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Culture :: World Autism Awareness Month
Each April 2, Autism Speaks celebrates Light It Up Blue along with the international autism community, in commemoration of the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day. Light It Up Blue is a unique global initiative that kicks-off Autism Awareness Month and helps raise awareness about autism. In honor of this historic day, many iconic landmarks, hotels, sporting venues, concert halls, museums, bridges and retail stores are among the hundreds of thousands of homes and communities that take part to Light It Up Blue. (Source:Autism Speaks Website). Advances in Autism Research: It may seem hard to believe that just two decades ago, autism was a mysterious and somewhat…
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Garden :: A Season for Everything Under the Sun
Each winter, seed and plant catalogs begin heading towards gardeners’ mailboxes. While they wait for spring, gardeners dream about lush gardens full of produce, decide on crops to plant and design garden layouts. Somewhere in between dreaming and deciding, gardeners take into account their climate zone and their plants’ needs. Step One: Check the Farmer’s Almanac The first step to a bountiful garden is planting in the proper season. Vegetables can be sorted into two distinct categories: cool season and warm season. It is important to consult your county extension office for proper planting times for your region or zone. Many gardeners follow the Farmer’s Almanac to better acquaint themselves…
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Dandelion Moms Project Kindness for March :: Update
In March, the dandelion moms project kindess featured a grass-roots organization looking to raise money and books to build a library in the small town of San Francisco de Macons in the Domincan Republic. We are happy to report that they have raised $15,689 (some money was donated privately) of the $19,000 needed! Thank you dandelion moms for your donations and for sending in almost 120 books that will be used in the new library! Rebecca Rousculp, one of the organizers and creators of this campaign wrote and said: “114 books is an amazing contribution. We started with 600, so that is boosting our collection significantly! Thanks again for your support and all those books!”…
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Play :: History of April Fools’ Day!
On April Fools’ Day I always try to come up with a good practical joke to play on my little brother. Granted, he is over six foot tall, but he will always be my “little brother.” I was curious about the origin of April Fool’s Day and found out it actually dates from 1582 and was spread throughout Europe. Here is what I found courtesy of urban legends.com. Theories of origin: The origins of April Fools’ Day are a bit obscure. The most frequently cited theory holds that it dates from 1582, the year France adopted the Gregorian Calendar, which shifted the observance of New Year’s Day from the…
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What’s Hot in Southern California: The Flower Fields
The Flower Fields in Carlsbad: Have you ever dreamed of running through a field of flowers? Now through early May, you just might be able to at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad. For over sixty years, Mother Nature has transformed the rolling hills of North San Diego County into one of the most beautiful displays of natural color and beauty anywhere in the world. The nearly fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers that make up The Flower Fields® at Carlsbad Ranch, in Carlsbad, California, are in bloom for approximately six to eight weeks each year – from early March through early May – literally bringing the famous fields back…
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Recipe:: Stay Hydrated with Fruit Flavored Water
Homemade Fruit Flavored Water: I love flavored water but I don’t like the added sugars or sweeteners that you find in the store, so I just make my own. It’s very easy. Just gather some fruit and some herbs and you’re ready to go. For this water I made an all Citrus, (no herbs) mixture. It’s a great picker-upper for those coming warm summer days. If your kids are used to sugary drinks, they probably won’t take to it at first, but give them some time and they will come to love the sweet natural flavors without the extra sugar. Ingredients: fruit –2 cups of whichever fruit…
