In life, sometimes we happen upon little nuggets of wisdom and/or know-how that help to make life go a little more smoothly. These helpful hints, aka ‘tips or ‘hacks’, are what “TIPPING AN IDEA” is about. For example, have you ever pulled up to a gas station without being sure which side of the car the gas tank was on, or been working on the computer and accidentally closed a tab you really want to get back? How many of us get busy in the kitchen and don’t remember how many ounces are in a cup or how to convert from a metric measurement to imperial, or vice versa?Â
Look no futher! Here are a few answers to help things along.
How to Get Rid Of those Pesky Fruit Flies!
This is the time of year when we love to bring in the wonderful fruits of late summer, my favorite is PEACHES. It is also the time when uninvited guests manage to tag along and multiply in my kitchen. I am talking about those annoying little bugs known as fruit flies. Here is a simple remedy to get rid of those pesky pests.
All you need is a sheet of paper, tape, a glass jar and apple cider vinegar.Â
- Using the paper and tape, create a funnel
- Fill the bottom of a glass jar with apple cider vinegar, but not so much that the paper funnel can touch the vinegar
- Â Place the funnel inside the jar and tape around the entire opening to make a seal
- The fruit flies will find their way in, but once they find their way in they can’t find their way out
Which Side Is The Gas Tank On?
A few days ago, my husband and I were running some errands and needed to stop for gas. As we pulled up to the pump, he looked over to me, as he usually does, as if to ask, “which side”? This time, he said to me, ” Do you know how to tell which side of the car the gas tank is if you are driving a car you are not familiar with?” I answered his question with a “deer in the headlights” stare and replied, “there is a way to do that?” He gave me a sly smile and then pointed at the fuel gauge. I then learned that there is a little arrow next to the little gas icon–(I NEVER noticed that before!) That little arrow just happens to point to the side where you can find the tank! WooHoo!!! I love to learn something new, especially when it is useful. Now, I am sure that there are a great many of you who already knew this little morsel of brilliance, but for the few of you who didn’t, there ya go!
Space Saving Wrapping Paper Storage
This is a tip from my good friend Gayle Orton.
A transparent and efficient way to store your rolls of wrapping paper is to place them in a clear plastic garment bag. It keeps the rolls clean and protected and makes it easy to find just the design you are looking for.
Since we are talking about kitchen things…
We tend to do quite a bit of shopping at Costco. They have great produce and wonderful packaged products. The only problem is that we are a household of two, and rarely able to use up things before they go bad and need to be disposed of. I am talking about big bags of lemons and limes, or large jars of pesto and quart sized boxes of chicken stock. Since I refuse to throw good food away, I discovered these great silicone trays with lids. Each square holds exactly 1/2 cup. I freeze my extra juice, pesto, and stock in the trays, pop them out and keep them in labeled freezer ziploc bags and have them to use anytime I need them.
Bring Back a Closed Tab
Have you ever been working on the computer and accidentally closed a tab? If so, here is a tip that you may find useful. Simply press Ctrl+Shift+T on a PC or, if using a Mac, Cmd+Shift+T. Similarly, did you know that you can undo almost any action? Ctrl+Z (on a PC) and Cmd+Z (on a Mac). This doesn’t just undo a typing mistake, it also works if you accidentally delete or move a file. Just hit Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z to bring it right back to where it was and Ctrl+Y or Cmd+Y will redo whatever you undid). One last computer tip: You can delete an entire word instead of deleting a single letter by pressing Ctrl+Backspace, (Cmd+Backspace if using a Mac). This will delete the entire word behind the curser. A much quicker approach of you mess up a whole word.
For the Gardener In All of Us
Do you have old seeds lying around that you are thinking of planting, but aren’t sure if they are too old to grow? An easy way to check is by using a wet paper towel. Place the wet paper towel some place warm like on a warm window ledge or maybe on top of the drier. Place a few seeds on top and see what happens over the next few days. If they start to sprout, they are good to go.
Do you have some apple cider vinegar handy? You can use it to keep fruit flies away, nourish plants that like acidic conditions, kill mold, and get rid of annoying brown splotches in your grass.
Make Your Own Hummingbird Food
I love to watch the hummingbirds so I always put out at least one feeder every year. Hummingbird nectar is very easy to make and if made properly, homemade is probably better for the birds than the store bought versions which usually contain red die. To make hummingbird nectar, simply combine a ratio of 1:4 sugar to water; 1 cup white sugar to 4 cups filtered water. Slowly heat solution for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved, and allow it to cool completely before filling the feeders.
A Few Nectar Tips
Don’t use honey, brown sugar, molasses, or artificial sugar substitutes for any hummingbird nectar recipe. Honey and molasses are too heavy for the birds to digest efficiently and can ferment more quickly, creating mold that is fatal to them. Sugar substitutes don’t have the calories the birds need and has no nutritional value. The ratio of sugar and water can be adjusted slightly, but a solution that is too sweet will be difficult for the hummingbirds to digest and one that doesn’t have enough sugar won’t attract the birds.
Hummingbird nectar must be completely cool before filling feeders because the hot nectar can warp or crack both glass and plastic hummingbird feeders which will cause leaks. Additionally, warm nectar will also ferment more quickly.
Guidelines of How Often the Nectar Solution Should Be Changed
The temperatures listed below are only guidelines and are not exact. The information in this list comes from the website How to Enjoy Hummingbirds.
High temperatures…………Change nectar after
71-75……………………………6 days
76-80……………………………5 days
81-84……………………………4 days
85-88……………………………3 days
89-92……………………………2 days
93+………………………………change daily
Monitor your feeders and make sure that the nectar solution appears clear and does not contain mold. If you notice it to be cloudy, immediately clean the feeder well and fill with fresh nectar solution.
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COOK'S CONVERSION CHART
Do you have some great ideas or tips? Share them here.
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