Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category
Arbor Day Gone?
Last Friday was Arbor Day, April 27th, 2012. But the trees are one of those special things in life that we can enjoy and celebrate every day. In Spokane we’ve seen more trees in blossom in the last two weeks than we’ll probably get to appreciate all year. Arbor Day is a tree-planting holiday. The tradition was started in Nebraska and on April 10, 1872. On the first Arbor Day over one million trees were planted in Nebraska alone. Today Arbor Day is celebrated nationally and internationally.
In my family, I am the one who brings attention to trees as a regular routine. As we drive together as a family I will question family members to identify different trees. While blooming, as is the case for many right now, they are especially easy to identify. The flowering pear and cherries, and the flowering thundercloud plum have been particularly spectacular this spring.
Most of my children have favorite trees or a handful which they can easily identify. One of my older daughters says “Sycamore” for every tree when questioned. Her thought apparently being eventually she’ll be right. I tell her that’s like a broken watch which is at least right twice a day.
Trees are often very unique. Sunburst locust, Douglas fir, hackberry, white pine, service berry, Russian-olive, dogwood and Catalpa all have characteristics which make them easily identifiable. Everyone should be able to identify Ponderosa Pine if they live here in the Inland Northwest. Go out into your yard or your neighbor’s and identify all the trees you encounter. Most people know maple even if they don’t know the difference between sugar maple, Norway maple, or silver maple. Make an effort to learn 8-10 trees by sight this summer. Have you ever seen a ginko tree? The leaves are said to give you good luck.
Celebrate Arbor Day all summer. Learn the name of trees in your area. Plant a tree and enjoy it for life.
Keep brushing,
Dr. James G. Hood
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Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Come See Us at the Spokane Public Market!
We are now located on the second floor in Booth 17 at the Spokane Public Market, 24 West 2nd Ave. in Spokane, Washington. Phone: 509-624-5800
Mountain Valley View Farm has a number of things for sale this wonderful holiday season Enjoy yummy treats this holiday season. They make wonderful gifts for the food lovers in your family! We are featuring our especially moist zucchini bread and our wonderfully tangy mustard in a variety of flavors—Tangy Mustard with Garlic, Cranberry Mustard, Sweet Whole-Grain Mustard with Beer.
Free Samples at the Spokane Public Market this week are:
Zucchini Bread
Classic Granola
Tangy Mustard with Garlic
Old-Fashioned Apple Butter
Come try us out before they are all gone!
Other products you will find at the Mountain Valley View Farm booth include gift baskets, cookbooks, homemade potpourri, cookbooks, and more.
HOLIDAY COOKBOOK SPOTLIGHT!
Christmas Delights Cookbook
A Collection of Christmas Recipes
For this very merry time of year, author Karen Jean Matsko Hood presents a unique cookbook that is full of tasty and satisfying recipes designed around the themes, colors, and traditions of Christmas. Inside are page after page of mouth-watering recipes that, when prepared, will certainly be a hit with both family and guests alike during this special season. Written for the novice and the experienced cook alike, Christmas Delights Cookbook, Volume I is a valuable addition to your kitchen library, and it makes the perfect gift for the chef on your giving list.
As a poet, I found it enjoyable to color this cookbook with poetry so that readers could savor the metaphorical richness of Christmas as well as the literal flavors of the holiday recipes. Do enjoy your reading about Christmas, but most importantly, have fun with those you care about while you are cooking. Inside you will find Christmas-themed recipes, Christmas history, facts and folklore, and poetry by the author.
Christmas Delights, Vol. I – Paperback, $19.95
Rhubarb Delights Cookbook
A Collection of Rhubarb Recipes
Rhubarb is an all-time favorite vegetable that once was used for medicinal purposes, but has always tasted delicious in Mom’s homemade pie. In this cookbook, you’ll find more than just pie recipes to spark your imagination in cooking with rhubarb.
Living in the heart of Washington brings great appreciation for the rhubarb season. Washington State has the ideal climate for growing fresh rhubarb, and is the leading rhubarb producer in the United States, boasting 824 acres of farm land dedicated exclusively to growing rhubarb.
Most people wonder whether rhubarb is a vegetable or a fruit. Rhubarb is often mistaken to be a fruit, but it is actually a close relative of garden sorrel and is a member of the vegetable family. Rhubarb has a unique taste that makes it a favorite in many pies and desserts.
Rhubarb has an interesting history of facts and folklore. Some of this folklore is included in this book. As a poet, I found it enjoyable to color this cookbook with poetry so that readers could savor the metaphorical richness of rhubarb as well as its literal flavor. Also included in this Rhubarb Delights Cookbook are some articles on history, cultivation, and botanical information, along with some interesting trivia and tidbits.
The cookbook is organized in convenient alphabetical sections to assist you in finding recipes related to the type of cooking you need: appetizers and dips; beverages; breads and rolls; breakfasts; cakes; candies; cookies; desserts; dressings, sauces, and condiments; jams, jellies, and syrups; main dishes; pies; preserving; salads; side dishes; soups; and wines and spirits.
Rhubarb Delights Cookbook
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Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
Your Source for Northwest Farm Fresh Foods Shipped Worldwide
4301 South Chapman Road
Greenacres, Washington 99016-8732 USA
Phone (509) 928-1800 | Fax (509) 922-9949
Email: sales@mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
Website: www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
Online Store: www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com
Blog with us at www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com
Mountain Valley View Farm Hours:
Monday – Saturday
8:00 a.m. – Noon; 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Closed Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Other farm hours by advance appointment only.
Please call (509) 928-1800 to schedule an appointment.
Getaway Studio Dining Room
& Bed and Breakfast
Phone (509) 928-8900
Directions to Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
From I-90 East or West
Take the Sullivan Exit (291B) – South for about 3 miles
Turn left on Saltese (east), and continue for .5 mile
Turn right on South Chapman Road (south), and proceed .9 mile
The farm will be on the left-hand side of the road – 4301 South Chapman Road
Holidays and Dental Health
WOW! The Christmas holiday is rapidly approaching, which catches people off guard on how quickly 2011 ends and 2012 is upon us.
In the hustle-bustle of the hectic holiday season, many may forget about oral health maintenance. Dental insurance usually is contracted yearly, from January 1st through December 31st. Therefore, if you have dental insurance coverage that you or your employer has paid for, it needs to be taken advantage of before December 31st. Use it or lose it.
Many people think, “I’ll do the dental treatment I need in January, after things settle down.” Well … if you see your dentist and have dental treatment done before year’s end, you could have the insurance benefit of 2 years (one before Dec 31st and one after Dec 31st). Either way, you or your employer have paid for your dental insurance (if you’re lucky enough to have dental insurance), so you surely want to take full advantage of your benefits.
Whether or not you have dental insurance, maintenance is always cheaper than repair. As the conclusion of 2011 approaches, be diligent in assuring that you’ve followed the old adage: Brush your teeth twice a day, and see your dentist twice a year.
Dental health is more than just a dazzling smile. Good oral health can help minimize the effect of diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Enjoy the holiday season. Be aware of all the things that you can do to improve your overall health. We are all exposed to excessive amounts of good and not so good foods during this festive season. Be careful how you fuel your systems and understand that oral health is a most significant part of maintaining overall health.
On a final note, Christmas is a season to reflect on how many blessings we have. But in the interest of keeping Christ in Christmas, it is a time to generously be Christian. With our present economy, more people than ever are in need. Generously help someone in need. Perform random acts of kindness. Go out of your way to put smiles on faces of people you may not even know.
Sharing a joyful holiday season,
James G. Hood, DDS, MA
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Thanksgiving, a Truly American Holiday
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Again, in 2011, the Thanksgiving holiday has come upon us quickly. The Christmas tree lot lights are set up and snow and ice greet us on our morning commutes.
A truly American holiday, Thanksgiving is a national day for us to express our gratitude for all the freedoms with which we have been gifted. This is a time to reflect on the many liberties we often take for granted.
Thank You to our service men and women who make our republic safe. Thank You to our forefathers with the vision to create a Constitution protecting our freedoms. Every person has the right to do what they wish with their life. Work hard and get ahead. Thank You for the Declaration of Independence which says all men are created equal, with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Thank You.
Our country is a religious country with freedom for everyone to practice whatever religion they wish. And appreciative Americans pray often the shortest prayer on earth: Thank You. But, Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday. Americans are naturally thankful. Religious or not, Americans realize how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful country, rich in natural resources, with religious and civil freedoms for all. Thank You is a tremendously American expression.
And if there be anyone who wishes to know how to have a Happy Thanksgiving, merely analyze the expression. It is by giving thanks that we make ourselves and others happy. There are plenty of people that have less than “we,” no matter who “we” are. Therefore, to have a truly Happy Thanksgiving, simply give thanks by doing something for someone who has less than “we” do. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least brothers of mine you did for me.” Find someone who needs anything and be the provider of that need. Such giving can be anonymous, which can be most rewarding. Give thanks often.
Share a smile!
James G. Hood, DDS, MA
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes
Patients from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Halloween is Just Around the Corner!
All Hallow’s Eve is less than a week away, and if you haven’t started planning for the holiday, you may be in a panic right now wondering what costume you will wear, how you will decorate your house, and what to do for the party you promised all your friends. Not to fear! First, take a deep breath and take a look at some of the excellent articles preceding this one. From costumes to harvest festivals, they’ll give you some great ideas to get started on your Halloween celebration no matter how much you’ve procrastinated.
Another quick and easy tip to jumpstart your Halloween planning is to peruse a copy of Karen Jean Matsko Hood’s Halloween Delights. Far more than just a cookbook, Halloween Delights is a treasure trove of ideas that will help you create the most memorable Halloween possible. Packed with innovative recipes that will both delight the tastebuds and send shivers up and down your spine, this book gives you everything you need to quickly develop a theme around which to plan your entire holiday. You will find yourself inspired by just a brief glance at the recipes–there are over 200 to choose from, and they can help create an atmosphere that is spectacularly ghoulish, fun and playful, or anything in between.
For example, you may be inspired to use a monster theme by such treats as Goblin Dip with Bone Crackers and Eerie Eyeballs , or perhaps the Graveyard Cake and Disappearing Ghost Cookies will prompt you to decorate your house as a cemetery and dress up as a haunting spirit. Doubling as both a decorative centerpiece and a tasty treat is the Bleeding Human Heart, a delicious red gelatin that bleeds when you slice it. You could design an entire party around that one item: imagine the lair of a mad scientist, perhaps even Dr. Frankenstein himself, and all the grisly things you might encounter there. Witches, vampire bats, even less frightful symbols of Halloween like the black cat and jack-o-lantern, and so much more can be found in Halloween Delights. You will be thrilled with the abundance of creative ideas, and your party guests will be impressed and delightfully spooked.
Halloween Delights Cookbook – Paperback ©2008
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