Science Friday

(Photo: New York CIty in the Fog)

I've featured "Science Days" in the past, but not for a long time. Today seems like a good day to share a few links, stuff I've read lately that's interesting. About food and diet, scent and stars. Science stuff fascinates me. And the new information about health and nutrition changes daily.

In case you've got a minute or two, here's a little snippet of spots that's I've surfed in the past week or two.

Just for Earth Week, whale poop will save our oceans. (New Scientist)

Being fat is bad. But it's especially bad for your brain. (New York Times) Heavier people in their middle age have significantly atrophied brains in later life, leading to dementia and other problems.

Eating healthy is getting harder and harder. Agave sweetener is worse than high fructose corn syrup (Huffington Post)

Health insurance companies invest in fast food corporate stocks. (ABC News) Not surprising, but very telling. Here's how it works: they want to make profits. They profit on us being sick. The more we eat fast foods, the un-healthier we are. Connect the dots. And the top 5 investments? the five largest fast-food corporations: Jack in the Box, McDonald's, Burger King, Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and others), and Wendy's/Arby's. Reason enough not to eat there.

"Of all the people in human history who ever reached the age of 65, half are alive now." That's a pretty shocking thought. We are becoming a planet of elderly folks. Welcome to the elderly age (New Scientist)

Portable ozone machines, found in hunting stores, are scent killing devices which could be the new secret weapon for terrorists and criminals. (Fox News) It destroys scents completely, allowing drugs or bombs to saunter right past the bomb-sniffing dogs at airports.

Learn about the stars in the sky at Hubblesite.org. A short video explains the constellations to watch for each month. April is the beginning of spring and features Leo the Lion. (Hubblesite.org)

And because this always makes me laugh: the most stupid wheel of fortune fails of all time (Urlesque)

Garden Art Fair this week

Here's where I'll be this weekend - in Anacortes:

Depot Arts Center's Annual Fundraiser - 7th Annual Garden Art Fair

Saturday, April 24 & Sunday, April 25, 2010
10 am to 5 pm both days. Rain or shine.
Green gardening meets tight budgets at Depot Arts Center’s 7th Annual GARDEN ART FAIR in historic Anacortes. Display gardens, plants, garden art, art exhibits, demos, food, wine & beer garden in a marketplace for one-of-a-kind shopping.

Whether it’s indoor and outdoor gardens or the gardens of our imaginations, inspiration and opportunities for creative, budget-minded gardening and outdoor living abound as Depot Arts Center’s Garden Art Fair returns for a 7th year in historic Anacortes on Saturday, April 24 & Sunday, April 25.

Visitors can enjoy a series of outdoor display gardens specially created for the show. From small space and container gardens to larger designs with special features, see what’s possible when plants co-mingle with fertile imaginations.

Sat and Sun 10am-5pm
Located 611 R Avenue, Old Town Anacortes

It's happening "rain or shine" which means we'll have a little of both, just like last weekend. Rainy day on Saturday, sunshine on Sunday. See ya there!

Tulip Festival

This weekend I'll be at the Mount Vernon Street Fair - part of this month's Tulip Festival.

The weather was so warm in early spring that the tulips started to come out early. But then the last few weeks has been quite chilly, gray and rainy, and it all slowed down. So who knows? There probably are some tulips still blooming, and some are done. The display gardens are always a good bet. And the weather is supposed to be quite nice the next few days, with sunshine and low 60's temps. Remember a few years back when we had that freak snowstorm on this weekend? And almost every other year it's dumping rain or freezing cold on this festival weekend. So this is going to be a real treat!

Details:

Friday through Sunday, Apr 16-18
Fri 10-6, Sat 10-7, Sun 10-6
Downtown Mt Vernon - it runs for blocks through the main street of downtown

My booth location is space #151, which is the very topmost block to the north, on the west side of the street. Everyone gets a corner booth. I don't have a great map, but I'm guessing it's pretty close to the food co-op up there.

Hope to see you there, having fun in the sun!

Tax Season Special

Save some moolah this week!

It's tax deadline week and pennies are tight. We can save you a little extra cash this week - we'll pay your sales tax for you!

Here's the big print: order anything, order any amount, have it shipped anywhere - we will pay the sales tax amount on your entire order.

Offer good Monday, April 12 through Thursday, April 15.

Fill your shopping cart HERE!

Save Big!!

There is no fine print. Just place an order on our website any time between Monday, April 12 and Thursday, April 15. You will not be charged sales tax on your order(s). As always, orders are not charged while you are online, but rather processed here at the studio when we get your order information. That means that your online confirmation will be for merchandise only. We add the volume discounts, shipping charges and taxes (none this week!) on our end when we finalize the transaction. Capiche?

No Foolin'

Here's the birdie picture I tried so hard to post the other day. Super cute.

Watch out for pranks today. Text-only Youtube? A Walmart being built in Wallingford? Their concessions to the school and park they are replacing: classes in the children's section of the store, and senior citizens activities in the RV area of the parking lot. Heh.

What's not a joke is that the city of Seattle will have no 4th of July fireworks this year. So sad. I love those Lake Union fireworks shows - they are the best by far.

I'm at Group Health this week. Started yesterday. It's just me there this week, none of the other gals joined me - so no jewelry or caramel corn. But it's all my stuff, new tin flower pots and gardening gloves for garden sets. A bit of Easter decor stuff. Piles of the little wire baskets to make Easter baskets for grown-ups. Ribbons and cards galore. Mother's Day isn't too far off. And it's Secretary's Day (oops Administrative Asst Day) in a couple of weeks too.

Here's the deets:


Mar 31 - Apr 2, Wed-Fri 9:30a-4:00p
Soapworks Studio Spring/Easter Shop
Group Health Shop Space, Central Campus, Capitol Hill
Address: 108 - 15th Ave E, Capitol Hill
half a block south and across the street from the Safeway at the corner of John St.