Girl Scout Silver Award and Oh So Much More

[caption id="attachment_663" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Before and After[/caption]



Ella rocks. I knew this about 20 seconds into our first phone conversation. Or perhaps I had a glimmering even before we spoke, when I learned why she and her parents had come into our store seeing if we could donate some supplies to her project.

Ella, and two other Girl Scouts in her troop, were working on their Silver Award. I thought, “That sounds like a fairly important award - Gold, Silver, Bronze, and all that.” What I soon learned is that a Silver Award entails 50 hours of community service.  Let’s let that one sink in a bit – 50 hours. From someone who’s only 13.

We were more than happy to support her efforts, and Katie, Ella’s mom, was so pleased with our employees, she sent me an email with photos and a great big thank you to everyone at our store.

Katie had previously volunteered with InnVision Shelter Network and Ella was moved by the drab playground at one of the locations. That’s when she decided where she would spend her time earning her Silver Award - bringing light and fun, energy and color, to a children’s space that was otherwise brown and overgrown with weeds.

The weekend neared to install the projects the girls had created over several months – a sandbox to be placed where once there was only tanbark; a sensory garden - child-height - where sage, rosemary, geranium and lavender were planted to waft their gorgeous scents at the brush of a small person passing through;  a long, plain, concrete corridor floor painted bright with hopscotch and footprints.

I was so impressed by what Ella was doing and by her poise and grace, I offered to come help out. She and I talked on the phone a bit about her project and I got to spend some time working with her and the other volunteers that weekend. I saw the playground transform as they worked, and I experienced  something wonderous – people helping out other people, just for the sake of adding some beauty and joy to the world.

So, to Katie and Ella and all the other volunteers on that warm, late-summer Sunday afternoon, building beauty and kindness: Here is my great big thank you right back. For  for including our store in such a wonderful experience and contribution; for showing others that serving is also a blessing; for spreading color and joy in the world; and for helping just to help.

Organic Pumpkin Pie Recipe (From A Pumpkin!)

[caption id="attachment_543" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Image © Brownies For Dinner[/caption]

Organic Pumpkin Pie (from a pumpkin no less!)
2 cups of pumpkin pulp purée from a sugar or other pumpkin*
1 1/2 cup organic heavy cream or same amount of hemp milk (my choice by far and I drink milk)
1/2 cup packed organic dark brown or raw cane sugar
1/3 cup organic white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 organic, free range, cageless eggs plus the yolk of a third egg
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 good crust (see recipe below)

* To make pumpkin purée from a sugar pumpkin: start with a small-medium (about 2 pounds) sugar or other pumpkin, cut out the stem and scrape out the insides, discard (save the seed and see our roasted pumpkin seed recipe). Cut into sections and steam in a saucepan, with a couple inches of water at the bottom, until soft. Scoop out the pulp from the skin. Or you can bake whole or halved in a 350°F oven until fork-tender. Optional – put pulp through a food mill or chinois to make extra smooth. NOTE: I am a lazy cook and I don’t bother with making extra smooth pulp. But, I do bother with real pumpkin. Start it first and it will be done by the time you assemble the rest of the ingredients and it is worth it!

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix sugars, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and add to the bowl. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Stir in cream/hemp milk. Whisk all together until well incorporated. Pour into pie shell and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.

[caption id="attachment_544" align="alignleft" width="300"] Image © Cook Book Man 17[/caption]

Isophene’s Short Pie Crust

This recipe is from my grandmother who’s middle name was Isophene. I am NOT a pastry baker and I was scared of pie crusts until I was 34 and my mother assured me I could make this crust. I was also living in Costa Rica, pre-made crusts were nowhere to be found and I had 30 coming for Thanksgiving dinner. It turned out to be really easy, fun and is the only pie crust recipe I use!

2 C Flour
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Baking Powder
½ C Salad Oil (this is how my grandma wrote it – I use soy, corn or safflower oil, but not olive – it’s flavor is too strong)
¼ C Water

You’ll need a 9” pie tin and you’ll use this as your mixing bowl. Put your dry ingredients in the pie tin and mix well with your hands. Add wet ingredients and mix with your hands – remember back to your mud-pie days. This crust will not look super even, white-ish spots are fine. You want it blended, that’s all. As my mother wrote in giving me the recipe, “This falls apart easily. Don’t worry. It also smuches back together easily.” Once it’s mixed, start smuching it out towards the edges of the pie tin. Leave a little extra at the lip of the tin and using a pinching method make the little scalloped edges. Viola!

- Jocelyn Broyles

Dog Photo Contest Winners!

Thank you to everyone who sent in a photo of their beloved dog! Each and every one of them is a fabulous gift to the humans in their lives!

The votes have been counted and we have our contest winners:

[caption id="attachment_649" align="alignnone" width="300"] Best Costume: Contestant #18[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_651" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cutest Dog: Contestant #21[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_652" align="alignnone" width="300"] Funniest Dog Photo: Contestant #14[/caption]

Dog Sale! Bring in Your Dog and Get $5 OFF! (You Get to Keep Your Dog)

Last week was National Dog Week and you submitted some great dog photos!

Now it's time to vote for your favorite! You may vote once for each category:

1. Cutest Dog
2. Best Costume
3. Funniest Dog Photo

Click on the comments section at the top of this post where it lists the number of comments. Vote by entering your contestant's number in the comments.

[caption id="attachment_591" align="alignnone" width="225"] Contestant #1 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_592" align="alignnone" width="225"] Contestant #2 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_593" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant # - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_594" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #4 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_595" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #5 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_596" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #6 - Funniest Photo Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_597" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #7 - Best Costume Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_598" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #8 - Best Costume Category[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_600" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #9 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_603" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #10 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_604" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #11 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_606" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #12 - Cutest Dog Categor[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_613" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #13 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_614" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #14 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_615" align="alignnone" width="169"] Contestant #15 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_617" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #16 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_618" align="alignnone" width="284"] Contestant #17 - Best Costume Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_619" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #18 - Best Costume Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_620" align="alignnone" width="225"] Contestant #19 - Best Costume Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_623" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #20 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_625" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #21 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_627" align="alignnone" width="225"] Contestant #23 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_628" align="alignnone" width="225"] Contestant #24 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_629" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #21 - Funniest Dog Photo[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_630" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #26 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_631" align="alignnone" width="168"] Contestant #27 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_633" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #28 - Best Costume Category[/caption]	[caption id="attachment_634" align="alignnone" width="225"] Contestant #29 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_643" align="alignnone" width="300"] Contestant #30 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_645" align="alignnone" width="199"] Contestant #31 - Cutest Dog Category[/caption]

Voting is open until Wednesday, October 3. Winners will be announced on Friday, October 5.  (Sorry, entries are no longer being accepted. See contest rules below.)

Last week was National Dog Week and we gave your canines a chance to shine online with our doggie photo contest! Prize is a $15 store credit.

Entries are no longer being accepted.

See below for contest details.

In-Store Doggie Coupon: You do not have to enter the online contest in order to get the $5 coupon. All you have to do for that is bring your dog into any of our four locations: Half Moon Bay, Palo Alto, San Mateo or Willow Glen between September 24 and 30. We'll hand you a coupon and then you and your four-legged companion can get shopping and saving!

Online Doggie Photo Contest:

How To Enter:
1) Submit a photo of your fabulous mutt by email to our Director of Dog Adoration between September 24th and 30th, 2012.

2) In the subject line, enter one of three categories:

Owner look-alike
Best doggie costume (this can be any costume, for any event, or just a regular day, if that's how your pup rolls.)
Funniest dog photo
3) Vote for your favorite pup in the comments section on this post. We will add images as they come in! Voting will be open through Oct. 3, 2012. Winner will be announced Oct. 5, 2012.

Details and fine (paw) print:

Photo entries must be sent by email, with the entry category in the subject line. One entry per dog, please.
Must use valid email address. Emailing an entry automatically authorizes Palo Alto Hardware Inc. to contact you by that email address if you win.
Doggie images will be voted on by readers in the comment section of the blog. You may vote once for your own dog.
Winner will receive a $15 store credit to one of the four locations closest to them (Half Moon Bay, Palo Alto, San Mateo or Willow Glen).
One winner per category.
Palo Alto Hardware Inc. reserves the right to post all entries on Facebook and store websites.
Voting will be open through Wed, Oct 3. Winner will be announced Friday, Oct 5 by email, on the blog, in store and on facebook
Winner will be notified officially by email. Winners may also be posted on Facebook and store websites. Winning store credit will be mailed or can be picked up in store at winner's discretion.
Voting will be open through Oct. 3, 2012. Winner will be announced Oct. 5, 2012.
Some exclusions apply. Excludes gift cards, sale and clearance items and prior purchases. May not be combined with any other offers or promotions.
Our Contestants: Please vote for your favorite doggie in the comments! We're adding another category "Cutest Dog" since some of our canine contestants were entered without being in one of the three other categories: Funniest Dog Photo, Owner Look-Alike or Best Costume.

Escondido Elementary School Garage Sale!

Escondido Elementary is having a Garage Sale Fundraiser!

This Saturday, September 22, from 8am to 1pm.

Come out and grab some bargains and help raise funds for the school!

Faulty Toilet Valve Recall (or: Exploding Toilets)

[caption id="attachment_528" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Image © Britt Selvitelle[/caption]

You may have a faulty toilet valve.

"Products with the bad flusher include toilets from Home Depot and Lowes, and those made from 1997-2008 by "American Standard, Crane, Kohler, Eljer, Mansfield, St. Thomas and Gerber." - By Claudine Zap | The Lookout – Fri, Aug 17, 2012 (as posted in Yahoo News)

If you bought your toilet at ACE, we didn't carry those models (and we don't currently) but we do have replacement valves that are not affected by this safety issue (see Shea at our San Mateo store for any plumbing details).

Check the Flushmate Recall site to see if your toilet is part of the recall.

Visit our blog, Popcorn And Dog Treats for more tips and information.

How to Clean the Inside of Your Desktop Computer

Many people do not realize the importance of dusting out the inside of their computer cabinets.  Dust accumulation can lead to early component failure from overheating.   At your friendly Willow Glen Ace Hardware you can get a can of Ace Dustbuster compressed air to make the job easy!  View the video below for a quick, but compelling, demonstration!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neVaWJCgOs8&w=420&h=315]