2/19/14

This winter, many harsh storms have brought down trees and limbs. Instead of cutting up the debris in your yard and throwing it away, consider stockpiling it for spring. You can rent wood chippers from most home improvement stores and turn those fallen trees and branches into beneficial mulch. Spread it around plants and shrubs to help retain moisture, prevent weeds and enrich the soil.

2/18/14

Over time, air and water can cause even the toughest cast iron pan, bakeware or "stainless" steel teakettle to rust. Failure to treat rust stains can make the cookware useless and lead to total disintegration in rusty spots. The good news is that treating rust on your kitchen items is easy and can be done naturally. Sprinkle salt all over the rust (be generous) and squeeze half a lime on the salt so the rust is saturated. Wait 15 minutes and rub the salt into the rust stain, then wipe away with the used lime half. Repeat if necessary. For tougher rust stains, soak the item in white vinegar and scour it away with crumpled aluminum foil. Keep repeating until the rust is gone.

2/17/14

Almost 16 million children in the United States live in households where they do not have consistent access to nutritious food and are desperately in need of food assistance programs. One way to help end childhood hunger in America is to participate in an Instagram program with Sysco, called "ShareMyPlate." Simply take a photo of your meal in a restaurant and tag it with #sharemyplate. For each photo, Sysco will donate 50 cents to the nonprofit organization No Kid Hungry. The best photos will even have a chance to win cash prizes, which could also be a generous gift to the charity if you win!