We're your source for unique rustic home furnishings, accessories and nostalgia Volume 2, Issue 2 ~ April 2008
Spring is Here Finally!!! Are you ready?
When we say April, do you think Spring? We definitely do! We've loaded this issue of Nook News with many spring inspired decorating and gardening ideas to help you welcome the much needed reprieve from winter. Also included in this issue, you will find many handy hints and tips to help you conquer the messes caused by that 'Fifth Season' commonly referred to as 'Mud Season'!
*UPDATE* Our Moose themed page is finally complete and you there are lots of fun, unique and tasteful moose accessories and furniture to help you create that special look in your rustic retreat. It truly is a "Moose" see!! Coming soon are the bear and fish themed pages. North Country Nook will always be a work in progress so come back often and see if you can spot the changes that happen. In the coming months, we will be adding a 'Find the Country Critter' game. Some kind of country critter will be tucked away on one of the pages of www.northcountrynook.com and it will be fun to see how many people find it. We will post all of the winners in the following months newsletter and the winners will be posted on a dedicated page. So, you could be a Nook News Star! Aren't you excited? We sure are!
Spring is a time of regrowth and exploration. Why not take the time to explore the world around you, we're sure you will find many rustic decorating inspirations. Come back to www.northcountrynook.com and find all your spring inspired decorating ideas. We offer you many options and ideas to help you stay in tune with your inspirations. If you can't find what your looking for, contact us and we'll do our best to find it for you. ⇒⇒Don't forget - we are open to your suggestions for newsletter additions. If you have anything, albeit recipes, decorating ideas, handy hints, thrifty tips or a bit of comedy you want to share, let us know. We would love to have you as a guest writer. Enjoy your trip through The Nook - we look forward to your visit and your comments and suggestions.
For the best selection, order seeds as early as you can.
If starting seeds indoors, grow in a draft-free area, out of the way of household traffic.
The top of the refrigerator is an excellent place to sprout seeds because it generates warmth.
Seedlings started indoors require between 12 and 16 hours of light per day.
Don’t sow too many seeds. This can lead to a forest of seedlings that grow too thickly for you to thin without damaging them.
Make sure planting mix does not dry out. The best way to keep seedlings consistently moist is to cover the flat loosely with plastic. Some gardeners prefer bottom watering.
When the first true leaves appear, use sharp scissors to snip some of the weaker seedlings at soil level.
Fertilize developing seedlings with a diluted, half-strength flowering houseplant fertilizer every week or so until you begin “hardening off” outdoors.
When seedlings are well rooted, harden off transplants 2 weeks before moving them into their permanent location outdoors.
When planting seeds (or seedlings) outdoors, it’s important to check the soil first. If it crumbles in your hand, it’s time to plant.
Miss Matilda Says: When using a drip type coffee maker, wet the paper filters before putting them in the coffee maker. They fit much easier and hold the coffee grounds better.
Miss Matilda Says: Spring cleaning? Don't toss out that old worn out golf bag - keep it to store your garden tools like hoes, rakes, brooms etc... Now THAT'S a hole in one!
..... Strange facts you will share and ponder
- There are 18 different animal shapes in the Animal Crackers cookie zoo! - The two-foot long bird called a Kea that lives in New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows! - A group of geese on the ground is a gaggle, a group of geese in the air is a skein! - Porcupines float in water! - The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds! - Cat urine glows under a black-light! - A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute on average! - The placement of a donkey's eyes in its head enables it to see all four feet at all times! - Hummingbirds can weigh less than a penny! - Over 10,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows! - There are more plastic flamingos in the U.S, than real ones! - Slugs have 4 noses! - Owls are one of the only birds who can see the color blue! - Honeybees have a type of hair on their eyes! - The katydid bug hears through holes in its hind legs! - Bats always turn left when exiting a cave! - The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head! - Dogs and cats consume over $11 billion worth of pet food a year! - It is estimated that millions of trees in the world are accidentally planted by squirrels who bury nuts and then forget where they hid them! - The original name for the butterfly was 'flutterby'! - Dogs and cats, like humans, are either right or left handed... or is that paws?! - Nose prints are used to identify dogs, just like humans use fingerprints!
Did you know that it takes almost 50 gallons of maple sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup? The sap is harvested from maple trees and boiled until it is reduced to a syrup. It is then bottled and sold.
There are different grades, so depending on your use, one might be better than the other:
B Grade - Considered a cooking grade (great for baking). It is very dark, and similar in composition to molasses. It is typically harvested at the end of the sap season.
A Grade (dark) - Made late in the season and have a very robust flavor.
A Grade (medium) - Most popular grade for using as table syrup. It has a profound flavor and a tad darker in color than the fancy.
A Grade (fancy) - Used as table syrup. Very light amber color and a very delicate flavor. Also can be used as a topping for desserts.
It has a great color and flavor, but some are turned off by it's stronger taste and price.
I keep a bottle of it on hand and typically use it for baking purposes only. When used in cooking and baking it lends unrivaled flavor.
Don't forget, once you get it home, even if it is not opened, place in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a year.
DON'T FORGET: Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11, 2008
Chicken Salad Shells
1-1/2 pounds prepared chicken salad 1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved 18 jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained and cooled 2/3 cup ranch salad dressing
In a large bowl, combine the chicken salad and grapes. Spoon about 2 tablespoons into each pasta shell. Refrigerate until serving. Drizzle with salad dressing. Yield: 6 servings.
Maple Mousse
3/4 cup plus 6 teaspoons maple syrup, divided 3 egg yolks, beaten 2 cups heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 3/4 cup syrup just until it simmers. Reduce heat to low. Stir a small amount of hot syrup into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Transfer to a large bowl; set bowl in ice water and stir for 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the syrup mixture. Spoon into dessert dishes. Chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, drizzle with remaining syrup and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Yield: 6 servings.
Spring Cleaning Tips Checklist
1. Before you start cleaning, make sure that you’ve got everything you need. It’s no fun to be in the middle of doing a clean sweep, only to find out that you’ve got no window cleaner or dust cloths. Take stock of your equipment and make sure that you’ve got all the cleaning and dusting tools that you’ll need to clean your house from top to bottom.
2. Gather the right tools for each room and stash them in a bucket that you can carry with you from room to room. You might consider a few specialty items that will make things easier for you.
a. For computers and stereo equipment, don’t take a chance on lint and static ruining expensive toys. Invest in some lint-free static-guard cloths just for use on precious expensive audio, video and tech items. (D.C. Lint-Free Cloth for Electronics) b. Freshen up your wreaths, flower arrangements and floral wall decorations with a product made especially to brighten and clean fabric flowers and plants (Sparkle Plenty's Silk Sensation). They’ll look fresher and more colorful – just like new. c. A duster with an extendable arm makes it easy to reach things that collect dust – but that are out of reach for daily dusting. You can use a long-arm duster (Reach Duster) to get at ceiling fans, high corners and chandeliers.
3. In each room, start at the top and work your way down. Clear everything off at once – and put things where they belong. Once the room is clear of clutter, dust high objects, wash walls downward, clean appliances, dust furniture – and save the floors for last.
4. Play music! Cleaning always seems to move along more quickly if you’re energized by your favorite songs on the stereo.
5. Take along a bin or trash bag from room to room. As you’re cleaning, fill the bin with all those things that you won’t be needing any more. When you’re done cleaning, haul it on down to your nearest Salvation Army or Goodwill Thrift Store to become someone’s found treasure.
6. Changing window treatments for the spring? One of my favorite free home maintenance tips can save you work in the fall. Just tuck a cedar block or sachet into the storage box with your winter curtains before you put them away. You won’t have to deal with musty odors or moth holes when you pull them out at the end of the summer.
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..... Strange facts you will share and ponder 
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). They’ll look fresher and more colorful – just like new.
) to get at ceiling fans, high corners and chandeliers. 
