Gift of autumn leaves sparks memories

Dear Readers: We printed a letter from a reader about receiving fall leaves as a gift through the mail. Well, this hint certainly brought out some other wonderful hints:
Peg Caswell of Waterloo, N.Y., says: "I send leaves to my out-of-state family. I dip them in warm, melted paraffin, lay them on waxed paper to dry and then send them." (Peg, thanks for sending the beautiful leaves our way! -- Heloise)
Ann B. of Springfield, Mo., says: "My family moved to Texas. I sent them a box of maple 'helicopters,' and they had fun with neighbor kids throwing them in the air to spin."
E.M.J. Sherrer of Stafford, Texas, says: "Reading the letter about the maple leaves brought back memories. In 1948, my mother would place fresh orange blossoms in the wax sleeve of a cereal box and send the box to me in Texas. Just the memory of how wonderful they smelled is such a treasure."
Judy Habedank of Red Wing, Minn., says: "When my mother-in-law was sick, I drove around our beautiful town and took pictures of the most vibrant trees. I picked up leaves of every shape and color, came home and pressed the leaves in between clear sealing paper. I sent them and the pictures to my sister-in-law, who was caring for my mother-in-law. She hung them up around the room and really brightened it up. It also brought back some wonderful 'fall in Minnesota' memories."
Thanks to all the readers who took the time to "leaf" a few leaf memories for our readers. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I have question: Is there any laundry detergent with chlorine bleach? If so, could ammonia be mixed with that type? R.S., Denver
We took your interesting question to our good friends at the International Fabricare Institute, and here is what they had to say: They know of no laundry detergents that contain sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach). Laundry detergents may contain sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate, as these non-chlorine "bleaches" are safe for all fibers, but not necessarily all colors, even though they do advertise them as color-safe. Always read the container for any cautions, or call the toll-free phone number that is listed when in doubt! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I love your hints in the San Antonio Express-News and Good Housekeeping magazine. Here's one of my hints:
A can of pressurized air (used for computer keyboards) is a great solution for errant bread crumbs that cling to the wires and side crevices of my toaster. A few quick puffs blow them into the removable tray. I empty the tray first to avoid stirring up the ones that already obeyed the laws of gravity. Trish Skillman, New Braunfels, Texas
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate