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  • Browsing for Bargains

    We have been cleaning and purging clutter and things that we just don’t need anymore.  We loaded up the pickup and took the useful items and clothes off to the St. Vincent de Paul store on Franklin St.

    After dropping off our donations, we wondered around.  A woman was talking to anyone who would listen about the miscellaneous fine china and glassware that she just found.  She said that she has made money on reselling things that she has found at shops like St. Vincent de Paul.  Other things she arranges on several shelves at home.

    She said that her children are just beginning to realize that her accumulation has value.  But, she said, if they don’t want to deal with it, she declared that they could bury it all with her, for future generations to discover and learn about life in our time from her collection.

    We didn’t find any china to interest us, although during one visit, a while back, we picked up some souvenir glasses from a Framingham High prom.

    We usually skip flipping through the racks, but today many of the items looked fresh and we did find some designer ties, including Oleg Cassini, for $ 1.39, and several pairs of better maker slacks in excellent condition, many with the dry cleaning tag still on them.   We also spied a department head doing a quick, brisk look through the racks, probably making the most of  her lunch hour.

    With more dedication, we probably could have found more items, but we are trying to have wiggle room in our closets.   It is also time-consuming to have to check each garment’s label for sizes, as the racks don’t seem to be arranged by sizes, just by category and gender.

    If anyone has some secrets to shopping at St. Vincent’s and the Salvation Army Store, please share.  We usually just donate and scoot as plowing through racks of faded clothing in search of the hidden gem takes time that we don’t have much of.

  • Pizza Picks

    Within the last week or so we went back to two restaurants that we hadn’t been to in a while, Bertucci’s and California Pizza Kitchen.

    Bertucci’s still has those great Tuscan rolls.  The small house salad was fresh and generous.  The Sporki was as good as we remembered it.

    California Pizza Kitchen was OK.  The Chipolte Chicken Pizza was new to us and interesting, and the White Pizza was fine.  We’ve enjoyed other places pizza more for a bit less money.  The Field Green Salad was generous and fresh and delish.

    We’ve become fans of The Villa in Wayland’s bacon pizza and we think there is a difference between take out and sit-down restaurant pizzas.

    What are your favorite places to eat pizza?  And your favorite take-out pizzas?  Recommendations?

  • Meadow Magic at Garden in the Woods – August 15 and 16

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – New England Wild Flower Society will celebrate Meadow Magic Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16, 2009, at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham, MA. Garden in the Woods is open both days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., however, special Meadow Magic events are scheduled noon to 4 p.m. There is free parking on premises both days.

    See peak meadow bloom from ground level and above on the new Observation Deck. This will be the inaugural event for the 12’ X 24’ Observation Deck which will put a whole new perspective on looking at the meadow. Be amazed at the height of the wildflowers in the meadow. This can mean native species in bloom up to 7 or 8 feet tall. Beside these “giant sized” plants are others that are quite small and delicate.

    Look for butterflies, bees, ladybugs, and more as they fly from flower to flower collecting and spreading pollen. Learn about plant pollinators, play games, and more. The Bugmobile brings craft projects and live bugs to the meadow. Enjoy a scavenger hunt in the Garden too. A beekeeper will join us at the Garden to explain how bees work in the web of life. Discover what a bee hive is all about, how bees make honey, and which bees make honey. Meet some fun, costumed characters who explain their roles in our ecosystems.

    Take a special walking tour of the 45-acre botanic museum, scheduled at 2 p.m. both days. Tours, included in the price of general admission, cover the Invasive Plant Jail, Idea Garden, Lily Pond, Lost Pond, and unique New England Garden of Rare and Endangered Plants.

    Visit the Garden Shop and its nursery to find which plants could bring beautiful insects and wildlife to your garden. Our knowledgeable staff will assist you in a butterfly garden design, birdhouse selection, or plant combo for a great container garden. Books and eco-friendly gifts complete the Garden Shop experience. Visitors receive a special discount on merchandise at he Garden Shop on August 15 and 16; 100ff the cost of native plants, books, eco-friendly gifts, clothing, and tools.

    Founded in 1900, New England Wild Flower Society, the nation’s oldest native plant conservation organization, promotes the conservation of temperate North American flora through education, research, horticulture, habitat preservation, and advocacy.

    The Society owns and operates Garden in the Woods, a 45-acre public botanic garden in Framingham, MA, and Nasami Farm, a 75-acre native plant nursery in Whately, MA, as well as ten sanctuaries located in New England. The Society’s vision is a future where vigorous native plant populations live in healthy, balanced, natural ecosystems—protected, enjoyed, and beneficial to all life. For more information, visit newenglandwild.org

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