I am been doing teleclasses for parents and educators on how to keep children safe from predators. I am doing a live talk in NYC on 12/8 at the Museum of Motherhood. Please let your contacts know. They can register for the free event below.

Thanks in advance.

Jill Starishevsky
Prosecutor, Child Abuse/Sex Crimes
Author, My Body Belongs to Me

http://www.MyBodyBelongstoMe.com

646-262-7418

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/talking-kids-sexual-abuse-10255396 http://keepingchildrensafe-efbevent.eventbrite.com/

In Midwinter  – What can you do to support your Garden for the Spring ?

Gardeners love nothing more than looking through plant catalogs while curled up in front of the fire. It seems as though spring is ages away, but there are several winter garden tasks that you should attend to now in preparation for the first thaw.
• Gently brush snow away from evergreen shrubs and trees to keep the extra weight from breaking limbs. Broken branches are more susceptible to disease.

• Be sure to use non-salt de-icers on paths and driveways. Traditional rock salt accumulates in the soil and prevents plants from absorbing water. Try calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), which won’t damage plants and is biodegradable. It’s also gentler on pet paws.

• Fill your birdfeeder. Birds are natural predators of beetles, caterpillars and other harmful insects that devour our plants, so establish a habitat in your yard now and control those pests organically.

• Avoid walking on frozen or snow-covered lawns.

• Winter sun and wind can be hard on evergreens and less hardy plants. If foliage appears to be browning in exposed areas, screen plants with burlap or pine boughs. Wait until midspring to prune out injured foliage, though.

Spring is in the Air

 Lastly, start planning.  Order vegetable seeds, make a note of new plants and flowers you’d like, and gather and clean your tools.   You’ll be ready to go when the garden starts to wake up and you’ll have the garden of your dreams.

Some links for seeding tips: 

http://www.almanac.com/content/ordering-garden-seeds

http://eartheasy.com/blog/2011/01/vegetable-garden-seed-ordering-tips/

http://reneesgardenseeds.blogspot.com/

Do you do any prep in your yard for the Spring?  Tell us about it.

“Before I fell pregnant I started to think about all of the women that I know who have struggled with conception. I am interested in superstition and how to instill my seemingly innate luckiness into an object that I could distribute to others. I wanted to create a symbol that embodied the essence of fertility. I began to paint this symbol with Japanese ink on Sumi paper. Then I fell pregnant…”

Conception is a 60 ft scroll of japanese rice paper that has been painted in a meditative state with a recurring symbol of fertility. This symbol has been distilled from various cultural/historical symbols of fertility such as the Venus of Willendorf, the circle (of life) and the celtic spiral. The sculptural form is itself a spiral and will be sectioned and distributed as lucky talismans to people who wish to conceive at the conclusion of the show. 
Tara de la Garza
www.taradelagarza.com

Conception is a 60 ft scroll of japanese rice paper that has been painted in a meditative state with a recurring symbol of fertility. This symbol has been distilled from various cultural/historical symbols of fertility such as the Venus of Willendorf, the circle (of life) and the celtic spiral. The sculptural form is itself a spiral and will be sectioned and distributed as lucky talismans to people who wish to conceive at the conclusion of the show. 
Tara de la Garza
www.taradelagarza.com
RIPE: conception and perception
Anonda Bell and Tara de la Garza
Opening reception Oct 23rd 7-10pm
Closing reception Dec 11th 7-10pm
Gallery Aferro
73 Market st, Newark, NJ

NEW CALDWELL FARMERS MARKET
Starting, Every Friday Smull Parking Lot behind the Caldwell Cinema 2PM – 7PM
Jersey Fresh Produce
Specialty foods

If interested, write me at barbarasalg@verizon.net