We've used china markers for years. They come in handy for all sorts of writing projects. You can put a thank you note right on a wine bottle, scribble a reminder on the bathroom mirror, or mark the nail in a tire so you can find it at the service station.
These wax filled pencils (also called "crayon pencils," "grease pencils," or "wax pencils") write on glass, china, mirrors, tires, car windshields, etc. without damaging most surfaces. The markings rub off of slick surfaces with a dry cloth or you can use soap and warm water. (The wax is more difficult to remove from plastic.)
Read some of the reviews on Amazon to find how many ways people use the pencils. Department stores used to use them to mark chips on china or glass that was scheduled to be removed from inventory. You can use them to mark yard sale prices on anything like that.
Because they are wax, you can use them on plant markers and the label won't fade in the sun or wash away in the rain.
For a party, you can put everyone's name on their wine glass. This works much better than a wine charm or colored ribbon since you don't have to remember which one is yours.
Having an assortment of colors can be handy because this is a light mark, and opposing colors – like white on a green wine bottle or black on a clear container – will show up better.
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Penny was writing one of her City Paws newspaper columns on High Tech for pets, when she came across Pet First Aid: for Your Dog, Cat, Puppy, or Kitten – Jive Media LLC. She reviewed the options, compared the offerings, and bought this one because it seems to have exactly what we would want in an emergency.
Here is her review …
While having these instructions in an emergency will be wonderful, it was the time I spent going through the app that will stand me in good stead, if the time comes when I need it.
The app provides instructions for CPR, rescue breathing, and what to do if your pet is choking. It also has sections on safely caring for a sick or wounded animal, what is normal, disaster preparedness, and a host of specific emergency situations.
We do have a complete Doggie First Aid Kit packed into our Poppy's little red travel bag. It has only been used in an emergency situation once. We were staying in Provincetown when we noticed a neighbor trying to deal with a cut paw on the beach in front of the house. I grabbed the bag and offered cleaning solution, gauze, and pet bandages to help with the dog's first aid.
Poppy Tested
As it turned out, Poppy gave the app a trial run a week after we bought it. She was coughing and gagging after eating a piece of a dog treat. Now, we have a lifetime of experience with dogs so we didn't panic. We figured she had a small piece of the biscuit caught in her throat. But it was reassuring to pop up the section on choking and review the situation.
The app takes you through the incident step by step. On the second screen, we had a check list of symptoms that would indicate that a dog is choking. She wasn't drooling, pawing at her mouth, looking anxious, didn't have labored breathing, bluish mucous membranes, and had not collapsed. (When you touch the bluish mucous membranes item on the list, you are taken to illustrations that help you identify normal and abnormal.)
What we had was a simple case of clearing her throat and within a couple of hours she was free of symptoms. But, it was good to have had that checklist right on the phone.
We always try to alert you when we find local Saturn Peaches. These beauties are from Foppema's Farm at the Copley Square Farmers' Market.
These peaches are beautiful to us because they have fabulous flavor. We're more concerned with their taste than their appearance. A few spots, scales, and odd shapes won't faze us because we know that looks have little to do with taste.
Many things you buy at farmers' markets or directly from local farms last much longer than the same product from a supermarket. Greens, lettuce, and winter squash are a few examples. But, the "picked for sale, not for long transport and storage" objective that gives those items a long life can fool you when it comes to fresh fruit.
These peaches are left on the tree until they are almost ready to eat. That means when I choose them at the market, I select a variety of firmness options. I'll get a few that are starting to soften to eat today and some harder ones that are for the next couple of days.
We hadn't planned on going to the market on Friday but were nearby and wanted more of these lovely peaches. Unfortunatley, we didn't have our sturdy fruit containers with us to protect our bag of goodies. That meant a couple of the peaches didn't make it home in perfect condition.
With stone fruit, heirloom tomatoes, and some berries, it's a good idea to buy just what you can eat in a day or two. They were picked when ready for eating.
And, as far as looks go, we can always sort out the prettiest peaches in the bunch to pose for our readers.
It’s the season to enjoy local tomatoes in New England. I’m carrying home bags of them from the farmers’ markets but I know some of you are fortunate enought to have them in your own gardens.
Last week, in response to a question, I shared a few of the posts we have in our archives with a small group of online friends. One of them said I should post the same information on BostonZest. Good idea! Here it is.
My First tip is to buy what you will use quickly and shop for them often while they are in season. Once you have them home, here’s the:
They agree with me that tomotoes should not be refrigerated.
Even If You Don’t Cook
Sandwiches & More – Bread and tomatoes are perfect companions. You can make a real locavore BLT sandwich with a visit to the farmers’ market. Gather francese bread from Iggy’s, bacon from Stillman’s, tomatoes and lettuce from Silverbrook, and you have the makings of a great sandwich.
If you only have scraps and leftovers around the kitchen, get creative. Here’s what I did one evening.
It’s the season to enjoy local tomatoes in New England. I’m carrying home bags of them from the farmers’ markets but I know some of you are fortunate enought to have them in your own gardens.
Last week, in response to a question, I shared a few of the posts we have in our archives with a small group of online friends. One of them said I should post the same information on BostonZest. Good idea! Here it is.
My First tip is to buy what you will use quickly and shop for them often while they are in season. Once you have them home, here’s the:
They agree with me that tomotoes should not be refrigerated.
Even If You Don’t Cook
Sandwiches & More – Bread and tomatoes are perfect companions. You can make a real locavore BLT sandwich with a visit to the farmers’ market. Gather francese bread from Iggy’s, bacon from Stillman’s, tomatoes and lettuce from Silverbrook, and you have the makings of a great sandwich.
If you only have scraps and leftovers around the kitchen, get creative. Here’s what I did one evening.
Ed and I came upon the aftermath of this incident. I don't know if the other part of the brick was inside the car whose window was broken. Another vehicle, with all its windows intact, had taken the parking space at this point.
Bricks or large rocks used in some landscaping, or broken bricks from sidewalks and walkways can become tools of opportunity when one of the area denizens sees something inside a car. I recall one Boston police woman who told me these guys will break your car window to get a single quarter you left in the cup holder.
Ed and I came upon the aftermath of this incident. I don't know if the other part of the brick was inside the car whose window was broken. Another vehicle, with all its windows intact, had taken the parking space at this point.
Bricks or large rocks used in some landscaping, or broken bricks from sidewalks and walkways can become tools of opportunity when one of the area denizens sees something inside a car. I recall one Boston police woman who told me these guys will break your car window to get a single quarter you left in the cup holder.
I read every pet photography advice article I find. One thing included in almost every one is to get down to the pet’s level.
This is one of my favorite photos of a very much missed old friend, Mr. Teddy. I put the camera on the ground to get this shot.
Pet Photography Tips
We all have many images of dogs and cats looking up at us from the ground. The magic happens when you drop to your knees or to the ground and shoot a picture at their level or from below.
Whatever level you shoot from, focus on the eyes. That’s where you’ll find the sparkle and personality. Most dogs will follow the camera or your hands with their eyes. Remy (above) has the most beautiful eyes.
Close-ups can be wonderful. You don’t have to show your entire pet to tell a story. You can zoom in and fill your picture with a beautiful face or crop a larger photo to show a dog’s unique expression. When you crop, try to include important characteristics like this Basset’s gorgeous ears.
For great candid shots, stand back from the scene and let someone else interact with the dog. Stay far enough away so the dog will sit back and relax and then take a restful photo. Then, crop that photo to give a sense of place. Here I included a statue with Nika to show she was on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Shooting rapidly and getting down to the dog’s level means you can catch great moments like this little guy’s jump for joy at seeing another pup.
If your phone or camera has continuous shooting ability, use it. The photos you see in our Sunday Dog posts are often one of a series of 6-8 shots taken in a burst. Many of the series are blurs of a moving dog, but one or more will have the wonderful frozen moment that I was trying to capture.
Check the background color. Fur is hard for most cameras to figure out. It can be a blend of tones and it can blend into a background. You need some contrast to show off that wonderful texture and color. Zoe (above) shows up on the grass but would blend into the asphalt path. Pick your spot.
Finally, make it fun for everyone. Take a few photos but don’t make your friends or companion animals uncomfortable. Yes, you want some photo memories, but you also want to remember the non-photo elements of a wonderful walk with your dog.
Sometimes, a totally unposed shot (like the one above of Sollie watching a squirrel) can be the best memory of a day with your dog.
Do you have a favorite photo of your dog? What do you love about it?
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and other critters) at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
Details: Words: Penny Cherubino, edited for BostonZest from her CIty Paws Newspaper Column. Photography: 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino
I read every pet photography advice article I find. One thing included in almost every one is to get down to the pet’s level.
This is one of my favorite photos of a very much missed old friend, Mr. Teddy. I put the camera on the ground to get this shot.
Pet Photography Tips
We all have many images of dogs and cats looking up at us from the ground. The magic happens when you drop to your knees or to the ground and shoot a picture at their level or from below.
Whatever level you shoot from, focus on the eyes. That’s where you’ll find the sparkle and personality. Most dogs will follow the camera or your hands with their eyes. Remy (above) has the most beautiful eyes.
Close-ups can be wonderful. You don’t have to show your entire pet to tell a story. You can zoom in and fill your picture with a beautiful face or crop a larger photo to show a dog’s unique expression. When you crop, try to include important characteristics like this Basset’s gorgeous ears.
For great candid shots, stand back from the scene and let someone else interact with the dog. Stay far enough away so the dog will sit back and relax and then take a restful photo. Then, crop that photo to give a sense of place. Here I included a statue with Nika to show she was on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Shooting rapidly and getting down to the dog’s level means you can catch great moments like this little guy’s jump for joy at seeing another pup.
If your phone or camera has continuous shooting ability, use it. The photos you see in our Sunday Dog posts are often one of a series of 6-8 shots taken in a burst. Many of the series are blurs of a moving dog, but one or more will have the wonderful frozen moment that I was trying to capture.
Check the background color. Fur is hard for most cameras to figure out. It can be a blend of tones and it can blend into a background. You need some contrast to show off that wonderful texture and color. Zoe (above) shows up on the grass but would blend into the asphalt path. Pick your spot.
Finally, make it fun for everyone. Take a few photos but don’t make your friends or companion animals uncomfortable. Yes, you want some photo memories, but you also want to remember the non-photo elements of a wonderful walk with your dog.
Sometimes, a totally unposed shot (like the one above of Sollie watching a squirrel) can be the best memory of a day with your dog.
Do you have a favorite photo of your dog? What do you love about it?
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and other critters) at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
Details: Words: Penny Cherubino, edited for BostonZest from her CIty Paws Newspaper Column. Photography: 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino
One way I pack lighter is to add some protection to my travel clothes. I just seem to attract spots and stains. At home, I use a chef's jacket both when I'm cooking and when I'm eating with family and close friends.
When we travel, I have an old, black Chefwear® jacket that I tuck into our ready-to-go suitcase. You can see it drying (in the photo above) after it was given a spot cleaning on a recent trip.
If you don't have a chef's jacket, you might pack an old, flannel shirt or at least an apron. If you're making coffee in your room or dining on room service at a hotel or cooking in a rental kitchen, you can keep your travel clothes cleaner with a sacrificial spot-catcher.
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