Okay, we've had a good rain now this weekend and some of the water limitations have been lifted but here's mine: "military" or "eco friendly" showers. Quick showers and/or turn the water off when your sudsing up. Water on only to rinse. Using such little water has let us shower almost every day, yay! I've been saving the water from the dehumidifier (needed for the basement that got a little bit of water May 1 & 2) and been watering plants with that. I haven't set up my rain barrel yet, but went ahead and put some 5 gallon buckets out in the garden to catch water when it does rain. Then they're close to where I need the water when the garden dries out and I don't have to move them when they're full and heavy. Paper plates, plastic silverware, plastic cups. I usually hate to use these, but it's saving water right now. We're only washing pots as far as dishes. On May 2 we filled a 5 gallon water bottle for drinking/cooking and a number of other containers for dog & houseplant water. This was before the water restrictions, but we had heard rumor of it. Many locations citywide are giving out a case or two of bottled water per day. You don't have to be a flood victim, we're all on the same water shortages. Any mosquito concerns...you can put mosquito pellets/tablets in rain barrels, etc and they're not supposed to have any effect on the water as far as to water plants. Hope everyone stayed safe and dry from the floods!

Well, you're coming at the right time for Haunted Happenings in Salem. Come on a weekend, if you can - it's a big party! (I'm not even into Halloween and I enjoy it.) You can drive from Boston, but there's lots of traffic during Haunted Happenings. You might want to take the train from North Station (the Salem train station is right downtown, so it's easy to walk everywhere) or the Salem Ferry (it lets you out near the House of the Seven Gables, also within walking distance of everything). I'm giving you the site for Haunted Happenings, but a few things that are especially fun are ghost stories on the Friendship (a tall ship anchored in Salem Harbor), a tour of the House of the Seven Gables, and "Cry Innocent" at Old Town Hall (it's a play version of a witch trial, and the audience plays the jury). I'd recommend Strega as an excellent place to eat. (It's on the website.) Feel free to email me privately if you're interested. I can give you directions and other ideas, if you like. Hope you have a great time! Here's the website for the Salem Ferry: http://www.salemferry.com/directions.shtml Here is a link that might be useful: Haunted Happenings

Gave it up, eh? So, that makes them, what, a bunch of wusses? Good names die hard. Not nearly as hard as the real fighting Sioux did. Most especially when the US tried to completely erase any trace of the people, let alone the name. Good names, you say? Really? Real live Sioux don't think so, don't like the way it's being used, at all. A sad day? Sad for who? The insensitive yahoos who insisted that using a name that offended ACTUAL Sioux was stupid? Here's an idea. If someone says they are offended, take them at their word. If a whole nation of people are offended, trust they know what they feel. Even more irony...using Bison as a point of State pride. lol An animal that real Indian tribes considered sacred and an integral part of their culture and their very survival was used against them in the US Government led genocide. They knew they could hasten the demise of the Sioux and break their will if they eliminated such an important cultural icon. But, by all means, "honor" the very animal that the great State of North and South Dakota once went out of their way to decimate to hurt the real natives of ND and SD, simply out of spite.

I'm so jealous! We've been to Nashville 4 times in the last year or so to purchase/visit our property in the Franklin Leipers Fork area but never in the middle of spring. I've heard that's one of the most beautiful times to visit. I would also recommend the backstage tour of the Ryman. I've been twice and it's really interesting. I would also recommend visiting the Nashville Capitol Bicentennial park to see the bells and granite maps documenting the state history. We also enjoyed several evenings at the Listening Room where singer songwriters perform on stage while you enjoy a nice dinner. You have to try the Nashville hot chicken at Hattie B's (my DS ordered the hot chicken everywhere we went and all were delicious but Hattie B's was the best! There are different heat levels ranging from no heat to Damn Hot and Shut the Cluck Up hot!). The 3 story Acme Feed and Seed is fun too and also has great food and live music, but it was very busy on a Saturday. Downtown Franklin is really charming and there's great shopping at the nearby antique stores and at The Factory down the street. Definitely check out The Iron Gate, City Farmhouse, and The Barn Door. I would recommend lunch or dinner at 55 South, Pucketts in downtown Franklin for great bbq pork or brisket, or Pucketts Boat House for spicy shrimp and amazing cheesy grits. Bunganut Pig also has great burgers and music. If you're in Leipers Fork visiting your friend you could stop by the original Pucketts there for a good old fashioned ice cream cone and take a scenic drive down the Natchez Trace and the beautiful country roads around Beechwood Plantation and Old Hillsboro Road. Our farmhouse on 15 acres is nearby and we just fell in love with the area. The Carnton Plantation tour was amazing to learn about the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. It was surreal and humbling to visit the children's bedrooms where the surgeries were performed on the Confederate and Union wounded soldiers and to see their bloodstains still remaining on the wood floors. Franklin is just an amazing place with so much history. All of this making me homesick and it's not even my home yet :) Hopefully by this summer!