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Lemongrass, sweet basil, spicy basil and other herbs were growing wild all years round in Northeastern Thailand where I grew up . My grand-father planted mango trees, papaya trees, tamarind tree, giant bamboo tree and other countless trees everywhere. I remembered running out to collect ripped mangoes that had been knocked down by the wind just before the heavy rain. Other kids in the neighborhood also joined in with big buckets in their hands. Nobody cared who took them, they were plenty for everyone. One of my roles as a young child was to help picking and finding whatever herbs my mother...

Here are a few tips for planting a garden that thrives in partial or full shade. Watch the shade. There are many different types of shade, and they all allow different plants to grow. It’s often best to plant in an area that gets at least a little direct sunlight, preferably during the morning; shade in the afternoon protects plants from excessive midday heat. Plot it out. Before you plant your garden, watch your shade. Plot out which areas have direct exposure to sunlight during the day, what times of day and for how long. Check for tree roots. Tree roots can monopolize the...

Environmentalists and eco-savvy shoppers who are looking to add a sense of flair to their homes may want to do some more research into sustainable woods. Truth is, despite all the misinformation that is paid for by composite decking companies, there is hardwood decking and hardwood flooring options out there that are eco-friendly. Many people have heard about FSC ipe, FSC decking and FSC flooring, In fact, with the Forest Stewardship Council and the United States Green Building Council promoting the use of sustainable and certified woods for use in green building projects, there is even more a...

(Thomson, Illinois)—By now most Americans know that the real first Thanksgiving had very little to do with what is shown in elementary school pageants. What they may not know as much about is the story of the Pilgrims’ survival in the New World, the Native American Squanto who helped them and how it all had a lot to do with the dirt underneath their feet. Even after surviving through their first winter, the Pilgrims’ fate was still very much up in the air and dependent on learning to cultivate the poor soil of the area in which they had made landfall. Squanto, a Native American who spok...

Every year when the weather starts to get warmer, we like to plant a backyard garden. We enjoy planting a variety of lettuces, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, radishes, green peppers, tomatoes and onions. We look forward to harvesting time, just so we can create some wonderful summer salads. To go along with our salads, we prefer to make our own homemade salad dressings. The following recipes are really easy to prepare and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days in an airtight container. Classic Blue Cheese 2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup vinega...

Those of us who regularly shop on line are familiar with the array of free gifts, free bonuses and just plain freebies that are offered to a visitor to a website to encourage them to buy. How could you collect, select and offer free gifts, which will be valued as much as the original merchandise that is being purchased, put these gifts together and add them to your E-book? There are just three steps to do that very thing. They are:1. Identify your key words in each chapter of your E-book. Now, type those words into your favorite search engine. You are looking for free E-books on the same subje...

We are all finding whatever way we can to survive this recession. One thing for certain is that we are staying at home more. We watch On Demand, Pay per View, TV programs, in stead of going out. We entertain at home or not at all and we decide to take day trips or work in the garden on our flowers or even planting a vegetable garden, or maybe doing improvements or repairs around the house instead of taking vacations. We might do day trips with the family and actually enjoy our local flavors. Maybe we are getting to know our children a little better. The other practical and healthy t...

Italian cuisine is enjoyed all over the world. The distinctive array of herbs that tradition has mixed for flavoring has gendered the unique blend that Italian meals are always a pleasure to the pallet. Adding Italian herbs plants in the vicinity of an already existing vegetable garden adds flavor to them, especially tomatoes and peppers. You will also enjoy the unmistakable scent of the Mediterranean anytime you stroll by that area. To achieve this authentic Mediterranean taste to your meals, you first need to know which herbs to add when cooking Italian. Although the necessary herb...

Thanksgiving is a celebration that marks the beginning of the winter holidays. The day is a feast of warm family love, true friends and laughter, and fantastic, colorful platters and bowls of food, vessels of wine, and memorable festive holiday music. The holidays bring out many different talents in family and friends, especially in the kitchen where everyone is a master concerning the dessert tray, dressing, sweet potatoes, the main entree, and even the gravy. Everyone becomes a chef noting: The marshmallows on the sweet potatoes need to be crispier, or The dressing needs more pepper...

If you compare your home refrigerator and a wine refrigerator, some differences will become apparent. A food refrigereator is kept well below 50 degrees fahrenheit, much too cold for a wine refrigerator. Wine should be stored at around 55 degrees. Another difference between the two refrigerators is the the one for food is opened multiple times during a day. Opening a wine refrigerator that many times would make it very hard for the refrigerator to maintaing the correct temperature. The Size of a Wine Refrigerator You may wonder which size of wine refrigerator to choose. There ar...