Begosh and begorrah! It’s that time of year that brings out a bit o’ the Irish in all of us. Even if you’re not Irish, it’s the perfect time to grab a pint of green beer and celebrate not only Saint Patrick’s feat of driving all the snakes out of Ireland, but the fact that winter will soon be a distant memory. 

Of course, you’ll want some traditional Irish dishes to go along with that green beer. What could be more Irish than corned beef and cabbage?  Sound complicated? Not really. Here’s how to make it. The recipe is fairly simple and can be made with a minimal amount of malarkey. 

Corned beef and cabbage isn’t the only thing the Irish eat though. How about some hearty Irish stew and a loaf of zesty Irish soda bread to go with it? Though ironically the dish doesn’t contain any shepherds or even any sheep, shepherd’s pie is as Irish as they come. You can even throw in some shamrock cookies for that Irish-themed bit of color. 

So, what do you actually do on Saint Patrick’s Day? The most obvious answer is to head for the local pub and drink down as much green beer as you can stand, but there are ways other than green-tinged lager to enjoy the day. From watching an Irish movie, reading a book from an Irish author or catching a curling match on TV, USA Today has a few suggestions on how to spend your time.  

Whatever way you choose to mark Saint Patrick’s Day be safe and may the luck o’ the Irish be with you. 

After a long winter of being cooped up indoors, you’re probably feeling the urge to finally get outside and enjoy the weather. You’ve probably already seen the bulbs, seeds and colorful flowerpots begin to appear on the store shelves, so what could be a better way to celebrate spring than to start your own garden?

It’s a great hobby for young and old alike, and no, you don’t have to have a proverbial green thumb to be successful. What you do need to do is give your future garden some thought and do a little planning before your trusty spade or shovel ever hits the ground. 

The three basic considerations for your project are what kind of garden you want, how much space you have and what kind of soil you have to work with. The answers to these questions will help shed some light on an even more important consideration; how much time and money you’ll need.

Here is a basic garden guide to get you started. If you’re short on space, try this guide for tiny gardens. If you’re dealing with poor soil, here are some natural ways to recondition it so it’s suitable for gardening. 

Gardening really is a great hobby. It gets you outside in the fresh air and sunshine. It can give your house some extra curb appeal, and with a little planning, you can do as much or as little as you like. Few things beat the satisfaction of being surrounded by growing things in the spring. If this hobby sounds like the thing for you, then check our guides and grab your shovel. The only thing you have to fear is a little dirt underneath your fingernails. 

For everything, turn, turn, turn

There is a season, turn, turn, turn…

     ~ Peter, Paul & Mary

The winter can be a bit depressing. If the dark and the cold weren’t enough to get you down, a landscape dominated by dull whites, gray and browns can get old pretty quickly. Fortunately, spring is just around the corner. It may not be time to break out your Bermuda shorts quite yet, but you’ve probably felt the first hints of a warm spring breeze or chanced upon a crocus defying the winter frost to poke its head out.

Spring is hope. It’s hope that the bitter cold will go away, that we can actually go outside without bothering to put on three layers of clothes. It’s also hope that after dreaming all winter on all the new possibilities for our lives we can finally put those plans into action. It’s a time for growth and a time for reinvention— a time to shed the limitations of the past and let those dreams take flight in the warm sun. 

Spring teaches us that even if things haven’t gone the way we’ve wanted in the past, there’s still a chance to turn things around if we dream big and work hard. What you do and how you do it is up to you. To get you started, here are some suggestions for renewal.

Have a great Spring!

When Tax Day rolls around each April, we often find ourselves holding a fat refund check, or we’re gritting our teeth writing out a check to Uncle Sam. In most cases, your big refund or your big bill resulted from the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck. 

Did you know that you can adjust the amount of withholding on your paycheck at any time using the W-4 form? Most people fill out a W-4 when they start a new job, and never give it a second thought. You can get a W-4 from your employer or print a copy off from IRS.gov. Here’s how to get the right amount withheld for you.

What is "just right?"

Goldilocks would know the right way to withhold taxes. Not too much. Not too little. Just right. 

Believe it or not, the government actually has a way to help you get it “just right.” You can go to the IRS website, and use their withholding calculator. The calculator considers different sources of taxable income as well as credits and deductions that apply in your situation. At the end, you get a recommendation for how many allowances to claim.

How low can you go?

Don’t drop your withholding too low. While extra big paychecks might feel good now, the extra big tax bill plus penalties and interest will hurt next Tax Day. In contrast, withholding too much will get you that giant refund, but all the while the government is using your money with 0% interest. 

Want that big refund for a large purchase? 

Instead, discipline yourself to put money away each payday. Open a savings account funded by direct deposit from your paycheck. Refuse an ATM card, and do not link the savings account to your checking account. The money is still out of reach, but now you can earn a small return on your cash.

By withholding the right amount, you get to use your money right away instead of waiting for Uncle Sam to pay it back. Get a little extra flexibility in your finances by reducing the tax withheld from your paycheck. Just don’t get carried away, or Uncle Sam will be coming around to get what’s his.  

We often plunge into the New Year with great intentions, but fast-forward a few weeks, and we’re already losing steam on our resolutions. If your New Year’s resolution needs a little pick me up, read on for some suggestions to increase your chance of success. 

Buddy up to give your motivation a boost. 

If you’re struggling, you might have a friend who is feeling the same way. Discuss your goals, and find a way to be accountable to each other. It’s often easier to stick with your plan when you know someone will be checking up on your results. In addition, getting support and positive feedback will strengthen your resolve.    

Changing habits takes time. 

Don't get discouraged if you don't see results immediately. Find a way to mark your progress visually. If you’re trying to replace a bad habit with a good habit, try recording the number of days that you have practiced your new habit in a way you can see. You can check off days on a calendar or create a countdown of sticky notes on your wall. Seeing how far you have come will help you resist the temptation to backslide.

Break your big goal into smaller ones. 

If you find yourself fighting too hard to reach your target, you might need to aim for closer targets first. Think small and specific instead of big and vague. You can create dramatic changes if you have a step-by-step plan. To replace a vague goal like “I want to lose weight,” decide how you will measure your progress, such as pounds lost, inches lost, or a different clothing size. Then set up the actions you will need to take to meet your goal. Add one action step at a time instead of doing everything at once.  

Every now and again you will have an off-day where you feel like you aren’t making headway. Forgive yourself and don’t give up. Reassess your goals, review your progress, and give it another try the next day. A positive attitude and persistence will see you through to the end.

Have you bought a Valentine’s Day card for the love in your life yet? The big day is less than a week away so if you haven’t bought the card yet, you still have a little time.

The tradition of giving a Valentine’s Day card, along with the popular flowers and candy, started in jolly old England in the 1400’s when ‘courtly love’ flourished. Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

A hometown young woman, Esther Howland of Worcester Massachusetts, is credited with introducing the Valentine’s Day greeting card to the United States. She received an elegant card from her father’s English business associate when she was 19 and got the idea to make and sell her own. She ran her business successfully for over 35 years when she sold it to a local paper and stationer’s store.

That favorite Valentine’s Day poem actually originated in England and was published in a collection of nursery rhymes called Gammer Gurton’s Garland in 1784:

The rose is red, the violet's blue,
The honey's sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast and then I drew,
And Fortune said it shou'd be you.

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day!