BULLETIN

BOARD

HIGHLIGHTS

NOTES & NEWS

The Greens and the Meadows At Northridge

1050 Claire-Taylor Court • Culpeper, VA 22701

Phone: (540) 825-6300 • Fax: (540) 825-8893

SEPTEMBER 2015Ten Minutes to a Slimmer You

You won’t really slim down in just10 minutes, but you can use those minutesto build toward your goal of losing weight.Whenever you’re tempted to indulge insome forbidden food, wait 10 minutesbefore diving in. On reflection, you maydecide your momentary impulse was a badidea after all.

Revive Stale ChipsNobody likes stale potato chips or tortilla

chips, but you can rescue them from snackfood oblivion with a little oven time. Setyour oven to 375 degrees, layer the chipsin a pan or on a cookie sheet, and bake forfive to 10 minutes.

Sit Up and Get a LiftImprove your posture and you could

improve your mood. Studies show sittingup with your spine straight and shouldersback can make you feel happier and moreconfident. Psychologists say this simplephysical change lowers stress hormonesand increases happiness hormones, whichcan cue the brain to switch to a morepositive and poised state of mind.

Sky Watch: Full Harvest MoonThe night of Sept. 27 will bring the

biggest and brightest full moon of the yearfor North America, the Harvest Moon. Thismoon is nearest the autumnal equinox, andwas named because it allowed farmers towork by moonlight to bring in their crops.

Labor DayLabor Day, observed on the first

Monday in September, became a federalholiday in 1894. The day recognizes thecontributions and achievements ofAmerican workers. Labor Day alsosymbolizes the end of summer for manyAmericans, who celebrate with picnicsand parties.

Use PatternsUsing patterns in home decorating has

many advantages. One is as inspiration. Ifyou are attempting to design a room fromscratch, find a patterned piece you love,such as a rug, and pull colors from it forother items.

Green Food DeliveryAre you ordering lunch or dinner to be

delivered? Keep it green by asking therestaurant to leave out the plastic forks andknives they normally include with yourmeal. Keep a set of real cutlery at yourdesk at work, or use your own if you’re athome. The less waste, the better forthe planet!

Your Friendly StaffYolanda Cropp Community ManagerKristin Brown Marketing and Leasing

ManagerRoger Brissette Maintenance ManagerWebsite www.northridgeapthomes.com

HoursMonday–Friday

9 a.m.–6 p.m.Saturday

10 a.m.–2 p.m.SundayClosed

TRIVIA

WHIZ

between the box springs and mattress,

hide the box springs and whatever you

may have stashed under your bed.

Sheet softness is determined by

fi ber and threads per square inch.

Egyptian, Pima or combed cotton

sheets with thread counts between

200 and 400 are a soft and comfy

favorite. A thread count higher than

400 isn’t necessarily better quality.

Take into account the sheet’s

weave. Popular choices include crisp

percale, shiny sateen or stretchy

jersey. A good quality fl annel should

have a weight of at least 4 ounces per

yard. Other bedding fabrics include

linen, silk, bamboo and microfi ber.

The top layer of bedding could

be a duvet, comforter, quilt, coverlet

or blanket, depending on the

season and personal preference.

To complete a bed’s look, consider

decorative pillow covers, or shams,

which are available in standard,

king and Euro (square) sizes.

Bedding Basics

Cooler weather is on the horizon,

and many folks will be swapping

lightweight summer linens for cozy

blankets and fl annel sheets. If you’ve

shopped for bedding lately, you know

how complicated it can be. Here

is a lesson we’ll call Linens 101.

Proceeding from the inside

out, let’s start with the mattress.

Mattress pads or covers protect

this investment, and the thicker

ones also add extra cushioning.

Bed skirts or dust ruffl es, placed

The Evolution of Football

The 2015 NFL regular season

begins next month, so let’s tackle

football history.

American football began as a

mid-1800s version of British rugby

played at U.S. universities, using

similar rules and the same oblong

“pigskin” ball. The fi rst intercollegiate

game was played Nov. 6, 1869:

Rutgers beat Princeton 6–4.

New Year’s post-season matches

began in 1902, when Michigan beat

Stanford 49–0 at the Pasadena,

Calif., Tournament of Roses. In 1923,

the Rose Bowl stadium became

home to the match, inspiring “bowl

games” nationwide.

Professional football began in the

early 1900s, and on Aug. 20, 1920,

several Midwestern teams formed

the American Professional Football

Association. Two years later, the fast-

growing group became the National

Football League.

The rival American Football League

formed in 1960. The leagues merged

in 1970, with a National Football

Conference and American Football

Conference under the NFL umbrella.

Conference champs square off at

the end of each season in the world’s

most-watched sporting event, the

Super Bowl.

Super Bowls have always been

designated with Roman numerals,

but the game that will take place on

Feb. 7, 2016, will be known as Super

Bowl 50, not Super Bowl L. The big

game happens in Santa Clara, Calif.

“The game of life is

a lot like football. You have to

tackle your problems,

block your fears, and score

your points when you get

the opportunity.”

—Lewis Grizzard

There’s Much to Love

About Okra

A favorite of many Southern cooks,

okra is a main ingredient in gumbo and

is also popular pickled or fried. There

are many other tasty ways to cook

okra, though, and the vegetable is full

of key nutrients.

Okra likely originated in Ethiopia,

and by the 12th century B.C. was being

cultivated by the ancient Egyptians.

The mild fl avor of okra has been

described as a cross between

asparagus and eggplant. A great

source of dietary fi ber and vitamins A,

C and K, the vegetable also provides

folic acid, potassium and calcium.

It is not only the seed pod that

is edible. Young okra leaves can be

eaten raw in salads or cooked like

dandelion greens. Okra seeds can

be roasted and ground to make a

caffeine-free substitute for coffee. The

seeds also yield a cooking oil, which

is commonly used in Mediterranean

countries. Even the hibiscus-like

fl owers are edible!

Okra is harvested in late summer

and early autumn. Choose small,

bright-green pods, and use them within

a few days.

Here are a few recipe ideas: Sauté

okra with tomatoes and corn; try it in a

classic Indian curry; fry whole pods in a

light tempura batter; or roast okra with

olive oil, salt and pepper, then dip in a

spicy chipotle sauce.

All parts of the okra

plant are edible

WIT &

WISDOM

Pecan Rolls

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

(divided)

• 1 package (8 ounces)

refrigerated crescent roll dough

• 1/2 cup apple butter

Directions:

Heat oven to 375° F. Coat 8-inch

square baking dish with cooking spray.

In small saucepan over medium

heat, combine butter, brown sugar and

maple syrup. Stir until melted and pour

into baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with

1/3 cup pecans.

On cutting board, unroll tube of

crescent roll dough into a rectangle

(seal seams and perforations). Spread

apple butter evenly over dough surface

and sprinkle with additional pecans.

Starting on long edge of dough, roll

lightly, jelly roll fashion. With serrated

knife, cut roll into 16 equal slices. Place

each slice cut side down on the glaze

in the baking dish.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until

puffed and golden brown. Remove

from oven and immediately invert onto

serving platter.

For more recipes, visit

www.Musselmans.com.

“Change your opinions, keep to your

principles; change your leaves, keep

intact your roots.”

—Victor Hugo

“I can’t change the direction of the

wind, but I can adjust my sails to

always reach my destination.”

—Jimmy Dean

“Change is the law of life. And those

who look only to the past or present

are certain to miss the future.”

—John F. Kennedy

“When we are no longer able to

change a situation, we are challenged

to change ourselves.”

—Viktor E. Frankl

“Change, like sunshine, can be a

friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse,

a dawn or a dusk.”

—William Arthur Ward

“Never doubt that a small group of

thoughtful, committed citizens can

change the world. Indeed, it’s the only

thing that ever has.”

—Margaret Mead

“I have noticed even people who claim

everything is predestined, and that

we can do nothing to change it, look

before they cross the road.”

—Stephen Hawking

“Miracles happen every day; change

your perception of what a miracle is

and you’ll see them all around you.”

—Jon Bon Jovi

“My friends, love is better than anger.

Hope is better than fear. Optimism

is better than despair. So let us be

loving, hopeful and optimistic. And

we’ll change the world.”

—Jack Layton

Improve Your Concentration

Do you struggle to stay on task?

Concentration can suffer in a world of

multitasking and all the devices and

people competing for our attention.

Try these tips to hone your focus.

Ditch distractions. Stop

compulsively checking phone and

social media notifi cations, and curb

your urge to gab. Block distractions

by listening to calming nature sounds

or classical and ambient music

without lyrics.

Organize and prioritize. Know

which tasks get your fullest attention

by using calendars, ranked to-do lists

and self-imposed due dates. Rather

than multitasking, focus on one task at

a time, and give yourself a little reward

when each job is complete.

Stay healthy. It’s hard to work when

drowsy. Strive for seven to eight hours

of uninterrupted sleep nightly. Often,

reducing caffeine intake can improve

sleep quality. Stay alert during the

day by drinking plenty of water and

eating a diet of lean proteins, whole

grains, nuts and seeds, colorful fruits

and vegetables, and healthy fats like

omega-3s. Boost blood fl ow to the

brain by getting regular cardiovascular

exercise. A brisk midday walk

can reduce stress and keep you

feeling sharp.

Train your mind. Be aware of

your awareness. When you notice

your mind wandering, gently nudge

your thoughts back to the task at

hand. Exercise your brain just as you

would the rest of your body. Cultivate

“attention fi tness” and it will eventually

become a habit.

Copyright © 2015 by Uhlig LLC

www.illustratus.com

1868: The first volume of the

children’s novel “Little Women” by

Louisa May Alcott is published. The

instant bestseller has become a

beloved literary classic.

1915: Nicknamed “Little Willie,” the

first tank prototype is unveiled. The

armored vehicle was tested and

improved, then put into battle the

following year.

1940: President Franklin D. Roosevelt

signs an act creating the nation’s

first peacetime military draft

and establishing the Selective

Service System.

1957: After months of advertising, the

Ford Motor Company debuts the

Edsel. The new car was kept top

secret until the “E-Day” unveiling.

1962: The Four Seasons hit the top

of the pop charts with their song

“Sherry.” It was the first of several

No. 1 hits for the doo-wop group.

1985: Farm Aid holds its first

benefit concert in Champaign, Ill.,

to raise money to support America’s

family farmers.

1995: Baseball’s “Iron Man,”

Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop for the

Baltimore Orioles, plays in his

2,131st game, breaking the record

for most consecutive major league

games played. Lou Gehrig held the

record previously.

2004: For the season premiere of her

daytime TV talk show, host Oprah

Winfrey surprises all 276 members of

her studio audience by giving them

new cars.

2013: After 53 hours, Diana Nyad

completes the 110-mile swim from

Cuba to Key West, Fla. The

64-year-old was the first person to

make the swim without a protective

shark cage.

SEPTEMBER

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