Awesome Bars
You can’t fake awesome. ~Awesome Bars
If you happen to look up the word “awesome” in the dictionary, the definition will be “something that inspires awe, wonder, or excitement” so it seems especially appropriate that a company who makes granola bars that cause some very serious excitement, call themselves and their products “Awesome Bars.” Read more 
Seely Candy Canes
We elves stick to the main four food groups: big candy canes, little candy canes, broken candy canes, and crushed candy canes. ~An enlightened elf
For an authentic candy cane experience, wrap your fingers around a Seely Peppermint Candy Cane: a handcrafted individually pulled, twisted, and crooked treat made with pure Oregon peppermint oil from the peppermint plants grown on Seely’s Family Farm along with cane sugar, organic tapioca syrup, cream of tartar, and natural plant-based color. Read more
Resqme
The perfect gift – peace of mind.
Throughout the year I am always on the outlook for small stocking stuffers that are useful. My top choice this year: the Resqme – an escape tool designed to be a window breaker and seat belt cutter in an emergency or vehicle entrapment. Although the chances of being in an accident are low (a driver can expect to be in one accident every 15-20 years, depending on the insurance company), most drivers can expect to be in 2-3 accidents over their lifetime which could involve water, fire, and entrapment – all the more reason to be prepared. Read more
Peppermint Chocolate Bars
During the holidays, chocolate and peppermint sweets are abundantly popular because the cool flavor of peppermint combined with chocolate is hard to beat. A classic holiday combination of crushed candy canes blended with rich dark chocolate makes for a winning combination but if the candy canes happen to be organic and the chocolate happens to be made by Videri then you’re in for a very special treat. Read more
Peppermint Bark by EH Chocolatier
Peppermint bark is one of the most coveted chocolate confections during the holiday season. Typically made with three ingredients: peppermint candy, white chocolate, and dark chocolate, peppermint bark is the rare treat that combines the crunchy texture of candy canes, the milky flavor of white chocolate, and the rich taste of dark chocolate. Read more
Non-Profits and CitizenAudit.org
‘Tis the season for non-profits to raise some serious funds and with a bull stock market, low unemployment, and a stronger economy, charitable organizations should raise large amounts of cash this year. We all want our charitable dollars to help those in need so before you make a donation, it’s important to know where your money is being spent. How much will be used to pay salaries, marketing firms, office space, mailings, traveling, and most importantly, how much is actually going to the recipients of the charity? Read more
How to Reverse California’s Drought
California’s water drought problem has been in the news daily and although thousands of words have been written about this unfortunate situation, there are still a few left to write. California residents have been asked to turn off their sprinklers, stop washing their cars, use water saving toilets and faucets when in reality, only 5% of water consumption is domestic. Read more
The East Village (in Des Moines)…Really
When most people hear or speak of the East Village, they are referring to the trendy neighborhood in New York City but there is another East Village well worth visiting in Des Moines, Iowa. Known as the Historic East Village, this 6 square block area in downtown Des Moines (on the east side of the Des Moines River) is near the 23-carat gold domed Capital Building (which can be seen for miles).
Originally established as a commerce area more than 150 years ago, the East Village has an abundance of historic buildings that now house a museum, restaurants, cafes, bars, retail stores, an ice skating rink, an outdoor amphitheater and loft-style housing. Read more
Handwoven Cotton Throws
Several years ago, I restored my husband’s great grandmother’s farmhouse in Iowa: a 2-story 900 square foot 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom little brown house that sits on a hill overlooking rolling hills of corn and soybeans. The project took nearly two years to complete but when finished, the “Little Brown House” looked like the little farm house my husband remembered visiting as a child.
With softly pleated green and white pinstriped curtains covering every window, multicolored braided rugs on the old wooden floors, and an upholstered sofa and rocking chair swathed in shades of “sage” and “celery” colored fabric, the Little Brown House was nearly perfect when the final touch was added: a handwoven apple green cotton throw by Nantucket Looms. Read more
Charity Checkout Contributions
In the United States, nearly every retail organization asks if you would like to make a charitable contribution to a good cause at the check out counter. Retailers love it because it makes them look caring (even if it’s on the back of customers) and often gives a tax write-off while charities love it because a lot of money is raised with very little cost (some companies do take a percentage as an administrative fee) while most customers dread it because they feel trapped and shamed into giving and this happens over and over every single day. Read more
Paddock Post 