Want to Try A Greener Spring Cleaning?

Are you suffering from Spring Fever? Looking to clean house and purge your closets and cupboards while opening windows and letting the fresh air in? While the cleaning part might not be my favorite, I certainly enjoy the fresh, clean feel of my house when everything is spic and span. I feel even better when I get all that cleaning done without the use of the chemicals found in many commercial cleaners, which can also cost a small fortune.

The smell of a clean house that smells more like citrus and lavender is much more fun than one that smells like chemicals. It also feels a little safer to me when I know I am not using toxic chemicals around my children or pets, or on the things we all touch on a regular basis. If you are getting set to start your spring cleaning marathon, and want to do so a bit greener this year, here are some books that can offer ideas, recipes, and solutions for a greener clean this Spring.

1. Green-Up Your Cleanup by Jill Potvin Schoff

2. Greening Your Cleaning by Deirdre Imus

3. Green Clean: the Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning your Home by Linda Mason Hunter & Mikki Halpin

4. Green Housekeeping: in Which the Nontoxic Avenger Shows you how to Improve your Health and that of your Family While you Save Time, Money, and Perhaps your Sanity by Ellen Sandbeck

5. A Guide to Green Housekeeping: Live a Calmer, Healthier Life, Recycle and Reuse, Clean Naturally, Garden Organically by Christina Strutt

6. Sara Snow’s Fresh Living: the Essential Room-by-Room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home by Sara Snow

7. The Naturally Clean Home: Over 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Nontoxic Cleansers by Karyn Siegel-Maier

8. Easy Green Living: the Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for you and your Home by Renée Loux

9. The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget: Save Money, Save Time, Save the Planet by Josh Dorfman

10. The Eco-Living Handbook: a Complete Green Guide for your Home and Life by Sarah Callard and Diane Millis

Hot Contemporary Romance Books for April

happy

 

Start spring off with some happily ever after love stories!

 

Dash of Peril by Lori Foster – A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster.  To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret “Margo” Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is six feet four inches of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Waiting On You by Kristan Higgins – Colleen O’Rourke is in love with love.   Most nights, she can be found behind the bar at the Manningsport, New York, tavern she owns with her twin brother, doling out romantic advice to the lovelorn.   Ten years ago, Lucas Campbell broke her heart.  But a family emergency has brought Lucas back to town, handsome as ever and still the only man who’s ever been able to crack her defenses. Seems like maybe they’ve got some unfinished business waiting for them.

Taken With You by Shannon Stacey – Hailey Genest has seen most of her friends marry and have babies, and she’s happy for them, but it was a lot easier before she hit forty.   When a new friend suggests they go on an adventure and embrace being single, Hailey agrees.

Surviving in the woods is game warden Matt Barnett’s idea of a relaxing vacation. But when he meets two women in need of help, he leads them back to safety—a task that proves more fun than expected, thanks to a certain hot blonde.

Hope Ignites by Jaci Burton – When a movie crew asks to film on his cattle ranch, Logan McCormack doesn’t expect Desiree Jenkins, the young, sought-after star, to be so open, so down-to-earth, or so intimately interested in him.  What Des wants is an escape from paparazzi and gossip columns, and she’s found it at Logan’s ranch. Now it’s up to her to prove that she’s like any other girl looking to be accepted for who she is.

Come Home to Me by Brenda Novak – When Presley Christensen returns to Whiskey Creek with her little boy after two years away, she has completely changed her life. She’s made peace with her past and overcome the negative behavior that resulted from her difficult childhood.   Aaron Amos lives in Whiskey Creek, and no matter how hard she’s tried, Presley hasn’t been able to get over him.

Sweet Talk Me by Kieran Kramer – The last person True Maybank expected to run into while picking up her wedding gown was country music superstar Harrison Gamble. Years ago, when they were small-town teens in Biscuit Creek, South Carolina, they shared a forbidden night of passion. Now that she’s about to settle down, True’s love affair with the handsome crooner is a thing of the past. Or is it? From the moment he says hello, she has to fight swooning like an adoring fan.

The Sweetheart Rules by Shirley Jump – Rescue Bay veterinarian Diana Tuttle is a great single mom, but she has a harder time taking care of herself.  The last thing she wants is a man who isn’t in it for the long haul—until a foolish one-night stand from her past walks back into her life.  Coast Guard Lieutenant Mike Stark has never wanted to settle down. But when his ex-wife leaves their two small children on his doorstep, he is forced to become a family man in a hurry. His return to Rescue Bay, Florida and fatherhood isn’t easy, but reconnecting with Diana makes the challenge all the more worthwhile.

 

Easter Pets

They’re adorable, all fluff and big watery eyes, but if you’re thinking about getting or giving a live pet for Easter, think twice! According to the Humane Society, 30% of all Easter pets will die in the first few weeks after Easter. Another 60 to 70% will be turned in at shelters, and almost all will not live to see a single birthday. If you’re thinking about adding a pet to your family, take your time and do your research first.
        Rabbits come in all types and sizes, and they live an average of seven to ten years. Their health can be delicate, and simple diarrhea – most often from too many fresh veggies – can kill them. Inside a house, they will dig and chew at everything, so don’t feel bad when your couch gets a hole in it. If you choose a beautiful angora, with long fluffy hair, remember they need to be brushed and combed daily, or at least shaved down. Rabbits love to run and kick up their heels (which is very amusing to watch), so keeping them in a small cage all the time is just plain cruel. They are not hamsters; think of rabbits as your cat’s slow-witted little brother. You wouldn’t cage up a cat all the time, would you?


Ducks may live eight to fifteen years, and come in a huge variety of types and colors. Ducks are very social, and you may need more than one to keep your animal happy. Remember, ducks like water and are natural swimmers; keeping them in a dry environment like a dark basement does not result in a happy duck. Remember, ducks shed feathers everywhere, their water-proof feathers may leave grease on your carpets, and they will not be house-trained.


Baby chicks are one of the icons of spring, but they live five to eight years. It is their nature to hunt for bugs in the grass, and they will scratch and peck at whatever flooring is underneath them; they can crater dirt fairly quickly. Chickens (and ducks, too) may be subject to town ordinances, so check with your town first to see if you’re even allowed to keep them! Roosters can cause a ruckus; they don’t just crow at dawn, but any time they feel like it, which may not sit well with your neighbors. Both chicks and ducks have to be kept safe at all time from predators, including hawks.


If you’re not sure a live pet is right for your family, try sponsoring an animal instead. You can buy into a “share” of an animal at a zoo or refuge, and help keep it happy and healthy. You can also “donate” an animal through programs such as Heifer International, which helps people out of poverty by teaching them to raise and sell animals in developing nations.
If you do bring home that cute and fluffy new friend, check out these books to help you keep them around for a long time to come:

The Rabbit Handbook by Karen Parker

Keeping Chickens by Ashley English

Mini Encyclopedia of Chicken Breeds & Care by Frances Bassom

Barnyard in Your Backyard by Gail Damerow

 

                      

Middle and Upper Grade Books About Kids Doing Good

Are you trying to encourage volunteer work and the idea of paying it forward with your older children and teens? One of the best ways to do this is to offer role models that behave in the manner you would like them to. Sometimes reading a great book about someone else in a similar situation, or with similar interests, doing good things can inspire those that read the book to follow suit. Here are some novels that might inspire some good deeds.

The Adventures of Blue Avenger by Norma Howe (YA)
On his sixteenth birthday, still trying to cope with the unexpected death of his father, David Schumacher decides–or does he–to change his name to Blue Avenger, hoping to find a way to make a difference in his Oakland neighborhood and in the world.

Regarding the Fountain: a Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks by Kate Klise, with illustrations by M. Sarah Klise (J)
When the principal asks a fifth-grader to write a letter regarding the purchase of a new drinking fountain for their school, he finds that all sorts of chaos results.

Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors (YA)
Sixteen-year-old Katrina’s kindness to a man she finds sleeping behind her grandmother’s coffeehouse leads to a strange reward as Malcolm, who is actually a teenage guardian angel, insists on rewarding her by granting her deepest wish.

Loser by Jerry Spinelli (J)
Even though his classmates from first grade on have considered him strange and a loser, Daniel Zinkoff’s optimism and exuberance and the support of his loving family do not allow him to feel that way about himself.

Gracie’s Girl by Ellen Wittlinger (J)
As she starts middle school, Bess volunteers to work on the school musical in hopes of fitting in, but when she and a friend get to know an elderly homeless woman, Bess changes her mind about what is really important.

Again, this list barely scratches the surface of great books about older children and teens doing good things and just being great people. Here are a few more from our collection; Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (YA), Why Did the Underwear Cross the Road? by Gordon Korman (J), Three Good Deeds by Vande Velde, Vivian (J), and Daddy’s Little Angel by Shani Petroff (YA).

Please mention any titles that we missed in the comment section so that others can enjoy them as well!

 

An Easter Playlist

Every occasion needs a soundtrack. Check out this list of classical and contemporary music appropriate for Easter celebrations. Some of these you might remember from church, but not realize who actually wrote them. Others were written secularly, but adopted later as hymns. Did you know that Elvis Presley started out as a gospel singer?  He attended a Pentacostal church that encouraged modern music.
1) Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, by Johannes Sebastian Bach
You probably remember this one from church
2) Concerto no. 1 in E (Spring)  by Antonio Vivaldi
You’ve heard this one in the movies and on TV
3) How Great Thou Art by Elvis Presley
One of his most-requested songs
4) The Old Rugged Cross by Johnny Cash
5) The Lord’s Prayer
There are many beautiful instrumental songs on Windham Hill’s Prayer album, perfect for quiet meditation.
6) Amazing Grace  by Anne Murray
7) El Shaddai  by Amy Grant
According to Exodus 6:2, Shaddai is the name by which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew God
8) You’ll Never Walk Alone by Elvis Presley
9) The Passions According to St. John and St. Matthew   by J. S. Bach
10) Ave Maria  by The Priests
11) Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah   by G. Handel Baroque at its finest
12) Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”   by Ludwig von Beethoven
You probably know this better as the “Ode to Joy,” or Hymn # 8, “Joyful, Joyful”
13) Judas Maccabeus by G. Handel
14) Russian Easter Liturgy A whole service on one disc!