Wisconsin Trails magazine article, April 2009

This is an excerpt from an article titled Travel Appleton written by Amy Guckeen, writer for Wisconsin Trails magazine. Thanks Amy!

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Stop and smell the local roses at Kindred Spirits Organics, 10 College Ave. Order a bouquet of fresh flowers from the greater Appleton area. Stock your pantry with Great River Milling Organic flour from Fountain City and
 seasonal fresh veggies and fruit from local farms. Got a green thumb? Purchase your own tomato plant for some homegrown goodness. For a special treat, chat
with owner and "mother" of the shop, Connie Glasheen. She may even let you try a piece of their delectable Australian black licorice. kindredspiritsorganics.com.




recessionista version of tupperware party - My Gold Party

I read something interesting today, a twist on home parties and an indication of todays world. Instead of going to a jewelry store or coin shop to sell unwanted gold jewelry, perhaps gifts from ex boyfriends or mismatched earrings. a new trend is to host a "gold party" in your home. Similar to Tupperware or Pampered Chef parties, where a hostess invites her friends in to see whats new, this idea is a variation. A gold buyer, complete with jewelers loupe, scale and tester to determine if its genuine will access the unwanted jewelry and pay cash - on the spot. What a cool idea, to trade in broken necklaces and unwanted outdated accessories that just lie in a jewelry box and make some cash instantly. According to the article, people are finding it far less intimidating and make it a fun evening as well. Very cool!

Heirloom tomatoes

I am starting the tomato seeds today, spring cannot be too far off. This year we will be growing Roma, Bloody Butcher, Tigerella, Silvery Fir Tree, Brandywine, Black Krim and Crimson Cushion. I am still looking for Prudens Purple and Cherokee Purple tomato seeds. I am also going to plan a pre order sale, so Kindred Spirits Organics customers can be sure to get the varieties they need and want for their gardens. I have a feeling this year will be a banner year for gardeners to expand their food gardens. With the economy the way it is and how you can grow lots of delicious very fresh fresh (local!) for pennies, it just makes sense to grow your own and enjoy the process.

Herb Cheese Spread

This is a quick and very easy herb spread - enjoy!
Herb Spread
1 8oz cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1/2 cup butter, softened and cut into pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh basil, finely snipped
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely snipped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely snipped
Combine all ingredients. Cover, chill for a few hours, let stand at room temp for about 30 minutes before serving with multi grain crackers. This is really good and quite decorative if you have chive blossoms as a garnish and strewn on top of the herb spread.

Rain Barrel Workshop

Here's your chance to save money and help the environment!!
Angie Lucas will be teaching a class on rain barrels Saturday March 21st at Fox River Academy -Green teaching building here in Appleton, WI. There are three different times to choose from on the 21st, one class runs from 10 am to 12 pm, another 12 to 2 pm and the third is from 2-4 pm so no matter what you have going on, one of those times may be perfect! Workshop is $40.00 per barrel and includes everything you need to start catching those precious drops of water.
Did you know that for every inch of rain that falls on 1000 square feet yields 623 gallons of water! By catching the rain from gutters and downspouts on homes and garages, you can give your thirsty garden plants a good healthy drink - for free! Its easy, and the right thing to do to help out Mother Earth! For more information, please visit www.aasd.k12.wi.us/foxriveracademy.

Jenessa gets a blue ribbon - state forensics meet!

Jenessa competed at the state forensics meet on Saturday, and won a blue ribbon! This is the first year she went out for forensics, and did great! She played the part of the dragon, convincing George the dragon slayer to seek truth and not believe everything that is said. She got an A-, A and A. What a wonderful experience, she worked hard and it paid off in blue!

Victorian bridal bouquet

This is a bridal bouquet I am working on, very Victorian in feel. It has blue-green hydrangeas, ivory hydrangeas, freesia in several shades, lizianthis in shades of pale pink, ivory and ivory-green, scented stock in buttercream yellow and pale pink. Its very fragrant and is a nosegay style bound with ivory organza ribbon