myLot Discussions| Ant Farming... | | Hello Fellow Insectologists,Have any of you had the joy of managing an ant-farm?That's a specialized insectarium for raising a captive colony of ants, hopefully with a queen or two to keep the colony viable.They used to sell them in the big department & toy stores years ago here in Australia.They were really just a toy, but well enough constructed to do the job. Consisted of just a couple of rigid sheets of clear plastic, and the necessary ends, top and bottom to hold them in place.You'd fill the gap between the two clear plastic panes with coarse sand, toss in your specimens and let them go to town. They'd get to work building little tunnels and stuff, just like they would underground out in the garden - but it was all on display for you to see.I was never too successful with mine, because I was never successful in getting a queen ant to start up a colony or to keep one going.But just plain worker ants were sufficiently well-programmed to do a sterling job of building a nest anyway, even without a queen. And they seemed to live for a couple of weeks if you kept them supplied with bits of food and sugar and a few drops of water and stuff.Very... | |
| | Makin' It Smell Good... | | I love when my laundry smells fresh and clean. Sometimes though it just comes out smelling baked. We can’t hang clothes out to dry outside so they have to be dried in the dryer. I use dryer sheets most of the time b/c I can never remember to add fabric softener in the washer. I did however remember that I have something called a Downy Ball. It’s a clear plastic ball with an opening. You pour the fabric softener in, toss it in the washer and when it’s time to add the softener the ball’s opening pops open releasing the fabric softener. I was thinking of going back to using fabric softener.Do you use dryer sheets or fabric softener? Do you use a Downy Ball or similar item? Does the fabric softener make the clothes smell better and still control static? What brand of dryer sheets and/or fabric softener is your favorite?**AT PEACE WITHIN**~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
| |
| | Singing Toy Chest! Somebody please kill it! | | My son has a large clear plastic tote on wheels that we use for his toys. Well, when me moved, I discovered the joys (note the sarcasm) of toys without*off* buttons. This toy chest rode in the back of our car, singing at least 3 different songs at once, telling me that I am its friend, and telling me how much it loves me. About 3 seconds after we moved in, I went through the toy chest and got rid of any toys that didn't have an*off* option (I passed them on to another mother - I think that was a bit mean of me). Well, even after all of that, he still got toys with no*off* button for Christmas, so the toy chest still sings at us!I wish that toy manufacturers would realize that it is the parents with the purse strings, and that I am much less likely to ever purchase these types of toys again. They are really hurting their sales. Does this bug anyone else? Any stories to share? | |
| | British Airways flight from Heathrow Airport | | Well, hello everybody here, finaly back in action.
This time i have something to say about British Airways. Just back from Thailand, and yes, you guess right, i've used BA. They are improving their services as much as they can afford, but clearly, it'll be long way for them. Booking and check-in services online are perfect - including email notification and opp. to choose your seat. This far great. Then, you get to the Heathrow - Terminal 4, fellings started to loosing the shine of online business. Developing country style! Construction site, dull and unpleasant staff, immigration control checking out your shoes, underwear and if they could, read your minds too. The fastest way to get through is to came naked, with all your bellongings in clear plastic bag.
Then you finaly in departure section where lions are waiting for they prey in Duty free shops.
All you have to do, is to pretend that you've got it all and run to get seat in hall.
Time is passing by and you don't know which gate is yours. Then suddenly number pop on display and you must run again, this time miles and miles to the gate.
And when you happily on board, boredom smack you in to the face. Old shaky plane, seats... | |
| | Inventions | |
For many years, I've had an eye problem. Am nearsighted and can't see a television without glasses or contacts. I often work on crafts at the same time I am watching a movie and don't need glasses for close up work. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to invent a piece of clear plastic of sorts to slip on top of the screen to watch tv without glasses and continue to work on a close up project? Settings would be on the side to cover a wide variety of selections to vary the range or distance.The only difficulty I can see at this point, would be if 2 people or more were watching the same television program. What's your opinion? | |
| | tips for making cream pies | | Cream pies must be thoroughly cooled before serving them. Othewise the filling will be soft. After cooling to room temp. for 4 to 6 hours, cover and refrig.
To cover a meringue topped cream pie, insert several toothpicks halfway into the surface of the meringue to hold wrap away from the pie. Loosely cover with clear plastic wrap and chill to store.
Dip a knife in water before cutting meringue, as it will be rubbery, and the knife will not stick to it. | |
| | Have You Ever Heard Of A Purple Pumpkin? | | Well I know I haven't. (Although I was able to find the attached picture of one, I don't think it's real.) The reason I ask is I went to our local dollar store just hte other day, to buy pumpkin leaf bags for outin the yard. I picked up 3 bags without looking at the back where the clear plastic was, I just looking at the picture on the fron which showed 3 orange pumpkins. I assumed that they would all be orange, I have never seen pumpkin leaf bags that were any color but orange before. Well I got them home and it turned out that one bag of them was orange, while the other two bags of them were green and purple. What the heck is that? I have never heard of a purple pumpkin before then, have you? I really don't understand what would inspire someone at the bag making factory to make PURPLE pumpkin bags!?!?! I looked at the bag and it says "made in china" so maybe aome mylot member from China could explain this to me. I it a new trend or style thing in China? To have purple pumpkins? Have you always used purple as a pumpkin color? Or do you think that the purple pumkins ended up at the dollar store because they were an accident or something? | |
| | 1000 Marbles | |
I did not write this, I got this from a friend who also didn't write this. But I found it very significate and decided that I had to share it with my mylot friends.The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.Let me tell you about it.I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whomever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say."Well, Tom, it sure sounds like... | |
| | Ballon Ornaments | | don't remember where I got this pattern from, but it sure sounds like fun to make with the kids!Balloon OrnamentsWhat you need:To make (6) snowballs:6 small round balloonsHousehold stringScissorsBowl or plateFoil, newspaper or waxed paper (for drippings);Plastic wrapSpoonRibbon or wire hangersFrosting:3 egg whites2 3/4 cups unsifted powdered sugarWhat to do:1. Blow up balloons to about 3" in diameter and knot the ends off. You can make the balloons any size you want but the frosting will vary accordingly.2. Tie each balloon with a piece of string about 6-7" long and snip off the short ends close to the knot.3. Hang balloons so that they do not touch each other. Hangers or an oven rack will work for suspending. Be sure to place foil or newspaper below the suspended balls for drippings.4. Mix the egg whites with the sugar and blend thoroughly until mixture has no lumps and is a thick but still liquid texture that you will be able to pour but not drippy. The consistency of the mixture is important and you may have to experiment with it until it is just right for the project. If... | |
| | Wildlife Are Gettting More Intelligent! | | We live in an area where there is lots of wildlife. My brother called me the other morning at about 3 AM and said “ I just saw a coyote crossing the road and coming down your way. We own the land nearly up to the road he was driving on. Scary. One night I went onto the back porch and there was a opossum eating out of the cats food along side the cat. Neither one of them paid any attention to the other. They were just enjoying the food. This has actually happened many times. We have had skunks and raccoons on the back porch as well. We have many deer in our yard every night. In winter they eat the evergreen vines that are on our front porch. These vines grow all the way up the rock porch. We have bird feeders all around the property and we love to watch the birds. We have squirrel everywhere around our home also. My husband and I was on the back porch the other evening and he began to laugh. He had watched a squirrel go to the bird feeder and lift the lid and get inside to eat the seed. I just had to see this for myself. I ran in and got the camera but we could not get close enough to really get a good shot without scaring the squirrel. I do not have a professional... | |
| | |
|
