Last Day of March

Hi everyone! March was an exciting month don't you agree? We said hello to Spring and Goodbye to Winter which I was very ready to do. We ate everything green in honor of St. Patties Day and shared in some green food recipes as well. We invited the Easter Bunny to hop right on in and we learned what to do with all the left over hard boiled eggs. (egg salad recipes)We learned about pigs, pickles and flour. We learned about the weird holiday tradition of burning a Snowmen and what areas celebrated this tradition too. We even shared some great home recipes for cleaning products just in time for spring cleaning. And last but not least, for all those who are plant lovers, we learned what each Countries National Flower was.

• First Day of Spring
• Earth Day
  
• St. Patrick's Day
  
• Easter
• Inernational Hamburger & Pickle Month
• National Pancake Week
National Flour Month


• National Cleaning Week
• National Pig Day
• Snowman Burning Day
• National Flower Day
• 
  
• National Flour Month

It's the last day for National Nutrition month so here's something To Ponder:
"Graviola is very aggressive at breaking up tumors." "It appears that, as with many health problems, the body (in its wisdom) is trying to protect itself by creating a tumor to encase the toxins that can harm the body." "Breaking up the tumor releases toxins back into the body, making the person feel very sick." "When tumors are surgically removed, this also takes out the toxins which why this is the most effective medical treatment for cancer."

"So a company created a product that contains graviola (called Gravizon) but also has herbs from the rainforest that helps the body to drain these toxins faster, strengthen the immune system and recover from sickness." Product: Graviola 2oz.
Read the Story about Graviola and Cancer.

I thought the month of March was Fantastic and exciting! It's going to be hard for April to stand up to this month but we will see how the holidays go. Happy Holidays everyone and remember..... "Make Everyday a Holiday." Live everyday to it's fullest and never let love take a back seat in life. ~ Pam :)

P.S. The photo is one I took of my beautiful 10 year old cat named Smokey who is being treated for cancer. He loves being in the middle of all the ferns so as a treat we take him outside and let him enjoy nature for a few hours each day. (yes he is a house cat.) Today was day 1 for adding the Product: Graviola 2oz. in his diet as part of treatment for cancer. A big thank you goes out to all of you who have added my little Smokey into your prayers.

April Fools Prank Ideas.

Prank Ideas

Photo is a picture of someones dorm room that was filled with crumpled up news paper.

Hey guys! April Fools Day is less than a week away so I thought it would be nice to get some great prank ideas flowing. Here's a few that I found on the Internet that look great. Share your ideas with us too ok. Just click the comment button at the bottom of this subject. Have a fun and safe April Fools Day.

Get a piece of paper and pen...and write.."To the owner of this vehicle...I'm sorry for the damage I did to your vehicle" and put it on their windshield under the wipers and when the person sees it they will look for damage and there really isn't any damage. This prank was found at wikihow.com/Play-a-Prank

Prank Calls have always been traditional on April Fools Day.
Heres some tips on "How to Make a Prank Call."

Unexpeced Dandriff: The victum: His mom, Lynne. Talk about hair-raising! On April 1, Lynne says, Nathan began complaining during dinner that his head was itching like crazy. "When I looked at his scalp, I encountered the worst case of dandruff I'd ever seen. Apparently, a friend had poured salt into his hair as a prank--and now my son was using that to pull a prank on me!"
THE REACTION: Lynne immediately instructed Nathan about the proper shampoo and scrubbing method. Nathan listened for a few moments, then burst into laughter. This prank was found at familyfun.com

I love this one! Office covered in foil.
April Fools Cake that looks like sandwiches

Find more April Fools fun at http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/April_fools_day.html

Explosivo: April Fools in Havana
Originally uploaded by S.britt

The photo is Explosivo: April Fools in Havana.
Another old April Fool's Day doodle. This time, the old "exploding cigar gag" goes a bit too far when the recipient actually loses face.... and half his arm. A good reminder to prank it safe this April Fools.

Earth Hour Goes Global

Ease the pressure of the earths energy resources.
On March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m., join millions of people around the world in making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.
Earth Hour was created by WWF in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and in one year has grown from an event in one city to a global movement. In 2008, millions of people, businesses, governments and civic organizations in nearly 200 cities around the globe will turn out for Earth Hour. More than 100 cities across North America will participate, including the US flagships–Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco and Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
Everyone throughout North America and around the world are invited to turn off the lights for an hour starting at 8 p.m. (your own local time)–( to support global warming) whether at home or at work, with friends and family or solo, in a big city or a small town.
See http://www4.earthhourus.org/ for more information.
Http://www.worldwildlife.org/earthhour/

Something to Ponder
Why is a keyboard called a keyboard if it just has little buttons?

How-To of the Day
How to Make an Origami Jumping Frog from an Index Card

March 28, 2008

It's the birthday of Jerome Isaac Friedman, a US physicist who won the Nobel Prize for co-discovering quarks. Without quarks, there'd be no alcohol!

Puzzle
Look at this sequence of letters and then tell us what the last letter should be.
O T T F F S S ? Solution
Have a wonderful day today everyone. And remember, Make everyday a Holiday. -Pam

Flax Seeds and Nutrition

flax Originally uploaded by seanvincent

Hey Everybody! 

Since this month is National Nutrition Month (March) I've been trying to read up on the Buzz about Flax Seeds in health, healing and nutrition. I just had to pass this on to everyone because the finding for healing the body of certain cancers and other aliments is astounding. Not just in humans either. In cats and dogs as well!! Ground Flax Seed is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, magnesium, iron, potassiym, and ugnans!!! The photo you see here is of whole flax seeds but you can buy it whole, ground flax meal, bottled flax oil, or gel-caps. And... you can cook with it too! Breads and crackers are very popular! Sprinkled on oatmeal and salads are popular! Blended in yogart and cottage cheese is VERY popular! Possible medical benefits Flax seeds contain high levels of lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids. Lignans may benefit the heart, possess anti-cancer properties and studies performed on mice found reduced growth in specific types of tumours. Not just in mice though, in humans, dogs and cats. Initial studies suggest that flaxseed taken in the diet may benefit individuals with certain types of breast and prostate cancers. Flax may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels. There is some support for the use of flax seed as a laxative due to its dietary fiber content. Articles support the use of it for weight loss as well. Flax seed oil can be taken daily for Nutrition and good health. 

Flax Seed is known as "Life Giving Oils" Information is key! Everybody please google "flax seeds" and read up on this. The results of this is shocking. 

Articles http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/flaxoilpreg.htm#oilpulling http://www.budwigflax.com/Articles/Dr%20Budwig.htm http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Budwig.html http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/flaxseed.htm http://home.online.no/~dusan/diseases/cancer/cancer_dr_budwig.html http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/pet-cancer-cure-testimonials.html 

Youtube Videos Budwig Flaxseed Oil & Cottage Cheese Recipe (FOCC) FOCC - The Introductory Recipe (Budwig's Oil Protein Diet) The Story of Flax 

  Quote of the Day Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.

See the Cats Tongue! In honor of cleaning week.

In honor of National Cleaning Week I just had to add this photo of a cat cleaning his fur. Cleaning week is not just about cleaning the house, it's about all things related to cleaning and this picture is fantastic.

Macro photo of a cat cleaning itself, showing the hooked papilla on the tongue. Wowwwww! Look at that! No wonder when a cat licks you it feels like sandpaper.

Licking is a common way for animals to clean themselves. In mammals, licking helps keep the fur clean and untangled. The tongues of many mammals have a rough upper surface that acts like a brush when the animal licks its fur.Some animals, such as cats, also use licking to cool themselves. As cats do not sweat the way humans do, the saliva deposited by licking provides a similar means of evaporative cooling.

Many animals also drink by licking. While young mammals drink milk from their mothers' nipples by sucking, the typical method of drinking for adult mammals involves dipping the tongue repeatedly into water and using it to scoop water into the mouth. This method of drinking relies in part on the water adhering to the surface of the tongue and in part on muscular control of the tongue to form it into a spoonlike shape.

Animals also use their tongue to enhance their sense of smell. By licking a surface, molecules on it are transferred via the tongue to the olfactory receptors in the nose and in the vomeronasal organ.

Dogs and cats use licking both to clean, and to show affection among themselves or to humans typically licking their faces..

We have 7 beautiful cats in our home and we love each of them dearly. Do you have any comments on a cats tongue? Would you like to tell us something about a cat cleaning? Please do. Just click the comments button. Make everyday a Holiday.. Pam~

Cleaning Week in the home.

Hey friends it's the last week in March and we are right in the middle of National Cleaning Week. Now as we all know the first day of spring was just a few days ago on March 20th. So I started wondering..... do we have a national spring cleaning day in our calendar? We have every other type of holiday. The answer I found was no -I don't think so- which is shocking since "spring cleaning" is such a big deal to most of us and has been for many many years. I was shocked that this activity that is so widely done all over the world is not a national holiday. What I did find out- is we do have a "National Cleaning Week" which is held the 4th week of March, which is the first days spring.

National Cleaning Week - 4th week in March

National Spring Fever Week - 4th week in March

National Clutter Awareness Week - 4th week in March

Check out this definition of Cleanliness
Cleanliness is the absence of dirt, including dust, stains, bad smells and garbage. Purposes of cleanliness include health, beauty, absence of offensive odor, avoidance of shame, and to avoid the spreading of dirt and contaminants to oneself and others.

I had the last 3 days off from work and I spent the time doing some really good cleaning here at home. I drug stuff out of the closets that I haven't looked at in yearsssssss! To my surprise, much of what I looked at was rusted, broken, holey or molded. hahaha! It didn't take very long to make a lot more room in my closet.

Since I was so busy dragging out junk and going through winter clothes and such, I realized that I had very little 409 & grease lightning left in the bottle. (which by the way I love) I was filthy and didn't want to bother with getting dressed and going to the store so I pulled out the lap top and looked up homemade cleaner substitutions on the Internet and heres what I found at eartheasy.com.

• Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
• Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
• Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.
  
• Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
• White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.
• Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
• Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See http://drclark.ch/g)
• Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.

I tried this one and it worked great..
Bathroom mold: Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.

I tried this one and it worked great..
Chopping block cleaner: Rub a slice of lemon across a chopping block to disinfect the surface. For tougher stains, squeeze some of the lemon juice onto the spot and let sit for 10 minutes, then wipe.

Cleaning is usually associated with spring cleaning.
Spring Cleaning is the period in spring time set aside for cleaning a house, normally applied in colder climates, where the house is difficult to clean during winter.

The most common usage of spring cleaning refers to the yearly act of cleaning a house from top to bottom which would take place in the first warm days of the year typically in spring, hence the name. However it has also come to be synonymous with any kind of heavy duty cleaning or organizing enterprise. A person who gets their affairs in order before an audit or inspection could be said to be doing some spring cleaning. spring cleaning at wikipedia

National Cleaning Week is also associated with the cleaning of our cars and trucks. The cleaning of our yard tools and yard plants, and we can't leave out the cleansing of our soul.

Soul Cleansing
Theres just something about having our house clean and organized that makes us feel in line with life. When we come home to a clean house we relax more, we settle in better after a hard stressful day at work. We feel less up-tight. Is it time for a general soul cleansing at your house? Shaking off the dust of everyday life and taking a clear look at what it is that you are doing here and what you want to be doing. When our environment is clean around us, we have a fresh new outlook on life. Here's some ideas that will help.

1. Be truly grateful each day for all the things you have in your life. Even if you fell like you have very little. Be truly thankful for what you do have.
   
2. Bring some fresh flowers in the house. "smell the roses" as the saying goes. Learn to see the beauty in delicate things again.
3. Keep the trash out of the house - it has been proven that looking at garbage and smelling garbage day after day causes depression. GET IT OUT OF THE HOUSE - Don't let it sit there all week.
4. Air out the house on a beautiful day. Even if you don't feel like it, open those curtains and blinds! Open those windows! Let the refreshing breeze blow through and notice just how good it makes you feel. It really does.
   

Well that's all I have to say about National Cleaning Week. Come on you guys, you are welcome to tell us what you think about cleaning. Just click the comment button below and type away. Remember- Make everyday a Holiday! Pam~

International Waffle Day!

Polenta waffles with mixed berry sauce Originally uploaded by sonicwalker

Well well well...... today (March 25) is International Waffle Day so I guess everyone all over the world will be making waffles today. smile~ It seems that today is not the only waffle day that's listed in our calendar. August 24 is National Waffle Day and the first week in September is National Waffle WEEK. More Info on waffle holidays The photo to the right is Polenta waffles with mixed berry sauce. I spoke with Christine by email and she has the recipe for these beautiful waffles on her blog site. Polenta waffles with mixed berry sauce recipe. When I was growing up as a child, my Mother didn't have a waffle maker so we never ate them. We did eat the heck out of pancakes though! hahaha! Especially on Saturday morning. I would have pancakes while watching cartoons. Ahhhhh memories- As an adult I have my own waffle maker now. I loveeeee belgian waffles! Not very often do I eat waffles for breakfast though. I actually like to eat them as a dessert. (fruit and whipcream on top) Featured Waffle Products History Tells Us waffles were first introduced to North America in 1620, by pilgrims who brought the method from Holland. Thomas Jefferson brought a waffle iron from France, and waffle frolics or parties became popular in the late eighteenth century. Waffles were eaten with both sweet (e.g. molasses or maple syrup) and savoury (such as kidney stew) toppings.

• The Brussels Waffle (known in the USA as the Belgian Waffle) is prepared from a yeast-leavened batter, to give a light, crisp waffle. It is often served warm by street vendors, dusted with confectioner's sugar, and sometimes topped with whipped cream or chocolate spread. It may also be served as a dessert, with fruits, whipped cream or ice cream.

• The Liège waffle (from the city of Liège, in eastern Belgium) is a waffle usually bought and eaten warm on the street. They are usually freshly made in small shops, but it is also possible to buy them in supermarkets. They are smaller, sweeter and denser than "Belgian waffles". The last-minute addition of nib sugar to the batter produces a caramelized sugar coating. This gives a distinctive flavor. Most are served plain, but some are vanilla or cinnamon flavored, and can be served with toppings like fruits, creams, and chocolate. The Liège waffle was invented by a cook of the prince-bishop of Liège in the 18th century.
• American waffles, common in the United States, are made from a batter leavened with baking powder, rather than yeast, always lightened with beaten egg-whites. They are usually served as a sweet breakfast food, topped with butter and various syrups,(in the southern parts of America they put peanut butter on it). but are also found in many different savory dishes, such as chicken and waffles. They are generally denser and thinner than the Belgian waffle.
• Virginia waffles are made with rice or cornmeal instead of wheat-flour.
• In Ireland and the UK, the potato waffle, is a savory frozen food in waffle shape, made of reconstituted potato, oil and seasonings. These waffles may be baked, grilled, prepared in a toaster or fried, and are used as a side dish or snack.
• Hong Kong style waffle, in Hong Kong called a "grid cake" (格仔餅), is a waffle usually made and sold by street hawkers and eaten warm on the street. They are similar to a traditional waffle but larger, round in shape and divided into four quarters. They are usually served as a snack. Butter, peanut butter and sugar are spread on one side of the cooked waffle and then it is folded into a semi circle to eat. Egg, sugar and evaporated milk are used in the waffle recipes, giving them a sweet flavor. They are generally soft and not dense. Traditional Hong Kong style waffles are full of the flavor of yolk. Sometimes different flavors, such as chocolate and honey melon flavor are used in the recipe and create various colors.
• Scandinavian waffles are soft and generally divided into four or five segments, traditionally vaguely heart-shaped. The segments are often separated and eaten one by one or folded in pairs. Scandinavian waffles are often eaten with butter, jam, sour cream or sugar, but it is not uncommon to eat them plain. More exotic toppings, such as ice cream or fruit, are occasionally seen.

Basic Waffle Recipe 4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup 4 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1 cup 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 3 whole eggs, beaten 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted 16 ounces buttermilk, room temperature Vegetable spray, for waffle iron. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Close iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

Chicken and waffles is a dish, combining waffles, typically a breakfast food, with chicken, sometimes fried, that is served in certain specialty restaurants in the United States.

It's important to note, however, that there are two types of dishes that go by the name of chicken and waffles. The first type is one not often referred to: it consists of a plain waffle with chopped-up chicken on top, covered in gravy. The most common usage of the phrase, however, refers to the serving of fried chicken along with a waffle, the waffle then typically being covered with butter and/or syrup (as is common practice among those who eat waffles for breakfast in the United States). This unusual combination of foods is beloved by many people who are influenced by traditions of soul food passed down from past generations of their families. Something To Ponder Why is an orange an orange but an apple not a red? Quote for today Living in a vacuum sucks. Silly Boy Joke A little kid walks into a movie theater one day. At the counter, he buys one ticket and then goes in. All of a sudden, he comes back out and buys another one. The man at the counter asks 'Why do you want another one?' The kid replies 'Because that man over there ripped the other one!' Ok my friends that's all for today. Please feel free to click the comment button below this article and give us your take on waffles. We would all love to hear. Make Everyday a Holiday! Your Internet friend, Pam

Chocolate Covered Raisins Day

Delicious Originally uploaded by dianesaysword

Oh yes, magic to my taste buds! Today is March 24th and that means it's National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day. I have this item on my grocery list right now and I'm not kidding. I absolutely love Chocolate Covered Raisins and if I ever go to the movies, this is one sweet treat that goes with me. Yes.... I'm one of those people who will take their own candy to the movies instead of buying it there. Why? Because it's wayyyyy to expensive! It's double the price. So.... I get my own at the grocery store or Wal-Mart and take it in my pocketbook. At home, when ever we plan a movie night, this is the treats that sits between me and my hubby throughout the movie. Not popcorn but chocolate covered raisins. I also keep a pretty little glass jar on my desk that is full of chocolate covered raisins. Chocolate Covered Raisin Cake When you love chocolate covered raisins you become very inventive over ways that you can eat it. I like to bake a Chocolate Carrot Cake. Use an old fashion carrot cake recipe that has raisins in it (carrots, raisins, nuts) except use a chocolate cake mix. Use chocolate icing instead of creamcheese icing. Then sprinkle chocolate covered raising on the top for decorations. One of these days I'm going to take a picture of it and add it to my website with the made from scratch recipe. At least thats the plan. hahaha! Let's see how long it will take me to get that done. See all chocolate Holidays at: http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/National_chocolate_holidays.html CHOCOLATE JOKE: Plump lady to the waitress: "I would like to have DEATH BY CHOCOLATE for dessert, but only enough to put me in critical condition. I AM NOT OVERWEIGHT. I AM CHOCOLATE-ENRICHED. CHOCOLATE IS CHEAPER THAN THERAPY, AND YOU DON'T NEED AN APPOINTMENT. IF IT AIN'T CHOCOLATE, IT AIN'T BREAKFAST! CHOCOLATE MILK: THE POOR MAN'S CHAMPAGNE.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Easter is here and it's a beautiful day here in Florida. The sun is shining and I'm sitting on my back steps enjoying a cup of morning coffee as I watch the birds and squirrels eating their Sunday breakfast that I put out for them. My 7 cats are enjoying watching them as well. hahaha!

The Easter eggs are drying on the kitchen counter and my Easter Basket is full of grass and ready to be filled with all the colors of the rainbow. I just love how pretty they look in a basket.

Easter was my Daddy's favorite holiday. Every time I see an Easter Egg I think of him and I guess I always will. Hiding those Easter Eggs each year was something that he looked forward to all year long. LOL! I can see him now.

The Easter Egg (http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/The_Easter_Egg.html)

As with the Easter Bunny and the holiday itself, the Easter Egg predates the Christian holiday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians.

In Pagan times the egg represented the rebirth of the earth. The long, hard winter was over; the earth burst forth and was reborn just as the egg miraculously burst forth with life. The egg, therefore, was believed to have special powers. It was buried under the foundations of buildings to ward off evil; pregnant young Roman women carried an egg on their persons to foretell the sex of their unborn children; French brides stepped upon an egg before crossing the threshold of their new homes.

With the advent of Chrisianity the symbolism of the egg changed to represent, not nature's rebirth, but the rebirth of man. Christians embraced the egg symbol and likened it to the tomb from which Christ rose.

When is Easter?

Easter is termed a movable Christian holy day because it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. Easter falls at some point between late March and late April each year (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity), following the cycle of the moon.

Easter in the United States is celebrated on:

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Sunday, April 4, 2010

In Canada:

Easter Monday is celebrated on the following dates;

Monday, March 24, 2008

Monday, April 13, 2009

Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter Sunday is a time when families go to church.
In honor of that we thought we would list a few church funnies of REAL Advertisements that appeared in various church bulletins. ~giggle~

Don't let worry kill you -- let the church help.
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
The rosebud on the alter this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.
Tuesday at 4:00 PM there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk will please come early.
Wednesday the ladies liturgy will meet. Mrs. Johnson will sing "Put me in my little bed" accompanied by the pastor.
Thursday at 5:00 PM there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All ladies wishing to be "Little Mothers" will meet with the Pastor in his study.
This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come foreward and lay an egg on the alter.
The service will close with "Little Drops of Water." One of the ladies will start quietly and the rest of the congregation will join in.
Next Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet will come foreward and do so.
The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

An Easter Trilogy http://wandascountryhome.com/trilogy/
Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsvRGLQqeVQ

Stephen & I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Easter. It's a wonderful day to spend with all your friends and family and make lots of loving memories that you can cherish for always. On this Easter Season I hope everyone does just that.
Make everyday a Holiday, Happy Easter to all! -Stephen & Pam

National Flower Day

It's March 21 and that means it's National Flower Day. Yesterday was the first day of spring and it is only fitting that today be Flower Day right! I think every body loves flowers. I get a lot of pleasure out of planting flowers in my yard and watching them grow. Stephen, well..... he doesn't like the yard to much. hahaha - I love flowers on my kitchen table too!

I was doing some reading up on flowers this morning and found out that most countries have a National Flower. For example:

Country: United State
Rose (Rosa)
The rose was officially adopted on November 20, 1986. (some information I found said October 7, 1986 with President Reagan)

Country: United Kingdom (Whales)
Leek (BAbbingtons leek), Daffodil (Narcissus Amaryllidaceae)
The Leek and the Daffodil are both emblems of Wales. The national flower of Wales is usually considered to be the Daffodil. However, the Leek has even older associations as a traditional symbol of Wales - possibly because it's color, white over green, echo the ancient Welsh flag.

To read more on the National Flower of each country visit http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/national_flowers.html
I have a long list - and just so you know, the countries that are not listed either didn't adopt a flower to represent themselves with or I couldn't find any information at all. Some countries have National Trees as well. Have fun reading.

Now let's get Educated- What exactly is a flower??
Wikipedia tells us this......

A flower, also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds. The process begins with pollination, is followed by fertilization, leading to the formation and dispersal of the seeds. For the higher plants, seeds are the next generation, and serve as the primary means by which individuals of a species are dispersed across the landscape. The grouping of flowers on a plant are called the inflorescence.

In addition to serving as the reproductive organs of flowering plants, flowers have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment but also as a source of food.

While we're talking about flowers, today is also "National Fragrance Day." This day is about cologne, perfume and all the things that are good-smelling. That even includes potpourri, soaps, lotions and even scented candles. Fragrances are made from flowers most of the time. What a coincidence. For those of you who are crazy about perfume, here's a link for you. Fragrance Products for men and women.


A Joke for you!
A very dirty little fellow came in from playing in the
yard and asked his mother, "Who am I?"
Ready to play the game she said, "I don't know! Who are you?"
"WOW!" cried the child. "Mrs. Johnson was right! She said I
was so dirty, my own mother wouldn't recognize me!"

Something To Ponder
Isn't the best way to save face to keep the lower part shut?

Bible Verse for you
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Live life, love life, laugh with life and be happy!
Tell us what you think about today. Until Next time, Pam :)

Burning the snowman Day

What do you guys think of this holiday? Today, March 20th is National Burning the Snowman Day. Believe it or not but this holiday is starting to be very popular in the US, mainly up North where there's a lot of snow. Those of us who live in Florida will never get to do the snowy winter tradition of burning a snowman since it never snows here. I think as close as we will get to it, is by burning a snowman candle in honor of the holiday, which in fact is also a tradition.

What is this Snowman Burning Holiday for? Snowman Burning Day is a festival to mark the end of winter and welcome spring. It's a way to celebrate the change of the seasons.

Who celebrates this Wacky Holiday Tradition?
This holiday is celebrated by the Swiss as well as the Americans. In some cultures, they use the burning patterns to determine the type of summer they will have. Zurich has rung in the spring with its traditional Sechseläuten (six bells) festivities, culminating with the symbolic burning of the Böögg snowman. "It took 12 minutes and nine seconds for the snowman's head – loaded with explosives – to blow up, forecasting a "moderate" summer." " According to tradition, the quicker the Böögg explodes, the better summer will be." "Over the past ten years, the average time for the Böögg to blow his top has been 14 minutes.


Celebration cakes for Zurich's spring festival.
They go all out for this holiday. Cakes are traditionally baked with a snowman in the middle of it and the same for other desserts as well. It's a big day for eating as well. Anytime there's a traditional holiday, we will always find feasting and this holiday is no different. Most of this holiday is spent outside so a lot of outside eating is done. Winter eating picnic style seems to be part of the fun.

This Holiday sounds like a lot of fun. I'm not familiar with it myself since I've never celebrated this holiday but I sure welcome it. See Gone-ta-pott.com to learn more about this holiday.

How much chocolate is in your house this week?

Hey guys it's the 3rd week in March and American Chocolate Week is half way through but you still have time to celebrate this sweet Holiday. In fact most of us celebrate chocolate every week anyway don't we? I know we do. In fact Stephen has a bag of mini chocolate bunnies right now that he's been snacking on all week. Why bunnies you ask? Well for this year, American Chocolate Week butts right up to Easter so there's a lot of chocolate treats out there for this whole week guys. Now for me, well I've been hooked on chocolate coffee creamer this week myself. We are both big coffee drinkers and we change up our flavored creamers all the time and this week I went with chocolate. What else is chocolate in our house this week? Well our cookie jar is full of Chocolate Chip Cookies... We can't go without our cookies and milk! In my kitchen cabinet awaits a box of brownies and German chocolate cake mix. I'm crazy about German Chocolate Cake. I think that's all the chocolate we have in the house this week. So now guys tell us...... how much chocolate do you have in your house this week?
Are there other Chocolate Holidays?
OH YES! We are obsessed with chocolate and our Holiday calendar makes sure we never forget it either. Here's a long list of all chocolate holidays in our calendar; so go pick one that's just right for you and "melt that chocolate! " See National Chocolate Holidays.

Featured Books about Chocolate
Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner
Book Description: Chocolate and candy making today is undergoing a renaissance in public awareness and status. This comprehensive book combines artisan confectionery techniques with accessible explanations of the theory and science as well as formulas for use in production. Fundamental information for the confectioner includes ingredient function and use, chocolate processing, and artisan production techniques. The book contains 140 formulas and variations for beautiful confections, including dairy-based centers, crystalline and noncrystalline sugar confectionery, jellies, and nut center and aerated confections.


Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate
Book Description: Established in 1996, Scharffen Berger has become America's preeminent maker of cooking chocolate. Essence of Chocolate, by the firm's founders and food writer Susie Heller, offers more than 100 recipes for a broad selection of delights like Chocolate Pudding Cakes, Chocolate Marbled Gingerbread, Cocoa Caramel Panna Cotta, and Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake, as well as savory edibles made with chocolate like Tortilla Soup and Chile-Marinated Flank Steak. Unusual recipes also include the likes of Chocolate Chunk Challah and TKOs, a homemade version of Oreos that leaves those favorites on the supermarket shelf.

Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor
Ann Byrn is on to something. Her first book, The Cake Mix Doctor, showed readers how to tweak store-bought cake mixes to produce "like-homemade" treats. The sequel, Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor repeats Byrn's foolproof approach, focusing solely on chocolate. The strategy? Begin with commercial mixes like chocolate cake, devil's food, and chocolate brownie; alter them with ingredients that add flavor, such as cocoa powder, or richness and moistness, like sour cream; use homemade frostings (supermarket versions won't cut it); and you're in business. "My mission," says Byrn, "is to help busy cooks find the time to bake even when company is not coming." If her sweets lack true homemade quality, they nonetheless produce entirely creditable desserts most bakers, and those they feed, will applaud.

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth
Book Description: Chocolate Caramel-Pecan Souffl Cake . . . Cinnamon-Donut Bread Pudding . . . Double-Crumble Hot Apple Pies . . . Giant Coconut Cream Puffs . . . Here's a collection of desserts that gives more than 75 sticky, chewy, messy, gooey reasons to stock up on napkins. In addition to each sugary favorite, the author has included simple techniques and tools to help home cooks recreate each decadent treasure again and again. Sprinkled throughout are tips on using phyllo dough, toasting nuts, and making a heavenly ganache, so every over-the-top treat tastes as irresistible as it sounds. For the serious sweet tooth, pour a tall glass of milk and get ready to bite into all that's Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey!

National Laugh Day!

I really love to laugh and I really wish I laughed as much as an adult as I did as a child. When we get older life gets so serious and we sometimes forget how good it feels to let go, laugh and feel happy. We spend most of our days running and rushing and trying to meet deadlines and some how we leave out a very important part of life. "Laughter"

Let today, "National Laugh Day," be a reminder to all of us to not take life so serious and make someone laugh today. You know how laughter is catching, do it so everyone laughs....... including you.

Did you know the study of humor and laughter, and its psychological and physiological effects on the human body is called gelotology.

It has been shown that laughing helps to protect the heart. Although studies are inconclusive as to why, they do explain that mental stress impairs the endothelium, the protective barrier lining a person’s blood vessels. Psychologist Steve Sultanoff, Ph.D., the president of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor, gave this explanation:

"With deep, heartfelt laughter, it appears that serum cortisol, which is a hormone that is secreted when we’re under stress, is decreased. So when you’re having a stress reaction, if you laugh, apparently the cortisol that has been released during the stress reaction is decreased."

Bible Humor
During his sermon one Sunday, the local preacher told his congregation
the entire range of human experience could be found in the Holy Bible.

He confidently stated, "If anything can happen to humans, it is
described somewhere in the Holy Bible."

After the service, a woman came up to the preacher and said, "Reverend,
I don't think the Holy Bible mentions anything about PMS."

The preacher told the woman he was certain he could find a reference to
PMS somewhere in scripture.

During the following week, he searched diligently, book-by-book,
chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse.

On the following Sunday, the woman came up to him and asked, "Did you
find any references to PMS in the Bible?"

The preacher smiled, opened his Bible and began to read, "...and Mary
rode Joseph's a*s all the way to Bethlehem."

• The Joke Center - An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter in the address, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife, whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:
  

Dearest Wife,

Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

Your Loving Husband

P.S. Sure is hot down here.

Are there any other humor related Holidays?
Yes! National Humor Month is the month of April.
August 16th is "Tell a joke day."
Each year, "World Laughter Day" is celebrated the first Sunday in May.
National Laugh Day: March 19

March 18: Oatmeal Cookie Day

< Today is Oatmeal Cookie Day. I do think this is a good cookie to chew down on and my favorite recipe is the one on the lid of the quaker oatmeal container. Even though oatmeal cookies are an old time favorite, I think the original cookie recipe is falling by the way side and making way to all the recipes with chocolate chips in them. We are even finding oatmeal cookies with cranberries in them too. Hey, it doesn't really matter though- right. Cookies are great no matter what you put in them. We still enjoy them with a huge glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee. We can dunk em' in milk or we can dunk em' in melted chocolate. It doesn't matter just as long as we dunk em'.

What is the Great American Meatout Day?

It's the world's largest and oldest annual grassroots diet education campaign that's held on or around the first day of Spring. Supporters try to educate communities about healthy eating by asking everyone to "kick the meat habit (at least for a day) and explore wholesome foods such as fruits, veggies and whole grains.

Informative and educational Meatout events will be held all across the US and in many other countries. Activities will include colorful 'lifestivals,' street theater, lectures, public dinners, cooking demos, food samplings, leafleting, information tables called 'steakouts,' and a Congressional Reception in Washington, DC. You can read more about it at the meatout website.
_________________________________________________________________

Well this sounds like some fun festivals to go to but...... could I kick the no meat thing personally??? Ummm..... NOPE! (Thinking) Maybe for one day. I'm a true meat and potato eater myself and so is Stephen but I think we could support the cause by going to one of their events and enjoying some cool and refreshing fruit salad I think. I do love fruit salad especially if it's made with whipped cream. Learning about better health is always a good thing and it never hurts to learn more about better nutrition. Happy Great American Meatout Day everyone.

St. Patricks Day

Happy St. Patties Day everyone. Time to go GREEN! St. Patrick's Day has long adopted the color green for this Holiday and the popularity of everything being green even goes as far as the foods we eat on this day and the drinks we drink on this day as well. The most popular drink is Green Beer for the adults and green coolaid for the kids.

Ingredients

16 ounces golden irish lager beer

3-6 drops green food coloring

Directions

1. In a chilled pint size glass pour beer add food coloring and mix inches Enjoy!
2. "Slàinte!" (pronounced "slawn-cha")
3. As the Irish would say. The traditional toast is the Irish equivalent of cheers and means "good health" in Gaelic.

Corned Beef and Cabbage is the most common meal eaten in the United States for St. Patrick's Day, even though historically, corned beef and cabbage is an American (rather than a traditionally Irish) meal and I have to say I love corned beef and cabbage!

In the United States, many people have also made the holiday a celebration of the color green. These people, besides wearing green on that day, may also stage dinner parties featuring all green foods. Heres some examples for you.

• Corned Beef & Cabbage with a few drops of green food coloring added.
• Green jello fruit salad.
• Baked Broccoli casserole.
• Green Beans.
• Irish Stew with a few drops of green food coloring added.
• the list goes on and on ..................................................
  

Irish Brown Soda Bread

Now, do you need some bread to serve with your St. Patties Day meal? This turn-of-the-century traditional Irish bread uses baking soda instead of yeast for a foolproof recipe perfect for St. Paddie's Day. Rolled oats and sweet buttermilk enhance the flavors of this rustic bread. Go to our St. Patricks Day page for the recipe.

Don't Forget about the Irish Coffee! You can also find this recipe on our St. Patrick page.
*

potato chip cookies

potato chip cookies Originally uploaded by pamelasvoboda

Heres a picture I took of my "Potato Chip Cookies." These cookies are made with ruffles potato chips. I know that's an odd ingredient to put in cookies but you have to try this to believe it. They are really fantastic. The recipe is full of nuts too so I hope you like nuts. You can see my video on making them here. www.gone-ta-pott.com/potatochipcookies.html Come on guys..... in honor or National Potato Chip Day give the recipe a try and tell me what you think of it.

Potato Chip Day

Nalley's Potato Chips Originally uploaded by Waffle Whiffer

Hey guys it's National Potato Chip Day and it always falls on March 14th each and every year. In celebration of one of my favorite things to eat, I found this neat add at flickr for Nalley's Red Seal Potato Chips. It's from the Denver Post, May 6, 1962. The squirrel on the bag is just too cute and what he says would make me buy it. "Light, fresh, noisy and delicious." Potato Chips are my weakness and thats no joke either. I could just about eat them every day and if I had potato chip dip I WOULD eat them every day. Speaking of potato chip dip..... theres even a holiday for that too. March 23rd is National Chip N Dip Day so check back with us and I will be listing a few dip recipes in honor of that day. Until then yall, Happy Potato Chip Day!

Significant March

SIGNIFICANT MARCH:

March Flower of the month: Daffodil & Jonquils

Zodiac Signs: Pisces / The Fish, Feb.19 - Mar. 20

Aries / The Ram, Mar. 21 - Apr. 19

The name for the Moon in March is called Crow Moon,

Lenten Moon, Sap Moon, Seed Moon.

The Full Moon is: March 21, 2008 / 18:41 / Fri.

The Full Moon is: March 11, 2009 / 02;40 / Wed.

March Birthstone: Aquamarine, Bloodstone.Meaning: Courage

• Spring: March 20 is the first day of Spring for 2008. Spring Time runs from March 20th to June 20th.
  

• Earth Day: International Earth Day was initiated to make earth inhabitants aware of their responsibility to care for the planet. This care includes environmental and natural resources.
  

• Daylight Saving Time: Most of the United States begins Daylight Saving Time at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time. In the European Union, Summer Time begins and ends at 1:00 a.m. Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). It begins the last Sunday in March and ends the last Sunday in October. In the EU, all time zones change at the same moment.
  

St. Patrick's Day: St. Patrick's Day is usually celebrated March 17, but Ireland's bishops have shifted the feast day, in honor of the national saint, to Saturday, March 15, (for 2008) reported The Associated Press.