Golf Course Dream Vacation Destination

If Visiting world renound Golf Courses
is your idea of a Dream Vacation...


It is that time of year when everyone is traditionally thinking about vacations.
I know that most golfers share a love Nature. Some of the most beautiful Golf Courses are planned and constructed totally environmentally friendly yet have some of the most Gorgeous landscaping imaginable. If your ultimate dream vacation includes golf, either with your spouse or a group of friends you can make that dream a reality. Keep in mind that the 2008 US open is tentatively scheduled for Torrey Pines Golf Course, South Course, La Jolla, CA and the 2007 US open is scheduled for the Oakmont Pennsylvania Country Club PA.

Here is a list of a few of the Golf Courses and the year where the US open's have recently been held in case you want to go and play a round or two, or three:


In 2006 - Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamoroneck, N.Y.
In 2005 - Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, No. 2 Course,Village of Pinehurst, N.C.
In 2004 - Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.
In 2003 - Olympia Fields Country Club, North Course, IL.
In 2002 - Bethpage State Park, Black Course, Farmingdale, N.Y.
In 2001 - Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, OK.

If you are passionate about golf there are many vacation packages that feature golf and make popular golf courses affordable destinations. Be sure and contact a local travel agent in your area to see what type of Golf Vacation packages are available. Many times travel packages can save you money !
With what you save you can buy those new clubs you've been wanting.
Can you imagine the adventures golfing at the major courses around the world!
You could play on courses from Florida to Fiji.


Think Green !
Have a Wonderful Vacation whether you are going golfing or visiting National forests, gardens or arboretums or just staying at home and piddling in your greenhouse. The most important thing is do do something that you love and love what you do.


~its not easy being green
Gj


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EPA Become Aware in your Community

Here is the main address for the Federal EPA website
EPA = Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

There is a searchable database on the front page.
Type in your zip code and any information concerning your community will be listed.


Mission statement from the 'About EPA' section of the website:
quoting -

The EPA is led by the Administrator, who is appointed by the President of the United States.

Our Mission
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people. View the Agency's complete strategic plan, annual report, and policy resources.

What We Do
EPA leads the nation's environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts.

end quote-


We can all do better at being more conscious of what we throw away, what we consume, what is going on in our area landfills, community water sheds, upcoming projects, the list goes on and on.
The first step is the easiest.
Make yourself aware.
Believe it or not many people confuse the EPA with the FDA.
Now that you have some basic information, take that first step.

Being aware and getting involved only takes a few moments:
a click of the mouse
an email
quick letter
or a phone call.

What better way to Celebrate our Nation's Birthday!
Happy July 4th

Now that you have the information, what are you going to do about it?

IT is YOUR community too!

~Gj
it's not easy being green...



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FIGHTING CABIN FEVER AND OTHER FEBRUARY GARDENING TIPS

I am very lucky, I don't suffer from Cabin Fever in the winter season. I enjoy winter more than the summer for going for long walks, taking photos and breathing the clean cool air. I enjoy the walk more because I know I will soon be heading indoors and warming up with a big mug of hot cocoa or cappucino, topped with whipped cream, of course. Here is an interesting article about Fighting Cabin Fever.

~Gj



FIGHTING CABIN FEVER AND
OTHER FEBRUARY GARDENING TIPS



article courtesy of:

Dr. Leonard Perry,
Extension Professor
University of Vermont


February may be the shortest month of the year, but it still seems like a long way until spring. But you can make the waiting easier by engaging in some indoor horticultural projects and activities with family and friends.

For the kids, borrow some garden-theme books from your local library to read aloud. Peter Rabbit or The Magic Hill are two fun ones for younger audiences. Your older kids will enjoy The Secret Garden. Your library also should have books on building birdhouses or butterfly abodes for hands-on craft projects.

Sprout some seeds to enjoy on salads this winter. Help your kids plant grass seed in a shallow container as a treat for the family cat, who is also probably anxious for warmer weather to arrive.

For your adult friends, plan a "Think Spring" party to help pass the time. Get together with some fellow gardeners to decorate terra cotta pots for summer container plantings. You should be able to find all the paints and decorating supplies you need at your local craft, art supply, or department store.

Swap extra seeds or put your heads together over one last order from your favorite seed company. Or ask everyone to bring cuttings from their houseplants to share or a small garden-related gift like a pressed flower bookmark, bottle of plant food, or even garden gloves to put in a grab bag.

If you like to read, why not start a book discussion group that focuses on books about plants, flowers, or gardens, such as The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, a collection of fascinating information, both scientific and folklore, on the unseen activities of plants. If you prefer garden mysteries, check out Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage or Nemesis, or the "China Bayles Herbal Mysteries" and other garden-themed books by Susan Wittig Albert.

Ask your librarian for other suggestions, or have each book group member recommend a favorite book. A Web search on the Internet also will yield some interesting possibilities.

February is a good month to fill your house with flowers. You can buy inexpensive bouquets at your florist shop or grocery store to arrange in vases. Just make sure you cover your flowers or wrap them in paper, before you leave the shop or store to prevent injury from wind, cold, and precipitation.

Valentine's Day is the number one excuse to buy flowers, if not for a sweetheart, then for yourself. Carnations, daisies, tulips, and chrysanthemums are a good buy for your money. Or treat yourself or a loved one to long-stemmed red roses, a traditional favorite, or something more exotic like Asiatic lilies or Birds of paradise, an exquisite flower from Hawaii.

Take advantage of midwinter inventory clearance or preseason sales at your local garden center or commercial greenhouse. You may be able to get some good deals on holiday items, foliage plants, pottery, and lawn sculptures and other hardware. Get a sneak preview of new garden gadgets, and either buy them now or put them on your wish list for spring.

If you can't find what you want locally, comparison shop through mail order catalogs or on the Internet, keeping in mind that price is a good indication of quality. Just be sure you figure in the shipping charge and taxes when deciding which product is the best buy for your money!

Don't let February's cold weather prevent you from checking your bird feeders every few days and adding fresh seed. Black oil sunflower seeds are popular with most birds, as is a mix of sunflower hearts, millet, canary seed, and finely cracked corn. And don't forget to hang up a suet cake or two for the finches, chickadees, and woodpeckers.

Other activities for February: tune into your favorite gardening show on television; buy supplies for starting seeds next month; start a garden journal.
^


~Gj
its not easy being green...


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FLOWERS FOR YOUR VALENTINE - ARTICLE

I have always said I would much rather have a rosebush than a dozen cut roses for Valentines day ! Traditionally I have always given plants, bulbs and seeds for Valentines day to dear friends. Afterall, which is better? a dozen roses that last for a short period of time or a lifetime of roses to cherish and enjoy...




FLOWERS FOR YOUR VALENTINE

article courtesy of:
Dr. Leonard Perry,
Extension Professor
University of Vermont


Although traditional, red roses aren't the only way to say "be mine" this February 14. Tulips, carnations, azaleas, and exotic flowers such as cineraria are catching up with roses in popularity as flowers for St. Valentine's Day.

If you want to give roses, but can't afford the high price tag for long-stemmed reds, why not choose sweetheart or miniature roses. They're less expensive, just as lovely, and are available in the same range of colors including red, pale pink, white, lavender, yellow, and peach.

Or select red and white carnations or a mixed bouquet of red, white, and pink flowers. For example, you could ask your florist to make up a bouquet of white tulips, pink carnations, and a few red roses with sprigs of baby's breath for the finishing touch. Or include a few specialty flowers such as red anthurium, ginger, alstroemeria, and freesia.

If you select your own blooms, choose ones that are just beginning to open. Wrap the flowers well to protect them from the cold on your way home. Once you arrive home, recut the stems and immediately place in warm water with floral preservative.

A flowering potted plant will provide enjoyment for many weeks to come. Potted tulips, azaleas, chrysanthemums, and cyclamens are all easy to care for and are available in shades of pink, white, and red.

For something a bit more unusual, choose a kalanchoe with its small clusters of scarlet red flowers set on spikes high above the leaves. Or how about a cineraria with its fuzzy leaves and mound of vivid red, blue, or purple flowers.

When buying a flowering potted plant, look for one with many buds about to open rather than one already in full bloom. Inspect buds, flowers, and undersides of leaves for signs of disease or insect pests.

You may want to enclose a note with your gift to ensure that the plant will be given proper care. Mention that the plant needs to be kept well watered, but not overwatered, and out of drafts. And that the foil or paper covering the pot should be removed to allow adequate drainage.

Tulips, cyclamens, azaleas, cinerarias, and kalanchoes all like it cool at night (45 to 55 degrees F) and warm (70 degrees F) during the day. Finally, don't forget to say "Happy Valentine's Day!"

^

Happy Valentines Day
~Gj
its not easy being green...



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COPING WITH WINTER JANUARY TIPS

I read somewhere years ago, that every living thing needs to rest in order to survive. That's how I look at Winter. A time of rest. When I go for walks I smile knowingly, because just underneath that frozen ground or that pile of snow-
there are roses and daylilies sleeping...
:)




COPING WITH WINTER AND
OTHER JANUARY GARDENING TIPS

Dr. Leonard Perry,
Extension Professor

According to the National Weather Service, January is generally the coldest month of the year ,at least, in northern New England. Although it may not seem like we are getting as much snow as we did in the past, it's not uncommon this time of the year to have heavy snow storms and temperatures below zero.

We can avoid the elements by staying indoors. But shrubs and ornamental plants need protection from inclement weather. You can protect evergreens and other shrubs by erecting wooden tepees over the plants to keep off snow. Or gently sweep off accumulations after each snowfall using a broom in an upward motion to remove snow.

If snow cover is poor, you might need to replenish the layer of straw that you used to mulch your strawberry patch and perennials in the fall. Or cut boughs from your discarded Christmas tree to cover these plants.

Protect trees and shrubs located along roadways and driveways from excess road salt, which results in stunted and yellowed foliage, premature autumn leaf coloration, and twig dieback. To protect plants, erect a screen of burlap between plants and the pavement.

To make walks and driveways safe, use sand, sawdust, or kitty litter for a more environmentally friendly alternative to salt for melting snow and ice. When shoveling snow from walkways and drives, be careful not to pile it near plants or where melting snow will drain. After the snow melts, use fresh water to flush the area around the roots that was exposed to salt.

Because you will be spending more time inside than out this month, you may want to make your living space more enjoyable by adding greenery in the form of houseplants or herbs. If you introduce new plants into your household, be sure to keep them separate from your other plants until you've inspected them to make sure that they aren't bringing in any unwelcome pests.

Or plant an amaryllis bulb. You will find a range of colors at your local full-service garden center or garden service center. These are usually sold in pre-potted kits. Jumpstart the flowering process by placing the bulb in a well-lighted area. Water well initially, but go easy on the water in subsequent waterings until the plant shows signs of growth. If you pot them in January, you should have blooms by Valentine's Day or shortly thereafter.

You can also improve your environment--and the health of your plants--by increasing the humidity level. Place houseplants on shallow trays covered with pebbles. Add water to the trays until it just touches the bottom of each pot. If you use a wood stove, keep a pot of water on the top of the stove to add moisture to the air. Or use a room humidifier. Make sure it
is the right size for the room. Too big and too much humidity may cause mold and ruin furnishings. Too small, and it won't do much good.

If winter arrived before you had time to properly put away your gardening supplies and equipment, deal with it now instead of waiting until spring. Clean and oil tools, hang up rakes and hoes, and wash your gardening gloves. If you have terra cotta pots that are discolored by an ugly crust or mold on the surface, soak the pots in a solution of one cup white vinegar and one cup chlorine bleach to one gallon of warm water. More heavily crusted pots will need to be soaked for several hours before scrubbing with a steel wool pad.

Take an inventory of your fertilizer, garden sprays and products, seeds, and other supplies to see what you will need to buy. This is also a good time to check your seed starting supplies and make a list of what you will require to start vegetable and flower plants indoors for planting outside this spring.

Because you will be inside so much this month, this would be a good time to weed through your gardening magazines to decide which ones to keep or which articles to clip. Recycle what you don't want by passing them along to a gardening friend or dropping them off at your local library, if it offers a magazine exchange as many do nowadays.

Set aside a few hours a week during this "down time" from the garden to expand your knowledge of gardening, either by borrowing books from the library on garden design, new plants, or other topics of horticultural interest or by signing up for a class. Many town recreational departments or community centers offer winter workshops on a number of topics from seed
starting to propagating houseplants and developing a home landscape plan.

Or register to become a Master Gardener and receive training on a variety of horticultural topics including flower and vegetable gardening, insect pests and plant diseases, trees and shrubs, and landscape design, among other areas. Most universities offer Master Gardener courses. In Vermont, weekly classes begin in February and run through May.

Host an indoor garden party, inviting other gardeners to your home for a seed swap or to plan seed orders together. Or watch a garden video or favorite home and garden show, then try some of the indoor gardening projects demonstrated.

Another option is to start a garden book club with friends. You can either all read the same book for discussion, or each read a different one to introduce to the group.

Other activities for January:
check stored produce for signs of wilt or rot;
order some of the All-America Selections Award winners for your garden;
take a winter walk,
cross-country ski, or snowshoe to stay in shape for the gardening season;
or feed the birds.



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