How-To Basics of getting started with Organic Gardening.
No matter whether you are an experienced organic gardener or you have simply decided that you would like to become more self-reliant by growing some of your own food, planting a garden requires planning. A properly planned and planted organic garden will naturally resist disease, deter pests, and be healthy and productive. With the spring planting season fast approaching, winter is the ideal time to get started.
Set Goals
What do you want to do with your plot of earth this season? Begin planning by setting goals. Grab your garden map, a pencil, your gardening guide, catalogs, and your thinking cap. List the areas of your yard and garden separately (i.e. lawn, vegetable patch, flower garden), and, keeping in mind the size and conditions of your site, brainstorm! Are you planning a garden for the first time? Do you want to expand your existing garden? Did you have pest or disease problems last year that you’re hoping to prevent this year? What map? To create a map of your yard or garden, measure the dimensions of your site as a whole, and then the individual dimensions of your vegetable patch, flowerbeds, and lawn. It’s easiest to draw your map to scale on a sheet of graph paper. These measurements will be necessary later, when you are determining how much of a plant or seeds to buy. Once the map is drawn, write in any information you know about soil characteristics, drainage, environmental conditions (sunny, shady, windy), and the names of trees and perennial plants that already exist. Your map will let you know exactly what you have to work with, and will give you a realistic idea of problems that need attention or features you’d like to change or add.
Gardening 101
It is important to understand the magnitude of your project before you begin. Getting the background information necessary to fulfill your goals may take an hour or a week, depending upon your level of experience and how involved you plan to get. Consulting your garden guidebook is a great way to begin – I suggest Warren Schultz’s The Organic Suburbanite, The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman, Rodale’s Chemical-Free Yard & Garden, or The Handy Garden Answer Book by Karen Troshynski-Thomas. You can also go to your local library and investigate their resources or contact your local garden club for their suggestions. As you research, write down how long each project will take, what tools you will need, and the approximate cost of everything you will need. This information will be invaluable when you make up your shopping list and schedule of activities. Scheduling and Organization. A schedule of activities lists what you hope to accomplish in what time frame. It will help keep you on track. It is important to be realistic about what you are capable of.
This is not a project that can be taken on alone in a week. Staggering your major tasks over time will make them easier to accomplish and save you the ultimate frustration of unfinished projects. Planning for the long term will aid in your organization. You can create a year-by-year schedule that maps out a time frame in which to achieve your big goals. Obviously, the schedule can change as time goes by, you learn new methods and you rethink your objectives, but maintaining focus on what you hope to create in the long term can keep you motivated on what you are doing now.
Tool Tutorial
You have a plan! You have knowledge! Do you have tools? Chances are you may be able to obtain most tools at your local lawn and garden store. Bring the list that you assembled in Gardening 101, and, if you are a seasoned gardener, assume that the same pests and plagues will be back that you dealt with last year and buy your supplies now. If you are new to the gardening scene, buy the basic tools that you will need, and then nose around the neighborhood and perhaps your local gardening club to see what is recommended for what you are planting and where you live.
Basic Tools:
Diggers – You will need a spading fork for aerating your soil and turning your compost pile. Look for a spading fork with rectangular, flat blades. A manure fork may also be compost-pile friendly when it comes to turning.
Weeders – Weeding tools include hoes and short-handled cultivating tools. Both are made in a variety of styles, and you will probably want more than one of each.
Hoe

hoe types include:
Swan-neck hoe – The curved neck positions the cutting blade to skim just below the surface, making it ideal for light work around garden crops.
Oscillating hoe – Also called a scuffle hoe or hula, it has a hinged, double-edged blade that barely disturbs the soil surface, minimizing the number of new weeds brought to the surface.
Collinear hoe – Designed by Eliot Coleman, the narrow blade and angled handle are useful for cutting off small weeds with little soil disturbance.
Eye hoe – Also called a grub hoe, the heavy blade is for hard chopping at tough, overgrown weeds.
Standard short-handled cultivating tools:
Hand cultivator – A tined tool, useful for disturbing the soil surface around close planting to uproot young weeds.
Dandelion weeder – Made for uprooting weeds with long taproots.
Pavement weeder – A trowel for removing weeds in cracks of stone slab or brick walkways.
Pruners – Pruning trees and shrubs promotes growth and good health, and pruning out diseased wood helps to control disease problems. Pruning tools come in varying sizes depending on your need. Choose a sharp, high quality pruning tool.
Tillers – Tillers will also range in size, depending on the job. There are large, gaspowered tillers for breaking ground or big jobs, and small tillers that are lightweight and are useful for cultivating around perennials. Rent a few tillers to try them out before buying, as they do differ a great deal and can be expensive.
Sowers – Wheeled seeding tools that have changeable interior disks for different seed sizes and spacings are available and very handy if you are planting large areas.
Comfort tools – There is a plethora of comfort- oriented garden accessories available on the market today. Products range from gloves, to knee pads, to small, wheeled benches/carts. It is up to you to decide what will suit your needs, if you need any at all..
Starting From Seed
Starting your plants from seed will ensure that they are chemical free. Most transplants sold in garden centers have been treated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Seeds themselves bought at garden centers may be coated in fungicides, so be very careful about what you buy or buy from an organic seed supplier. To start plants from seed, you need sterile soil, sterile planting containers, and labels. It is better to grow each seedling in a separate container to avoid the damage incurred by ripping roots apart, and to make for a less shocking transplant. If you purchase soil mix, be sure that it is sterile to avoid spreading disease to your seedlings.
To make your own mix, use vermiculite (a mica-based mineral that has been heated to make it expand to many times its original size), perlite (volcanic ash that has been heated and ‘popped’), and sphagnum (moss that has been collected while still alive, dried, and then finely ground). Add 1 tablespoon of lime for each 2 quarts of sphagnum that you use to counteract its acidity. Good recipes for soil mix are 1 part sphagnum and 1 part vermiculite, or 1 part each sphagnum, vermiculite and perlite. Seeds actually need heat, not light, to germinate. The heat from a grow light or sunny window may be enough for some, but placing the containers on top of a warm refrigerator or on a seed-starting heating pad may be necessary.
Keep your seeds moist by planting them in moist mix and covering them with plastic wrap. As soon as you see the first sign of life, remove the wrap and place them someplace where they will receive 8-10 hours of sunlight per day.
Water them care fully with a spray mister, careful not to knock the seedlings over or wash away the soil. Before you transplant your seedlings outdoors, they need to be acclimated to the different climate. Bring them outside and place them in a sheltered, somewhat shady spot for a few hours each day, gradually increasing their exposure to the elements over a week or two. Plants have a hardiness zone, an area based on the average annual low temperatures where a plant is most likely to withstand the region’s annual low temperature http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has produced a map that breaks the U.S. into 11 zones. Growing plants that are outside your hardiness zone is not impossible, but they will need special attention. When deciding what to plant, consult a hardiness zone map to come up with plants that are most likely to thrive in your zone (see map).
Garden Design
Switching to chemical-free gardening will not only mean changing your gardening practices, but also your gardening design. Gardening in beds, as opposed to rows, provides for better weed, disease and pest management. Beds are also more attractive and easier to maintain. In a garden bed, everything is planted within arm’s reach. The leaves of adjacent plants shade the soil, reducing weed growth. Diversity in a garden bed also has many advantages. A variety of plants in a mixed bed provide some natural pest protection by making it difficult for pests to find and eat their target plants, or helping to attract insects that are beneficial to your garden and prey on pest insects. It also reduces the chances that pests and disease organisms will build to epidemic levels, as they won’t be able to hop from tasty host to tasty host, as they would if you had planted in rows. Your soil will also reap the benefits of your diverse planting techniques. A good example is planting nitrogen-gobbling corn with nitrogen-giving beans. Pairing up particular plants or planting in variety can help the soil maintain its nutrient balance, ensuring happier plants and a better crop yield. In fact, this technique even has a name – companion planting.
Companion Planting:
Much of the science of companion planting is figuring out what works for you. Many books can give you guidelines about what plants work well together. Some plants are attractants, some repellents, some can be inter-planted with your crops and flowers, and some compete too vigorously and should be planted in separate borders or hedgerows. For example, sunflowers are a good border plant, attracting lacewings and parasitic wasps; radishes are good to inter-plant because they repel the striped cucumber beetle; and marigolds are good to both use as a border and inter-plant, as they attract hover flies and repel root nematodes, Mexican bean beetles, aphids, and Colorado potato beetles. It can be confusing, and not all plants work well together. Your best bet is to start simple, determine what pests you encounter, and work from there, altering the plants in your garden bed as needed from year to year. Often, a mixture of flowers, vegetables and herbs work well together in a single bed.
For a good guide to the basics of companion planting, consult Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening: Companion Planting. Making your bed. Making your bed can be as simple as marking off 3-by-5-foot sections of garden with pathways left between them. However, to optimize the advantages of planting in garden beds, raise your beds. Raised beds provide lighter, deeper, more nutrient-rich, water absorbent soil. Raised beds, however, must be regarded as permanent in order to maintain their splendor. They cannot be walked on or broken down at the end of the season. You can build sides on your bed with bricks, rocks, or cedar 2-by-4 or 2-by-six planks to maintain the shape instead of raking and reshaping the bed every year.
Stay away from pressure-treated wood, as it is treated with wood preservatives that are harmful to you and the environment. How do you achieve raised beds? With double-digging, of course! (This is also known as hard work.)
Double-digging raised beds.
1. Dig out the top one-foot of soil along one end of the bed. Keep the soil in a wheelbarrow or on a groundcloth.
2. Loosen the exposed subsoil by thrusting in a spading fork and twisting its tines back and forth. For extra benefit, add a small amount of organic matter and work it in as you loosen that subsoil.
3. Once the subsoil is loosened, move over and begin removing the topsoil from the next strip of garden bed. This time, instead of keeping the topsoil that you are removing, shovel it over the subsoil to which you have just added the organic matter. You can add a little more organic matter to the topsoil as you shovel.
4. Repeat step 3.
5. When you have reached the last row of your garden bed, use the reserved topsoil to cover the last area of exposed subsoil.
6. Plant!
Composting
Compost is a great fertilizer and can aid in pest prevention. Compost is created when microorganisms, earthworms and nematodes consume and breakdown organic matter into simpler compounds. This process happens more quickly in an active compost pile because these microorganisms have the required heat, air and moisture, and a diverse supply of raw materials to digest. An active pile requires turning every week to add oxygen and keep the decomposition rate high; a passive pile is a pile of organic matter left to decay over time – usually in one to two years. Whichever method of composting you choose, the first step is making a compost pile. You can layer the materials in a heap, set up a heavy chicken wire frame (this works well for a passive pile), build wooden or concrete-block bins, or buy a commercially made bin to hold your pile.
Some commercial bins have built in rotating turners that will make your job much easier. The ideal size for an active compost pile is 4 feet by 4 feet, though size can vary. Choose a location that is shady and well drained for your pile. Clear away any surface cover at the site, loosen the soil with a spading fork, and put down a layer of wood chips or brush as a base. You can toss in garden or kitchen wastes, grass clippings, newspaper, manure, and sawdust. Avoid adding kitchen waste that is heavy in oil and meat products. Shredded materials make better compost more quickly. Try to alternate layers of plant material (chopped leaves or straw) with nitrogen-rich materials (kitchen scraps with manure and blood meal). Keep your pile moist, at a similar level to a squeezed-out sponge, and keep open piles covered with a tarp or heavy canvas so that they won’t become waterlogged in the rain. If your pile becomes too dry, add water with kelp extract to moisten it and stimulate biotic activity.
Turn your active pile regularly, mixing and loosening the materials with a spading fork, to prevent overheating and keep microorganisms happy and active. Ideal active compost temperature should be within 140° to 150°, or at slightly higher temperatures if you are composting diseased plant material, around 160°. Your organic compost pile will yield rich humus that will be an ideal fertilizer to your garden. It will save you the money of buying commercial, synthetic fertilizers, many of which have shown to contain toxic waste. Healthy soil makes for hardy plants. Planning your garden can be the most important thing you do this growing season. With a solid plan in place and established
goals, you can minimize your pest problems and potential frustration, and maximize your growing season, and your garden’s beauty. All this while saving on your grocery bill and increasing the quality of food you ingest by leaps and bounds. By planting an organic garden you will also be reducing your carbon footprint via producing some of your food (requiring no transportation or storage at the grocery store or packaging) thus contributing to our culture’s sustainability in general. Check out Thrifty & Green for more articles on how you can save money and live green.
Suppliers:
* Seeds of Change, 888-762-7333, seedsofchange.com
* Gardener’s Supply Company, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT 05401, 888-833-1412, (fax) 800-551-6712, gardeners.com
* Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery, 3244 Highway 116 North, Sebastopol, CA 95472, 707-823-9125, harmonyfarm.com
* Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, P.O. Box 2209, Grass Valley, CA 95949, 888-784-1722, groworganic.com
* Gardeners Alive, 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, 812-537-8650, gardensalive.com
Resources:
* Bradley, Fern M., ed. Chemical-Free Yard & Garden, Eamus: Rodale, 1991.
* Troshynski-Thomas, Karen, The Handy Garden Answer Book, Detroit: Visible Ink, 1999.
How-To Basics of getting started with Organic Gardening.
No matter whether you are an experienced organic gardener or you have simply decided that you would like to become more self-reliant by growing some of your own food, planting a garden requires planning. A properly planned and planted organic garden will naturally resist disease, deter pests, and be healthy and productive. With the spring planting season fast approaching, winter is the ideal time to get started.
Set Goals
What do you want to do with your plot of earth this season? Begin planning by setting goals. Grab your garden map, a pencil, your gardening guide, catalogs, and your thinking cap. List the areas of your yard and garden separately (i.e. lawn, vegetable patch, flower garden), and, keeping in mind the size and conditions of your site, brainstorm! Are you planning a garden for the first time? Do you żarówki led want to expand your existing garden? Did you have pest or disease problems last year that you’re hoping to prevent this year? What map? To create a map of your yard or garden, measure the dimensions of your site as a whole, and then the individual dimensions of your vegetable patch, flowerbeds, and lawn. It’s easiest to draw your map to scale on a sheet of graph paper. These measurements will be necessary later, when you are determining how much of a plant or seeds to buy. Once the map is drawn, write in any information you know about soil characteristics, drainage, environmental conditions (sunny, shady, windy), and the names of trees and perennial plants that already exist. Your map will let you know exactly what you have to work with, and will give you a realistic idea of problems that need attention or features you’d like to change or add.
Gardening 101
It is important to understand the magnitude of your project before you begin. Getting the background information necessary to fulfill your goals may take an hour or a week, depending upon your level of experience and how involved you plan to get. Consulting your garden guidebook is a great way to begin – I suggest Warren Schultz’s The Organic Suburbanite, The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman, Rodale’s Chemical-Free Yard & Garden, or The Handy Garden Answer Book by Karen Troshynski-Thomas. You can also go to your local library and investigate their resources or contact your local garden club for their suggestions. As you research, write down how long each project will take, what tools you will need, and the approximate cost of everything you will need. This information will be invaluable when you make up your shopping list and schedule of activities. Scheduling and Organization. A schedule of activities lists what you hope to accomplish in what time frame. It will help keep you on track. It is important to be realistic about what you are capable of.
This is not a project that can be taken on alone in a week. Staggering your major tasks over time will make them easier to accomplish and save you the ultimate frustration of unfinished projects. Planning for the long term will aid in your organization. You can create a year-by-year schedule that maps out a time frame in which to achieve your big goals. Obviously, the schedule can change as time goes by, you learn new methods and you rethink your objectives, but maintaining focus on what you hope to create in the long term can keep you motivated on what you are doing now.
Tool Tutorial
You have a plan! You have knowledge! Do you have tools? Chances are you may be able to obtain most tools at your local lawn and garden store. Bring the list that you assembled in Gardening 101, and, if you are a seasoned gardener, assume that the same pests and plagues will be back that you dealt with last year and buy your supplies now. If you are new to the gardening scene, buy the basic tools that you will need, and then nose around the neighborhood and perhaps your local gardening club to see what is recommended for what you are planting and where you live.
Basic Tools:
Diggers – You will need a spading fork for aerating your soil and turning your compost pile. Look for a spading fork with rectangular, flat blades. A manure fork may also be compost-pile friendly when it comes to turning.
Weeders – Weeding tools include hoes and short-handled cultivating tools. Both are made in a variety of styles, and you will probably want more than one of each.
Hoe

hoe types include:
Swan-neck hoe – The curved neck positions the cutting blade to skim just below the surface, making it ideal for light work around garden crops.
Oscillating hoe – Also called a scuffle hoe or hula, it has a hinged, double-edged blade that barely disturbs the soil surface, minimizing the number of new weeds brought to the surface.
Collinear hoe – Designed by Eliot Coleman, the narrow blade and angled handle are useful for cutting off small weeds with little soil disturbance.
Eye hoe – Also called a grub hoe, the heavy blade is for hard chopping at tough, overgrown weeds.
Standard short-handled cultivating tools:
Hand cultivator – A tined tool, useful for disturbing the soil surface around close planting to uproot young weeds.
Dandelion weeder – Made for uprooting weeds with long taproots.
Pavement weeder – A trowel for removing weeds in cracks of stone slab or brick walkways.
Pruners – Pruning trees and shrubs promotes growth and good health, and pruning out diseased wood helps to control disease problems. Pruning tools come in varying sizes depending on your need. Choose a sharp, high quality pruning tool.
Tillers – Tillers will also range in size, depending on the job. There are large, gaspowered tillers for breaking ground or big jobs, and small tillers that are lightweight and are useful for cultivating around perennials. Rent a few tillers to try them out before buying, as they do differ a great deal and can be expensive.
Sowers – Wheeled seeding tools that have changeable interior disks for different seed sizes and spacings are available and very handy if you are planting large areas.
Comfort tools – There is a plethora of comfort- oriented garden accessories available on the market today. Products range from gloves, to knee pads, to small, wheeled benches/carts. It is up to you to decide what will suit your needs, if you need any at all..
Starting From Seed
Starting your plants from seed will ensure that they are chemical free. Most transplants sold in garden centers have been treated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Seeds themselves bought at garden centers may be coated in fungicides, so be very careful about what you buy or buy from an organic seed supplier. To start plants from seed, you need sterile soil, sterile planting containers, and labels. It is better to grow each seedling in a separate container to avoid the damage incurred by ripping roots apart, and to make for a less shocking transplant. If you purchase soil mix, be sure that it is sterile to avoid spreading disease to your seedlings.
To make your own mix, use vermiculite (a mica-based mineral that has been heated to make it expand to many times its original size), perlite (volcanic ash that has been heated and ‘popped’), and sphagnum (moss that has been collected while still alive, dried, and then finely ground). Add 1 tablespoon of lime for each 2 quarts of sphagnum that you use to counteract its acidity. Good recipes for soil mix are 1 part sphagnum and 1 part vermiculite, or 1 part each sphagnum, vermiculite and perlite. Seeds actually need heat, not light, to germinate. The heat from a grow light or sunny window may be enough for some, but placing the containers on top of a warm refrigerator or on a seed-starting heating pad may be necessary.
Keep your seeds moist by planting them in moist mix and covering them with plastic wrap. As soon as you see the first sign of life, remove the wrap and place them someplace where they will receive 8-10 hours of sunlight per day.
Water them care fully with a spray mister, careful not to knock the seedlings over or wash away the soil. Before you transplant your seedlings outdoors, they need to be acclimated to the different climate. Bring them outside and place them in a sheltered, somewhat shady spot for a few hours each day, gradually increasing their exposure to the elements over a week or two. Plants have a hardiness zone, an area based on the average annual low temperatures where a plant is most likely to withstand the region’s annual low temperature http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has produced a map that breaks the U.S. into 11 zones. Growing plants that are outside your hardiness zone is not impossible, but they will need special attention. When deciding what to plant, consult a hardiness zone map to come up with plants that are most likely to thrive in your zone (see map).
Garden Design
Switching to chemical-free gardening will not only mean changing your gardening practices, but also your gardening design. Gardening in beds, as opposed to rows, provides for better weed, disease and pest management. Beds are also more attractive and easier to maintain. In a garden bed, everything is planted within arm’s reach. The leaves of adjacent plants shade the soil, reducing weed growth. Diversity in a garden bed also has many advantages. A variety of plants in a mixed bed provide some natural pest protection by making it difficult for pests to find and eat their target plants, or helping to attract insects that are beneficial to your garden and prey on pest insects. It also reduces the chances that pests and disease organisms will build to epidemic levels, as they won’t be able to hop from tasty host to tasty host, as they would if you had planted in rows. Your soil will also reap the benefits of your diverse planting techniques. A good example is planting nitrogen-gobbling corn with nitrogen-giving beans. Pairing up particular plants or planting in variety can help the soil maintain its nutrient balance, ensuring happier plants and a better crop yield. In fact, this technique even has a name – companion planting.
Companion Planting:
Much of the science of companion planting is figuring out what works for you. Many books can give you guidelines about what plants work well together. Some plants are attractants, some repellents, some can be inter-planted with your crops and flowers, and some compete too vigorously and should be planted in separate borders or hedgerows. For example, sunflowers are a good border plant, attracting lacewings and parasitic wasps; radishes are good to inter-plant because they repel the striped cucumber beetle; and marigolds are good to both use as a border and inter-plant, as they attract hover flies and repel root nematodes, Mexican bean beetles, aphids, and Colorado potato beetles. It can be confusing, and not all plants work well together. Your best bet is to start simple, determine what pests you encounter, and work from there, altering the plants in your garden bed as needed from year to year. Often, a mixture of flowers, vegetables and herbs work well together in a single bed.
For a good guide to the basics of companion planting, consult Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening: Companion Planting. Making your bed. Making your bed can be as simple as marking off 3-by-5-foot sections of garden with pathways left between them. However, to optimize the advantages of planting in garden beds, raise your beds. Raised beds provide lighter, deeper, more nutrient-rich, water absorbent soil. Raised beds, however, must be regarded as permanent in order to maintain their splendor. They cannot be walked on or broken down at the end of the season. You can build sides on your bed with bricks, rocks, or cedar 2-by-4 or 2-by-six planks to maintain the shape instead of raking and reshaping the bed every year.
Stay away from pressure-treated wood, as it is treated with wood preservatives that are harmful to you and the environment. How do you achieve raised beds? With double-digging, of course! (This is also known as hard work.)
Double-digging raised beds.
1. Dig out the top one-foot of soil along one end of the bed. Keep the soil in a wheelbarrow or on a groundcloth.
2. Loosen the exposed subsoil by thrusting in a spading fork and twisting its tines back and forth. For extra benefit, add a small amount of organic matter and work it in as you loosen that subsoil.
3. Once the subsoil is loosened, move over and begin removing the topsoil from the next strip of garden bed. This time, instead of keeping the topsoil that you are removing, shovel it over the subsoil to which you have just added the organic matter. You can add a little more organic matter to the topsoil as you shovel.
4. Repeat step 3.
5. When you have reached the last row of your garden bed, use the reserved topsoil to cover the last area of exposed subsoil.
6. Plant!
Composting
Compost is a great fertilizer and can aid in pest prevention. Compost is created when microorganisms, earthworms and nematodes consume and breakdown organic matter into simpler compounds. This process happens more quickly in an active compost pile because these microorganisms have the required heat, air and moisture, and a diverse supply of raw materials to digest. An active pile requires turning every week to add oxygen and keep the decomposition rate high; a passive pile is a pile of organic matter left to decay over time – usually in one to two years. Whichever method of composting you choose, the first step is making a compost pile. You can layer the materials in a heap, set up a heavy chicken wire frame (this works well for a passive pile), build wooden or concrete-block bins, or buy a commercially made bin to hold your pile.
Some commercial bins have built in rotating turners that will make your job much easier. The ideal size for an active compost pile is 4 feet by 4 feet, though size can vary. Choose a location that is shady and well drained for your pile. Clear away any surface cover at the site, loosen the soil with a spading fork, and put down a layer of wood chips or brush as a base. You can toss in garden or kitchen wastes, grass clippings, newspaper, manure, and sawdust. Avoid adding kitchen waste that is heavy in oil and meat products. Shredded materials make better compost more quickly. Try to alternate layers of plant material (chopped leaves or straw) with nitrogen-rich materials (kitchen scraps with manure and blood meal). Keep your pile moist, at a similar level to a squeezed-out sponge, and keep open piles covered with a tarp or heavy canvas so that they won’t become waterlogged in the rain. If your pile becomes too dry, add water with kelp extract to moisten it and stimulate biotic activity.
Turn your active pile regularly, mixing and loosening the materials with a spading fork, to prevent overheating and keep microorganisms happy and active. Ideal active compost temperature should be within 140° to 150°, or at slightly higher temperatures if you are composting diseased plant material, around 160°. Your organic compost pile will yield rich humus that will be an ideal fertilizer to your garden. It will save you the money of buying commercial, synthetic fertilizers, many of which have shown to contain toxic waste. Healthy soil makes for hardy plants. Planning your garden can be the most important thing you do this growing season. With a solid plan in place and established
goals, you can minimize your pest problems and potential frustration, and maximize your growing season, and your garden’s beauty. All this while saving on your grocery bill and increasing the quality of food you ingest by leaps and bounds. By planting an organic garden you will also be reducing your carbon footprint via producing some of your food (requiring no transportation or storage at the grocery store or packaging) thus contributing to our culture’s sustainability in general. Check out Thrifty & Green for more articles on how you can save money and live green.
Suppliers:
* Seeds of Change, 888-762-7333, seedsofchange.com
* Gardener’s Supply Company, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT 05401, 888-833-1412, (fax) 800-551-6712, gardeners.com
* Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery, 3244 Highway 116 North, Sebastopol, CA 95472, 707-823-9125, harmonyfarm.com
* Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, P.O. Box 2209, Grass Valley, CA 95949, 888-784-1722, groworganic.com
* Gardeners Alive, 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, 812-537-8650, gardensalive.com
Resources:
* Bradley, Fern M., ed. Chemical-Free Yard & Garden, Eamus: Rodale, 1991.
* Troshynski-Thomas, Karen, The Handy Garden Answer Book, Detroit: Visible Ink, 1999.

Ingredients
* Sausage patties or links
* Croissants
* Mild shredded cheese
* Mushrooms
* Dried onions
* Eggs
* Mustard
The Appetite – Bring it!
One way to start your day off on a good note is to have a sausage, egg and cheese croissant for breakfast. This is a great breakfast on your day off or when you’re on vacation. So bring a cup of coffee, the newspaper and an appetite. You’re going to need an appetite because this ain’t no quiche. So get your cook on and let’s make a sausage, egg and cheese croissant.
The Sausage
Fry sausage patties or links on the kitchen range in a frying pan. Plan to make two sausage links per croissant. Serve the sausage whole or chopped into smaller pieces (about the size of a nickel). Now put the sausage aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
The Omelet
Make an omelet for your sausage, egg and cheese croissant on the kitchen range. Scramble the eggs and then let them cook slowly with out any further scrambling. The eggs should be one piece when they’re done cooking.
Add in shredded cheese, onions, mushrooms and chopped sausage while the eggs are cooking. Don’t add the chopped sausage at this point if you prefer the whole patty. Try adding a dash of salt and/or pepper while the eggs are cooking.
The Serve
Spread mustard on the inside of the croissant to give it a little added flavor. Use a spatula to place the omelet on the bottom half of the croissant. Place a sausage patty or links (you can skip this if you’ve added chopped sausage earlier) inside the omelet and fold the omelet over the sausage. Now place the top of the croissant on top and sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the croissant.
There you have it. You’re ready to enjoy a sausage, egg and cheese croissant. Hint: This works with country ham also. Bon appetit!
Ingredients
* Sausage patties or links
* Croissants
* Mild shredded cheese
* Mushrooms
* Dried onions
* Eggs
* Mustard
The Appetite – Bring it!
One way to start your day off on a good note is to have a sausage, wypadanie włosów egg and cheese croissant for breakfast. This is a great breakfast on your day off or when you’re on vacation. So bring a cup of coffee, the newspaper and an appetite. You’re going to need an appetite because this ain’t no quiche. So get your cook on and let’s make a sausage, egg and cheese croissant.
The Sausage
Fry sausage patties or links on the kitchen range in a frying pan. Plan to make two sausage links per croissant. Serve the sausage whole or chopped into smaller pieces (about the size of a nickel). Now put the sausage aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
The Omelet
Make an omelet for your sausage, egg and cheese croissant on the kitchen range. Scramble the eggs and then let them cook slowly with out any further scrambling. The eggs should be one piece when they’re done cooking.
Add in shredded cheese, onions, mushrooms and chopped sausage while the eggs are cooking. Don’t add the chopped sausage at this point if you prefer the whole patty. Try adding a dash of salt and/or pepper while the eggs are cooking.
The Serve
Spread mustard on the inside of the croissant to give it a little added flavor. Use a spatula to place the omelet on the bottom half of the croissant. Place a sausage patty or links (you can skip this if you’ve added chopped sausage earlier) inside the omelet and fold the omelet over the sausage. Now place the top of the croissant on top and sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the croissant.
There you have it. You’re ready to enjoy a sausage, egg and cheese croissant. Hint: This works with country ham also. Bon appetit!

Every summer Hollywood lets loose with all the good stuff they’ve been holding back all year long. For months they have been teasing you with sneak peeks and trailers building up a level of excitement and anticipation the like of which have not been since last summer.
I kinda looked forward to this summer, as the promise of getting to see Speed Racer or my childhood hero, Indiana Jones on the silver screen is about one of three things that can actually lure me out of my house (fire and the next Dresden Files book are the others). Unfortunately, I blinked and missed Speed Racer, and it’s too hot outside to leave my climate controlled home to see Indy. That’s what HBO is for. And trust me, the way they loop a movie and play it to death, there will be more than ample opportunity to see them both. Twice.
But this year, Hollywood thinks I was in a severe car crash and now have to eat blended mashed potatoes through a straw while watching the high drama and suspense of the Wonder Pets on Nick Jr.
Wasn’t there a Hulk movie out not but just a couple of years ago? I remember the gigantic Hulk statue inside Madam Tussaud’s and taking a picture of my husband next to it. And correct me if I am wrong or out of line here, but didn’t it also suck so bad that we all left the theater with a severe case of wind burn?
I can’t seem to recall who the big villain was in that movie, who the writers and producers thought we wanted to see the Hulk smash-oh, wait a minute, I do remember. It was a dog. That’s right, they injected not one, or two, but three dogs with green juice and set them after the Hulk. They were large breed dogs and fairly mean, they did bark a lot prior to being juiced up by Nick Nolte. Hahaha! OMG that movie was awful. No, really, it was. If I want to see a guy smack a dog around, and I DON’T, I can watch one of Animal Planet’s dog rescue shows.
And, not for nothing, the Hulk as a character was totally unbelievable. I don’t mean the acting, cause, lets face it, Lou Ferrigno will always own that role. I’m, talking about that dreadful animation. It was like a bunch of guys who dropped out of DeVry did it on a lap top they stole from some high school out in the mid west. How hard can decent animation be? A long time ago when Jurassic Park came out the whole world thought they were looking at dinosaurs, and that was with what we would now consider old, aka „cheap,” special effects.
There was this one part of the movie, I think it was about an hour and a half long, where the Hulk was in a secret army base in Utah and then just started running and jumping and smashing. He destroyed tanks and planes and bombs and managed to skip right over school buses and flower beds. Then he saw the love interest, Betty, and calmed down and the movie ended. It was right before the part where he beat up three dogs. Before that were the opening credits.
So now this new Hulk movie is out, and everyone is going on about how great it’s gonna be. Hello! The Hulk movie is not really about the Hulk. It’s just a really cheap way to prep movie goers for the Avengers movie that is scheduled to come out in a few years.
And who else is sick and tired of people saying „Oh, don’t you just love Ed Norton?” Ummm, the guy from the Honeymooners? That was my first reaction. I had no idea who he was. As it turns out, he was that guy opposite Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Ironic that the movie poster for Fight Club was a bar of soap and Brad Pitt looked like he needed to be hit with a pressure washer. I know that’s not what the soap „represented” but Brad did look really dirty. mmmmm.
Ed Norton. Indeed. Why would you take that name if you had the choice of all of the names that ever were or could be. At least use some sexy or talented guy’s name! Or even take a page out of Marilynn Manson’s book for Pete’s sake, combine two perfectly good celebrity names into one neat original one. If I ever grow up to be a Hollywood movie star you can bet I’m not gonna call myself Rosie O’Donnel or Godzilla. But Rosie Rodan, that has promise.
I also really wanted to see the new Batman movie too, Dark Knight, but then poor Heath Ledger had to go and die. I cried when I heard. I’ll miss him, but not for nothing, this movie was so totally gonna rock. It was gonna be Justin Bale’s big break, no more would he be „that guy from American Psycho,” but rather, the Batman! Sadly, between the early reviews and news articles, and months of sneak peaks and on-line flamers, the talk of a posthumous Oscar, the latest reviews and newest commercials… I’m board of it already, and the movie is still like a month away from being released. Makes me want to see that Dragonball movie coming out next year. James Marsters is gonna play the role of Piccolo. Did anyone else just feel that breeze?
But here’s the worst insult of all. Someone let M. Night Shyamalan make another movie. Bad people, BAD! When are they gonna learn? All his movies, all, ever single last one – ALL have a twist ending that Stevie Wonder can see coming. The stories are at best „alright,” at least three characters have to whisper everything they say, and not a single film he’s ever made is worth the gas it would take to drive to the theater. Don’t believe me, here’s what critics have to say about his new movie – it has a „R” rating. Oooooo. That’s the best thing so far. An „R” rating. So what. Wanna impress me? How about this movie make a lick of sense! Keep me in my seat, at the very least keep me awake.
I can’t control myself any longer, spoiler alert – and I use the word „spoiler” very, very loosely.
Here’s the thing, if trees were ever going to develop some sort of chemical warfare that singled out and killed humans:
1. NY City would be about the safest place you could be and not where the movie takes place. The Sahara desert would be the second safest place. The Amazon River Basin and Yellowstone National Park would be killing fields, not Manhattan. 2. Maybe one plant, or even hell let’s go crazy, one entire species of plant could develop such a power, but all plants everywhere all at once, no, not gonna happen. The animation in the Hulk is more believable.
So, what have we learned about Hollywood’s summer blockbuster movies? With the price of gas and the heat, I’m advising that everyone get Netflicks and let the downloading begin. You can do it from the safety of you’re own climate controlled environment, pause the movie, use your own toilet, and enjoy a snack you didn’t have sell a kidney on E-Bay to be able to afford. That’s what I plan on doing. Provided of course no one sets my house on fire while I’m reading the next Dresden Files book. Can’t wait for book 11 to hit the shelves!
Every summer Hollywood lets loose with all the good stuff they’ve been holding back all year long. For months they have been teasing you with sneak peeks and trailers building up a level of excitement and anticipation the like of which have not been since last summer.
I kinda looked forward to this summer, as the promise of getting pozycjonowanie to see Speed Racer or my childhood hero, Indiana Jones on the silver screen is about one of three things that can actually lure me out of my house (fire and the next Dresden Files book are the others). Unfortunately, I blinked and missed Speed Racer, and it’s too hot outside to leave my climate controlled home to see Indy. That’s what HBO is for. And trust me, the way they loop a movie and play it to death, there will be more than ample opportunity to see them both. Twice.
But this year, Hollywood thinks I was in a severe car crash and now have to eat blended mashed potatoes through a straw while watching the high drama and suspense of the Wonder Pets on Nick Jr.
Wasn’t there a Hulk movie out not but just a couple of years ago? I remember the gigantic Hulk statue inside Madam Tussaud’s and taking a picture of my husband next to it. And correct me if I am wrong or out of line here, but didn’t it also suck so bad that we all left the theater with a severe case of wind burn?
I can’t seem to recall who the big villain was in that movie, who the writers and producers thought we wanted to see the Hulk smash-oh, wait a minute, I do remember. It was a dog. That’s right, they injected not one, or two, but three dogs with green juice and set them after the Hulk. They were large breed dogs and fairly mean, they did bark a lot prior to being juiced up by Nick Nolte. Hahaha! OMG that movie was awful. No, really, it was. If I want to see a guy smack a dog around, and I DON’T, I can watch one of Animal Planet’s dog rescue shows.
And, not for nothing, the Hulk as a character was totally unbelievable. I don’t mean the acting, cause, lets face it, Lou Ferrigno will always own that role. I’m, talking about that dreadful animation. It was like a bunch of guys who dropped out of DeVry did it on a lap top they stole from some high school out in the mid west. How hard can decent animation be? A long time ago when Jurassic Park came out the whole world thought they were looking at dinosaurs, and that was with what we would now consider old, aka „cheap,” special effects.
There was this one part of the movie, I think it was about an hour and a half long, where the Hulk was in a secret army base in Utah and then just started running and jumping and smashing. He destroyed tanks and planes and bombs and managed to skip right over school buses and flower beds. Then he saw the love interest, Betty, and calmed down and the movie ended. It was right before the part where he beat up three dogs. Before that were the opening credits.
So now this new Hulk movie is out, and everyone is going on about how great it’s gonna be. Hello! The Hulk movie is not really about the Hulk. It’s just a really cheap way to prep movie goers for the Avengers movie that is scheduled to come out in a few years.
And who else is sick and tired of people saying „Oh, don’t you just love Ed Norton?” Ummm, the guy from the Honeymooners? That was my first reaction. I had no idea who he was. As it turns out, he was that guy opposite Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Ironic that the movie poster for Fight Club was a bar of soap and Brad Pitt looked like he needed to be hit with a pressure washer. I know that’s not what the soap „represented” but Brad did look really dirty. mmmmm.
Ed Norton. Indeed. Why would you take that name if you had the choice of all of the names that ever were or could be. At least use some sexy or talented guy’s name! Or even take a page out of Marilynn Manson’s book for Pete’s sake, combine two perfectly good celebrity names into one neat original one. If I ever grow up to be a Hollywood movie star you can bet I’m not gonna call myself Rosie O’Donnel or Godzilla. But Rosie Rodan, that has promise.
I also really wanted to see the new Batman movie too, Dark Knight, but then poor Heath Ledger had to go and die. I cried when I heard. I’ll miss him, but not for nothing, this movie was so totally gonna rock. It was gonna be Justin Bale’s big break, no more would he be „that guy from American Psycho,” but rather, the Batman! Sadly, between the early reviews and news articles, and months of sneak peaks and on-line flamers, the talk of a posthumous Oscar, the latest reviews and newest commercials… I’m board of it already, and the movie is still like a month away from being released. Makes me want to see that Dragonball movie coming out next year. James Marsters is gonna play the role of Piccolo. Did anyone else just feel that breeze?
But here’s the worst insult of all. Someone let M. Night Shyamalan make another movie. Bad people, BAD! When are they gonna learn? All his movies, all, ever single last one – ALL have a twist ending that Stevie Wonder can see coming. The stories are at best „alright,” at least three characters have to whisper everything they say, and not a single film he’s ever made is worth the gas it would take to drive to the theater. Don’t believe me, here’s what critics have to say about his new movie – it has a „R” rating. Oooooo. That’s the best thing so far. An „R” rating. So what. Wanna impress me? How about this movie make a lick of sense! Keep me in my seat, at the very least keep me awake.
I can’t control myself any longer, spoiler alert – and I use the word „spoiler” very, very loosely.
Here’s the thing, if trees were ever going to develop some sort of chemical warfare that singled out and killed humans:
1. NY City would be about the safest place you could be and not where the movie takes place. The Sahara desert would be the second safest place. The Amazon River Basin and Yellowstone National Park would be killing fields, not Manhattan. 2. Maybe one plant, or even hell let’s go crazy, one entire species of plant could develop such a power, but all plants everywhere all at once, no, not gonna happen. The animation in the Hulk is more believable.
So, what have we learned about Hollywood’s summer blockbuster movies? With the price of gas and the heat, I’m advising that everyone get Netflicks and let the downloading begin. You can do it from the safety of you’re own climate controlled environment, pause the movie, use your own toilet, and enjoy a snack you didn’t have sell a kidney on E-Bay to be able to afford. That’s what I plan on doing. Provided of course no one sets my house on fire while I’m reading the next Dresden Files book. Can’t wait for book 11 to hit the shelves!

This article outlines some considerations for or against sunglasses and ski goggles as well as the different motivation when choosing one over the other. Most important factors when making a decision are:
- experience and skill level of skiers
- weather conditions
- temperature and precipitation
- intended length of skiing
- objective of skiing
Experienced skiers would make the proper selection when it comes to choosing sunglasses or goggles. What is more, most of them have backpacks where they will keep a pair of sunglasses if the goggles are inappropriate or the weather changes. Trouble comes when all you have on your ski history is a few runs down the hill from the previous day and the weather turns and all you have is sunglasses.
Getting adjusted to ski goggles takes time and could be annoying at first. Many rookie skiers prefer sunglasses and are often sorry later. Main reason for this is that wearing a pair of ski goggles limits the peripheral vision a bit. Psychological discomfort factors exist also – beginner skiers often think that they must see everything which goes on the ski run at the same time.
Recommendation: get used to goggles. Uncomfortable as they can seem at first, it pays to wear them. Weather in the mountain can change rapidly.
Weather conditions are the most important factor when making the right choice. Wearing sunglasses on a warm sunny day in March or April is just fine. Having them on a powder day is bad judgment.
Temperature – when temperatures are low, combined with the low humidity typical for ski areas, sunglasses provide little or no protection of the face even if it is sunny out. Sunny days in January could still have temperature of well below freezing. A proper pair of ski goggles will protect the better part of the face from frost bite and sun overexposure.
Precipitation – if it happens to snow, make no mistake – goggles are mandatory. Sunglasses do not provide enough protection when snow flakes flow in through the top and the sides in windy conditions. Also, if it is snowed the previous night, this normally calls for a powder day! Powder days mean that snow will be targeting your eyes all day by means of wind, skis of other people and your own ski front ski tips. Twin-tipped skis are very popular nowadays – among other features, they are known to create a snow cloud behind the skiers. Additionally, even experienced skiers take a fall or two in the fresh snow. If you happen to fall in the powder with sunglasses – you could lose them and if you do not – they will be wet and foggy. Ski goggles are designed to resist fog on the inside. Most sunglasses are not.
Recommendation: wear sunglasses only on warm sunny days in March and April. Use the goggles for everything else.
Intended length of skiing – if you plan to ski all day, do not use sunglasses. Often they leave a mark on your face and at higher speeds make your eyes water – caused by the air stream which goes in your eyes. If you only plan to take a few runs – all weather condition considerations from above apply – yet you could break the rules since normally just a few runs will not cause too much damage. Always wear goggles or glasses – do not leave the eye unprotected altogether – the light in the ski slopes can cause damage.
Objective of skiing. Most people get fit to ski and then enjoy the snowy slopes. I have personally been into situations on powder days and steep slopes where time just stops for a minute – the ultimate relax, very hard to reproduce in other conditions. The good powder aficionados will agree with me – using a pair of goggles for this is a must. On the other hand, if you ski in Aspen or Vail, Colorado – the prevailing motivation could be to be seen in a Prada ski suit and skis and to be able to tell your friends that you went skiing. Most of the time, under these circumstances, is spent at the cafes located top, middle and bottom of the hill. Those types of skiers are rarely seen on powder days. If this is the case with you – skiing in you sunglasses is just fine. What is more, you could get a signature sunglasses case and show off as needed!
In conclusion, wear goggles in cold weather, snowy or after snowfall conditions, when skiing between trees or skiing terrain which is new for you. Also, in case you have a very fancy pair of goggles, such as the kind with two fans and a battery and would like to show off. Wear sunglasses on warm days, short visits to the slopes and always in the outdoor cafes! Some skiers even go as far as wearing their sunglasses with the goggles resting on the helmet right above their forehead! Enjoy the slopes safely!
This article outlines some considerations for or against sunglasses and ski goggles as well as the different motivation when choosing one over the other. Most important factors when making a decision are:
- experience and skill sklep z grami level of skiers
- weather conditions
- temperature and precipitation
- intended length of skiing
- objective of skiing
Experienced skiers would make the proper selection when it comes to choosing sunglasses or goggles. What is more, most of them have backpacks where they will keep a pair of sunglasses if the goggles are inappropriate or the weather changes. Trouble comes when all you have on your ski history is a few runs down the hill from the previous day and the weather turns and all you have is sunglasses.
Getting adjusted to ski goggles takes time and could be annoying at first. Many rookie skiers prefer sunglasses and are often sorry later. Main reason for this is that wearing a pair of ski goggles limits the peripheral vision a bit. Psychological discomfort factors exist also – beginner skiers often think that they must see everything which goes on the ski run at the same time.
Recommendation: get used to goggles. Uncomfortable as they can seem at first, it pays to wear them. Weather in the mountain can change rapidly.
Weather conditions are the most important factor when making the right choice. Wearing sunglasses on a warm sunny day in March or April is just fine. Having them on a powder day is bad judgment.
Temperature – when temperatures are low, combined with the low humidity typical for ski areas, sunglasses provide little or no protection of the face even if it is sunny out. Sunny days in January could still have temperature of well below freezing. A proper pair of ski goggles will protect the better part of the face from frost bite and sun overexposure.
Precipitation – if it happens to snow, make no mistake – goggles are mandatory. Sunglasses do not provide enough protection when snow flakes flow in through the top and the sides in windy conditions. Also, if it is snowed the previous night, this normally calls for a powder day! Powder days mean that snow will be targeting your eyes all day by means of wind, skis of other people and your own ski front ski tips. Twin-tipped skis are very popular nowadays – among other features, they are known to create a snow cloud behind the skiers. Additionally, even experienced skiers take a fall or two in the fresh snow. If you happen to fall in the powder with sunglasses – you could lose them and if you do not – they will be wet and foggy. Ski goggles are designed to resist fog on the inside. Most sunglasses are not.
Recommendation: wear sunglasses only on warm sunny days in March and April. Use the goggles for everything else.
Intended length of skiing – if you plan to ski all day, do not use sunglasses. Often they leave a mark on your face and at higher speeds make your eyes water – caused by the air stream which goes in your eyes. If you only plan to take a few runs – all weather condition considerations from above apply – yet you could break the rules since normally just a few runs will not cause too much damage. Always wear goggles or glasses – do not leave the eye unprotected altogether – the light in the ski slopes can cause damage.
Objective of skiing. Most people get fit to ski and then enjoy the snowy slopes. I have personally been into situations on powder days and steep slopes where time just stops for a minute – the ultimate relax, very hard to reproduce in other conditions. The good powder aficionados will agree with me – using a pair of goggles for this is a must. On the other hand, if you ski in Aspen or Vail, Colorado – the prevailing motivation could be to be seen in a Prada ski suit and skis and to be able to tell your friends that you went skiing. Most of the time, under these circumstances, is spent at the cafes located top, middle and bottom of the hill. Those types of skiers are rarely seen on powder days. If this is the case with you – skiing in you sunglasses is just fine. What is more, you could get a signature sunglasses case and show off as needed!
In conclusion, wear goggles in cold weather, snowy or after snowfall conditions, when skiing between trees or skiing terrain which is new for you. Also, in case you have a very fancy pair of goggles, such as the kind with two fans and a battery and would like to show off. Wear sunglasses on warm days, short visits to the slopes and always in the outdoor cafes! Some skiers even go as far as wearing their sunglasses with the goggles resting on the helmet right above their forehead! Enjoy the slopes safely!

Gas has gotten more and more expensive over this past year. I’m sure that we can all remember, even 6 months ago, our horror at the possibility of a gallon of gas hitting $4.00. As prices stand today, the average is currently $4.00 here on the East Coast and there is no end in sight. For those of us who love taking summer vacations with our friends, family, and loved ones, this is a depressing thought. It’s impacting not only the price of filling up our own personal gas tanks, but also the price of airfare, cruises, and all other forms of transportation to get us out of town on our vacations.
However, there is no need to worry! Here in Boston, we live in a world-class city, and in all of our travels around the country and world, we have really taken that fact for granted. Mayor Menino himself feels our pain and has created a campaign called „Visit the Pin” and he has chosen 10 attractions around the city at which to place giant, 12-foot, red „push pins”. The pins have been created to grab our attention and alert us to all the wonderful attractions that Boston has to offer. However, while the places he has chosen are pretty great, they are also very touristy and if you have lived here for a while, you have probably already been to them – maybe even several times.
I have created a list of some of the great, under appreciated spots in Boston that you should visit for the first time, or visit again! I’ve organized them into 10 can’t-miss „day” trips. This list is chock-full of ideas. You may find that each „day” trip contains more than you would be able to accomplish in one day, so you might have to choose the attraction(s) that appeal most to you. Be sure to visit the websites for each of the suggestions for more information. I have tried to choose cost-effective suggestions so that your week off won’t break the bank. All you need is your T pass (and not an ounce of gasoline) for a wonderful „Staycation” week in Boston!
1. Day Trip #1: Fine Arts and Culture
If you live here, you have probably spent time at the Museum of Fine Arts and Symphony Hall at some point, but there are MANY other ways to explore arts and culture in Boston. Stop by two or three of these lesser known spots for a very enriching day! I would suggest an art museum or two in the morning and afternoon and a performance in the evening. You could even head over to the waterfront to have lunch at the Channel Cafe (food and drink/art gallery). Be sure to click below and visit the various websites ahead of time for hours, special show and exhibit info.
* Take in some art at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
* Visit the new Institute of Contemporary Art now on the waterfront
* Get tickets to a show at or take a tour of the newly restored Boston Opera House
* See a show at Emerson College’s Cutler Majestic Theater…
* … or at Harvard’s American Repertory Theater
* … or at Boston University’s Huntington Theater
* … or at the exciting Boston Center for the Arts
* Watch some Shakespeare on the Common presented by Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
* Catch some amazing music at the Berkelee Berformance Center
* Support music of the 20th century through the Boston Modern Orchestra Project
2. Day Trip #2: Sports Appreciation
It seems that Boston is the center of the sports universe at the moment – the Red Sox moved into the All-Star break in first place after winning two World Championships in the past 4 years. The Patriots had an undefeated regular season this year after winning the Super Bowl in ’01, ’03, and ’04. This year, the Celtics won the NBA Finals in dramatic fashion. Even the Bruins and the Revolution made great showings in the playoffs. When thinking about what to see in Boston, sports appreciation is at the top of the list! While watching a major sports game might be out of your price range, there are countless ways to appreciate sports in this city. Check out a few of these options:
* Take a tour of historic Fenway Park and check out the famous Citgo Sign
* Run the Boston Marathon (or at least up Heartbreak Hill!)
* Visit the Sports Museum (in the TD Banknorth Garden)
* Attend a game at BC, BU or Northeastern (some are easier to get tickets to than others!)
* Visit the site at Northeastern that was once Huntington Avenue Grounds (original Red Sox home)
* Stop by the historic Boston Braves Field (Now BU’s Nickerson Field)
* Catch a horse race at Suffolk Downs
* Visit Harvard Stadium
* Watch a Boston Lobsters Tennis Match
* Visit the Science Museum’s current Exhibit: „Baseball as America”
I would suggest lunch/dinner at the Sports Depot, Game On, The Fours, or Boston Beer Works for the full Boston sports experience!
3. Day Trip #3: City of Learning
Above all else, when people think about Boston, they think of the rich academic culture that our city embodies. Boston has more colleges per square mile than any other city in the world. Naturally, we are a city that is overflowing with learning opportunities. Why not spend some time appreciating those opportunities? Here are some wonderful ways you can spend the day learning in Boston. Break for lunch at Novel, the Boston Public Library restaurant!
* Visit the historic and beautiful Boston Public Library
* Stop by the Boston Anthenaeum
* Take a free walking tour of Harvard University or MIT
* Spend an afternoon in one of many used book stores in Boston or Cambridge
* Take a class at the Boston Center for Adult Education
* Learn about how beer is made! Take a tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery
* Visit the Mary Baker Eddy Library and it’s famous Mappariam
After your intense day of learning, you’ll need to kick back – stop by the Thirsty Scholar Pub for some dinner and a drink and give your brain a break!
4. Day Trip #4: History
It can easily be argued that there is really no city in the United States that is more historically significant than Boston. The city wears this identity well while still looking toward the future, mixing centuries-old beautiful buildings with modern towering skyscrapers. If you work downtown, unless you walk slowly and read the signs you pass each day (and who does that around here?) you may not realize the significance of the buildings around you. I’m sure that if you grew up around here, you have walked the Freedom Trail once or twice, but there may be more obscure historical landmarks that you have never even noticed! Take a day to walk around a little more slowly, visit some of these interesting landmarks, and look up once in a while! While you are at it, stop by Boston’s oldest restaurant, the Union Oyster House, for dinner.
* Learn about the lives of a well-to-do family in historic Boston at the Gibson House Museum
* Visit the headquarters of Historic New England at the Otis House Museum
* Pay your respects to our forefathers and foremothers at Granary Burying Ground and King’s Chapel Burying Ground
* Visit the Museum of African American History and take the Black Heritage Trail
* Talk a walk along the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail
* Tour the historically and architecturally significant Trinity Church
5. Day Trip #5: Island Hopping
If you are anything like me, you have never taken full advantage of the fact that we have an amazing National Park right off the coast of Boston. The park is comprised of 34 small islands (11 of which are open to the public) just minutes away by boat. The islands vary as far as what you can do on each of them, so use this list as a guide to get you started. The National Park Service recommends picking no more than two islands to visit in one day, so take a look and choose one or two that look interesting to you. Concession stands are available at Georges and Spectacle Islands, but why not bring a picnic lunch for your visit to the islands! It’s a perfect excuse for a picnic!
* Camp overnight on Grape, Bumpkin or Lovells Island – Permits are required
* Visit Lovells Island for the day for trails that pass by dunes and woods, picnic areas, an unsupervised swimming beach, and the remains of Fort Standish
* Visit and explore Deer Island and learn about its fascinating history
* Visit popular Georges Island, the transportation hub for the system of islands, its open fields, paved walkways and gravel beach – be sure to tour historic Fort Warren while you are there
* Check out Little Brewster, home of Boston Light, the country’s oldest continuously running light house
* Experience a wide range of natural beauty and check out historic Fort Andrews at Peddocks Island
* Visit Spectacle Island, which features a marina, visitor center, cafe, a life-guarded swimming beach, and five miles of walking trails that lead to the crest of a 157 foot-high hill, offering panoramic views of the harbor and the city
* Take a tour and enjoy nature at Thompson Island, which is a particularly good choice if you have a large group (like a company or school)
* Picnic, fish and enjoy walking trails at Webb Memorial State Park
* Enjoy Hingham Bay, rocky beaches, ledges, cliffs, patches of salt marsh and an area of freshwater marsh at Worlds End Reservation
6. Day Trip #6: Beach Bum
If the only great vacation you can imagine is one in which you are lying on a beach for at least a day, there are many great options for you around here! You might assume that you have to drive down to the Cape or up to the North Shore for great beach experiences, and if so, you will be pleasantly surprised by the following recommendations. There are several great options easily reachable in or very near the city by subway or bus. A day at the beach requires beach food, in my opinion, and so I suggest a stop at Sullivan’s at Castle Island or Kelly’s Roast Beef in Revere. I’ve also suggested a few options that are outside the city, but easily accessible from the commuter rail, if you really want to get out of the city for the day.
* Take the Blue Line to America’s First Public Beach, Revere Beach
* Throw on your swim suit and take advantage of The Boston Harborwalk
* Take the Red Line to JFK and visit Carson Beach, L & M Street Beaches, Pleasure Bay and Castle Island, which are all connected
* Take the Commuter Rail north to Ipswich Station, then board the Ipswich-Essex Explorer Shuttle to Crane Beach
* Take the Commuter Rail north to Manchester-by-the-Sea and walk a short way to Singing Beach
* Take the Amtrak Downeaster to Old Orchard Beach in Maine
7. Day Trip #7: Appreciation of Unusual Things
If you are someone who enjoys exploring the unique and unusual aspects of a vacation destination, you have plenty of options to appreciate the quirky – right here in Boston! As you are exploring a few of the following unusual spots in Boston, a couple of well loved, but certainly unique, Boston restaurants worth your time during this day would be Fire & Ice Improvisational Grill for a fun, interactive experience and the Beehive, for some great food, atmosphere and live jazz.
* Visit America’s oldest car collection at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum
* Learn history from a unusual perspective on New England Ghost Tour!
* Experience Boston’s most interactive entertainment at Tomb by 5Witz
* Appreciate some art that’s too bad to be ignored! Visit the Museum of Bad Art
* Explore invention, ideas and innovation (including holograms!) at the MIT Museum
* Visit the Harvard Bridge and count how many Smoots long it is!
* Take a Duck Tour (come on… you know you want to!)
* Visit the spots where your favorite movies were filmed on one of the Boston Movie Tours
* Discover the secrets of Boston through an Urban Interactive sight-seeing adventure
* Find out what is so special about the Scarlett O’Hara House
8. Day Trip #8: Nature
If you are stuck in Boston, but prefer a more serene, natural vacation, there are many options for you, even within the city limits! There are many opportunities in the city that will allow you to spend time appreciating the nature around you. I recommend exploring some of the following recommendations. If you want a fully natural day, take a break and visit Grezzo Restaurant for lunch, Boston’s 100% organic, raw food restaurant.
* Take a ride on the Swan Boats while visiting the Boston Public Garden
* Hang out with the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo in the heart of Franklin Park
* Visit Arnold Arboretum, the oldest public arboretum in North America and one of the world’s leading centers for the study of plants
* Spend some time at the Harvard Museum of Natural History (especially great if your „nature” themed day turns out to be a rainy one!)
* Go for a peaceful and quiet run in the Fens nature trails
* Visit the Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary
* Find a Boston area State Park near you for everything from hiking to mountain biking
* See „Day Trip #5″ (Above) for info about the Boston Harbor Islands – spend a while at one!
9. Day Trip #9: On the Water
We are so lucky to be living right on the water here in Boston. As I mentioned above, this opens up many possibilities as far as enjoying wonderful beach days, as well as visiting the Boston Harbor Islands right off the coast. However, a huge benefit to having so much water nearby is the opportunity to get out on it for the day. Whether you are an accomplished sailor or have never stepped food in a boat, there are options here for you. Read through this list and choose an adventure or two just for you! During the day or evening, if you are hungry, stop by Tia’s On the Waterfront for a bite, a drink and a chance to enjoy the view of the water!
* Contact Community Boating, Inc. to find out how you can learn to sail – Use your vacation day to get started on the Charles River
* For a relatively inexpensive chance to spend time in a boat on the water, take an Inner Harbor Ferry or Commuter Boat or the Rowes Wharf Water Taxi
* Take a sunset or sightseeing cruise through the Charles Riverboat Company
* Take a Boston Light Tour and experience first-hand the oldest lighthouse site in the U.S.
* Join in on a sail aboard the 125′ Schooner Liberty Clipper
* If you can’t bear to actually get out on the water, you can enjoy WBZ’s Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell – enjoy the breeze of the Charles from safely ashore, and watch a movie under the stars!
10. Day Trip #10: Festivals
Summer in Boston always reminds me of all the neighborhood parties and celebrations in the city. Every weekend throughout the summer, there is at least one festival somewhere in the city that is an excuse to enjoy Boston and its cultural diversity. A day at any of these festivals would be worth building into your „staycation” week schedule. I don’t need to recommend a restaurant for you, since the mark of a great festival is the amazing food it serves. Enjoy!
* Choose a weekend this summer and stop by the North End for the North End Festivals of Saints
* Stop by Government Center on August 2 from 4:00-8:00 for the Peace Hip Hop Festival
* Spend August 17 in Chinatown for the August Moon Festival
* Head to Dorchester on August 23rd for the Caribbean Carnival Parade & Festival
* Show off and add to your ink from September 12-14 at the Boston Tatoo Convention
* Settle in from September 12-18 for the Boston Film Festival
I hope that you enjoy all my suggestions and that they inspire you to rediscover our great city in these times of high gas prices! These are also great suggestions for you if you are visiting Boston from out of town. If you are stuck in another city, and these suggestions sound fun to you, look for similar ideas near your home. I bet you will be surprised by what you will find!
Please respond and let me know what you love to do when you are spending time in Boston – I am very interested to hear!
Gas has gotten more and more expensive over this past year. I’m sure that we can all remember, even 6 months ago, our horror at the possibility of a gallon of gas hitting $4.00. As prices stand today, the average is currently $4.00 here on the East Coast and there is no end in sight. For those of us who love taking summer vacations with our friends, family, and loved ones, this is a depressing thought. It’s impacting not only the price of filling up our own personal gas tanks, but also the price of airfare, cruises, and all other forms of transportation to get us out of town on our vacations.
However, there is no need to worry! Here in Boston, we live in a world-class city, and in all of our travels around the country and world, we have really taken that fact for granted. Mayor Menino himself feels our pain and has created a campaign called „Visit the Pin” and he has place zabaw chosen 10 attractions around the city at which to place giant, 12-foot, red „push pins”. The pins have been created to grab our attention and alert us to all the wonderful attractions that Boston has to offer. However, while the places he has chosen are pretty great, they are also very touristy and if you have lived here for a while, you have probably already been to them – maybe even several times.
I have created a list of some of the great, under appreciated spots in Boston that you should visit for the first time, or visit again! I’ve organized them into 10 can’t-miss „day” trips. This list is chock-full of ideas. You may find that each „day” trip contains more than you would be able to accomplish in one day, so you might have to choose the attraction(s) that appeal most to you. Be sure to visit the websites for each of the suggestions for more information. I have tried to choose cost-effective suggestions so that your week off won’t break the bank. All you need is your T pass (and not an ounce of gasoline) for a wonderful „Staycation” week in Boston!
1. Day Trip #1: Fine Arts and Culture
If you live here, you have probably spent time at the Museum of Fine Arts and Symphony Hall at some point, but there are MANY other ways to explore arts and culture in Boston. Stop by two or three of these lesser known spots for a very enriching day! I would suggest an art museum or two in the morning and afternoon and a performance in the evening. You could even head over to the waterfront to have lunch at the Channel Cafe (food and drink/art gallery). Be sure to click below and visit the various websites ahead of time for hours, special show and exhibit info.
* Take in some art at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
* Visit the new Institute of Contemporary Art now on the waterfront
* Get tickets to a show at or take a tour of the newly restored Boston Opera House
* See a show at Emerson College’s Cutler Majestic Theater…
* … or at Harvard’s American Repertory Theater
* … or at Boston University’s Huntington Theater
* … or at the exciting Boston Center for the Arts
* Watch some Shakespeare on the Common presented by Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
* Catch some amazing music at the Berkelee Berformance Center
* Support music of the 20th century through the Boston Modern Orchestra Project
2. Day Trip #2: Sports Appreciation
It seems that Boston is the center of the sports universe at the moment – the Red Sox moved into the All-Star break in first place after winning two World Championships in the past 4 years. The Patriots had an undefeated regular season this year after winning the Super Bowl in ’01, ’03, and ’04. This year, the Celtics won the NBA Finals in dramatic fashion. Even the Bruins and the Revolution made great showings in the playoffs. When thinking about what to see in Boston, sports appreciation is at the top of the list! While watching a major sports game might be out of your price range, there are countless ways to appreciate sports in this city. Check out a few of these options:
* Take a tour of historic Fenway Park and check out the famous Citgo Sign
* Run the Boston Marathon (or at least up Heartbreak Hill!)
* Visit the Sports Museum (in the TD Banknorth Garden)
* Attend a game at BC, BU or Northeastern (some are easier to get tickets to than others!)
* Visit the site at Northeastern that was once Huntington Avenue Grounds (original Red Sox home)
* Stop by the historic Boston Braves Field (Now BU’s Nickerson Field)
* Catch a horse race at Suffolk Downs
* Visit Harvard Stadium
* Watch a Boston Lobsters Tennis Match
* Visit the Science Museum’s current Exhibit: „Baseball as America”
I would suggest lunch/dinner at the Sports Depot, Game On, The Fours, or Boston Beer Works for the full Boston sports experience!
3. Day Trip #3: City of Learning
Above all else, when people think about Boston, they think of the rich academic culture that our city embodies. Boston has more colleges per square mile than any other city in the world. Naturally, we are a city that is overflowing with learning opportunities. Why not spend some time appreciating those opportunities? Here are some wonderful ways you can spend the day learning in Boston. Break for lunch at Novel, the Boston Public Library restaurant!
* Visit the historic and beautiful Boston Public Library
* Stop by the Boston Anthenaeum
* Take a free walking tour of Harvard University or MIT
* Spend an afternoon in one of many used book stores in Boston or Cambridge
* Take a class at the Boston Center for Adult Education
* Learn about how beer is made! Take a tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery
* Visit the Mary Baker Eddy Library and it’s famous Mappariam
After your intense day of learning, you’ll need to kick back – stop by the Thirsty Scholar Pub for some dinner and a drink and give your brain a break!
4. Day Trip #4: History
It can easily be argued that there is really no city in the United States that is more historically significant than Boston. The city wears this identity well while still looking toward the future, mixing centuries-old beautiful buildings with modern towering skyscrapers. If you work downtown, unless you walk slowly and read the signs you pass each day (and who does that around here?) you may not realize the significance of the buildings around you. I’m sure that if you grew up around here, you have walked the Freedom Trail once or twice, but there may be more obscure historical landmarks that you have never even noticed! Take a day to walk around a little more slowly, visit some of these interesting landmarks, and look up once in a while! While you are at it, stop by Boston’s oldest restaurant, the Union Oyster House, for dinner.
* Learn about the lives of a well-to-do family in historic Boston at the Gibson House Museum
* Visit the headquarters of Historic New England at the Otis House Museum
* Pay your respects to our forefathers and foremothers at Granary Burying Ground and King’s Chapel Burying Ground
* Visit the Museum of African American History and take the Black Heritage Trail
* Talk a walk along the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail
* Tour the historically and architecturally significant Trinity Church
5. Day Trip #5: Island Hopping
If you are anything like me, you have never taken full advantage of the fact that we have an amazing National Park right off the coast of Boston. The park is comprised of 34 small islands (11 of which are open to the public) just minutes away by boat. The islands vary as far as what you can do on each of them, so use this list as a guide to get you started. The National Park Service recommends picking no more than two islands to visit in one day, so take a look and choose one or two that look interesting to you. Concession stands are available at Georges and Spectacle Islands, but why not bring a picnic lunch for your visit to the islands! It’s a perfect excuse for a picnic!
* Camp overnight on Grape, Bumpkin or Lovells Island – Permits are required
* Visit Lovells Island for the day for trails that pass by dunes and woods, picnic areas, an unsupervised swimming beach, and the remains of Fort Standish
* Visit and explore Deer Island and learn about its fascinating history
* Visit popular Georges Island, the transportation hub for the system of islands, its open fields, paved walkways and gravel beach – be sure to tour historic Fort Warren while you are there
* Check out Little Brewster, home of Boston Light, the country’s oldest continuously running light house
* Experience a wide range of natural beauty and check out historic Fort Andrews at Peddocks Island
* Visit Spectacle Island, which features a marina, visitor center, cafe, a life-guarded swimming beach, and five miles of walking trails that lead to the crest of a 157 foot-high hill, offering panoramic views of the harbor and the city
* Take a tour and enjoy nature at Thompson Island, which is a particularly good choice if you have a large group (like a company or school)
* Picnic, fish and enjoy walking trails at Webb Memorial State Park
* Enjoy Hingham Bay, rocky beaches, ledges, cliffs, patches of salt marsh and an area of freshwater marsh at Worlds End Reservation
6. Day Trip #6: Beach Bum
If the only great vacation you can imagine is one in which you are lying on a beach for at least a day, there are many great options for you around here! You might assume that you have to drive down to the Cape or up to the North Shore for great beach experiences, and if so, you will be pleasantly surprised by the following recommendations. There are several great options easily reachable in or very near the city by subway or bus. A day at the beach requires beach food, in my opinion, and so I suggest a stop at Sullivan’s at Castle Island or Kelly’s Roast Beef in Revere. I’ve also suggested a few options that are outside the city, but easily accessible from the commuter rail, if you really want to get out of the city for the day.
* Take the Blue Line to America’s First Public Beach, Revere Beach
* Throw on your swim suit and take advantage of The Boston Harborwalk
* Take the Red Line to JFK and visit Carson Beach, L & M Street Beaches, Pleasure Bay and Castle Island, which are all connected
* Take the Commuter Rail north to Ipswich Station, then board the Ipswich-Essex Explorer Shuttle to Crane Beach
* Take the Commuter Rail north to Manchester-by-the-Sea and walk a short way to Singing Beach
* Take the Amtrak Downeaster to Old Orchard Beach in Maine
7. Day Trip #7: Appreciation of Unusual Things
If you are someone who enjoys exploring the unique and unusual aspects of a vacation destination, you have plenty of options to appreciate the quirky – right here in Boston! As you are exploring a few of the following unusual spots in Boston, a couple of well loved, but certainly unique, Boston restaurants worth your time during this day would be Fire & Ice Improvisational Grill for a fun, interactive experience and the Beehive, for some great food, atmosphere and live jazz.
* Visit America’s oldest car collection at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum
* Learn history from a unusual perspective on New England Ghost Tour!
* Experience Boston’s most interactive entertainment at Tomb by 5Witz
* Appreciate some art that’s too bad to be ignored! Visit the Museum of Bad Art
* Explore invention, ideas and innovation (including holograms!) at the MIT Museum
* Visit the Harvard Bridge and count how many Smoots long it is!
* Take a Duck Tour (come on… you know you want to!)
* Visit the spots where your favorite movies were filmed on one of the Boston Movie Tours
* Discover the secrets of Boston through an Urban Interactive sight-seeing adventure
* Find out what is so special about the Scarlett O’Hara House
8. Day Trip #8: Nature
If you are stuck in Boston, but prefer a more serene, natural vacation, there are many options for you, even within the city limits! There are many opportunities in the city that will allow you to spend time appreciating the nature around you. I recommend exploring some of the following recommendations. If you want a fully natural day, take a break and visit Grezzo Restaurant for lunch, Boston’s 100% organic, raw food restaurant.
* Take a ride on the Swan Boats while visiting the Boston Public Garden
* Hang out with the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo in the heart of Franklin Park
* Visit Arnold Arboretum, the oldest public arboretum in North America and one of the world’s leading centers for the study of plants
* Spend some time at the Harvard Museum of Natural History (especially great if your „nature” themed day turns out to be a rainy one!)
* Go for a peaceful and quiet run in the Fens nature trails
* Visit the Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary
* Find a Boston area State Park near you for everything from hiking to mountain biking
* See „Day Trip #5″ (Above) for info about the Boston Harbor Islands – spend a while at one!
9. Day Trip #9: On the Water
We are so lucky to be living right on the water here in Boston. As I mentioned above, this opens up many possibilities as far as enjoying wonderful beach days, as well as visiting the Boston Harbor Islands right off the coast. However, a huge benefit to having so much water nearby is the opportunity to get out on it for the day. Whether you are an accomplished sailor or have never stepped food in a boat, there are options here for you. Read through this list and choose an adventure or two just for you! During the day or evening, if you are hungry, stop by Tia’s On the Waterfront for a bite, a drink and a chance to enjoy the view of the water!
* Contact Community Boating, Inc. to find out how you can learn to sail – Use your vacation day to get started on the Charles River
* For a relatively inexpensive chance to spend time in a boat on the water, take an Inner Harbor Ferry or Commuter Boat or the Rowes Wharf Water Taxi
* Take a sunset or sightseeing cruise through the Charles Riverboat Company
* Take a Boston Light Tour and experience first-hand the oldest lighthouse site in the U.S.
* Join in on a sail aboard the 125′ Schooner Liberty Clipper
* If you can’t bear to actually get out on the water, you can enjoy WBZ’s Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell – enjoy the breeze of the Charles from safely ashore, and watch a movie under the stars!
10. Day Trip #10: Festivals
Summer in Boston always reminds me of all the neighborhood parties and celebrations in the city. Every weekend throughout the summer, there is at least one festival somewhere in the city that is an excuse to enjoy Boston and its cultural diversity. A day at any of these festivals would be worth building into your „staycation” week schedule. I don’t need to recommend a restaurant for you, since the mark of a great festival is the amazing food it serves. Enjoy!
* Choose a weekend this summer and stop by the North End for the North End Festivals of Saints
* Stop by Government Center on August 2 from 4:00-8:00 for the Peace Hip Hop Festival
* Spend August 17 in Chinatown for the August Moon Festival
* Head to Dorchester on August 23rd for the Caribbean Carnival Parade & Festival
* Show off and add to your ink from September 12-14 at the Boston Tatoo Convention
* Settle in from September 12-18 for the Boston Film Festival
I hope that you enjoy all my suggestions and that they inspire you to rediscover our great city in these times of high gas prices! These are also great suggestions for you if you are visiting Boston from out of town. If you are stuck in another city, and these suggestions sound fun to you, look for similar ideas near your home. I bet you will be surprised by what you will find!
Please respond and let me know what you love to do when you are spending time in Boston – I am very interested to hear!

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If you have ever sat down with your daughter at the computer, you have realized that there are certain games that girls love to play that you did not have the foggiest idea even existed previously. The internet has opened up a vast floodgate of information and gaming and now your child has a much wider variety of entertainment options to choose from when she goes online to enjoy a game. Of the hundreds to choose from, many fit into these four popular categories.
Dress Up Games
Dress up games are exactly what they sound like. Your child dresses up an online doll. The dress up games might consist of the latest fashions, in turn making your child a fashion designer in a sense as she pairs up tops and bottoms and accessorizes skirts and dresses of all kinds. Other dress up games have a more period feel. These dress up games might have you and your child dressing a belle of the ball or a rock star of the Eighties. Other dress up games branch out even more into fantasy characters. For your child, the sheer number of games available makes dress up games a very popular option for expressing creativity and playing a bit with styles.
Cooking Games
Cooking games are great fun to watch and almost addicting to play. When you play a cooking game, you will be manning the grill or the counter. You will learn to balance orders, cook food and essentially keep everyone satisfied. If you are working the grill in a cooking game, for example, you will start by getting basic orders to fill. You will cook what you need, put it on the virtual plate and send it on. The orders get increasingly complex and you must work faster to keep up with the harder orders as the levels continue to increase. At the higher levels, you are essentially running a complex and powerful operation, even if it is just beach hot dogs. Keeping up with orders and planning ahead for what you see coming is a skill that suits everyone on some level.
Role-Play Games
Games where you can take on a new character are immensely popular with both boys and girls. Unlike many games of the past, however, playing the newer forms of role-play games, you get to create the character you like as opposed to simply selecting one of a few ready made characters. Go through the game adding value and points to your character. Take on battles, buddy up with friends and raid, pillage and plunder together in a true definition of team work.
Alternative Worlds
In a game that includes alternative worlds, you will find kids creating full homes and families in their fantasy world. The girls design houses and then take up life in the „new” environment. They drive cars to work and as they get more points, they can trade them in for upgrades to your car or home to make it even more customized to your liking. The alternative worlds that the girls enjoy can also include, and usually do, pets and give them a chance to take responsibility for feeding and caring for a pet, even if it is a virtual gold fish.
If you have ever sat down with your daughter at the computer, you have realized that there are certain games that girls love to play that you did not have the foggiest idea even existed previously. The internet has opened up a vast floodgate of information and gaming and now your child has a much wider variety of entertainment options to choose from when she goes online to enjoy a game. Of the hundreds to choose from, many fit into these domek holenderski four popular categories.
Dress Up Games
Dress up games are exactly what they sound like. Your child dresses up an online doll. The dress up games might consist of the latest fashions, in turn making your child a fashion designer in a sense as she pairs up tops and bottoms and accessorizes skirts and dresses of all kinds. Other dress up games have a more period feel. These dress up games might have you and your child dressing a belle of the ball or a rock star of the Eighties. Other dress up games branch out even more into fantasy characters. For your child, the sheer number of games available makes dress up games a very popular option for expressing creativity and playing a bit with styles.
Cooking Games
Cooking games are great fun to watch and almost addicting to play. When you play a cooking game, you will be manning the grill or the counter. You will learn to balance orders, cook food and essentially keep everyone satisfied. If you are working the grill in a cooking game, for example, you will start by getting basic orders to fill. You will cook what you need, put it on the virtual plate and send it on. The orders get increasingly complex and you must work faster to keep up with the harder orders as the levels continue to increase. At the higher levels, you are essentially running a complex and powerful operation, even if it is just beach hot dogs. Keeping up with orders and planning ahead for what you see coming is a skill that suits everyone on some level.
Role-Play Games
Games where you can take on a new character are immensely popular with both boys and girls. Unlike many games of the past, however, playing the newer forms of role-play games, you get to create the character you like as opposed to simply selecting one of a few ready made characters. Go through the game adding value and points to your character. Take on battles, buddy up with friends and raid, pillage and plunder together in a true definition of team work.
Alternative Worlds
In a game that includes alternative worlds, you will find kids creating full homes and families in their fantasy world. The girls design houses and then take up life in the „new” environment. They drive cars to work and as they get more points, they can trade them in for upgrades to your car or home to make it even more customized to your liking. The alternative worlds that the girls enjoy can also include, and usually do, pets and give them a chance to take responsibility for feeding and caring for a pet, even if it is a virtual gold fish.

Being a rockstar and actually being recognized as one is a very difficult challenge for all rock and roll hopefuls out there in the world. Producing the most unique and original music with a touch of the personal style will always be a very long and hard process since nothing ever produced nowadays is new or original. This is why a rock star that makes it big and becomes successful in the music industry is always regarded as a talent worth watching; the fact that he or she has been recognized by the talent scouts, the managers, and producers is already a big deal and will always get the masses’ attention.
But is it possible, still possible and feasible, to become a rockstar? Well, why not? If you think you’ve got the talent, the charisma, the looks, and the style to be a rockstar and to produce really hardcore rock music, then you might just have a shot at becoming a primetime rock singer. Though the work is hectic and ephemeral at the same time (not a good combination), there are a lot of benefits or perks when you become an officially recognized rock star. Not only will you be producing your own CDs and DVDs, you’ll be singing your heart out with your band in live concerts and world tours, signing autographs for your fans, and even have a website dedicated to you. Though the competition will always be fierce, you’ll have a chance at being remembered by everybody as one of the best in rock. You’ll be earning millions, even billions, once you are able to make it big and become successful in the music business.
Sadly though, the commercialism that comes with being a rock star oftentimes decreases the quality of rock music that many rock bands and rock singers, who were once idolized by so many, falter and become unpopular. Yes, the merchandise, the advertising, and dedicating songs to movie soundtracks add to your income as a rock star, but lowering the quality and essence of your rock music shouldn’t be the exchange. So many good bands lose their essence and style, leading people to believe that rock music isn’t how it is anymore: fun, wild, hardcore, so on and so forth.
There has to be loyalty, respect, and faith in the quality of rock music. If you plan in working day and night to become the rockstar that you want to be, buying the clothes and the musical instruments to go with it, then you have to keep in mind that you want to rock because you love the rock music emitting from your guitars, drums, and voice. Get inspired by the legendary rock stars that live even up to today and listen to what their songs have to say about life, love, faith, and even death. Though not many people believe in rock as a music genre due to the many screams and yells through the microphones, rock music does have a powerful message to it that a lot of the youth believe in and listen to all the time.
Being a rockstar and actually being recognized as one is a very difficult challenge for all rock and roll hopefuls out there in the world. Producing the most unique and original music with a touch of the personal style will always be a very long and hard process since nothing ever produced nowadays is new or original. This is why a rock star that makes it big and becomes successful in the music industry is always regarded as a talent worth watching; the mazury hotele fact that he or she has been recognized by the talent scouts, the managers, and producers is already a big deal and will always get the masses’ attention.
But is it possible, still possible and feasible, to become a rockstar? Well, why not? If you think you’ve got the talent, the charisma, the looks, and the style to be a rockstar and to produce really hardcore rock music, then you might just have a shot at becoming a primetime rock singer. Though the work is hectic and ephemeral at the same time (not a good combination), there are a lot of benefits or perks when you become an officially recognized rock star. Not only will you be producing your own CDs and DVDs, you’ll be singing your heart out with your band in live concerts and world tours, signing autographs for your fans, and even have a website dedicated to you. Though the competition will always be fierce, you’ll have a chance at being remembered by everybody as one of the best in rock. You’ll be earning millions, even billions, once you are able to make it big and become successful in the music business.
Sadly though, the commercialism that comes with being a rock star oftentimes decreases the quality of rock music that many rock bands and rock singers, who were once idolized by so many, falter and become unpopular. Yes, the merchandise, the advertising, and dedicating songs to movie soundtracks add to your income as a rock star, but lowering the quality and essence of your rock music shouldn’t be the exchange. So many good bands lose their essence and style, leading people to believe that rock music isn’t how it is anymore: fun, wild, hardcore, so on and so forth.
There has to be loyalty, respect, and faith in the quality of rock music. If you plan in working day and night to become the rockstar that you want to be, buying the clothes and the musical instruments to go with it, then you have to keep in mind that you want to rock because you love the rock music emitting from your guitars, drums, and voice. Get inspired by the legendary rock stars that live even up to today and listen to what their songs have to say about life, love, faith, and even death. Though not many people believe in rock as a music genre due to the many screams and yells through the microphones, rock music does have a powerful message to it that a lot of the youth believe in and listen to all the time.

What does one look for in good piano classes? What defines good piano classes? Is there anything like a good piano class? The answer to all the three questions is positive. Below we explore what one should look for in good Charlottesville piano lessons.
Firstly, any good piano lessons would offer students a good dose of theory classes. If there are adults who are participating in this class, then they will want to learn the theory. Children do not learn the theory part immediately. Children think playing the piano is a fun thing. So, the approach to teach them is different.
Head directly to the Charlottesville Music Teachers Association (CMTA), a nine-year-old organization dedicated to music and music education. They will be able to put you in touch with good piano lessons in Charlottesville. Another alternative is the Virginia Music Teachers Association (VMTA). Both these organizations are affiliated to the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).
Such organizations not only help you find good piano lessons in your area in Charlottesville but they also provide discussion forums, workshops, counseling, and sometimes even help you with funding and applying to different competitions. A similar organization is the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA). The Charlottesville Piano Company is an organization that has a long tradition in piano and they will be able to guide you in the right direction.
Jon Williams is a piano teacher in Charlottesville with around 23 year’s experience. He has a degree in music from the James Madison University School of Music. Nicole Yang obtained her Master of Music from the California State University Northridge.
Learning to play the piano the classical way will give you great depth in your knowledge of the musical instrument. This is the best foundation any one can receive when learning the piano. Many classes out there offer piano lessons in the ‘pop’ music style however, the serious student should not consider those.
Good Charlottesville piano lessons will include classes on many of the technicalities of the piano. This would include how to tune your piano, the correct usage of the pedals, how to place your piano cover the right way and of course, most importantly, how to read the music notes!
The piano is one of the most dignified yet tough musical instruments to learn. While you may learn the keys and notes by heart, eventually one has to play the piano from the heart, literally. Many children (and even adults) find it intimidating because it can seem complex, since there is so much to learn. However, once learnt, it provides great joy to the player as well as the listener.
What does one look for in good piano classes? What defines good piano classes? Is there anything like a good piano class? The answer to all the three questions is positive. Below we explore what one should look for in good Charlottesville piano lessons.
Firstly, any good piano lessons would offer students a good dose of theory classes. If there are adults who are participating in this class, then they will want to learn the theory. Children do not learn the theory part immediately. Children think playing the piano is a fun thing. So, the approach to teach them radca prawny is different.
Head directly to the Charlottesville Music Teachers Association (CMTA), a nine-year-old organization dedicated to music and music education. They will be able to put you in touch with good piano lessons in Charlottesville. Another alternative is the Virginia Music Teachers Association (VMTA). Both these organizations are affiliated to the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).
Such organizations not only help you find good piano lessons in your area in Charlottesville but they also provide discussion forums, workshops, counseling, and sometimes even help you with funding and applying to different competitions. A similar organization is the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA). The Charlottesville Piano Company is an organization that has a long tradition in piano and they will be able to guide you in the right direction.
Jon Williams is a piano teacher in Charlottesville with around 23 year’s experience. He has a degree in music from the James Madison University School of Music. Nicole Yang obtained her Master of Music from the California State University Northridge.
Learning to play the piano the classical way will give you great depth in your knowledge of the musical instrument. This is the best foundation any one can receive when learning the piano. Many classes out there offer piano lessons in the ‘pop’ music style however, the serious student should not consider those.
Good Charlottesville piano lessons will include classes on many of the technicalities of the piano. This would include how to tune your piano, the correct usage of the pedals, how to place your piano cover the right way and of course, most importantly, how to read the music notes!
The piano is one of the most dignified yet tough musical instruments to learn. While you may learn the keys and notes by heart, eventually one has to play the piano from the heart, literally. Many children (and even adults) find it intimidating because it can seem complex, since there is so much to learn. However, once learnt, it provides great joy to the player as well as the listener.

The relationship between men and women in Islam is addressed in the Qur’an and further in the Sunnah. Islam explains to us how to achieve tranquility in marriage and how to reach the highest potential in all other aspects of life.
[ And one of His [Allah's] signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find tranquillity in them, and He put between you love and mercy; most surely there are signs in this for people who reflect.) (Ar-Rum 30:21)
Inspired by our belief that better communication within Muslim families, especially between husbands and wives, is the cornerstone for building a strong, actively involved family, we wanted to shed some light on what we believe happens often in many marriage stories.
A relationship between a husband and a wife is like a garden; if it’s to thrive, it must be watered regularly, with „weather hazards” taken into account, such as any unpredictable draught or storm. New seeds must be sown, and weeds must be pulled out (Gray).
Love’s Springtime
The Prophet said, „Nothing is better for those in love than marriage.”
(Ibn Majah and authenticated by Al-Albani)
One fatwa of Shiekh Al-Qaradawi, the prominent Muslim scholar, states what means that love is lawful in Islam as long as that love comes in spite of the person, that person doesn’t go out of the way especially to seek these emotions, and that all Islamic guidelines are kept in mind. However, there is a suggestion that the traditional route for marriage usually has better results.
The beginning of love is its springtime; this is when you feel that you will stay happy forever. This corresponds to the Islamic engagement and `aqd (official documentation of marriage) time and may last for a few months before marriage! During that time, you always find excuses to your partner’s mistakes; you may even become unable to see the mistakes or differences. But this fire of emotions in many cases does not stay forever. Marriage and family therapist Glenn Lutjens suggests that this change takes place in every relationship because of three factors:time, distance, and desire.
Time. When you get married, you have more time to observe your spouse’s behavior. You see things that weren’t so noticeable at „springtime.”
Distance. You now see him up close. There’s no „see you next week.” You now see him when he’s hungry and tired. Women may have their „time of the month,” and men have their „time of the day”! When his stomach is empty, you may see a whole new side of your man you never knew existed.
Desire. Some of the behavior during those days probably wasn’t so deliberate. That type of romantic fire shapes one’s actions; loving deeds come easily to one so smitten by romance. You probably felt the same excitement, with your reactions being affected as well. We tend to construct a person in our minds to match the excitement we want to feel. We mentally vision that person in a way that will make us happiest.
Love’s Summertime
Eventually we realize that our partner is not as perfect as we thought and that we have to work on our relationship. Plants need to be watered even more frequently under a hot sun; this is how the relationship between a husband and a wife should be enriched when it’s no longer easy to give or to get love. Therefore, always remember Prophet Muhammad’s advice:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: A believing man [husband] should not hate a believing woman [his wife]; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another. (Sahih Muslim. Book 8, Number 3469)
Many couples become disillusioned after a few of months in wedlock. They give up working on the relationship and blame one another. They forget that it cannot be „springtime” all the time. Yet, no one wants to live in summer forever. So hold your breath and gather all the wisdom that Allah gave you to go through this stage and reach the tranquility, mercy, and love mentioned in the verse. These will be the lasting, calm, and warm emotions of love between a husband and wife who are living for the sake of Allah.
You can think that way: Is this the person I want to continue the rest of my life with? If the answer is „no,” then you will not be willing to invest much in this relation anyway, you will give it a weak try and then give up. If the answer is „yes,” then the question becomes „What do I do now that I found out my partner in not what I thought?” Debating whether your partner misrepresented himself or herself or you misread your partner won’t solve anything. Here are some things you may consider doing:
Choose to love your partner. Remember that it’s Allah Who makes the „love and mercy happen between the husband and the wife.
Seek Allah’s help and ask Him to make that „chemistry” happen. Also, open your heart and give your partner the benefit of doubt; stand in your partner’s shoes and try to see things from his or her perspective.
Look at how you may have changed as well after marriage.
You will not be able to actually change someone. All you can do is provide a different and favorable environment for your partner to want to change.
Realize that you may have legitimate concerns.Voice them to your partner in a constructive way with the hope that he or she will be willing to work toward change or at least understand your concerns.
Express with respect. Use „I-messages”: „I” feel and „I” think, not „you” did such and such.
Invest in this family. Paradise is worth your best effort. A little whisper in the wife’s ear is, „Allah made one important mission in this life which is to make this family happy.” The motive is wonderful. The Prophet said,
„If a woman prayed the five prayers, fasted in Ramadan, protected her honor, and obeyed her husband, then she will be told (on the Day of Judgment): Enter Paradise from any of its (eight) doors”. (Ibn Hibban)
Do not listen to voices like „He is no better than you are! Why do you have to listen?” The Prophet mentioned the advice for a reason, so do not ruin your life. Instead, invite love to your house and be patient. It is love and happiness in this life and Paradise in the hereafter
The relationship between men and women in Islam is addressed in the Qur’an and further in the Sunnah. Islam explains to us how to achieve tranquility in marriage and how to reach the highest potential in all other aspects of life.
[ And one of His [Allah's] signs is that He created zagęszczanie włosów mates for you from yourselves that you may find tranquillity in them, and He put between you love and mercy; most surely there are signs in this for people who reflect.) (Ar-Rum 30:21)
Inspired by our belief that better communication within Muslim families, especially between husbands and wives, is the cornerstone for building a strong, actively involved family, we wanted to shed some light on what we believe happens often in many marriage stories.
A relationship between a husband and a wife is like a garden; if it’s to thrive, it must be watered regularly, with „weather hazards” taken into account, such as any unpredictable draught or storm. New seeds must be sown, and weeds must be pulled out (Gray).
Love’s Springtime
The Prophet said, „Nothing is better for those in love than marriage.”
(Ibn Majah and authenticated by Al-Albani)
One fatwa of Shiekh Al-Qaradawi, the prominent Muslim scholar, states what means that love is lawful in Islam as long as that love comes in spite of the person, that person doesn’t go out of the way especially to seek these emotions, and that all Islamic guidelines are kept in mind. However, there is a suggestion that the traditional route for marriage usually has better results.
The beginning of love is its springtime; this is when you feel that you will stay happy forever. This corresponds to the Islamic engagement and `aqd (official documentation of marriage) time and may last for a few months before marriage! During that time, you always find excuses to your partner’s mistakes; you may even become unable to see the mistakes or differences. But this fire of emotions in many cases does not stay forever. Marriage and family therapist Glenn Lutjens suggests that this change takes place in every relationship because of three factors:time, distance, and desire.
Time. When you get married, you have more time to observe your spouse’s behavior. You see things that weren’t so noticeable at „springtime.”
Distance. You now see him up close. There’s no „see you next week.” You now see him when he’s hungry and tired. Women may have their „time of the month,” and men have their „time of the day”! When his stomach is empty, you may see a whole new side of your man you never knew existed.
Desire. Some of the behavior during those days probably wasn’t so deliberate. That type of romantic fire shapes one’s actions; loving deeds come easily to one so smitten by romance. You probably felt the same excitement, with your reactions being affected as well. We tend to construct a person in our minds to match the excitement we want to feel. We mentally vision that person in a way that will make us happiest.
Love’s Summertime
Eventually we realize that our partner is not as perfect as we thought and that we have to work on our relationship. Plants need to be watered even more frequently under a hot sun; this is how the relationship between a husband and a wife should be enriched when it’s no longer easy to give or to get love. Therefore, always remember Prophet Muhammad’s advice:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: A believing man [husband] should not hate a believing woman [his wife]; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another. (Sahih Muslim. Book 8, Number 3469)
Many couples become disillusioned after a few of months in wedlock. They give up working on the relationship and blame one another. They forget that it cannot be „springtime” all the time. Yet, no one wants to live in summer forever. So hold your breath and gather all the wisdom that Allah gave you to go through this stage and reach the tranquility, mercy, and love mentioned in the verse. These will be the lasting, calm, and warm emotions of love between a husband and wife who are living for the sake of Allah.
You can think that way: Is this the person I want to continue the rest of my life with? If the answer is „no,” then you will not be willing to invest much in this relation anyway, you will give it a weak try and then give up. If the answer is „yes,” then the question becomes „What do I do now that I found out my partner in not what I thought?” Debating whether your partner misrepresented himself or herself or you misread your partner won’t solve anything. Here are some things you may consider doing:
Choose to love your partner. Remember that it’s Allah Who makes the „love and mercy happen between the husband and the wife.
Seek Allah’s help and ask Him to make that „chemistry” happen. Also, open your heart and give your partner the benefit of doubt; stand in your partner’s shoes and try to see things from his or her perspective.
Look at how you may have changed as well after marriage.
You will not be able to actually change someone. All you can do is provide a different and favorable environment for your partner to want to change.
Realize that you may have legitimate concerns.Voice them to your partner in a constructive way with the hope that he or she will be willing to work toward change or at least understand your concerns.
Express with respect. Use „I-messages”: „I” feel and „I” think, not „you” did such and such.
Invest in this family. Paradise is worth your best effort. A little whisper in the wife’s ear is, „Allah made one important mission in this life which is to make this family happy.” The motive is wonderful. The Prophet said,
„If a woman prayed the five prayers, fasted in Ramadan, protected her honor, and obeyed her husband, then she will be told (on the Day of Judgment): Enter Paradise from any of its (eight) doors”. (Ibn Hibban)
Do not listen to voices like „He is no better than you are! Why do you have to listen?” The Prophet mentioned the advice for a reason, so do not ruin your life. Instead, invite love to your house and be patient. It is love and happiness in this life and Paradise in the hereafter