Counting Down to Christmas!

Less than 4 weeks til Christmas is what Cousin Nancy from ATL
is telling me...LISTS! Here is what she has to say...


Time to get serious about planning for Christmas. Having a strategy
will take the pressure off and minimize stress!

• Guests coming? What needs to be done to get ready?


• Christmas away? Get the gift list together & shop, Cyber-shopping today!


• Gifts to be mailed? Do so before rates go up!


• List: To do & To buy & Miscellaneous for odds & ends to remember

Here are a few more items to remember, break into small chunks of time(try www.e.ggtimer.com)

• Focus on decorating- your kids will remember this & ask "when are we putting the decorations up?"


• Cleaning- Get real about this...what can you hide or slide?


• Wrapping/labeling


• Christmas Cards- a few at a time, keep on Word/Excel file and save to "Christmas Jump Drive"...


• Meal planning...try shopping & cooking one day a week, don't forget the Crock Pot!


• Have "Emergency" items handy- toothbrushes, toiletries, guest room tidied, Stain kit, First Aid kit, extra small gifts for those you might have let slip!

Thanks Nancy!

Blessings from the Garden...

ML

How do you like it...

Short, long, squatty, chunky, skinny?

Sounds like a Waffle House order for your Christmas tree.

I had to post this because every year I struggle with choosing a Christmas tree.

For example, two years ago, I chose a tree that was very chunky and tall ...looked like

the perfect one to me!

Arrive home, unload from the pickup, drag to front door and it won't fit in the door!

I loaded it back up, and returned it to the tree lot. I've had many instances like this one,

and will share more with you this week.

Just knowing, though, that my 14 year old daughter is a good judge of tree "character"

is so comforting. She picked it out right away today. I was worried momentarily, but

when we finally shoved it in the door, it was perfect!

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Going Teal (Green) for TDay...

Ok. I am a bit busy, so here is the link to last year's pre-Tday post!
We can all do better on this gluttonous holiday!

http://www.mlchgarden.com/2009/11/goingteal-for-tday.html

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

SuperFood:Swiss Chard

Sounds so fancy, doesn't it?

My father introduced me to this "better than spinach" veggie many years ago, before becoming such a popular ornamental(pretty) plant! 'Rainbow Chard' is pictured above. Yellow, red and green stems make up this variety. Another favorite of mine is 'Ruby Chard' with red stems.

I cook chard like spinach - a bit of chicken broth, some garlic, salt and pepper. Above, I placed chicken on bottom of dish, then mushrooms, broth and chard last on top. Covered with foil and finished the cooking chicken.

Chard has high percentages of vitamins A, K, and C. Like spinach, chard is easy to grow, and you can start it from seed in early spring.

So, put Swiss Chard on your list for spring planting, adding another SuperFood to your repertoire. You'll save a few bucks, too!

Blessings from the Garden.

ML