Inspirational

A happy home is one which each spouse grants the possibility that the other may be right, though neither believes it. ~ Don Fraser

Short Stories, Etc.

My dining-room table was set with hand-painted china that I'd recently inherited, so I proudly explained its history to an early arrival at my dinner party. "Every place setting bears the design of a different kind of flower," I said. "No two are alike." My guest eyed the dishes and skeptically. "Well," she replied, "if you don't say anything, perhaps nobody will notice." -Dorothy Verhoeven

Simplify Your Life

Cleaning Picture Frames
. . . without damaging the photo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wipe the glass with a cloth dampened with window cleaner. Never spray the glass itself; liquid can drip behind the glass and damage the contents. Clean wood frames with a few drops of wood polish on a cloth.
~ pawpawshop.com

Did You Know

~Trees reduce temperatures by an average of 9 degrees, and can cut air-conditioning bills in half.~
(Country Living Gardener magazine)

Business Tips

** Thank-You Notes Work **

The owner of one auto repair shop makes a point of sending out at least two thank-you notes a day, and having three other staff members do the same. Forty notes a week add up fast to a more personal connection between you and your customers. And that generates the all-important repeat business.
~ 1001 Ways to Market Your Service

Quick & Easy Recipes

** FILET MIGNON WITH ROASTED POTATOES AND ASPARAGUS **
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. asparagus spears.
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided.
3 baking potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
Cooking spray
1 1/4 lbs beef tenderloin
1/4 cup water
How to Prepare:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Snap off tough ends of asparagus; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Toss potatoes with oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.
Trim fat from tenderloin. Sprinkle tenderloin with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Insert meat thermometer into thickest portion of tenderloin. Add tenderloin to broiler pan, nestling it into potato mixture. Bake at 500 degrees for 20 minutes or until thermometer registers 145 degrees (medium-rare) to 160 degrees (medium), stirring potato once.
Place tenderloin and potatoes on a serving platter, cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Add asparagus and water to pan. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Serve with tenderloin and potatoes.
(serves 4)
BusyCooks.com
Posted by MIKE LE BELL

Just for Fun

*DEEP THOUGHTS* by Jack Handy
~When you die, if you get a choice between going to regular heaven or pie heaven, choose pie heaven. It might be a trick, but if it's not, mmmmmm, boy.~

Health & Diet

* Eat For Energy *
Avoid Sugary Snacks
Sweets are likely to make you feel tired, not alert, since they don't provide enough energy to sustain the body. For a boost, try whole-grain crackers, high-fiber fruits (berries, apples, pears) and lean sources of protein, like low-fat cottage cheese or plain, low-fat yogurt.
~Fitness magazine

Body and Soul

~ Haircare Solutions ~
Preventing Dry Hair
Dry hair is caused by heat and the elements, so the first step is prevention: Try to avoid using overly hot dryers and heat-styling implements (or keep them at the lowest temperature possible) and wear a hat or scarf if you're going to be exposed to sun or wind for a long time (at the beach or skiing, for instance). And don't wash your hair every day -- unless you have an oily scalp, only shampoo often enough to remove dirt and buildup -- about two or three times a week.
~Substance.com

Tiptoe through the tulips

** Global Garden Tips **
Trace Elements  
If your plant leaves are yellowing out, the first thing one would think is that the poor thing is lacking in nitrogen. Could be, but not always.
When leaves start to turn yellow between the veins, we normally equate this to a condition called chlorosis -- or a plant with chloratic conditions.
And when chloratic conditions are amongst us, on goes a high nitrogen based fertilizer. And that's great if that fixes the problem. Many times, though, chloratic conditions are met because trace elements are lacking in the plant. Some trace elements are manganese, iron, zinc, copper and boron. So no matter how much nitrogen you put on - chloratic conditions or yellowing may still appear. Trace elements don't need to be in high amounts in order to be effective for plant growth. Trace elements can be found in plant foods that list 'em right on their labels. ~thingsgreen.com