A time to honor moms

Tomorrow is MOTHER’S DAY, a time to honor our moms and their influence on our lives.

Take a moment to celebrate your mom. You don’t have to buy a fancy gift; just tell her you’re grateful for her.

If she’s no longer with you, find another way to applaud moms everywhere.

A delicious cup of coffee is a comfort to many, but after you brew, what do you do? Save those coffee grounds. They can work wonders in the garden. Add the grounds to your compost, along with leaves and sticks, for a good balance of nitrogen and carbon.

Snails don’t like coffee grounds, but earthworms do. Generously sprinkle used coffee grounds in the garden and around plants. Earthworms aerate the soil and distribute the nitrogen-rich grounds throughout.

Another option: Infuse water with the used coffee grounds. Place the grounds in an old hosiery, and place in water overnight. Then use this to water the garden.

Finally, after a day of digging in the grass, dirt and garden, scrub your hands with hand soap and a gob of grounds to exfoliate naturally.

P.S. Ask the neighborhood coffee shop for its used grounds, too!

Meet Sam. Marianne M. sent pictures of her handsome, gray, green-eyed cat Sam hanging out on his favorite blanket chest, alternatively napping and watching the squirrels and birds outside.

To see Sam and our other Pet Pals, visit Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.” Do you have a furry and funny friend? Email a picture and description to Heloise@Heloise.com.

TO PUSH OR TO PULL?

When you’re moving objects, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (www.OSHA. gov) recommends pushing the object whenever possible, instead of pulling it.

When you push, OSHA says, you use more muscles over a greater area of your body. Pulling the same object? You can risk muscle strain — a painful injury.

NAILED IT!

I like using nail polish because it reduces breakage, but nail polish feels heavy, and I want my nails to be uncovered and exposed to air.

My solution: I polish only the tips, using horizontal strokes, and I use all the coats (base, color twice and top coat).

It looks exactly like a French manicure, yet it leaves most of the nail free from polish, pink and healthy!

— R.B., Silver Spring, Md.

‘EGGCELLENT’ EGGS

I break three or four eggs into my personal blender and add a decent-size spoonful of cottage cheese (in place of cream or milk) and a dash of salt and pepper.

I blend the ingredients and pour into my pan to scramble. They come out nice and fluffy, and they have the added protein from the cottage cheese.

— Cheryl O., Aberdeen, S.D.

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 ARGUMENTS

My No. 1 use for my cellphone is in grocery stores. I take a photo of a sale item with the price showing, so when I get to the checkout, there’s no questioning the price. This has happened in past months, and the picture’s settled it.

I read your wonderful column in the Journal-News in Hamilton, Ohio.

— Betsy, via email