Wednesday, August 24, 2011

My wife says to remind everyone to keep a flash-light (with good batteries). It is not a bad idea to have one in the dining room and family room as well. This is good for an earthquake, or hurricane or whatever. I will add keep one in your car as well, and if you work in a place with no windows (teachers), have a flash-light where you can find it.

I'll never forget being in the teachers workroom when the electricity went out, with 10 otjher teachers trying to feel our ways to the door in pitch darkness.
Also keep a radio with fresh batteries (unless you can find one of those neat wind up (yes you wind it like a clock and it has a mainspring to run the generator) South African radios.

One more thing, land lines are more likely to work in an emergency.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Conatiners

Buying plastic containers for the kitchen. The store brand (Krogers,Randall's etc.) is usually the best price. The most important thing though is write down the brand, and always buy the same brand. That way if you lose containers or lids, you will always have a match. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to store something when you have multiple brands of containers and lids that do not fit each other. Periodically go through your containers, and if you have lids that don't fit anything, chunk them. Container and no lid, do the same.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Flowers or vegetables

In these trying times, many of us may doubt the wisdom of planting flowers. The solution is a decorative vegetable garden. In the winter we had curley parsley in our decorative herb garden together with sage, thyme and rosemary. Rosemary makes a nice bush on its own, and as long as it is in well drained soil grows excellently in many areas. It will take a hard Houston freeze, and it will take the drought as well. Around the roses we had cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Looked nice and tasted good as well.

So in the spring and summer, why not plant your squash around your roses. We have our row of tomatoes behind the cana lilies. Many hot peppers make decorative plants as well. In the Houston area, as long as they don't freeze, they will grow several years. Just pick the peppers. Have too many. Fill up a wine bottle with several different types and colours and fill with vinegar for a nice slightly different east Texas pepper sauce (traditionally used on veggies, but goo for what ever you want to spice up.) You can also put them in nice bottles for Christmas or birthday presents.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Celery

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator - it will keep for weeks!