Newsletter 18 – July 17, 2008 

       Summers Long Ago            Japanese Beetles                 Recipe

DOLLAR DAY$ CONTINUE!!

$ave even more

ALL PLANTS 20% off

JUMBO HANGING BASKETS 50% off

“The Peach I Picked in Georgia Didn’t Cling to Me for Long.” joke 1

from Reader’s Digest gems – readers were asked to invent country song titles

$ DAYS GO THROUGH JULY 20

You’ve waited all season to use your ABF Dollar$.  Now through July 20 you can come to any of our sites and redeem your dollar$ for up to 50% off the total price of your purchase.  All locations are open from 9-8 Monday through Friday and 9-6 on weekends.

America’$ Be$t Dollar$ are good on everything we sell, even sale merchandise.  Is there a special tree or shrub you’ve been coveting?  Did you fall in love with one of our fabulous pieces of pottery, but your budget said ‘No’?  Have you always wished you could have one of our beautiful blooming patio containers?  Are there new perennials you’ve been dying to buy?  NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO HAVE ALL OF THIS AND MORE!  Tools, soil, mulch, watering cans and wands, fertilizer, bird baths – the list goes on and on.   Gather up all your Orange and Red dollar$ and bring them in. The only restriction we have on all our ABF dollar$, is they can’t be used with other coupons or birthday cards.

“You Want to Get Hitched, but My Heart is Filled With Whoa!” joke 2

WORD ASSOCIATION

I spent a bit of time today wandering around the greenhouse, a delightful thing to do anytime, asking everyone I met what the first thing that popped into their mind was when I said “Summer”.  Responses included, summer breezes moving the curtains, butterflies, green fields, birds singing at 4AM, cool breezes in the shade, lemonade, heat, swimming, flowers, ice cream, humidity, cold beer, sweet corn, and watermelon salad.  Contemplating these comments was inspiration for the following.

Summers Long Ago by Bev Wilson

The whirr of the fan, working to send slightly cooler air over bare legs, blending with the chirp of crickets and the distant bark of a dog, were the sounds of the summer night of my childhood.  In the Iowa countryside, they were seldom interrupted – only by thunder or the faraway hum of traffic on the highway, if the wind was in the south.  Following lazy days of reading and rereading Nancy Drew books and munching homemade root beer popsicles, these nocturnal noises were comforting, lulling me into the deep slumber of youth.

In the mind of a child, these long days and nights seemed to last forever.  Fall would come, some day.  The school bus would again stop at the end of the lane twice a day, taking me to and fro, over the country roads to brick buildings of learning.  I would wear long pants and sweaters again, some day, a long time in the future.

What I would give to see life through the eyes of that little girl of long ago.  A life without hurry, without time obligations, without a ‘to-do’ list.  Just the simple pleasures of summertime, that seemed to last forever, that really flew by so fast – so very long ago.

“Now That We’re Miserable, I Hope You’re Happy” joke 3

JAPANESE BEETLES

Call me nuts, but if Japanese beetles weren’t so destructive, the distinctive iridescent luster of these ravenous insects would almost make them pretty.  Numerous phone calls, reporting their return, have been coming in for over a week. The question is always the same.  How do we make them go away?

Japanese Beetles are the adult stage of the white grub, which can destroy your lawn.  The best defense is the eradication of the grubs by using Bayer Season-Long Grub Killer, which will protect the future of your lawn. 

If you already have adult beetles, Bayer has a line of products that work great.  Available in both ready-to-use and concentrate, these insecticides both kill on contact and work systemically to rid your plants of pests.  Stop out today and let us help you choose the product that is best for you.  For more information visit www.ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu or www.bayeradvanced.com.  Both of these websites give information on the life cycle and control of these insects.

“Don’t Want That Floozy in my Jacuzzi”.Joke 4

Bridge Out

If you typically come to America’s Best by taking Buckeye to Sprecher Road, we want to let you know that the bridge going over the I90/94 is out.  But don’t let that stop you from coming out and using your America’$ Be$t Dollar$.  Going east, you can take the last left-hand turn off Buckeye just before the Interstate, Thompson Drive, all the way down to Cottage Grove Road.  Turn right and continue going east to Vilas Hope Road.  Turn right again and go about a half mile. Turn right into the drive.  We’ll be waiting for you.

“She Chews Tobacco, but She Won’t Choose Me”.joke 5

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 10-20 – America’$ Be$t Dollar Day$ – Use your ABF Dollar$ to $ave up to 50% off on your entire purchase.

August 10 – Divide and Swap Iris 1PM  Learn how to divide iris, and swap to get more varieties for your garden.

August 16-17 – Customer Appreciation Days – FREE treats from 11-3

“I lost my Honey Bunny on a Bad Hare Day”joke 6

BONNIE’S KITCHEN

Orange-Barbeque Grilled Chicken

Use 9-10 lbs. of your favorite chicken pieces in place of the cut-up frying chickens.  For a completely grilled meal, serve with grilled veggies and/or grilled fruit.

Serves 12

2 t oil

¼ c finely chopped onion

1 c barbeque sauce

1 c orange marmalade

3 (3 to 3 ½ lb.) pkg. cut-up frying chickens

Heat grill. Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion; cook about 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat. Stir in barbeque sauce and orange marmalade.

When ready to grill, place chicken, skin side down, over low heat. Cook 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, turning frequently and brushing with sauce during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Bring any remaining sauce to a boil; serve with chicken.

A father took his five-year-old son to several baseball games where the                  ‘Star Spangled Banner’ was sung before the start of each game.

Shortly before July 4, the father and son attended church on a Sunday.

In observance of the holiday, the congregation sang ‘ The Star Spangled Banner’.    After everyone sat down, the little boy suddenly yelled out,

“Play Ball!” joke 7

SEE YOU SOON!!!