Written by Alex | September 19, 2013 | 2013 NewslettersNewsletter Tags: flowers, Gardening, jokes, recipies, stories
Let’s Decorate for Fall!
Newsletter 32 – Thursday, September 19, 2013
Open Hours
Monday Sunday
9am-6pm
Featured Plant of the Week Burning Bush
Add a splash of color to your yard with a dazzling burning bush. The dwarf winged euonymus burning bush has scarlet-red fall foliage that will brighten any area. This wonderful shrub likes full sun part shade.
As always the featured plant of the week is 20% off while supplies last!
Plant your bulbs now so you wont have any springtime regrets!
Every year we like to remind you that fall is the time to plant those wonderful spring-blooming bulbs. Plan ahead and you will be the envy of your neighbors next spring! Tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, allium, iris and more are just waiting for you. Bulbs are an investment with a payback of years and years of springtime beauty.
When you plant your bulbs is the perfect opportunity to dig in a generous amount of plant food. Its your only chance to get the nutrients the bulbs need for maximum flowering directly under the bulbs in the root zone of your plants. This year we are featuring Espoma Bulb Tone and Bone Meal.
There was a man who entered a pun contest.
He sent in ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the puns would win.
Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.
Get a Jumpstart on Protecting Your Ash Trees
We want to help protect your Ash Trees. Please take a moment and read this very important article about the damage the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer can do to an unprotected Ash Tree.
We have fall decorating bundles!
We have a fast, easy, and fun way for you to decorate for fall! We have mums, corn shocks, gourds, pumpkins and ornamental corn that will get you in the mood for the fall season. Add a few of our brilliant mums and asters and you are all set for a beautiful autumn!
To make things even easier, America’s Best Flowers has an Autumn Bundle that includes one of our gorgeous mums, a straw bale, and a bundle of corn shocks, all at special savings. Add two more mums and save even more.
Our corn shocks are netted (like a Christmas tree) so they can be safely tied to the roof of your vehicle, keeping your car clean and the shocks free from wind damage. Well even provide the twine.
Our supply is limited, so dont lose out on the chance to have the coolest looking yard on the block.
Come on out and celebrate the fall season with us!
What is a scarecrow’s favorite fruit?
Straw-berries!
Are you ready for Scarecrow Days?

This scarecrow has gleefully abandoned his namesake and made peace with the crows
Scarecrow time is creeping up on us at America’s Best Flowers (Cottage Grove location). We will be stuffing straw from 10am to 5pm from Monday Friday and 10am 4pm on Saturday & Sunday, beginning Saturday, Sept. 21 and running through Saturday Oct. 12. There is a nominal fee for the scarecrow kit and garage sale prices on the clothing (or bring clothes from home).
Set your lovely or scary creation on a straw bale, use a few corn stalks for background and surround the whole scene with brilliant mums, fountain grass and pumpkins, and you will have a fabulous fall display.
If you live in the Edgerton area stop at our Edgerton location at, 1101 N. Main St, from 10am-2pm on Saturday, September 28 or October 12 to build your one-of-a-kind scarecrow.
For groups of 5 or more, please call ahead 608-222-2269 (or 608-884-8120 for Edgerton). This will allow us to plan ahead and have enough staff available for your group.
Come on out and have yourself a hay-day!
Fix It Yourself
When a guy’s printer type began to grow faint, he called a local repair shop where a friendly man informed him that the printer probably needed only to be cleaned.
Because the store charged $50 for such cleanings, he told him he might be better off reading the printer’s manual and trying the job himself.
Pleasantly surprised by his candor, he asked, "Does your boss know that you discourage business?"
"Actually, it’s my boss’s idea," the employee replied sheepishly.
"We usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first."
Hey kids, want to make a bird feeder?
Come on out to our Make and Take Bird Feeder Workshop on Saturday, September 28, from 10am 12pm. We will have pine cones, sticks, cheerios, pipe cleaners and birdseed for you to use to create your very own bird feeder. There is a nominal fee for this workshop. Prices range from $2.00 – $3.00 per feeder.
You will make the birds very, very happy!
P.S. We will not be using peanut butter.
Send Al your gardening questions!
Americas Best Flowers wants to help you succeed in your gardening efforts. If you have gardening questions send an email to Al Lunde, at abflunde@yahoo.com. Al will get back to you promptly.
Help Wanted
A sign hung in an office window. It read;
Help wanted. Must type 70 words a minute. Must be computer literate.
Must be bilingual. An equal opportunity employer.
A dog was ambling down the street and saw the sign. He looked at it for a moment, pulled it down with his mouth, and walked into the manager’s office, making it clear he wished to apply for the job.
The office manager laughed and said, "I can’t hire a dog for this job."
The dog pointed to the line: "An equal opportunity employer."
So the manager said, "OK, take this letter and type it." The dog went off to the word processor and returned a minute later with the finished letter, perfectly formatted.
The manager said, "Alright, here’s a problem.
Write a computer program for it and run it."
Fifteen minutes later, the dog came back with the correct answer.
The manager still wasn’t convinced. "I still can’t hire you for this position. You’ve got to be bilingual."
The dog looked up at the manager and said, "Meow."
Lucys Story Chapter 23
Lucy speaks!
My mom has a sore paw! My dad sat on the floor with me the other night and told me that my mom had to go to the vet and have her paw fixed and that she would be staying overnight with the vet. I thought, hey, that would be fun if my mom and I had a sleepover with the vet because I really like Dr. Sara. But, my dad said it was a different vet and that, no, I couldnt sleep over. Bummer! Then my dad said that when my Mom came home she wouldnt be able to walk and that we would need to give her a lot of TLC. You bet, anything for my mom!
While my dad was scratching my tummy (he is really, really good at that) he started laughing and then said to me Lucy, if your mom handles that wheelchair like she handles her car you had better keep your tail tucked close to your body and your paws out of her path. I didnt see the humor in that, but apparently my dad did!
Hey, what does TLC mean? I want to ask my dad what is TLC?, but he wont stop laughing!
`til next time,
~ Lucy
What do you call a fish with no eye?
Fsh.
Upcoming Events
Sat, Sep 21 – Sun, Oct 13 | Scarecrow Days M-F 10-5PM / Sat Sun 10-4PM |
Sat, Sep 28 | Make & Take Bird Feeders 10am 12pm – Kids come out & build a bird feeder for your feathered friends. |
Sat, Oct 19 | Flea Market 8am 3pm Rain or Shine |
Sat, Oct 19 – Sun, Nov 17 | Miniature Garden Workshops 10am – 3pm Every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) – Make a mini garden in a terrarium or planter of your choice. |
Sat, Nov 23 – Sun, Nov 24 | Holiday Porch Pot Workshop 9am 3pm – Pre-Registration Appreciated (Not Required) |
Sun, Dec 1 | Wreath Workshop / Paint A Poinsettia Workshop 9am 3pm – Pre-Registration Appreciated (Not Required). You can make porch pots too, if you want! |
Our Kitchen
While Jim and I were vacationing in Colorado Springs last fall, we stopped at a restaurant called The Mason Jar for dinner. It was a cool day and soup sounded good, so I tried the Soup of the Day, which was Stuffed Pepper. I enjoyed it so much that I asked the server if there was any way I could get the recipe. To my great surprise, she said yes and returned to the table a few minutes later with a copy of it. When I questioned whether they generally give out their recipes, she said the owner believes in sharing. Many of their customers are vacationers, and he wants them to remember The Mason Jar fondly whenever they enjoy one of their soups at home. And just maybe theyll tell their friends about it, too. So friends of mine, here it is.
The next time you find yourself in Colorado Springs, I strongly recommend you stop at The Mason Jar, located at 2925 W Colorado Ave, for a meal. Im sure youll leave happy.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
- 2 # ground beef
- 2 quarts water
- 1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (un-drained)
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 cups chopped green peppers
- ¼ c packed brown sugar
- 2 t salt
- 1 t pepper
- 2 t beef bouillon
Directions
In a large pan, season beef with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink. Drain beef and add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until peppers are tender. Enjoy!!

Edward Knapton says Keep on Smiling!
Sec – Treasurer Berry Hill Farms, Inc.
DBA Americas Best Flowers Garden Center
4311 Vilas Hope Road
Cottage Grove, WI 53527
608-222-2269 Fax 608-222-1234 Cell 608-698-5627