolle .
I am not going to lie and say that I wasn’t initially nervous, because I was. As I sat there listening to Dillon, a young entrepreneur who presented prior to me I began to think, “what have I gotten myself into…I wonder if they think ABlake Enterprises is a pipe dream…or if they think I am too old to start a Social Media Management and Consulting Business but once I got started all of those question and anxieties disappeared.
Towards the end of my presentation which ran a bit longer than 6 minutes, my throat began to get dry. I was too nervous to drink a cup of coffee prior to my presentation so I was definitely parched by the end of it.
Fortunately, I had attended a previous presentation by Lisa and knew what to expect and since there weren’t many audience questions afterwards I was able to grab a cup of coffee, do a little networking before heading out to work.
I highly recommend that all new business startups present at a 1Million Cups program, not only for the feedback but to also gain a little more experience in presenting in front of an audience of potential clients.
Food and lots of it…friends and fun was the best way to spend the last Friday in April, not to mention it was at the Buena Vista Mansion in New Castle.
Having recently met Amy and Kim, MOT Charter High School parents and PTO members, I was invited to attend their 1st Annual Small State, Small Bites Food Competition & Silent Auction.
This event was held at the Buena Vista Mansion and sponsored by ConnectTheDot, a Consulting, Marketing and Advertising Agency.
Had the weather been a bit warmer, it would have been nice to walk the grounds, unfortunately we were once again treated to an unseasonably cold April evening. However, inside the Mansion things were definitely warm, delightful and delicious!
The doors opened at 6:00 p.m. and I walked through this gorgeously decorated Mansion taking pictures, making mini videos, networking and nibbling all before the opening remarks by PTO President Kim McNeil.
As attendees began arriving, which by the way, was far more than I could count and way more than they expected, made this fundraiser a smashing success!!!
The Registration Table contained a brochure with the order of the evening’s events and each attendee also received a take-away bag with a “Tasting Card” attached.
There were 10 tables of Small Bite Tastings and although I didn’t take the opportunity to sample something from each, what I did taste was amazing.
Chefs from the 10 following local restaurants prepared delicious bites that everyone seemed to enjoy so I can only imagine how difficult it was for the judges, who were sequestered on the 2nd floor to choose the winner.
Cantwell’s Tavern, Del Pez Mexican Gastropub, Grain Craft Bar & Kitchen, Catherine Rooney’s Irish Pub & Rest., Guzzy-Q Competition & BBQ Catering, Aqua Sol Restaurant, Metro Pub & Grill, Stewart’s Brewing Company, World Café Live at The Queen, 301 Plaza Restaurant
DJ “The Man of Steel” played a mix of music that was perfect for the taste testing and Silent Auction portion of the event. As I was leaving I could hear the sounds of “let’s get this party started” music but since I had to conduct a Blogging Workshop Saturday morning I didn’t stay to enjoy it.
There were 12 Silent Auction items in which to bid on including a Crow Farm & Vineyard Winery Tour; Casino Night; Baltimore Package, Fitness Package, Spa Package; Golf Package and of course several Restaurant Packages.
Photographer, Ralph Mallamace and I became fast friends and we enjoyed taking snap shots of the guests and also of each other!
I missed the announcements of the “People’s Choice” winners and closing remarks but am sure you can read them on the ConnectTheDot and MOTCharter websites.
As I had previously stated, this was by far a smashing success and I hope to be in attendance at the 2nd Annual Small State, Small Bites Food Competition and Silent Auction.
Maybe next time I’ll be invited to be a judge like I was at the Burger Battle, then I’ll have more of an opportunity to taste test everything!
I love attending local fundraisers especially to those that involve food, how about you?
This year our Turkey Day was low key, but that’s exactly how we needed it to be. Hubby has two more Chemo treatments, the last one will be 12/23 and we are looking forward to entering 2016 Cancer FREE!
Malik arrived home from Bowie State University on Saturday evening. Thankfully, his aunt drove him home so I didn’t need to make that trip down and it was wonderful to see him when I got home. I couldn’t believe how much my ‘baby’ had grown since August…just look at those “guns”
no words…
It was a leisurely Turkey Day which started by watching the Macy’s Day Parade, cooking the Jennie-O Turkey which was delicious and then relaxing with Tayair while he and his father watched football and the Eagles lost again!
This is a great turkey!
Philadelphia Eagles lost again!
I am not one who ventures out on Black Friday, so no bargains were had for us, instead we all watched movies together in the family room and munched on Thanksgiving dinner leftovers. It was a lazy two days!
selfie with the sons
Saturday the mini men and I headed to a matinee at Westown Movies to see “Creed” and it was definitely a good movie. I loved the storyline, the actors but best of all, hanging with my sons.
The last movie we saw together was Polar Express and the last time I was at Westown was to cover their Grand Opening, remember this post?
Our neighbor, Kyla works at the theatre and she was glad to see the guys as they are now all at different colleges.
they all grew up together
Creed at Westown Movies in Middletown
After the movie we went to Ruby Tuesday for dinner and had a great meal, the Apple Cider Spritzer was very refreshing, I actually drank two glasses!
I ordered the Asiago Sirloin and Fried Shrimp, something that I haven’t done in over a decade. I don’t normally eat red meat and never fried shrimp, but it was the holiday so I splurged a little and it was worth it!
Tayair’s meal was plated better than mine so I took a picture of his.
We popped over to Walmart, Marshalls and Kohl’s before heading home for the evening. Walmart had several of their Statement necklaces on clearance for $2.00 and a few Frank’s Red Hot sauce gift ideas on display as well as over at Kohl’s.
Frank’s RedHot Gift Set
Frank’s RedHot Recipe Book
It was definitely a great Saturday night to be out and about hanging with my mini men.
What I wore to the movies
It’s tough getting both of them together to pose with me, but hubby and I were able to capture a few shots before I drove Malik back to school and the very last one he “allowed” me to take was when I dropped him off on campus.
a soda and a smile made my day
me and my mini men
my sons, the loves of my life
see ya later son!
Well that was my Weekend Wrap Up, how was your Thanksgiving Holiday?
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links so if you click on them I may make a few cents.
You have to fail in order to succeed!
Last Saturday while teaching my Blogging 202 class, one of the comments I reiterated was, ”you have to fail”. I was making this statement about the younger generation and why we have failed them by not allowing them to fail.
We have two sons, the oldest is intellectually disabled so for him a lot of life’s lessons were difficult to comprehend. I remember times when as a toddler he would be on the playground with the other kids, “parallel playing”. You know from a distance it appears as though a kid is playing with others but upon closer inspection you see they aren’t, just jumping around and talking to themselves.
Perhaps he didn’t understand the rules of the game or maybe the other kids simply didn’t want to play with him. As a parent, this was hard to watch, but my husband and I couldn’t force the other kids to play with him. He either had to learn the game or be a bystander.
This definitely set the foundation for him later in life when he was cut from the Appo HS football team, even though he attended all the practices for the entire summer and the coach gave him a helmet and a jersey only to take it from him before the beginning of the season…yes, I am still a bit perturbed by this if you haven’t noticed!
Anywho I too remember not being chosen for a team or getting picked last because I wasn’t fast enough, so like our son, I would either go off to do my own thing or just stand there and watch.
As both our sons got older we signed them up for the local T-Ball and Soccer teams. The cost of participation included a certificate and trophy presented to them at the end of the season and it didn’t matter whether they won or not. I always thought it was a stupid idea because how would the kids learn that they needed to try harder if they were all being rewarded for just participating?
How would they learn that not everything is going to be given to them for little to no effort – how would they learn to deal with disappointment and failure? Unfortunately, a lot of kids today haven’t learned that lesson and we can see how well that worked out just by reading a few newspaper headlines!
“It’s a Different World”
So when I heard the report about James Harrison, of the Pittsburgh Steelers wanting to give back the “participation trophies” that his kids brought home, I said, “finally!”
Of course there are controversies on both sides, but as a parent who wants to raise his kids with the understanding that not everything is going to be handed to them as a just because, and that sometimes you have to fail in order to succeed, I think he did the right thing. You know me, I am all about teaching my sons the realities of life, the good the bad and the ugly #ihatecancer
Now let me go see if I can find a few of those “participation trophies” collecting dust in the basement, maybe my sons might even remember getting them!
Chime in, what is your take on kids needing to fail in order to work harder for success?
On Sunday, I had the honor and privilege to be part of a powerhouse panel of women at the #WomensWealth #BOSSBrunchTour2015DEheld in Dover, Delaware. The B.O.S.S Brunch Tour 2015 was a gathering of influential women, business owners, professionals, community leaders and women interested in starting a business. The B.O.S.S. Brunch Tour 2015 is the brainchild of Tarra Jackson, better known as #MsMadamnMoney, and she actually only spoke it into existence early in October.
Once the seed was planted, it didn’t take her long to work with others in putting together the first leg of the tour which kicked off in Delaware on Sunday. #GodisGoodThe goal of the B.O.S.S. Brunch Tour 2015 is to connect, collaborate, educate, and elevate women by providing them with Business Owner Success Strategies for 2015.
The event was held in Festival Buffet Room A at Dover Downs Casino and upon arrival each attendee received a Swag Bag containing a copy of Tarra’s book, Financial Fornication, a brochure and discount coupon from Raquel Hinkson; a brochure and a few Avon goodies from me. Also included in each bag were discount coupons from the vendors; Sensual EleganceBody, BeautyWithBabs and Regina Collins with Traci Lynn Jewelry.
Tarra’s welcoming remarks and subsequent introduction of each panelists was followed by a blessing of the food, and trust and believe when I say the buffet was over-the-top good! There was a large array of hot and cold foods, everything from greens and grits to shrimp and oysters, it was far too much for me to even photograph!
Tarra kept the schedule tight so after eating we took our seats up front; Pastor Joyce Lott, The Spiritual B.O.S.S., Dr., Monet Sifford-Wilson, The Healthy B.O.S.S., Raquel Hinkson, The DE B.O.S.S. Host, Tameka Easter, The Corporate B.O.S.S., and myself, The Blogger B.O.S.S.
Tarra, The B.O.S.S. Facilitator began the program first by asking each attendee to share a brief bio, and there was so much diversity amongst these beautiful women. The Q&A session was lively, informative, soulful and even at one point tearful, it was definitely enlightening for all both professionally and personally.
We were able to cover topics ranging from spiritual health, physical health, entrepreneurial tips, college scholarships and savings as well as social media savvy and blogging tips for small business owners. The Corporate Sponsor for the B..O.S.S. Brunch Tour 2015DEwas Sallie Mae and Temeka provided very useful information for those of us with kids in college and for others who have plans for it.
The B.O.S.S. Brunch Tour ended in my opinion way too soon, but the networking, picture taking, hugs, kisses and laughter that followed only emphasized that it had truly been a successful day for everyone. A few door prizes were awarded but I think we all took away a special gift that will carry us through 2015. The next stop of the B.O.S.S. Brunch Tour 2015 will be held on January 11th in DC, for more information or to register click here.
Thank you Tarra for inviting me to participate in the tour’s kickoff and I wish you much success as you take it on the road to DC, NY, NC and CA, but just remember, “the first is always the best” – just kidding. Thanks again for bringing such a positive event to the wonderful women in the First State of Delaware MUAH…love you much!
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