Friday's freebie...

This weekend the National Parks honoring our nations Veterans by offering free admittance.  Because so many parks have historic battlefields and  and historic sites that honor   veterans the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees to all parks for all visitors.  To find a park near you or to get more information, just go to the National Park Service page.

Have a great weekend exploring.

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

tranche \TRAHNSH\  ~  noun
 

DEFINITION: a division or portion of a pool or whole

EXAMPLES: "The funds are doled out in tranches over time…." — From an article in The Economist, March 10, 2012

"The 1917 law … allowed $8 billion in national debt, the first tranche of an ultimate $30 billion debt to fund World War I, repayable in gold." — From an article by David Malpass in Forbes, February 27, 2012

DID YOU KNOW? In French, "tranche" means "slice." Cutting deeper into the word's etymology, we find the Old French word "trancer," meaning "to cut." The word emerged in the English language in the late 19th century to describe financial appropriations. Today, it is often used specifically of an issue of bonds that is differentiated from other issues by such factors as maturity or rate of return. Another use of the French word "tranche" is in the French phrase "une tranche de vie," meaning "a cross section of life." That phrase was coined by the dramatist Jean Jullien (1854-1919), who advocated naturalism in the theater.
 

Find more great words at Merriam-Webster online.
 

~THE REBATE~

 

Planning on getting a few house projects done before old man Winter shows up?  If you are here are a couple of rebates that may interest you.  The first is from Glaze ‘n Seal driveway sealant, get $10 back on each 5 gallon pale of Glaze ‘n Seal, up to $100 total.  To get your rebate just print the rebate form and mail it in together with your original dated cash register receipt dated before November 1st.  All requests must be received before November 30, 2012 and all rebate checks must be cashed with in 60 days from the date of issue.

 

The other rebate is from Thompson's WaterSeal.  They are offering $4 back on each gallon of their WaterSeal Advanced Wood Protector and $3 back on each gallon of their WaterSeal Waterproof PLUS Wood Protector.  You can get up to $12 back for the sealers, additionally you can get up to another $9 back on their wood cleaners.  All the information on mixing and matching is on the rebate form.  You will need to mail in the form together with your original cash register receipt(s) dated between April 7, 2012 and October 6, 2012 with the purchases circled and the original UPC codes from the containers.  There is only one offer allowed per address so make sure you have all the products together before you mail in your request.

 

I hope you are all having a great week so far.

 

C.Q.

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

The picture...

Well with flurries last night and today I think its time to say an official good-by to warm weather.  Time to take out the winter coat and dust it off.  I took this picture in August when I was out fishing with the hubby on Lake Superior, the sun was setting and it was time to come back to shore, somehow it seems appropriate today.

The deal...

Crate and Barrel is having their annual Veterans Day Outlet sale with 50% or more savings, both in store and on line.  If you are a sewer be sure to check out their designer fabric sale in the outlet stores as well, you can find fabric that was regularly $28.95 - $44.95 for only $3.95 per yard!

Have a great Thursday everyone!

C.Q.

Saturday Sojourn...

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina



Today I used the site Dart on Map to find a place to check out, it landed on a great spot I had never heard of called Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina.  Kill Devil Hills is located on the barrier islands known as the outer banks and the name dates back to the Colonial Era.  The coast line was a popular spot for merchant ships transporting Rum, and when one would become disabled the inhabitants would go out to the ship and remove the cargo before it sank and hide the Rum behind the sand dunes.  They said the Rum was strong enough to kill the Devil, thus the area became known as Kill Devil Hills.  And despite near by Kitty-hawks reputation Kill Devil Hills is the actual site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial, commemorating the siblings' four powered airplane flights of Thursday, December 17, 1903. Orville returned in 1911, and on October 25 he set a new world glider record, remaining in the air 10 minutes and 34 seconds, soaring against the wind with very little forward movement.

Well there is a little background, lets land a room.  You can stay ocean front at the Quality Inn Carolina Oceanfront.  The guest rooms feature pillow-top mattresses, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, irons, ironing boards, hair dryers, safes and cable television with free HBO. Select rooms also have balconies, desks and sofa sleepers.  A bar/lounge is on site at the hotel where guests can unwind with a drink, a complimentary breakfast is offered and High-speed wireless Internet is complimentary.  Visiting during the off season you should be able to find a room under $100.00 per night.  If you are a Choice Privileges member and book soon you will earn bonus reward points.

Unpack and start to explore the area, besides the beach you are very near the Wright Brothers national memorial.  "Containing a recently refurbished replica of the original Wright Flyer as well as other memorabilia of the First Flight, the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Visitor Center commemorates one of America's historic moments.  A nearby sand dune supports the Memorial Pylon, which locals simply refer to as "The Monument".   On the extensive grounds around the visitor center/museum there are historical markers and a reconstructed hanger and shop. (free)

True nature lover?  Check out the Nags Head Wood Preserve not far up the road.  This 1,092 acres offers beautiful hiking trails that are open dawn to dusk every day for foot traffic only. Leashed pets, horses and bicycles are not allowed on the trails but are welcome on the gravel roadway.  With in the Preserve you will find a rare Maritime Deciduous Forest, Maritime Swamp Forest, Maritime Shrub Forest and Interdunal Ponds laced together with quite a few trails.  There is over 300 plant species, 50 birds species as well as many reptiles and amphibians.  Be sure to wear good hiking shoes, bring some water and download a map of the trails to take with on your adventure. (free)

For the shopper there are some great deals to be had at the Tanger Outlet just a few minutes from the hotel.  Be sure to check out the coupon section of their site for anything you my be interested in. If you join the TangerClub you will also get a free coupon book each time you visit a Tanger Outlet as well as seasonal specials, birthday rewards and gift cards.

If you love fishing you will have no problem finding a fishing charter to take you out to saltwater fish, or you can take the long walk down the Avalon Pier with your own gear and try your luck. Anywhere you fish be sure to check the regulations, here are the rules for North Carolina's Salt Water fishing.

One of my favorite foods is seafood and when you stay someplace near the water its nice to find places with the fresh stuff!  According to TripAdvisor a great place for seafood is Crabby Fries, located less than one mile from the hotel.  Their menu features all day breakfast, steamed seafood, burgers and hand cut fries.  If yo are looking for something more on the romantic side check out The Pearl, they serve dinner and Sunday Brunch and feature a more traditional fine dining experience.  If you are looking for something fun to take the kids to then check out The Jolly Roger who features fresh caught local seafood, steaks, prime rib and reportedly the most famous breakfast on the beach.

I hope you are all having a great weekend!  I would love to hear about your favorite vacation, where was it and what did you do?  Next week I will let you know how the swap went, we will have another swap starting on the 25th of June.

C.Q.

Tastefully Tueday...

I love summer and all the wonderful fresh veggies it brings, but sometimes the fresh fruit gets overlooked, especially on the barbeque.  Today's recipe is great for those cooler days, its a little more filling than a salad but still light with a bright summer flavor.  This great recipe comes from Kitchen Daily, a great place to find all sorts of inspiration and fun new things to try.

North African Orange & Lamb Kebabs

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pound lean leg of lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 seedless oranges, unpeeled, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1. Preheat grill to high.

2. Combine cilantro, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the herbs are finely chopped. Add yogurt and lemon juice; process until smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl, add lamb and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

3. Thread lamb and orange slices alternately onto 8 skewers. Discard marinade.

4. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until cooked to desired doneness, 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare. Serve immediately.

To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

To grill with wooden skewers: Wrap the exposed parts with foil to keep them from burning. (Contrary to conventional wisdom, soaking skewers in water doesn't protect them.)

$0.50 off when you buy 8 cups any variety Yoplait® Yogurt

Today's no cook idea is from Longhorn Steakhouse.  You can print a coupon for a $4.00 discount when you purchase 2 adult entrees, the coupon expires on June 17, 2011 so be sure to act quickly for this deal.  They also have the option to get a free appitizer when you join their Longhorn Club and sign up to recieve their emails.

Hope you are all having a great Tuesday!

C.Q.

Friday's Freebie...

Memorial weekend is finally here and its time to get out the Barbecue. Today's first freebie comes from Star Ranch Angus. While supplies last you can get a free sample of their Real American Steak Rub, just fill in the on line request form and they will have it on the way to you in no time. 

SC Johnson Right at Home is offering a free Summer Prep Gift Pack to the first 3,000.  The gift pack includes a full size canister of Deep Woods Off! and one pack of Shout Wipes, both great for all your summer barbecues.  Just fill in the on line form, gift packs will be mailed July 15th.

Have a great Friday and a safe weekend!

C.Q.

Saturday Sojourn...

Breckenridge, Colorado

Today I grabbed a book called 1,000 to Visit Before You Die: In the USA and Canada by Patricia Schultz.  I opened it towards the middle and was right on the page for Breckenridge, Colorado.

"The town of Breckenridge was formally created in November 1859 by General George E. Spencer. Spencer chose the name "Breckinridge" after John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, Vice President of the United States, in the hopes of flattering the government and gaining a post office. Spencer succeeded in his plan and a post office was built in Breckinridge; it was the first post office between the Continental Divide and Salt Lake City, Utah.   Breckenridge was founded to serve the miners working rich placer gold deposits discovered along the Blue River." ~ from Wikipedia
 
The first thing I looked into for today's article was lodging and I was able to find one heck of a deal at the Breck Inn.  They have a special running now that offers a room for between $13 and $100 dollars per night, so when I put in sample dates (which include a weekend) in July and August the price for a room for 2 adults came us as $87 per night, in September and October the price dropped to $78 per night.  The room includes a limited Continental breakfast. The Breck Inn also features an on-site outdoor hot tub. The hotel is located within walking distance to town and just minutes from the slopes. But there is a down side to the great deal, there is a 120 Minute presentation and tour of The Grand Lodge on Peak 7 to get your to buy into the time share for the area. 

The number one place to stay in Breckenridge per Trip Advisor is BlueSky Breckenridge, and if you book between now and May 31st you can get a third night free or up to 20% off. The average price per night is $185 on Hotels.com but when you factor in the free third night that brings it down to $124 per night.  The hotel amenities include an outdoor pool, three hot tubs, fitness center, a spa on site, weekend meals can be catered to your condo, a library with a business center and a selection of DVDs, a game room, heated parking garage, a charter sports shop which offers a 30% discount on rental equipment to guests and a shuttle service that goes into town.  In the winter months the Lodge is a ski in ski out facility, making it easy to hit the slops. 

Everyone knows Breckenridge is a mecca for skiers but what about the summer?  Well if you like sports there is no shortage, The Town of Breckenridge can boast that it is the only municipality in the world to own a Jack Nicklaus designed, 27-hole golf course.  The Breckenridge Golf Club offers quite a few different stay an play package options as well as being able to book a one time tee time.  The rates are good for a day out, between $62 and $109 for 18 holes walking depending on when you want to go, they even offer twilight golfing after 2:30 and happy hour after 4:30 for reduced rates. Cart rental is $16 for 18 holes and $9.00 for 9 holes.

Not a golfer? Not a problem.  The Town of Breckenridge has been designated a silver level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, and was named one of the top 10 great places to take the kids on a bike ride by USA Today.  You can bring your own bikes or you can rent them from either Alpine Sport (they have a coupon for 20% off your rental) or Avalanche Sports, both will have the right equipment for the type of trail you choose.  Before you head out be sure to down load and print your free Summer trail bike map.  Riding a horse more your style?  Check out Breckenridge Stables for their trail rides as well as some fun breakfast and dinner rides.  Would you rather hit the water to paddle or fish for the day?  You can rent canoes, kayaks and powerboats or pontoons at the Frisco Bay Marina.  Frisco Bay Marina is located on the shores of scenic Dillon Reservoir in the heart of Summit County, Colorado.  The lake spans 3,300 acres and boasts 25 miles of shoreline.  The Reservoir offers a nice selection of fish, mostly a variety of trout for anglers, you can get great information on the lake from Fish Explorer.

Looking more for some fun things to do with the whole family? Then why not step back in time to 1887 and try some gold panning at Country Boy Mine?  Voted as one of the best things to do in Breckenridge you can tour the mine, its $20.95 for adults and $14.95 for kids ages 4-12 and your price includes gold panning.  Who knows, you may end up actually making some money, if you would rather try your hand at just the gold panning and skip the tour the cost is $9.95. If you don't like the underground part of the tour why not off set that with a hot air balloon ride? Check out Colorado Balloon Rides and experience the highest altitude hot air ballooning in the country. Your balloon adventure will provide you with spectacular 100 mile panoramic mountain views.  Mountain flight prices are $250.00 per person but for this once in a life time experience it may be worth the splurge.  If you book now using coupon code MOS15 you will get $15.00 off per person.

Nestled in the heart of this historic mining town, the Riverwalk Center, a multifaceted, award-winning performing arts facility seating 770 people, is the focal point for summer activities.  The Riverwalk Center is the western most anchor of the Breckenridge Arts District and part of the Blue River Restoration Project embarked on by the Town of Breckenridge in 1992.  There is also abundant shopping and dining in Breckenridge so be sure to download the free vacation planner and check out all the fun for yourself.  You can also visit the Breckenridge web site for even more great information and planning ideas.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

C.Q.

Meet February...

Hello to you all, I would like you to meet February. February is known for romance, chocolates, National Black History Month and the big game, but did you know February is also….

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month: AMD stands for age-related macular degeneration; a disease that affects part of the back of the eye called the macula, and can cause the center part of your vision to become blurry or wavy.  Prevent Blindness America has a great short quiz to find out if you are at risk. Coastal Contacts is offering a coupon code for 15% off your entire order, just enter code RMNFEB15 at checkout, they also have free shipping on orders over $38.00.

Deaf History Month:  Miracle-Ear has locations nation wide and a printable coupon for a free hearing test, however the actual hearing aids can be very costly.  Hearing aids are available at low or no cost to people that qualify though.  You will need a doctor's diagnosis is necessary to qualify for hearing aid assistance, plus they are great sources of information on the products and services available to you.  Another option is to contact the hearing aid manufacturers directly, like drug companies, many of them will help with the cost, especially for families of children.

Bake for Family Fun Month : How about every one's original favorite, Original Nestle Toll House Cookies?  These would be great for the game this weekend too. Here are some coupons to help you out:

$1.00 off any Arrowhead Flour
$0.50 off two .Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
$1.00 off on any 8 oz. or 16 oz. Organic Valley Butter
$0.50 off Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar
$0.50 off Imperial Sugar Light Brown, Dark Brown, or Powdered Sugar
$0.75 off Organic Valley Eggs
Or you could save the mixing and get $0.75 off Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough

National Hot Breakfast Month:  Save $1.00 at Target on Multi pack Quaker Instant Oatmeal, or you can get a buy two get one free coupon from Better Oats Oatmeal, just find them on Facebook and then go to the promotions tab and click the like button to get your coupon.  More into Cream of Wheat?  No problem, get $1.00 off Malt-O-Meal When You Buy 2 Malt-O-Meal® Cereals 12.5 oz or larger.

National Pie Month and Sweet Potato Month:  In honor of these I found a wonderful Sweet Potato Pie Recipe from Paul Dean for you.  Did you know that despite a physical similarity and a frequent confusion with their names, yams and sweet potatoes are not even distantly related. They are in two different botanical families. Yams are actually related to grasses and lilies!

National Bird Feeding Month: Petco is having their Bird Feeder sale with 15% or more off, plus they have free shipping on all orders over $60.00.  Wonder whats coming to your feeder?  WhatBird.com has an incredible app for $29.99.  Although that may seem a little high take into account that you can carry this with you easily and you can hear the actual bird's call, something no guide book can do for you.  Once you have identified your bird you can check it off either on the app or you can download and print a free state by state check list, especially nice of you are going bird watching on vacation.

National Care About Your Indoor Air Month: Receive $10.00 back by mail with the purchase of any Filtrete Room Air Purifier by 3M.  Just Mail in the rebate form along with the original UPC code from the package and the original cash register receipt dated between March 15, 2010 and March 31, 2011, submissions must be received by April 30, 2011, one per household.

Festival of Camellias Month: If you want to start getting info on your summer flower garden, check out this beautiful flowering shrub.  You can purchase a wide variety of Camellias for your garden from the Camellia Forest Nursery.  The  Burpee Seed Company has the Pink Champagne variety only but you can use coupon code take10 at check out for 10% off your total order.

Chocolate Lover's Month: Somehow this was not a surprise.  Godiva has some beautiful Valentines chocolates this month as well as a few great coupon codes.  Note all of these codes expire on February 8th so act quick.  Coupon code LOVE will get you $10.00 off your order of $60.00 or more, HUGS will get you free shipping on your order of $60.00 or more and HEARTS will get you upgraded guaranteed Valentine's Day delivery on your order of $75.00 or more.  Remember to check out Godiva's free Rewards Club as well, its a nice little program that gets you a free piece of chocolate each month as well as free shipping on all your on line orders and some other very nice perks.

I hope you have all enjoyed meeting February, I have enjoyed sharing the introduction.

Have a great weekend everyone!


C.Q.


 

Savings by the yard...

We are just coming out of an 80+ degree weather spell so that makes it a little hard to think about fall and winter decorations, but where we live waiting a day could mean the difference between the 80 degrees and a foot of snow.  We are hosting the family Christmas this year so I have been looking for ways to make our outdoors as pretty and festive as the indoors.  One of the things I would like to do is light the two trees we have in our front garden so they are a treat to see when you come up the driveway.  Now days there are so many options in string lights it can make your head spin, but my suggestion if you live in an area with limited snow cover is to consider Solar lights, not only do you not have to worry about plugging them in each night but you will save on your electric bill as well.  Hammacher Schlemmer has a 32.9' strand that is guaranteed for 10,000 hours of light and includes two rechargeable batteries in red, green, blue or white for only $59.95.  If you plan to order more than one set be sure to use coupon code WWGRDN, good for free shipping on any order over $85.00.

Even less expensive than lighting is using your existing planters that held all your beautiful flowers during the summer and switching them out for fall.  All you need are some things collected from the outdoors, dried grasses with feathery tops, fall branches with colored leaves (these you can change out when the leaves fall) a few branches from Curly Willow, a Walking Stick plant or twisted branches, and some evergreen.  All you really need to do is place these items right into your dirt you used for your flowers.  If you keep the dirt watered you will keep your grasses a little longer, but remember, in a very cold climate freezing will make it hard to get your items out to switch for the Holidays if you want, and it may also damage your container.

When the weather does get cold enough to freeze consider using that to your advantage.  If you have a large bucket, spray the inside with a non stick spray and fill it with water, then take a smaller container with the outside sprayed with non stick spray and place it in the center (it may float around a little but the next step will help stabilize it) Next you will need items you would like to see in the ice, things like sliced oranges, acorns, bright leaves, small pine cones, red berries, cloves and star anise work great for this.  Place your decorative items around the middle container then cover with plastic wrap to keep everything from coming up over the top, if you need to you can place something heavier on the top over the plastic wrap.  Then freeze outside in the cold weather.  When its all set, the two containers should be easy to remove and you will have a beautiful glass like container for outside your front door that looks great with either a battery or solar flicker light or a little tea candle in it.

I would love to hear your creative and low cost or no cost ideas!  If you need more inspiration check out the articles at About.com, they have a whole section devoted to outdoor decorating.  I hope you are all having a great weekend.

C.Q.