It's BBQ month, which seems to spark a national conversation every year. Enthusiasts debate the origin and history of barbecuing meats. They argue over the difference between a grill and a barbecue. They wrestle with the truly hard questions about sauce and seasoning. Since you're likely to hear one or more of these heated exchanges, I thought I'd dig up some answers.

First, where did BBQ come from? Most Americans tend to think the origin has its roots in cowboy lore. It's true that the cattle bosses didn't want to feed their workers prime meats, giving them instead the tough and stringy cuts like brisket. However, the art and science of barbecue has been around for a long time. People were barbecuing in Brazil, Dominica and the Yucatan long before the cowboy came along. Second, is grilling the same as barbecuing? No. And that's the final answer. Barbecue means, literally, slow cooking meats over an open hearth -- on a wood or charcoal fire. A grill doesn't qualify as a hearth and cooking time is generally much quicker than roasting over an open fire.

Finally, if you cook without sauce, is it really BBQ? Yes and no. Early BBQ masters used savory dry-rubs made of grains and whatever spices were available. Texas and Tennessee still BBQ with dry-rubs as well as the more modern liquid sauces. BBQ sauce tends to be sweet and thick, unlike the rubs. Modern sauces are made with corn syrup and/or sugar, which assists in glazing if the sauce is added before cooking. And there's yet another debate: some say you should never add the sauce until the meat is almost done or until it's served. As far as I can tell, this is purely a matter of preference.

So put away your grill, stoke up the fire pit, choose your seasoning -- wet or dry -- and weigh in on the national debate. And most of all, enjoy all the good eating that comes with National Barbecue Month.

Your "Toss It On The Barbie" Gift Guru
Linda

Garden gnomes, traveling gnomes, helping gnomes and gnomes as characters in video games -- it seems almost everywhere we turn, we see a gnome. But why? And who are these tiny little creatures? And why are we so fascinated with them?

Gnomes trace their origins back to Scandavian folklore. Their name comes from the Greek work for knowledge (gnosis) because it was said that gnomes knew the exact location of precious metals deep within the interior of the earth, where they lived. It was their job to guard the earth's treasure and they were usually depicted as gnarled, hunched old men in nondescript clothing who were hard-working if sometimes ill-tempered helpers.

Now gnomes are mostly garden sitters. They come in all sorts of costumes, poses and characterizations and the help they provide is making us smile. Since the famous commercials, many people take them on vacation, snapping photos of the tiny creatures posing in far away gardens, in front of famous landmarks and on exotic beaches. They're seen riding in cabs, at meals and sometimes even participating in cocktail hour. Now there are gnomes dressed in all kinds of clothing, doing all sorts of things from sleeping to mooning anyone who dares enter the garden.

Maybe we're so taken with gnomes because they've been mankind's little helper for centuries. Or maybe because we still believe they might know the location of untol treasures within the earth. Or maybe we love having them in our homes and gardens because they're just so cute!

Your "Love Those Gnarly Gnomes" Gift Guru
Linda

Summer will be here before we know it. And you know what that means -- time to get your toes in flip-flop shape! A professional pedicure is nice, but not always affordable. Especially if you're constantly wearing out your polish and building up calluses by walking barefoot in the sand. You can save a lot of money and keep your toes looking pretty with a few home remedies.

Get rid of calluses with a weekly three-step routine. First, soak your feet in warm (not hot) water for about twenty minutes. Use a pumice stone or buffer to remove the loosened dead skin from heels and toes. Be gentle and don't take off too much at once or you'll expose the tender skin underneath. Finish by massaging feet with oil or an oil-based moisturizer and cover with cotton socks (I like to heat them in the dryer first.)

It turns out you really are what you eat and so are your cuticles. Vitamins A through E are crucial for cuticle health and so is a diet rich in biotin. Brewer's yeast, oats, brown rice and walnuts are great for healthy cuticles and nails. Exfoliate your toes with every wash by adding a small amount of ground apricot seed to a liquid soap and don't forget to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. If you must cut your cuticles, buy the proper tools. Snipping them with nail clippers can make cuticles look ragged and worse, it can lead to infection.

Follow this easy and inexpensive routine for a couple of weeks and soon your toes will be tapping for the first day of summer!

Your "Happy Toes" Gift Guru
Linda

Did you know that duct tape used to be called duck tape? Invented during WWII, the now indispensable sticky stuff was originally named for its water-repelling qualities. It was renamed after modern builders started using it to seal ductwork, which as it turns out, is the only thing duct tape isn't good for!

But duct tape still has hundreds of uses around the home and garden. I believe it's in use in every single room in my house. My son used it to patch the battery door on a remote control. My daughter hung strips of it from ceiling to floor in her bedroom and then pasted snapshots of friends, notes, doodles and other bulletin board items to it. My husband uses it to repair everything -- from a broken taillight cover to a favorite book whose binding was disintegrating. And I use it almost daily.

It's good for removing pet hair from clothes, fixing a broken cookie jar, reinforcing oven mitts, taming a wayward mini blind slat and no doubt all kinds of things I've yet to discover. If you're really creative, you can even make a prom dress out of it and help your kid win $5,000 for college! No matter what you call it, duct(k) tape is a household staple you never want to run out of.

Your "Just Ducky" Gift Guru
Linda

Boo is the Pomeranian version of an instant star. Discovered by Khloe Kardashian on Facebook in 2010, Boo's celebrity now rivals hers - and that of her reality TV family. She made him a star and he took the ball and ran with it! Boo's YouTube video has gotten over 2 million hits.

In addition to his 6.8 million - yes, million - Facebook fans, fan sites have popped up all over the internet. He gets better press coverage than many heads of state. He has two books out, "The Life of the World's Cutest Dog" and "Little Dog in the Big City," both of which rank surprisingly high on bookseller web sites. And there is even an amazing plush replica of Boo, along with mini plush collectibles for fans who feel they just have to cuddle little Boo, but can't get close to the real thing.

Like everyone else, I adore little Boo. How can you not? Of all the celebrities who are "famous for being famous," Boo ranks tops on the cute list, no doubt. But cutest dog in the world? I don't know. After all, the world hasn't seen my dogs!

Your "Bonkers for Boo" Gift Guru
Linda

Patriot's Day is a little-known holiday to most of the country. But to New Englanders it's the proverbial Big Deal. On the third Monday of April, the New England states close banks, schools, post offices and businesses, taking the day off to commemorate the Battle of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) and to celebrate Paul Revere's famous ride.

The battle marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War and spawned an American hero in Paul Revere, who famously charged through the streets of Lexington, warning, "The Red Coats are coming! The Red Coats are coming!" The British arrived later that morning, confronting the rebel "Minutemen" and "the shot heard 'round the world" was fired in the first battle of a war that would finally free the colonies from British rule.

But you don't have to be a New Englander to appreciate Patriot's Day. It's a day for all of us to celebrate. And to remember that the spirit embodied in Paul Revere's courageous ride lives in all Americans, no matter where we live.

Your "Proud American" Gift Guru
Linda

Spring inspires me to write a blog with lots of great gardening tips. But to do that, I'd have to be a great gardener. Sadly, I am not. When I'm not over watering, I'm under watering or forgetting to water altogether. I give the plants too much attention. Or maybe not enough. I can't be sure. My mother says the "green thumb" just doesn't run in our family. What to do? Just blame it on genetics and make the most of what I can make of my garden -- brown thumb and all.

Lucky for me there are some Linda-resistant plant varieties I can use. Inhabitat.com calls the ZZ Plant "the cockroach of the plant world." According to them, it will "mostly likely outlive you." Another recommendation from Inhabitat is Sansevieria (aka mother in-law's tongue). It's a hardy plant that "tolerates benign neglect" very well. Both varieties have stood the test of time in my garden, surviving both over and under watering, fighting off pests on their own and coping with all kinds of weather and lighting conditions.

And when even the hardiest plants fail me, I can always fall back on my decorating skills. A little outdoor decor gives my neighbors something pleasant to look at when the plants are suffering -- either from my recent attention or lack thereof. Garden gnomes are always fun and great conversation pieces. Unique lighting directed at the healthiest plants also helps give my ragged garden a more appealing look. One of these days I might get the hang of this gardening thing, but until then, I'll use anything from garden stakes to bird feeders to draw the eye away from my poor plants.

Your "Garden Path" Gift Guru
Linda

A lot of us are addicted to coffee. I freely admit my own dependence -- I have a mug of joe to kick start my day. Every day. Another cup at the office and I'm good to go. Could I go without it? Probably. But I don't really want to. So I was happy to hear Dr. Sonu Ahluwalia say that drinking coffee is okay and might even be good for you.

The first reason to love your morning java might be that it can help you live longer. But it's not the caffeine. It's the antioxidants and polyphenols that help decrease your risk of contracting type 2 diabetes and might even improve conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Second, coffee is a social beverage. There's some evidence that coffee drinkers have more social interactions than non-coffee drinkers. We meet up with friends in coffeehouses and seem to think nothing of striking up conversations with strangers who share our love of the bitter brew. And some will travel far and wide to experience coffee cultures, visiting new countries, meeting new people, tasting new beans.

And the best reason to love your morning cup? Coffee tastes good. But don't think it's just the flavor of the beverage that makes you love the taste. A mere whiff of the brew sends pleasing signals to your brain, preparing it for the perfectly roasted goodness to come. So brew a cup, drink up, meet a friend, make a friend, live longer and enjoy the flavor -- with all your senses.

Your "Crazy for Coffee" Gift Guru
Linda

The signs are clear - spring is here. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, bees are buzzing and the kids are chomping at the bit for the end of the school year. But before they put down their pencils and books, before we break out the beach towels and pool toys and before we start thinking about lazy summer days, we have work to do. It's cleaning season.

Spring cleaning is a "bummer," especially when you don't know where or when to start. I've learned a few tricks over the years to make short work of the annual dust off. For example, it's easier to get the kids to help if you let them have their Spring Break to themselves and save your cleaning for the weekends after school starts again. And if you're planning a garage sale to get rid of unwanted things, let the kids organize it, run it and let them keep the proceeds. Summer money is a strong motivation to get rid of junk and do the work of the sale.

Having a plan is just as important as having help. There are so many tiny tasks to be done, a list is a must. If you need some help getting started with yours, I found this one at Imperfect Homemaking. It's free, attractive and comprehensive. Tasks are divided into "the basics (like cleaning the kitchen table) and extras (like putting some fresh flowers on the table!)" You can print it out and add your own list items as you work.

Cleaning might not be a lot of fun, but it doesn't have to be awful. If you have help and have a plan, you can get through it quickly and be ready to enjoy long lazy days when summer finally arrives!

Your "Springing Into Clean" Gift Guru
Linda

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I've never baked a cake that didn't come from a box. My grandmother used to bake cakes from scratch like there was nothing to it. Without measuring cups or spoons, she'd sift the ingredients together, eyeball the mixture or dip a finger in it. I would "clean up" the spoons while she washed the bowls and countertops as the cakes baked without the accompaniment of a kitchen timer. Grandma just knew when they were done.

How did she know things like how much to use and when to put just a touch more of this or that in the batter? I always thought it was her own magic. Something she was born with. A gift not passed down to my mother or me. But as it turns out, cake baking is a learned magic. Now Mom and I are learning it together. To be honest, there's been some trial and error -- a lot of error -- but it's fun and we've learned a few key tricks in the magic of cake baking.

First and most importantly, "get the ratios right." You don't need measuring cups and spoons, but you do need the right ratios between ingredients. We discovered these three formulas at FineCooking.com. Sugar = Flour: The sugar should weigh the same as or slightly more than the flour. Eggs = Butter: Balance the eggs with the fat by adding extra yolks and you'll get a smoother cake. Eggs + Liquid = Sugar: Liquid ingredients should weigh the same or a little more than the sugar. Add a little milk or buttermilk to the batter to acheive the perfect balance.

The formulas work. Mom and I have a couple of perfect homemade cakes under our belts now. And with Easter right around the corner, we're ready to try our new magic out on the family.

Your "Simply Scratch" Gift Guru
Linda