Give(rs) and take(rs)
Back To The Dirt
Gardening of all types is a life-long passion of mine. In my past I was a Master Gardener with the UW Extension office, have done extensive landscaping projects of my own, plus I draw an occasional landscape plan, and give tons of free advice.
Ever since I was a little girl helping my dad while we weeded and planted flowers and veggies, I’ve loved to get out there and play in the dirt. Recently I lived in a condo for a few years where I had very small flower beds to play around in, and I’ve really been missing having a yard. I’ve felt so disconnected from it during the time I was living in my condo. So… I just purchased a home here and am so excited to have a yard again!
Paradise Theater building in West Allis back on sale block
The Paradise Theater building, in West Allis, is being listed for sale--just months after it was sold to an investment group led by the wife of the former owner of a Wauwatosa cinema.
The building, at 6217-6301 W. Greenfield Ave., was sold in June to Paradise LLC, according to documents filed with the Milwaukee County Register of Deeds.
We're still here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She was chosen to become one of the actor/ models represented by a Minnesota agency working in Wisconsin.
This will hopefully open up opportunities for commercial and print exposure as well as a chance to appear in an upcoming TV pilot dealing with "extreme vacations"!
To My "On The South Side" Readers
To the readers of my "On the South Side" blog - I haven't disappeared, I'm just moving to the Greenfield and West Allis NOW websites and changing my topic to gardening. It has been a pleasure writing my blog for you these past four years! I hope I have helped you all find fun things to do. Now it's on to my next project - creating a beautiful yard.
Thanks and Happy reading!
To Whom This May Concern,
According to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 information posted on researchamerica.org, the state of Wisconsin was granted $141,056,206 to be spent on 297 projects within seven congressional districts. Continually focus is on influencing areas of the budget, which will encourage partnerships / building alliances with people and resource centers to increase jobs in our state. Given the large price tags per district listed below, how will the balance of these funds be allocated and to what projects? Thus far, how have these funds been dispersed? Who has been overseeing them to make sure they are being used for the purposes intended?
ARRA Project Funding by Congressional District
| District | # of Projects | Investment | Rank* |
| 2nd | 199 | $96,564,110 |
24 |
| 3rd |
3 |
$736,423 | 259 |
| 4th | 23 | $10,524,985 | 129 |
| 5th | 67 | $32,636,372 |
69 |
| 6th | 2 |
$220,432 | 306 |
| 7th | 2 |
$343,060 | 296 |
| 8th | 1 |
$30,824 | 336 |
| State Total | 297 | $141,056,206 | 17 |
Thank You American Veterans!
Late Season Golf Discounts
Beginning Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 all golfers pay the following rates every day of the week:
Brown Deer 9 Holes - $13.00 18 Holes - $25.00
Balloon Theory...
Within my circle of friends, many are at the age of retirement. I have been to a few parties as a way of saying, “Thanks for being there for me, hope I was there for you”.
Upon entering an office recently, I found a “Congrats” balloon in the corner. It had been in the party room of a recent retiree and had been overlooked. Someone asked if I wanted it, and I said, “Sure, I’ll put it up by my desk”. Little did I know the impact one balloon would make.
High Speed Rail
I'd appreciate some feedback/discussion on the pros/cons of High Speed Rail. Would it be good for our area? Why/Why Not? Do you think there would be enough people using it? Do you think it will provide for more jobs over the long term? I don't know if there are "hard facts" on what percentage of the population would use this train system. I tend to think that the funds, if we are allowed to keep them, could be put to better use and still produce jobs. Thanks.
Thanksgiving Holiday Results in Altered Refuse and Recycling Collection
*Our offices are closed and there will be no refuse or recycling collection on Thursday, November 25, and Friday, November 26.
A Day to Honor Veterans of All Wars
Sacrifice, dedication, integrity—these are values that were on proud display this morning in the Capitol Rotunda, as part of the annual Veterans Day program presented by the Madison Veterans Council.
The hundreds of us who were in attendance had the honor of witnessing the presentation of our nation’s colors led by the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard, and joining proudly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3rd place is really 2nd, if you don't acknowledge 1st
D-Day finally approached on Sunday, November 14th. After obsessing for five weeks, it was finally time to put my chili - which I really did name "(Sponsor's Name Here)'s Non-Internet Chili" - to the test in the Taylor & Dunn's 3rd Annual Cool Beans Chili Cook-off.
A Fall Favorite - Ornamental Kale
As Fall brings freezing temps at night, annuals have all but disappeared, but that doesn't mean that your garden has to stop showing off. There are some cold temperature hardy plants that provide beautiful color and interesting shapes during this season. Ornamental kale is one of my favorites.
With a heart of pinks, purples, and whites surrounded by curley leaves, ornamental kale is just getting started. It will survive these frosty nights just fine and looks great next to your mums and fall asters.
A Taste of Hawaii.....
The Ono Kine Grindz shelves are stocked with wonderful Kona coffees, tea sugars , rice , Hawaiian salt , and some wonderful crackers, Saloon Pilot Crackers one of my favorites.The coolers are filled with manapua (steamed bun filled with pork), Portuguese sausages (which is wonderful with rice and eggs for breakfast ), Kalua pig (shredded roasted pork), Laulau (beef, pork and fish wrapped in a taro leaf) and of course POI a staple of Hawaii.
Gift-more Holidays
What would your children do if there were no gifts under the tree this year? Who would feel worse, you or them? Would anyone cry, rebel or retreat to their rooms to sleep off the depression and shock? Would there be a protest of sorts, children holding signs, marching in a circle, “Santa does not live here”? How guilty would you feel if you could not afford a single present this year?
With the holidays fast approaching, Black Friday right around the corner, what’s a parent to do? The same thing as the year prior or grow some and set a limit regarding gifts?
Making Miracles
My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Disney World. It wasn't necessarily a trip we would have selected for ourselves - we don't particularly enjoy crowds, buses, flying on airplanes, screaming children, or $15 hamburgers. But we wanted the experience of having seen what all the Disney fuss was about.
The perfect opportunity arose this year, courtesy of Children's Miracle Network. Hubby works for Speedway and the company has raised millions of dollars for the charity over the years. My husband's store raised so much themselves that he won a trip for two to Disney to celebrate with Children's Miracle Network and other corporate sponsors. This little charity that began with Marie Osmond and John Schneider (yep, Bo Duke) has grown into a network of support for 170 hospitals around the U.S. and the world. In the past 27 years, they have raised nearly $4 billion dollars for the network hospitals to provide life changing care for children.
Christmas Past and Present
I understand that all the sales and stores open on Thanksgiving Day and/or opening really early or really late may be a great opportunity for people to find great bargains. If you enjoy it, the more power to you. I do not. I'd rather hit the sales after Christmas (a few days after). To me, the stress of dealing with crowds and some not so nice shoppers defeats the purpose of finding a deal. I shop for gifts all year round. My husband and I have lived simply and frugally for quite a few years now and it helps keep the stress level down. We give homemade gifts, meaningful gifts and our time to friends and family. And, that's not saying we feel everyone should do as we do. Each and everyone one of us deals with the holidays in their own way. Hopefully, each of us, individually, can make the holiday time special for ourselves as well as those around us.
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day for me and my family (in the old days) meant going by grandma and grandpa's house for a great German feast. The children sat at the "kid's table" in the kitchen and the adults sat in the dining room at the "adult table". As the number of grandchildren grew, so did the size of the tables. After the big meal, the women cleaned off the dining room table and met in the kitchen to wash and dry the dishes (there were no "fancy" dishwashers back then). When that was done, most of the adults would again sit down at the dining room table to play sheepshead. By that time, the younger kids were ready for naps. The older kids either went outside to play or played a board game.
Frosty Fable at the Domes
Experience the Mitchell Horticultural Conservatory under a holiday transformation, replete with hundreds of glistening crimson poinsettias and a beautifully decorated tree. Relish five concerts in December as part of the “Music Under Glass” winter series.
Very slow moving Lightning Round
If we get a snowstorm tomorrow, people will complain that it would be too early in the season for it. But really, December 1st is a prime day for snow.
