Spring Cleaning. Why do we do it? (Or do we?!) Whether we put ourselves through the agonizing but revitalizing ritual of spring cleaning or not we need someone to blame. So who do we blame for this annual practice that we dread, then grudgingly do, then bask in the appreciation of what we've done? Or, to put it another way so as not to leave anyone out...who do we blame for the impending pressure of completing the expected spring cleaning ritual that we know we will not do, say we do not need to do or do not care about, and eventually sing praises that the window of opportunity for spring cleaning has passed with the official first day of summer. Who's to blame?
First let's blame ourselves, partially because we always do anyway but also because there is a simple biology fact that may have something to do with it. During winter we are exposed to less sunlight and as we know, we often feel dreary and dare we say sometimes even lazy. Well, there's a reason: With a lack of exposure to light, the pineal gland produces melatonin - a hormone that produces sleepiness in humans. So, bottom line, we are too tired to clean in the winter! We are in a long melatonin-induced stupor. We can blame ourselves but really it's not our fault, it's the sun's fault, or the earth's fault, or our body's fault. And then, when spring comes and we absorb more sunlight and we produce less melatonin we SEE what our houses look like and with a burst of sunlight induced energy we clean...we spring clean.
OR... According to wikipedia...
Theory 1: the origins of spring cleaning date back to the Iranian Norouz, the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring. Iranians continue the practice of "khooneh tekouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year.
Theory 2: the originas of spring cleaining can be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time memorial feast of Passover.
Personally we like the Chinese culture and thought as to Spring Cleaning, (wikipedia failed to mention this one but we found it on the TLC website).
The Chinese sweep their floors and clean their homes to rid of bad luck and misfortune that may have accumulated during the previous year. Once the house is a clean slate, the Chinese welcome good fortune by observing a prohibition against sweeping for the few days following the new year in order to prevent sweeping away any good fortune that came with the turn of the year.
Whatever your reason, whatever your practice, whoever you blame...it's spring and we're supposed to clean!
On that note...
Mr. Wishbone O'Salmon PRESENTS...
(The Environmentally Safe kind of Green!)
| Drain Cleaner | Window Cleaner | Brass Cleaner | Rust Remover |
| Pour a half-cup of baking soda down the sink and add at least a cup of vinegar. Cover the drain and wait a few minutes, then rinse with a mixture of boiling water and salt. | Mix two ounces of vinegar with a quart of water in a spray bottle. | Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle it with salt and rub the lemon on the metal. Buff with a cloth. | Use vinegar to remove rust on nuts and bolts and other mineral deposits such as calcium deposits. |
Let's talk about the future (which is rapidly becoming the present). Which interests you more? Wind? Solar? Or Renewable Energy Products in general? Whether you're educated in any or all of these topics or if you are just beginning the quest for information we highly recommend taking a look at the following website: Rochester Solar Technologies.
Rochester Solar Technologies, a division of O'Connell Electric Co. Inc., is a New York based Solar and Wind Energy Company located in Victor New York with offices in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.
Click on logo to visit website
The information on the website is astounding, on the home page you will find links to areas within the website including all of these!
About us, solar and wind service areas, health safety and environmental, solar tax credits and incentives, getting started, process information, pricing and incentives, site survey, solar information, solar payback, national solar tour, links, cansolair, renewable energy products, wind information, wind turbines, skystream wind turbine, wind turbine information, be energy smart, energy saving tips, lighting, the bupp, photos and testimonials, environmental news, contact us.
So as you can see, Rochester Solar Technologies is a reputable and experienced company in our own area and there is more than enough information on their website for the previously educated and the ready to learn!!
| How to do it: Lie on your back, feet flat and hip-width apart, arms relaxed, and knees bent. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift your hips, creating a straight line from the knees to the shoulders. Hold for a slow count of two, then lower slowly. Build up to 10 to 12 repetitions. What it does: This move counteracts the effects of too much chair time, which puts excessive pressure on the spine. It stretches the hip flexors and strengthens the muscles that stabilize the spine, including those of the lower back, the gluteals, and the large, stabilizing abdominal muscles. Make it harder: Lift one foot off the floor and hold it straight up toward the ceiling, foot flexed, keeping the hips even. This is much more challenging, so start by holding this pose for just a few seconds. Repeat five to eight times, then switch legs. |
Click on the logo to visit the website.
Genesee Valley Motors
1695 Interstate Drive
Avon, NY 14414
Dodge: (585) 226-6000
Ford: (585) 226-2600
"You need to avoid the trap of buying a car that is going to last for 3 years but you are going to be financing for 5 in order to get the payment you want. It happens all of the time. I had a customer in the door a few years ago that was the worst case I ever saw. The customer had a vehicle he bought somewhere else one year previous with 90,000 miles on it. He financed it for 5 years. When I met him and his nice young family the vehicle had 108,000 miles on it and a blown engine. He could not afford to replace the engine but he owed so much money on the vehicle that he could not sell it either. He admitted that he was only looking at a payment when he bought it and fell into a big trap. There is nothing I could do to help him.
So what do you do? How about looking at NEW instead? YES it might make sense."
Jim Salmon.com is proud to call Genesee Valley Motors THE OFFICIAL TRUCK DEALER OF THE HOME REPAIR CLINIC. We already know that the advice passed along by Dom Genova is solid sound advice. That's why we want to introduce you to Dom.
"My name is Dom Genova, owner of Genesee Valley Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Genesee Valley Ford in beautiful downtown Avon NY. For those of you who don’t know where Avon is, it’s about 15 minutes by Expressway south of Rochester, NY. I have worked in the car business a long time, seventeen years working on the manufacturing side for Chrysler, and then 18 years so far, owning my own dealerships. My first dealership was my Chrysler Dodge Jeep which I established in 1994 and in 2005; I built my FORD dealership completing a lineup of the best vehicles made in America. If you have any questions about something funny in a car deal, I would be happy to help you, post them and I will reply with a blog which will help others or I will contact you myself."
Read Dom's blog and post your questions here 
AND OF COURSE...
CHRYSLER
RAM
DODGE...AND...JEEP!!!
Click anywhere in the tree to visit daveytree.com.
Brunch Egg Casserole 
Easter is early this year
March 31st
and we have a delicious
Brunch Egg Casserole Recipe
from Taste of Home
that would be perfect
for Easter morning!
Prep: 10 min.
Bake: 1 hour
Yield: 6 Servings Ingredients:
2 cups unseasoned croutons
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
Dash pepper
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Directions:
Place croutons and cheese in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Combine the eggs, milk and seasonings; pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 6 servings.
Nutritional Facts:
1 serving equals: 254 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 176 mg cholesterol, 597 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 14 g protein.
Dry Riesling, Stone Bottom Cayuga White, Lake Breeze White, Gewurztraminer, Lighthouse Red...what's your preference?
These, and SO MANY other wines can be found at our favorite winery, Schwenk Winery, which just happens to be conveniently located about halfway between Rochester and Buffalo near the shores of Lake Ontario in Western New York.
1456 Bills Road *** Kent, New York *** (585) 682-4629.
To visit in person Monday through Wednesday call ahead for an appointment, otherwise, plan a trip to Schwenk Winery any:
Thursday or Friday between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Saturday between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Sunday between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Trust us...you'll be very glad you did!! 
Click on Logo to Visit schwenkwinecellars.com.
Check out another of our Schwenk Winery articles!
