It’s that time of year again! Time for our Dirtiest Rosies Contest! Think you are the dirtiest Rosie? Submit a photo of yourself to info@rosiesworkwear.com and a short description of why you are the dirtiest Rosie. Each week we will post the submissions on our Facebook page. The winner will receive a new pair of  Rosies’ overalls, gloves and the title of Dirtiest Rosie. The contest goes from now until the end of May and the winner will be announced June 1st. Spread the dirt!

Tired of being cooped up for weeks on end?  Do you find yourself daydreaming of falling madly in love? Or do you have a sudden urge to clean your whole house, upside down, inside out?  Then you may be suffering from spring fever.

Spring fever is not just a topic of popular poems, movies and songs; there is actually a science behind it.  Scientists say it is a decrease in the hormone melatonin and an increase in the hormone serotonin.  Combined, these shifts cause a rise in energy, increased elation and a desire to find that special someone.  Melatonin is also affected by the amount of light, and since the days are longer, expect to get a sudden desire to be ultra productive.

So how do you cure your spring fever?

First, I would take all that newfound energy you have and fulfill your desire of planting a garden, cleaning your house, or reorganizing your shed.  Plus, it gets you out of the house and into some fresh air, which you have missed for so many weeks.

Second, if you are looking for love, it is time to spring into action.  Set a date to spend time with your loved one.  Or, take a chance and talk to that someone you have been thinking about all winter.

Lastly, get outside.  You have been cooped up too long.  You may be tired of being surrounded by the incessant flu bugs that seem to plague everyone in the winter.  Take a walk, tend to your yard, or go for a bike ride.  Spring is here so take advantage of it!

In the words of Mark Twain, “It’s spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

What are you aching to do?  Share it with us here or on our Facebook page.

On March 13th, we set our clocks ahead one hour and capture some extra daylight in the evening. For most Rosies this is a cause for celebration. Teresa Kane on Rosie’s Facebook says, “…more time to work outside…Love it !!!!”  Another Rosie, Kerry K. Murphy says, “garden – just got my overalls & I’m ready to start planting! Well, except for the fact that the temps are still in the 20s at night. Oh, and we got a sprinkling of snow yesterday. But there’s always next week!!!!”

The intent of DST (daylight savings time) is to give more daylight in the evening. This simple act of moving the small hand on the clock one hour ahead has widespread impacts, not the least giving Rosies more time to do the things they love. Some reports say DST reduces accidents and injuries, particularly driving. Other reports say DST boosts business and it’s not just because we can work longer. In the case of tourism industry, we can also play longer. DST is even credited for saving energy because less artificial light is used.

With all the benefits of  more daylight comes the downside of adjusting to an hour less sleep. The return to daylight saving time each spring affects the sleep patterns of millions of Americans says, Dr. Aparajitha Verma, in Healthnewsdigest.com. Below are some tips she gives for getting prepared to spring forward:

* Sleep in a quiet and dark environment and set the thermostat at a slightly cooler temperature.
* Don’t allow pets in the bed.
* No reading, eating or watching TV in bed.
* Don’t watch the clock.
* Set a “wind down” time prior to going to bed.
* Don’t take over-the-counter sleep aids and avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol close to bedtime, as these can disrupt sleep. Instead, try drinking warms teas or milk to increase your body temperature, which helps induce and sustain sleep.
* Exercise is good for sleep, but not within two hours of going to sleep.

As for the last tip, exercise, it seems not a problem for Rosies. After planning and dreaming for months in the darkness of winter, Rosies are ready to spring into action. How will you use the extra daylight?

More daylight means more chances to enjoy beautiful sunsets. photo from xasauantoday.com

By Sharon Moore, Rosies Founder

We just came back from the International Ag Expo, where over 100,000 people descended upon the rural town of Tulare, CA. Every major company that has anything to do with crops, feed, dairy, fruit and landscape was represented. It reminded me that we really do help feed the world.  Maybe that is why farmers are so proud of our country. They start with dirt and turn it into crops that are feeding people and animals all over the globe.

Having 100,000 people in the small town like Tulare doesn’t make it easy to find a hotel room.  Fortunately, I was able to stay with Gwen and Barton Smith.  I met Gwen last year when Gwen purchased some coveralls at our first appearance at the show, and we have remained friends ever since.  While staying with the Smiths, I discovered that Barton was one of the seven men who founded the Ag Expo nearly 40 years ago.  He said that their vision was to bring together farmers and equipment to help educate attendees on new ways of farming.  Barton also operated a 1,200-acre cotton farm and when he was traveling and selling cotton around the world he promoted the farm show, helping make the show into the largest agricultural expo in the world.  Thanks to the Smiths, we were excited to make our second appearance this year.

Our booth at the farm show was very lively with women trying on our overalls and sharing their stories. We loved having some of our customers return from last year and want more products. One by one, Rosies is making the farms of America more colorful.

Here are a few photos we brought home along with a bunch of great memories.

A Rosie dropped by to show off her coveralls.

Here I am with the Ag Expo Dairy Princess.

My daughter, Katie, helps out in the booth.

Three sisters that work on their family farm, Rachel, Sarah, Josina.  They all agreed on different colors.

Rosies measures up.

The most gigantic piece of farm equipment I have ever seen. It’s a harvestor.

It’s that time again. Farm Expo Time. It’s a ginormous agriculture show where over 100,000 people descend upon the rural town of Tulare, CA, transforming it into the world’s hot spot for the latest agriculture technology and innovation.  Most attendees come looking for the latest farm equipment. We come to meet up with old friends and make new ones.  We hope you all will stop by our booth at the Farm Home Barn and say hi. Booth 5317F. As an added incentive, we will be featuring a different discount on select Rosies workwear every day. So make sure to drop by and remember to wear your walking shoes. There are 2.6 million square feet of show grounds and 1,600 exhibitors.

Come Wednsday to the booth and get kids overalls regularly $35, Farm Expo price $15.

A "Rosie in Action" at the World AG Expo Show.

It’s been awhile since we have blogged about our coveralls and overalls. Many of you are new to Rosies and don’t know the story behind their durable good looks. Rosies were founded by Sharon Moore, who developed the coveralls out of need. She was taking a welding class and couldn’t find anything to wear except men’s coveralls, which besides being too big were too ugly. (Our words not hers.) Over the years and from fellow Rosies input, Sharon has added features to the original coveralls and developed a line of overalls.  All are made of  soft light weight denim cotton and are double stitched for durability. All feature removable foam knee pads that are flexible and non-binding. Any Rosie who spends time on her knees will love the cushioning effect. Rosies coveralls and overalls also feature an abundance of pockets, which solves the purse dilemma.  These work clothes are hard workers but not without personality, just like the women who wear them. Available in pink, raspberry and sea foam, there’s no mistake these aren’t your cookie cutter work clothes.

We often ask our Rosies what they love the most about their coveralls and overalls. We also ask what they would like to see us add. Right now, we are working on adding larger sizing as well as new colors. We would love to hear from you. What are your favorite Rosies features? What do you want to add to our wish list?

Rosies coveralls and overalls are packed with useful features and fun!

We’re starting the New Year with a “can do attitude”.  To get all Rosies in the mood, we’re giving away a free Rosies bandana every Friday in January and February. At the end of each month, we’re giving away a free pair of Rosies coveralls. Just let us know what projects you have planned for 2011 on our Facebook page for a chance to win.

 Geraldine Doyle, the model for this poster, died at the end of 2010 at 86. Her image was inspiration for Rosies workwear and countless women. For her full story, visit http://wapo.st/hdnH4N.

Here are some of the bigger projects, we have planned at Rosiesworkwear:

• Turn a 1962 Traveleaze trailer into a farm stand
• Look at new products for Rosies workwear
• Re-organize the barn
• Find a U.S. manufacturer for Rosies workwear
• Pull out the side yard and replant
• Recover some old furniture
• Plant tomatoes in such a way that the gophers, squirrels and rabbits won’t get them
• Put up fencing so the goats can work their magic on the hillside

What’s yours? Let us know.

This time of year is full of traditions; exchanging gifts, sending out cards, attending holiday celebrations, listening to holiday music, watching classic holiday movies, and within our  families, celebrating our own holiday rituals.  We asked some of our Rosies’ Facebook members what were some of their holiday traditions. Here are a few of their responses:

Do you have any special traditions? We’d love to hear about them. If you don’t,  it’s never too late to start. Here’s a link (http://bit.ly/e3qwX6)  to a great article that has some traditional and non-traditional idea starters. Let us know what you think. And happy holidays from Roises.

It’s that time of year when we all reflect on the things we are thankful for.  If we go by what we hear in the news, it seems there is little to be grateful for. But Rosies know that’s far from the truth. It’s not the big things in life but the many daily small things that add up making us so appreciative. For Rosies that are gardeners, we are thankful that it rained when it did and when it didn’t, that the gophers didn’t eat our whole crop and the ground squirrels moved on and that winter is finally coming, giving us some rest.

Rosies founder, Sharon Moore, offers her own list of what she is thankful for: my big happy family, the beautiful view of outside my kitchen window, wonderful friends that get me, a sister that is so supportive and finding something to laugh at every day.

Rosies kitchen window view. Now that's something to be thankful for.

What are you thankful for?  We loved to hear from you. Comment below or join the conversation on our Rosies Facebook page. Thanks for sharing.