With all the rain
we have had in the past month or so you may wonder why we
are focusing on water efficiency in this week's show. It is all
about doing
what is right... OK, it is about saving money too! We will soon
be in the
dry months of the year and as the population increases that
means more
people using the resources and putting a strain on the system.
So even
though it may seem wet, we still should do our part; and doing
your part has
never been so easy.
Strawberry Salsa
'Tis the season of the strawberry and you can't let the
it
pass without a recipe using these tasty berries. David joined
Stacy at
French Prairie Gardens (503-633-8445) to show her a simple recipe that can be used on
any meat, hot
or cold. Before we started, we saw how they use strawberries at
the farm.
Their bakery is busy most of the year and during strawberry time
it is
cranking out strawberry donuts, scones, and muffins. You will
also find
strawberry jam and fresh strawberries through the end of June.
David
decided to do something different, a savory salsa. He came up
with 2
versions on the same theme. One was a salsa for pork that had
pineapple and
the other was a salsa for chicken that contained avocado. You
can find the
meats and most of the fresh ingredients at the farm. Once the
ingredients
were chopped up, the mixing took no time and all and the taste
was
fantastic! If you would like to try your hand at making this
recipe you can
click here. This weekend is a great time to come out and pick up
some
strawberries. French Prairie Gardens is having their Berries,
Brews and
Bar-b-que event. For $3 you can have a great time sampling,
enjoying
activities for the whole family and enjoying the farm
atmosphere. For more
information you can check out their website.
Tuesday Morning Dad's Day Gifts
Father's Day started in 1909 in Spokane, Washington and became a
national holiday in 1972. In the past 100 years it has become a
wonderful
time to remember and spend time with your dad. Still, good old
dad can be
one of the toughest people to buy a gift for. We met up with
Ross from
Tuesday Morning (503-699-8954) to check out some of his suggestions for gifts for
the dad in
your life. We started with a sport's theme. There are golf kits
which have
an assortment of golf items and even golf balls personalized
with their
favorite sports team. There is always jewelry too. We saw some
watches
that were beautiful and inexpensive. Some of the watches
normally start at
$400 and they were only $49. Another idea is a video camera;
they had a
portable one that can record up to one hour of footage on a hard
drive that
can be downloaded to your computer. Tools are another good idea.
Tuesday
Morning has a portable tool kit. This one had 147 pieces and was
under $20.
Other items included shower speakers, luggage, wallets and
binoculars. The
gift that really caught David's eye was the Bar-b-que grill for
less than
$100. Other cooking items included a cooking tray with a basting
brush and
selected sauces. There was so much more to choose from that we
were
overwhelmed. If you are looking for a gift, we are pretty sure
you can find
something at Tuesday Morning. They have 13 locations in Oregon
and SW
Washington.
Water Efficient
Toilets
One of the appliances that use the most water in your home is
the toilet. But you can help put a dent in your water usage with
a new high
efficiency toilet from
George Morlan Plumbing (503-224-7000). Dave Charvet
joined us to
show us the evolution of the water efficient toilet. If you have
an older
toilet you could be using up to 5 to 7 gallons of water per
flush. The
newer toilet can bring that amount down to 1.28 gallons per
flush; a big
difference in water and money savings. These toilets are
designed to use
the smaller amount of water and still get the job done. But that
isn't the
most efficient model available.
Toto Toilets has designed a dual-flush system
that uses a
smaller amount of water for liquid waste and a larger amount of
water for
solid waste. This type of toilet is so efficient that it is
rated as a
'Water Sense' appliance and that can qualify you for a lot of
rebates.
These new toilets can save you THOUSANDS of gallons over the
life of the
toilet! Check with your tax advisor and your local water
provider to see
what types of programs may apply. For answers to all your toilet
and
plumbing questions, stop by your local George Morlan location.
Foggy Windows
With the sun returning we are tending to look out our windows
more. The sunny days are a welcome break. Still while we are
checking out
the view we may notice that the view isn't as clear as it once
was. With
age even the best windows may get foggy. We stopped by
Champion
Windows
(503-624-2678) to
learn about what causes this problem and how to fix it. John
showed us how
the seal can fail on a sealed window and that will let in
moisture. The
moisture and dirt will discolor and fog the window over time.
John told us
that you can take the window to an expert and have it fixed, but
the cost
may be prohibitive. It may be more expensive than buying a new
window.
Getting a new replacement window is the best thing to do. You
will get a
better window that will probably be more energy efficient and
you could
apply for new tax credits or discounts. Check with the experts
at Champion
to get a clear view and more information.
Summer Camp Packing
With summer right around the corner it may be getting close to
camping time for your kids. For some, that means a lot of
excitement, for
others it just stirs up a lot of stress. How to get your kids
ready for
camping and keep your sanity can be hard to do. Dan from
The
Container
Store (503-620-5700) shared some tips that will make the whole process
easier. The
key is to have a plan and include your kids in the process. Make
a check
list of what you need to pack. Check with the camp to see what
they require
and forbid. If they don't have a list you can find one at The
Container
Store. The next thing, label! Label everything. From toiletries,
to
clothing you need to make sure things are labeled. Not only will
it help in
packing and identifying your stuff, it will also make sure that
all that
stuff makes it home too. Use either a laundry marker or a
P-Touch to make
sure you get everything. Make sure you include a laundry bag so
they can
have something for the dirty stuff or if the camp has a laundry
service.
Get a caddie to carry their toiletries to and from the bathroom.
A pair of
flip-flops are also a good idea in case they have to shower in a
'rustic'
bathroom. Include a notebook or diary so they can record their
thoughts and
memories, and include a folder with self addressed and stamped
envelopes so
they can drop you a note while they are away. Finally, where to
put all
this stuff? Dan recommends a trunk. A suitcase may not have
enough room
and a duffle is too soft and may not protect everything you
pack. A trunk,
either wood or waterproof plastic is the best solution. Just
make sure that
it can be locked and that your child loves it. If the thought of
packing
still has you stressed, you can get all the help you need at The
Container
Store.
Kitchen Water Savings
The kitchen, bathroom and laundry room are the areas where
people use the most water. We found that there are ways that you
can cut
your water use significantly. Jim from the
Regional Water
Providers
Consortium showed use how save water and money in the kitchen.
The first
thing he replaced was the aerator in the sink. The aerator adds
air to the
water flow and that can make your water taste better. It also
filters out
debris from the pipes and water system. By using a water
efficient aerator
you could save around a gallon a minute when you use your sink.
Jim's also
had a shut-off valve so you can save even more. Then we moved to
the
dishwasher. Some people believe that they can save water by
washing their
dishes by hand. But if you take longer than 4 or 5 minutes to do
your
dishes you are wasting water. A dishwasher can be much more
efficient than
washing by hand. Plus the newer models of dishwashers do a
better job of
washing dishes and getting them clean! For more water saving
tips, check
out the website,
www.conserveh2o.org. On the
website you will find more tips and a calendar that can tell you
when they
are having a water saving seminar in your area.
