Scout and I are hoping that you have a safe and sane New Year's celebration. Remember to pick a designated driver, or catch a ride if you have any doubts about getting behind the wheel. I have lots of...
Choose Rosemary for Remembrance
I like rosemary. It smells clean and refreshing to me. When I lived in California I saw it used frequently as a hedge, or as an indestructible shrub around business parks. I often used it as a base for...
The Charmed House - Solarium and Kitchen
After I made my comments about the wonderful house and garden used in the movie "Practical Magic", friends started talking about other great houses and gardens. The series "Charmed", now off the air,...
Safe Indoor Pest Control for Your Plants
If you brought any unwelcome freeloaders in with your plants this fall, I have a great safe way to deal with them. I'm not sure where I saw this, but for years I've been afraid to spray pesticide indoors...
Lavender for Luck
Why is lavender lucky?I have been trying to find a link to lavender and luck since reading the novel "Practical Magic". I can locate many references to luck associated with planting lavender with roses....
Great White Shark Hoax
Nasty pics and story make for a Great White Shark hoax(Large Shortfin Mako Taken Just Off Yarmouth Harbour, Southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada Comparing the size of the sharks head & mouth to the guy...
Commercial Herb Blends
Once you've made a few of your own herb blends, it's easy to get spoiled. The strong flavors of freshly dried herbs are great in cooking, and would be reason enough to take up the hobby of herb growing,...
Wear Your Rue With a Difference
The delicate gray-green leaves of rue are a distinctive addition to the garden. This herb is not as popular as it used to be. It's bitter to the taste, and has a sharp aroma. Its medicinal properties...
Treat a Tummy Ache With Peppermint
What would you pick as the most quintessential flavor of Christmas. My vote goes to peppermint. I smell peppermint, and I'm six years old holding a sticky candy cane in my hand and looking at the colored...
Cinnamon Sticks
Cinnamon sticks are made from the rolled bark of one of a variety of cinnamomun trees that belong to the Laurel family. If you are a lover of cinnamon, try grinding your own. Ground cinnamon will lose...
Dry Your Leftover Parsley
If you have leftover parsley every year from your holiday garnishes, try drying it. This is my chance to recommend that you buy a dehydrator if you don't already have one.Dehydrate Your LeftoversI have...
Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter 12.2007
Wintertime at the BeachAnother winter, another storm. No big deal. To summarize on the last storm we had a couple of weeks ago on December 2nd - Ocean Shores held up just fine. We had some wind, some...
So, Is There Anything To Put out for the Reindeer?
I've read that reindeer eat alfalfa and love raisins. This is my way of introducing dried fruit into our talk. Dried fruit has lost some of its appeal in recent generations, which I think is a tragedy....
Paprika - It's Good for a lot More Than Decorating Deviled Eggs and Garlic Bread
When I was growing up, there was only one kind of paprika available. I was taught that it was only good as a garnish, mostly on deviled eggs and potato salad, because it had little or no flavor. Apparently,...
All About the Hot in Hot Peppers
Easy to grow, dry, grill, and freeze, peppers are inspired food enhancers. They are aids to digestion, can have pain relieving properties, and . . .well, they're pretty, too. Become a pepper lover with...
Are You Looking Forward to Your Seed Catalogs Yet?
One of my favorite New Year's activities is waiting for the mail to arrive. Why? Gardening Catalogs, of course! Free Seed CatalogsIf you aren't signed up for all of the seed catalogs you want this year,...
Preserving Ginger
There are rewards to using ginger in your cooking and gardening. Ginger is an underrated spice. I think that might be because the prepared ginger powder available in most grocery stores is pretty flavorless....
Save Your Green Onions
When I buy green onion, I always try to pick bunches with roots on the ends. If I don't use the whole bunch, I plant the extra. Even after being in the refrigerator for over a week, I can still get most...
Feng Shui Tip and News
by Kathy Mann - Feng Shui Consultant, Author, EducatorFlowing with Feng Shui As we transition into the holiday season, the winter season and the new year, we can use Feng Shui to flow with new energies....
Cardamom - Essential to a Great Hot Toddy
Cardamom is an unusual spice that is the essential ingredient in the absolute best hot toddy ever invented. A native to India, it's best to buy the whole seeds and grind them yourself. The spice can...
Make Bath Salts
Make some refreshing bath salts to help you relax after a long day's work or shopping. Bath salts are easy and relatively inexpensive to make. Most recipes are a blend of Epsom salt and coarse sea salt....
Parsley of Old – My Old Anyway
Parsley was the first fresh herb I was familiar with as a child. It was present at almost every restaurant prepared meal, sitting on the plate next to a slice of lemon or carrot curl. My mother always...
New Pics of the new Damon Point
My camera battery died after a few pics, but here's a few pictures of Damon Point. Can't wait to surf it tomorrow. Looks great. Other than the changes at Damon Point, most of Ocean Shores is just fine...
Recent Storm
Ocean Shores has held up quite well during the recent storm minus a couple houses near the jetty, a few roofs near the jetty and Damon State Park. Our biggest problem out here on the coast is the complete...
What a Real Estate Agent Knows that you Might Not.
What a Real Estate Agent Knows that you Might Not. When you make the decision to sell your home, you are under no obligation to hire a real estate agent or broker to help you with the sale. Nonetheless,...
Chives at your Fingertips
Chives are a personal favorite of mine. This herb was the first that Iregularly went out in the garden to snip in the evening when I was about to start cooking dinner. I keep a special pair of "herb"...
Lemon Balm The Scent That Says Fresh
Lemon balm is a perennial in the mint family. It has a light lemony fragrance that you will recognize from furniture polish and dishwashing liquid.Easy to Root and GrowIt does well in partial shade,...
Holly and Mistletoe - Christmas Staples
Around the holidays, we see a lot of mistletoe and holly. Although these plants are not on many herb lists, I was curious to know about their curative properties if any. I'm always interested in the...
Consider Giving the Gift of Herbs This Christmas
Herbs are always a welcome gift that will make good use of your stash of home grown or purchased herbs and spices. Try making batches of some of these herb blends to give away. Use decorative jars, and...
Sage is Good for More Than Stuffing
You may have been introduced to sage via your spice cabinet, but it was an herbal remedy long before it became popular for culinary use. Sage was a medicinal go-to herb for the ancient Greeks and Romans,...
Holiday Note from the Herb Gardener: If you are a lover of the environment, please consider going green this Christmas by sending e-cards, buying wrapping paper made from recycled stock, and conserving...
Sweet Woodruff is a Delicate Addition to Your Garden
Sweet Woodruff is a beautiful little herb with delicate leaves that grow in tight whorls. It makes an attractive groundcover, and has the reputation of being invasive, but it's shallow rooted so easily...
CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter 11.2007
Ocean Shores Real Estate UpdateOctober '07 versus October '06 in Ocean Shores29 homes sold in October 2006 for an average sales price of $207,778 or $145 selling price per square foot versus 25 Homes...
Natural Pain Relief From White Willow Bark
Willow bark has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years and has chemical properties that are being tested for their immune boosting, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pain reducing capabilities....
Grow Aloe Vera and Have Its Healing Properties at Your Fingertips
I just brought my aloe vera plants indoors for the winter. I bring them in before the first frost and leave them in a westerly facing window until spring. I only water two to three times during winter,...
Get Natural Relief From a Cold or the Flu
‘Tis the season to sniff and cough, and when the inevitable cold or flu comes calling, you are going to be looking for fast relief. Before you run to the pharmacy, check your kitchen cupboard for useful...
Grow Mint in a Bottle
You can easily grow mints in water using a bottle or jar. Keep them in a sunny window, provide them with some liquid fertilizer, and change their water weekly. By spring they will be ready to plant out...
Stormy Day at Damon Point in Ocean Shores
Damon Point is one of my favorite areas in Ocean Shores. Today is the reminent from last nights storm. Here are some pictures I took today. Notice all the driftwood (or logs) hitting the beach. Jeff...
Real Estate 101: Top Tips to Improving Your Home
If you are trying to sell your home, you will want to take a few steps to improve it in order to get the best price possible. By following these simple tips, you will be able to get a great price and...
Go Fly A Kite!
The American Kiteflyers Association is in town this weekend. There's over a 1,000 people down on the beach. Here are some pictures I took....
