PUMPKIN PRESERVATION The pumpkin carving time of year has arrived and there’s nothing worse than coming home to find a withering pumpkin on your doorstep. While keeping your decorative pumpkin uncarved will help it last longer, there are some things you can do to extend the life of your carved pumpkin: Keep the pumpkins out of the sunlight. Keep the pumpkins cool. October can still have some warm days, so if this happens, keep the pumpkins inside or even in the refrigerator. On another note, don’t expose them to freezing temperatures either. Once carved, dunk the pumpkin in a bucket with a solution of 1 Tbsp. bleach to every gallon of water. Allow the pumpkin to stay submerged 1-3 hours. Drain the pumpkin. This reduces the bacteria that can lead to decay. Once drained, apply a layer of petroleum jelly to the inside of the cut pumpkin and the cut edges to protect it and keep the moisture in. Spritz the exterior of the carved pumpkin daily with a solution of 1 Tbsp. bleach to 1 quart water. When choosing a pumpkin for decorating, be sure to choose one that has no scratches, holes, or gouges, as this compromises the skin and lets in bad germs, which leads to rot. Avoid any pumpkin that is not completely firm around the stem. We can’t wait to see all the wonderful pumpkins decorating Gramercy Villa’s doorsteps, patios, and balconies this year!
Supporting Our Local Teams BSU Football Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct.
1 vs. Utah State – TBD 7 @ New Mexico – 7 pm 15 vs. Colorado State – TBD 20 vs. BYU – 8:15 pm 29 @ Wyoming – 5 pm
College Of Idaho Football Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct.
1 @ Southern Oregon – 2 pm 8 vs. Carrol – 1pm 15@ Montana Western – 1 pm 22 vs. Southern Oregon – 1pm 29 vs. Eastern Oregon – 1 pm
Monster Munch October is a great month to look forward to sweet treats. This recipe not only looks festive, it tastes great as well. Ingredients: ½ cup granulated sugar 12 cups popped popcorn ½ tsp. salt 3 cups mini-twist pretzels 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter ¼ cup butter 1 cup candy corn Orange candy melts and sprinkles for garnish 1 cup Reese’s Pieces ½ cup honey Ingredients: 16 Butter Lettuce Leaves (or Bib Lettuce) 1 lb.Directions: ground pork or beef 1 tbsp. cooking 1. Inoila very large bowl, mix together the popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, candy corn and Reese’s 1 large onion (chopped) ¼ cup hoisin pieces. sauce Set aside. 2 tbsp. minced fresh garlic 2. sauce In a medium saucepan, bring the honey, sugar, salt, peanut butter and butter to a boil on 1 tbsp. soy medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for five minutes. Remove from heat, and drizzle caramel over popcorn mixture. Stir to coat. 3. Spread the popcorn mixture onto two baking sheets covered in parchment. Drizzle melted candy melts and top with holiday sprinkles. Let cool completely, and then break apart to serve. Recipe courtesy of: http://backtoherroots.com
EEEK! SPIDERS!
The Gramercy Villas property is sprayed on a monthly basis to help prevent all sorts of creepy crawlies from entering your apartment. While this exterior spraying helps to keep the number of spiders down on the property, there are still instances in which residents may find an eight-legged friend making itself at home inside their apartment. While it’s easy to take care of them with a shoe or for some, by gently relocating them outside, there are things you can do inside your apartment to help discourage spiders from entering. 1. Peppermint oil – Mix a standard spray bottle with water and add 15-20 drops of peppermint oil. Spray this in cracks and corner, along windows and baseboards. Reapply every other week. Spiders avoid peppermint and this can help deter them. If you don’t care for peppermint you can use eucalyptus or tea tree oil. They tend to have the same results. Another method is to put drops of one of these oils on cotton balls and place the cotton balls in the corners, and other dark places that you might find spiders. 2. Citrus Essential Oils – Spiders do not like oranges, lemons, or limes. Adding 1520 drops of one of these oils to a spray bottle of water and spraying it around your home along baseboards, window sills, entry ways, and in corners will deter spiders as well. Be careful using citrus essential oils around pets where they can come in direct contact, as this can be an irritant to their respiratory system. While spiders do help keep other insect populations down, we don’t necessarily want them in our homes. Be sure to remove any webs when you see them with a broom or by vacuuming them, especially if there is an egg sac. Also, keep in mind that spiders love dark, cluttered spaces, so keeping the amount of clutter in the home down can leave spiders looking for somewhere else to live.
IMPORTANT TRICK OR TREATING INFORMATION! HALLOWEEN WILL BE HERE SOON, ALONG WITH YUMMY CANDY AND A
NOTICE! All dogs must be accompanied outside an apartment and on a leash at all times, as residents are required to
VARIETY OF INTERESTING COSTUMES. BE SURE TO POST THE ATTACHED PUMPKIN SIGN TO YOUR DOOR ON THE EVENING OF THE 31ST IF YOU’RE HANDING OUT CANDY. NO SIGN MEANS NO CANDY. PLEASE NO TRICK OR TREATING AFTER 10 PM.
Spooktacular Local Event
immediately clean up their pet’s waste.
Paintball Zombie Hunt at True Paintball – Discounted ticked available until 10/13. Friday and Saturday evenings throughout October this fun adventure has you navigating fields to avoid the zombies. Don’t worry, the zombies don’t fire back. Times and pricing at www.truepaintball.com Spooktacular at the Zoo – October 14-16, 21-23 – Zoo Boise will be offering interactive attractions, activities, music and more. Tours are 1-2 hours long. Boo at the Zoo will follow on 10/29 which is the zoo’s annual Halloween party. www.zooboise.org Superhero Fun Run – October 9 at 10:30 am - This fun run will help support Camp Rainbow Gold for children in Idaho with cancer. Go to www.bluecirclesports.com to register. Frightened Felons – Family Night 10/28 and Adult Night 10/29 this night at the Old Idaho Penitentiary will feature music, games, a costume contest, and of course, a tour of a haunted jail cell. www.history.idaho.gov/old-idaho-penitentiaryevents for hours and pricing.