Though laminate flooring has just recently become a popular, widely available floor covering option in North America, it has been popular in Europe for the past 20 to 30 years.
Laminate flooring is simply a multi-layered; wood based floating floor system offering durability, a wide range of design options, easy maintenance and affordability.
Since the inception of laminate flooring, ease of maintenance has been one of its largest assets. Due to the composition and construction of the product, as well as the extremely hard Aluminum Oxide wear layer, laminate flooring is perhaps the easiest type of flooring to maintain.
Caring for Laminate
General daily maintenance requires vacuuming, sweeping and dust mopping. Brooms should be soft bristled and vacuums should not use beater bars on the floor.
Several cleaning solutions are also available to clean laminate floors (FULLER Labor Saver Floor Cleaner). The cleaner is sprayed onto the mop-head and then the floor is wiped clean.
It is very important that you follow the maintenance schedule of the product you purchase. Ask your retailer or manufacturer on the specifics of maintaining your floor. Virtually all of the warranties require a specific maintenance schedule be followed.
Laminate floors are fade, stain, dent, burn and scratch resistant. However , it is still possible that you may end up with a scratch, nick or dent that will require repair. Laminate flooring is very tough, but it is not bullet proof. If a problem arises, there are a few ways to repair or hide the damage.
Repairs
Major manufacturers and home improvement stores usually have touch up kits available. These kits may include acrylic or latex putty, wax pencils or crayons. This type of repair kit is for small scratches and/or dents. These kits are a very cost effective way of repairing your laminate flooring.
A typical repair of wood laminate flooring includes three basic steps:
1. Clean the affected area
2. Apply putty, wax or crayon
3. Buff the repaired section
The first and most difficult method is to replace the affected board(s). All manufacturers have instructions on "How to replace a board". This will require some tools, patience and skill. You may want to hire a reputable professional for this, if you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable removing part of a floor.
The best way to keep your laminate floor looking its best is to understand its limitations.
· You must follow the maintenance techniques and schedules of the flooring you purchase.
· You should use floor protectors (felt or other) under chairs and other furniture on the flooring.
· You should lift furniture to move it, don’t drag it.
· You should sweep or vacuum daily.
· You should mop with a dust mop, (FULLER D. C. Polisher), regularly
· You should use a cleaner safe for laminate floors on spots as needed
· You should repair scratches and dents soon after they appear
· You should not use water to clean your floors, as water spots will appear
· You should enjoy your laminate floors for years if you follow the advice above.
Home Repair Tips : How to Use a Paint Spray Machine
There are several extremely popular types of antique bedroom furniture at any given time, usually in line with the fashions of the day, but one type seems to remain as popular as it has ever been amongst consumers. Antique white bedroom furniture has a universal appeal because it is different and can brighten up what would otherwise be a dark and dingy bedroom.
Other bedroom furniture comes in a rainbow of browns. Everything from mahogany to walnut to oak usually makes it into a bedroom but can make it seem smaller somehow, not to mention overbearing, and antique white furniture marks a distinct difference. It is undoubtedly unique and thus is definitely more difficult to find. Its popularity does not help with this problem but could potentially raise its value even further.
Antique white bedroom furniture does not have one particular and definitive style. It can be found in a wide range of designs so that you can personally select one that matches your tastes and home décor. The fact that it is different in colour means that it gives a room a better, lighter quality than most bedroom furniture and adds an elegance to every room that is hard to create from scratch.
Antique white bedroom furniture combines European and American styles. This combination makes it completely different to anything that has ever been created before, although it has been subjected to a few attempted recreations since. It has an innate sense of style that can fit in with most individual tastes so very few people actually dislike it. Most antique furnitures are an acquired taste but antique white furniture is not too hard to get used to! For more info see http://www.antiquefurniturersource.com/Antique Furniture Hardware/Replacement Hardware For Antique Furniture.php on Replacement Hardware For Antique Furniture.
Some antique styles can prove to be very expensive but antique white bedroom furniture is in fact more affordable than the majority of its competition. There is the opportunity to pick up some real bargains. Although there are some very expensive antique white furniture sets around, at least this gives you the choice. You can choose the set that best fits your budget so you do not have to break the bank to enhance your home with antique white bedroom furniture and neither do you have to compromise on quality. Whatever combination you are looking for, you can get it!
Antique white bedroom furniture is neutral in colour, shape and designs and so will fit into any bedroom and quickly become a household asset. It will blend in well with existing décor and can be used to create a warmth and safe environment for children as well as adults. In short, antique white bedroom furniture is about as perfect as it gets so enjoy it!
Save time and frustration by assembling your own decorating toolbox. Most do-it-yourself projects are hampered by the lack of tools (or knowing where to find the tools) to get the job done.
Storing Your tools: A toolbox, caddy or a storage step stool can be used andwill allow you to organize your tools by making them available for easy to carrying.
Thorough preparation is the key to any home improvement project. If you intend to repaint your ceiling you will need to gather together your tools and materials; ladders, sponges, brushes, paint, thinners, possibly plaster or filler if you have cracks, sealant, masking tape roller, tray, sandpaper and so on.
Before beginning painting you will need to remove any fixtures such as fans and light fittings. You will also need to repair any defects in the ceiling such as cracks, holes, dents or lumps. The ceiling is always a tricky job as it involves constantly reaching above your head and moving your ladders to reach the right place. The light often makes it difficult to see cracks and defects from up on the ladder, which are perfectly visible from the ground.
If the old paint is peeling it will be worth totally removing it before you start to repaint. When you start painting wear old clothes and ensure the floor and any furniture is well covered. You really can’t avoid some plaint splashes. Wear long sleeves and goggles when using paint and thinners on the ceiling to protect your skin and eyes. Make sure each coat is totally dry before you start the next. It is easier to miss patches on the ceiling than on a wall so you may need an extra coat for even coverage.
When choosing your paint keep in mind that glossy sheen paints are easiest to keep clean and sheen paints are the most durable. These are generally considered most suitable for hallways and bedrooms, but work equally well on ceilings. Flat eggshell paints work well on ceilings but are harder to clean so if you smoke or cook in the room you are painting this might not be appropriate.
Satin paints are semi-glossy paints that are most suited to kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms and give a more cheerful effect than dull matt finishes. Hues, tints and shades can often give a softer appearance to your ceiling and complement your wallpaper or cabinetry, but you should not exclude brilliant white which will give a very clean bright effect and make your ceiling appear higher.
If painting the ceiling in your bathroom or kitchen, you may want to consider a specially designed paint that will not easily be damaged by steam and will resist the mould that can build up if the ventilation in these rooms does not allow quick drying.
Numerous varied corporate Christmas gift notions are available. The main issue however , is no longer concerned with the number of options but the quality and particular fondness of the recipient. Even though generally personal tastes vary there are some infamous gift items that are everlasting.
One of the most common corporate Christmas gifts you can give is gourmet Christmas gift basket since it suites any age, gender, and preference. Chocolates, sweets, cookies, and other types of goodies loaded in one basket will surely treated as special by anyone who receives it.
Christmas gift certificates are also perfect corporate Christmas gift ideas. They are particularly handy if you have exhausted your brainpower and still have not managed to conceive what your client favors. It also limits the amount of work that you would have done trying to find the gift in online and department stores.
Another practical and lucrative idea is the corporate Christmas gift voucher. It gives the person on the receiving end an excuse to go out and buy something for themselves without you having to fret about their size and clothing taste. However , the gift voucher spectrum is broader than expected and one can stretch it to other sectors like: exclusive café’s, health spa’s, special courses and programs and numerous other ventures.
Remember this: gift certificates and gift vouchers with specific amount are better than giving cash of the same value.
Corporate Christmas gifts for normal clients and usual customers are not allotted an extensive budget therefore the idea of giving office material with the company’s name and symbol is effective. This gives the company unlimited exposure as these materials is utilized often.
For the elite clientele then one might want to implore the idea of holiday getaways overseas and ship cruises as considerable choices.
For management of both genders leather materials and goods can be relatively ideal gifts as there are a variety of items to select from. These may include office equipment and supplies.
Collector's items such as commemorative coins and historical artifacts are also ideal to people with great interest to such things. Fine-crafted items such as cigar box, crystals, leather products, etc are also fine gifts that can be given to executives and partners. The main aim here is to satisfy the recipient's taste to luxury at the same time, give you the opportunity to be remembered for the gift you have given.
Other corporate Christmas gift ideas you can consider are apparel, automotive accessories, beauty products, bags and cases. pocket and purse items, office accessories, cards and bookmarks, pens and writing instruments, office supplies, snacks, food and beverage, planners, computer media and accessories, office equipment, golf equipment, sporting goods, sports accessories, electronics and gadgets, novelty items, hats and caps, health products, safety equipment, home and housewares, magnetic items, mugs, cups, and drinkware, tools and hardware items, outdoor items, watches, wine, spirit, and accessories.
Regardless of the gift and cost of that gift it is always ideal to give your gift with the fundament of caution, love and honor.
The art of organic gardening is simply growing food in an environmentally and health friendly manner. Because an organic garden is produce without the use of pesticides and commercial fertilizers you are not only providing yourself and your family with healthy foods, you are also helping the air, water, and soil within our environment.
Organic gardening carries many benefits that you may not be aware of. This article will help you identify the benefits of an organic garden and determine whether organic is the way for you to go.
When you produce organic foods, you are producing all natural, safe, and much healthier foods. These foods will have a greater amount of nutrients and minerals within them than those grown with the help of commercial products. You are reducing your family's risk of ingesting harmful additives and pesticides, and increasing their nutrition at the same time.
Let us have a look at some of the other health benefits of organic gardening. One important benefit that research has discovered in organic foods is the fact that by eating foods grown organically, you are building your body's immune system, thus giving it the ability to fight of many different types of diseases, one of which is cancer.
Organic vegetables have been proven to contain a higher concentration of nutrients. A team from Rutgers University did a study comparing produce from a grocery store and the same items grown organically.
While the Rutgers team expected the organic food to show a slight increase in minerals compared to the non-organic, they were astounded by the results of the tests. The organic produce contained much greater amounts of essential minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Non-organic spinach had only three percent of the iron contained in organic spinach. Non-organic tomatoes had only a tiny fraction of one percent of the iron found in organic tomatoes. What was more surprising was that many essential elements were completely missing from the non-organic produce.
Not only are organic foods higher in vitamins and minerals but they also lack the harmful chemicals found in non-organic foods. Thanks to the lack of chemicals within organic foods, you are reducing the amounts of toxins such as fertilizers, hormones, and pesticides in your body. Furthermore, while reducing the harmful instances, you are increasing the amounts of healthy minerals within your body such as vitamins, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron.
Another great benefit of organic gardening is that the foods you produce will have a longer shelf life and taste a whole lot better. Research has shown that without additives and other such elements, organic foods can be stored better and longer than foods with chemicals and processes.
Furthermore, without the chemical additives, the foods from your organic garden will simply have a better taste, which is delicious. The taste of a fresh, organic tomato is far superior to a tomato bought at the local grocery store which was probably pulled from the vine weeks earlier when it was still a bit green.
These are some of the great benefits to growing your own organic produce. There is also the benefit you get from working in your garden, out in the sunshine and fresh air, reducing any stress from a day at the office. Organic is simply better for your overall health.
Roses are a sign of love and friendship and by giving someone a rose you are telling them how truly special they are. There are a number of colors of roses available and each one represents a different meaning to the receiver. If you are looking to purchase roses for that special someone, but aren’t quite sure which color would best suit your relationship, keep reading to find out what each color represents.
Red – Red roses are a sign of love, beauty, courage and respect. This color represents romantic, sincere and passionate love. If you want to show your loved one that they are the love of your life, red roses are the ones to choose. Giving a single red rose to someone is a simple way to say “I love you”.
White – White roses are a sign of purity, innocence, silence and youthfulness. They are given to individuals who are shy about love and are used to tell the person how special they are. White roses can also be used in weddings as an indication of new love which is just beginning.
Pink – Pink roses are a sign of appreciation and are often given as a thank you. Pink flowers also represent happiness and admiration and are given to someone you love whether it be a significant other or a best friend.
Yellow – Yellow roses are a sign of friendship, happiness, joy and promise. Yellow roses are often given to show happiness for loved ones who are returning from a long trip or leave of absence.
Orange – Orange roses signify desire and enthusiasm. They can be given at a graduation or a commencement to celebrate the ending and beginning of two different phases in life.
Lavender/Purple – Lavender or purple roses are a sign of love at first sight. If you just meet someone and have fallen head over heals for them, show them how you feel by giving them lavender roses.
Regardless of the color of roses, they represent love and friendship among many other wonderful things. Roses can be planted in your garden or kept in vases throughout your home. If you are growing roses in your garden follow this gardening tip to ensure you receive the best results possible:
Pruning Your Roses – Using pruning shears, trim your roses around the edges and remove any dead leaves from the plant. Cut out any dead wood, twigs or stems which are cross-growing over one another. Pruning should be done twice a year (once in the spring and once in the fall) to ensure your roses are kept in top condition.
Where you decide to plant your roses and the kind you choose will affect the overall appearance of your garden. Roses are quite possibly the most popular flower to show love and happiness and anyone who receives a rose for any reason should consider themselves a very lucky person.
A well equipped work shop is the first step to making sure you are ready and able for any do-it-yourself home improvement project. With a few basic workhorses, you can saw, nail, sand, shape and sharpen the way the pros do it.
The Top Five Tool List
There are thousands of tools on the shelves of the hardware store and the work benches of seasoned do-it-yourself gurus, but it you were to break them down into categories, they all do some of the same things. So with five basic pieces of hardware as your foundation, you can build anything and then work from there to build your own workshop.
The first power tool to have is a circular saw. With this you can cut straight lines and large curves. Setting a board along the top of two saw horses, can create a work area to hold wood being cut.
Next, for larger wood working projects a table saw or radial arm saw is in line. Choosing one that rotates to different angles is important if you plan to cut picture framing or crown mouldings for your home. The angles allow you to create the 45 degree mitre cuts for a perfect fit.
Third, the well- equipped workshop has an electric sander. All of this work could be done by hand, but the electric belt sander gives each piece of wood a professionally finished look. It prepares long strips of moulding or the edges of table tops and other furniture for staining or painting.
Fourth, every wood working work shop should have a router. This handy tool allows you to make woodworking patterns and grooves that take a piece of furniture or moulding from that plain look of the Shaker style to the ornate French provincial elegance.
Finally, maintaining your saws and other tools is easier with a grinding wheel or knife sharpener. These will allow you to maintain blades and keep them cutting the fine details and patterns that take your handicraft up a notch from amateur to professional.
Solid Brands for Solid Quality
There are some brands of tools that the name alone creates an image of quality. Makita, Ryobi, Rockler, Rockwell, Sears Craftman, Snap-On, Hitachi, and Rigid are all names you can rely on. The prices in these brands vary a little, but with any of them you can count on a quality tool that will last decades. It is worth the investment.
Adding On
Once you have stocked your workshop shelves with the basics, you can add some of the luxuries that make the jobs easier and smoother. Of course there are the smaller devices such as gluers and clamps that keep projects together while you work. But to that you can add electric nailers, dovetail jigs, jet tools and more to make life easier.
A well organized workshop with all of the basics is the ideal way to work. Perhaps your first big project can be building the workbench that will serve as your foundation for many more projects to come.
Seeds are the most important ingredient in all gardening. Without quality seeds it would be impossible to have a beautiful garden. True seeds vary in size from the dust-like seeds of some orchids to the large seed contained in the coconut. The period of dormancy undergone by many seeds before germination also varies. The seeds may lie dormant for a short period of time before you see growth sprouting above the soil, or they may be dormant for a long time. For some seeds a long dormancy is a result of the extremely hard outer coating of the seeds. Flower seeds, vegetable seeds and garden seeds all germinate very quickly and are therefore perfect for home use.
When your ready to start choosing your seeds here’s an important point to keep in mind; You can greatly increase your odds for having a great gardening year by buying from a seed company that's involved in continuous trial programs. In other words, they are always on the look out for better and better seeds. Remember, whether its grass seeds, tomato seeds or flax seed, the plant will only be as good as the original seed.
Quality soil rich in nutrients will help insure that the seeds you planted will reach their full potential. Of course an attentive, caring gardener such as yourself will provide that little extra ingredient that will insure the seeds you plant will experience beautiful growth.
Spend some time as your do research on the web and choose quality merchants that you believe will provide great seeds so you can plant your garden with full confidence that your efforts will be rewarded. gardening is a rewarding hobby for anyone and producing beautiful gardening flowers and gardening plants from health seeds will greatly enrich your experience.
One of the pleasurable spin-offs in organic gardening is finding alternative ways of coming up with the same, if not better, end result.....
Household throwaways can be valuable to the alternate enthusiast. Here are ten recyclable ideas to make gardening a little less hard on the pocket!
1. Hedge clippings: Instead of burning or direct composting, beg, borrow or even buy, if the quantity justifies the price, an electric garden muncher.
Branches up to an inch in diameter are posted into a slot and the machine munches them up into small chips. Spread these chips thickly around shrubs or fruit trees to help keep moisture in, and control the temperature of the soil.
2. Food Waste: All food waste must be composted. Composting is becoming quite an art form, and special composting bins can be bought, or very simply made.
There are many different theories and each gardener will find his or her preferred way. Keeping the compost fairly warm is the overall key to a good result. Or, if you're in no hurry, simply keep adding to a heap, and dig out the bottom when required. Sieve before using and the compost will be ready for planting small plants and even seeds.
3. Old carpets, large damaged cardboard boxes; and similar materials can be laid over the vegetable plot in autumn to help prevent those early spring weeds appearing. Spread over a whole patch and weigh down with stones or logs. Lift off on a sunny day in early spring a few days before digging.
4. Paint trays: Keep old roller painting trays and similar containers for seed trays. Punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Add a little fine gravel before filling with seed compost. Seed trays shouldn't be deeper than 15cm.
5. Yoghurt pots: All plastic yoghurt or dessert pots can be washed and saved for re-potting seedlings. Make a hole in the bottom of each and add a little fine gravel before filling with compost or soil..
6. Glass jars: Glass jars with sealable lids are excellent for storing seeds, beans and peas for planting next year. (Safe from mice as well) After washing the jars, dry in the oven to remove all traces of moisture before storing your seeds. Collect dark glass jars, or wrap paper round clear jars to prevent seeds being damaged by light.
7. Ice Lolly sticks: Make perfect row markers in your seed trays or greenhouse beds. The wooden ones won't last for ever but you can at least write on them with pen, pencil or crayons!
8. Wire coat hangers: Make mini-cloches with discarded or broken wire coat hangers. Pull into a square shape. Place the hook in the soil and push down gently until the natural bend in the wire rests on top of the soil. Place another a short distance away in your seed bed to create two ends of a cloche. Now throw over a sheet of plastic and hold down with logs or stones.
Note: this will work only when creating very small cloches.
9. Clear plastic: Keep any clear plastic containers that could be placed upside down over a plant. Cut a mineral water bottle in half to make two handy individual cloches. Large sheets of clear plastic from packaged household items are fine for throwing over mini coat hanger cloches.
10. Aluminium bottle tops: Keep aluminium tops from milk or juice bottles, and also coloured foil around beer or wine bottles. Thread together to maka bird scarer. Simply thread with thick cotton and hang on your fruit bushes before the birds find the new fruits.
Look out for other tools for the garden from kitchen throwaways such as: old kitchen spoons and forks for transplanting tiny plants in the greenhouse. Leaky buckets for harvesting small quantities of potatoes, carrots etc; light wooden boxes for harvesting salads through the summer, and transporting pots etc;
Keep an eye on that rubbish bag and turn today's throwaways into tomorrow's tools!
Gardening: Edible Plants : How to Design a Kitchen Garden for 1 or 2 People
Most of the mini roses you buy in the store are Florist roses, there is no guarantee that they will live for very long. I have seen exceptions. I have tried growing roses in a sunny windowsill - it must get at least 4 hours of sun a day, and you would have to water it at least one to two times per week. I would also take it outside and spray it with a fungicide/pesticide once a week, even indoors they can get bugs somehow and develop powdery mildew. Or, you can grow it outside, if you live in a temperate zone, in part-shade, again checking about every day for dryness.
I think mini-roses do better outside in part shade with about four to six hours of sun a day, then they would do inside in a sunny windowsill, but as I have said it is up to you. Usually mini-roses are grown on their own roots, so in a deep freeze, even if the top growth died, they could still grow back from the roots in the springtime. You can protect them from deep freezes by covering with a plastic tarp or a cold frame, do an internet search to find good deals on cold frames or mini/small greenhouses.
If you decide to buy more mini roses, you might try some designed for garden use, like End of the Rainbow, Rise N' Shine or Green Ice. Some other hardy varieties are: Antique Rose, Millie Walters, and Magic Carrousel which you could purchase from most Nursery. Jeanne La Joie is a miniature climber, and it grew to about 10 ft. tall. But , this is the exception, not the rule.
Most mini's don't grow that much larger in the ground than they do in the pot, at most maybe twice the width and a few inches taller. Some stay the same size. Again, it depends on the type of mini. You can do a search on the Help me find roses website. If not you can go to your local nursery and talk to them about getting roses.
Miniature Roses, also called Dwarf Roses, can be charming little plants with tiny leaves and flowers that are much smaller than Hybrid Teas. They vary in size. Some are only six inches tall when full grown. Some grow as large as 18 inches. They can be used as border plants, or as edgings because of their small size.
Possible red-flowered hybrids include Baby Masquerade, Beauty Secret, Dwarf King, Little Artist, Magic Carrousel, Midget, Red Cascade, Red Imp, Red Gilardi, Scarlet Gem, Starina and Tom Thumb - just for starters. But that's not important.
First things first. When a flower is finished blooming, when it no longer looks like a flower you would want to cut and put in a a vase in the kitchen, cut it off with a scissors. Don't let it turn brown, and then go to seed. Remove it. You can try planting it in the ground, the sunniest space in the yard is best. Roses need huge amounts of sun.
I highly recommend "Roses for Dummies. " There are several pages specifically about Miniature Roses. You will find it informative and a very good introduction to a field that can be a little overwhelming to a newcomer. Pay extra special attention to your planted minirose in the autumn. There is a good chance it is not strong enough to survive our Zone 7 winters, even with Global Warming. Mulch carefully or cover with Burlap to keep it protected. If you don't want to buy a book then go to a nursey or to someone that loves to garden, friends or a family member.
I know they call them indoor mini roses, but they really are happier outside. A mini rose is no different than a garden rose and likes the same things. The atmosphere in a home is too dry for these small roses and it not only dries them out but also incourages spider mites which love a place that is dry and warm. The first thig to do is cut the rose back so that all the dry tips are cut off. Put the pot in a plastic bag, tie it tight at the base of the rose and then place it under a warm spray in the sink. Make sure that all the rose is soaking wet as spider mites hate water. Do this daily for three days.
Repot the mini into a larger pot using packaged soil so you know there will be no insects in it. Put a tespoon of some slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote 14-14-14 and that will give the plant a small amount of nutrients every time you water it. Place the mini in full sun and every day sprtiz it with water. Make sure the rose never dries out but don't get it soaking wet, just damp to the touch. The leaves may still drop for a couple of days, but they will come back nice and green and the plant will bloom for you. Putting the rose outside where it only gets morning and late afternoon sun also makes it healthier.
OIL PAINTING DEMONSTRATIONS --HOW TO PAINT FLOWERS--
If you are thinking about building a boat yourself, there are numerous questions to resolve initially before you start buying plans and wood. Like, have you any idea what sort of boat that you desperately want to construct? What are the reasons for your option? Is building a boat from wood is superior to building and creating a boat created from fiberglass or metal or a mix of these? Below are a few recommendations and advice for anyone thinking regarding building their first boat.
Good Reasons to Build a Boat from Wood
One reason many pick a wooden boat is because it is more classic than a boat produced from the other varieties of material. One more reason several choose to build a wooden boat is that it is more inexpensive than using metal or fiberglass. It is also easier to use wood than to work with fiberglass or metal. In addition , you do not need to have any special tools on hand when working together with wood. Moreover, you may do not need any special instruction or knowledge in advance to be able to make a wooden boat.
When you begin going through the very materials that you will have to use in building your wooden boat you will see that it is far easier to work with wood than it is with the other materials. It is much easier to draw on wood than it is to draw on metal or fiberglass. It is also much easier to cut out those pieces once you have patterned out the pieces on the wood. It is wiser to have another person cut and shape the metal or fiberglass. It does take special knowledge and tools and techniques to cut and shape them. You will not need all of that if you are using wood.
For many individuals it is actually easier to elect to create a wooden boat because it is a thing that'll be more useful to them over a boat constructed from the other two materials. Precisely why this is happens to be difficult to explain occasionally. For many people the choice is easier because of the inescapable fact that wooden boats are component of human history so long as people have written about. Go through the simple canoe that Indigenous peoples around the world use more frequently than other things.
Something different that produces the decision to build a wooden boat over any other type of boat may basically come down to the kind of sealant that it going to be used to join the components of the boat. Some people simply favor to use epoxy above welding or any other kind of sealing material. Yes, it's correct that welds will certainly hold very well if they are done properly. Exactly the same can be said of using epoxy to create the joints that will create the boat itself as epoxy is waterproof. The only method that you will not have to deal with having pieces cut out and also putting those portions jointly is to hollow out a log into a canoe or dugout boat.
Tomatoes are without a doubt one of the most popular vegetables in the home garden, and for good reason. Homegrown tomatoes are very nutritious and much more flavorful than those bought from a store. Tomato plants will produce an abundance of fruit for the home gardener if they are properly planted and cared for.
Tomatoes require a fairly long growing season, and for this reason the seeds are typically planted indoors about six to eight weeks before they can be planted in the garden. The seeds can be sown 1/4" deep in small pots or flats in a soil less potting mix or sterilized potting soil. It takes 7-14 days at a temperature of 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit for the seeds to germinate. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Placing plastic wrap loosely over the pots or flats will help maintain the humidity necessary for germination, but the plastic wrap must be removed once the seedlings sprout.
Bottom heat helps to speed the germination process. Garden centers and catalogs sell heating cables made just for this purpose, but you may also set the pots or flats on top of your water heater to take advantage of its warmth for germination.
As soon as the seedlings emerge, they should be moved to an area with full light, such as a sunny window or under grow lights. They should have light on them for about 12 hours a day and should be kept at a temperature of 70-80 degrees. Fertilize the seedlings with a water-soluble fertilizer when they're about 3-4 weeks old, but dilute the fertilizer to about half the strength recommended on the label.
The little tomato plants will be accustomed to fairly steady and warm temperatures indoors, and planting them directly outside could come as quite a shock to them, especially when nighttime temperatures are still cool. About a week before it's time to plant them in the garden, begin to gradually introduce them to outdoor conditions. This is called hardening off, and it simply involves moving the plants gradually to conditions more like what they'll experience in the garden.
Start hardening them off by moving the plants to an enclosed porch for a day or two, then to a sunny spot outdoors that is protected from the wind. If the temperature threatens to take a drastic downward dip, bring the plants back indoors until it warms up outside again.
Tomatoes were originally found only in very warm climates. They don't like to be cold and should not be planted outside until the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up. That's typically late May or even early June here in northern Ohio.
The sooner tomatoes are planted outside, the sooner they will begin to produce ripe fruit, and there are a few tricks that make it possible to plant tomatoes in the garden a bit earlier.
The garden soil may be warmed up by covering it with clear or white plastic for a few days. The little tomato plants will be much happier with their roots in warm soil. Once the plants are in the garden, the foliage can be protected from a light frost by covering the plants with plastic gallon jugs that have their bottoms removed, or with plastic or fabric sheets placed over the plants. Suspend this over the plants using wire hoops so the plastic or fabric doesn't touch the foliage.
When you are ready to transplant your tomato seedlings into the garden, be sure to choose a spot for them that gets full sun for at least 8 hours a day. Dig a hole for each plant that is large enough to easily accommodate all of the roots. Before transplanting, water the plants while they are still in the pot. This not only helps prevent transplant shock, but it also makes it easier to slip the plant from the pot.
Tomato plants will grow roots from any part of the stem that is buried beneath the soil, so the plants will benefit from being planted deeply, up to the first set of leaves. If the plants have spent too much time in pots and have become leggy, they may be planted in furrows with their too-long stems laid in the furrow and gently buried with soil. This will help the plants develop a strong root system while preventing the long stem from breaking.
Fill in the planting hole with soil, pressing the soil in firmly to eliminate air pockets. Then give the plants a good drink of water, thoroughly soaking the soil around them.
If you plan on staking or trellising your tomato plants, they can be planted about 2-3 feet apart. plants that will be allowed to sprawl on the ground will need more room and should be planted 4-6 feet apart.
If the soil is still a bit cool, your white or clear plastic may be placed on the ground beneath the plants to warm the soil. Once warmer temperatures have settled in, this plastic should be removed to avoid burning the foliage with reflective heat.
It is important to keep tomato leaves up off the soil to help prevent soil-borne diseases from attacking the plants. This can easily be done by applying straw mulch around the plants. But straw mulch should only be applied once the soil has warmed up above 70 degrees. If the mulch is laid down while the soil is still cool, it will keep the soil from warming up as it should, your tomato plants will suffer from cold feet and won't produce as well as they could.
Planting your tomatoes properly is an important step toward a bountiful harvest of sweet, juicy fruit. In another article we'll discuss how to trellis and prune tomato plants to increase your harvest.
Gardening: Edible Plants : How to Grow San Pedro Cactus
Are you thinking of buying a new home? Most people buy a home with the help of a mortgage loan. Would you qualify? Are you making the right choice? Here are 5 things you should know:
1. Be Free from Debt.
Do not make big purchases on credit unless you are paying by cash. This includes furniture, cars, electronics, restaurants, jewelry, lavish weddings and parties etc
2. Do not “Job-hop”
Do not change your present job just before applying for a loan, unless it is for a higher paying job. Job-hopping is out. It suggests a lack of stability.
3. Keep proper financial records
Document all financial transactions. Keep your receipts, canceled check reports, donation slips etc . You loan office might want to see them. It’s always better to be prepared.
4. A new house does not save a marriage.
This is a common mistake. Do not buy a house, if your marriage is on rocky ground, hoping that it will help you solve your problems. It might help, it might not. The added financial load may just create a more stressful environment.
5. Seek professional advice if in doubt.
If in doubt, ask questions. Seek the help of real estate professionals or financial advisers. These people have the experience and skills to help you make the right decisions.
How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic E-book For Free
A swimming pool offers relief from hot days, and gives us an opportunity to unwind, enjoy ourselves, and exercise. Even though they are generally common with summer days, swimming pools are also fantastic indoors as well, offering year round swimming.
Indoor swimming pools are a terrific way to cool down after heavy exercising, such as weight lifting, or an excellent way to get in cardio work out. Unlike outdoor pools, you can use indoor pools all the time, without having to worry about the weather conditions.
If you do not like gyms or if you consider indoor swimming pools to be crowded, you can have an indoor pool at your home. This is achievable these days, because indoor pools are more affordable than ever. The first thing you must do is find place for it. If you do not have enough space to put a pool inside, you can add a room onto your house.
If you have some extra money, an in ground indoor swimming pool is a great option. It will give you with plenty of room to swim. This usually cost a great sum of money though, which rules it out for the majority of us. You also must have a big room for this type of pool, since as it covers a lot of space.
If you do not have some extra money to spend, you can choose an above ground pool instead. However , you still must have a room to put store it.
If you make a decision to have indoor swimming pool, you must hire a professional to do the entire job. If you try to do it yourself, you will find that it is a bit more complicated than you think. Professionals know exactly what they are doing and they will also contact the officials to ensure that your indoor pool conforms to local and state laws.
Indoor pools have a lot of benefits, not just providing you with a lot of fun and excitement. They can help people who have back trouble or other medical ailments. Even if the pool is indoors, you still need to buy a heater to keep the water at a certain temperature.
You can find everything you need for an indoor swimming pool online or through your local swimming pool supply store. If you need to add on to your home first, you may want to contact a carpenter first. Once you have everything you need and you get your indoor pool finished, you’ll be amazed with the results.
Everyone loves a good bathroom cabinet. There are so many things that they are good for: holding linen, toiletries, and other fanciful things. Bathroom cabinets can be attached to the wall or free standing on the floor. Sometimes, they have special purposes; sometimes, they are more a general use cabinet. For instance, a bathroom medicine cabinet is in almost every bathroom made since the 70s.
A good bathroom medicine cabinet is indispensable. The main priority of a bathroom medicine cabinet is to hold medicine behind the mirror. This keeps the medicine safe from moisture and children, but easily accessible when needed. These are great in any bathroom. I know some guest bathrooms that have a medicine cabinet full of guest toiletries. This gave me a welcomed feeling and made the home I was visiting all that more comfortable.
One choice is whether there will be one, two, or three doors on the bathroom medicine cabinet. Obviously, each will have the advantage of space, but the more doors it has, it usually takes up more space. However , this is a great choice for many homeowners. Sometimes, the center piece does not open, but both of the other pieces open. I had one in my last home that was a huge center mirror with a corner medicine cabinet on each side of the enormous mirror.
Another choice is whether you want lights or no lights. The lights can be on many places near the bathroom medicine cabinet. On mine, I have a row of larger bulbs across the top of the mirror. My mom has a row of small light bulbs on both sides of bathroom medicine cabinet. I have a neighbor who installed her own bathroom mirror and has a single, beautiful light in the center-top of the bathroom mirror. This is obviously a decision best made to fit your personal tastes.
Of course, when you are choosing any cabinet, the material and color is always an option. The choices will depend on the manufacturer and your personal choice. Many people prefer a finish that matches the rest of their bathroom; other people choose a finish that will accent other aspects of the bathroom. This is obviously a choice best made by the personal choosing a bathroom medicine cabinet.
These can be found at almost any home improvement store and most home décor stores; almost all specialty kitchen and bathroom store will have a wide variety to pick and choose from. There is always the Internet which has opened the market to things you may not have otherwise ever noticed. However , since these are fragile and heavy, I suggest taking a good look at the shipping and handling costs as well as their breakage policy. Better safe than sorry.
As is obvious, bathroom medicine cabinets offer a lot in the way of convenience and safety. In addition , you get a good amount of décor for the bathroom. For added security you can get a locking cabinet that will protect all of that medicine and keep it away from people that it may otherwise harm. So , feel free to find one of the better products for your bathroom needs and pick a bathroom medicine cabinet.
A word of warning upfront, if you have a wallpaper removal task ahead of you’re your in for a bit of work. Make sure you set aside a considerable amount of time for this project as you may run into tough spots and problem areas that will eat up a lot of time. Removing wallpaper however , while not a fun task, can be done quickly and easily if you are prepared.
First get the room ready. Remove everything from the room that can be removed. This includes furniture and rugs where possible. When the room is emptied cover the floor with a drop cloth in the area you will be working. This will aid in cleanup later.
Now get all of your tools together:
• Goggles • Mask • Perforator • Bucket • Sponge • Glue Dissolving Agent • Blunt Scraper • Sharp Scraper
Goggles and a mask are on the list first for a good reason. You will have little pieces of who knows how old paper with who know what kind of glue on it flying and dripping all over the place. Wear the goggles and the mask whenever you are doing the least bit of work.
I can’t underestimate the importance of the perforator. They come in a couple styles and sizes. Get the one that is most appropriate to the amount of paper you have to remove. The perforator is pretty simple to use. With a slight amount of pressure you roll it around the wall and it makes little divots into the paper. Be careful not to press to hard as you do not want to dig into the wall itself.
Next is preparing your solution. The commercial products work well, but I’ve had good results with warm water and vinegar. If you are going to use the commercial products, be sure to follow their instructions as to mixture ratios. For the vinegar solution, 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water is sufficient for most glues. Add more vinegar if you are having difficulties.
Ok, so we’re ready to start soaking the walls. Pick a spot, not to large, and get it thoroughly wet with your sponge and solution. Some people like to use a sprayer as well, but I find the sponge and a little pressure works better. Don’t be shy about wetting the wall. Your solution needs to soak through the paper and loosen the glue. You may have to repeat this step depending on your situation.
Now comes the scrapping. Use a blunt scrapper or even a putty knife to start with. You want to avoid nicking or gauging the wall underneath to save the trouble of spackling later on. Use slow even strokes to remove the paper. If it is loose enough it will simply melt off the wall. If not, wet it again. If you continue to have trouble, you may have to switch to the sharp scrapper. Be very careful though, of both your fingers and the wall!
Once all the paper if off, you may have to repeat this process to remove extra paper layers or even a glue layer that may be left behind. You want to get all the way down to the plaster or drywall. Then, spackle any nicks or holes smooth, clean up the mess and paint to suit. Oh, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
In the modern world, break ins happen every single day. If you haven't protected your home or your business adequately then the unfortunate fact is that you could easily become a target. Maybe it won't be tomorrow, maybe it won't be next month, but it could happen down the line - your house or your office or business could be broken into. There are ways you can protect yourself against such a crime from occurring. This article looks at what you can do to ensure your home does not become a target of a thief or criminal.
First of all there are burglar alarms available. These have been the traditional safety measure used in homes across the world. They make a sound when the exterior has been crossed and are usually directly linked to a security firm who will phone or visit the premises to make sure everything is alright. There are several disadvantages with this type of security system however. First of all the chances are high that by the time someone has responded to the alarm the intruder has gone. Without any footage captured of the crime there is very little chance of ever catching the intruder let alone getting your things that have been stolen back. Another problem is that sometimes burglar alarms go off for no apparent reason. Because of this neighbours are not very likely to respond if the alarm is going off as it is so common to assume it is a false alarm. Burglar alarms don't really act as a deterrent to a burglar because of the problems outlined above. It can also be possible for a burglar alarm to be overridden by breaking it. All the intruder has to do is find the box and smash it.
If you really want peace of mind that you home or business is safe then nothing beats a security camera. An intruder by no means wants to be filmed and they will most definitely be put off breaking into a home or building where there is a camera present. You can either choose cameras that are completely on display, ones that are domed so are on display but impossible to tell which way they are pointing or cameras that are totally hidden.
Hidden cameras don't provide the deterrent aspect that other types offer although they are ideal if you in dispute with your neighbours or having difficulties with people living in the area. Often the police will not act unless there is sufficient evidence and hidden cameras can provide just that. Domed cameras are the perfect camera. Not only are they visible to provide the deterrent aspect but they are small and discrete. This makes them suitable for the home where you are unlikely to want large CCTV cameras stuck on the front of your home. It is impossible to know which way the camera is pointing when they are enclosed inside a dome. Large security cameras also have their place and are good for commercial or public buildings. They are are usually large and powerful and on display for all to see. Criminals would be unlikely to strike when a network of these cameras were on display.
At home, having a security camera ensures total peace of mind. It is even possible to have remote access which means even when you are on holiday you can check in via a laptop or even mobile phone that everything is safe. Nothing beats a camera for its high levels of security. There are wireless cctv camera systems available that can be placed anywhere and are very discrete. There are silverline cctv options available too. If you want the best then you should always choose a security camera over an alarm system.
If you're looking for a unique way to express your individual taste and personality there is no better way to decorate than by using wallpaper. You can take a simple room and make it look stunning and completely different in just a few short hours. You can wallpaper an entire room, or just a portion of the room, in a way that alters the entire atmosphere of the room.
When you use wallpaper you can also hide the conditions of existing walls that have cracks or other flaws. Wallpaper can take a room from boring to spectacular in a way that paint and other decorating techniques can't do. Wallpaper can make a room look bigger or smaller, which is another way that you can change the functionality of the room.
Different kinds of wallpapers can give different effects. Therefore , before starting out on a wallpaper buying trip it is important to decide the type of wallpaper that would suit your walls.
If you're decorating a small room that you want to give the feel of being larger you should pick wallpaper that has small designs or prints on it. For instance, if you're decorating your bathroom you might want to pick a pattern that has small pansies. This will make your small bathroom seem much larger than it actually is. Another technique for making rooms seem larger than they are is to use lighter colors rather than dark colors.
Using large designs and prints in the wallpaper will make a room seem smaller and much cozier. Dark colors will make a space seem smaller than it is so if your goal is to make a large room, such as your basement family room, appear to be bigger you'll want to choose wallpaper that is dark in color.
With wallpaper you can also make adjustments in the perspective of your room. For example , if you are choosing wallpaper for a room that has a low ceiling and you want to create the opposite illusion than you should choose a wallpaper that has either stripes or pattern that flows in vertical lines from top to bottom. Try it out to make your long and narrow rooms look much wider.
Remember that colors greatly influence atmosphere. If you'd like a room to seem warmer, choose wallpaper with warm colors like amber, gold, brick, and soft reds. In other words you want earth tones.
Vice versa in warm climate your requirement is to make the room look cooler. This is also the requirement in rooms that are heated up by direct sunlight. Here you should pick up colours that are reflective of a cool atmosphere such as shades of green and blue.
Hanging wallpaper isn't difficult and isn't too costly either. It's a wonderful tool if you're renovating or changing a whole look. There are many choices in wallpaper types. Choosing patterns and colors will depend on your own preferences and the intended look and use of the room. Any room can be wallpapered. Just take into account that rooms such as bathrooms, that have a lot of moisture, will require a wallpaper made especially for those conditions.
There are several different types and style of burglar alarm, and although many people have one installed in the home or in the office, few people know how they work. From the quite basic style of alarm to the more sophisticated models, they all follow the same principles. There are DIY kits available, wireless kits that can control sensors placed around an entire building and plenty more besides, but the way they all work is similar. This article provides the basic information about how the different types of burglar alarm work, from the simple to the more complex.
A circuit alarm is one of the most common types of alarm. There are closed circuit alarms or open circuit varieties too. If the alarm uses an open circuit then the current is completed when a door or window is opened and will sound the alarm when this occurs. A closed circuit alarm works in the opposite way in that the circuit is broken when a door or window is opened which will trigger the alarm. In both scenarios the control box will continue to sound until it is reset by someone with the code and should be placed somewhere out of the way so it cannot easily be found by an intruder and broken.
Open circuits can be quite easily overridden because simply cutting the wire is all that is necessary in order to prevent the circuit from being completed and the alarm sounding. This can easily be done by any intruder. Closed circuits on the other hand are much harder to override or "sidestep". An electrical current can be run around the entire perimeter of a building. As soon as it is broken, so in other words as soon as a window is smashed, a door is opened or a mat is stepped on the alarm will begin to go off.
There are other types of alarm that work inside the home too. If an intruder does manage to get past a perimeter alarm, there are further precautions that can be taken. Because there are too many routes or paths a person can take through a house or other building, circuit alarms are not suitable. Instead basic motion detectors are used instead. These work like automatic doors that you see all the time. A radar-based motion detector monitors a room constantly for irregular wave patterns. When there is no one in a room, the waves will behave in a different way to when there is someone in the room. A basic motion detector alarm will therefore sound in the event the waves in the room change.
Photo-sensor motion detectors take this idea a step further and use beams of light. The beams of lights are pointed across a room and as soon as one of these beams is broken the alarm begins to sound. These are very effective burglar alarms. There are also passive infrared motion sensor alarms too that work in a similar way to these other motion detectors but use heat in a room to detect whether or not there is a person present. They are extremely sensitive and can detect when a person has entered the room through a sudden rise in temperature caused by body heat.
If you want the complete security package then using both circuit alarms around the perimeter of the building as well as some kind of motion detector inside the building is the best idea. This will provide the best burglar alarm system possible. Intruder alarms are an important part of modern life and ensuring you have the best will provide that important peace of mind. Burglar alarms come in all shapes and sizes but there is something available for everyone regardless of requirements or budget.
So you've decided to start a fitness program, and you want to know what the best exercise machine is? I bet you've done some research on the web, and you're more confused now than when you started!
That's because almost everyone who's selling exercise machines and other fitness equipment is going to tell you theirs is the best, and they will probably have studies, research or testimonials to back them up. And if the product is being sold on TV, they'll probably dazzle you with the bodies of fitness models, both male and female, using their equipment. But you do know these people had these physiques before they ever set eyes on that particular piece of equipment, right?
If you're going to try and find yourself the perfect exercise machine, you have to ask yourself a few questions first, the main one being "what do I want from this equipment? ". And you need to be specific. None of this "I want to lose weight", or "I want to get in shape" stuff. Nope, you need to hone in on the goal - "I want to have a 28 inch waist", or "I want to gain fifteen pounds of muscle and lose twenty pounds of fat". Then you can make some educated decisions.
Another question you need to ask yourself is whether you want an aerobic training machine or a piece of strength training equipment. If you really want to get in shape, you should be doing both - but that doesn't mean you need to buy two separate machines. More on that later. Among aerobic machines, you'll find the treadmill, elliptical machine, stepper or stairclimber, rowing machines, recumbent exercise bikes, spinning bikes and more. Strength training machines include multi-gyms, power racks, half racks, smith machines, and separate machines that concentrate on just about every individual muscle group in your body.
How many of these machines do you need? None, really. If you have the funds and the space for them, then they can make exercise more convenient. But you can get a great strength training workout with a bench and some dumbells and/or a bar and weight plates. If for some reason, you can't swing that - not a problem. You can do bodyweight exercises such as pushups, dips, pullups, situps, crunches etc . You might think these are too easy to build any real strength or muscle, but there are ways to make them hard enough for even the strongest person. We don't have room to go into that here, but do a little research on the web for bodyweight exercises. You might be surprised at what you find. When it comes to your aerobic workout, you can jog, run, walk briskly, jump rope, do jumping jacks, or create your own interval workout from conditioning exercises like the crab walk, bear walk, walking lunge, jumping jacks, etc . Do a few sets of those without stopping and see whether or not it gets your heartrate up! Once again, if you don't know what these exercises are, just do a web search.
But I want an exercise machine! Ok, if you say so. When the elliptical trainer first became popular about ten years ago, there were some studies showing that you could get a better workout on that machine than if you invested the same amount of effort on the treadmill. Level of perceived exertion, they call it. But then some other studies seemed to show that it was really the treadmill that allowed you to get equal benefits while feeling like you were cruising a little bit. So where am I going with all this contradictory research? Well, the truth of the matter is that this research doesn't really matter that much to you. Or to me. Because if I hate to sit on a bike seat, it doesn't matter if a study comes out tomorrow saying that the exercise bike provides a workout ten times better than any other piece of aerobic equipment. If I'm not going to sit on that seat, I'd be stupid to go out and buy a bike. Actually, I own a spinning bike and love it, so that wasn't a very realistic example, but I think you get the point: -)
Experiment to see what works for you. Try a spinning class. Try jogging in the park. Try pushups and pullups, or a power rack, or bench presses. Hop on the elliptical at the gym, or find a friend who has one. Try them all to see what you like, and then build a balanced strength and aerobic program from those options. That's what'll keep you exercising consistently, and doing it consistently is the main key to getting the results that you want.
Australian families who share their homes with pets number among the highest in the world, with 64% of households including pets. In those 7. 5 million households, fish top the pet population at over 12 million, followed by birds, at 9 million. At almost 4 million, there are more dogs than either boys or girls under the age of 14 years, and our domestic cat population is approximately two and a half million. If we group horse for pleasure riding, rodents, rabbits, snakes, lizards and others together, we can add another 2 million pets.
Pet Supplies Pet association has been shown to have enormous positive benefits on health and wellbeing of Australians. When you have a pet as a member of your family, you will visit the doctor less frequently and use less medication , have lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure, recover from illness and surgery more rapidly, deal with stress better and be less likely to feel lonely. All in all, it is estimated that pet association saves the Australian health budget almost S4 billion annually.
Around 90% of Australian familles with pets, consider those pets as fully integrated family members and the primary caregiver who assumes responsibility for the pet in the majority of situations is female. Not surprisingly, expenditure on pets, pet care and pet products in Australia is placed at more than $4 billion annually and provides employment for more than 40, 000 people. Of this expenditure, two thirds (66%) is spent on dogs and one quarter (25%) is spent on cats. dogs therefore get the greater amount of attention in pet world.
Care and grooming products
Caring for pets requires time and energy on the part of the caregiver. In today's busy world, time is a commodity in shorter supply than perhaps it once was. There are a lot of products available to help reduce the amount of time needed for pet care. Search Myshopping. com. au for pet care products for your particular animal.
There are automatic feeding and watering products that mean your animal can access food and water when they need it and don't have to depend on you being there to attend to it. Having water readily available for dogs and cats is important because they dehydrate more quickly than humans. Automated pet feeders not only reduce the chore of being there to provide meals for your pets, but add the convenience of timing food releases for animals that may be subject to particular dietary needs. Using an elevated pet feeder can aid your pet's digestion because the pet doesn't have to strain and bend over to access the food. Portable watering and feeding products are useful for those who take their pets with them at work or on the move, and include drinking pouches and feedbags for dogs and cats.
The need to groom your pet depends a lot on your living environment, and whether (or how much) your pet is an indoor or outdoor pet. Grooming could be a daily, weekly or occasionally scheduled activity, and is necessary to keep the animal's coat healthy and to eradicate fleas and other parasites. It is also important to keep dander in check. Grooming products for pets include products for coat maintenance, nail clipping, dental care, bathing and beauty. There is a huge range of shampoos, face washes, and deodorisers and skin care products as well as styling tools and bows and ribbons for beautification. Grooming tools you may require could include a grooming table, heated blower-dryer, combs, rakes and brushes. As well as nail files and clippers.
Accommodation and transport products
As we cram ourselves into smaller and smaller living spaces, we have a need to accommodate our pets in the most comfortable manner. There is a huge range of bedding, mat and cushion products for dogs and cats, as well as cages and aquariums for birds and fish. (Aquariums are also available for hermit crabs and snails). Small 'housing' products such as indoor and outdoor kennels and sleeping tents and bags come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit all kinds of living environments. Rugs and shelters are also important for keeping your pets warm during cold weather, and insulated or shaded shelters are important during warmer weather. Pet that suffer from arthritis can benefit from pet warming pads, while animals that have motor disabilities can benefit from special ramps and steps that aid them in their mobility.
As a large proportion of pet owners like to travel with their pets in cars or on bicycles, there are a large number of travelling options, including specially designed car seats, harness and soft cages. Some car seats double as a travel suitcase to carry your pet's travel needs or as a bed for a comfortable night's sleep. For the cyclist, there is a range of pet bicycle baskets available with different safety and security features.
One of the reasons that pets help foster better health is due to the time we spend walking, running or playing with them. Searching Myshopping. com. au for leads and collars will yield a tremendous variety of products. Leads that you can belt around your waist give you 'hands-free' control of your dog while you walk or jog freely. Collars not only provide a way to carry your animal's registration tags, but also provide a unique identity for your pet. If your pet is small or has a disability, you can get a pet stroller or a pocket pouch to walk or carry your pet.
Safe and secure enclosures can keep pets from wandering off, while giving them an outdoor experience. Safety pet fences or cat fences are wire mesh enclosures that can be used in backyards or on balconies to keep you pet safe while giving tem the ability to stretch in the fresh air. Portable soft pens, many of which can be coupled together to enclose a larger area, are ideal for containing a pet indoors or blocking off an entrance.
Safety products and toys
There are occasions when both pets and humans need to be kept safe from each other and from other dangers in the home and neighbourhood. These can include muzzles and safety restraints, as well as steps and life preservers to use in shimming pools and at beaches. The elderly pet may need special pet stairs or slings to help with mobility, or a brace that acts as a support crutch.
There is no shortage of toys for your pet available through Myshopping. com. au and may include scratching posts and tunnels for your cat; Frisbees, balls and bones for your dog, mirrors and balls for your birds, racing tracks for rodents. You can even find the more unusual toys along with training devices; clothing articles and pampering products here on Myshopping. com. au just click and search.
A hobby is an important part of everybody's life. Hobbies range from outdoor, extreme sports like bungee jumping, base jumping, and simulated combat with replica guns and pistols, to more relaxed hobbies like chess, model building and knitting. Those that enjoy hobbies on a regular basis know how important they are to peace of mind and personal well being.
However , there are lots of people that don't have hobbies to speak of. Many people don't have much to look forward to when they get home from work. For many people, the closest thing they have to a hobby is sitting in front of the TV for hours on end. While this is certainly stress relieving and entertaining, it doesn't do much in the way of brain stimulation. If you're interested in finding a hobby that is a little bit more challenging that clicking the remote control, then this article is for you.
As you first start exploring new ideas for your new hobby, think of some of the things you've enjoyed in the past. Look through your memories, and find something you did that you really enjoyed. It doesn't really matter if this happened when you were back in elementary school. If you liked it back then, chances are you'll like it today. And there's a strong possibility that there are plenty of other people just like you that get together to enjoy it as well. You can check online or at your local community center to find groups just like this.
Another thing to consider when doing a hobby is what kinds of things do you like to read about? There are plenty of book discussion groups in many cities, that meet on a regular basis to discuss various topics of various books. Another thing to consider is to choose something you'd like to know more about, and take a class at a local community college. This can be a great way to meet like minded people and expand your horizons.
One more idea is to head on down to the sporting good store. Pretend you've just won ten billion dollars in the lottery or something. Take a look around, and see what sports you've always wanted to learn but never quite had the time. Many sporting goods stores also offer classes and seminars on many things that are sports related. This is another great way to find things that you are interested in doing in your spare time.
Of course , these are only a few ideas. By trying out just a couple of these, you'll likely spark a creative imagination in you that will drive you to seek more and better ideas. Once you get started down the path of personal leisure and pastimes, you will never go back to the same life as before. Have fun.
With the recent outbreak of e-coli traced back to bagged spinach of all things, the FDA now suggests consumers thoroughly wash all bagged produce (including salad) before consuming it to avoid the extreme diarrhea e-coli bacterial can cause.
The e-coli bacteria can be found in any raw or undercooked foods. Most often outbreaks are linked to undercooked meat, or unsafe handling of raw meat, particularly ground beef. What was up until now less well known is that e-coli can also be found on fresh produce like fruits and vegetables.
E-coli bacteria cause severe diarrhea often with bloody stool and can cause kidney failure and possible death. The old and the young are particularly prone to extreme cases of the infection. If you suspect you have been infected with e-coli, contact your physician right away.
E-coli naturally occurs in the intestines of animals like cows and chickens. As these animals are slaughtered and processed, traces of the bacteria can come into contact with the meat. Ground beef seems to be especially prone to getting contaminated. To kill any e-coli (or other bacteria for that matter) that may have “snuck in”, cook all meat to an internal temperature of at least 160 F.
So , how does this same bacteria get into our salad, veggies and fruit? Manure is often used as a natural fertilizer and gets’ stuck on the outside of the vegetables and fruits as they grow and are harvested. Produce is cleaned off before it’s bagged and shipped to you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all the bacteria are gone.
In particular vegetables including salad that are bagged provide a perfect growing environment for the e-coli bacteria. The bag ensures that there is always some moisture around the produce that allows the e-coli to multiply.
The recent outbreak of e-coli in bagged spinach along with previous outbreaks in bagged salad mixes and even containers of strawberries makes you wonder if we should just avoid all prepackaged and bagged produce. Fortunately we don’t have to go that far, but we should get in the habit of properly preparing those foods.
Salad and vegetables mixes in bags are often pre-washed and sold as “ready to serve”. Take a few minutes and rinse them with warm water, followed by a splash of cold water to avoid cooking the spinach or salad. Use plenty of warm water on hardier vegetables such as tomatoes or carrots and don’t forget to wash fruit with plenty of water as well, especially strawberries. Strawberries grow very low to the ground and are often fertilized with manure or are grown on soil that was previously fertilized that way. Since the berries grow practically directly on top of the soil, it is easy for the e-coli to catch a ride on the fruit directly into your home.
Washing raw fruit and vegetables with plenty of warm water should get rid of most of the bacteria, making it safe to eat. Make it a habit to wash your produce whether the packaging indicates it’s pre-washed or not. It will only take a few minutes and could prevent you from getting sick in the long run.
Planting an herbal garden that includes scented geraniums is not common to container gardening. Most gardeners think of scented geraniums as a floral plant, not an herbal plant but the species, called pelargonium, is an herb with many uses. This delightful herb has many different aromas and gorgeous colors to delight your senses. The scented geranium is best used in container gardening for two reasons. One, you can control the soil and moisture, and two you can bring it indoors when a frost is imminent.
The scented geranium was found in Africa in the 1600's and shipped to England where it became most popular. The gardener of King Charles I grew a variety of scented geraniums in the royal greenhouse. The Victorians thought they were geraniums rather than an herbal plant but if you look at their asymmetrical leaves you can see the difference between scented geraniums and regular geraniums.
The scented geranium is truly a herbal plant for all seasons. It grows and has a lovely aroma throughout the spring and summer and when the chilly winds of autumn threaten this sturdy herbal plant will gladly co-exist inside with you. Nothing could be better when container gardening includes scented geranium with their exquisite flowers, lovely scented leaves, and sturdy characteristics for year round enjoyment of your senses.
True to their name scented geraniums come in a multitude of fragrances. Seemly, the favorite is the rose scented geranium but others are gaining popularity quickly. Some of the more robustly planted are the apple scented, peppermint scented, wood, like cedar or balsam, nutmeg and citronella (also know as the mosquito buster. ) You can plant a whole container garden with this one type of plant and have a beautiful diversity. Their leaves alone will contrast interestingly to give you a spectacular container garden. The tiny smooth leaves of the nutmeg scented geranium, or Lady Mary, to the large musk scented leaves of the Lady Plymouth.
The rose scented geraniums are gaining popularity for calming and are increasingly used in mediation and for healing purposes. The plant truly releases a delicious rose scent when rubbed against or crushed. Just brush the leaves to release their scent or make a soothing rose geranium tea to help you relax.
There are many culinary uses for the scented geranium to delight your taste buds. Chop up the leaves and mix with your other favorite herbs such as chives or chervil or thyme to make interesting flavored butters or dips and spreads. A really clever way to use the leaves is to line a baking pan when making pies, puddings or cakes to impart a wonderful flavor to your desserts. Use them for desserts, syrups or custards for another unique flavor. You can even make flavored sugar by layer dry, fresh leaves with sugar. Let them sit a few days, remove the leaves and store the sugar in an air tight container. This can be used in teas, baking goods, or as a sugar scrub. They are delightful in baths and infused in water to rinse your hair.
The scented geranium is a great as a room freshener or added to potpourri. Try adding some to your vacuum bag or put them in a mesh bag and add them to your dryer for a new fresh scent for your clothes.
Scented geraniums are grown from cuttings taken from the mother plant. Cut three to four inches just above a leaf. Strip the lower leaves off and place in a rooting medium, such as a mix of sphagnum peat moss. Place your cutting in bright light and keep it moist. When roots have been established it is time to place it in your container garden. Make sure the soil is porous and fast draining.
When the scented geranium is indoors it is necessary to feed it once a week to ensure full leaf growth. Pinching back the plant not only encourages bushy growth but releases a delicious aroma into the air. Keep the soil evenly damp; do not over water them as this will kill them. They can come back from overly dry situations but not wet ones.
Now it is time to add this multi-talented plant to your container garden. Just one word of caution, once you get to know the scented geranium your herbal garden will never be without it.
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