See the art of Beti Kristof – Current Edition

See the art of Beti Kristof – Current Edition

An Outdoor Fireplace Can Warm Up Chilly Evenings…

Before

After

Designed and constructed by Green Planet Landscaping

Whether an intricate part of a complete outdoor cooking and dining area or a stand alone design element, the attraction has to be the intimacy it creates for couples, families or even social gatherings.  Can anyone deny that warm, toasty feeling that overcomes you while you relax in front of the flickering flames?Surprisingly, a relatively small area is necessary to install a fireplace.  The one pictured above is part of an entire outdoor dining area, and the fireplace is under 8-feet wide from end-to-end.  The pot shelf takes up just over 3-feet, with a 3-foot depth.   The sub-structure is masonry block, the material of choice for most contractors, with heat resistant fire bricks lining the inside of the fire box.  The finish material is stucco, with a suede-like appearance.  Natural flagstone caps the mantle, pot shelf and hearth.  The selection of finish material is vast and includes natural rock, cultured stone, brick, concrete and even glass tile.Should you decide to incorporate a fireplace into an existing outdoor environment, there are things to take into consideration.

Picking Pumpkins

In Pursuit Of The Perfect Pumpkin

Searching for a pumpkin is the perfect way to spend a beautiful fall day as a family and to create lasting memories and traditions. Also, many farms or street corner vendors, offer hay rides, corn mazes, (there is a wonderful one in Moapa) and petting zoos for the children to enjoy. By following these tips, you will find the perfect pumpkin(s) for cooking, carving, or displaying to last throughout the coming holidays.

There are lots of wonderful heirloom pumpkins that are superior in flavor and appearance to the same old orange globes found everywhere in the fall. What wonderfully good fun to experiment with a few as it’s a shame we don’t see more of them. You’ll find there is an endless variety of pumpkins and following you find a list of the most popular. One is French, one is Italian and one is Iranian. All three will forever change your perception of pumpkins, including those that are best for cooking or baking.

Pumpkin – (Cucurbita)

A squash-like fruit that range in size (less than 1 pound to over 1000 pounds), shape, color, and appearance (smooth or ribbed). Pumpkins are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons ranging from agricultural purposes (animal feed) to commercial and ornamental sales. As one of the most popular crops in the United States, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year. The top pumpkin producing states in the U.S. include Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.

Pumpkins – Heirloom & Roasting Pumpkins      

Pumpkins are a winter squash. Field pumpkins, like those used for jack o’ lanterns, have dry, flavorless flesh. They can be used as baked tureens for soup, but are otherwise best left for carving and decoration. Some varieties, however, can be roasted or turned into soups just like other scrumptious winter squash. Look for French varieties, pumpkins labeled “Cinderella” pumpkins, and Blue Hokkaido.

Sugar, Pie & Sweet Pumpkins

Sugar or pie pumpkins and other smaller, sweet pumpkins make for great eating and can be used just like Acorn Squash. Look for pumpkins labeled sweet, sugar, or cheese pumpkins. You can bake, roast, mash, or puree these eating pumpkins just like other winter squash. The smaller specimens can be hollowed out, roasted until tender, and filled with savory custards or small portions of soup for a fun dinner party treat.

Giant Pumpkin

The largest pumpkins are Cucurbita maxima. They were cultivated from the hubbard squash genotype, crossed with kabocha-pumpkin types by enthusiast farmers through intermittent effort since the early 1800s. “Weigh-off” competitions for giant pumpkins are a popular festival activity. 2020 pounds was the recent contest winner and is held as the world record for the largest pumpkin

Planning a trip to pick your own? You’ll first gather all necessary supplies. If you are planning on purchasing several pumpkins, bring a way to transport them. If you are going to be picking from a patch such as, Gilcrease Orchards bring your own cutting or pruning shears.

The third step is to choose the shape of the pumpkin. Do you like round or tall? Again, this is done completely based on preference. Just keep in mind if you are searching for one to use in cooking, small is better whereas the medium to larger sizes work well for carving.

If you are searching for pumpkins strictly for display purposes selecting several with varying sizes, shapes, and shades of orange will work well. If searching for pumpkins for carving, bring your pattern with you to make sure the pumpkin is large or wide enough for the pattern to fit. No matter the size or shape of your pumpkin, remember to lift it from the bottom rather than the stem.

Even if the pumpkin is completely orange you still need to make sure it is ripe before purchasing. Press your thumbnail on the back or bottom of the pumpkin. A ripe one will not leave scratches or dents; if it does, it is not fully ripened. Also, looking over your pumpkin for soft spots will ensure that the pumpkin is not beginning to rot. Soft spots or cracks could harvest rotting or mold so even if there is one small soft spot, moving on to the next pumpkin is your best bet. While looking over your pumpkin, take notice of any small holes. These holes could indicate bug or insect problems.

Finally, when searching for the perfect pumpkin, involve the kids. Let them check for soft spots or damage. Children, especially the very young, love to tell others that they helped when choosing the pumpkin. Let them find a small pumpkin, such as a Gold Speck, which is approximately 2-3 inches in size. These pumpkins will last through the holidays for the kids to enjoy and are the perfect size for school desks.

Pumpkin facts you never knew you wanted to know:          

• About 90 to 95 percent of the processed pumpkins in the United States are grown in Illinois.

• Pumpkins are used as feed for animals.

• Pumpkin flowers are edible.

• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was more than 5 feet in diameter and weighed more than 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin and took six hours to bake.

• In colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.

• Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.

• The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 2020 pounds.

• The name pumpkin originated from “pepon” – the Greek word for “large melon.”

• Pumpkins are 90 percent water.

• Pumpkins are fruit.

• Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.

• Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops, removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.

• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.

• Native Americans called pumpkins “isqoutm squash.”

• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.

Their bright orange color is an obvious clue that pumpkins are stuffed with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene.

Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to Vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to Vitamin A, beta-carotene performs many important functions in overall health.

Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Nutritional facts:

(1 cup of cooked pumpkin without salt)

Calories: 49

Protein: 2 grams

Carbohydrates: 12 grams

Dietary fiber: 3 grams

Calcium: 37 mg

Iron: 1.4 mg

Magnesium: 22 mg

Potassium: 564 mg

Zinc: 1 mg

Selenium: .50 mg

Vitamin C: 12 mg

Niacin: 1 mg

Folate: 21 mcg

Vitamin A: 2650 IU

Vitamin E: 3 mg

Four White Walls?

A little boy’s room get’s transformed with vibrant color.

We often move into homes that are painted white. With four white walls staring back at you, it can be very intimidating, and you may wonder, “Where do I start?”

With a little help at Sherwin-Williams, Durations Decisive Yellow and Blue Plate (for the walls) and Marshmallow White (for the clouds) transformed this room into an inspiring and fun room for a little boy.