My latest blog post for Proven Winners
Games, cereal, gift card . . . oh my!
Get ready to go retro!
Big G and Hasbro are going retro to bring back family game night and, to help spread the word, I have a giveaway for you! But first, let me tell you a little about the deal. This spring, the two companies are putting out their products in retro packaging, using designs from the 50s through the 80s.
They have all sorts of retro board games -- Parcheesi, Scrabble, Clue and Risk -- that have been re-released in "vintage" formats, only at Target. I was sent a package with Parcheesi, a game I'd never played. It was pretty easy to figure out so my 5 year old and I have played it several times.
Board games are a great way to spend family time together. If I ever suggest playing a board game with my older son, his eyes light up. It is interactive in a real-life way and I think kids appreciate having that time with their parents.
So, I try to play games with the kids when time (and energy level!) permits. Now, with the retro Parcheesi, we have another game in our rotation. Fun!
The Giveaway
Would you like to win a prize pack so you can start enjoying family game night?
Well, get busy and enter!
Here's what you'll win:
- 2 boxes of participating Big G Retro cereal
- $10 Target gift card
- 1 Hasbro Parcheesi® Deluxe Vintage board game
Here's how you can enter:
Leave me a comment and let me know you'd like to win.
Additional entries:
As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count):
- Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
- Follow my main blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
- Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
- Pin an image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)
- Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
- Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
- Link to this giveaway from your blog (leave a comment)
This giveaway will run through Monday, April 1 at 11:59pm EST and the winners will be announced on Tuesday.
Good luck!
Want to read more from The Happy Runner? Stop over HERE for more giveaways, reviews, and running- and parenting-related posts.
Disclosure: The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.
Connecting at Canada Blooms 2013
I would be rather remiss if I didn't post about one of my favourite days at Canada Blooms - The Garden Writers Association annual meeting. Yes, there really is a garden writer association and I've been a member for well over a decade. It wasn't until August 2011, when I attended the annual 4 day symposium in Indianapolis (my first!), that I really felt connected to my peers. Since then, I've really enjoyed these annual get-togethers that allow us to share, learn and network with each other. Here are some images of my favourite Canadian garden writers from this past weekend! There were many more folks I wanted to get photos with - next year!! :)
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| The awesome Liz Primeau (in middle) and Tara Nolan with me. Tara is the editor of www.canadiangardening.com and the associate editor of Canadian home Workshop magazine. Plus, she's a load of fun!! Liz is well known as one of Canada's most respected and knowledgeable garden personalities and was the founding editor of Canadian Gardening magazine. Her most recent book is In Pursuit of Garlic. |
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| Ellen Novack and Dan Cooper, the authors of the 2012 book, Gardening from a Hammock. They've also been guests on my radio show and are so incredibly enthusiastic about gardening. The book is a must-read. |
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| Liz and I!! She is a hoot!! |
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| Helen Battersby (who with her sister Sarah), are the bloggers behind the wonderful blog, Toronto Gardens. She joined me for a panel discussion about garden writing and social media. |
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| Tara, me, Liz and Beckie Fox, the editor of the excellent magazine, Garden Making. She too was an editor of Canadian Gardening magazine, so I'm the odd man out! Surrounded by Canadian Gardening alumni! |
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| Steven Biggs and me! Steven's most recent book is Grow Figs: Where You Think You Can't and he, along with Ken Brown, organized the GWA meeting. |
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| Little me between Ellen and Dan! I need higher heels! |
Canada Blooms - Part II
Over my two days at Canada Blooms, I'm sorry to say that I didn't see everything. It wasn't for lack of trying, but there is just so darn much to see! I have plenty of photos to share, but today I thought that I would focus on some of the smaller vignettes.. the smaller gardens.. the smaller floral displays.. the smaller interesting corners of the show that drew my attention. Don't worry, grander gardens are to come, but for now, I hope you enjoy these images from Canada Blooms 2013!
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| Talk about a magic carpet ride! I love the combination of the narcissi with the vibrant cut flowers. |
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| This was the view directly across from where I was book signing. And what a charming view it was! Note the detail of an actual spring garden - glorious rock garden perennials tucked beneath the wheelbarrow, bulbs in full bloom, trees just budding out. Loved it! |
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| A closer look at the wheelbarrow.. |
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| And I thought I was having a bad hair day! It was backlit, so the entire 'hair' was just a-glow. |
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| Is it a pallet garden? Not quite, but a clever knock-off.. 7 tiers of shelves for a tidy, no space vertical garden. Available commercially. |
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| A water element included in the Sherdian Nurseries 100 year anniversary garden. A fire-reel from around 1913 that poured a continuous stream of water onto the dense turf. Gorgeous! It's hard to see, but there are blooming clematis on the wheels of the reel. |
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| A living portrait - sedums make an eye-catching vertical statement in an aged picture frame. |
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| Who's ready for a nap? This looks like a soft bed for a rest! Note the painting above the bed is an abstract landscape design. Very cool! |
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| This wall was made from very thin rough wooden planks that were then filled in with cement. An interesting idea for an unattractive wall or fence. |
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| A little bit of the booth for Garden Making magazine! |
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| A doghouse with a living roof. How cool is that? |
Canada Blooms 2013 - Part 1
I am back!! Just arrived home last night from Canada Blooms and I was blown away by the incredible gardens and the enthusiastic gardeners! I've got a LOT of photos to share.. but thought I'd start (sort of) in the actual order of my experiences at Canada Blooms.
This past Friday, March 15th I gave a talk and then did a book signing.. Sorry, I have no photos of my talk, but here is one of the book signing. It was a blast and I was able to connect with some of my online gardening friends as well. I did arrive a bit early for my talk so that I could spend an hour or more wandering around the show and snap some photos. Unfortunately, I couldn't live-tweet as there was no wi-fi (what??) - not even in the media room (what??). Anyhoo, I ended up posting/tweeting some photos at the end of each day.. Many of which I will share below and in my next few posts.
This really was a fabulous kick-off to spring and I'm ready to get planting.. which leads me to ask, "Why is it -27 C today?".. brrr..!! Here's hoping spring arrives darn soon. Until then, it's time to keep seeding indoors - more tomatoes, onions, eggplants, peppers, parsley, leeks, etc. etc. etc..
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| Look - I'm in the middle of the sign!! |
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| Me at the Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) booth signing my books! Thanks to Jenny of the TBG for snapping a photo!! Look closely and you'll see my book behind on the shelf! |
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| The TBG booth - it was PACKED with people so this was my private corner.. Love the aged wooden desk where I did my book signing. Check out the blackboard - I signed books right after Mark Cullen!! |
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| A sampling of some of the many books they offered to the visitors of Canada Blooms - love Teaming with Microbes, Gardening in a Hammock, The Compost Gardeners Guide, The Canadian Garden Primer.. and more! |
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| I can't escape Amanda Thomsen of 'Kiss My Aster'!! Not that I'd want to.. both Amanda and her book are hilarious, informative, zany and just plain awesome. (I believe that word was actually invented to describe her.) |
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| I didn't know Ellen Zachos new book had been released until I noticed it beside my book signing table.. LOVE Ellen and love her new book. Very unique and packed full of solid info and gorgeous photos. I've been waiting about a year for this book! |
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| Last glimpse at the great job the folks (including the wonderful Paul Zammit) do at the TBG booth. It's incredibly charming and a great place to poke around, assuming you can get through the crowds of people who also want to poke around the booth!! |
Many many more photos to come of Canada Blooms 2013!
Canada Blooms!
I've just arrived in Toronto and will be heading to Canada Blooms in a few short hours. I'll be tweeting photos from the show and hope to post some here as well later today.. If you want to check out details of Canada Blooms, just click on their website.
Spring - The Countdown is On!!
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| An overall look at a few of the Halifax Seed seed racks.. Spring is here!! |
I will be live tweeting and blogging about my Canada Blooms adventure this Friday and Saturday, but for now, I thought I'd share a bit of spring with you! To follow my tweets on Canada Blooms or my random garden musings, click here. For facebook, click here.
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| Owen Bridge, the owner of Annapolis Seeds sharing his wares at the farmer's market. |
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| Owen's new seed packets, with art from one of his talented friends. |
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| I perused the seed racks at Halifax Seed this morning - they have some wonderful new varieties, including pattypan zucchini! Love these prolific and pretty summer squash. |
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| More of their new varieties - many from my book! Including Vit corn salad, Broccoli Raab, Kossak Kohlrabi, a spicy mix microgreens (generously filled packets), Green Wave Mustard, Baby Boo pumpkins and Jack Be Little pumpkins. LOVE it! |
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| Always a classic - Bright Lights Swiss Chard. One of the best edibles for edible landscaping, flower borders, pots, veggie gardens, cold frames, etc. |
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| I grew these petunias last year - Fusables Silk N'Satin. This is the time to plant them indoors now!! Gorgeous HUGE flowers in bold and vibrant colours. Very easy to grow. |
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| And look, Halifax Seed shares the local seed-love by carrying a rack of Annapolis Seeds varieties. This pole bean is a favourite of Owen Bridge. |
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| Drool.. amazing light racks for starting seeds. |
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| Cloches! Great for protecting early clumps of salad greens and kale, or tender tomatoes, eggplants and peppers from frost. Also, note their sign - a Fruit Tree seminar tomorrow! |
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| These are what I use to start my seeds. Trays with cell packs are an efficient use of space and can be reused or recycled at the end of the season. |
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| A new cosmos! The experts at Halifax Seed (Carla and Margie) tell me this is a top seller. I love Cosmos, but haven't tried this new one. Compact and great for attracting pollinators and beneficial buggies to the garden. Plus you can cut the flowers for long-lived bouquets. |
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| One more squash - an heirloom favourite of mine! |
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| Look Ma, it's my book! Just 3 copies left and now freshly signed. Oddly enough, the Backyard Homestead beside my book is a wonderful book by my book editor, Carleen Madigan.. weird, eh? |
Blomidon Nurseries tomorrow!!
Call Blomidon for info and to pre-register if you get a chance. Last year this talk was filled as space is limited..
Hope to see you there!
The new look of Annapolis Seeds
For the first Saturday since Christmas, I was able to get to the Halifax Seaport Farmer's Market this morning.. in a word, awesome! The best part? I got to connect with Owen Bridge of Annapolis Seeds and check out his new seed packets. Love the design! Plus, one can get lost in the range of heirlooms seeds - especially tomatoes that he now offers. He also told me that his website - Annapolis Seeds - now takes online orders for the first time, which has made life much easier for both him and his customers. Here are a few photos from today..
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| One of Owen's new seed racks packed with his wonderful wares. |
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| Owen answering questions! |
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| Owen's new seed packets and displays. |
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| Owen's offering the Reisetomate - see my photo below! |
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| Yep, this is a single tomato fruit! |
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| So many heirloom tomatoes, so little garden space! |
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| Other images from the farmer's market - love this bunch of garlic.. |
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| Still a variety of winter crops available. |
