Timely nuggets of information and ideas we want to share with you.

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One of the first tasks my children undertake when they are home is to look at my sponges around the kitchen sink. That comes before their other urgent task of ridding my fridge of any item that is past the sell-by (note- NOT ‘expired by’) date. They lift the offending sponge for me to see, with looks of complete disgust on their faces, and then they place it in the garbage. They are not wrong. According to Better Homes & Gardens magazine, the sponge takes the prize as the germiest item in the house. Bacteria can survive on it for weeks and even months in the right environment.

Here is information on caring for and replacing your sponges. It turns out I had a lot to learn.

Squeeze out all excess water after each use and avoid storing your sponge in a sink or in the splash zone of the faucet. The drier your sponge, the longer it will last. (Oops)
Throw away your sponges every 2 or 3 weeks, no matter what! (Oops)
Clean sponges with heat – microwave for 1-2 minutes or put in the top rack of your dishwasher. (Yay, a win!)

I received a Sun Company Zipogage in my Christmas stocking, which is a small digital thermometer. If one is being coerced to be outdoors in a wintery spot, one can clip it onto a parka and know exactly how brave you’re being. It’s only fair that if you’d prefer to be in front of a fire reading a book in a wintery spot, that you get the most credit possible, supported by facts and figures. Having an actual thermometer readily available that will give you the exact temperature is an asset. This little thermometer has an easy-to-read large digital display, it will operate in very cold temperatures (-20°F) and it measures 1.9” L x 1.2” W. It weighs only ½ an ounce. For those who feel about the heat the way I do about the cold, it also will measure hot temperatures up to 130°. $21.99.

I try to limit trips to the supermarket, so I buy 4 or 5 avocados at a time. I often end up throwing a couple away because I didn’t use them soon enough. I’ve recently read a tip about how to keep avocados at near ripeness until you are ready to use them. After purchase, let the avocados come to the almost ripe stage. Then put them into a zip lock bag and put them into the refrigerator. They will not ripen any further while in the fridge. Remove them one by one as needed a day before you want to eat it and they should be perfectly ripe.

The Tree Spirit Wisdom website was created by Laural V. Wauters who has had a lifelong reverence and fascination with trees. Learn about the history of trees, and the importance and symbolism of various species to the spiritual life of cultures around the world. Find her post about your favorite tree (she has written about 78 different trees in various cultures) and learn the psychological and philosophical significance of that tree.