It’s August: Feel Cooler Instantly!

Feel Frosty on Contact

with aloe vera

Most people only reach for aloe vera lotion when they get sunburned. But smoothing it on anytime you feel overheated is smart, say Australian researchers: the cream lowers skin and sub dermal temperature on contact at North Texas Research Laboratory in Grand Prairie found that aloe penetrates skin four times faster than water and reaches seven layers deep (while water only reaches the outer layer), so the cooling effect will last longer than taking a cold shower.

Fool Yourself Cool

with mint

The protein TRPM8 is responsible for making humans feel coldness. When it’s chilly out, this protein sends an “It’s cold signal to your brain, which makes you react physically by shivering and getting goose bumps. A team of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute in LaJolla, California, found that the TRPM8 receptor is also triggered by menthol. So if you need relief, chew a stick of peppermint gum or rub on some mint-scented lotion to fool your brain into sending cooling signals to your skin.

Drop Room Temperature

with houseplants

According to the USDA estimates, a room full of indoor plants can lower air temperature by up to 10 degrees fahrenheit. The reason: plants go through a process called transpiration in which they absorb warming carbon dioxide from the air and emit cooling water vapor. Even placing just a few plotted pants in a sunny often-used room can lower the temperature by up to 3 degrees fahrenheit. Tip: Desert plants, which are used to offset arid conditions, conserve water during sunny hours and only transpire at night so keep cacti or other desert plants in your bedroom.

If you have questions or would like more information about The Hammocks at Orchard Park, visit us on Facebook!

Spring Is Here… Time To Spruce Things Up A Little!

Spring has sprung...or at least we thought it did. Thank you Mother Nature for reminding us that we live in New York State and winter likes to come and go as it pleases. Regardless of the weather, it is still spring time! Hip Hip Hooray!!

We are not sure about anyone else, but here at the Clubhouse we have been trying to spruce things up by getting some spring cleaning done. Has anyone ever noticed how spring cleaning really puts a smile on your face? I think it’s because we know that summer is right around the corner. This month we want to give you a few helpful tips on spring cleaning.

After the long winter of being cooped up, light fixtures and carpets/rugs can be full of dirt and dust. Take time to clean your light fixtures, the ones that are easily accessible and the ceiling fixtures. Take your area rugs outside for a good shake down and maybe a few hours of airing out. We all know that the wall-to-wall carpeting could probably use a good cleaning too. Break out that steam cleaner folks! It may also help with those seasonal allergies.

While you’re in the cleaning mode why not wash down your walls? Yes folks, the walls! Dirt also sticks to vertical surfaces. The easiest way that we have found to clean your walls is with a good soft sponge and warm, mild, soapy water. If you’re afraid of using soap and water on your flat painted walls try using a dry microfiber cloth, it will work just as well with removing dust.

What about your furniture? During these winter months, your furniture has collected dust, dirt, body oils, and germs and if you have a pet, it has also collected pet hair and dander. So, haul out that vacuum cleaner and vacuum your upholstery and steam clean it as well. Make sure you test your furniture first in an unobtrusive spot to make sure that the detergent from the steam cleaner doesn’t fade the color or ruin your upholstery.

Last but not least, attack that refrigerator! In all honesty how many times a year do you actually give your fridge a good scrub down, 2 or 3 times? No better reason than spring cleaning to give you a good jump start on that. So, dig way back and throw out that leftover New Year’s Eve cheesecake that you decided not to ever eat again because your resolution said so. After removing the old and new leftovers, check out your condiments, I bet you have a few that have expired. And what about that bottle of marinade from last year’s backyard BBQ? Yeah, that might need to find its way to the trash can as well. Now that your fridge looks like it has been raided by 4 teenage boys after grocery day, get down to the “nitty gritty”. We recommend using a magic eraser or a sponge and hot soapy water to get the stuck-on grime. Don’t forget to clean the outside too. Also, don’t forget the fresh box of baking soda to help absorb any odors that may be lingering.

We hope that these helpful hints will get you started on your spring cleaning adventure. Let’s all hope that old man winter leaves us very soon and brings in the beautiful weather.

Some facts about St. Patrick’s Day

March, the month of St. Patrick’s Day. We don’t know about anybody else, but not being Irish, we had many questions as to why the color green and shamrocks were associated with St. Patrick’s Day. And just why, exactly, is corned beef the meal of choice? Luckily, no pun intended, we were able to get some answers.

Did you know that the color blue was the first color associated with St. Patrick’s Day? In fact, the color change to green started in the 17th century. Some say the change was because Ireland’s flag has green in it. Others argue it’s because Ireland is known as the “Emerald Isle” due to its beautiful green landscape. Yet some people say it’s because the onset of spring and St. Patrick’s Day are celebrated so close together.

The shamrock was said to be sacred because it symbolized the rebirth of Spring. It became a symbol of emerging Irish pride. Many Irish wore the shamrock as a symbol of their heritage.

The main dish for Ireland was always bacon. When Irish immigrants came to New York City, they couldn’t afford bacon. Thus, corned beef became the “dish” of the Irish. (A tip they learned from their Jewish neighbors!)

We really found these St. Patrick’s Day facts pretty interesting and we hope that you enjoyed them as much as we did! Erin Go Bragh!!

Try This Fun Recipe for Valentine Pizza!

Valentine’s Day is upon us! Many of us struggle for ways to make this day special for our significant others. Some may want to buy jewelry, some may want to take a romantic get away, and some of us just want to have a quiet evening alone to cherish the time we have together.

If you’re one of those people that want to stay home, why don’t you try spicing up the evening with a nice homemade dinner for two? Below is a recipe for Valentine Pizza – one of my favorite things to make for my husband for Valentine’s Day!

Valentine Pizza

Ingredients
3 cups bread flour
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can pizza sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
15 slices vegetarian pepperoni
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives

Directions
Place bread flour, yeast, water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil into the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough setting. Press Start. When the dough is finished, knead rosemary into the dough.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Divide the dough into three portions. Shape each piece into a heart shape about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with remaining olive oil, and spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on each pizza. Sprinkle cheese over pizza sauce, and arrange tomatoes, zucchini, pepperoni, and sliced olives on top.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted and crust is browned.


To find this recipe and other great recipes visit allrecipes.com

Darla Watson

What’s Your New Year’s Resolution?

It’s that time of year… Making your New Year resolution. It seem like every year people make dramatic resolutions that they never keep because it winds up just being too far out of reach. If you’re one of those who seem to make “far-fetched” resolutions, try making small ones instead. Nobody ever said that you had to choose something outrageous!

Many resolutions, although small, can be very fulfilling. Try a few of these ideas.

1. Be more frugal with your money
2. Spend more time with your loved ones
3. Make more people laugh
4. Smile more
5. Swear/curse less
6. Stop smoking/smoke less

If you would like more ideas, try this website: http://ezinearticles.com/?40-Ideas-For-New-Years-Resolutions&id=3488979

Some Tips For Making Your Holiday Guests Feel Welcome

Thinking about having friends and family over for the holidays? If you are, make sure your home is welcoming. Everyone wants to feel at home no matter where they go. Here are a few tips on how to make your home comfortable and welcoming to your holiday guest:

1. Take the walk to your front as your guest would. Is the sidewalk cleared? Is the light on outside?

2. Make room for your guest's coats. Whether it is on the coat rack or in a spare bedroom, make sure you have room to place your guests coats and that are easy to get to when your guest is ready to leave.

3. Is there enough room for everyone to sit? Situations can become uncomfortable if you have guests standing to eat or even just to make small talk.

4. Don't have your home completely spotless. A quick clean over the entire house will be just fine. Clean your countertops, sweep the floor, run the vacuum and have a towel hanging in the bathroom and a full roll of toilet paper and you should be good to go.

5. Set the mood for your gathering. Have candles burning with a subtle scent, you don't want anything too overpowering. And of course, make sure that lit candles stay out of the traffic and up high enough that the little ones aren't tempted. Dim your lights; if you don't have a dimmer shut the lights off and just have your holiday lights on to light the room. (Make sure there are enough that people can still see, though!)

6. Be a gracious host and thank everyone one for showing up to your lovely home. There's nothing like a host who goes out of their way to thank each person.

7. Have FUN and make the best of the gathering!!

An Easy Way To Jazz Up Your Thanksgiving Table!

Thanksgiving is upon us… the family, the friends and the wonderful smells of the Turkey and stuffing cooking in the oven. Everyone gathering at the table awaiting the plentiful meal that is about to be spread before them. But wait, there’s something missing. What about the centerpiece? At the Thanksgiving table, isn’t it always traditional to have the cornucopia adorning the table? What about something different and exciting that will have your friends and family saying, “My, oh my, who created that beautiful centerpiece?” Well, I have a fantastic idea for you!

Every year I try and make a different and creative centerpiece. This year, I am going to let you in on my idea. Please feel free to use it and take all of the credit for it!

First, take a small to medium sized pumpkin and cut the top off and hollow it out. You are left with the perfect new vase to put flowers in! This year I’m thinking that orange and yellow Gerbera daisies are going to be the cream of the crop. Sunflowers are also going to add a nice touch to the mixture of flowers. Add a few red mums and… VOILA! You have a unique and creative centerpiece for your Thanksgiving Day table. Of course you can use whatever flowers you would like to use. I’m just giving you an example of what I am going to be using. Set your new masterpiece on the table and you will have a beautiful and unique centerpiece that everyone will be talking about.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!