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EPISODE #41- SATURDAY JUNE 19, 2010
Happy Father's Day
weekend. It is that time of year when we get to thank dad for
all that he does. For most households, dad is the go-to guy for
fix it projects and chores. Dad is there for all the home
projects big and small with a little muscle and a smile. So this
weekend, let him sit and relax. Instead of doing projects let
him watch the Fusion show and get some ideas for next
weekend!
Pea Soup
It is spring time and that means your vegetables will be
starting to ripen soon. One of the first crops of the season is
peas. Chef
David joined us again to share a recipe for pea soup that he had
put
together that includes peas (fresh or frozen will work, not
canned),
shallots, leeks and chicken stock. He added some butter and oil
to the pan.
Next went in the shallots and leeks, which were cooked until
soft then we
added the chicken stock and let that cook until it boiled. The
peas went
in next and once 5 minutes had passed we blended the mixture
until smooth
and then we put it in a bowl. We added mint oil and sour cream
and we were
done. If you are looking for a new and fresh taste of spring,
give this
recipe a try. Click here for the full recipe.
Wedding Gifts
June is the month for brides and weddings. In the United States
we have 2.3 million weddings in June and over 27,000 in Oregon
in 2009.
That is a lot of wedding gifts. But what do you get the blushing
bride and
her new husband. To get some ideas we stopped by
Tuesday Morning
(503-699-8954) and
visited with Ross Manning. He told us that the average
expenditure for a
wedding gift is between $70 and $100, nationally. He brought out
a bunch of
gifts that were under $70. We started with the Mikasa and Lauren
glasses,
crystal bowls and platters. There was a Champaign bucket and
flutes, and
silver picture frames. We also saw some things for the dinner
table. There
were some cool napkin rings shaped like diamond rings, a full
set of coffee,
tea and serving dishes, and silver serving utensils. We finished
with the 2
big ticket items. We had the lovely set of luggage and the wine
refrigerator. It gave us a ton of ideas for gifts. If you are
looking for
these or other great ideas you can stop by one of the 13
different Tuesday
Morning stores around Oregon and SW Washington.
Saving
Water in the Bathroom
The one area in the home that uses the most water, and some
would say energy as well, is the bathroom. We met with Jim from
the Regional Water Providers Consortium to learn some tips for
reducing your water usage and save money in the process. First
we started at the sink. You can save over half the amount of
water in the sink by replacing the aerator with an energy
efficient one. It simply cuts the flow and adds more 'air' to
the water. Most people hardly notice the difference. Another way
to save water is to shut if off when you are not using it!
We then moved to the toilet, the biggest water user in your
house. About one third of your water usage for your entire home
is from the use of the toilet. The biggest waste here is from
toilet leaks. Mainly the leaks occur within the toilet itself.
You can test for leaks in your toilet by using dye tablets.
Simply drop some dye tablets (food coloring will work as well)
in the tank of your toilet and after about 30 minutes you can
check the bowl for colored water. If you see coloring, you have
a leak. If you do have a leak you will want to check the seal of
the rubber flapper to make sure it doesn't need replacing.
Another way to save water is to add a new type of 'brick' to the
toilet. Jim showed us a toilet bag that you can fill with water
to displace space in the tank and that will save you water as
well. A 'toilet tank diverter' also helps. This small device
helps fill your tank up faster and allows less water to run into
the bowl. These are just a few of the water saving tips that you
will find at the RWPC website,
www.conserveh2o.org.
Indoor Painting Supplies
If you are looking to change the paint color in your home, your
job will be a lot easier if you do the right prep work before
you get
started. Chris from
Parr Lumber (503-531-7277) pulled together some of the supplies that you will
need to do
the job right the first time. First you will need a drop cloth.
This will
protect your furniture and your flooring from paint damage. Next
we saw the
painting tape. Painting tape is special because it will protect
your edges
(and the paint won't run) and it is easy to remove and won't
damage the
wall. You will also need a couple of different paint brushes.
There are a
lot of different brushes out there and you can pick from many
different
styles of brush. Chris recommends a large bristle brush for big
areas (you
can use a roller too), and a smaller brush for painting fine
edges and tight
corners. You can also get small disposable foam brushes that
will work
great too. He also showed us the 'Shur-Line' painting tool. This
gadget
will allow you to paint against molding quickly and easily. You
will also
need gloves and a paint bucket or tray. Just these few tools and
you are on
your way to a quick and easy job of painting.
Organic Bedding
Organic products are hot! People are looking to help the planet
and be good stewards of the earth. This need to be green also
applies to
products in the bedroom. We paid a visit to
Eclectic Home
(503-224-0551) in NW
Portland to learn about organic pillows and talked to Dennis
Rose to learn
how to find the best organic products. The first thing Dennis
did was to
set us straight on the reasons for buying organic. You should
look for
comfort before you look for sustainability. Don't just go into
the store
and squeeze the pillows, think about your body type and what
would work well
for your frame. Also, with organic pillows, think about the
material.
Pillows are made of wool, buckwheat and cotton among other
materials that
could help with your allergies and sensitivities. Dennis then
had David
take a pillow to one of their beds to try it out. Once David was
in his
normal sleeping position Dennis was able to see that the pillow
didn't help
put his body in alignment. Once again proving Dennis's point
comfort first
and then sustainability and at Eclectic Home you can get both.
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