Courtesy of Molly Gomes & Brian Yetman

VEGAN CHICKPEA NOODLE SOUP RECIPE DIRECTIONS: 1.

Courtesy of www.ehow.com

INGREDIENTS: 15 ounces canned chickpeas 2 tablespoons oil 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 large carrots, sliced 3 celery ribs, sliced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 bay leaf 4 cups vegetable broth 4 cups water (or more vegetable broth) 8 ounces eggless pasta, cooked 1 small bunch dill and/or parsley

In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are tender and translucent. 2. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for another 30 seconds. 3. Add the broth/water, chickpeas and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are easily pierced with a fork. 4. Remove the soup from the heat. Mix in the pasta. 5. If you haven't already, roughly chop the dill and/or parsley. Feel free to use other fresh herbs of your choice. 6. Scoop the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

TRICKY RIDDLES QUESTIONS:

QUOT E “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” – Leo Tolstoy (Leo Tolstoy, born 1828, was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. He died in 1910 at the age of 82.)

1) 2, 3, 5, 9, 17, _ What is the next number in the sequence? 2) If eleven plus two equals one, what does nine plus five equal? 3) How do you spell COW in thirteen letters? 4) Can you write down eight eights so that they add up to one thousand? 5) Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? ANSWERS:

2) 11 o'clock plus 2 hours = 1 o'clock 9 o'clock plus 5 hours = 2 o'clock 3) S-E-E-O-D-O-U-B-L-E-Y-O-U 4) 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1000 5) Yesterday, today and tomorrow

1) 33. The pattern: Double the previous number and subtract

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FUN WAYS TO UPCYCLE PLASTIC CONTAINERS We all know we should recycle our plastic containers, but what about upcycling instead? If you’ve never heard of the term, upcycling means taking things that are considered “trash” and turning them into something useable – and cool! One of the most fun ways to reuse your household plastics is to turn them into an oversized game of checkers. Save up various plastic bottles, then paint half of them white and half black. Make a giant checkerboard out of cardboard and let the games begin. For a more practical upcycling project, use your plastic containers to sort things like rubber bands, paperclips, nails and so on. You can either leave them plain or decorate them as you please. Are you a green thumb? Or maybe you’d like to be one? Plastic containers are great for starting seeds. Simply cover the bottom with a shallow layer of rocks for drainage, add your soil and seeds, then place the containers in a sunny windowsill. To make your upcycling extra eco-friendly, make your own cleaning supplies and then store them in old plastic bottles. You can even make cute labels to identify which is which. Lastly, if you’ve got a crafty kid in your house then definitely save up your plastic bottles and containers. Give them a project idea and watch them go to town. Or, hand them the containers, scissors, paint, glue, coloured paper and ribbons and see what they come up with all on their own.