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Indoor Winter Fun
by Deborah Shelton
Tell the cold weather to take a hike, and get ready to have
some fun!
* Winter Beach Party
Bring that fun-in-the-sun feeling into your home with a
winter beach bash. Spread beach towels on the living room
floor; wear your swimsuit and a pair of flippers (why
not?); feast on hot dogs; make castles out of clay and play-
dough; and don't forget to take pictures!
* Winter Word Race
Challenge your friends and family to a race of the minds.
Set a kitchen timer for one minute. When the time starts,
write down as many winter-related words as you can think
of. The winner gets a cup of hot cocoa and the chance to
choose the next word race topic.
* Balloon Drop
Who doesn't love a good balloon game? Arrange players in a
circle and have them number off. The player with the
highest number is "It". "It" stands in the center of the
circle, and calls out a number while dropping an inflated
balloon. The player with that number must catch the balloon
before it reaches the floor. If the player catches the
balloon, "It" calls another number. But if the balloon
touches the floor, then that player is "It" and the game
continues.
About the Author
Deborah Shelton is a mother, freelance writer, and author
of the brand new book, "The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast
Activities for You and Your Little Ones." Visit Deborah's
website for more family-friendly ideas, and a free email
newsletter. Visit FiveMinuteParent.com.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."
Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!
Growing and Using Garlic Chives Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.
The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!
The Perfect Porch Swing Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.
Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.
Bring that fun-in-the-sun feeling into your home with a
winter beach bash. Spread beach towels on the living room
floor; wear your swimsuit and a pair of flippers (why
not?); feast on hot dogs; make castles out of clay and play-
dough; and don't forget to take pictures!
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Growing and Using Garlic Chives
The Perfect Porch Swing