Salt Rock Lamps

We just received another shipment of Salt Rock Lamps. If you've never owned one before, you should give it a try. The negative ions released by the lamps freshen up the air, giving you that fresh air feeling you get near waterfalls, the ocean or mountaintops. Below you will find further information on the lamps, but even if you don't agree with it or believe it, the lamps are still a beautiful home accent and an excellent nightlight. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

These beautiful lamps are made from natural Rock Salt Crystal (Halite) accumulated over millions of years in salt caverns deep under ground in the Himalayan Mountains. They provide a warm glow in stunning and beautiful natural designs.

Salt Rock Lamps are natural air ionizers. Even though they are not a "medical device", Salt Crystal Lamps, by emitting negative ions, significantly reduce a myriad of indoor air pollutants. Negative ions have known benefits, and may provide relief from sinus, migraine headaches allergies and hay fever, reduce the severity of asthma attacks, enhance the immune system, increase alertness, increase work productivity and concentration, increase lung capacity and reduce susceptibility to colds and flu.

Salt crystal lamps are important natural sources of negative ions. They balance and reverse the positive ions generated by heating and cooling systems, TV's, computers, radios, transmitters, cell phones, automobile exhausts, cigarette smoke and other pollutants. The impact of negative ions is powerful. Originally, it was found to speed recovery in burn or asthma patients, but was later discovered to affect serotonin levels in the bloodstream, stabilize alpha rhythms and to positively impact our reactions to sensory stimuli. The greater level of alertness can translate into improved learning, improved well being and enhanced human performance on mental tasks.

Salt Crystal Lamps, when illuminated from inside with a small light, produce a beautiful, natural glow of shades from pink to orange to yellow. This color, and the ionizing effects, create a special atmosphere of calming, balancing, and refreshing clean air.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday to our Mom--we hope you have a great day!
(And that the meal we make for you tonight is edible! ;) )

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Bells will be ringing...

Congratulations to Tara and Jason on their
wedding day today! Wishing you a beautiful day
full of beautiful memories with your friends and family!

Summer Sale on Now

Our summer clearance sales have begun! Items are marked down throughout the store so be sure to look for sale tags (some tags have regular on one side, sale on the other--don't miss out!) Also we have started to set up our sale tables so be sure to hunt through those, too.

UPDATE: The Big Day Out has moved! We are now holding the Big Day Out at the end of our yard sale in September.

Gardening Tip of the Week

Garden Tip of the Week

Gingersnaps Weekly Menu

For Pam

And now, a word from Mark Cullen

A visit to Mark Cullen's blog "From the Garden Shed" this week quotes Sarah. Below you will find an excerpt; to read in it's entireity (and I think you should. This week's entry is called "So you think you can't garden?") click here.

If you breathe, you will get a kick out of gardening.

If you can hear, you will get a lift from the songs of birds in your garden.

If you can feel, you will sleep better having nurtured and grown the clean air machines that we call plants in your own yard.

If you can see you will pause during your 'work' in the garden and become temporarily breathless as you observe a hummingbird sucking
nectar from a flower.

If you still don't get it, go back to the top and re read.

My friend Sarah Rurka at the Home Hardware location in Lloydminster,
Alberta sent me this wonderful quote from the book 'Second Nature'. I think that
you will like it:

Sarah says that 'This book of narratives is a book of tales
of failure, overcome.'And from the book, 'All of the accomplished gardeners I
know are comfortable with failure... and understand that, in the garden at
least, failure speaks louder than success... his failures have more to say to
him. The gardener learns nothing when his carrots thrive, unless that success is
won against a background of prior disappointment. Outright success is dumb,
disaster frequently eloquent, at least to the gardener that knows how to
listen.'

The idea that a person cannot or will not pick up a spade or a
trowel and plant something in the soil out of fear of failure is a foreign
concept to the successful gardener. Failure, as Sarah and the author of Second
Nature reminds us, is what we do.

Tea Time

Hosting a Garden Party this summer? Why not serve your tea and coffee in these beautiful mugs? Available in a variety of shapes and styles, these mugs are made of quality bone china, which makes them extra strong and resistant to chips and scratches.

This extensive collection includes a mix of classical and contemporary designs suitable for any occasion. Royal Rose Bud, English Rose and Antique Blue are just a few designs in this beautiful collection by Maxwell and Williams. In fact, you are sipping out of White Bone China mugs by this company at Gingersnaps. The bone china Chintz collection replicates the antique shape of classic 19th Century Bone China and are all beautifully presented each in its own individual gift box.

All Maxwell & Williams products are made from the finest quality materials available. M&W sources manufacturers of the highest repute to work closely with their team of Australian based designers and they proudly stand by the quality of the products they deliver, providing you with as much information about your purchase as possible. On the base of many Maxwell & Williams products you will find relevant information and care instructions about the product you have purchased.

I am a picky one when it comes to cups and mugs. I like to be able to get at least 2 fingers in the handle, and it has to be weighted properly so as not to strain my wrist (seriously. I find so many mugs heavy and clumsy, and awkward to drink out of).

These mugs are light, but strong. In fact, for my bridal shower years ago we had a Tea Party and served the tea in these mugs, which everyone got to take home as a gift. (The theme, of course, was "Love is Brewing.") Cute, right?

Use them for your Garden Party, Bridal Shower or just to kick back with a good book. You won't be disappointed.

Gingersnaps Weekly Menu

BBQ Adventures continued...

So a new, unplanned BBQ adventure took place a few weeks ago. Crab Legs! I went to MCR Seafood here in Lloyd in search of some fish to BBQ and the frozen crab legs caught my eye (oh, how I've missed crab legs--our standard buffet feast in Las Vegas). After talking with the owner, she told me the crab is already cooked and just needs to be warmed--perfect for the BBQ!

She advised me just to cover the skinny ends and the lump crab meat with tin foil so it doesn't burn, then heat through and enjoy! (The above pic is not mine, as I followed directions and covered the tips!) We cooked Snow Crab legs from frozen, after first running cold water over them. I think this rinsed off some of the saltwater they must have been cooked in. Mom and Dad, inspired by us, later bought some but warmed them in the oven, and found them to be salty-tasting, so I think the rinse off helped.

As with cooking anything new on the BBQ, it was a bit of trial and error. The first time Jeff brought them off they were warm but not hot, and I wanted them piping hot, so he threw them back on. Then he kind of left them on a bit too long (as he was not standing guard at the BBQ like he should have been!) and so some of the skinnier pieces got a bit dry.

But it tasted amazing! Crab with the subtle charcoal flavor of the BBQ--mmmm. We even busted out our butter warmers and seafood forks for the occasion.

I would definitely recommend trying this!

Going to the chapel...

Congratulations to
Tamara & Jimmy,
and
Jill & Shawn
on their wedding day today!
We wish you a beautiful day and
a beautiful life together!

Gardening Tip of the Week

Cool Down

The forecast for Saturday in Lloydminster is 32*C! Good thing there is an assortment of fans in the flyer this week! Save $17 on the fan featured above, or try out the fan shown below, which is up to 40% quieter than other fans.

Kick Back with this week's flyer feature

Enjoy these lazy days of summer in one of our adirondack chairs. Available in assorted colors (and also available in kid size!) these chairs just ooze comfort and relaxation. And, unlike others available on the market, ours are UV treated to resist fading.

• - Safe
• - Stackable
• - High quality colourfast resin
• - Won't dent, rust or peel
• - Easy to clean and store
• - ASTM tested for residential use
• - Great for camping
• - UV protected to prevent fading

Available until July 25 at the flyer price of $21.97

Greener Laundry

Have you tried our Natura Laundry Detergent? I love this detergent. I don't like scented products and although it has a light lemon scent, it doesn't bother me and is actually quite nice. Read all about it below, and give it a try today--it's on sale for $7.97 until July 25!

Natura Laundry Detergent

• - H/E
• - Liquid soap (blue)
• - Ultra laundry detergent
• - With Australian tea tree oil
• - Natural cleaning
• - A safe and effective essential oil used for
  centuries for its beneficial cleansing property
• - Slight bubbling, therefore may be used in high
  efficiency washers
• - May use to pretreat tough stains
• - Works in all temperatures
• - Natural, fresh, lemon scent
• - Nontoxic
• - No phosphates
• - 35 loads
• - 2.85L

Richard's Thought of the Day

Envy is counting someone else's blessings instead of your own

Garden Tips--Composting