Browsing all posts in June, 2009.
A Tribute to Michael Jackson: The Kids Will Be Fans Yet
The news of Michael Jackson’s death was to me like Elvis’ untimely death was to my mother. I’m shocked and disturbed that a figure from my youth isn’t around any longer. A legend, an icon of a generation, has passed. My daughter can’t understand why I’m surprised.
“He wore [...]
Stock Up On Red Products for Year-Round Entertaining
Every year July 4th invites the color red with patriotic displays in every retail store. Shortly after this temporary burst of star-spangled color, much of this merchandise will be marked down for clearance, signaling your opportunity to gear up for most of your entertaining and decorating needs during the rest [...]
Find: Tub Trugs
The Tub Trug is all the rage in gardening catalogs and home magazines, and it’s worthy of the hype. Imagine a sort of bucket made of a croc (as in footwear) -like material that is flexible yet sturdy. You can lug it around the yard and put [...]
City Stages Lessons Learned
City Stages is not for fainthearted BirminghamMoms. Although the atmosphere is festive and there is entertainment for all ages, these kinds of festivals seem to attract the supporters who wouldn’t miss it for the world, in contrast to the other folks who stay home saying they wouldn’t be caught there under [...]
Hats Off to Dads
It’s the time of year when we give dads the credit they deserve for all they do. It occurred to me that dads may be most appreciated because they do the things that we moms won’t (not because we can’t, but because we had to draw the line somewhere). Thanks, guys, for all [...]
Find: Soil Scoop
The first time I saw a Soil Scoop I recognized the advantages of its design but held off on buying one, thinking I should use the many tools I already had. But when Smith & Hawken marked Soil Scoops down during an end-of-season sale, I had the excuse I needed to buy one. Now, three [...]
The $64 Tomato and Other Budget Busters
You wouldn’t think a book about a tomato would make for highly entertaining reading. However, The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden by William Alexander delivers a bumper crop of chuckles.
After a joking remark that his prized Brandywine tomatoes probably cost [...]
Access Birmingham All Summer for Less Than a Single Trip Elsewhere
This time last year, you were excitedly trolling the internet looking for ideas as you planned camp for the kids, the must-see list for your annual family vacation, and the feasibility of a short getaway with your spouse. This year your pocketbook has snapped shut and you are you are pondering how [...]
Super Hero Costumes Bring Thrills Everywhere
A few weeks ago this masked super hero showed up at the ball park ready to scale the press box, spin webs behind the dugout, and leap from the bleachers (the final display of prowess, unfortunately, required a few small stitches at Children’s Hospital).
When he arrived [...]
Barbeque Tips from a Grill Master
With summer here and Father’s Day approaching, it seems natural to think of the domain where dads rule: Grilling. This is the season when the patio or deck is beckoning to us (after all, the plants outside haven’t died of heat and neglect yet) and we have [...]