Hodgepodge Post, Fall Edition

It's time for a hodgepodge post. Over time, there is an accumulation of ideas that can't make up a post by themselves, but gathered together, they are worth sharing.

*From Wiktionary, hodgepodge isn't just a silly word for an unorganized eclectic post. It's a real word, a really old one in fact. Hodgepodge is from "Middle English hochepoche, a variation of hochepot, from Old French hochepot, from Middle Dutch hutspot (“beef or mutton cut into small pieces and mixed and boiled together in a pot”), from hotsen, hutsen (“to shake; jog; jolt”) + pot(“pot”), equivalent to hotch +‎ pot. Compare German Low German Hüttspott (“hodgepodge”)."

Have some pine trees nearby? A basket of pine cones makes for perfectly cheap fall decorating. An added bonus? Heating the pine cones in the oven to ensure they weren't carrying any eight-legged company made the house smell like a pine forest.

They're functional as well as good-smelling and pretty. Pine cones also make great kindling for fires on cold nights.



Halloween sales! Not only is now a great time to load up on cheap candy, it's time to grab costumes at clearance sale prices. When my kids were little, I kept a tote filled with costumes for year-round dress up. The kids are all grown, but I still took advantage of the costumes sales.

Move on over Andy Taylor, there's a new sheriff in town. Her name is Artemis, and she's wantin' a treat for wearing the silly hat.



Perennial check. Most of the perennials are being deeply discounted this time of year. Hurry up and plant them so they can establish some roots before the cold hits and cover the base with extra soil or mulch to protect it from freezing temperatures.




And then there is this. The perfect gift...if by perfect you mean the kind of gift that will get you black-balled from all future baby showers and children's birthdays.

At-home DNA kit. Who knew it could be so easy?

Be sure to check out our give away! It's right up there, on the side bar, in the left corner. :)
All you need to do is comment, here or on Facebook during the month of November. 

Christmas Easy

Cartoon by M. Nadler and Sunday Funnies & Factoids

It's the Christmas season! If life is as chaotic for you as it is the Really Real Housewives, then we could all use a break! To make life a little simpler, here's a super quick tip...

Do you have a fake tree, or a real tree that just doesn't smell as pine-fresh as it did on day one?

Add an air freshener!!

I got a Glade plug in warmer, attached it to an extension cord, set it to low, hung it from a branch hidden inside my tree..and voila....

My tree is now perpetually fresh and festive!