Tips From The Easter Bunny

Tips From The Easter Bunny

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.

Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

Happy Easter!

DIY Getting Rid Of Roaches Naturally

Roaches are never welcome guests, but that doesn't need you need to coat your home in pricey chemicals to get rid of them. Here's a homemade roach killer that will get the job done:

What You Need:

• Borax
• Sugar (granulated or powdered)

What You Do:

Mix borax and sugar together in equal parts. Then, apply it along the baseboards, in cracks, under cabinets, under the sink and anywhere else you've seen roaches.
 

Reapply as needed until all bugs are gone.

Why This Works:

Roaches consume the mixture because they are attracted to the sugar. Once consumed, the borax damages both their digestive system and their outer skeleton, resulting in death. This works very much like the boric acid found in commerical products, but costs much less.

Benefits of Using Borax to Kill Roaches

• inexpensive
• chemical-free
• fume-free
• environmentally-friendly

Tips

1) Borax (20 Mule Team Borax) can be found in the laundry aisle at the store, since it is most commonly used as a laundry booster
2) Store any unused portions in an air-tight container to maintain freshness, and be sure to label it
3) It may be a couple of weeks before you notice a decline in the population

Warnings

1) Keep away from children and pets
2) Borax loses some of its effectiveness when it gets wet

Source: frugalliving.com

DIY Home Remedies For Ants, Cheaply And Natural,

Vinegar

Wipe down your countertops, cupboards and any other places where you've spotted ants with a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water. Repeat throughout the day to maintain the efficacy.

Why This Works:

Two reasons, really: ants hate the smell of vinegar, and it removes the scent trails that they use to get around.

Chalk/ Baby Powder

Draw a line of chalk or sprinkle baby powder across the spot where the ants are entering your home.

Why This Works:

Talcum powder, an ingredient in both chalk and baby powder, is a natural ant repellent. Just be careful if you decide to use it: some studies have linked talc to cancer.

Chalk/ Baby Powder

Draw a line of chalk or sprinkle baby powder across the spot where the ants are entering your home.

Why This Works:

Talcum powder, an ingredient in both chalk and baby powder, is a natural ant repellent. Just be careful if you decide to use it: some studies have linked talc to cancer.

Herbs/Spices

Spinkle cinnamon, mint, chili pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves or garlic – whichever one you happen to have – in the area where you've seen ants and along your home's foundation. Bay leaves can also be placed in cabinets, drawers and containers to further deter those pesky critters.

Why This Works:

Many plants – including the ones listed – give off a strong scent to repel ants and other insects in the wild, and it works just as well in your home.

Coffee Grounds

Sprinkle your used coffee grounds in the garden and around the outside of your house.

Why This Works:

Ants are repelled by the scent given off by the grounds; and incidentally, so are cats.

Cucumber/Citrus Peels

Leave the peelings in areas of known ant activity.

Why This Works:

Cucumber and citrus peels are toxic to the types of fungi that ants feed on, and therefore avoided by the ants.

Source:  frugalliving.about.com

Wild Pigs - A Reminder For All

A thought to remember, Marx said, "Remove one freedom per generation and soon you will have no freedom and no one would have noticed."

 

There was a chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class.

 

One day while the class was in the lab, the professor noticed one young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt.  The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist regime.

 

In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question.

 

He asked: "Do you know how to catch wild pigs?"

 

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line.

 

The young man said that it was no joke. "You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free food. "When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence.

 

"They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side.

 

"The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat that free corn again. You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

 

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity." The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening in America. The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tax exemptions, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare entitlements,  medicine, drugs, etc., while we continually lose our freedoms, just a  little at a time.

 

One should always remember two truths:

 

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and you can never hire someone to provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

 

If you see that all of this wonderful government "help" is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America, you might want to share this with your friends.

 

If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life, then you will probably stay quiet.

 

BUT, God help us all when the gate slams shut!

12 Blue Ridge Experiences

1. Relaxing

Take a Deep Breath and Relax ……..

Surround yourself with beauty, relaxation and natural fun in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, only 90 miles north of Atlanta via I-575 and Hwy 515, but a million miles away from the traffic, stress and anxiety of the city. With 106,000 acres located in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Blue Ridge is definitely the cure for whatever ails you. Rent a cozy cabin or a luxury mountain home, or stay in a bed & breakfast inn or hotel -- and simply relax.

2. Exploring

Enjoy Mother Nature at Her Best

Winter, summer, spring and fall, Georgia’s Blue Ridge is simply beautiful. Winter is cool and quiet with occasional snow. Spring is best for trout fishing, wildflower displays, blooming dogwoods and native azaleas. Summer brings a profusion of mountain laurel and rhododendron blossoms, along with warmer water for tubing & rafting. Blue Ridge is the perfect place to celebrate the harvest and the glorious color of fall, or to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

3. Shopping

Fall in Love with Blue Ridge

You will fall in love with the authentic mountain towns of Blue Ridge and McCaysville. Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. Visitors would ride the train to town, eat dinner and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. Today, visitors still ride the train and take a walk along Main Street, enjoying the antique and specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, small town atmosphere and friendly people. A river runs through the quaint town of McCaysville, twin city with Copperhill, Tennessee. Stand in both states at one time at the Blue Line, which marks the spot where Georgia ends and Tennessee begins.

4. Dining

Have a Taste of the Mountains

Experiencing local cuisine is part of the trip when you visit Georgia’s Blue Ridge. Now, with the addition of some wonderful new restaurants, the choices of dining spots are simply amazing, from gourmet to traditional Southern cuisine.

5. Buying Local

Enjoy Homegrown – Homemade Goodies

Buying local fruits, vegetables and homemade goodies is a big part of the Blue Ridge experience, especially when it includes a visit to Mercier Orchards, largest orchard in the southeast and family farm for 65 years. Treat yourself to a farm tractor tour and u-pick fruit in season. Also see Mountainview Orchards, a traditional apple orchard and fruit market, and eat good Southern food at the Cider House Café.

6. Riding the Scenic Railway

Experience Living History

Don’t miss the train! Take a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, which runs along the Toccoa River from Blue Ridge to McCaysville. Board the train at the historic depot in Blue Ridge. The view changes with the seasons, wildflowers and mountain laurel in the spring, rhododendron in the summer, gorgeous foliage in the fall and a ride with Santa and his elves for Christmas. Open April through December.

7. Hiking

Hike the Appalachian Trail to a Local Waterfall

Two of the greatest outdoor adventures in the world begin in Fannin County. Both the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye Trails start at the top of Springer Mountain. There are over 300 miles of hiking trails in the area, including short trails suitable for beginning hikers and families.

8. Rafting & Tubing

Float the Beautiful Toccoa River

The most popular family pastime in the summer is probably tubing the clear, chilly Toccoa River either above the Lake Blue Ridge dam on Aska Road or below in McCaysville. But there are lots of ways to enjoy our rivers, streams and lakes, including rafting the exciting Ocoee River, renting canoes or kayaks, pontooning or jet skiing on Lake Blue Ridge, or even surfing on the river or the lake.

9. Playing in the Water

Discover Natural Water Parks

The best water parks are those created by nature. Morganton Point on Lake Blue Ridge is a Chattahoochee National Forest recreation area with camping, fishing, swimming beach and picnic areas. Another favorite spot for families is the Ocoee Whitewater Center just over the Tennessee state line, where the Olympic kayak slalom course is perfect for wading and sliding over the rocks when the river is not running (weekdays). The Whitewater Center is also a great place for hiking and biking with kids. Be sure to bring water shoes for the kids at either location.

10. Horseback Riding

Ride Horseback on Mountain Trails

Our riding stables specialize in family trail rides for kids of almost all ages. Open year round with seasonal hayrides and evening wagon rides with campfire dinners. Call for reservations and to book special group events.

11. Fishing

Catch a Trophy Trout

Fannin County is the Trout Capital of Georgia. There are over 100 miles of great trout fishing rivers, creeks and streams in the area, including Jack's River, Conasauga River, Toccoa River, Rock Creek, Noontootla Creek and Cooper Creek. Please consult the Georgia Guide to Trout Fishing, available free at the Welcome Center, for details as to season, creel limits and size restrictions.

12. Celebrating

Spend Quality Time with Family & Friends

Whether it’s playing Scrabble or Monopoly in your cabin, hiking to a waterfall, going to a festival or the Swan Drive-in, the best thing about visiting Georgia’s Blue Ridge is spending quality time with family and friends. For special occasions, holidays, reunions, weddings or anniversaries, create lasting memories of quality time well spent in the mountains

Source:  blueridgemountains.com

27 Reasons Children of the 1970's Should All Be Dead

1. No one used seat belts.

Kids in the 1970's weren't told to wear seat belts, let alone have their own special car seats. Quite a few seventies vehicles did come with seat belts fitted, but state laws didn't require you to use them until the 1980's or even the 90's.

2. Toy safety standards were a bit lacking.

One classic 1970's toy, "Creepy Crawlers," allowed kids to mold their own spiders and bugs out of plastic while inhaling potentially deadly toxic fumes and burning themselves on an electric-powered hot-plate that reached 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The Easybake Oven has come in for a lot of criticism lately, but it's totally safe in comparison. Creepy Crawlers were banned in the late 70's.

3. Secondhand smoke was everywhere.

From airplanes to the family car, the world of the 70's was a haze of cigarette smoke. It wasn’t just the fact that many more people smoked, it was the way smoking was 100% fine in any enclosed space, no matter who else was present.

4. Kids were targeted by cigarette firms.

The kid's expression in this 1970 ad says it all. "Dad looks so cool with his giant cigar!"

5. Sunblock was a rarity.

Back in the 70's, peeling skin was a totally normal accompaniment to arriving back at school after the summer vacation. The idea of using sun protection--even for tiny kids or a long day on the beach--was a total novelty, and sun creams marketed for kids were usually around the SPF 4 mark.

6. Parents did NOT watch their kids all the time.

Little kids could play out of sight for hours, and parents often delegated the task of watching toddlers to not-much-older siblings.

7. Kids rode in the flatbeds of pickups.

No seatbelts or seats, obv. Or windows, or roof. Sitting up on the tailgate of a moving pickup was just for older kids, though.

8. Lawn darts were a popular toy.

Possibly the most famous dangerous kid's toys ever, lawn darts caused over 6,000 emergency hospital visits and three children's deaths before they were banned in 1988.

9. Helmets were for losers.

Head protection just wasn't a thing, whether you were riding a bike, roller skating, or skateboarding. If you'd worn a helmet while out riding your bike (unsupervised, naturally), everyone would have simply thought there was something wrong with you.

10. Playgrounds were more "adventurous."

Exposed nails and splinters were the norm in many local playgrounds, and metal climbing frames encouraged kids to climb 20 feet into the air above gravel or asphalt. (There was none of the soft rubber or wood chips that breaks the falls of today's kids.)

11. Kids got to do themselves serious damage.

Back in the day it was normal to have at least one friend in a plaster cast at all times. This was considered a fun opportunity to cover the cast with graffiti, rather than a sign of negligent parenting. Concussions and stitches were also a regular part of every childhood. Fun times!

12. The cargo areas of station wagons were treated as free form play areas.

Yup, not only were kids driven around without seat belts or car seats, they were also plopped into the back of station wagons with no seats to speak of at all, and left to run free in the wide open spaces--or to get slung from side to side of the car, depending on how fast Dad took the bends in the road.

13. Ideas about healthy foods for kids were totally misguided.

Kids were fed ice cream on the regular as a healthy source of calcium, and all elementary-age schoolkids drank soda like it was water. Admittedly kids today *still* get fed soda and ice cream, but nowadays most parents have an inkling that it's not the greatest idea.

14. Lead paint was still used on toys.

Lead paint was only banned for toys in 1977, which is fine because kids NEVER put toys into their mouths and chew on them, right? Right?? Lead paint also tastes sweet which meant that kids couldn't get enough of the stuff. It was eventually banned because can cause stunted growth, kidney damage, and delayed development, not to mention death.

15. Kids had more opportunity to do illicit things...

...like smoking cigarettes, considered the pinnacle of cool adults activities by 1970s tweens.

16.  Kids ran wild!

Fearlessly climbing trees, scaling fences, exploring the woods, and jumping streams were typical childhood activities, all without a parent in sight. The adults would have no idea if you'd fallen and broken your neck, or given yourself tetanus on a rusty nail.

17. Older kids were child minders for younger kids.

This led to kids in scenarios like the above photo, in which a 5-year-old takes his one-year-old kid brother for a helmet-less, seatless bike ride around the neighborhood.

18. Kids were encouraged to hitchhike.

I remember this privilege was usually reserved for older kids - say, 9 years old and up. If you were really lucky you'd get to ride in the flatbed of a pickup ;)

19. "Stranger Danger" hadn't been invented.

Mom would look on and smile as you accepted unwrapped candy from a stranger at the store.

20.  Choking hazards filled your toy box.

In the 1970's you could buy this Battlestar Galactica toy, which was the reason for mandating the choking warning you now see on kids' toys with a piece smaller than a beach ball. The Battlestar Galactica Viper had a firing missile, which a 4-year-old tragically shot in his mouth and choked to death in 1978. Mattel (the makers) were sued and the choking hazard warning came to pass.

21. The middle seat in front seemed a safe place for kids to ride.

As a 70's kid, the middle seat in the front was OBVIOUSLY the best seat because then you could control the five available radio stations, completely unrestrained except for mom's arm which would automatically swing out whenever she had to stop suddenly. 

22. Pregnant moms smoked and drank.

It still happens now, everyone will judge you to be crazy and irresponsible. But back in the 1970's it was totally normal and accepted to smoke and drink alcohol throughout one's pregnancy.

23. "Latchkey kids" were everywhere.

With the rise of divorce and single-parent families, kids as young as 7 were given their own house keys and told to let themselves into the house after school or stay home alone during vacations while their parents worked. This would often entail preparing food and trying not to fight with your siblings or set the house on fire.

24. Playdates were usually adult-free too.

So you could break a leg at your BFF's house without his mom and dad noticing either.

25. 1970's kids got to play with fireworks.

Kids. Explosions. What could go wrong? Some of the more popular fireworks with 1970's kids were firecrackers, bottle rockets, smoke bombs, ground flowers, and roman candles. These types of fireworks mostly exploded close to the ground produced but they were still capable of doing some serious damage.

26.  Cooking unsupervised was a normal part of being a kid.

If you were old enough to be a latchkey kid, you were probably old enough to heat up food on the stove before mom or dad got home.

27. Kids had their own secret spaces where they'd vanish for hours.

As a kid in the '70's and '80's, it was a special kind of fun to find or build your own secret hideout. It might be an abandoned building, or a dubiously-constructed treehouse built in the nearby woods. Either way, it was somewhere you'd hang out for hours without any parents having the faintest clue where you were.

These items listed above could also apply to children of the forties, fifties and sixties.

Source: offbeat.topix.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello 2015

A reminder for those who forgot or for many that didn't know...

 

Here is what happened on January 1, 2015 :

Top Medicare tax went from 1.45% to 2.35%

Top Income tax bracket went from 35% to 39.6%

Top Income payroll tax went from 37.4% to 52.2%

Capital Gains tax went from 15% to 28%

Dividends tax went from 15% to 39.6%

Estate tax went from 0% to 55%

Remember this fact:

These taxes were all passed only with democrat votes, no republicans voted for these taxes.

These taxes were all passed under the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.

If you think that it is important that everyone in the U.S. should know this,  pass it  on.