The poinsettia was named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, our country’s first ambassador to Mexico. Poinsett saw the plants in Mexico back in the 1820s. Already somewhat of a botanist, he sent some of them back to his home in South Carolina. Poinsett grew and cultivated the plants to send to friend and botanical gardens. He saw the potential of the plant, even if he wasn’t aware at the time that the poinsettia would become the official plant of the Christmas season.

Although they are much loved at Christmastime, poinsettias can be kept alive all year long. If you take good care of your poinsettia plant, it can remain beautiful for several months after Christmas, but it will lose its color.

If you manage to keep your poinsettia alive past Christmas and into the new year, you can, with some effort, get it to regain its color again for Christmas the following year.

You’ll need to begin the process in the fall, something that is not always easy to remember to do. Beginning at the end of September, you will need to put your poinsettia plant out in full light each day. Then, you have to put it in the dark at night. To do this you can place it in a closet or some other enclosed space that is away from the light. This process must be repeated daily for six to eight weeks. We weren’t kidding when we said it takes effort. But you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve not only kept your plant alive, but that you also helped in regain its seasonal beauty.

If you are looking for a wonderful place to celebrate the New Year, consider dining at Three Sisters Café.  They are currently accepting reservations for the 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. seating times.  Dinners are $65 per person and will include your choice of delicious meal selections.   The menu choices are:

Veal Chop with Brandied Morel Cream

Roasted Stuffed Breast of Chicken

Broiled Filet with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Grilled Halibut with Papaya Chutney

Your New Year’s dinner will also include a glass of champagne and the chef’s special dessert.

This wonderful restaurant boasts Chef Richard Beyerl, who was named one of “America’s Outstanding Chefs” by the National Registry, Chefs in America.  He was also selected by “Sterling’s Who’s Who“, for his high standards.

If you are unable to enjoy their special New Year’s dinner, you will surely enjoy the breakfast menu which includes Crepes, German specialties, as well as traditional breakfasts.  Diners can also feast on their delicious lunch menu featuring Crepes, salads, sandwiches, Panini’s and various seafood choices.

The Three Sisters Café considers itself “a charming San Francisco Cafe serving professionally crafted sauces and creative entrees”.  They are located minutes from Yosemite National Park.  Their display of beef, pork, lamb, fish, and pasta; as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes are sure to delight all types of taste buds.

The Three Sisters Café is located at 40291 Junction Drive, Oakhurst, 93644.  To make your reservations, call (559) 642-2253.

At holiday time, we hear a lot about Santa and his counterpart St. Nicholas.
Somehow St. Nicholas and Santa have become combined in our hearts and minds, when really they are not always portrayed as being the same person. Legend has it that the original St. Nick was a real person, unlike Santa, the fictional character who lives at the North Pole.

In several countries, including Germany and in the Netherlands, gifts are given out on December 5th or 6th. This is because in those countries, they celebrate St. Nicholas Day to honor a generous man who is the patron saint of children.

According to one tale, St. Nicholas was a bishop who lived in what is now Turkey. When he heard about a poor man whose daughters could not afford to get married (because they had no money for dowries), he wanted to help. St. Nicholas threw bags filled with gold down the chimney of the man’s house. The bags landed in the girls’ stockings (which were hung by the fireplace to dry, not in hopes of presents). Because of his kindness, the girls were able to get married.

Christmas celebrations vary around the world, but no matter how you celebrate…

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

“The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicolas will soon be there.”

You too can track Santa through his journey around the world.  Visit www.norad.com on Christmas Eve for Santa’s latest stops.

NORAD (Northern America Aerospace Defense Command) has it website up and running for all to enjoy even before the big night.  You will find games and fun activities for children and adults to enjoy.

NORAD has been tracking Santa’s adventures for 52 years.  In 1955, a Colorado based Sears store ran an advertisement telling kids that they can call Santa on a special hotline on Christmas Eve.  Unfortunately, the telephone number was printed wrong and the children were calling CONAD (Continental Air Defense) instead.  With the first call, officials were annoyed and thought it was a joke, but they soon realized that a mistake had happened.  Colonel Harry Shoup quickly instructed his staff to tell any child who called where Santa’s location was.

NORAD was formed in 1958 when America and Canada combined their national air defenses and the Santa tracking tradition continued.   Many people now enjoy the convenience of tracking Santa’s movement. There are over 800 volunteers who work very hard on Christmas Eve fielding calls and answering emails from curious little ones.  Most of the volunteers come from Peterson Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain.

In 1997, the Santa tracking program was expanded to the web.  NORAD receives thousands of emails on their Santa site.  Over 180 countries have checked in on his whereabouts.  Currently the website gets over a billion hits.

As you are preparing for the jolly ole sole in the big red suit, remember the reason for the season! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Who among us has not over-indulged in the holiday goodies?  Heck, they are everywhere we look, just calling out to us!  From grocery stores, to desk tops to platters given by friends, you just cannot escape all the calories.  Sweet potatoes, cookies, pies and even grandma’s green bean casserole (healthy… nope), they are all torture to pass up during the holidays.

Tempting little holiday goodies and yummy holiday meals can add up to serious problems for your waste-line.  It takes consuming 3500 extra calories to add up to a weight gain of 1 pound.  The average person gains 2 pounds from Thanksgiving thru New Year’s.  Most people do not lose the weight that they put on during the holidays.  This weight gain will translate into 20 pounds over a 10 year period.  This additional poundage can cause serious long term health problems.

Here are some tips to help keep those calories away when you are going to a party:

Position yourself away from the buffet table so that you are not tempted to nibble while you mingle.

Have a healthy snack before you arrive at the party.

Minimize the amount of alcohol that you consume.  Not only does it have useless calories, it will dehydrate you and you will drink even more.

Use a small plate or a cocktail napkin to hold your food. 

Don’t forget the fruits and vegetables.  They are filling and have the least amount of calories.

With a little planning, you too can avoid gaining those unwanted calories!

The holidays aren’t quite here, but it never hurts to plan ahead. If you find that every year you are scrambling and searching for your favorite holiday ornaments and baubles, why not do something different this year? Then next year, you’ll be all set.
-Label and box your ornaments, lights, and tinsel so you know where they are next year.

-Get one of those tree disposal bags that you can use to bag up the tree for an easy cleanup. (Of course the key to using these bags is that you have to place one in the tree stand before you put the tree up. If you forget this year, there is always next year…)

-When you finish making cookies, wash and gather up the cookie cutters, cookie press, etc. and place all of these things in a box or large Tupperware container so they are together and ready for next year.

-If you are one of those people who buys gifts all throughout the year with the thought of giving them away at Christmastime, put them in a memorable spot.
Or send yourself and e-mail with a reminder of where you put what. There is nothing worse than knowing you bought someone the perfect gift and not being able to find it.

Kissing under the mistletoe has long since been a custom observed in the United States.  It is used primarily as a Christmas decoration.  Mistletoe is to be hung in a doorway.   It is customary that any two people who meet under the hanging greenery are supposed to stop and kiss.  This custom originated in England in the 18th Century.

According to custom, mistletoe must never touch the ground and it should be the last of the Christmas greens to be removed from the house.  In the Roman Catholic Church, mistletoe remains until Candlemas.  Candlemas is also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin.  The Feast is celebrated on February 2nd and is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

A Christian tradition says that mistletoe was once the tree that furnished the wood that was used for the cross that crucified Jesus Christ.  It is taught that once the tree was cut, it shriveled and was reduced to a parasitic vine.

Many years ago Mistletoe was left hanging year round.  The belief was that it would protect your house from lightning and fire until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve.

Mistletoe is a parasitic vine that cannot survive without a host tree.  Sometimes the vine grows so large that the tree will die, but most times, it will just stunt the trees growth.  Many animals feed on the berries, vines and leaves and it has become a vital food source for them in many regions.

At times, people confuse mistletoe with holly.  Both plants stay green year round and both produce red berries.

There are many Christmas songs nowadays referring to mistletoe.  Some you might recognize are “Holly Jolly Christmas”, “Chestnuts Roasting By An Open Fire” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”.

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, has announced the expansion of the California Landowner Incentive Program (LIP). Landowners who participate in this program will receive grants to fund land management activities that will benefit the plant and animal life in the state.

It may not be readily apparent, but our plants and animals are disappearing. This program is just one way to help reverse this trend.

These grants will allow landowners to restore natural habitats so that California’s lush landscape is not irreparably damaged. This effort focuses on privately owned land because officials are aware that private landowners may not be able to initiate this kind of restoration on their own. Not only are they provided financial assistance, they are also providing technical assistance as well. DFG really wants to make sure that these efforts succeed, so they do not expect landowners to execute this restoration on their own.

They are turning their attention to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. The idea is to repair and restore small parcels of marginal cropland or to rejuvenate orchards that have fallen out of use so that wildlife and return and thrive.

DFG will accept applications until January 31, 2008. Visit this website to learn more about eligibility and additional incentives.

You should also consider the safety of your pet when you have a Christmas tree.  Don’t let your pets drink the water out of your tree stand, especially if you have added a preservative to the water.  Stagnant water is also not healthy to drink and can cause serious stomach problems.  Cats love to climb Christmas tress and dogs can easily knock a tree over with their powerful wagging tail.  Be sure to anchor your tree securely.  Keep ribbons, bows, tinsel and garland out of your pets reach.    Cats seem to especially love to eat these items.  Ingesting them can lead to surgery or death.  Be sure to clean up your dropped pine needles often as they can be toxic if eaten by your pets.

Keep your pet safe from your holiday lights by investing in a pet-proof extension cord or spray your cords with a product like Bitter Apple.  Pets who chew through cords risk electric shock or electrocution.  Never leave a burning candle out where your pet is.  It could be knocked over easily and a resulting fire could occur.  Scented candles are a wonderful addition to any home, but the fumes are deadly for birds.

Don’t forget to make the holidays special for your pet.  Buy them a special toy or yummy treat.  They will thank you for it in more ways than you can imagine.

Just like you want to keep your children safe during the holidays, you should keep your pet’s safety in mind too.  The decorations and food available can add up to disaster for your furry friend.

Holiday food is ready and available for all to enjoy….even your pet!  Many foods can cause stomach upset, or in worse case scenarios, death.  Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is known to be harmful to dogs when ingested in large quantities.  Onions inhibit an animal’s ability to coagulate blood and are toxic.  Traditional holiday foods such as ham and turkey can cause Pancreatitis in some animals.  Foods that are high in fat can cause upsets to the digestive system.  Animals should never be fed bones that are not designated for animals.  They are likely to become lodged in the intestines and can cause a blockage that can result in death.  Poultry bones are the worse type of bones to feed an animal.  All types of alcohol and coffee, beans and grounds, should be kept far away from your pet.

Ingestion of some holiday plants can be tragic for your pets.  Most people think that the Poinsettia is the most dangerous plant to have around a pet during the holidays.  Although it is bad and can cause some serious digestive issues, there are others that are worse. Lilies are beautiful to have as an inside decoration, but are highly toxic to cats.  Many types can cause kidney failure.  Mistletoe is highly toxic, especially the berries, and is known to cause fatal heart failure in animals.  Holly can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting in your pets.  It is wise to keep all holiday plants away from all pets.

Check back on Monday for the Part II of II.