Thanks to e-mail and Google, we’ve received lots of reader questions. Some of these were e-mailed to me directly and others were search terms that led you to our website.
So you never know. Typing a question into Google could land you on Terra Verde Online someday– so here’s the interesting, the crazy, and the truly bizzare.
I’ll do my best to answer all your questions every month!
1) How do you make soap with fabric softener?
I’ve never made soap with fabric softener, but I have a great recipe for laundry detergent and fabric softener here!
2) Give me a good reason to watch The Green Mile.
Well, you don’t have to watch it or read it. (The book is really good, too.) But I really enjoyed it! It gives you a good perspective of the concept about “laying your life down for someone else.” Whoops, hope I didn’t just spoil the ending.
3) How do you cite movies in a research paper?
It depends on whether you are assigned to use APA or MLA citations. Standard format is as follows:
APA: Cool, J. (Producer), & Doe, J. (Screenwriter/Director). (1980). The Best Movie On Earth [Motion Picture]. United States: Twentieth Century Fox.
MLA: The Best Movie on Earth. By John Doe. Dir. Joe Cool. Perf. Jane Smith, Sally Schmo. Twentieth Century Fox, 1980. Videocassette.
4) Who played in Little Women with Audrey Hepburn?
You must be thinking of Katharine Hepburn, who starred in the original Little Women movie in 1933. Her co-stars were Frances Dee, Jean Parker, and Joan Bennett. I was impressed with Jean Parker’s portrayal of the fragile Beth. It was a very good performance!
5) Do you have any good cures for writer’s block?
Take a break for a minute. It’s amazing how you can snap back into the mood after taking a break!
6) Why do you think Anthropologie is such a success?
Let me say right off that I might as well send part of my paycheck directly to Anthropologie. THAT may be the reason for their success. But in all seriousness, I think that Anthropologie is really good at connecting with their customer base. They design their stores and their products in an urban-vintage, hip-yet-chic way that makes girls feel like Anthropologie can make their lives better. If you’ve made your customers feel like you are speaking to the kind of person they want to be, you’ve made it as a business owner.
7) Do you have any advice about how to keep an intelligent person interested in you?
Well, I ought to know all about that because I am married to a very intelligent person! All joking aside, though, I am not really an expert on relationships. The best advice I can give you is to be an intelligent person yourself. Read up on books and newspapers and keep track of current events. Travel and maybe learn a language. But don’t try to force your date to stay interested. (Believe me, I’ve tried this and it doesn’t work.) If they are moving on in another direction, then you should move on too.
8) What are some ideas for extending spaghetti leftovers?
My mom makes these amazing english muffin mini pizzas out of leftover spaghetti sauce. Line english muffin halves, face up, on a baking sheet. All you need to do then is spoon leftover spaghetti sauce (with ground hamburger) onto the open halves of the english muffin. Put mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top. Broil for a few minutes, but watch closely because oven times vary.
9) Is a Yule Log burned over the twelve days of Christmas?
The Yule Log is a great Christmas tradition. In northern Europe, people used to set aside their biggest piece of wood (usually the majority of an entire tree) to burn during the twelve coldest days of the year. They made it very ceremonious and festive. But at the end of the day, it was all about survival: keeping morale and keeping warm.
10) What is your rule of thumb about how long leftovers will last in the refrigerator?
Oh, I am a terrible person to be answering this question. You should see the menagerie that I’ve grown in the refrigerator. My rule of thumb is that leftovers are good for an additional three days, give or take.
11) Why do you think Christmas is so stressful?
I think we put a lot of effort into making it special to the extent that it isn’t relaxing any more. You should find a balance between the two. Keep it low-key and special at the same time.
12) Can a dog be emotionally intelligent?
I have to admit that I smiled at this question. I never really thought about it before. This is my unofficial answer: to an extent, yes. Dogs exhibit supportive, loyal behavior nearly 100% of the time. They also show empathy and get sad when you are sad. So yes, I think that dogs are a good example of emotional intelligence. However, they don’t experience the complex situations that a person may get involved in. Also, they don’t really have the range of emotions that we have. While they may be good examples of emotional intelligence, they also are not as emotionally complex as a person.
13) Is Keanu Reeves in Gone with the Wind?
No, but his grandmother may have seen it when GWTW first came out in 1939!
14) What is the best John Grisham movie that you’ve seen?
Hands down, Christmas with the Kranks. I loved that movie. (And the book, too!)
15) Was Orchard House in the Little Women movie with Winona Ryder?
The movie wasn’t filmed at Louisa May Alcott’s actual residence, but the set was modeled after the real Orchard House.
16) What, if anything, is on the list of potential objections to marrying Mr. Darcy?
Mr. Darcy’s character develops a lot through the story. At first, though, his offer of marriage is enough reason by itself to refuse him: “In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. In declaring myself thus I’m fully aware that I will be going expressly against the wishes of my family, my friends, and, I hardly need add, my own better judgement. The relative situation of our families is such that any alliance between us must be regarded as a highly reprehensible connection. Indeed, as a rational man I cannot but regard it as such myself, but it cannot be helped. Almost from the earliest moments of our acquaintance I have come to feel for you a passionate admiration and regard, which despite my struggles has overcome every rational objection, and I beg you, most fervently, to relieve my suffering and consent to be my wife.”
17) Do you ship your crackled soy candles anywhere?
YES! Our candles can be shipped wherever you want them!
18) Can you make a pomegranate scented candle?
Again, YES! If you want any special fragrances that are not listed in our store, just let me know!
19) How do I tell if I am an emotionally intelligent person?
There are five attributes of an emotionally intelligent person: self awareness, self control, self motivation, empathy, and social skills. You can read about it here.
20) Can you slim down with green tea?
Yes, you can! Green tea is wonderful at raising your metabolism. Besides, the high water content in tea is also a key weight loss element.
21) Do smart people study a lot?
It absolutely depends on the person. Some people study very hard and have a straight B average. Others study far less and get straight A’s. You just have to do what you need to do for your type of intelligence.
22) What are your favorite Clark Gable Films?
Oh, I’d have to pick Gone With The Wind.
23) Why do really intelligent people sometimes have trouble with simple ideas?
It depends on what type of intelligence they have. But it’s true that people who excel at quantum physics and other high-level studies are often lacking in common sense and social skills. Likewise, you often see street-smart people with a lot of common sense who are not very academic or intellectual. (It’s not always true, however. There are exceptions to every rule, and some people are blessed with common sense AND mega brains.)
24) What is a good way to cure an earache?
Earaches often call for prescribed medication. However, some mild earaches can be treated with home remedies. Be sure to go to the doctor if you need to, though!
25) Do you have any ideas for unconventional ways to use lemon?
Lemons are one of those amazing, acidic fruits that are both yummy and useful. You can clean quite a few things with them, and they can also keep your house fresh if you use them right.
26) What is Olive Oil good for other than cooking?
Many, many things. Did you know it can actually help with cellulite? Here are some more uses for olive oil.
27) What are some alternative ways to remove an ink stain?
I am a firm believer in oxi-clean! I dare any stain to still be there after oxi-clean!
28) What does Terra Verde mean?
Terra Verde means “land that is green.” I named it that as a picture of resourcefulness.
29) What is your favorite biscuit recipe?
I’m partial to these biscuits which are reminiscent of Red Lobster. But I also love flaky southern biscuits!
30) What are your favorite handmade picks?
Oh, that’s a tough question. I love handmade pottery, hand-spun yarn, and anything painted, woven, spun, or sculpted. How is that for a clear answer?
31) What was the original name of Tara in Gone with the Wind?
The original name of the book was, “Tomorrow is Another Day.” Scarlett O’Hara was originally supposed to be Pansy O’Hara. But Tara (meaning “land”) was always Tara from the beginning.
32) Do you have any ideas for shopping for difficult people?
Difficult people give me a run for my money when it comes to buying presents! I always rely on no-fail presents for those types of people. Check it out here.
33) What is a natural rust inhibitor?
Baking soda dissolved in water can prevent rust if applied to metal objects.
34) I am looking for a cucumber and citrus scented candle rather than cucumber and melon. Can you make one for me?
YES! We can make any custom fragrances in our shop.
35) Have you ever made crackers? How did you do it?
I made some yummy cheese crackers once and served them with various dips. They were really good!
36) Who are some favorite famous innovators?
Tough question. I’ll have to go with Thomas Edison or Frank Lloyd Wright.
37) What crackers go well with roasted red pepper hummus?
I like to serve hummus with a buttery cracker such as a ritz cracker. It brings out the flavor of the hummus!
38) Who first recorded “Give Me the Simple Life”?
Julie London in 1959. Ella Fitzgerald made the song popular ten years later, however.
39) What are some alternate uses for newspaper?
Newspaper has many great purposes. Check it out!
40) What are your favorite purses?
These two are my favorites. But I love just about everything at this store, too.
41) How do you look at the big picture without getting distracted?
I am the most distracted person you’ve ever met, so this is probably not a good question to ask me. But I try not to load my plate up with more than I can handle. Focus on what is important right now and somehow everything will get done.
42) Is it safe to soak your clothes in fabric softener all night?
I wouldn’t do it. You don’t want it to discolor your clothes or weaken the fibers in them!
43) Is rice paper used for cleaning the face?
Yes. It was originally used in Asia, and American women started using rice paper in the 19th century. They would literally blot their faces using rice paper to absorb oils.
44) What is your favorite Shakespearean Sonnet?
I really like 73 and 116.
45) What is one thing for a marketer NOT to do in order to be successful?
Don’t be convoluted and murky. Make your point chrystal clear.
46) What did I Love Lucy look like?
Like this:

47) What was Anne of Green Gables’ favorite thing?
I can’t say for sure, but it was definitely NOT her red hair.
48) What’s a cortado?
Spanish Coffee.
49) Where is Terra Verde located?
We don’t have a physical location, but you can visit our store here!
50) Will squirting lemon juice on salad keep it from browning?
Yes, and lemon juice is also a yummy salad dressing substitute. I love fresh baby spinach leaves with vegetables, cheese, and a squirt of lemon juice!
Originally posted 2011-04-29 10:15:06.