Go to https://www.facebook.com/. This will open your Facebook News Feed if you're already logged in. If you aren't already logged into Facebook, enter your email address (or phone number) and password in the top-right side of the page, then click Log In. Scroll down until you see a list of people with birthdays today on the right side of the page, then find a person to whom you want to wish a happy birthday. Click the name of a person whose birthday is today. A pop-up window will appear. If your friend's birthday is today but it isn't showing up here: click the search bar at the top of the screen, enter your friend's name, click their profile image, and click the text box near the top of their page. Click the "Write on [Name]'s Timeline..." text box in the pop-up window, then type in the message that you want to post on their page. It's a blue button in the bottom-right corner of the pop-up window. Doing so will post your birthday message to the friend's wall.
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One-sentence summary -- Open Facebook. Review today's birthdays. Select a friend. Type in a birthday message. Click Post.


Even if you don't plan on using your herbs immediately for cooking, you will still need to deal with them within 24 hours. Herbs that are left sitting for a day or more may end up with bruised leaves and begin to deteriorate. This will result in a loss of aromatic and flavorful oil. Even if it seems inconvenient, work in batches so that you will not waste any of your efforts. Especially if you intend to preserve your herbs for later use, you need to clean them first. Bugs can breed and hatch on herbs that have been left to dry out. For plants that have recently seen rain, brushing them off with a dampened cloth should be sufficient. If your plant is dusty, rinse it in cool tap water and then get rid of the excess by using a salad spinner. Gently pat the herbs dry with a towel to finish.  If you can avoid washing the herbs, do so, as this will slow down the preservation process. However, if you live in a region that is particularly dusty due to drought or the natural environment (say a desert or near the beach), you may have no choice.  For root herbs, you will want to scrub off the dirt without soap and then wipe them dry. There are numerous dehydrators available to consumers. You can purchase them online at Amazon or at retailers like Target or Bed Bath & Beyond. Preheat the dehydrator to 95-115 degrees Fahrenheit and place your herbs in a single layer on a provided tray, removing larger leaves from thick stems.Periodically check on your herbs for dryness, and expect that it will take between 1-4 hours for your herbs to fully dry depending on how much moisture the leaves had to begin with. Herb leaves will crumble when dry, but roots will become even harder than before. This process works particularly well for herbs that have really sturdy stems like sage and rosemary. Remove the leaves from the lower portions of the stems so that they won't potentially mold later on, and then gather the stems into bundles about 1 inch in diameter. Tie the bundle together tightly with a rubber band or twist tie, and then hang the bundles upside down in an area away from direct sunlight (to avoid bleaching). Particularly for root herbs that have been chopped, grated, or cut up, you can dry them in your oven. Collect all of the herbs you wish to dry in an oven-safe tray and place that in the oven. Set your oven's temperature to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and when it's heated to the appropriate temperature, turn it off. Open the oven door to allow the air to circulate and the roots to gradually cool off; they should be dry. If your herbs are still storing any moisture in them at this point and you try to store them away, you may end up with moldy, unusable herbs later on. Be sure they're really thoroughly dry by putting them in a jar, closing the lid, and leaving them on a countertop for a day or two. When you open the jar again, check the underbelly of the lid for condensation, which would indicate your herbs are still too moist for storage. Continue dehydrating your herbs as necessary. Store your herbs in an airtight glass container. Mason jars are often recommended. If you have surplus of an herb that isn't ground up, you can use a vacuum sealing apparatus to keep your bulk supply fresher for a longer period of time. You can also freeze fresh herbs for use later on.
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One-sentence summary -- Don't harvest too much. Clean your herbs. Dry out the herbs with a commercial dehydrator. Dry out the herbs by bundling them. Dry out your herbs' roots in an oven. Check that your herbs are completely dry. Properly store your herbs.


Anytime you pick up flowers from the store or florist, you'll want to refresh the stems by trimming them an additional half an inch or so, even if they've already been cut. This also applies to flowers that have been delivered or cultivated in a greenhouse. To put it simply, always trim and prune fresh flowers, no matter where they came from. Get in the habit of dumping out and replacing the water in your flower vase every morning, or as soon as it starts to get murky. Fresh flowers need a lot to drink, so don't hesitate to top off the water level if you notice it getting low. Be sure to add a pinch of plant food to help your flowers flourish.  To refill the water in large decorative arrangements, tilt the vase over the sink to empty it, then run fresh water over the stems using a watering can or measuring cup. Waiting too long between waterings can lead to rot, which causes the blossoms to wilt and produces an unpleasant smell. Since cut flowers have been separated from their root system, they won't be able to survive as long as they would in the soil (no matter how fresh they are). You can prepare your flowers for their new environment by sprinkling half a packet of organic plant food into the vase prior to inserting them. Plant food contains essential nutrients as well as antimicrobial additives to slow the growth of mold and bacteria.  You can purchase plant food at any gardening center or greenhouse, or in the home-and-garden section of most supermarkets. Alternatively, you can whip up your own plant food at home by combining 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of sugar, 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) bleach and adding them to 1 quart (0.95 L) water. Pour the mixture into the vase. Most types of flowers fare best in mild, moderate conditions. Temperatures between 65 °F (18 °C) and 72 °F (22 °C) are ideal, though a couple of degrees higher or lower shouldn't make too much of a difference. Make sure your flowers get plenty of sunlight, but situate them away from the most intense glare to keep them from overheating.  Some heartier species like roses and orchids prefer a warmer environment. It's safe to store these flowers in hotter areas, such as your kitchen, or even outdoors on a sunny day. It's fine to keep your flowers' water at room temperature. You can also try adding a couple small ice cubes to the water, which may help the blooms survive a little longer.
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One-sentence summary --
Cut precut flowers again as soon as you get them home. Change the water daily. Add plant food to the water to keep the flowers nourished. Keep your flowers somewhere cool.