Memorial Day
Newsletter 14 – Thursday, May 22, 2014
As America celebrates Memorial Day,
we pay tribute to those who have given their lives in our nation’s wars.
John M. McHugh
Current Hours
Cottage Grove – open Mon-Fri 9-8, Sat and Sun 9-6.
Edgerton open Mon-Fri 8:30-7, Sat 8:30-6, Sun 9-5.
Memorial Day Hours
Cottage Grove will be open from 9 to 6 on Monday, Memorial Day.
Edgerton will be open from 9 to 5.
Lucys Story – Chapter 50
"Although I’m glad I’m not a wolf myself. I wouldn’t want to live in the days of wild lawnmowers."
Click for Larger Image
Im so excited! My mom and dad said that most of the spring yard work should be done by tomorrow. The only thing left to do would be to cut the grass. Then it will be time to kick back and relax.
Well, its about time, I quietly say to myself.
Ahhh, I can see it now, snoozing under the big old maple tree, rolling in the grass. A little sun, a little shade, lots of water and a few tasty treats. Yep, this proud member of the wolf family will be taking a well-deserved rest.
Hey, whats with all the racket? Now what are those two up to? Theyre standing across the yard with their heads together laughing like a couple of silly kids. Now theyre looking over at me and laughing even harder. Something is going on and I dont like the looks of it…at all!
Here they come with that grass cutting thing. My mom is laughing so hard she has the hiccups.
Great, my tummy is doing flip-flops.
Then my dad says to me, Lucy, your mom and I have talked and we think that since you spend so much time in the backyard snoozing and rolling on the grass that it seems only fair that you take your turn cutting it.
Wait a minute here!
As he and my mom walked away laughing, my dad looked over his shoulder at me and said Watch your tail, Lucy.
Are you serious? Come back. Please, I cant do this. Im a dog, a distant relative of the wolf. I whined!
Then I heard a whisper, Oh great domesticated wolf, Lucy. You must remind them that you do not have thumbs. You would not be able to animate the mystical grass cutter or control it.
I trotted over to my mom and dad to convey this very important fact to them. I then proceeded to lay under the maple tree in a nice patch of long green grass.
Oh, thank you, great and wise wolf ancestor!
~Lucy
A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining,
the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing,
and the lawn mower is broken.
Roses, anyone?
Please join us for our free Rose Clinic this Saturday, May 24, at 10:00 am. Our resident rose experts, Sharon and Al, will show you how easy they are to grow and to care for. So, jot down all your questions or concerns regarding roses and ask the experts on Saturday.
After the clinic, we are pretty sure you are going to want to get started on your rose garden. We invite you to stroll out to our perennial area where you will find a wide and wonderful selection of roses that will bring years of beauty and enjoyment to your yard.
Are you hosting a Memorial Day party, graduation party, family reunion or just an all out fun get together?
Are you frantic just thinking about everything that needs to get done before your event? Let us offer a simple and easy solution to decorate your yard, patio or deck. Our Grab-N-Go container gardens and hanging baskets will give your special area that beautiful final touch.
Are you having a Memorial Day get together? Why not decorate with some of our beautiful red pottery, white pottery and blue pottery?
If your get together is in a week or so let Americas Best Flowers create custom-made container gardens for you. Our talented staff will create beautiful flower containers that will amaze and impress your guests. Just give us a call at 608-222-2269 to arrange a time to meet with our designer.
Tomato and Pepper Plants!
If youre looking for different varieties of tomatoes for your vegetable garden, we have them! We have over 20 varieties of tomatoes to choose from and thats not including over 10 varieties of Heirloom tomatoes.
And the same goes for peppers. We have over 20 varieties of peppers. Mild peppers, hot peppers and super hot peppers … weve got them all.
Friendly Dogs Are Welcome At Our Greenhouse
Important Warm Weather Pet Information
Friendly dogs (on leashes) are always welcome at Americas Best Flowers.
If you forget to bring a leash, just stop at our Customer Service Desk or our perennial area and borrow one of ours. Well even have a bowl of fresh water for thirsty dogs inside the greenhouse.
Please keep your pet safe this summer! During warm weather its dangerous to leave your pet in the car for any amount of time. Running into a store for just a gallon of milk can even be too long!
Please read the following article from the ASPCA website www.aspca.org.
From ASPCA – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®
102 degrees!
On an 85 degree day, it only takes ten minutes for the inside of your car to reach 102 degrees even when the windows have been left open an inch or two. Within 30 minutes, a cars interior can reach 120 degrees. When the temperature outside is a pleasant 70 degrees the inside of your car may be as much as 20 degrees hotter. Shade offers little protection on a hot day and moves with the sun.
Pets most at risk for hyperthermia (overheating): young animals, elderly animals, overweight animals, those with short muzzles and those with thick or dark-colored coats.
Keep Off The Grass
How do "Keep off the grass" signs get where they are?
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 our Operations Manager, Al Lunde, at abflunde@yahoo.com. Al will get back to you promptly. Let America’s Best Flowers be your go-to greenhouse for answers.
Upcoming Events
| Sat, May 24 | Rose Clinic 10:00am FREE class on how to select, plant, prune, and care for your roses. |
| Sat, May 31 | Perennial Gardening Class 10:00am FREE garden plan and class. |
| Sun, Jun 1 – Mon, Jun 30 | Perennial of the Week Focus is on a new perennial each week. |
| Sat, Jun 7 | Succulent Garden Workshop 10am-4pm FREE soil and assistance. Bring in your own container or buy one of ours. |
| Sun, Jun 15 | Fathers Day FREE Schoepps ice cream for Dad and the family! |
| Sat, Jun 21 – Sun, Jun 22 | Herb, Terrarium & Miniature Garden Container Workshop 10am-4pm FREE soil and assistance. Create your own herb container garden, terrarium or miniature garden. Bring in your own containers or buy some of ours. |
Our Kitchen
Scott brought me in a taste of this rice last week, and for just a moment I thought I was in heaven. I discovered basmati rice a few years ago. What a wonderful taste and texture it has. This recipe wouldnt be the same without it. Scallions, commonly called green onions, are available everywhere right now, maybe even in your own garden. If you dont have them growing yet, we still have onion sets available. This recipe calls for 20-24 scallions, my guess is that they are talking about pencil thin ones, if yours are bigger, you could cut the number back a bit. He found this recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine. For more wonderful taste delights visit them at www.finecooking.com
Lemony Rice Pilaf with Scallions
- 3 T unsalted butter
- 12 oz. scallions (20 to 24), thinly sliced, whites kept separate from greens
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1-3/4 cups lower-salt chicken broth
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions
Melt the butter in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and simmer to reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until it begins to crackle, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, lemon zest, and 1 tsp. salt; bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the scallion greens and lemon juice into the rice with a fork and serve.
Nutrition Information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 320; Fat (g): 10; Fat Calories (kcal): 90; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 8; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2.5; Carbohydrates (g): 49; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 400; Cholesterol (mg): 25; Fiber (g): 3;
You’ll Love Your Garden … It’s Our Promise! May the Holy Spirit Guide You! God Bless 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
