Decorating with Brains


Did I get your attention? Sorry, I just couldn't resist!When I was a little girl, we called them "brains". We would gather them into huge piles and either throw them into the woods or throw them at each other.

I know what you are probably thinking, "That must have hurt!" It did but it never slowed us down. Still don't know what I am talking about? I am fondly remembering the grapefruit sized, green, brain-like fruit that my siblings and I used to collect by the dozens each fall.

I ended up having two boys and when they were little they did the same thing I did years earlier; they threw them at each other. Of course I yelled words of caution but it never slowed them down either. Around that time I started to collect the "brains" and used them for fall decorations in my house. They have a pleasant smell and they are said to act as a natural insect repellant, although I am not sure if this is a proven fact.

I would gather several of them and place them into a carved wooden bowl or a natural looking basket. Next came the fun part, gathering the other things to go into my display. It varied each year but I would take a walk and collect natural grasses, colorful leaves or whatever captured my fancy. I would bring my "loot" home and create a unique looking arrangement each time.

They even look great by themselves too. One year I dumped an armload of them into a wooden crate and placed it next to my front door for a colorful fall display.

Fall has always been my favorite season, and collecting my next batch of "brains" is something I always look forward to. Several days ago while I was out gathering some, it occurred to me that I didn't even know the real name of these funny looking green orbs. After a little bit of searching I discovered they are called Hedgeapples and these non-edible, non-poisonous fruits come from a tree called the Osage Orange Tree.

As you read this article, you are either shaking your head saying, "Oh yeah, I know what she is talking about." or quite possibly you have never seen a hedgeapple in your life. If you are curious and would like to see a picture, please visit me at http://www.flowers-and-garden.com/decoratingwithbrains.html

This fall collect a few "brains" and create a beautiful fall display of your own!

Candee Stark is a Reading Specialist in a local elementary school and has spent the last two and a half years earning her masters degree. Her new passion is her indoor herb garden. Visit her at Flowers and Garden.com if you would like to read more gardening and flower articles.





Latest News:



Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news
Guests on Sunday TV news shows (AP via Yahoo! News)
Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows: Report: News not good for White Sox' Quentin (Sports Illustrated)
NEW YORK (SI.com) -- White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin received some bad news from an MRI on his right forearm and wrist, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The injuries have kept Quentin, one of the AL's leading MVP candidates, out of the lineup since Monday. Green news harvest: stolen solar panels, love for small wind (CNET via Yahoo! News)
A sampling of green-tech news with quick commentary. In TV news matchup, cable wins convention coverage (Los Angeles Times)
Cable news networks logged record viewership during the two weeks of back-to-back convention coverage NFPs Fail to Cool Dollar Rally, Looks to Next Friday's US Retail Sales, Fannie/Freddie News (Forex Video) (Daily FX via Yahoo! Finance)
US dollar holds strong despite disappointing NFPs, jump in unemployment rate to 6.1%. Forex traders look ahead to RBNZ rate decision, US retail sales, and news this weekend from the Treasury regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. News vet: Coverage ob-scene (Boston Herald)
WBZ-TV is reeling from massive cuts and was the only Boston station that didn't send a reporter to the political conventions, but it has devoted over-the-top news coverage... Good News Club for children (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza)
The non-denominational Bible Club ?Good News Club? for children from kindergarten through fifth grade meets every Friday for Bible stories, games, songs, snacks,and prizes! Sunday news shows (The Monterey County Herald)
Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows: 6 a.m.: NBC's "Meet the Press" ? Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden. 7 a.m.: "Fox News Sunday" ? Obama chief strategist David Axelrod and McCain campaign manager Rick Davis. 8 a.m. Guests on Sunday TV news shows (Boston Globe)
Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows: ABC's "This Week" -- Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram enter joint distribution deal (Dallas Morning News)
The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram have reached a joint distribution agreement in an effort to reduce costs, the two newspapers said Friday.

Site: news - Google News
News Analysis A Difficult Road Awaits Panetta at the CIA - New York Times

News Analysis A Difficult Road Awaits Panetta at the CIA
New York Times, United States - 7 hours ago
The latest on the presidential transition and other political news from Washington and around the nation. Join the discussion. For Leon E. Panetta, ...
Video: Analyst Weighs in on Obama's CIA Pick AssociatedPress
News roundup: Israel presses on in Gaza; Obama tries to reassure GOP USA Today
AP Top News at 9:00 pm EST The Associated Press
Telegraph.co.uk - Scripps News
all 2,593 news articles
Warsh?s Crisis Skills Propel Him Toward New York Fed Candidacy - Bloomberg

Warsh?s Crisis Skills Propel Him Toward New York Fed Candidacy
Bloomberg - 3 hours ago
9 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve is nearing a decision on the next president of the New York Fed, with Kevin Warsh?s Wall Street background and role in ...
CNET News Daily Podcast: Say hello to the Palm Pre - CNET News

San Francisco Chronicle

CNET News Daily Podcast: Say hello to the Palm Pre
CNET News, CA - 12 hours ago
At the CES gadget extravaganza in Las Vegas, Palm has just unveiled its much-anticipated new handset, the Palm Pre, which features the new Palm Web OS. ...
Palm's new Pre smartphone gets lots of good buzz USA Today
Palm strikes back with new OS, pré handset at CES Ars Technica
CES 2009: Palm unveils new smart phone and operating system TG Daily
Telegraph.co.uk - RTT News
all 479 news articles
China calls for full, effective implementation of new UN ... - Xinhua

Xinhua

China calls for full, effective implementation of new UN ...
Xinhua, China - 3 hours ago
8 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and the comprehensive and effective implementation of the new Security Council ...
New UN Gaza resolution proposed Aljazeera.net
Breaking News UN Votes For Gaza Ceasefire Sky News
Analysis: No new Lebanon confronation over Gaza, yet Times Online
The Associated Press - Reiten Television KXMB Bismarck
all 12,322 news articles
Summary Of Thursday News From International Consumer Electronics Show - CNNMoney.com

New Zealand Herald

Summary Of Thursday News From International Consumer Electronics Show
CNNMoney.com - 13 hours ago
The company's Sling Media Inc. unit unveiled SlingGuide, a new Web-based way to find, watch and record your favorite television programming from anywhere. ...
Video: Loaded: Happy New Year! CBS
Consumer Electronics Show: Some New Things NBC Los Angeles
New TV trends unveiled at gadget show abc7.com
IT PRO - CBS News
all 1,079 news articles
Ballmer touts Windows 7 beta, new deals - CNET News

Sydney Morning Herald

Ballmer touts Windows 7 beta, new deals
CNET News, CA - 22 hours ago
Microsoft will also announce new deals for Windows Live that will see Microsoft's search engine become the default on PCs from Dell as well as touting a ...
CES News: Ballmer Keynote Doesn?t Quite Fit The Bill Twice
Windows Live Essentials released, more Windows Live news from CES LiveSide
TechFlash | Cheat sheet: Microsoft's CES keynote news in a nutshell TechFlash
MarketWatch - CNET News
all 1,131 news articles
Vizio's Wireless TV Connects to the Web Through New 'Widget Stream' - Wired News

Canada.com

Vizio's Wireless TV Connects to the Web Through New 'Widget Stream'
Wired News - 10 hours ago
Vizio is surprisingly one of the biggest players, with a new 'Connected HDTV' platform announced this week that packs in 802.11n Wi-Fi and streams in media ...
New TV trends: Internet movies, 3-D, power saving The Associated Press
CES News: Samsung Intros LED TV With Internet Content Twice
New Samsung TVs to support every codec we've heard of? Engadget HD
WELT ONLINE - Twice
all 560 news articles
Thrift stores exempted from new lead-testing law - Houston Chronicle

USA Today

Thrift stores exempted from new lead-testing law
Houston Chronicle, United States - 3 hours ago
A new ruling means thrift stores are not required to have toys tested for lead and chemicals. According to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, ...
Consignment owners say new law puts burden on them Frederick News Post (subscription)
New lead law wont affect thrift stores KTUU
New Law Could Hurt Thrift & Resale Biz WXYZ
WBIR-TV - ABC2 News
all 129 news articles
Work begins on Pacoima's new Costco - Los Angeles Times

Work begins on Pacoima's new Costco
Los Angeles Times, CA - 5 hours ago
Without $9.8 million in public subsidies to help purchase the site and build new utilities and roads, the project's developer, said he wouldn't have been ...
Sony Keynote High On Celebrities, Short On New Products - Wired News

Scientific American

Sony Keynote High On Celebrities, Short On New Products
Wired News - 9 hours ago
By Priya Ganapati January 08, 2009 | 7:34:54 PMCategories: CES 2009, Home Entertainment LAS VEGAS -- It was probably the lack of any exciting new products ...
Sony's 3-D Dreams Forbes
all 105 news articles

MORE RESOURCES:
Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for interior decorating
Interior Decorators Challenge State Law On Job Title (Hartford Courant)

Lynne Herrmann will help you pick a color for your living room walls, choose upholstery or recommend fabric for your draperies. You can find her in the phone book listed as an "interior decorator" or "designer of interiors" ? but never under the label "interior designer." Warm Weather Decorating in Cool Hues (Carteret County News-Times)

(ARA) - When the weather turns warm, we open our windows to let in the light and fresh air. But there are other ways to update living spaces to reflect the best of the summer season. How to Integrate Personal Style into Your Kitchen and Bath (Carteret County News-Times)

(ARA) - Most of us have developed a unique personal style and we know what fashions work for us. But when it comes to decorating or remodeling our homes, particularly our kitchens and bathrooms, style preferences can be harder to pin down. A student's dedication to interior design (University of Connecticut Daily Campus)

Studying abroad is an excellent opportunity to soak in the nuances and differences of other cultures - their food, their style, their arts and their way of life. And one of the frequently-unmentioned benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity to experience the fact that outside of the United States, the residential college system is fairly uncommon, or at least of a far smaller scale. Interior Decorating Seals the Deal (New York Times)

Just finding the perfect new home may no longer be enough; some buyers seem to want the house predecorated in the bargain. This odd house (Sewickley Herald)

Interior designer Tom Weigel mixes imagination and personal style to create one-of-a-kind rooms.  read more » Restoration after flooding (The Springfield News-Leader)

Interior decorator Debra Moore spent two months preparing for her dream life. The Interactive New Site for the Budding Laurence Llewellyn-Bowens out There (PRWeb)

Need inspiration for your next decorating or home improvement project? Then totallyhome.co.uk is a new website well worth looking at. (PRWeb Sep 10, 2008) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/totallyhome/080908/prweb1302084.htm The Interactive New Site for the Budding Laurence Llewellyn-Bowens out There (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)

Need inspiration for your next decorating or home improvement project? Then totallyhome.co.uk is a new website well worth looking at. Browse News & Feature Stories (Metro Times Detroit)

134 stories found. Showing page 1 of 5. Site: interior decorating - Google News
Interior decorator pursues her true passion - Telegraph-Journal

Interior decorator pursues her true passion
Telegraph-Journal, Canada - Jan 6, 2009
Cathy Partridge is an interior decorator and owner of Ivy Lane Interiors in St. Andrews. For 12 years, she operated Ivy Lane Home Fashions, a popular retail ...
Missouri design uses creative solutions - Belleville News Democrat

Missouri design uses creative solutions
Belleville News Democrat,  USA - 3 hours ago
Hall, 57, started interior decorating as a hobby because she stayed at home and took care of her children. Though she worked some in the retail industry and ...
Interior Design: Mix it up! Decorating with a Twist - Cayman Net News

Cayman Net News

Interior Design: Mix it up! Decorating with a Twist
Cayman Net News, Cayman Islands - 5 hours ago
Choose your decorations to match your room décor, bringing out the originality and unique qualities of your tree. Make sure you pick your colours to either ...
'Staging' home like a pro - Chicago Tribune

'Staging' home like a pro
Chicago Tribune, United States - 1 hour ago
Look to catalogs or showrooms for free decorating ideas. One truism in real estate is that a home is far more marketable if its decor is done in neutral ...
We need Interior decorating - Colorado Springs Independent

Colorado Springs Independent

We need Interior decorating
Colorado Springs Independent, CO - Dec 31, 2008
Kemmis and, I'm afraid, recently appointed Interior Secretary Ken Salazar of Colorado, won't do that. The continued nonsense about "experimentation" has ...
A taste of farmhouse chic at Anyhue - Taunton Daily Gazette

A taste of farmhouse chic at Anyhue
Taunton Daily Gazette,  USA - 17 hours ago
A designer and interior decorator, Gaudet recently opened up Anyhue, a design store in East Lexington. She runs it in conjunction with her 11-year-old ...
Interior decorators find work despite economy in Johns Creek - GwinnettHerald.com

Interior decorators find work despite economy in Johns Creek
GwinnettHerald.com, GA - Dec 26, 2008
She spent another six years in freelance design and decorating. Suzanne Ruff spent 16 years doing freelance interior decorating. "The truth of the matter is ...
Deck out your holiday home like a pro - Vancouver Sun

Deck out your holiday home like a pro
Vancouver Sun,  Canada - 8 hours ago
By Kim Pemberton, Vancouver SunDecember 11, 2008 VANCOUVER - When it comes to decorating for the holidays, who better to ask than local interior designers ...
During the holidays, everyone gets in the interior decorator spirit - Asheville Citizen-Times

During the holidays, everyone gets in the interior decorator spirit
Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Dec 20, 2008
Can you share what you do to decorate your own homes for the holidays? ? Call me ?All About Christmas? Jean: Hi, ?All.? I am the daughter of a wonderful man ...
In line on design - Bugle-Observer

In line on design
Bugle-Observer, Canada - 5 hours ago
Sarah Pacey is the award-winning owner of the local Interiors by Decorating Den, which serves commercial and residential interior decorating needs from ...
Home | Site Map | Resource Links