It's the middle of June, the days are long, the temperatures are warmer, and it finally feels like summer. Next week is the solstice, which many marks "Midsummer" as in Shakespeare's Midsummer night's dream.
I'm noticing things now that say "summer" to me. Watermelon is back in the grocery store. Kids are out of school. And we've had some days with warm and humid weather. When its like that outside and I hear the ice cream truck go through the neighborhood, I am brought back to my childhood in Queens, N.Y.
Many things say summer for me - long days, warm weather, shorts, flowers, and being outside on the patio.
What says summer for you?
I always tell friends back East that here in Michigan we really only get two seasons - "winter", which lasts about 5 months, and "beautiful" which lasts around 7 months. There are many years when the mix is more 50-50 and we end up with six months of winter.
This means that we Michiganders really like the days when we can be outside. One of the perks of my small condo is that it has a moderate size patio with a couple of little garden areas. You can often find me eating dinner out on the patio, bundled up in a sweatshirt, as soon as the weather permits.
Last year, I made some improvements to the patio, adding a wood deck right over the concrete, making it warmer and less damp. And this year, I had a brick border placed around most of the flower beds.
Now, have you ever had this experience - you do one improvement project and think "gee, that turned out nice, now I'm done" only to realize a few days later that "wouldn't it be great to also do so and so?" There's something about home projects that never seem to end. I have a friend who painted her closet door one weekend and by the end of the month the project had grown beyond her original plans and she found herself repainting the entire first floor of her house.
True to form, the last few days have seen me talking to a friend who is a Master Gardner to listen his ideas on how I could expand the small garden beds I have and add a lower stone patio area for two small chairs and table.
Home is always a work in progress.
Do you experience the same thing around your house? Maybe, even with your Independent Business?
For many people, and I am one of them, home is an extension of self and/or a sanctuary from the craziness of the everyday world. Periodically I come across articles that talk about how your home says things about your identity, how your style of decorating provides insights into your psyche, and how some people show traits of their personality at home that they display no where else.
A recent article mentioned a dream common to many -- finding hidden rooms in your home. I've had this dream many, many times, and not just about my current house, but also my childhood home and the home's of relatives. Dreams like this demonstrate how deeply I feel about home. For many of us, home touches the deep core of who we are.
I enjoy simple domestic pleasures and having people over for meals and social time. I prefer to take vacations at home, I enjoy home improvement projects, and I love spending my time at home - cooking, reading, and enjoying my space with others. Friends have more than once described me as a "homebody with high social needs."
Given that my home is an extension of myself and a source of joy and comfort, I want it to be a place that's safe, healthy, clean, and cared for. This fall, Amway is going to relaunch all of our home care products. There will be new packaging, new formulas, and new products. I've had a sneak peak at some of them and I love the package design, the scents, and how they work. Better still, they're greener and safer than ever. These are products I want for my home.
I'll blog about these as I get information. In the meantime, I can only provide teasers and get us thinking about the importance of home.
Do you see yourself in your decorating choices? In the style of your home? What does your home say about you? And what does home mean to you?
Last week, a customer from Plainfield, Connecticut sent a card praising the cleaning power of SA8. In her note she tells the story of cleaning up her dog after a minor, but bloody yard accident. In her hurry, she grabbed good towels to clean up the blood on the dog. When she was done she sighed, thinking that her good towels were ruined.
Figuring she had nothing to lose, she washed them anyway, using SA8. (She's been a long time user of SA8). The towels came out stain free. She was pleased enough to send a note to our marketing department telling them the story and about her renewed love for the detergent.
I use SA8 and share her enthusiasm. It works. It's gentle on clothes. And since it's concentrated, it's no more expensive than other detergents I'd buy in the store.
A good conversation is a two-way engagement, with both sides sharing information and listening. A really good conversation is an art with the perfect balance of give and take.
So, I want to ask my readers -- what do you want to hear about? What do you want shared on this blog?
My normal set of topics revolve around home and things domestic -- cleaning, home care, cooking, and so on. I've blogged about laundry, patio care, gardening, and offered a variety of recipes.
What have you liked? What wasn't up your alley? What would you like to be reading about in this space?
Drop me a line and let me know. Leave a comment or use the email here on the blog to contact me.
Thanks!
Last week I went to dinner with a friend who has moved around the country, averaging about 3-4 years in any particular place. That's a lot of moving.
I, on the other hand, have lived here in West Michigan coming up on 14 years. And I've been in the same condo for the past 12 years.
The United States is a dynamic, mobile society. More Americans move home more frequently than in most other nations. Granted, with the current economic situation, the pace of relocation may have slowed some. But overall, we seem, as a people, to like mobility.
How often have you moved in the past few years? Have you stayed in your neighborhood buying a different house? Or did you switch cities or even states altogether?
And one last question for my IBO readers -- how did moving effect your business?
We've finally reached that time of year here in West Michigan when you can clear away the winter debris and get the gardens ready for spring without freezing to death.
In the last few days I've raked, spread mulch, turned over beds, cleaned out flower pots, and began the process of getting the garden and patio ready for use come the warmer days ahead.
There's one product Amway offers that's wonderful for garden cleaning tasks -- L.O.C. I use it on the patio chairs and table, the wood deck, to wipe down garden tools, and to clean my hands when I'm done.
I posted about spring cleaning before. I think many people immediately think of indoor tasks when they think spring cleaning, but the outdoor areas, at least for those who have outdoor areas, is usually part of the overall effort.
Has spring sprung where you're from? Does Amway offer any products that make outdoor cleaning and living that much easier or better?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/garden/26greenhome.html
The above link will take you to the New York Times article that mentions Amway home cleaning products as safe and green.
Thanks to a few readers who helped me track the article down.
Having grown up in New York City, the New York Times has always been one of my favorite newspapers. And I read it online every morning.
The online paper has been posting daily healthy recipes that I've tried and found really good. You can get the latest one here.
Also, about three weeks ago, they mentioned Amway home cleaning products (LOC, SA8, etc.) in an article on safe, clean, and green home products. We were ranked among the safest and greenest home cleaning products available. Unfortunately, I can't find the article, but I am still trying. When I do, I'll give you the link.
I think it would be rare to find anyone today who isn't concerned about the environment. We live in an eco-conscious day and age. Granted, we may disagree with some of the means about how to achieve a clean and healthy planet, but we all agree that we want one.
So, I ask you, how green are you? Do you recycle? Do you buy organic or local? Have you measured your carbon footprint? Do you compost? Does your concern for the environment affect the products you buy?
I recycle bottles and paper. I've added additional insulation to my condo, wrapped my hot water heater in a blanket and turned it down, and I keep my thermostat lower than I used to. I buy local and organic produce when I can. Gas prices have made it easier for me to realize how much I drive, and now I try to condense trips or even ask myself, do I really need to run errands now?
I am firm believer that every bit helps. And contrary to Kermit, I dare say, it isn't that hard being green.
Your thoughts?
Do you Spring Clean? By Spring Cleaning, I mean a thorough, deep, extensive cleaning of your home when you dust, wipe, wash, and vacuum things your don't normally do on a weekly basis.
I enthusiastically engage in Spring Cleaning because I love the feeling of a fresh house when its all done. There's freedom in "purging" stuff you no longer need, airing out the house, and knowing that the dust bunnies under the bed have found a better home.
Not everyone does this sort of cleaning. I have friends who lack the "OC" gene and don't feel compelled to scrub their house when the robins return. (I, on the other hand, not only Spring Clean, I do a good thorough cleaning once a season).
I did a little research and found a little piece on Spring Cleaning from a historical and cultural perspective.
And while I am on the subject of cleaning, I was lucky to get a glimpse at the new packaging and updated product line for L.O.C. and SA8. We're updating our home cleaning and laundry products sometime later this year. I think you are going to love the updates. When I have more to share, I will.
In the mean time, tell me, do you Spring Clean? And what does it involve for you?
I've begun seeing articles in newspapers and magazines about the effects of the economic downturn on eating habits and food culture. Most of the pieces discuss a move toward simpler, less expensive eating habits. Most also cite fewer people eating out at restaurants, and when they do, ordering less.
Even in the best of economic times, saving money and getting the most for your dollar is a good thing. But at the same time, I experience a tension between wanting fresh, healthy food, quality supplements, and the cost that is sometimes associated with these things.
Have the recent economic changes made a difference in how you eat, grocery shop, or dine out?
No, not food groups as in protein or vegetables, but food groups as in social events. Maybe the better term would be Dinner Groups?
I have friends who regularly organize progressive dinners at their church. People sign up, everyone takes a course of the meal, and people move around that evening to different people's home's for each part of the meal. Its a great way to meet new people and have lots of interesting conversations in one night.
One of our interns here at work told me about a cooking group her friend belongs to. They gather once a week to try out new recipes, teach each other about techniques, and stock-up on meals to be frozen for the week ahead. They've worked on and learned Cuban recipes, French cooking methods, and even Mexican meals. I think this is a great idea for busy people who like to socialize. Get together and cook for the week ahead.
Then there's Slow Food. I belonged to a local chapter for a while. It was fun and I learned a lot. Not to mention I ate some great food. And before Slow Food, I used to host a weekly Potluck dinner for friends where the challenge was to bring a new person to the dinner at least once a month.
Do you belong to a food group?
A friend of mine recently had a gathering of people. Unfortunately, it was a funeral, and not a party. But she gave me a great piece of advice for my next "gathering" which hopefully will be a party. Her advice? Have people use masking tape to write their names on the bottom of the dishes they bring. She had dozens of people bring dishes to pass and share. And she cleaned these when the food was gone, and unfortunately, didn't know which dish belonged to which person.
A simple piece of masking tape with your name on it, placed on the bottom of the dish. Simple advice for making things just a little bit more simple.