Mac vs. PC

Right in the middle of all the chaos of moving, my computer crashed hard. Luckily I have a little netbook, which I’ve been using ever since. Although great for vacations, the netbook is not a great full-time computer. What a nuisance. That particular Dell laptop had originally crashed after only six months of use. I had set it aside and gotten another one. The second laptop crashed while I was on the farm so I pulled out the original one, re-formatted it and started using it again; six months later, another hard crash. After many years of owning Dells, I decided I wasn’t getting another one but where to go now?

Although I’ve always had PCs, I’d been contemplating getting a Mac for a long time. They are significantly more expensive than their PC counterparts but oh the mystique. Aren’t Macs just cooler than PCs? Their recent series of clever commercials certainly seems to suggest so. Being a gadget person, I was always curious. One of the networks I used to administer was about half Mac/half PC so I had a little experience with them but not enough to be able to judge. Were they really better? At this point better, or at least more dependable was something in which I was ready to invest.

I started doing my research and was amused to discover the firestorm raging between Mac and PC people. It turns out this is a very controversial and acrimonious topic! People do love to get worked up. I also read a lot of reviews and they were all positive on the subject of the new-ish 13" MacBook Pro, including one, which called it a nearly perfect laptop. That sounded pretty good to me.

I emailed a couple of friends who are stalwart Mac people including one who has worked for Apple for a long time. I got some good advice and decided to bite the bullet. My new toy should be here tomorrow and I’m all atwitter with excitement. I hope I love it as much as the Mac people say I will. I hope the switch isn’t so overwhelmingly frustrating that I regret my choice. At nearly twice the price of a comparable PC laptop, that would be unfortunate.

I don’t know what’s going on over at Dell but they certainly are to blame for driving me to the dark side. Plus there are those cookies…. (When do you get those exactly?).

I’ll let you know what I think. In the meantime, what about you? Are you a Mac person or a PC person? (Dare I ask?)

Weekly Wednesday 3.31.10

My Weekly Wednesday over at Make It From Scratch is a Spicy Stir-fried Broccoli with Tomato-Chickpea Ragout. Check it out!

Make It From Scratch - Going Home Edition

This is the final roving edition of the Make It From Scratch Carnival. Starting next week it will be appearing exclusively on its home blog at Make It From Scratch where you can find all sorts of good information, recipes and projects everyday and the carnival every Tuesday. In honor of that momentous change, I'm dubbing this the "going home" edition of the carnival and illustrating it with some interesting houses. I hope you enjoy them and all the articles featured here.

She had so many children, Mother Hubbard must have made a lot of bread. I hope she had Nerd Family Food's recipe for Buttery Rolls. These look delicious!

If she had given her kids Family Balance Sheet's brownies with homemade whipped cream for dessert I bet they would have done anything she asked!

As an alternative, she might try this mixed berry cobbler from right here at SimplyForties. It's an easy dessert to throw together!

I think you'd need some good skills to have a built a house like this one! The Smarter Wallet wants us to develop skills for managing our life so we can save money. That's something we can all use!

Imagine this bowl-shaped house filled with gluten-free lemon pasta. Beautiful and healthy, I'm sure this dish has a lovely fresh flavor. Thanks to Natural Health eZine for sharing it!

Clearly this architect has a thing for circles. I bet he'd love to make easy onion rings from The Backyard Grower.

Can you imagine flying one of Model Aviation's Boomerang model paper airplanes out of one of the upper windows of this building? I'd love to see that flight!

Speaking of windows, there are a lot of them in this building. Laura Williams has a great tip for making inexpensive curtains. Her's only cost $1! Laura also sent me the picture of the spaceship house. Thanks Laura!

I think if you built a house like this one you could probably fashion some furniture to go in it with no trouble at all. The Digerati Life thinks making furniture is a great way to save money. Can you picture your house furnished with Federal Express boxes?

Somehow I don't see anything as cute as Hot Polka Dot's "Beater Licking Good" Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting in this weird house but I bet they'd love them if they got the chance!



Isn't this house Easter-colored? Recycle Cindy has a cute and timely crocheted Easter basket. If I still had young children, I'd be whipping up a few of these!

Refreshing Design has a cute idea for decorating a nursery. This is a great idea that easily grows with the child. I think it would be right at home in this colorful house.

I think this house needs something fluffy and white to smooth out its sharp edges. How about some mashed cauliflower? Two Southern Girls promises that "cauliflower can be delicious". I don't need any prompting, I love cauliflower and if disguising it as mashed potatoes makes more people give it a try, more power to them!

As cool looking as this house, The Conscious Shopper's Kale Chips sound delicious and nutritious. I love kale and I'm going to give these a try.

That's it! Another great week at the Make It From Scratch carnival. Be sure and show the authors some love by visiting and commenting upon their articles and advertising the carnival on Twitter, Facebook and whatever other social media networks you enjoy.

Remember, as of next week the carnival will be stationary at its home site, Make It From Scratch. Encourage your blogging buddies to submit their recipes and projects along with your own!

Mixed Berry Cobbler

Does anything say spring like a cobbler? You can make this easy cobbler with either fresh or frozen fruit. I defy anyone not to love this one!

Filling:

6 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and /or strawberries)

¾ cup sweet fruit wine, such as blackberry or cherry – I use Arbor Mist Blackberry ($4!)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

1 ¾ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans – I excluded these by popular demand (not mine!)
¾ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350º F. Place berries in 8-inch square baking dish; add wine and vanilla. Sprinkle with sugar, tapioca and cinnamon (no need to stir).

2. In large bowl; stir together all topping ingredients; sprinkle over fruit. Pat down gently.

3. Bake 1 hour or until top is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.

8 servings

Heated Mattress Pads - A Favorite Thing

Now that it's spring, at least here in the South, it seems an odd time to gush over sleeping with heat, but a heated mattress pad is the most wonderful invention ever and if you don't have one, you should remedy that situation!

Okay, so you have an electric blanket. It's not the same! Heated mattress pads are glorious. Queen and King-sized ones come with two sets of controls so you can adjust your side of the bed separately from your partner's. They stay right in place and don't slide off like an electric blanket can. I can't explain it but the heat is just more focussed and more fabulous with a heated mattress pad.

I turn mine on about an hour before I go to bed and turn it off just as I slide in. I'm sure everyone in the country can hear my sighes of contentment when my cold feet encounter all that toasty warmth. It's the most delicious feeling.

Heated mattress pads are available in the bedding department of many stores like Walmart, Target and KMart and a queen-sized one runs around $70 - $80. Now that it's spring, you might be able to get one on sale and have it ready to go for next fall. The first time you use it, you'll be thanking me!

Going Mobile!

I’m off the farm! After a tough week of painting, sorting, packing and seeing to a myriad of last minute details and thanks to the help of my mother, I said goodbye to southwestern Virginia on Tuesday afternoon. My exceptional neighbors came over to help me load up my little 5’ x 8’ UHaul trailer and, after a full day, my mother and I headed down the highway to Charlotte, North Carolina, where we spent the night before her flight out Wednesday morning. I’m sure she was exhausted and ready to be home!

I drove on to Georgia Wednesday morning, stopping at my newly rented storage unit to unload. Putting all my remaining possessions in storage made me feel more homeless than I have since I sold my house in Texas. I’ll be staying with my younger sister for a week or so here. Saturday I’m taking one of my nephews and making a dash over to Oxford, Mississippi to see my son in his final college play. He’s got the lead in The Adding Machine, which is a very different sort of story, and we’re anxious to see it. Graduation is in May, at which time he’ll be ending (knock wood) his career as a college student and hopefully joining the ranks of the employed. I’m looking forward to spending the weekend with him and meeting his new girlfriend.

My sister is heading to Nicaragua with her church group on Easter Sunday and I’m going down to Florida for a week with my parents. The weather should be beautiful and I’m looking forward to a nice visit. After that I’ll have a week with my younger brother’s family north of Atlanta before heading to my next housesitting assignment in Tennessee.

I have to admit on my last morning on the farm, when I went up to let the birds out of their coops, I was a little sad. I really enjoyed my time there and made some good friends, who were sorry to see me go. I love having chickens and that’s certainly over for the foreseeable future. I hate that I didn’t get to accomplish all I’d hoped at the farm. I don’t like leaving jobs unfinished and, even though I have the good excuse of departing five months earlier than expected, I found it unsettling to walk away.

Tennessee will be a complete change of pace. Although the town to which I’m moving is a small one, I’ll be right in it. After eight months of semi-isolation, that’ll take some adjusting! I’m looking forward to having some different sorts of opportunities and adventures. I’ll be just outside Knoxville, which I understand is a fairly small city but larger than any city I’ve lived near in more than thirty years so I’m expecting some fun opportunities to come my way. I suspect east Tennessee will be a beautiful place to spend the spring and summer!

Weekly Wednesday at Make It From Scratch

I loaded up and left the farm yesterday and traveled as far as Charlotte. My mom is flying out this morning and I'm driving with my trailer on down to Georgia. Things are a little crazy right now but head on over to Make It From Scratch to see my great recipe for caponata!

Back to regular posting soon!

Petit Roasted Vegetable Charlottes

(This dish looks a lot better in person!)

I'm moving on Tuesday and in the midst of all the packing and general bedlam, posting is going to be a bit sparse for a few days but I didn't want to skip a Sunday recipe!

This Emeril recipe makes a lovely side dish for company or maybe just when you feel like having a little fun in the kitchen. Give it a try, you'll be pleased with the result.

Serves 6

2 medium zucchini
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if necessary
Salt Freshly ground black pepper
1 small eggplant, cut into eight 1/3-inch thick slices
4 ounces mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, oregano and parsley
1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, plus 2 tablespoons of their oil
Tomato Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Preheat the broiler to 500 degrees F.

Cut each zucchini diagonally into slices about 1/4-inch thick and about 2 1/2 inches long. Transfer the slices to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each slice with a little of the olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste. Position the oven rack about 6-inches away from the flame and broil the zucchini slices for about 4 minutes, or until slices appear shriveled and golden brown in spots. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Repeat the above procedure with the eggplant slices, brushing with olive oil and seasoning lightly with salt and pepper as before. Broil until slices soften and are golden brown in spots, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

In a small bowl combine the goat cheese with the cream, 1 teaspoon of the garlic and the fresh herbs and stir to thoroughly combine.

Combine the sun-dried tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the packing oil and the remaining teaspoon of garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Decrease the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Lightly brush the insides of 6 (1/2-cup) ramekins with some of the remaining olive oil and line the bottoms and sides of the ramekins with 8 to 10 zucchini slices, in pinwheel fashion and with slices slightly overlapping one another. Place 1 slice of eggplant on top of the zucchini slices in the bottom of each ramekin.

Divide the goat cheese mixture among the ramekins, using the back of a spoon to press down and smooth the tops. Divide the sundried tomato puree evenly among the ramekins, again using the back of a spoon to evenly distribute the puree over the goat cheese. Divide the remaining eggplant slices among the ramekins and press down firmly to pack contents. Place the ramekins on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until just heated through.

Make the Tomato Vinaigrette while charlottes are heating.

Unmold the charlottes onto plates and spoon some of the Tomato Vinaigrette around them.

Tomato Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
3/4 pound very ripe tomatoes, such as roma or vine ripened, peeled, seeded and diced

In a mixing bowl combine the vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk together. While continuing to whisk, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until combined and slightly emulsified. Stir in the basil, oregano and diced tomatoes and serve immediately.
Yield: about 1 cup

Town Day!

My nice mom came up yesterday to help me finish some remaining tasks, get packed and get off the farm. I went down to Charlotte, N.C., to collect her from the airport and, taking advantage of being in the big city, decided to go to a yarn store to indulge my new found love of knitting. I found Charlotte Yarn. Warm and welcoming, the walls were stacked high with the most beautiful yarns, just begging to be fondled. Fantastic hats, sweaters, shawls and scarves, knit by the staff, topped the displays. I was looking for price tags but unfortunately, none of the items were for sale.

A group of women were gathered in a cozy sitting area, knitting and chatting. My mom and I wandered around admiring the myriad colors and textures of yarn. The two workers asked if we needed anything and then left us alone. Once I had circumnavigated the room and narrowed down my selections I looked over and one of them quickly came to my assistance. I asked her advice and soon had my choices made. They gave me a free hat pattern, a hat being my next endeavor, and using an interesting apparatus, wound my yarn into balls. What a timesaver!

Walking into my very first yarn store, my previous yarn purchase having been made at Walmart, left me looking forward to finding a similar place in the Knoxville area where I can become one of those women in the knitting circle.

When I knew I was going to Charlotte, I asked my Twitter followers for lunch recommendations and @RhiBowman replied with Amelie’s French Bakery . What a find! Funky, eclectic décor, delicious soups, sandwiches and baked goods, we knew we’d come to the right place as soon as we walked in the door. We had a good lunch of spinach and asiago tartine, Portobello and onion tartine and a truly inspiring asparagus soup, the owner’s grandmother’s recipe. Thanks @RhiBowman, for the great suggestion. Twitter's an amazing thing, isn't it?

Longing sideways glances at my new yarn notwithstanding, I'm resisting the urge to knit. The packing begins!

Rumination on Shoes

We are all familiar with the old maxim, “clothes make the man”. If clothes make the man, do shoes make the woman? Do the shoes that you wear change the way that you feel about yourself on any given day?


I work from home and, in the winter, spend most of my time in bedroom slippers. It doesn’t matter what clothes you wear, there is nothing that makes you feel more slovenly than wearing bedroom slippers all day. I shuffle around the house in my slippers and I feel like an old, agoraphobic cat lady.



Winter or summer, it’s always wet here on the farm and frankly, with all the free-range poultry running around, there is a lot of bird poop to avoid! When I’m outside I always wear Wellies. Wearing my Wellies makes me feel like doing manual labor. I feel like I can do anything out there in my Wellies. They’re comfortable and when I slip them on, I’m ready to get to work!



Wearing clean, white tennis shoes makes me feel practical. I feel like running errands, cleaning house; organizing everything. In my sneakers I feel energized.

Flip flops, even cute ones, make me feel sloppy. When I have them on I constantly question whether they are age appropriate. I have several pairs in fun colors and patterns but unless I’m on the beach, I never feel quite right in them.


Dressy flats make me feel cute, as opposed to beautiful; perky and sometimes stylish.



High heels make me feel beautiful and confident. They make me feel powerful. I’m very comfortable in heels and have worn them frequently for a good part of my life. Lately my lifestyle hasn’t afforded me much opportunity for wearing heels and strangely enough, I think it’s affecting my self-esteem. I’m looking forward to moving into town and getting back up on my heels again!

How do different shoes affect the way you feel about yourself? Have you settled into what’s comfortable or do you mix it up?

Watching TV on the Computer?

I admit it, I’m a big television watcher. When I moved to the farm I made sure my DISH network would be up and running by the time I got here. When I arranged my phone service, the phone company offered to bundle my DISH service in with my phone service for a savings of $5 a month if I would sign a one year contract. I thought I’d be here that long and couldn’t see a downside so I signed up and then promptly forgot about the whole thing.

Fast forward to the present. I’m making arrangements to leave the farm after just over seven months and was calling around to cut off utilities and tie up loose ends. When I called the phone company they reminded me about my one year contract, which would cost $99 to break. Evidently there’s a loophole where you can assign responsibility over to the incoming resident. I contacted the farm owners and they agreed to take over the phone. The next step was to unbundle my DISH service and arrange to have it discontinued on my leave date. The phone company finished up with me and transferred me over to their DISH desk.

After arranging to have the television service discontinued on the 22nd and establishing where they were to send the box so I could ship my DVR back to them, I rang off, happy to have everything taken care of. A couple of days later the farm owner emailed to say he’d called the phone company and picked up the service. Another thing checked off my list! That evening I sat down to watch some TV and lo and behold, almost all my channels were gone! All I had left were shopping channels, pay-per-view channels and, interestingly, the STYLE network. I have nothing against the STYLE network but not 24/7!

I thought about calling the phone company and/or DISH and then realized that I have so few days left here, it really wasn’t worth the trouble. Although I’d been busily watching all the programs I had recorded on my DVR in preparation for returning it, I still had a few left. I also had about a dozen DVDs. My mom would be arriving in a few days and I knew we wouldn’t be watching so much television as I normally do so I felt like we would be okay for evening programming.

The only remaining problem was missing my shows! How could I miss the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy? What if I missed the latest heartbreak on Private Practice? How could I survive without knowing which designer got kicked off of Project Runway next? I’ll be at one of my sister’s houses in a couple of weeks so I called her and asked her to save those programs for me on her DVR. She had already erased this week’s episodes of some of my shows and she reminded me that many of them are available online.

I went straight to ABC’s website and watched full episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. What do you know?! It wasn’t bad at all. Then I remembered all those funny Hulu commercials and went over there. I was amazed at all the programming that is available. Now that I’m knitting in the evenings instead of playing on the computer it’s easy to watch TV on the computer instead. Yesterday evening I knit and watched several episodes of Caprica, a SYFY channel show I’d been meaning to check out.

I know a few people who only watch television on their computers and I never quite got it. Now I do! If I weren’t moving, I’d cancel my DISH anyway, hook a laptop up to my television and just watch that way. Whenever I’m in my own home again, I intend to do just that! What a great way to save some money.

Have you ever watched television on your computer? Have you cancelled your service in favor of watching on the computer? How is that working for you? What are the downsides? Obviously you need a high speed internet connection for it to be worthwhile, but I already have that. I’m impressed!

Braised Pork with Orange Sauce

If you've been following me for any time at all you know that, where cooking is concerned, simple is not my priority. But all I can think about these days is finishing what I still have to do here, getting packed up and leaving the farm. I'm so busy that simple is getting a lot more important where dinner is concerned. Braising is a good "set it and forget it" way to produce a delicious dinner. You could do this recipe in a big crockpot to make it even easier! Don't need quite this much food? This one's easy to halve.

6 lb pork butt
1 gallon orange juice
6oz ginger – sliced
15 cloves of garlic
8oz soy sauce
2 cinnamon sticks
2pc star anise
1 gallon chicken stock
1lb brown sugar
2 white onions
6oz vegetable oil
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan sear seasoned pork on all sides. Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add pork and reduce to a simmer. Cook until pork is tender about 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Skim off the fat from the sauce. Slice Thinly.

Add a bag salad and some fruit and you've got a good, quick, healthy dinner!

Link Love 3.11.10

In the midst of my packing, moving and knitting frenzy I didn't have too much time to read but here are a few recommendations for you:

Souffle Bombay has a fantastic story. You have to read it. It's amazing what the universe gives back when we put ourselves out there! Do you cook with kids? You need to get her cookbook - Cooking With Pictures. What a great gift idea!

There's a nice guest post up over at My Super Charged Life called Simply Being Nice Will Help Your Business. I was so glad to see it!

Is this you? I know it's me. Women at Forty has a post by Esther Kane about Eating Things You Don't Want. She's not talking about forcing yourself to eat leafy green vegetables, she's talking about snacking. She's talking about unconscious eating. My biggest food issue by far!

I'm including Cat Tales for my two cat-loving sisters. You have to read this one, I think you can relate!

Weekly Wednesday 3.10.10

My Weekly Wednesday is up over at Make It From Scratch. It's about cooking skills and using your hands or using machines. Is it important to be able to do it by hand before you do it with a machine? Read the article and let me know what you think.

Cooking Skills - Hands vs. Machines

I've got a recipe for handmade mayonnaise over there too. Have you ever made your own mayonnaise? It makes you wonder how they can call the stuff in the jar at the grocery store by the same name!

The Zen of Knitting

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know that I recently started knitting. I find it difficult to just sit in front of the television in the evening without doing something else at the same time. Normally I sit there with my laptop and read emails, play on Facebook, write blog posts or Google various things. I've been getting antsy lately and for some reason, just really wanted to knit. So I went out and bought some needles and some yarn, Googled "beginner knitting patterns" and I was off. I knit all that afternoon and into the evening. I picked it back up the next morning and literally knit all day, only stopping to eat. I forced myself not to pick it up the next day and get some work done instead. Every day since then I've had to fight against a strong urge to knit, allowing myself only to pick it up after dark. Throughout my life I've done a lot of the needle arts. Crocheting, needlepoint, cross stitch, embroidery, sewing, quilting, you name it I've done it. Now I can add knitting to that list.

No longer the baliwick of old ladies in rocking chairs, knitting has become hugely popular across the country these days with all ages and, surprisingly, genders. That's right, even men are knitting. Google the reason and you'll get everything from hard times to being influenced by celebrity knitters like Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe. There's just something about knitting. It's peaceful and calming. Knitting engages the hands and the mind. Time passes happily while knitting along and before you know it, hours have gone by.

I'm moving in just two short weeks and I don't have hours to spend knitting but I think that's why I'm doing it. I have so much to do that it's overwhelming me, making me just a little bit crazy. I have so much to do that I'm having a hard time getting started. Are you ever so overwhelmed by the amount you have to complete that you can't do anything? That's kind of how I feel right now. Knitting brings me some peace and calm in the very hectic place I inhabit at the moment. I have a yearning to be a spinster aunt in my tower rooms, rocking and knitting the day away and being content. Unfortunately no one in my family has a tower in which to install me and I think in reality I'd get pretty tired of it after awhile but that's where my head is these days!

Back in Texas I have a good girlfriend who is a big knitter. She lives a very hectic life, always running here and there, solving problems and dealing with family issues while at the same time trying to get her older home remodeled and livable. Sometimes she would be in residence and I wouldn’t see her all day. I’d ask her what she’d been doing and she’d say, sheepishly, that she’d been knitting.

If hard times have people knitting, I’m not so sure it’s because we can’t afford scarves and sweaters. Maybe it’s because hard times bring stress and knitting is a way to deal with that stress.

I've Googled knitting in Knoxville and find there are several good yarn shops in the area that sponsor various group knitting evenings so my new hobby may help me make some acquaintances once I get settled.

Unfortunately, ready or not, I'm out of here two weeks from yesterday so I've got to stop knitting and get busy.

Do you knit? I’d love to know what knitting means to you. Is it your port in the storm like it is becoming mine?

Carnival of Personal Finance - Women in History Edition

I try not to schedule more than one carnival in any given month. Somehow I've got three this month! Guess I need to keep a closer eye on my calendar! Last week's Carnival of Money Stories featured five important women in a celebration of Women's History Month. I'm continuing the theme on this week's carnival because it was hard to choose only five and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to recognize a few more.


When life is too easy for us, we must beware or we may not be ready to meet the blows which sooner or later come to everyone, rich or poor. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Are you self-employed and wondering about your retirement? Science and Money explains some of your retirement savings possibilities. That's some advice I can use!

Don't understand investing? Provident Planning, as part of a series on investing basics, is explaining securities.

Curious about dividend growth? The Dividend Growth Investor explains the ten year dividend growth requirement.

WealthPilgrim is showing us how to know if we're saving enough for retirement. I'm trying not to think about it!

Dividend Value is explaining investing in Utilities. This is part one of what will be an ongoing educational series.

GenY has all the answers. Want to know how to retire early? Give it a read. I'm glad someone has it all figured out!

The Oblivious Investor says he's a microcap growth stock. He also says my human capital is decreasing. Alrighty then...

Are you a hiker? CanadianFinanceBlog relates some financial lessons learned from hiking.


Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. - Helen Keller

Are you working on your budget? Miss Bankruptcy is wondering how to figure in unexpected expenses, which throw her off.

Still not sure how to set up a debt elimination plan? My Debt Relief Options spells it out.

Not so sure I agree with some of his conclusions but Studenomics is taking a look at following your passions to making lots of money.

The Financial Student wants other young people to grow up and start making their own decisions regarding their financial future.

Magical Penny is also talking to young people about a concept called consumption smoothing. Hmm...I think I get it.

As April 15th draws ever nearer, The Consumer Boomer is reminding us to make our IRA Contributions for 2009.

Are you considering taking a loan from your 401K? Read Darwin's Finance post on this subject.


“The only thing that separates successful people from the ones who aren't is the willingness to work very, very hard.” - Helen Gurley Brown

Are you wondering about using a financial adviser? Personal Finance Journey shares 5 lessons from her encounter with a financial adviser. It's an excellent article.

Modern Gal reminds us how important it is to continually learn new skills and gives us some pointers on how to do it!

Would you like to branch out? Four Pillars explains how to start an online business.

Balance Junkie shares 5 Financial Toxins and Antidotes. This advice is good for many areas of our lives.

Budgets are Sexy has a great conversation going on in the comments section of his article on what if the unemployed worked for their unemployment checks. If only it was that easy!

BrokeFamily is considering couponing vs. getting a part-time job. Sounds like she has a part-time job already!

With a nifty little arts and crafts project Fiscal Geek explains how to make a paper budget for your pocket. Neat!

Early Retirement the Middle Way has been talking the talk, now she's going to have to see if she can walk the walk. In a scary turn of events, her husband has been laid off. Their plan is in place, I hope they can make it work.

Do you tack on warranties for your various purchases? The Obsessed Analytic isn't so sure you should and takes a look at the subject.


“Economy, prudence, and a simple life are the sure masters of need, and will often accomplish that which, their opposites, with a fortune at hand, will fail to do.” - Clara Barton

Did you catch WiseBread's article on Job Search Romance? A Gai Shan Life did and she's still laughing about it and asking, "Is it a bad romance?".

Trying to simplify your financial life? One Money Design has 10 ways to go about it. Maybe some of these ideas will work for you.

This is interesting. Jeremy Simon from Taking Charge is sharing a little financial snafu he's going through. There are some good "take heed" lessons here about reading the fine print.

In another article that highlights the importance of knowing everything about all your financial accounts, Personal Finance Ninja is teaching from personal experience with his step-by-step directions on how to get a bank fee waived.

With yet another personal error experienced and shared, Good Financial Cents explains what happens when you let your life insurance policy lapse.

Money Beagle is wondering whether or not it's okay to use a coupon on a date. As long as it's not a first date, I think it's probably okay!

Are you dreaming of spring? Money Strands is suggesting a little financial spring cleaning.

Bargaineering was having a conversation with a friend about protecting yourself against zombie attacks and, um, came up with the best places to hide money at home. Zombies notwithstanding, it's probably a good idea to have a little cash around the place against emergencies.


The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it. - Pearl S. Buck

In a rather cynical post Realm of Prosperity is pondering the truth behind "free".

Are you planning a trip overseas? Foreigner's Finances has some tips on how to travel internationally with credit cards.

Christian PF has some ways to save while shopping. We can all use that kind of information!

Can't get your credit card debt under control? In an ever popular numbered list, Not Made of Money has a list of 47 ways to save money and get the cash you need to pay off your credit card debt. Maybe you can find some that will help you!

Free Money Finance reminds us to save more and spend less. So simple it shouldn't need repeating. I guess if everyone got it we wouldn't have so many PF bloggers!

Trying to lead by example, CashMoneyLife explains how they manage money in their house.

Hopefully you'll do your taxes right the first time but if not My Dollar Plan has some good information on how to file an amended return. Better bookmark it!



"...decide...whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying...." - Amelia Earhart

Who doesn't love those FreeCreditReport.com commercials? Mr Credit Card is reviewing the service and isn't so in love with their product.

Are you considering a pre-paid credit card? Prepaid Credit Cards 123 reviews the YAP Mastercard to help you make up your mind.

Credit Card Offers IQ reviews the Mango Prepaid MasterCard to give you another option.

Are you a Dave Ramsey fan? The Smarter Wallet is taking a look at The Total Money Makeover and rethinking the value of credit cards.

Interested in an interest bearing checking account? The Sun's Financial Diary is reviewing a bunch of them.

How about investment brokers? The Digerati Life is checking out the options for mutual fund investing.

That's it folks. If your article was included, be sure and link back to the carnival from your site. Please help advertise the carnival by promoting it through whatever social networking sites you frequent. More traffic to the carnival helps us all.

Next week's Carnival of Personal Finance will be hosted by Being Frugal. Articles should be submitted here.

Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese

This week's Sunday recipe is a tasty way to get some greens into your diet. Use a whole-wheat pasta to make it even healthier. This spicy, hearty dish is perfect for those of us still struggling with cold winter temperatures!



1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (about 14 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chard and saute until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the chard mixture and toss to combine.

Transfer the pasta to serving bowls. Sprinkle the olives, cheese, and pine nuts and serve.

Serves 4

My Weekly Wednesday post over at Make It From Scratch this week is going to be all about culinary skills. I'm wondering which ones we should be able to do by hand and when it is okay to go straight to the machines.

Morningstar Grillers Prime - A Favorite Thing

The search for the perfect (or at least acceptable) veggie burger is one fraught with, well, bad tastes and freakish textures. I've experimented with making my own and, although they tasted alright, they weren't burger-like.

I've tried Dr. Praeger's California burgers and found them, like my own, not horrible but bearing no resemblance to a burger. Boca burgers are the easiest for me to find and I've eaten a lot of them but they aren't exactly right either. Finally I stumbled upon Morningstar's Grillers Prime (strange name, why don't they call them Prime Grillers?) and find they fill the bill admirably. They have a good flavor and a good texture. I usually eat them on an Orowheat Sandwich Thin roll with some spinach and homemade mayonnaise.

I don't eat a lot of processed foods, much preferring to cook, but sometimes I need a quick meal and these burgers, which take about 6 minutes to cook, make a tasty meal. I also eat very little meat but sometimes I have a craving and these seems to fill it.

A box of Morningstar Grillers Prime contains four burgers and I can usually get them at the local Food Lion for $3.00 a box. Not nearly as cheap as making your own but, at 0.75 a piece, not nearly as expensive as a run to the local fast food joint for a burger.

I'd love to know what veggie burgers you've tried and which ones you liked (if any!).

I'm using my Saturday slot to share with you some things I really like. These are not going to be solicited reviews and I don't have a giveaway. It's just stuff I like, use and want to tell you about.

Link Love 3.4.10

How can it possibly be March?

I did get a little web reading done this week. Here are some articles I particularly liked -

Big Little Wolf has a date and she's a little anxious! It's funny, we no matter how much we want them, those first dates are a little scary!

It's winter, you should be roasting vegetables! Frugal Scholar is and reminds us that roasting makes a lot of things taste better!

Jeff at My Super-Charged Life has an excellent article on living below your means. He's got some good questions we should all be asking ourselves.

There is a belief swirling around out there that only the well-off can afford to eat well. That really makes me unhappy. Scordo wrote an excellent article this week, On the Myth of Equating Poor Eating Habits with Economic Class and Spending Power. His take - not true. I agree!

On that same vein, check out Grace's $25 a week grocery challenge. Her month is about up. Her conclusion? On $25 a week she was able to buy healthy, whole, unprocessed foods and stick to her budget. Bravo!

Tea Leaves has a very thought provoking post called, "What I think is true". It's her reflections on new beginnings.

Spring is Coming (Even Though It Doesn't Look Like It Right Now)

This month's Stadler Nursery post is about digging out from winter and making plans for the coming spring!

This time of year most garden writers are penning stories about the arrival of spring, the crocuses, the early daffodils and the robins appearing in the garden. Here in the Mid-Atlantic this year, it’s still all about the snow. A fair amount of our unprecedented 52” of snow that fell in early February is still around. Any part of the garden that is shady still has more than a foot of snow on the ground while areas that receive some sun are starting to show some exposed, waterlogged patches of soil. The heavy wet snow and high winds broke branches and knocked over trees. Small shrubs are smashed flat under the snow and haven’t seen the light of day in nearly four weeks. It’s going to be an interesting year in the gardens around here.

While I am saddened by the loss of a couple of favorites in my own garden and a bit overwhelmed by the thought of all the work ahead of me this spring, I am choosing to look at this event as an opportunity to make some overdue changes in my garden. I’m looking forward to planting a few new things that I didn’t have room for before.

One plant I am definitely going to find a place for is a new dwarf form of the very popular Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ called ‘Little Lime’. I’ve had to admire Limelight from afar because at 10-12’ tall and wide, it is just too big for my small urban garden. Little Lime produces the same huge beautiful lime green to cream flowers on a plant just one-third the size. It will give me color from midsummer until well into the fall.


Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lime’

Another shrub I am considering is Exochorda, or Pearl-Bush. Growing only 3-4’ tall and wide, it is covered in pure white blooms in the spring. Pearl-bush is an old-fashioned favorite that is making a comeback in today’s gardens.


Exochorda

My garden has a lot of perennials, some of which have taken it upon themselves to take over ever larger areas of the garden. While I am out there cutting back broken things and digging up dead things, I plan to dig up some of those too.

This will make room for some new perennials coming on the market. I am a big fan of Coneflowers (Echinacea) and there are some great new colors coming out that I’d like to try, like Flame Thrower, Tomato Soup and Mac N Cheese. Their bright hot colors will look great on a summer day. They are long-blooming and make great cut flowers too.


Echinacea ‘Flame Thrower’

February is always a dreary month that seems to go on forever even though it is the shortest month of the year, but with all the snow this year it was even more so. I’m tired of looking out the window at all the mounds of dirty snow everywhere. Planning the changes and additions to my garden has been a fun diversion and I’m anxious to get started! How about you? What new plans do you have for your garden this year?

Cheryl lives with her husband and their three cats in a 100-year-old house in the beautiful state of Maryland. She has a degree in horticulture from the University of Maryland and has been the manager of Stadler Nurseries in Maryland and Virginia for over 20 years. Become a fan of Stadler Nurseries on Facebook to find out what's going on in the garden world!

My first Weekly Wednesday post is up over at Make It From Scratch! This one's a frittata, sort of...check it out!

Third Party Warranties

I spent Christmas with my younger sister this year. In addition to her husband, she has two sons, ages 11 and 13. Like a lot of households in that demographic, several electronic gifts were opened on Christmas morning.

My sister, who is meticulous in her research, was interested in finding the best deal she could on warranties for the high-priced equipment that would soon be in the hands of her rambunctious offspring. She found a company called Square Trade. Numerous excellent reviews in hand, she decided to take the plunge.

She was able to purchase inexpensive warranties for a DVD player, a Nintendo Wii, an iPod Touch and a digital camera. In all cases she was able to get coverage well under the cost that the individual manufacturers were offering.

Shortly after purchasing my Kindle, I received an email from Amazon urging me to purchase a two-year warranty on my new device for $65. Remembering my sister’s experience, I went to Square Trade to see what they had to offer. iPhones, iPods and Kindles require an additional optional premium for coverage of their glass faces, which can be shattered when dropped. (Having had the glass on my iPhone break in just this way I can attest to how easily it happens!)

I purchased a three-year warranty, including the added premium for $43.99. I had to enter the date I purchased the device and what I paid for it. Square Trade is also willing to hang on to your receipts if you scan them and email or fax them to the company. They are quick to point out that this does not preclude you from having to produce the original receipt if required. Square Trade guarantees to either fix the device or replace it, following the purchased coverage.

Neither my sister nor I have had to file a claim with Square Trade and clearly the ‘proof is in the pudding”, which I can’t provide. Nevertheless, a web search reveals many good reviews of people who have had to file claims with them. Obviously I’m hoping I won’t need to find out if they’ll come through, much preferring my Kindle never has any problems; having said that, I feel pretty confident that Square Trade will come through if needed.

Square Trade will warranty equipment within three months of purchase. If you have something you’d like to warranty but are hesitant to pay the price the manufacturer is offering for coverage, you might want to stop by Square Trade and check out their prices.

Carnival of Money Stories, March 1, 2010

In honor of National Women's History Month I've decided to decorate this Carnival of Money Stories with some images and quotes of just a few of the thousands of women who have helped make our world what it is today.


“Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time. No one learns more about a problem than the person at the bottom.” - Sandra Day O'Connor

Money Beagle has a new baby in the house who's teaching his folks a thing to two. Here are A Few Life Lessons from an Eight Month Old that we can all use!

Are you looking for health insurance? Good Financial Cents has some advice for Affordable Health Insurance Coverage for the self-employed.

Faced with life after employment, Funny About Money has been doing some Big Picture Thinking and realizing that perhaps she's focusing a bit too much on the wrong things. I think she's right!

Mr Credit Card has a beef with Budget and he's working really hard to get to the bottom of it. In part three of his series he discovers that Budget Has No Clue Which Credit Card They Are Giving Out To Scammers. It's a cautionary tale to remain vigilant.

Are you a money waster at the grocery store? Trees Full of Money is a self-confessed poor grocery shopper but one with a plan! Save Time and Money at the Grocery Store spells it out!

As a tenant, Dough Roller is considering Renter's Insurance and deciding whether or not it is worth the cost.


"Each person must live their life as a model for others." - Rosa Parks

Doing it yourself is a good thing, regardless of the reason. ptMoney suggests we Use Free Online Tutorials to Do It Yourself. There's an excellent list of links to places you can find help for your projects!

In a guest post over at Christian PF, Rob Kuban writes about A Lesson in Contentment, urging us to practice being content with what we have. Good advice!

Canadian Finance Blog is trying to help you reason out whether or not you should be offering to share gas money when someone gives you a ride. That one's easy - YES! Don't be a moocher.

In a rather stridently defensive article, Miss Bankrupt explains why she still buys bottled water. She must be getting some grief over it.

With a new baby imminent, MoneyNing is considering how to teach his child about money. He's got a good plan.

The Financial Student explains The Anatomy of an Overdraft. He's speaking from painful experience.

ToughMoneyLove is working as a volunteer tax preparer and getting a lot out of it.


"It is not the creation of wealth that is wrong, but the love of money for its own sake. " - Margaret Thatcher

The Oblivious Investor is trying out Charles Schwab for his IRA. So far so good!

Free Money Finance is sharing the Financial Moves He's Making Now. Perhaps you can get some tips!

There are alternatives to 529 plans for college savings. Money Help for Christians proposes a hybrid approach involving using a Roth IRA and a Coverdell. Interesting idea.

Simple Trading System is explaining why he Advocates Simplicity for Traders and Investors. Some good reasoning!

KCLau is revisiting The Latte Factor. I'm a big fan of David Bach.

Have you ever considered investing in real estate? The Bigger Pockets blog is giving out a little advice.


"Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don't do that by sitting around. " - Katherine Hepburn

Oil and Garlic is taking Ms. Hepburn's advice to heart with Tips to Improve Your 9 to 5 Worklife. It's always better to be busy!

Darwin's Finance is thinking about how childhood jobs influence later adult financial situations. Pretty interesting.

Do you earn money online? Gather Little By Little explains why he likes that income stream so much.

The next Wacky Wednesday post is up over at The Amateur Financier with another chapter in the ongoing saga of a time traveler having a little trouble with future finances.

Personal Finance By The Book asks, "When Does Saving Turn into Hoarding?".


"A pedestal is as much a prison as any small, confined space. " - Gloria Steinem

Have you ever disputed a credit card charge? Personal Finance Journey explains How Not to Dispute a Credit Card Charge with her story of being on the creditor side of the table.

Wonderlust Journey has another tip for finding cheap flights. Every little bit helps!

Don't wait for money to come to you, go after it! TFB says you need guts to handle your personal finances!

Since I had my car in the shop all last week I can relate to The Smarter Wallet whose car's been in the shop a lot lately too. How to Handle Car Repairs includes some good tips for financing auto problems.

Sun's Financial Diary did his taxes online with Turbo Tax this year. He gives it a thumbs up!

Are you looking for a house? My Wealth Builder shares some tips in Our Approach to Buying a House.

That's it for this week's carnival. Next week the carnival will be hosted by True Adventures in Money Hacking. Articles can be submitted here.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the articles. If you have an article in this week's carnival please be sure and link to the carnival from your site. Please help advertise the carnival through whatever social networking sites you frequent. More traffic to the carnival helps us all!