What's a Canadian doing in North Carolina?
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Catching Up
I was asked the other day how come I haven’t updated my blog in a while, and well, I’ve been busy and otherwise unable to get to it. I tried one day last week but Blogspot was down for maintenance, and then I just couldn’t get to it later. We only have one computer these days because if we plug in the other one, all the circuits blow. This house just wasn’t wired for modern technology :-p And James got himself a new computer game, and when I get home from work he’s usually playing. Until well into the wee smalls. I’m a Warcraft widow :-p
Well, last weekend I went to Boone Pagan Pride Day. Alone because James had to work. He’s been working Saturday’s now since I started working full time Monday to Friday. So, anyway, it was a nice day, tho it starts rather early for my liking. 9am to 6pm, because its held on the ASU grounds and they want us cleared out by 7pm I think er summat. I’ve suggested, (again!) that a pot luck feast and big fire would be fun, like I was spoiled with in Toronto, but I’m not sure there’s anywhere we could do that around here. Except possibly a state park, but I dunno if they’d allow that. I think the organizers like to have it at ASU because its partly hosted by the ASU Pagan Students Association, so who knows. But feasting and big fires can add so much to an event, doncha think?
I took some pumpkin bread, apple spice bread, and shortbread cookies to share. I guess some habits are hard to break. It’s the Celt in me. Part ritual means feast! ;-)
This evening is another open ritual in Hickory. This one is specifically to celebrate Mabon, and apparently attendance is usually somewhere around a couple hundred people. Why we can’t get that many to Pride Day is beyond me. Mabon is held at one person’s home, and everyone brings food to share. Which is proper for a harvest celebration! I plan to make a pasta dish, and take some bread and maybe an apple spice bread for dessert.
We had a wicked storm the other day. We lost a dogwood tree. James went out to try and move it closer to the street so the city would pick it up next time they come by (there’s a yard waste removal service that comes by on a regular schedule, like garbage pick up). He couldn’t move it tho, so we’ll have to take the chainsaw to it. He did notice that the trunk is mostly rotted somehow, so it was weakened and just couldn’t stand up to the winds we had. It was raining so hard, that at work we couldn’t even see out the windows for a while, and the wind was so hard that it was pulling the front doors open, and blowing rain under the other doors. It was pretty harsh. I was looking for the greenage, because the winds and rain were hard enough to make me think tornadoes.
The dogs were home alone, both of us at work. I had left the back door open for them so they could come and go, and I was afraid the door would be blown off the hinges! Luckily it wasn’t, and the dogs had the sense to stay in the house while it was storming. James said they were cowering when he got home, and Bruno never left his side, even when he tried to go to the bathroom!
The temperatures have finally fallen too. Our heat actually came on last night and this morning. Temp in the house was down to about 65F, and was expected to be down into the 40s outside at night time. Bruno loves it now, and won’t stay in during the night. Which for some reason drives James batty, and he keeps trying to keep Bruno in, which results in Bruno whining and then he gets put outside. I say if he wants out, let him out. He’s got a fur coat, he’s not gonna freeze!
This is my favourite time of year. During the day time the temperatures are comfortable enough to go play or work outside, and nighttimes now require a light blanket on the bed. Or a heavy Saint Bernard, depending on the dog’s mood! ;-) I love autumn, the air seems clearer and cleaner, the colours on the trees are inspiring, and we all seem to have a bit more energy somehow. I wish it could be like this all the time. I hate the summer heat, and the winter blahs. Spring is ok, but its just not the same. At least not here, there’s just not the same noticeable difference of the seasons here as back home. Except autumn. The heat breaks, the pumpkins are harvested, and we see more and more people out walking about and enjoying the outdoors. And the Halloween stuff is out in every store! It’s crazy, it’s not even Canadian Thanksgiving and there’s Halloween stuff everywhere! I’ve got myself a few new items to decorate the house, which hopefully we’ll be moved before Halloween!
We’re also still looking around at the mountain towns to find somewhere favourable to move to. Last Sunday we went up to Black Mountain, and it’s a nice little town. There used to be a Domino’s there until the city declared that no franchise operations could be within the historical downtown, so the guy picked up and left, rather than find another spout outside the downtown area. So we went to see if there was a building available, and if it was a friendly place.
Turns out there’s pretty much everything there that I wanted. There’s a dog park, there’s a proper coffee shop (NOT a Starbucks!), there’s a pub or two, and there’s a pet food store that allows the dogs to go in shopping too. It’s VERY small, but we went in to see what George could knock around. LOL. It’s a dog friendly town, and also seems to be “alternative lifestyle” friendly, so perhaps I wouldn’t feel as out of place there as I do here in Morganton. PLUS, its only about 15 minutes to downtown Asheville, where there’s even more to do, and more freaks to hang out with, say at the Pirate bar Jolie Rouge, or the Celtic pub Jack o’ the Wood. It’s an artsy fartsy town, with some nice independent shops due to the no franchise ordinance.
My only question is how well would a franchise do just outside the ordinance area? There’s a couple of pizza franchises already, Pizza Hut and some other one I can’t remember. Meh…I dunno, but I like the town, so maybe James can figure out something else he can do :-p Maybe an independent pizza place in the downtown area?
Well, I have to go start cooking for this outing tonight. We have to leave by 4.
Catch ya later!
OH! And for your viewing enjoyment, check out these pics from space ¶ 12:04 PM 0 Comments
Well, last weekend I went to Boone Pagan Pride Day. Alone because James had to work. He’s been working Saturday’s now since I started working full time Monday to Friday. So, anyway, it was a nice day, tho it starts rather early for my liking. 9am to 6pm, because its held on the ASU grounds and they want us cleared out by 7pm I think er summat. I’ve suggested, (again!) that a pot luck feast and big fire would be fun, like I was spoiled with in Toronto, but I’m not sure there’s anywhere we could do that around here. Except possibly a state park, but I dunno if they’d allow that. I think the organizers like to have it at ASU because its partly hosted by the ASU Pagan Students Association, so who knows. But feasting and big fires can add so much to an event, doncha think?
I took some pumpkin bread, apple spice bread, and shortbread cookies to share. I guess some habits are hard to break. It’s the Celt in me. Part ritual means feast! ;-)
This evening is another open ritual in Hickory. This one is specifically to celebrate Mabon, and apparently attendance is usually somewhere around a couple hundred people. Why we can’t get that many to Pride Day is beyond me. Mabon is held at one person’s home, and everyone brings food to share. Which is proper for a harvest celebration! I plan to make a pasta dish, and take some bread and maybe an apple spice bread for dessert.
We had a wicked storm the other day. We lost a dogwood tree. James went out to try and move it closer to the street so the city would pick it up next time they come by (there’s a yard waste removal service that comes by on a regular schedule, like garbage pick up). He couldn’t move it tho, so we’ll have to take the chainsaw to it. He did notice that the trunk is mostly rotted somehow, so it was weakened and just couldn’t stand up to the winds we had. It was raining so hard, that at work we couldn’t even see out the windows for a while, and the wind was so hard that it was pulling the front doors open, and blowing rain under the other doors. It was pretty harsh. I was looking for the greenage, because the winds and rain were hard enough to make me think tornadoes.
The dogs were home alone, both of us at work. I had left the back door open for them so they could come and go, and I was afraid the door would be blown off the hinges! Luckily it wasn’t, and the dogs had the sense to stay in the house while it was storming. James said they were cowering when he got home, and Bruno never left his side, even when he tried to go to the bathroom!
The temperatures have finally fallen too. Our heat actually came on last night and this morning. Temp in the house was down to about 65F, and was expected to be down into the 40s outside at night time. Bruno loves it now, and won’t stay in during the night. Which for some reason drives James batty, and he keeps trying to keep Bruno in, which results in Bruno whining and then he gets put outside. I say if he wants out, let him out. He’s got a fur coat, he’s not gonna freeze!
This is my favourite time of year. During the day time the temperatures are comfortable enough to go play or work outside, and nighttimes now require a light blanket on the bed. Or a heavy Saint Bernard, depending on the dog’s mood! ;-) I love autumn, the air seems clearer and cleaner, the colours on the trees are inspiring, and we all seem to have a bit more energy somehow. I wish it could be like this all the time. I hate the summer heat, and the winter blahs. Spring is ok, but its just not the same. At least not here, there’s just not the same noticeable difference of the seasons here as back home. Except autumn. The heat breaks, the pumpkins are harvested, and we see more and more people out walking about and enjoying the outdoors. And the Halloween stuff is out in every store! It’s crazy, it’s not even Canadian Thanksgiving and there’s Halloween stuff everywhere! I’ve got myself a few new items to decorate the house, which hopefully we’ll be moved before Halloween!
We’re also still looking around at the mountain towns to find somewhere favourable to move to. Last Sunday we went up to Black Mountain, and it’s a nice little town. There used to be a Domino’s there until the city declared that no franchise operations could be within the historical downtown, so the guy picked up and left, rather than find another spout outside the downtown area. So we went to see if there was a building available, and if it was a friendly place.
Turns out there’s pretty much everything there that I wanted. There’s a dog park, there’s a proper coffee shop (NOT a Starbucks!), there’s a pub or two, and there’s a pet food store that allows the dogs to go in shopping too. It’s VERY small, but we went in to see what George could knock around. LOL. It’s a dog friendly town, and also seems to be “alternative lifestyle” friendly, so perhaps I wouldn’t feel as out of place there as I do here in Morganton. PLUS, its only about 15 minutes to downtown Asheville, where there’s even more to do, and more freaks to hang out with, say at the Pirate bar Jolie Rouge, or the Celtic pub Jack o’ the Wood. It’s an artsy fartsy town, with some nice independent shops due to the no franchise ordinance.
My only question is how well would a franchise do just outside the ordinance area? There’s a couple of pizza franchises already, Pizza Hut and some other one I can’t remember. Meh…I dunno, but I like the town, so maybe James can figure out something else he can do :-p Maybe an independent pizza place in the downtown area?
Well, I have to go start cooking for this outing tonight. We have to leave by 4.
Catch ya later!
OH! And for your viewing enjoyment, check out these pics from space ¶ 12:04 PM 0 Comments
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Go for the Geek!
Yanno, when we’re in high school (and I guess, Jr. High for those who live in areas where there is such a thing), we start the separation into groups of like minded people. Somehow, in that summer between our last year of elementary school, to our first semester of high school, things change. Geeks become geeks, cool kids become cool kids, jocks are jocks, etc etc…it happens to the best of us, in the smallest of towns, to the largest cities.
Now, when I was in high school, I was pretty much a freak. I could stand on the fringes of just about any group except the coolest of the cool. Which where I went to school, was The Townies, as some who did not live right in town called them. I was also a Laker Chick. No, not a cheerleader. I lived at Mussleman’s Lake, ergo…Laker Chick. But even with the “cool” Lakers, I just barely fit in. And only because I lived there. :-p
Anyhoo…I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Probably since Anthony Michael Hall turned up with his TV show The Dead Zone. Check him out now, compared to 20 years ago when he was the geek of The Brat Pack.
And of course there’s also Patrick Dempsey. In 1988’s Can’t Buy Me Love, he played Ronald, a geek who paid the captain of the cheerleader’s to be his girlfriend for a month, so he could get “in with the in crowd”. Geek then, Dr. McDreamy now.
Or, as they said in the movie “From Geek, to Chic”. This movie won Patrick a Young Actor’s award, and his movie brother was played by then very young geek Seth Green, now red-headed hottie of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Austin Powers fame.
Another of my fave 80s geeks is John Cusack. I’ve always had a thing for him, and he’s been on my list of favourite Johns since…well, since forever I think. In Sixteen Candles I think it was, he appeared first with a full set of “head gear” braces. Most people probably wouldn’t recognize him from then til now. And most people don’t know much of his movies prior to Say Anything, with the infamous scene with the boom box at the window playing In Your Eyes. I’m tellin’ ya, that’s been every woman’s dream since, to have some guy stalk her while booming late 80s love songs outside her bedroom window ;-)
So of course, all of this just really makes me wonder, why are the geeks and freaks so vilified and ostracized in school, when really all they need is a couple years to fill out and grow into their legs? Like the ugly duckling, they all seem to grow into beautiful swans. Then I guess all the cool chicks feel bad about turning their noses up at them in school! I can’t recall if I ever did snub anybody at school for being a geek, and I certainly apologize if I did. But rather I think I didn’t fit in with the cool kids, because I actually talked to the geeks and was friends with some.
Sadly, some people never grow out of that high school mentality, and even well into middle age, still have to hang out with the cool kids, never getting to know the geeks. Unless they need to borrow money, or have a bug in their computer they need fixed.
As the freak who never really fit in anywhere but a very few places, I can relate. I can converse will a lot of different crowds, but rarely do I “fit in”. Ah well…
Well, just remember kids, no matter if that somewhat cute but gangly kid with the braces is on the fringe and just doesn’t fit in, sooner or later they will, and boy, will you be sorry that you snubbed them in school when they’re accepting their Nobel Prize, they end up being your plastic surgeon, or they win an Academy Award years later!
*snarf*
I’d show you a picture of James when he was 4 years old, with a little bow tie on and everything, but it’s packed ¶ 11:55 AM 2 Comments
Now, when I was in high school, I was pretty much a freak. I could stand on the fringes of just about any group except the coolest of the cool. Which where I went to school, was The Townies, as some who did not live right in town called them. I was also a Laker Chick. No, not a cheerleader. I lived at Mussleman’s Lake, ergo…Laker Chick. But even with the “cool” Lakers, I just barely fit in. And only because I lived there. :-p
Anyhoo…I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Probably since Anthony Michael Hall turned up with his TV show The Dead Zone. Check him out now, compared to 20 years ago when he was the geek of The Brat Pack.
And of course there’s also Patrick Dempsey. In 1988’s Can’t Buy Me Love, he played Ronald, a geek who paid the captain of the cheerleader’s to be his girlfriend for a month, so he could get “in with the in crowd”. Geek then, Dr. McDreamy now.
Or, as they said in the movie “From Geek, to Chic”. This movie won Patrick a Young Actor’s award, and his movie brother was played by then very young geek Seth Green, now red-headed hottie of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Austin Powers fame.
Another of my fave 80s geeks is John Cusack. I’ve always had a thing for him, and he’s been on my list of favourite Johns since…well, since forever I think. In Sixteen Candles I think it was, he appeared first with a full set of “head gear” braces. Most people probably wouldn’t recognize him from then til now. And most people don’t know much of his movies prior to Say Anything, with the infamous scene with the boom box at the window playing In Your Eyes. I’m tellin’ ya, that’s been every woman’s dream since, to have some guy stalk her while booming late 80s love songs outside her bedroom window ;-)
So of course, all of this just really makes me wonder, why are the geeks and freaks so vilified and ostracized in school, when really all they need is a couple years to fill out and grow into their legs? Like the ugly duckling, they all seem to grow into beautiful swans. Then I guess all the cool chicks feel bad about turning their noses up at them in school! I can’t recall if I ever did snub anybody at school for being a geek, and I certainly apologize if I did. But rather I think I didn’t fit in with the cool kids, because I actually talked to the geeks and was friends with some.
Sadly, some people never grow out of that high school mentality, and even well into middle age, still have to hang out with the cool kids, never getting to know the geeks. Unless they need to borrow money, or have a bug in their computer they need fixed.
As the freak who never really fit in anywhere but a very few places, I can relate. I can converse will a lot of different crowds, but rarely do I “fit in”. Ah well…
Well, just remember kids, no matter if that somewhat cute but gangly kid with the braces is on the fringe and just doesn’t fit in, sooner or later they will, and boy, will you be sorry that you snubbed them in school when they’re accepting their Nobel Prize, they end up being your plastic surgeon, or they win an Academy Award years later!
*snarf*
I’d show you a picture of James when he was 4 years old, with a little bow tie on and everything, but it’s packed ¶ 11:55 AM 2 Comments
Saturday, September 16, 2006
I wanna cry
Check this out Dogs Deserve Better
This woman was arrested for rescuing a dog who'd been chained outside for days without care, and who'd collapsed and the Humane Society wouldnt respond to neighbour calls!
Jeez this just boils my blood! I cried when I looked at the video, how can anyone treat an animal this way? grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
George & Bruno would have a thing or two to say to the "owners" of Doogie, and to the Police who arrested and detained his rescuer! grrrrrrrrrrrr...
My teeth hurt! Some people should be outside chained to a freakin' tree! See how THEY like it!
**edit** to add:
I just shopped in her Cafe Press shop and got myself a sweatshirt, a shopping bag, and a 10 pack of buttons that says "DUDE, not my idea of a good time" with the poor cartoon dog snowed in in his dog house. I'll pass those out to friends with dogs with nice fences and who sleep inside on the couch at night :-)
...seriously...people piss me off. Why do they even bother to get an animal? *sniff* ¶ 9:44 AM 0 Comments
This woman was arrested for rescuing a dog who'd been chained outside for days without care, and who'd collapsed and the Humane Society wouldnt respond to neighbour calls!
Jeez this just boils my blood! I cried when I looked at the video, how can anyone treat an animal this way? grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
George & Bruno would have a thing or two to say to the "owners" of Doogie, and to the Police who arrested and detained his rescuer! grrrrrrrrrrrr...
My teeth hurt! Some people should be outside chained to a freakin' tree! See how THEY like it!
**edit** to add:
I just shopped in her Cafe Press shop and got myself a sweatshirt, a shopping bag, and a 10 pack of buttons that says "DUDE, not my idea of a good time" with the poor cartoon dog snowed in in his dog house. I'll pass those out to friends with dogs with nice fences and who sleep inside on the couch at night :-)
...seriously...people piss me off. Why do they even bother to get an animal? *sniff* ¶ 9:44 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Yummo! as Rachel Ray would say
Last night I made the most awesome strawberry rhubarb pie Ever!
Ok so I cheated a bit and bought frozen pie shells, but I don’t have a counter to be rolling pastry out on so its allowed!
Anyhoo…I had 2 deep dish pie crusts, and 2 large stalks of rhubarb, and 2 things of strawberries (quarts? I guess). I just started cutting them up and filled up the pie shells. When there was enough cut up, I put all the fruit into a bowl, and mixed in 2 cups of sugar and ½ cup of flour and let that sit for about 15 minutes. Then in another bowl I mixed about 1 ½ cups of graham crumbs, 4 packets of plain instant oatmeal, and about ¾ cup of brown sugar and half a stick of melted butter. I mixed the melted butter in with that until there’s bits of crumbly goodness. Then put the fruit and sugar mixture into the pie shells, cover the tops with the graham crumb mixture and stick ‘em in the oven.
The oven was pre-heated at 450F, cook it for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 for about 30 minutes (ovens will vary because some cool down faster than others). When the outer edge of the crust was nice and toasty brown, I took ‘em out. And darn it, they had to cool for quite a while before I could serve ‘em up!
But WOW was it gooooooooooooood! A bit soupy, but very very yummy. I think next time I will add in a ¼ cup of custard mix or cornstarch in place of ¼ cup of flour, to thicken it. But it was still nice as a big crumbly mess on the plate. We both had seconds, and had to fight our taste buds to say no to thirds! I put one pie in the freezer to save for later, but I’m definitely having a slice for dessert again tonight.
And Aunt Jane is stopping in tonight for the night on her way up to TO. She’ll be my un-biased taste tester ;-)
I am quite proud of myself, that was a damn good pie! ¶ 5:59 PM 4 Comments
Ok so I cheated a bit and bought frozen pie shells, but I don’t have a counter to be rolling pastry out on so its allowed!
Anyhoo…I had 2 deep dish pie crusts, and 2 large stalks of rhubarb, and 2 things of strawberries (quarts? I guess). I just started cutting them up and filled up the pie shells. When there was enough cut up, I put all the fruit into a bowl, and mixed in 2 cups of sugar and ½ cup of flour and let that sit for about 15 minutes. Then in another bowl I mixed about 1 ½ cups of graham crumbs, 4 packets of plain instant oatmeal, and about ¾ cup of brown sugar and half a stick of melted butter. I mixed the melted butter in with that until there’s bits of crumbly goodness. Then put the fruit and sugar mixture into the pie shells, cover the tops with the graham crumb mixture and stick ‘em in the oven.
The oven was pre-heated at 450F, cook it for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 for about 30 minutes (ovens will vary because some cool down faster than others). When the outer edge of the crust was nice and toasty brown, I took ‘em out. And darn it, they had to cool for quite a while before I could serve ‘em up!
But WOW was it gooooooooooooood! A bit soupy, but very very yummy. I think next time I will add in a ¼ cup of custard mix or cornstarch in place of ¼ cup of flour, to thicken it. But it was still nice as a big crumbly mess on the plate. We both had seconds, and had to fight our taste buds to say no to thirds! I put one pie in the freezer to save for later, but I’m definitely having a slice for dessert again tonight.
And Aunt Jane is stopping in tonight for the night on her way up to TO. She’ll be my un-biased taste tester ;-)
I am quite proud of myself, that was a damn good pie! ¶ 5:59 PM 4 Comments
Friday, September 08, 2006
Everything was goin' fine...
...until about 4 o'clock this afternoon.
My supervisor came to me on her way out for the day to tell me that "someone" had complained that I was spending too much time talking to the sales reps. There is to be no talking or socializing, unless you're in the break room.
I had been back there for not even 10 minutes talking to the one rep who happened to be in this afternoon, and for about 10 or 15 minutes yesterday afternoon while I waited around for any one of them to have something for me to do, (two of them were waiting on something and said they'd have it before quitting time) or until quitting time, whichever came first.
Fine.
I'll just sit in my cube, isolated from everyone except the Publisher. He can see me through his window. If there's nothing to do, I'll sit and pick my nose. And I won't talk to anybody. Its not allowed.
Stupid frickin'...fer crissakes...
*sigh* ¶ 6:45 PM 0 Comments
My supervisor came to me on her way out for the day to tell me that "someone" had complained that I was spending too much time talking to the sales reps. There is to be no talking or socializing, unless you're in the break room.
I had been back there for not even 10 minutes talking to the one rep who happened to be in this afternoon, and for about 10 or 15 minutes yesterday afternoon while I waited around for any one of them to have something for me to do, (two of them were waiting on something and said they'd have it before quitting time) or until quitting time, whichever came first.
Fine.
I'll just sit in my cube, isolated from everyone except the Publisher. He can see me through his window. If there's nothing to do, I'll sit and pick my nose. And I won't talk to anybody. Its not allowed.
Stupid frickin'...fer crissakes...
*sigh* ¶ 6:45 PM 0 Comments
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Going Organic
Ok, I don't advertise my Watkins business very often here, but you just have to check this out! I know a lot of people who are concerned about pesticides and additives in foods and spices, and I know a lot of people who are going organic. Well, so is Watkins!
New USDA Certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices Available (US Only)
Watkins has been a pioneer in premium, gourmet herbs and spices for over 100 years, so it’s only natural that we offer a premium line of organic herbs and spices. Watkins new line of nineteen USDA certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices are packaged in beautiful gold tins, reminiscent of the Gold Medals we received for the highest quality spices in Paris in 1928. And according to the marketing research firm ACNielsen, these nineteen spices represent approximately 70% of the total spice demand for the every day consumer.
Watkins will continue to offer our current line of Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices while meeting the demands of the growing consumer base that prefers organic foods.
Organic Herbs and Spices will be added to the online U.S. catalog September 1 and will appear in the 2007 U.S. Main Line catalog.
Watkins Organic Herbs and Spices
00503 Basil 0.56 oz $4.99
00590 Black Pepper 4 oz $5.99
00591 Chili Powder 1.6 oz $4.99
00598 Cinnamon 2 oz $4.99
00592 Cumin 1.6 oz $4.99
00505 Curry Powder 1.8 oz $4.99
00509 Dill 0.70 oz $4.99
00596 Dry Mustard 1.9 oz $4.99
00500 Garlic Powder 2.8 oz $4.99
00595 Ginger 2 oz $4.99
00507 Ground Cloves 2 oz $5.99
00589 Nutmeg 2 oz $6.49
00501 Onion Powder 1.9 oz $4.99
00594 Oregano 0.63 oz $4.99
00593 Paprika 1.9 oz $4.99
00508 Parsley 0.25 oz $4.99
00504 Rosemary 0.78 oz $4.99
00506 Sage 0.78 oz $4.99
00502 Thyme 0.99 oz $4.99
Why Organic?
A growing segment of North American consumers is seeking organic food for all or part of their diet. To meet these needs, Watkins now offers a new line of USDA certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices. These Organic Herbs and Spices are another way to expand Watkins Associates’ customer base.
Organic food differs from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown, handled, and processed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers this definition of organic food:
Watkins Organic Spices are certified organic by the USDA National Organic Program under its most stringent standards: 100% organic.
Watkins Organic Herbs and Spices complement our current line of Gourmet Herbs and Spices
Watkins will continue to offer our current line of Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices. They are the highest quality spices available, gathered from the world’s best sources and processed within Watkins’ high standards.
Pepper, it’s not all the same
Watkins Organic Black Pepper is made from peppercorns grown in various parts of the world including such places as Mexico and Sri Lanka, while our Purest Granulated Black Pepper is made from premium Malabar peppercorns from the coast of India and Lampong peppercorns from Indonesia. As a result the taste profile between Watkins Organic Black Pepper and Watkins Purest Granulated Black Pepper is distinctly different. And while Watkins Organic Black Pepper is ground, our Purest Granulated Black Pepper is produced through our exclusive granulation process and remains the highest quality pepper that you and your customers have enjoyed for generations.
Summary of Watkins Herb and Spice offerings
Complete line of Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices in glass bottles as well as Pepper and Cinnamon in 6 oz and 12 oz tins.
Selection of 7 Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices in tins (U.S. only, available only during Watkins 2006 Gift Line).
A selection of 19 USDA Certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices (U.S. only, available September 1).
If you're interested in purchasing these new organic spices, or any other Watkins products, click into my Watkins website and "Watkins Products" on the left menu. My associate number is 363337. Or email me for more information.
This is going to be a great cooking and baking season, with all these new ingredients! ¶ 10:12 AM 1 Comments
New USDA Certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices Available (US Only)
Watkins has been a pioneer in premium, gourmet herbs and spices for over 100 years, so it’s only natural that we offer a premium line of organic herbs and spices. Watkins new line of nineteen USDA certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices are packaged in beautiful gold tins, reminiscent of the Gold Medals we received for the highest quality spices in Paris in 1928. And according to the marketing research firm ACNielsen, these nineteen spices represent approximately 70% of the total spice demand for the every day consumer.
Watkins will continue to offer our current line of Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices while meeting the demands of the growing consumer base that prefers organic foods.
Organic Herbs and Spices will be added to the online U.S. catalog September 1 and will appear in the 2007 U.S. Main Line catalog.
Watkins Organic Herbs and Spices
00503 Basil 0.56 oz $4.99
00590 Black Pepper 4 oz $5.99
00591 Chili Powder 1.6 oz $4.99
00598 Cinnamon 2 oz $4.99
00592 Cumin 1.6 oz $4.99
00505 Curry Powder 1.8 oz $4.99
00509 Dill 0.70 oz $4.99
00596 Dry Mustard 1.9 oz $4.99
00500 Garlic Powder 2.8 oz $4.99
00595 Ginger 2 oz $4.99
00507 Ground Cloves 2 oz $5.99
00589 Nutmeg 2 oz $6.49
00501 Onion Powder 1.9 oz $4.99
00594 Oregano 0.63 oz $4.99
00593 Paprika 1.9 oz $4.99
00508 Parsley 0.25 oz $4.99
00504 Rosemary 0.78 oz $4.99
00506 Sage 0.78 oz $4.99
00502 Thyme 0.99 oz $4.99
Why Organic?
A growing segment of North American consumers is seeking organic food for all or part of their diet. To meet these needs, Watkins now offers a new line of USDA certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices. These Organic Herbs and Spices are another way to expand Watkins Associates’ customer base.
Organic food differs from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown, handled, and processed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers this definition of organic food:
“Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”
Watkins Organic Spices are certified organic by the USDA National Organic Program under its most stringent standards: 100% organic.
Watkins Organic Herbs and Spices complement our current line of Gourmet Herbs and Spices
Watkins will continue to offer our current line of Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices. They are the highest quality spices available, gathered from the world’s best sources and processed within Watkins’ high standards.
Pepper, it’s not all the same
Watkins Organic Black Pepper is made from peppercorns grown in various parts of the world including such places as Mexico and Sri Lanka, while our Purest Granulated Black Pepper is made from premium Malabar peppercorns from the coast of India and Lampong peppercorns from Indonesia. As a result the taste profile between Watkins Organic Black Pepper and Watkins Purest Granulated Black Pepper is distinctly different. And while Watkins Organic Black Pepper is ground, our Purest Granulated Black Pepper is produced through our exclusive granulation process and remains the highest quality pepper that you and your customers have enjoyed for generations.
Summary of Watkins Herb and Spice offerings
Complete line of Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices in glass bottles as well as Pepper and Cinnamon in 6 oz and 12 oz tins.
Selection of 7 Gourmet All-Natural Herbs and Spices in tins (U.S. only, available only during Watkins 2006 Gift Line).
A selection of 19 USDA Certified, 100% Organic Herbs and Spices (U.S. only, available September 1).
If you're interested in purchasing these new organic spices, or any other Watkins products, click into my Watkins website and "Watkins Products" on the left menu. My associate number is 363337. Or email me for more information.
This is going to be a great cooking and baking season, with all these new ingredients! ¶ 10:12 AM 1 Comments
Friday, September 01, 2006
Week Two
Well, as mentioned before, this job is particularly tedious, some times I'll just sit there with absolutely nothing to do, and other times I'm completely swamped. And nobody in the office seems to know HR policy, I didn't get my birthday off :-p Now, I knew that I should have gotten my birthday off, but my supervisor and her supervisor didn't know for sure if I was eligible because I'd just started. And HR wasn't answering her messages until after lunchtime on my actual birthday. So I ended up working. But its not all bad, I can take it sometime later as a paid holiday. :-)
SO, I'm hoping to be able to get home for another visit in November. I'm thinkin' that if I combine my missed birthday holiday with Thanksgiving and the 3 paid vacation days I'll be elgible for by then, I can have a full week off! I want to go see the musical play Wicked and it finishes up on November 26th, so I have to get there before then!
And hopefully I'll have enough points for another free airfare! I don't know if I can afford it otherwise.
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Yanno, I often wonder if one works at a newspaper as an editor, writer or printer, shouldn't they at least have a basic knowledge of grammar and spelling? :-p
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Ernesto turned out to be a wet blanket. Its been raining for a few days, yesterday was horrible, today its raining again, but nothing really hurricane-y. Of course he'd been downgraded to just barely a named storm by the time he hit North Carolina, but other storm fronts that came before him from the northeast had already drenched the eastern half of the state. We're soggy here in the hills, but I don't think we'll be flooded. Maybe.
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Its Labour Day weekend and with it comes the SALES! Of course I haven't been paid yet, so I dunno if I can even put gas in my car to drive to the stores where the sales are. hmph. Will have to nick James' bank card tomorrow morning. ;-) I need shoes.
**********************
OH OH OH! James my wonderful husband got me a model of the Firefly ship Serenity. And a Serenity T-shirt.
We're still waiting for our Serenity birthday party T-shirts from back in June.
**********************
Did I mention that on Sunday last weekend we went for a drive up the mountains to Blowing Rock? There's a Big Dogs store there and we got a few new T-shirts. One of which is the "Big Dogs of the Caribbean - Dead Dogs Wag No Tails" *snarf*
Then we drove up to Linville Falls and took the dogs for a walk along the trail there. Its about half a mile in and then back again, but it wasn't too hot that day up in the mountains. It was a nice walk, and the dogs didn't behave too badly. We only came across a couple of other dogs, and steared far enough around them that I didn't get dragged down the trail. One of these days they'll give up the fussin' at other dogs and just be nice and polite. One of these days.
It was a nice day anyway, we don't get out nearly enough with the dogs, we usually just walk them around the neighbourhood at night time, like after 10pm. Most of the other dogs are either inside, or in their pens by then, so we don't worry much about them running out at us. And its cooler at night time, its still too hot during the day. A few days this week it was over 95F still, one day it was up to 99F! ugh. Too hot!
********************
Well, I'm off! There's a Stargate SG1 Marathon on tonight! ¶ 5:40 PM 0 Comments
SO, I'm hoping to be able to get home for another visit in November. I'm thinkin' that if I combine my missed birthday holiday with Thanksgiving and the 3 paid vacation days I'll be elgible for by then, I can have a full week off! I want to go see the musical play Wicked and it finishes up on November 26th, so I have to get there before then!
And hopefully I'll have enough points for another free airfare! I don't know if I can afford it otherwise.
**********************
Yanno, I often wonder if one works at a newspaper as an editor, writer or printer, shouldn't they at least have a basic knowledge of grammar and spelling? :-p
**********************
Ernesto turned out to be a wet blanket. Its been raining for a few days, yesterday was horrible, today its raining again, but nothing really hurricane-y. Of course he'd been downgraded to just barely a named storm by the time he hit North Carolina, but other storm fronts that came before him from the northeast had already drenched the eastern half of the state. We're soggy here in the hills, but I don't think we'll be flooded. Maybe.
**********************
Its Labour Day weekend and with it comes the SALES! Of course I haven't been paid yet, so I dunno if I can even put gas in my car to drive to the stores where the sales are. hmph. Will have to nick James' bank card tomorrow morning. ;-) I need shoes.
**********************
OH OH OH! James my wonderful husband got me a model of the Firefly ship Serenity. And a Serenity T-shirt.
We're still waiting for our Serenity birthday party T-shirts from back in June.
**********************
Did I mention that on Sunday last weekend we went for a drive up the mountains to Blowing Rock? There's a Big Dogs store there and we got a few new T-shirts. One of which is the "Big Dogs of the Caribbean - Dead Dogs Wag No Tails" *snarf*
Then we drove up to Linville Falls and took the dogs for a walk along the trail there. Its about half a mile in and then back again, but it wasn't too hot that day up in the mountains. It was a nice walk, and the dogs didn't behave too badly. We only came across a couple of other dogs, and steared far enough around them that I didn't get dragged down the trail. One of these days they'll give up the fussin' at other dogs and just be nice and polite. One of these days.
It was a nice day anyway, we don't get out nearly enough with the dogs, we usually just walk them around the neighbourhood at night time, like after 10pm. Most of the other dogs are either inside, or in their pens by then, so we don't worry much about them running out at us. And its cooler at night time, its still too hot during the day. A few days this week it was over 95F still, one day it was up to 99F! ugh. Too hot!
********************
Well, I'm off! There's a Stargate SG1 Marathon on tonight! ¶ 5:40 PM 0 Comments
