“Salmon Farming.” Sounds odd, doesn’t it?

The first time I heard the phrase, I envisioned a field out in the midwest somewhere with nice even rows of salmon standing straight up like plants. It was funny, but I knew that wasn’t right!

It turns out that salmon farms help us to keep up with the huge demand for fresh fish. Farm raised salmon start out in a hatchery, growing in closely monitored fresh water tanks.

Somewhere between 12 – 18 months later, the young salmon are ready to move to ocean farms, where they are released into net pens until they reach adulthood.

This process does not interfere with the environment, nor does it present any threat to wild salmon. Salmon fish farms make it possible for us to have fresh salmon available year-round.

Farm raised or wild, I happen to be a big fan of salmon and it makes my dinner rotation several times a month. There’s no end to the variety of ways it can be prepared and served.

Want to learn more facts about salmon farming? Visit Salmon of the Americas, where you can also find information of the nutritional benefits salmon, recipes, and even tips on how to buy salmon.

Change is in the air. All around us folks are cutting back and getting down to basics. Families are coming together and planning their entertainment on the home front. Even in troubled times the human spirit will find a way to celebrate life.

Home and hearth is in again, and it’s time to dust off the Monopoly game board, rent a movie, and pop some corn. That doesn’t mean that the little ones have to be sedentary. Wooden swing sets, easily assembled right in your own back yard, provide hours of fun, fresh air, and exercise. Unlike yesterday’s fads, residential swing sets will last for years — not only in the backyard, but in precious memories.

When my own children were toddlers, they spent a lot of time on their wooden rocking horses. That’s the kind of toy that has thrilled generations of children. We still have them packed away in the basement somewhere, along with their toy boxes, in anticipation of grandchildren.

Fleeting as childhood is, the memories we carry — for better or worse — forever influence who and what we become. Whatever our age, somewhere deep inside resides a child. When I revisit the scrapbook of my own childhood, the positive images that come to mind revolve around simple pleasures. I hope my grown children can say the same.

It was a lazy sunday afternoon and I decided to indulge in a much-needed nap. Somewhere in a half-awake, half-asleep state, I became aware of a steady squeaking noise. Squeak… squeak… At first it bothered me, but the more I listened, the more I familiar it became. In that twilight state of mind, I was suddenly ten years old again.

Those old metal swing sets, the backyard favorite of my youth, used to make that sound. Squeak… squeak… as the swing went backward, then forward, mixing with the shrieks of the neighborhood children. Friends from down the street would come flying by in their little pedal cars, while my little brother’s rocking horses transported the eager cowboys to other worlds.

A row of toy boxes, each initialed for its owner, took up most of the entryway to our home. Digging through mine in search of my favorite doll, I heard someone calling my name, but I was having so much fun that I didn’t want to go. I wondered if my sister kidnapped my doll again.

The squeaking noise turned out to be the cat, meowing me awake, but the dream stayed with me. There’s nothing like a trip down memory lane to refresh a middle-aged gal on a Sunday afternoon.

Working on a romantic dinner for two?

Try serving up an elegant Alaska farmed salmon with asparagus, crisp green salad, and a chilled white wine. Or surprise your honey with a smoked salmon appetizer. Then dim the lights and cue the music because this meal has “special occasion” written all over it.

Salmon is not only one of the tastiest entrees you can serve, but one of the healthiest. Unfortunately, misinformation about fish has some people confused about the health benefits. The truth is, farm raised salmon are not only delicious, but packed with nutritional benefits. Salmon farming helps to keep prices down and farmed salmon available all year round. Ocean-farmed salmon are constantly monitored and can be traced from the hatchery directly to the store where it is purchased. In addition, farmed salmon is consistently rated among the fish with the lowest mercury levels. Ocean farmed salmon is low in saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, low in calories, and high in protein.

There is no shortage of recipes for salmon. Whether you a beginner or a chef, you can choose a recipe from the very simple to the extraordinary and serve up a winner. When you want to go all out, go for farmed salmon.

Cross-posted on sotablog.com

I can’t help but wonder if anything good could possibly come from the deep economic downturn. There’s no shortage of bad news to go around, but I’ve noticed one little ray of sunshine. People are beginning to focus on the basic things in life. The things that really and truly matter. Conspicuous consumption is out. Simplicity is in. That’s a good thing.

As a society, we depend upon consumer spending to keep the wheels turning, but in many ways, we’ve taken it to unhealthy lengths. Take toys, for instance. If we pick and choose carefully, and…read a toy review or two, we can find toys that fit into the budget AND entertain the children. They don’t really need every latest and greatest gizmo.

Why spend big bucks on the latest trendy toys that will only be cast aside tomorrow? Perhaps it’s time to come back to the kinds of toys that we enjoyed as children.

Good old-fashioned Lego games, Barbie games, and Hot Wheels toys are back in vogue. These are the toys that have stood the test of time. They actually encourage imagination and cooperation. Basic as they are, children adore them!

Browse the toy reviews and you’ll find that kids and parents alike give the thumbs up to these classics. And you just might want to join in on the fun — we adults could use some playtime, too!

When you think back on the toys of childhood, what comes to mind?

Being a girl, I was supposed to be satisfied with playing house with my dolls, but that just didn’t cut it for me. I preferred to run around with my over active brothers… to pull and be pulled in our radio flyer wagons and pretend to be cowboys on our trusty old rocking horses. We chased our imaginary enemies and always came out victorious. In winter we had our amazing wooden sleds on which to glide down the hills near our home. Those really were the days!

Most of the backyards in the neighborhood sported simple metal swing sets, or wooden swing sets, and boy did they get used! Shouting, running, and a fair amount of arguing could be observed on a daily basis, but we were getting the most of each and every day.

We spent most of our free time outdoors, as was customary for kids of my generation. When indoors, we kept our little treasures in our toy boxes, making the most of the inclement weather, but always on the lookout for the opportunity to get back outside.

It’s a shame, but I don’t think children today quite know the unbridled pleasure of simply running around playing tag, or kick-the-can. Oh, they’ve got certain advantages over us as far as technology goes, but I can’t help but wonder if perhaps they are missing a key childhood joy. Freedom.

I’ve been told that I have a nice complexion, but I’m certainly not getting any younger. That’s why I’m cautious about what I put on my skin and I try not to use any abrasive or potentially toxic products — I don’t need to borrow trouble.

“Green” is all the rage right now. You see it everywhere, from household products to office supplies — everyone’s going green. So why should our skin be any different? Green cosmetics, when used as part of an overall natural skin care routine, give me confidence that I’m doing right by my complexion. Naturally, that includes a well-balanced diet and plenty of beauty sleep.

I pay careful attention and look for safe cosmetics that contain no harsh chemicals or perfumes. Organic skin care is not as difficult or as complicated as you might think.

You’ve probably had pomegranate juice to drink on occasion, but you may be surprised to learn that pomegranate oils can also boost immunity, purify against damaging free radicals, and maintain skin health and appearance. All that and it’s 100 percent natural, too!

Every day, we come into contact with countless unknown chemicals in our environment. Much of that is not in our control, but it is within our power to choose safe and natural products for our skin care. It’s up to us to choose wisely. Think pomegranate.

“What are you staring at?,” I asked. Ann had a funny little look on her face as she sat across from me at the dinner table. “Nothing,” she lied. “I know what you’re thinking… you’re wondering how you ended up with this bald guy sitting across from you, right?” I laughed, for two reasons really. One, I knew that wasn’t the reason she was staring, and I love to throw her off base. Two, so far I’ve escaped the family curse of losing ALL my hair. OK, now she really would be laughing. But it’s TRUE!!! I still have hair on top. OK, it’s thin. OK, so I make it a point not to sit with my back towards the sunlight for fear of looking like I have an angel’s halo surrounding my head should someone glance my way. OK, maybe I’ve taken to ripping out hair loss articles from magazines and hiding them under the mattress the way I used to hide Playboy when I was a teenager.

Of the lies we tell ourselves as we age — and there are MANY — I suppose those relating to weight gain and mens hair loss might rank among the top three. I’ll let you guess at the third. But of the three, men’s hair loss is the only one that doesn’t have a natural solution. You CAN do something about it though. The hair restoration industry has come a long way in recent years. Hair loss solutions for men abound, from the simple rub-on creams and elixers to surgical remedies and simple, but effective toupees. Personally, I’ve never taken the plunge, but every so often I look in the mirror and wonder, “Is there anything out there that can make me look better than I do right now?” No, I decide — there’s not. I mean, how can you improve on THIS?

“What are you staring at?,” I ask…

One of our all-time favorite meals is salmon.

Aside from the obvious health benefits of salmon, the flavor, texture, and visual presentation of salmon dress up any meal. I’m hard pressed to name a more versatile main course. From the easiest of recipes to the most intricate, every cook can create a dish that will leave a lasting impression on guests.

I usually prepare salmon as a dinner entrée — something about it seems so elegant. Served with a crisp salad and a hearty green vegetable, it’s part of a well-balanced and healthy dietary lifestyle. Add some white wine and candles, and you’ve got the makings of a romantic dinner for two.

Recently, I discovered that serving salmon for lunch can brighten up the humdrum routine of the midday meal. I happened upon a salmon recipe for corn/salmon chowder that would make a comforting lunch on a cold winter’s day. I also plan to try my hand at salmon burgers and salmon rigatoni.

Would you believe there’s even a recipe for salmon cheesecake? Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, appetizers, snacks… the variety of salmon recipes is virtually without end!

As for the children, healthy eating habits are ingrained at an early age. The food preferences they learn in early childhood will influence them for the rest of their lives. It’s never too early to get them started in the right direction.

Have questions about the nutritional value and safety of salmon? Get the straight salmon facts at SalmonoftheAmericas.com