go
Couer d’Alene, ID
UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTIONS
low
O
nce upon a time, fan conventions (or simply “cons” for those in the know) were only a thing for Star Trek “Trekkie” fans and nerdy comic book megafans. But these days, there’s a convention for every type of groupie out there, from movies and books to video games and superheroes. Seems as if they are popping up all over … all you have to do is pick one you’re passionate about and hit the road.
W
ant to love your landscape … without all the hassle, high water bills, and harm to our planet’s natural resources? Try these steps to make your yard’s landscaping compatible with your unique natural environment.
Coeur d’Alene area is surrounded by dozens of lakes left behind by the glaciers from the ice age. There are more than 55 lakes within easy driving distance of Coeur d’Alene, but none more scenic and full of activities than Lake Coeur d’Alene itself. There is something magical about Lake Coeur d’Alene that’s hard to define, but begins with the spectacular North Idaho sunsets and moonrises, the plunge of an osprey after a fish, the glowing lights of downtown Coeur d’Alene reflecting across its waters at night. The perfect place to plan your next vacation and activities. Source: CoeurdAlene.org
If you live in a high-heat and drought-prone region of the country, you no doubt have watering restrictions for your abode. In other words, big green lawns are definitely not in your future. Your best bet for a sustainable landscape is minimizing your green areas and being selective with your plantings. The best way to achieve this? Use hardscape products and stone and mulch as the basis of your landscape, minimizing thirsty grassy areas. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have anything living in your yard … it just means choosing drought-tolerant and native plants, the basis of xeriscape landscaping. Before planting, it’s wise to amend your soil with humus (manure, compost, and wood chips are good examples) to ensure it retains moisture and helps ensure good drainage. So be sure to choose drought-tolerant plants, examples of which include ornamental grasses and perennials such as yarrow, sage, columbine, lavender, hyssop, sedum, and purple cornflower. These beautiful perennials will return to bloom in your garden season after season without excessive watering. Keep your eyes open when you go for a hike and you may just see these blooms popping up organically in the wild. This simpatico relationship is what makes using these same plants in your yard so easy and so successful. Of course, you will have to water these plants a bit and that’s where strategically placed drip irrigation comes in. By getting the water directly to the root of the plant you minimize waste and give your plants just what they need in the process. Another way to save H2O? Get a rain barrel that can catch all those drips and drops and you can wisely channel that runoff directly where it needs to go most—to your plants. Best of all, this water is free! Some pricier systems do attach directly to your drop irrigation but there are less costly versions available for all budgets.
By using xeriscape plants and principles in your landscaping you will have a yard that will look as good as you will feel about using eco-friendly gardening designs. And with the low-maintenance yard you’ve created, you’ll have more time to do the things you love to do on your precious weekends. Enjoy!
LIFEWISE
The most famous con, of course, is San Diego Comic-Con International. This cross section of superheroes, celebrities, and comic book geeks attracts more than a hundred thousand groupies every year who for four days revel in everything comicrelated. A more family-friendly and smaller version is Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, perfect for those new to the whole com-con scene. This event has attracted big names such as Patrick Stewart and Gillian Anderson in the past, so it’s full of sci-fi excitement. Similar in style and scope are the numerous anime (Japanese animation) conventions where fans gather to get all the latest news and memorabilia related to their shared love of Japanese comics and film. The big ones to check out: Anime Expo in LA and Sakura-Con in Seattle.
FLAVORFUL
TRAVEL TIME
Gaming cons are numerous and perhaps the most in demand of late. Many gaming conventions allow attendees to play new games before they are even released, a real rush for intense gamers. For gamers looking to kick it old school, there are even conventions for “table-top” gaming, you know, the old kind that involves board games and card games, as well as role playing games (think Dungeons and Dragons). If that sounds like your thing, check out GoPlay Northwest and Gen Con, two of the bigger ones. Kids can’t be left out of the con craze either. In fact, the younger set may be familiar with MineCon, the convention where Minecraft fans gather for everything related to mobs and creepers. There’s also the Star Wars Celebration where fans of Luke and Leia can meet movie stars, see sneak previews of upcoming releases, and snatch up some exclusive Star Wars merch. Not to be missed if you’re a J.K. Rowling fan? LeakyCon, a Harry Potter convention for those obsessed with witchcraft and wizardry. Toy conventions and Lego conventions are also fun for children of all ages. Whatever you are into, there is a gathering of like-minded people to hang with and enjoy your passions.
Texas Red Chili INGREDIENTS 4 lbs 1/3 tsp 2 c 2 tbl 1/2 c 1 5/8 tbsp 1 1/2 tsp
ground beef brisket salt diced onion minced garlic chili powder paprika whole oregano
1 1/2 tsp 5/8 tsp 5/8 tsp 1 3/4 c 2 1/2 c 3 1/4 tbsp 1 tbsp
whole cumin cayenne Tabasco sauce beer tomato sauce corn flour crushed red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS Soak all spices in beer for 30 minutes. Brown meat with salt and then skim fat. Add onion and garlic, then simmer for 30 minutes. Add spices and tomato sauce, then simmer on very low heat for 3 hours. Skim grease as necessary. Add corn flour mixed with 4 cups of water and simmer for 15 minutes.
TexAzGrill.com
go
Couer d’Alene, ID
UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTIONS
low
O
nce upon a time, fan conventions (or simply “cons” for those in the know) were only a thing for Star Trek “Trekkie” fans and nerdy comic book megafans. But these days, there’s a convention for every type of groupie out there, from movies and books to video games and superheroes. Seems as if they are popping up all over … all you have to do is pick one you’re passionate about and hit the road.
W
ant to love your landscape … without all the hassle, high water bills, and harm to our planet’s natural resources? Try these steps to make your yard’s landscaping compatible with your unique natural environment.
Coeur d’Alene area is surrounded by dozens of lakes left behind by the glaciers from the ice age. There are more than 55 lakes within easy driving distance of Coeur d’Alene, but none more scenic and full of activities than Lake Coeur d’Alene itself. There is something magical about Lake Coeur d’Alene that’s hard to define, but begins with the spectacular North Idaho sunsets and moonrises, the plunge of an osprey after a fish, the glowing lights of downtown Coeur d’Alene reflecting across its waters at night. The perfect place to plan your next vacation and activities. Source: CoeurdAlene.org
If you live in a high-heat and drought-prone region of the country, you no doubt have watering restrictions for your abode. In other words, big green lawns are definitely not in your future. Your best bet for a sustainable landscape is minimizing your green areas and being selective with your plantings. The best way to achieve this? Use hardscape products and stone and mulch as the basis of your landscape, minimizing thirsty grassy areas. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have anything living in your yard … it just means choosing drought-tolerant and native plants, the basis of xeriscape landscaping. Before planting, it’s wise to amend your soil with humus (manure, compost, and wood chips are good examples) to ensure it retains moisture and helps ensure good drainage. So be sure to choose drought-tolerant plants, examples of which include ornamental grasses and perennials such as yarrow, sage, columbine, lavender, hyssop, sedum, and purple cornflower. These beautiful perennials will return to bloom in your garden season after season without excessive watering. Keep your eyes open when you go for a hike and you may just see these blooms popping up organically in the wild. This simpatico relationship is what makes using these same plants in your yard so easy and so successful. Of course, you will have to water these plants a bit and that’s where strategically placed drip irrigation comes in. By getting the water directly to the root of the plant you minimize waste and give your plants just what they need in the process. Another way to save H2O? Get a rain barrel that can catch all those drips and drops and you can wisely channel that runoff directly where it needs to go most—to your plants. Best of all, this water is free! Some pricier systems do attach directly to your drop irrigation but there are less costly versions available for all budgets.
By using xeriscape plants and principles in your landscaping you will have a yard that will look as good as you will feel about using eco-friendly gardening designs. And with the low-maintenance yard you’ve created, you’ll have more time to do the things you love to do on your precious weekends. Enjoy!
LIFEWISE
The most famous con, of course, is San Diego Comic-Con International. This cross section of superheroes, celebrities, and comic book geeks attracts more than a hundred thousand groupies every year who for four days revel in everything comicrelated. A more family-friendly and smaller version is Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, perfect for those new to the whole com-con scene. This event has attracted big names such as Patrick Stewart and Gillian Anderson in the past, so it’s full of sci-fi excitement. Similar in style and scope are the numerous anime (Japanese animation) conventions where fans gather to get all the latest news and memorabilia related to their shared love of Japanese comics and film. The big ones to check out: Anime Expo in LA and Sakura-Con in Seattle.
FLAVORFUL
TRAVEL TIME
Gaming cons are numerous and perhaps the most in demand of late. Many gaming conventions allow attendees to play new games before they are even released, a real rush for intense gamers. For gamers looking to kick it old school, there are even conventions for “table-top” gaming, you know, the old kind that involves board games and card games, as well as role playing games (think Dungeons and Dragons). If that sounds like your thing, check out GoPlay Northwest and Gen Con, two of the bigger ones. Kids can’t be left out of the con craze either. In fact, the younger set may be familiar with MineCon, the convention where Minecraft fans gather for everything related to mobs and creepers. There’s also the Star Wars Celebration where fans of Luke and Leia can meet movie stars, see sneak previews of upcoming releases, and snatch up some exclusive Star Wars merch. Not to be missed if you’re a J.K. Rowling fan? LeakyCon, a Harry Potter convention for those obsessed with witchcraft and wizardry. Toy conventions and Lego conventions are also fun for children of all ages. Whatever you are into, there is a gathering of like-minded people to hang with and enjoy your passions.
Texas Red Chili INGREDIENTS 4 lbs 1/3 tsp 2 c 2 tbl 1/2 c 1 5/8 tbsp 1 1/2 tsp
ground beef brisket salt diced onion minced garlic chili powder paprika whole oregano
1 1/2 tsp 5/8 tsp 5/8 tsp 1 3/4 c 2 1/2 c 3 1/4 tbsp 1 tbsp
whole cumin cayenne Tabasco sauce beer tomato sauce corn flour crushed red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS Soak all spices in beer for 30 minutes. Brown meat with salt and then skim fat. Add onion and garlic, then simmer for 30 minutes. Add spices and tomato sauce, then simmer on very low heat for 3 hours. Skim grease as necessary. Add corn flour mixed with 4 cups of water and simmer for 15 minutes.
TexAzGrill.com
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