Yard Sales

Yes, I am going to blog about a work topic of sorts on my personal blog! Call me crazy, but it is something that I personally have coming up next week and I also know that you might benefit from a little information in the subject. Here is a blog press release of sorts about “Yard Sales”. Continue reading for helpful tips and pointers. I hope that you will join me in de-cluttering your life and ridding yourself of unnecessary items around your household! If you need to contact me about “yard sales” or any work or personal topic my information is below also. 

Do you have a pile of clothes in your closet that no longer fit? Maybe you have an entire wardrobe of clothes like me that are taking up valuable space! Losing 50 pounds has caused my extra closet to become stuffed with clothes I can no longer wear. Or maybe some books piled in the corner that you have already read. Well a yard sale gives you the opportunity to make a little extra cash, and keep these items out of our landfills. And if you are like me it also gives you spending money for a new wardrobe that is much needed!

On average Americans produce almost 3 pounds of waste per person per day. Second-hand items are a great way to reserve space in our landfill for items that cannot be reused, recycled or composted.  Remember the old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”  This Savage Girl now loves shopping at yard sales, consignment stores, and thrift stores. You can get awesome deals! Any items leftover after your yard sale can be taken to a local charity like the Village Shop we have here in Monroe County, or places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army located in nearby towns. Make sure to get a receipt for the items you donated to receive a tax deduction.

Yard sales are also a great place to find bargains. By purchasing second-hand items, you’re not only saving money but also conserving natural resources that would have been used to produce that item if it were new.  Take a pair of jeans for example; to make one new pair it takes approximately 2,900 gallons of water.

Next weekend, September 6 & 7, I will be having a yard sale personally to rid my house of unwanted clothes and clutter.  So if you need a bargain come and see me! Or maybe this blog post will motivate you to have your own yard sale to give me a little yard sale competition!

When shopping at yard sales there are a few pointers you should consider.

1.  Although extremely unlikely, bed bugs could potentially hitch a ride into your home on your yard sale purchase.
2. Wash and dry all clothing purchased at a yard sale as soon as you bring the items into your home.
3. For items such as couches be cautious and inspect the item carefully before purchasing, especially near seams. 
4. Do not purchase a used mattress. For more information on bed bugs contact me at work at the Monroe County  Extension office.

Whether you’re looking to make a few extra bucks this summer like me (because I need an entire "new to me" fall and winter wardrobe) or if you are in search of a bargain, a yard sale may be your answer!

Sources:  National Geographic. Earth’s Freshwater: A Guide for Teaching Freshwater in Grades 3 to 8. n.d. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/file/freshwater_chapter7_v2.pdf.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. December 2011. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw_2010_rev_factsheet.pdf

 Ashley Osborne, Extension Associate for Environmental and Natural Resource Issues, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture

Tompkinsville's Newest Business..."City Cafe" is NOW OPEN

Today marked the opening day for a new business in downtown Tompkinsville, Kentucky! Terin Burgress Coe opened "City Cafe" on Main Street in the former Subway building. Terin asks that everyone please bare with her as she learns about the business and tries to work out all the bugs and kinks that any new business has whenever they first open.

I first met Terin a few months ago when she came into the Extension Office scoping out information for new businesses and the possibility of using local Kentucky Proud produce for her restaurant. We tossed around a few ideas and exchanged contact information. Fast forward a couple of months and today was the grand opening day of her new business! Terin is full of ideas, enthusiasm, and zest which is just what downtown Tompkinsville needs! Her dream came to fruition today when the doors opened this morning! I wish her the very best of luck. Please go support her and her new business!

City Cafe is open Monday-Friday 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the possibility of maybe one day expanding hours as their business and customer base grows. City Cafe will be offering breakfast and lunch. Their menu is small for now but once they have their menu items perfected they will be expanding it and will feature seasonal specials.

Here are a few photos of items that my co-worker Susan and I ate for lunch. They all were delicious and we both would recommend them to anyone! This is a must try kind of place for anyone especially the Savage Girl and her blog followers!
 

Chicken Salad on Croissant

Turkey & Swiss Sandwich

Grilled Chicken Salad

 

Top things to do in Louisville, Kentucky

I just got back from Louisville, Kentucky and decided there are a few things everyone should know about...so here are the top things to do on your next visit to Louisville, Kentucky whenever you are in the big city for a few days. And NO they are not in any particular order!

ONE.
Visit the Cheesecake Factory! Yes, I know it is a chain restaurant, but they have awesome desserts that I occasionally splurge on! FYI I worked out twice the next day following when I ate this yummy dessert...I was hoping to compensate for my sinful action! HA! The special currently is Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Galore. This Savage Girl thought she had died and gone to heaven!

TWO.
Visit the Kentucky State Fair, especially 4-H Cloverville and the Monroe County Pride of the Counties Booth! I just spent two days helping judge and prepare for you to visit along with 100+ other County Extension Agents, 4-H Volunteers, and State Specialists. I spent another couple of days meeting with the "Plate it Up" Kentucky Proud Committee and volunteering at the Monroe County booth.

The fair offers fun for all ages! 

 

Clovella (Monroe County 4-H Mascot) hung out a little with me at the fair helping judge the "folk art" and "nature" craft entries.

 

Here is the "Plate it Up" Kentucky Proud Committee at Agriculture Commissioner James Comer's Commodity Breakfast.

THREE.
Eat at Lilly's Bistro in the Highland area. They offer delicious Kentucky Proud cuisine and feature produce from Hart County, Kentucky.

FOUR.
Take in The Brown Hotel and try the official Kentucky "Hot Brown". I didn't make it there on this most recent trip but I ate there on a previous trip...and it was sinfully good!

FIVE.
Last but not least go visit the Christian brothers and sisters at Cedar Springs church of Christ. They are a warm and welcoming church that are worshiping God in spirit and in truth. Ben Giselbach is their minister and Hannah is his wife. If you need a few great blogs to add to your reading list check out "Plain Simple Faith" and "The Heart of Hannah".

So if you have visited the Louisville, Kentucky area before what is your top things to do while in the big city? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

The Bull and Thistle Take 2

Friends, food, fellowship, and fun are must haves for any girls day out...plus a little pit-stop at The Bull and Thistle! Last week a few friends and I traveled to Gainesboro, Tennessee to partake in a culinary experience like no other! My original intention and goal for the visit to Gainesboro was actually to go to my all time favorite dentist Dr. Driver for my six month dental cleaning. HA! But while in the area I knew I wanted to make a stop at one of the best restaurants around, so I extended the invitation to a few friends. Trust me...there was plenty of shops to keep them busy while I got my pearly whites polished and the small wait would be worth the awesome food! We decided to make it an all afternoon and evening affair to celebrate their birthdays! We even found a little time for pedicures and shopping :)

I like to think that the restaurateurs of this little "Celtic Irish" eatery had Proverbs 24:3-4 in mind when they had the vision for its creation. "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." The Bull and Thistle is a rare "diamond in the rough" type of place that has something for all ages along with friendly service and an awesome cozy atmosphere. It is filled with rare, beautiful, and tasty dishes. Check out my blog on my first visit to The Bull and Thistle if you haven't already read the post about why I think it is so great!

So if you have not already made the drive to this small community you must! If you locate Cookeville, Livingston, Carthage, Lafayette and Celina, Tennessee on the map the dead center is Gainesboro! If you visit be prepared to make frequent trips back!

Here is what we ate...

BLT...my friends each got this sandwich for lunch and I heard no complaints... 

Steak Sandwich...my sandwich...delicious! The fries were AWESOME!

Courtney's very chocolate dreamy dessert! 

Bananas Foster Crepes...my dessert was fantastic! It was my favorite thing that day at The Bull and Thistle :) But what girl doesn't love desserts! 

Strawberry Shortcake...Alisa was in heaven! 

The Birthday Girls and the Savage Girl! 

Now, stop reading my blog if you haven't been to eat at this restaurant yet. Make your reservation to visit The Bull and Thistle by calling (931)268-7170. Who knows I might see you there!  Keep in mind that food is not everything in life. The Savage Girl might talk a lot about yummy dishes and great places to eat but you also need to remember to "taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him" Psalm 34:8. Let me know if you have any questions about God, Family, Work, Service, or Health...basically anything in LIFE. I might not know 100% of the answers but I know a great book that does!

Our Corny Harvest Day!

After worship yesterday Lucy and I traveled to the great state of Tennessee to help out on the farm a little. There was no rest for these Savage Girls. The Savage Mama put me and my sister Anna to work and Lucy got to run around and play with Leo! Lucy was excited to be back on the family farm because she got to run around and play to her little hearts content. For "the humans" the big tasks of the day were to help put up cream-style corn, pick blackberries & raspberries, and do water aerobics in the pool. Needless to say Lucy is one exhausted little dog and she had one tired mama.

I've been helping put up corn on the farm from the time I was old enough to help pull the shucks off the ears of corn, but I don't think we have ever taken any photos until today. Here is the process we used to put up our cream-style corn. It is REAL scientific and technical!

Step 1: Shuck the corn.

Step 2: Silk the corn.

Step 3: Cut the corn off the cob.

Step 4: Blanch the corn-style corn by bringing it to a boil in a large stockpot for about 10 minutes or until it thickens. Cool corn and then package in plastic freezer bags. (Sorry I didn't take photos of this step...the Savage Mama did this while Anna and I cleaned up the shucks outside!) 

The clean-up helpers & side show entertainment Leo & Lucy! 

If you need a great resource for freezing or canning check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Trust me...you name it and it is on this website...freeze, can, dehydrate, cure & smoke, pickle, ferment, etc. When in doubt look up whatever you are preserving because rules and recommendations might have changed since you first learned about food preservation.

On a side note we Savage Women today harvested corn, blackberries & raspberries and the harvest was plentiful and the food preservation was easy, but we ALL should also be mindful of another type of harvest and preservation method. The Bible speaks about how that what is sown on good soil will bear fruit and high yields in Matthew 13. With "good soil" meaning that the one who hears the word of the Gospel and understands it will have plenty and gain lots...an eternal home in heaven. Have you shared the Gospel lately with anyone? I am guilty...I need to do more of this! Here are my thoughts on this topic...

• Maybe we should share with our friends the simple message that if they seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness all these things will be added to them (Matthew 6:33). 
• "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. 
• "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" John 3:36. 
• In Acts chapter 2 three thousand souls were saved by obeying the gospel as they followed God's plan of salvation. They were "pricked in their hearts" by the gospel message according to Acts 2:37 and Peter told them to "repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of your sins, and ye shall receive that gift of the Holy Ghost" Acts 2:38. 

I challenge you to go help with the "harvest" and help "preserve" others so that we can all meet in heaven one day when we receive the gift of eternal life after we've followed the New Testament Plan of Salvation.  Here are a few others posts I've written about God's Plan...

• Spring Cleaning (April 9, 2013)
• 3 Things I Know for Sure (That You Should Too!) (July 6, 2013)