Bidwell Botanicals

We all know that television commercials and glossy magazine ads are a form of creative marketing. By that I mean they embellish the truth - a lot. Commercials that promise long, lush, natural looking lashes are particularly amusing to me. You too can have the lashes of the stars if you purchase several pairs of mink false eyelashes, but realistically you're not going to turn average eyelashes into doe-eyes with mascara alone. Magazine ads that show models with flawless complexions and… Continue

It's already Labor Day Weekend! How did that happen? It seems the months just keep flying by and I can barely make plans and the month is over. I know most of you probably feel this way too, and that's why I'm offering my top ten reasons to start your holiday shopping now list:



1. September quickly becomes December in a wink of an eye! Don't be fooled by glimpses of summer still in the air. We're heading into Autumn people, and you know what comes… Continue

In my opinion there is nothing quite as satisfying as harvesting the fruits of our labors. It gives me a feeling of confidence, that if I had to I could provide my family with sustenance in hard times. Many years ago my young children helped me with the garden and I used this quality time to teach them that food doesn't just grow on the shelf in the grocery store. That people had to work hard to bring forth such goodness and we should be thankful for their efforts.



People… Continue

It's fig harvest time at Bidwell Botanicals. We love figs but the crop this year is insane! We leave the very top ones for the birds (also because we can't reach them). What to do with all of these luscious fruits? Here are a few ideas:

• For an easy and delicious appetizer stuff ripe figs with goat cheese, wrap in prosciutto and grill or broil until…

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It's mid-August in the south and it is hot. How hot, you ask? Well it's so hot that the tar on the street is squishy. It's so humid that my carefully straightened hair now looks like I have a perm. Now that's hot! What can you do during these Dog Days of summer to stay relatively cool? I've got a few suggestions:



• If you have a pool or access to one by all means use it! There's nothing like floating in cool water to help bring down the temperature. Add a cold glass of tea or… Continue