Life is Prismatic

Beginning Bird Watching in Winter

2012-01-07T21:35:00.001+08:00

image via Wikipedia

Observing how birds adjust to extreme atmospheric conditions of the winter weather in their natural habitats makes winter season an excellent backdrop for all bird watchers who look for birds in sheltering forests and protected ecological niches. Ruffed Grouse normally immerse deep into snow banks, where they find protection from the cold and wind. House Sparrows are found flocked together under eaves or in the corners of barns, homes, and other buildings. Vesper Sparrows, Lark Buntings, and Dickcissels also seek similar winter shelters.

Suggested Birdwatching Activities in January

Begin by writing on your journal what you observe about the bird behavior on your feeder. As the year progresses you will notice variations not only in the species of birds you see but also in behavior and feathers. On the coming year, as the cycle restarts, you will be able to make a comparison about what you observed then comparing the present notes. You could start out your observations by taking note of the food each specie favors and then the ways that the species feed. Which species feed at your tray individually at one time? Which species don't share with others or hog the tray? Which feed together at once? You'd remark that a few species are spunkier than others, nipping a morsel despite the presence of a larger or sinister bird.

by: Tip Writer

Bird Watching Tips for Winter Season

2012-01-07T11:00:00.001+08:00

A bounty of birds is commonly associated with springtime andsummer, but in paradox, the repulsing snow and falling temperatures inwintertime could also give you a highly productive bird watching experience.Tree branches are exposed, and fields, marshes, and swamps unfold for excellentviewing, so bird watchers could delight in one of the best bird watchingseasons of the year. The fun is further heightened because a lot of uncommonspecies from way up north may be seeking a more comfortable life in less cruelsurroundings in winter.

Due to more the critical situation of food availability forbird survival when the temperature drops, winter bird feeders attract strangebirds from time to time, which overcome their fear of entering a house andgarden to hunt for food. For example, even if flowers and insects are absent,hummingbirds can bear freezing temperatures as long as they can get food; andbirds that delight in southern climates would come up north due to a surplus offood supplies by feeders. Some feedersvolunteer over an entire winter season up north of its usual range, and othersstill feed long after other species already left the area. Yearly, more peoplebring out food for birds, so in various areas an increasing number of birds aremaking their initial appearances at feeders, among them Gray Catbirds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Rock and otherwrens, Verdins, varied Thrushes, Phainopeplas, Bronzed Cow-birds, LarkBuntings, Song Sparrows, and Chipping Sparrows.

Read more:
Suggested Birdwatching Activities in January

Multipurpose Basic One-Dress Pattern for Kids’ Costumes

2011-10-22T18:50:00.000+08:00

Making costumes for children or adults to wear in a play or apageant, or to a fancy-dress party, is a pleasant sewing task since most of these garments don't require finely finished details—the costume's line is the mostsignificant thing to accomplish. It takes much less time if you work with abasic dress or dress pattern that fits the person. Besides, an impatientsubject normally won't stand still long enough for you to cut and fit a muslinpattern. Begin with a simple classic dress, robe, or suit, and alter it to looklike a picture of the costumed character...READ MORE>>>

flickr image by: vauvau

Decorate Your Door With a Harvest Wreath

2011-10-17T17:55:00.002+08:00

flickr image: ByJane

How to Make a Harvest Wreath

Whether you reside high above a sprawling city or down theroad in a country cottage, autumn has that special meaning for all of us.Traditionally, autumn is a time for getting people together in local festivalsand fairs to celebrate the produce of summer. Harvest wreaths celebrate thistradition by using apples, gourds, seed pods, brightly colored leaves, driedcorn and grapes as design components.

A magnificent display of fruits of the harvest, this wreathsports a simple wicker cornucopia that has been dyed to match the root base.The basic arrangement of the wreath can be used at other times to spill forthdried flowers, or other natural dried materials.

The cornucopia is the traditional symbolization forharvests. It spills the bounty ofanother year in the fields and vineyards, expecting a good year ahead.

The wicker cornucopia is wired to a 17-inch (43-cm.) rootbase. Then a piece of styrofoam is likewise wired into the cornucopia and thewreath base. The flat materials andstreamers of calico ribbon are added to contribute to the shape of thecomposition. The bigger elements —plastic grapes, gourds, and silk apples — areadded next with picks, and those laid against the base are also attached usinghot glued. The small elements, like thepreserved leaves, more calico ribbon, Spanish moss, and okra pods are added tofill up the wreath.

More on wreaths:

How to Make a Harvest Wreath
How to Wire Flowers for a Wreath
How to Wire Pine Cones for Christmas Ornaments and Decorations

© Athena Goodlight 2011

Is it Normal for Babies to Be Bow Legged?

2011-08-25T22:41:00.000+08:00

If you notice your baby having bowed legs, the question is, should you be alarmed? The answer is a NO. Newborns have bowed legs and in-turned feet due to the position that they lay in the womb. Because no "standing room" exists in your womb, your baby naturally draws his legs up over his stomach and arches his feet inward. This position makes the leg bones to be twisted inward, resulting in the combination of bowed legs and in-turned feet. These curves virtually always correct themselves. On the first year your pediatrician would check your baby's leg growth to make certain these curvatures are straightening out normally. You could help your baby's feet and legs straighten out by discouraging sleep in the fetal position. Babies love to sleep on their tummies with their feet and legs curled underneath them as they did in the womb. By repeatedly drawing out his feet from under him while sleeping, you'll help your baby stop this habit. Besides these normal, self-correcting bone curvatures, one or both feet may be turned in since the front of the foot is curved inwards in relation to the back of the foot, a condition known as forefoot adduction. Your doctor would talk about this type of foot problem on your baby's first checkup. If, without a good deal of force, you can stretch the front of the foot in line with the back of the foot, only a small problem exists. This problem is readily treated by periodic stretching exercises which your doctor will present to you. When you stroke the skin on the outside of your infant's foot and he voluntarily unbends his foot, no deformity exists and no treatment is needed. If his foot is not straightening out normally on the first few months, your doctor may recommend orthopedic treatment.

Holiday Wreaths for Decorating The Front Door

2011-08-23T16:54:00.001+08:00

Decorations on the front door are the first impressions you give to guests throughout the holidays. There are a lot of people who display a simple wreath or pine branches even before Thanksgiving weekend. It's easy to make a mood and feeling with anything from a couple of branches of greens tied using a bow to a very ornately adorned wreath. To make your own wreath, you'll find the frames and all the fixings in a well-supplied garden center. Here are a few ideas you might pick up on.

Simply Stated

Bundle branches of winterberry and white pine and tie them together using raffia or a red ribbon having gold edges.

A Welcome Garland

Dried flowers of all types are available at garden centers and can from time to time be found in the supermarket. It's easy to handcraft a garland from pink straw flowers, wheat, lemon leaves, cockscomb, bay leaves, lavender, rosebuds, and moss. Put this to the front door or hang it on the fireplace mantel. To create a garland you'll need: heavy grade string cut to required length of garland, florist's tie wire, florist's picks, clippers, sprigs of greenery, green florist's tape, and decorative accessories like pods, berries, pinecones, and dried fruit.

1. Cut a bundle of greens about ten inches long. Hold them against the twine then wrap with florist's tape.

2. Keep on adding and wrapping greens so each bundle overlaps the previous stems.

3. Tie some wire to the pinecones and attach. Use the picks to set berries and small bunches of dried flowers. Push the picks under the green tape.

Cinnamon Bundle

Use long cinnamon sticks and pink pepperberry to make a bundle the size of a small log. Wrap jute around the center to hold them together, then hang on the door for a fragrant and simple decor.

Simply Stated

Tie a couple of pine branches together using wire and wrap with wide, taffeta ribbon, kook for ribbon that has wired edges. Deep hunter green or burgundy ribbon edged with gold is ideal. Make a fat bow. The wire edges would keep the shape of the bow intact. Cut the ends of the ribbons a bit long to have two streamers. Ruffle them into soft ripples hanging down over the pine needles. You might want to add a few small golden glass balls spread out on the pine branches for a lovely, elegant door decoration.

For the Birds

Make use of a straw ring frame to form the base of your wreath. You will need florist's wire and clippers to bind twigs and branches, a raffia bow, small birdhouse, artificial birds, bundles of birdseed covered in gauze, and a bird's nest inserted into the twigs and branches. Fill with birdseed if you wish to draw in the birds.

For the Cook

To create this simple door decoration, accumulate a bunch of fragrant sprigs of bay leaves, rosemary, and pepper berries and tie using raffia for hanging. If you don't have an overhang or your front door is not protected, consider using this decoration to hang in your kitchen alternatively.

Fruity and Fancy

Start with a balsam fir wreath. Add up bits and pieces of bark, twigs, slices of fruit, nuts, and leaves. You'll find these in craft stores and garden centers, if not around your own home. Secure them using florist's wire or a hot glue gun. Add a red plaid flannel bow for a different touch.

Seashell Wreath

You could use whatever shells for this one, but deep blue mussel shells achieve the prettiest simple wreath. Use a Bristol board or flat Styrofoam wreath frame and hot-glue the mussel shells in concentric pattern around the wreath. Furnish a simple bow fashioned from netting, or leave as it is.

Brass Band

If you have a brass knocker on your front door, apply it as part of your wreath decoration. Wire tiny golden balls to an evergreen wreath and place it on the door putting the knocker in the center.

Woodland Wreath

Start out using a fir wreath from the garden shop and make it more interesting via wiring boughs of eucalyptus, long needle pines, and cedar throughout. Add a wired white organdy bow to exquisitely top if off.

Personalized Wreath

It's easy to personalize a wreath with wooden letters. These are available in craft stores together with different wooden shapes like candy canes, stockings, stars, trees, and hearts. Paint them with bright colors and hot-glue them around a wreath frame. The letters could spell out your family name or the names of your children.

Hydrangeas

In New England, the hydrangea bushes are wonderful for wreath-making. Depending on the soil, the blossoms could be deep or pale blue, yellowish green, pale pink, or deep cranberry. These round fat bundles of blossoms are fixed to a straw or foam wreath frame with florist pins so they are bunched up and blanket the frame. This is a wreath for indoors because moisture would destroy it. Provide a bow in a color to match the flowers and you'll have one of the prettiest displays for your windows or hall.

Ribbon Wreath

Make a wreath entirely from ribbons for your entryway. You'll need a ten-inch heavy wire or brass ring and a fifty-yard spool of half-inch decorative ribbon. Cut the ribbon into ten-inch lengths and tie-up each length into a bow on the ring. Fill the ring with bows bunched up so the wreath is quite full. Keep on tying bows on the ring till you can no longer fit any more and the wreath is pleasingly plump.

Golden Greetings

Spray-paint bay leaves using gold, then mix them with unpainted leaves to create a green and gilded wreath. Using a hot glue gun, put a layer of alternating leaves on a grapevine wreath form, overlapping as you glue the leaves in place. Use gold-mesh French wire ribbon to make a bow for the top and leave the ends of the ribbons to hang down over the wreath. The gold and green of the leaves slightly shimmers.

More on Wreath Making:

How to Make a Harvest Wreath
How to Wire Flowers for a Wreath
How to Wire Pine Cones for Christmas Ornaments and Decorations

Traditional Thanksgiving Decorations

2011-08-21T13:09:00.001+08:00

If tradition is what you're after, here are a few ideas picked from many decorating sources.

1. Blanket the center of the table using a bed of bay leaves. Set up pinecones, lemons, clove-studded oranges, and limes on top. Tie bunches of cinnamon sticks using gold ribbon and place here and there.

2. Fill up a large wooden salad bowl with fruit and nuts, and tuck sprigs of rosemary.

3. Pears create a nice centerpiece. Set them up on a bed of ivy, moss, or wood chips.

4. A raw wreath of pinecones and seed pods is a great centerpiece. Put a bowl in the middle of the wreath and fill with a flower arrangement.

5. Create a table decoration using a moistened ring of florist's foam. Cover the ring by sticking in lengths of boxwood, then add up white tapers equally spaced around. Fill the center with a bowl of cranberries, and sneak in sprigs of greens. This centerpiece would last through Christmas when you put it on a tray and maintain it damp. Supply colorful ribbon bows to the base of every candle for the holidays.

6. An all-white-and-green theme is refreshingly formal. A simple flower arrangement using white tulips or roses loosely set up in a white bowl or clear glass vase is adorable. Set the table using a white linen cloth and use deep green napkins. When you only have white, tie the napkins using green ribbons and slip in a sprig of fresh-smelling herbs.

7. Three miniature topiary trees, terra-cotta pots of herbs, ornamental flowerpots, spray-painted gold paper paint buckets are all suggestions for centerpieces.

Not Bound by Tradition?

If it's actually the last minute and you do not want to fuss, mix and match everything you've got for a colorful melangé. You don’t have to be bound by tradition. Use unusual containers and items to set a creative table. For instance, fill a basket with balls of yarn in fall colors, scoop up holes in the tops of fruit for candleholders, fill a punch bowl using twinkling Christmas tree lights, float flower heads in a silver bowl full of water, or employ a champagne bucket as a vase.

Creative Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece Ideas

Tips on Decorating Your Home For Autumn

Planning a Thanksgiving Party for All Ages

How to Roast a Turkey and Other Poultry The Fastest Way

Alternatives to Turkey: Recipes for Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinners

By Athena Goodlight

Older Pregnancies and Risk of Having Down's Syndrome Babies

2011-08-17T15:47:00.002+08:00

image credit

Having a baby at an older age increases the risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome. Should you worry? The answer to this is NO. Too much anxiety is produced because misleading info is given to older parents who are having babies; when the mother is between thirty-five and forty years of age, the chances of having a baby with Down's syndrome is approximately one percent. This implies that you have a ninety-nine percent chance of having a baby without Down's syndrome.

Lawfully, your doctor should inform you that there is a test known as amniocentesis, which would discover whether or not your baby has Down's syndrome. This process is performed around the fourteenth or fifteenth week of pregnancy. You doctor sticks in a needle through your abdomen into the amniotic cavity and gets some amniotic fluid. This fluid is examined for abnormalities in fetal chromosomes, the sex of the baby, and specific chemical information that might suggest the presence of particular diseases. Amniocentesis is normally a safe procedure, but it is not without risks. The risk of trauma to the fetus is usually less than one half of one percent when done by experienced medical personnel. Due to the slight risk of injury to the fetus, a lot of mothers choose not to have this operation done. If you are highly anxious about having a baby with Down's syndrome, spending the whole pregnancy with this anxiety is likewise not healthy for your pre-born baby. Some moms choose this prenatal test to alleviate their anxiety even though they will not consider having an abortion. There are newer tests (alpha fetal protein, followed by chorionic villus sampling when indicated) that can be executed even earlier in your pregnancy to observe the presence or absence of Down's syndrome even as early as ten weeks after conception. Chorionic villus sampling bears a higher risk to the developing baby, it is not recommended. Some mothers just feel that the moment of birth is soon enough to become mindful of any problem that could not be adjusted while the baby is still in utero. Society, we feel, is slowly realizing that special babies truly are special babies.

Different Ways A Dad Can Hold His Baby

2011-08-16T22:08:00.001+08:00

image credit

Mother hold their babies one way, fathers hold their babies otherwise, and babies profit from this difference. Here are some tested favorite holding models for fathers.

1. The football hold. Drape your baby tummy down over your forearm like a football, baby's neck in the crook of your arm and the diaper region in your hand. Grasp the diaper area firmly in your hand and mildly press the base of the palm of your hand against your baby's tense abdomen.

2. The neck nestle. This is one actually works better for males. Nestle your baby's head on the curvature of your neck, permitting your chin to rest on top of baby's head. Gently push her head to your Adam's apple. Babies hear using the vibration of their skull bones as well as their eardrums. Sing a droning on song, like "Old Man River," in a rich male voice. The vibrations of your voice box and jawbones on your baby's thin skull will oftentimes lull a fussy baby right to sleep. An added magnet of the neck nestle is that your baby would feel the warm air from your nose on her scalp. Seasoned mothers relate that breathing on their babies' faces or heads calms them. Fathers could have a "magic breath" all their own.

3. The front bend. Fussy babies frequently settle better in the bent position as though this relaxes the spinal muscles and hence the whole body. Having your baby facing you, flex baby's legs on your chest, and support her back with one hand and the nape of her neck with the other. When baby is bent in a C positioning, she often settles better and releases more gas. If she squirms in the back-forward position, turn baby around, still bent, and allow her to face forward, leaving her back and head to rest on your chest while holding her outstretched legs over your folded arms.

4. The shoulder ride. About six months a baby's head control has developed adequately so she can sit upright and enjoy riding on your shoulders. Babies appear to like this riding position around five or six months since their hands, head, and back are less confined and they have a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of their world.

5. Select the right baby carrier. Most fathers don't feel comfortable with several of the baby carriers on the market because there are so many straps and buckles for the impatient male. The sling-type carrier works best for men since it is much easier to adjust. It is frustrating to pick up a fussy baby and try to make several adjustments in a carrier that has been previously adjusted to follow your wife's body. This is known as the art of wearing your baby—and it's as significant for fathers to learn as for mothers.

By Athena Goodlight

Night Wakers: Understanding Your Baby’s Sleeping Patterns

2011-08-12T14:24:00.000+08:00

A lot of books do proclaim that babies must be sleeping through the night at three months, but most babies haven't read these books. In actual fact, the only babies who sleep through the night at three months are "somebody else's baby." The age at which babies settle down—meaning going to sleep readily and staying asleep—varies staggeringly and is typically a reflection of your baby's temperament and not of your night time parenting skills. Remember that throughout the first six months, or even a year for some babies, a baby wakes up easily. They don't wake up to bother you or to deliberately keep you awake. Doctors realize that babies do what they do because they're designed that way. An exhaustive explanation of why babies sleep differently than adults will help you understand and therefore sympathize with your baby's frequent night waking.

Babies and adults have two dissimilar sleep patterns. For simplicity we will call these two patterns light sleep and deep sleep. During light sleep, the higher brain centers are not entirely shut down and the sleeper could awaken easily. During deep sleep, the higher brain centers shut down, leaving the sleeper to drift into a very deep, almost motionless state of sleep. The main difference between adult and baby sleep is that grownups spend around eighty percent of their night sleep in the state of deep sleep, whereas with babies the opposite is true. They spend most of the night in light sleep. This hardly looks fair to you till you realize that babies are deliberately designed that way for both survival and developmental reasons. A baby has the highest percentage of light sleep throughout those early months when his nighttime necessities are highest, but his ability to convey them is lowest. Say he had a stuffy nose and could not breathe, yet could not easily awaken to communicate this need? Suppose he were hungry and required food, yet didn't easily awaken to cry? Suppose he was cold and didn't easily awaken to signal this need for warmth? If a baby had the equal predominance of deep sleep states as we do, his survival will be in peril. As the baby grows older, the percentage of light sleep slowly decreases as the percentage of deep sleep increases.

Some other interesting reason why babies have a huge percentage of light sleep is linked to their need for developmental stimulation. Prominent sleep researchers feel that during the state of light sleep, the higher brain centers keep on functioning, and this operation is essential for the brain to mature. When this theory was explained to a very tired mother of a frequent night waker, she exclaimed, "In that case my baby is going to be very, very smart!"

Baby Feeding and Social Development

2011-08-12T14:19:00.000+08:00

You may have a six-month-old baby nursing from the breast frequently and it can be an easy and enjoyable method of feeding him. Some may not look forward to starting solid foods, but your pediatrician may recommend that it is time. Here are some tips on how you can enjoy feeding him solids just as you've enjoyed him breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is not just nutritional but also social and developmental interaction. Solid feeding could be as well. Regard solid food feeding as an add-on to, not a substitute for, breastfeeding. Get the most out of this new relationship. Besides using your fingertip and a spoon to begin solids, let your baby to feed himself. Place a little of mashed banana within grabbing distance on his table or high-chair tray. Take advantage of your baby's rapidly developing hand skills. Around six months babies swoop upon anything of interest placed in front of them. You'll discover your baby can soon pick up a morsel of food between his thumb and fingers and slowly bring it to his mouth. In the beginning phases of finding his mouth, the baby might have more misses than hits, resulting in much of the food being scattered all over his cheeks. Sharing the food with his face and shirt is part of feeding. Let your baby the undergo trial and error; in time practice makes perfect.

Letting your baby to feed himself capitalizes on some research on infant learning. A skill that's started by the baby has more learning value and attention-holding power than one initiated by the parent and simply took part in by the baby. Relish table talk. Talk to your baby when feeding. Talk about both the food and the process so that he learns to tie in the words with the type of food and the interactions soon to follow. Say such things as "Matthew want carrots . . . open mouth!" as you gently approach his mouth with the solid-laden spoon. Talking to your baby when feeding also helps you know if he's really interested in taking solids at a particular time. When his face lights up and his mouth opens when you talk, this gives you a clue that he is ready. Allow the baby to watch your mouth open; odds are he will mimic your facial motion.

Reading the feeding cues of your baby, promoting self-feeding, and advancing slowly all lead to a significant rule of baby feeding: producing a healthy feeding attitude. To a baby, eating isn't only a nutritional requisite but a developmental skill. The more a baby enjoys an experience, the more efficiently he advances in that skill. Infant feeding not just provides fun and nutrition for the baby; it also helps parents watch and enjoy their baby's rapidly developing hand skills. Feeding is a social interaction, not just a nutritional necessity. Enjoy it!

Party Idea: A Chocolate Themed Party

2011-07-19T20:03:00.000+08:00

Several chocolate festivals are celebrated by hundreds of thousands of chocolate lovers worldwide. These include Chocolate Lovers’ Festival, Salon Du Chocolat, Garfield Park Chocolate Show, Eurochocolate, Chocolate Rush, and Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival. They converge to these events to see and sample terrific creations from world-renowned chocolate makers and take delight in chocolate-inspired activities.

The pleasure and fun you will feel is doubled when you go to these festivals of gaiety in the fellowship of your chocolate loving patrons. Eating mountains of chocolates of various kinds and sizes will surely drive you crazy. You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of cash to enjoy these festivals. You can stage a chocolate party of your own. You don’t even have to be an expert party planner to organize this. All you need is a bit of help and some sparks of ingenuity!

The Menu
A sit down, four-course meal is not necessary unless you insist. Hold it just like a common cook out Sunday. Serve pork chops, chicken, mashed potatoes, pasta, or anything you are at ease with! The magic happens when the meat pieces can be made special by adding some chocolate-inspired sauces such as the "mole," a Mexican, chili-chocolate recipe. Make it climactic with chocolate deserts of cakes, pastries and, of course a mound of chocolate assortments. Be sure to have loads of them since you will be needing them for games and other activities! You need not to buy expensive gourmet chocolates, just get the regular ones, or your favorite brands - unless your theme is about gourmet chocolates. You may also call for a pot-luck chocolate party to save you more money and get more participation from the guests.
If you prefer to serve fondue, then set up fondue pairs like fruits, marshmallows, and pretzels. Explore wines that would pair well with chocolates, too. And also don’t forget to serve an assortment of drinks that will help wash down your guests’ palates.

Plan The Setting
Bring out your nicest linens — even better if you have chocolate designed-linens. You can prepare two or three tables. One will be used for eating and the other to hold the chocolates and wines. You may also have a table to display the desserts that your choco-loving guests may wish to indulge in at anytime they want to during the party.

Adorn your party area by integrating chocolate brown hues in your design. Set the audio system and match the ambiance with nice and happy music. And finally, ensure that your programme is set up along with the stuff that you will need in games or activities.

flickr image by _e.t.

Chocolate Party Fun Ideas
Here are some ideas you can do at your chocolate party besides chocolate and wine tasting. You may select one or a few of them, which is possible that can easily be done without being forced to spend so a lot.
1. Who Can Eat The Most Chocolates?
2. Paint With Chocolate – using chocolates and fingers or hands to create art.
3. Chocolate Gallery - Set up an exhibit on the history of chocolates with pictures included and display them so everyone can see and learn at the same time.
4. Chocolate Poker – Substitute chips with chocolate pieces. The winning guest takes home whatever chocolates they won.
5. Baking Challenge – A baking contest on making the best chocolate cake or cookie.
6. Chocolate cooking demonstration – A great way to learn and share a novel chocolate recipe
Now, you don’t have to wait for a special event to organize a chocolate party! Just being a chocolate buff is a sufficient reason. But if you wish to make your Thanksgiving, birthday, reunion, anniversary or any gathering fancier allow the chocolate lover in you emerge and let your dearest family or friends experience a feast that was once only made for kings!

Home Child Safety Tips for New Parents

2011-07-19T17:19:00.000+08:00

Several measures can be taken to see to it that the diverse elements in your house are safe for children especially for babies and toddlers. For example, baby walkers may become dangerous items for babies and toddlers, as they can cause children to fall down stairs or bump their head on a sharp corner. Always make sure that safety gates are properly installed and that the cribs meet current safety standards. Gates that can be fastened to walls are ideal to be placed at the top landing area of stairs, while spring-loaded gates are best for the foot of stairs.

Next, check different parts of the cribs, such as the mattress, the frame, and the screws. When it comes to bathtub safety, remember these tips: A child may drown even in just an inch of water in less than a minute! Within a few seconds, hot water from a faucet can scald a person’s skin. In fact, a child’s skin can get burned in one-fourth of the time needed for an adult’s skin to get burned! Before bathing your baby in the bathtub water, rest the temperature using your elbow. When bathing for your baby, consistently start out and end the bathing process, with cool water. If you should leave the bathroom during your child’s bath time, take your child along with you. During the bath teach your child to keep seated in the bathtub the whole duration of the bath time to avoid the risk of slipping and bumping the head.

While certain parts of the house can be dangerous to children, just remember that child safety products can help to ensure their safety. Be mindful of the items that your child puts in his or her mouth. Prevent your child from choking on and swallowing objects by keeping items that are small enough to fit in a child’s mouth out of reach especially for babies and toddlers. Objects that pose a threat to very young children when swallowed include tiny toy parts, chips, seeds, small candies and nuts, wrapping paper, popcorn, broken balloons, batteries, and hot dogs. To prevent your young child from choking on food, cut solid foods that are hard and round, into smaller strips. Instruct children to always chew their food slowly and remain sitting up during meals or snacks. As a parent, it is important to know very well the signs of choking and the steps needed to take when it happens.

Aside from choking on small objects, be aware that the majority of homes can contain about 200-300 poisons. Teach children the danger symbols on bottles and containers, so they will understand the danger of touching or even consuming such products. Items such as household chemical cleaners; nail polish; perfume; cosmetics and some poisonous plants should be kept away from children’s reach, as they become toxic when consumed. Even party leftovers, certain medications, and holiday decorations can be toxic to children! Also remember the difference between “child-resistant” caps from “child-proof” versions.

© 2010 Athena Goodlight

Single Parenting and Discipline Issues With Preschool Children

2011-07-19T16:13:00.001+08:00

After a divorce, legal separation, or death of a spouse reality soon sets in that only one parent will have custody of the children. In many cases, these are experienced by parents of pre-school children. How does a single parent cope with child discipline issues?

The custodial parent should continue household functions and implement family discipline. Depending on the previous family participation by the husband, a lot of mothers find coping by themselves extremely difficult. After a divorce, family routines often become disorganized and discipline is slackened. At a time when organization and consistent discipline are needed, your capability to nurture the whole household decreases because you are straining to reorganize yourself. Try the following strategies to cope with this situation:

1. Children do not adjust easily to too many changes quickly. If changes (e.g., different house, school, city) are necessary, undertake these bit by bit and with preparation. Family life must go on and apparently some changes are required. As your children grow they will have to take on some added responsibility. This is a nonnegotiable fact of single-parent household life. Gather the children in a form of family council and make a list of the new responsibilities to be portioned out and let each child have a say in picking out his or her contribution. Squeezing in too many duties on your children at this vulnerable time may cause them to rebel and further resent the divorce (if this was the case). Organization in the household makes the children's general adjustment and your discipline much easier to handle.

3. Single parents have to run a tight ship. Remember, discipline also entails emotional support. If you increase both your expectations of your children and your methods of expressing your love to them, they will most likely honor the changes in discipline.

4. Following a divorce or death, a single parent often moves back to the town of the grandparents. Grandparents can offer valuable support, both for the parent, who needs love and company, and for the children, who may need the love and care only a blood relative can provide. Your children may gravitate to the grandfather as a father figure, which is normally healthy behavior. Single-parent support groups and church fellowships may also provide you with social contacts and valuable support.

5. You cannot be both a mother and father to your children. This cliché is unrealistic. If you are a good mother, be a good mother; if you are a good father, continue to be a good father. A lot of single mothers are understandably concerned about providing male role models in their children's lives. Mothers are not expected to become baseball players and plumbers overnight. You can allow opportunities for your children to meet males who will act as role models at school, clubs, religious and sports events. Appreciate that a male role model is not a backup for a continued father-child relationship. The main goal in raising your child through a divorce is to uphold his sense of security within the broken family.

Most preschool children of divorce experience the following types of behaviors.

Because many preschool children do not express their feelings, they may show regressive behavior. This results from a sense of loss and insecurity, and may manifest in the form of thumb sucking, masturbation, mood swings, and sleep disturbances (caused by a fear of waking up and finding mommy gone too). Children may also regress in developmental advancement, such as toilet training. The preschool child may cleave to the custodial parent for fear of losing that parent, too. He may crave attention and not let you out of his sight. He may also feel that he is at fault for daddy's departure. The child's energy needs and behavioral changes put an added stress on you as a custodial parent at the same time that you are struggling with your own adjustment. If possible, delay any sudden modifications in your parent-child relationship, such as a return to work or school, for a couple of months. Your preschool child may be too young to realize your needs and may translate your departures as desertion. Try to accept his desire to sleep with you and accompany you wherever you go. Allow your child to be near you as often as possible.

Download free ebook: Effective Single Parenting

How to Shop for Baby’s Shoes

2011-07-17T21:52:00.000+08:00

What factors should parents look for when buying a pair of shoes for the baby who has just started walking?

The feet of the babies and their style of walking are as unique as their faces and smiles. When the baby starts taking those first steps, it's time to shop for baby shoes. There are four basic but important parts of a shoe you should consider:

The sole. As a general rule, the earlier the stage of walking, the thinner and more flexible shoe sole should be. Before buying a baby shoe, bend it by hand to check its flexibility. As you fit your baby's shoes, observe how your baby walks. The shoe should bend at the toes as the baby takes each step.

The counter (back of the shoe). To ensure a good fit, the counter should be firm. Squeeze the counter between the thumb and index finger as proof. If it feels too soft, it will be easily be worn out with use, which causes the shoe to slip off.

Heel. With the first shoe for your baby, a small heel is advised to help avoid dangerous backward falls.

Top and side of the shoe. These parts of the shoe should bend easily when the baby walks. If the top and side does not crease easily, it means the baby shoe is not flexible enough and the baby's foot could not bend in a natural manner while walking.

The choice of an experienced shoe salesman and a shoe store reputation important when caring for your baby's feet. When trying on shoes for yourself, it is easy to tell if shoes fit by the way they feel. But the baby cannot say whether a particular shoe feels good or not. Therefore, in the same way that you trust with your pediatrician to give advice throughout the stages of your baby's development, you should also be able to trust a shoe salesman for his advice on the footwear needs of your baby. A shoe salesperson should be someone who understands progression fitting. This means that he can properly match the changes in the baby's size and design of shoes with the progressive changes in the style of walking and growth of the foot.

Parents often ask about the shoe height. Since the baby's heel is not yet well formed during the first two years, there isn't much to hold the shoe to the foot. This is the reason why some babies need to have higher shoes than others, depending on the growth of the heel. Many babies can manage to walk in a three-quarter boot type, which is not as high as the traditional high-ankle styles, giving more freedom of movement while staying on your baby's feet as well. A well-trained shoe salesman can advise you as to what height of the shoe is best for your baby.

Is Your Baby Ready to Wear Shoes?

2011-07-17T18:31:00.001+08:00

flickr photo by Sarah Essex Matthews

Foot specialists have varying opinions on when babies should wear their first pair of shoes. Some perceive that babies should learn to walk barefoot. After your baby has been attempting to walk for a couple of months, you may try giving him or her some shoes. Your baby's feet will continue to develop just as well without any type of footwear, but most parents find that shoes are required for the beginning walker. Baby shoes help protect your baby's tender feet from the rough surfaces, splinters, and sharp objects that lie on the path. Babies who are learning to walk looks ahead more often, not down, and these uncautious little feet are likely to bump into anything.

Some foot specialists feel that shoes help a baby walk better, others do not. The reason why shoes may help some babies walk better is that the flat, even soles of the shoes provide lateral stability for a young tenderfoot. Walking is a balancing act. Your baby balances on one foot while swinging the other foot ahead. Baby shoes worn on a baby's feet are like flippers on a scuba diver- they square off and widen the margins of the foot, providing a steady, stable surface for the balancing foot while the free foot forges ahead. The baby shoe insoles also provide a surface for your baby's toes to first grip and then push off of when taking a step. If the walking surface is soft and yielding, such as a thick, carpet or a sponge pad in a playpen, a barefoot baby's toes may sink in too much and make walking difficult. When your baby is beginning to take his or her first steps, you may try getting a first pair of shoes. If your baby walks better in them, then your baby is ready for shoes.

Read also on Tips on Buying Baby Shoes

Advantages of Using Gas Barbeque Grills

2011-07-02T18:51:00.000+08:00

The routine of Barbequing or Grilling has been around for a long time. Cavemen easily realized that food tasted great after it was cooked over an open fire. Barbequing has been a standard American custom for families. Not only does the food that goes with barbequing have a taste that is unrivaled by different cooking techniques, but it also affords a family a reason to get together outdoors. Nowadays, over 90% of families in the U.S. hold or attend barbeque about once a year. Almost 70% of all of the barbeques are done on a gas grill.

Gas grills operate using a spark igniting the gas inside the grill. Gas grills normally have a knob or button where in you push, that in turn activates a small hammer. The hammer collides with the top of an ignition crystal. Then the burner mixes the gas with oxygen and disperses it all over the cooking surface. This makes the gas grill among the easiest, and quickest grills to use.

Gas grills are suitable for virtually any kind of barbequing party since they come in all shapes and sizes. Smaller gas grills afford you the portability needed to plan barbeque parties away from home. Bigger gas grills are handy and effective for cooking larger amounts of food rapidly, and without the mess of other kinds of grills.

There are numerous factors that you must take into account when you buy your first gas grill.

Weight

The kind of grill you buy should actually depend on what you plan on using the grill for. When you envision barbeques at the beach, camping trips, or tailgate parties, you might want to consider availing a smaller gas grill. Smaller gas grills can range anywhere from 10 to 40 pounds. Portable gas containers are likewise available for these kinds of grills.

If your plans are more centralized on home cooking, then bigger grills would suit you very well.

Cooking Surfaces

Gas grills, as opposed to other grill types, have the capacity to come with several types of cooking surfaces. These unique cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a ribbed grill and a flat grill. Some grills even provide these types of surfaces as none stick, which grant you to cook a whole range of foods that you might not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You'll be able to cook your entire meal, including side dishes if you plan properly.

Some gas grills even bear a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rice dishes, or a full rotisserie set which affords you to cook rotisserie chicken.

Surface Area

Similar to weight, you must consider the quantity of cooking surface area you'll need, based on the circumstances you'll be in. When you'll just be cooking for yourself or you and one other, a gas grill having a smaller surface area will be easier to clean. If you plan on throwing parties or cooking for a larger family, a gas grill with a larger surface area is the way to go.

This surface area might also include several types of cooking surfaces. Seek the type that suits you best, or is exchangeable.

Cost

Gas grills are normally on the higher end of the price scale, as they need more mechanical parts than other grills. You can look to spend anywhere from $50 for a smaller grill up to $400+ for a huge stationary grill.

You also have to keep in mind that you must also buy the gas for your grill. Propane can be bought at your local grocery store, superstore, or from a dealer. Bottoms come in all sizes, having miniature versions for portable gas grills.

Games for a 4th of July Party

2011-07-02T10:51:00.000+08:00

If you are hosting a 4th of July party, you will have many hours to fill prior to the highlights of the day commence - the fireworks. You will prefer to have a lot of activities and games designed to have everyone busy and entertained.

There is a wide range of games you are able to plan that contain a patriotic theme.

Balloon pass - This game includes relaying a balloon down a line of individuals. Employ balloons that are red, white and blue and ask the participants they'll be using their hands and their legs to give the balloon down the line. Make two teams of people, and have them form straight lines. Give the first individual a balloon and ask them to place it between their legs, passing the balloon to the next person in line using their legs only. That someone will get the balloon and pass it to the following person by placing it over their head. That third person would put the balloon between their legs and hand it to the next person like that. The game carries on until the balloon has passed all the way along the line. When you have a small group, demand that the balloon get passed down the line and back again before announcing a winner.

Chalk it up - select a panel of judges (the oldest members of the family are the apparent picks) and let them be the official judges for a chalk competition. Break your guests into two teams (or more, based on how many people are at the party) and hand them each one or two containers of sidewalk chalk. Ask them to make a sidewalk picture that exhibits something patriotic, and specify the flag must be included in the picture. Give them a time bound (based on your group, this time limit might range from 10 minutes to 45 minutes) and then have the judges announce a winner after they have diligently studied all the artwork. You may have art-themed prizes for the winners.

Parade - One fun 4th of July activity that just shouts "4th of July!" is a parade having decorated bikes, scooters and the like. Tell everyone who attends the party to adorn their bike or scooter or some item in patriotic garb. You may have people bring them to the party already ornamented and have a competition for "best bike", etc., but also fun is to hold a decorating party within the party. Get all the items on hand to dress the bikes and scooters and skateboards. You may have streamers, banners, flags, and ribbons. The kids and adults can decorate their bikes and scooters as a party activity.

Guessing Game - These games are constantly popular for virtually any occasion. Take a large jar with peppermint candy (the red and white striped type) and decorate it using blue and red ribbon. Have people judge how many candies are in the jar (which naturally implies you count as you place the candies in the jar). The winner, or the individual who gets closest to the number without going over, begets the jar of candy.

Fireworks - If you are having fireworks at your home, you may have a big box of various fireworks. Everybody has their personal favorites and people may have clear ideas of what they prefer to see and hear. You may play a game to judge who gets to choose the next firework to go off next. You may ask trivia questions (why are there 13 stars on the flag?). Or you could have a dance off. While music plays, each individual who truly wants to pick the next firework to go off has to dance the craziest, silliest dance they can muster up. Somebody who's been assigned a judge will select who won the dance off and that person gets to pick the next fireworks item. Unless there are more fireworks than people, each one only gets to pick once.

Freeing Hummingbirds Trapped in Your Garage

2011-06-29T21:40:00.000+08:00

For some reason, birds, particularly hummingbirds, buzz inside a lot of garages. They fly up inside the rafters and will not come back down and fly out of the garage. For hummingbirds, who require eating every fifteen minutes or so, that’s a problem. So why don’t they fly back out of the garage?

If you have a hummingbird feeder, hang them low to the ground (preferably on a long string) in plain view in front of the open door. This could help to draw out the hungry bird down to where it can see back out into the real world and freedom. Hummingbirds are easiest to lure because they’re very attracted to anything red. That’s why they feed on red pink, and purple flowers. Put as much different red things as you can find on the ground just inside and outside the open garage door with things like red cloth, red flowers, red paper, etc. Then back off so you don’t frighten the bird and keep it up in the rafters. There was a case of the hummingbird trapped from high inside the steeple area of a huge church. Spreading a red tablecloth on the floor lured it down and out through the open doors.

On uncommon occasions, trapped songbirds are capable of working things out for themselves with a little help from their friends, who are sometime chirping in a tree just outside the garage door. But if all else fail, you may have to throw a bath towel over the bird, catch it, and release it yourself.

Wild creatures that live in the city have to develop a whole new set of behaviors to help them cope with the man made surroundings. Birds that instinctively fly up and away to get out of trouble have to modify that escape reaction and learn to fly down and out via doors and windows when they get cornered in buildings. It’s happening, albeit slowly, then again Mother Nature has a mind of her own and never was one to move quick or make snap decisions.

© 4/19/2011 Athena Goodlight on Quazen

Tips on Finding Treatment for Cat Ringworm

2011-06-29T19:27:00.000+08:00

Ringworm is among the common skin diseases affects the health of many cats. This skin disease is not made by worms, but by a type of fungus. Ringworm sores on the cat's skin are circular, which probable caused people to formerly believe that a worm curled under the skin, was causing this disease, when in reality, no worms are involved. If you suspect that your pet cat is infected with ringworm, consult with a vet to have your cat diagnosed properly. Ringworm causes the fur to shed and may cause irritating itch.

Four species of fungi are culprits to cat ringworm or dermatophytosis. These organisms have adapted well to a cat’s body; therefore roughly 20% of cats have ringworm yet would not exhibit any external manifestations of the disease. Ringworm typically thrives in dead skin, nails, and hair of a living creature, utilizing the keratin in the tissues as nourishment.

The development of ringworm in cats is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. According to some studies, certain cat breeds are more prone to ringworm than other breeds. Ringworm quickly spreads among cats; therefore, mating cats encounter this problem, too.

Cat ringworm, may be treated in several ways. First, anti-fungal medications may be given to help clear up the fungi thriving on the cat's body. Some medications may have side effects, so be sure that you only buy the medications upon the prescription of the veterinarian to ensure that you are giving only what is safer for your cat. There are anti-fungal shampoo baths that also work. If available, go for the organic and natural pet products. These anti fungal baths must be given on a regular basis, but it's not such a big deal if your cat won't mind the water. Other pets you have must be treated as well to stop the ringworm from spreading. There are pet vaccines available that can fight ringworm. Cats with very thick coats or long fur may need to be get really good clipping from the pet groomer to clear up the infected area.

Take note that ringworm can also infect humans, especially children. Therefore, if your pet cat has ringworm, or if you think this is the case, consult your vet immediately. You need to know what specific course of action to take to deal with your cat's ringworm as well as to stop the fungi from infecting other animals and family members.

The Charm of Roses and Rose Gardens

2011-06-27T23:05:00.000+08:00

Roses are always popular. In whatever country you go, in any part of the world, a rose carries a universal charm in any culture. The complexities of this lovely flower continue to beguile many people for centuries. Rose varieties can be classified into various types and so are rose gardens.

Many rose gardens have the genus Rosa rose species. The main attraction of these breed of roses is its capacity to grow into large sizes. They come in varying hues of white, pink, or red.

Old European Garden Roses are the hybrid types that were in vogue before the Rosa chinesis variety became the leading choice during 18th century. But the good old garden rose, remains popular to this day. It is perfect especially for new rose gardens. It can endure extreme cold weather and are resistant to a lot of rose diseases, blooms beautifully and gives off a heady fragrance.

Many modern day roses are cross bred from the tea rose variety. Many rose gardens incorporate these flowers with a selection of shrub rose breeds. These are popular for their pretty appearance, long-lasting quality, and tolerance of almost all types of rose diseases.

If you are among the more adventurous rose enthusiasts, you may wish to commission a botanist to create a hybrid rose with your own distinct rose character. It will definitely cost you a quite an amount unless you are a close relative or a best friend of the botanist or horticulturist, but it will be surely be worth the extra cost. Classified in various type and forms, a rose in any form continues to the most favored flower of all.

The First Birthday Party: For Baby and for Adults

2011-06-23T17:58:00.000+08:00

All over the world birthdays are celebrated in many different ways, often grand if possible. People spend large amounts of money and time to plan and hold these special parties that last for a couple of hours.

When a new bundle of joy arrives we usually spend the first year so fussy that it seems just right to celebrate that special day with a big festivity with family and friends.

Since a baby’s first birthday is a huge milestone in life, it is typically celebrated among friends and family particularly those people who saw the mother grow and give birth, then saw how the baby grew throughout the first year. Now they have a reason to gather to celebrate again.

And since babies don’t remember their first birthday, it really makes the occasion more important for the parents.

One essential thing that the birthday babies do is to celebrate with their own piece of cake, or even their own little cake.

image source

Usually they are left to do what they want with it and sometimes with a little encouragement, the baby digs in and enjoys the cake and icing on his or her hands and face as a first birthday treat. Everyone understands that they will make a mess and, of course pictures will be taken, which is all part of the fun.
Similar to all birthdays, presents are given to the birthday baby. Most often, toys and clothes are given because they spend their initial years outgrowing almost everything they have.
Since nearly all first birthday parties are so overwhelming, babies tend to doze off, after some crying or baby tantrum spurts, in the middle of the celebration leaving the parents, family and friends to enjoy the rest of the party with food and goodies. More often than not, this is the best part of the event for the adults.

Image via Wikipedia

Most Popular Types of Apples

2011-06-23T17:48:00.000+08:00

In the past, there have been just a few kinds of apple trees which you could buy. But nowadays, thanks to the marvels of genetic engineering, if you prefer to buy an apple tree you're able to choose between many several types of apples and flavors. Here is an outline of five different popular kinds of apples that you may consider for your first apple tree.

The Fuji apple, first introduced in Japan, has been available since 1962. The Fuji apple bears yellow-green skin having red streaks down the side. The inside is delectable and sweet. It's white, crisp, crunchy, and very flavorsome. It turns ripe by mid-September, but tastes the best if it's left to completely mature till October or November. These apples would start maturating early and grow abundantly. They're good for cross-pollinating other apples. The Fuji tree can stand wet, dry, or poor soil, but the fruit character will most probably reflect the quality of the soil.

Gala apples are a terrific tasting import coming from New Zealand. The Gala apple comes with yellow skin with a slight speck of red, and it is medium in size. The insides are yellow, firm, crisp, very juicy and smells great. When they're fresh they are among the best tasting apples you are able to grow. They grow easily, and the trees bear fruit heavily. They turn ripe in late July. They're usually not utilized for cooking, only because Fuji is a better option. The trees can mature in wet, dry, and poor soil too.

The delightful Braeburn apples' color changes from gold with red streaks to almost entirely red. It was first popularized some time in the latter part of 1940's. It also came from New Zealand together with the Fuji, and is nowadays the best selling apple in Germany. The insides are white, aromatic, firm, crisp and juicy. They are sweet, but also a bit tart. The size varies from medium to large. They were brought in to the United States about 1980, and met with great exuberance. They're some of the most popular apples in the world. They typically don't become brown very quickly after being cut. They turn ripe along October or November.

As red as its name exclaims, the Red Delicious apple is quite tall and large. Their yellow insides are crisp, juicy, sweet, and delicious. They're grown around the country, and are excellent to put in salads. They're typically recognized by their distinguishable heart shape. They were introduced in 1874 in Peru, Iowa. They turn ripe in mid to late September. They're usually great when they're fresh off the tree.

Golden Delicious apples have excellent, juicy flavor. Their insides are crisp, firm, white, and sweet. They are great for cooking because they keep their great taste and shape. The skin is thin and soft. They are best for salads. They vary in size from medium to large. They're shaped just like the red delicious apple. A lot of people enjoy them, though they bruise kinda easily. They turn ripe in late September. It's good for several purposes, and they last a long time when not handled roughly.

Facts About the Mission Style Architecture of California

2011-06-19T21:29:00.000+08:00

In 1810 New Spain announced its independence and turned into the Republic of Mexico, and in 1834 the missions were secularized. They fell under rapid decay, and with the arrival of Americans from the East during the gold rush and with the population explosion, they were nearly forgotten. A lot of myths and legends have romanticized this brief period in Western history, which was certainly more drudgery than romantic delight, and yet these short-lived mission buildings and their gardens have maintained a heavy influence which goes on to this day. Some of the designs of Western agriculture set by the missions prosper in modern-day California. The first vineyards were planted by the padres to give sacramental wine, and the first citrus plantations were cultivated to supply oranges and lemons to cure' scurvy-ridden sailors who docked at California harbors after spending months at sea.

image source

When America started to search for indigenous styles of architecture at the end of the 19th century, the East Coast turned to the colonial past for some inspiration. In the West, the collapsing missions seemed to indicate a native style. In 1894, architect Arthur B. Benton, designer of the Mission Inn in Riverside, and historian Charles Fletcher Lummis established the California Landmarks Club to repair the mission buildings, and to prompt the growing population of its Mexican roots. The Mission Style, utilizing altogether the well-known design components of the old buildings, was formulated between 1891 and 1915. City halls, schools, railroad terminals and museums were built up using arches, pergolas, tile roofs and patios. Irving Gill was the master of this period, though he never replicated the style or its decorative motifs. He enjoyed the missions and the old ranch houses and he accommodated the basic elements he admired. He wrote, "The contour, coloring and history of a country influences its architecture. California is influenced, and rightly so, by the Spanish missions as well as by the rich colorings and form of the low hills and wide valleys. The missions are a part of its history and should be preserved, and in their long, low lines, graceful arcades, tile roofs, bell towers, arched doorways and walled gardens we find a most expressive medium of retaining tradition, history and romance. In coloring and general form, they are exactly suited to the romantic requirements of the country."

Churrigueresque: Spanish Baroque Style of Architecture in the Americas

2011-06-19T21:06:00.000+08:00

In seventeenth century Italy, the Baroque style of architecture, interior design and furniture used the Graeco-Roman lexicon in boldly sculptured and theatrical statements. Facades fell back and projected into space, and the elaborated rhythms produced by rippling curves and counter-curves brought about a sense of exciting movement. These Baroque art forms, especially as they were adopted and adapted by Spain, Mexico and South America, were re-adapted and integrated into the Mediterranean revival styles in the 1920s in California and the West.

image source

Spanish Colonial Revival style for the Panama–California Exposition (1915) via Wikipedia

Since Spain physically dominated so much of the Western world for centuries, its design has imparted an indelible effect on the Americas. The design it brought in to the West in the 15th century was a mixture of Christian and Moorish ingredients. The Moors came to the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century imparting their own art forms, and before they were booted out after the battle of Granada in 1492 they had built up significant structures in many parts of Spain. Disallowed by the Koran to use natural forms or the human figure for ornament, they drew on their considerable skill as mathematicians to produce abstract patterns in elaborately interlaced straight and arched lines for the decoration of plaster, wood and tile. They used vivid colors, gold and silver in minor and complex patterns. Their motifs included stars, crescents, crosses, hexagons, octagons, pine cones and cockleshells. They polished the art of wood carving for doors and wooden ceilings. They tremendously amplified the use of ceramics and architectural tile. A lot of their rooms had quarry tile floors emphasized by small bits of colored glaze tile, with brightly colored and patterned tile wainscoting. Fountains, niches and domes, window frames and doors, the risers on stairs were adorned with the beautiful and long-lasting tiles. Borrowed by the Spanish, merged into their own designs, these tiles have been part of the American heritage.

image via Wikipedia

The quick, cruel and absolute subjugation of the Americas as Spain searched land and treasures is part of American history. The Spanish people discovered the gold and silver they were looking for and permanently settled in South and Central America and Mexico to colonize. They sent large amounts of silver back to Spain where its presence impacted the architectural style. Silversmiths were able to make objects of such beauty and artistry that their intricate and fragile designs were replicated for use as architectural decoration in a style called Plateresque. Moorish, Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles merged, and so under the influence of the Italian Renaissance with its stress on classical purity, there was a decrease in the use of ornament in Spain on the 16th and 17th centuries. By the late 17th and on the 18th centuries, the Spanish love of grandeur reasserted itself in a magnified version of Baroque and Rococo styles known as Churrigueresque. This bold, rich vogue was taken to the New World by the colonizing Spaniards. The colonial edifices were vigorous versions of those in Spain, with frontages and towers heavily beset with sculptural ornament. They had enwrapped courtyards having gardens and fountains, poly-chromed woodwork, gilded wrought iron grills and Moorish patterns on tiles and carvings. Mexico already had absorbed a baffling variety of cultures, all of which had at the least some impact on the future growth of Western design. The abstract, geometric design of the Mayans and Incas mixed with those of the Moors. East-West trade routes were well-established and mercantilism with the Orient was robust. Acapulco was the chief port. Soon Oriental influences were added up to the rich cultural mix as porcelains, textiles and lacquered screens were set down from ships and repacked on burros to be sent off to Veracruz for the long trip to Spain. A lot of these objects became part of colonial homes or churches. Others got their way to Indian villages, where their shapes and patterns were mixed with the native designs. Noteworthy examples of Orientalizing are seen in modern-day Mexican crafts in ceramics, tinware, and especially the unusual painted and carved gourds of Olinala in Oaxaca. From Spain, Flanders and England arrived furniture and other objects. The most common ones had flowing lines, ample proportions, a few with scallop shell motifs, and others with bulging vase shaped turnings. These turned to be a part of the ever growing repertoire of design that finally found its way north to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

References:
Building facades: Faces, Figures, and Ornamental Detail by Ernest E. Burden
The Mexican Americans by Alma M. García
America’s Historic Villages & Restorations by Irvin Haas

Facts Behind the Construction of Spanish Colonial Architecture in America

2011-06-19T19:34:00.000+08:00

image source

It was in the sunset years of the Spanish empire that the California missions were founded in the latter part of the 18th century. California was a far-off outpost, a dusty barren land of low interest beyond a couple of good harbors, but the religious padres granted the task of colonizing were zealous to convert the few Indians who lived there.

Father Junipero Serra, utilizing Mexico City as his base, was entrusted with the overwhelming duty of establishing a chain of 21 missions, approximately one day's march apart, by the California coast. He and his followers weren't educated architects or engineers, yet they were able to produce self-sufficient communities composed of complexes of edifices and excellent water supply systems.

Though some of the missions might have been built up from the plans of architects and having some skilled craftsman, like the one at Santa Barbara, most were built from the drafts of the padres and with amateur labor. Their designs shone the memories of Churrigueresque churches and homes the padres had seen and experienced in Spain and Mexico. They built their missions using thick walls and courtyards, bell towers and hand-crafted tile roofs. Most of them had terraces and covered arcades. A few of them had decorative openings, a feature presented by the Moors, and some had an espadana, a decorative false front, a tricky artistic style used in Spain to make the facade appear more imposing.

The mission walls were created from sun dried mud which disintegrated in the rain, so it was essential to have wide eaves and roofed corridors to protect them in the rain. The walls had to be 4 to 5 feet thick to be self supporting, producing deep, striking entrances and interesting window recesses. The walls were plastered with lime stucco, offering a pleasing color contrast with the dark, geometrically cut up doors and the beaming terra cotta color of tile floors and roofs. The padres did not have the experience, training, materials and craftsmen to accomplish the splendid, extremely decorated look of the buildings they attempted to recreate. They possessed only the products of the earth around them to utilize for their missions, the labor of the Native Americans, and their very own hands, and yet the compounding of honest design, massive scale and native materials gave rise to a group of buildings with tremendous and lasting appeal.

The padres promoted decoration, and some of the churches were blazing with brightly colored designs carried from the embroidery patterns of religious clothes brought from Spain, examples from manuscripts and books in the mission libraries, native baskets and weavings.

References:

Early American Architecture by Hugh Morrison

The old Mission Churches and Historic Houses of California by Rexford Newcomb

The Missions of California by Melba Levick, Stanley Young

Fridge and Pantry Essentials That Every Smart Cook Needs

2011-06-17T19:42:00.000+08:00

Whipping up delicious wholesome meals is easy when you start with a stocked fridge, pantry and freezer. Thanks to modern advances of packaging and one-stop, it is easy to have the necessities on hand.

THE FRIDGE

Refrigerator bread dough – You can always make bread sticks, pizza, or potpie if you have dough available.

Washed and bagged vegetables are extra convenient because they’re pre-washed.

Cheeses are great as quick snacks or a savory additions to potatoes or salad.

Salad dressings
These can also be used in marinades.

Fruit preserves can be used to glaze roasted meats or swirl into puddings and cheesecakes.

THE PANTRY

image source
Canned broths are essential to thin sauces and baste roasts.

Couscous and pilaf mixes are not only good as side dishes, they also make instant stuffing, too.

Prepared sauces can easily substitute for homemade versions.

Cake and muffin mixes when modified with a just a few additions, can be a base mix for many of your own tempting creations.

Granola and flake cereals can be used to top casseroles or streusels.

Nuts add flavor, texture and nutrition when sprinkled or added into pie crusts, streusel toppings, and bread dough.

Instant soup packets can be used to perk up meat loaf, potatoes, or a rice dish.

THE FREEZER

image source

Individual frozen vegetables are very handy whenever you need them. Easy-to-keep frozen vegetables retain all the nutrients of their fresh counterparts.

Mixed frozen vegetables make stir frying extra easy.

Frozen puffed pastry can create an impressive dessert, elegant appetizer or potpie if you have this staple on hand.

Frozen fruits are good to be readily available to add to pies and cobblers.

How to Keep Your Food Clean and Safe

2011-06-16T20:31:00.000+08:00

The easiest way for bacteria to enter our bodies is through our food. It is always best to be careful when preparing and storing our food in order to avoid food poisoning.
If your family’s meals are to be dependably safe, follow these rules for food storage and preparation:

Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature for all foods. The refrigerator should be 40˚F or colder, your freezer should be set at 0˚F or lower.

Store raw meat and poultry carefully. Your best bet is putting them in containers or on dishes to keep juices from dripping onto other foods or onto refrigerator shelves.

Clean up well after preparing raw meat and poultry. Always clean utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water, so that juices don’t come into contact with other foods.

Cut raw meat or poultry on a plastic or other nonporous cutting board. Wooden boards may have cracks in them that make proper cleaning difficult, according to the USDA. A 1993 study has found evidence that wooden boards actually may be safer than plastic; however, the USDA does not plan to change its recommendation until further researches are completed. The USDA does advice washing your hands and utensils after handling raw meats and washing all cutting boards, plastic and wooden, in the dishwasher (higher temperatures will kill more bacteria). Wooden chopping boards may also be disinfected with vinegar.

© 2010 (Quazen) Athena Goodlight

Parenting Tips: Safety Precautions While In Pools, Lakes, Rivers, And Boats

2011-06-16T16:44:00.001+08:00

Beyond the general water-safety guidelines, there are particular precautions you should take when you are around pools, lakes and rivers, and boats.

POOLS: Create a safe environment.
Experts recommend erecting a five-foot fence around all pool areas (legally required in some states). The gate must be self-closing and childproof. As an added deterrent, a bright red STOP sign on the gate may be placed. Choose a fence with closely spaced vertical pickets or very small chain links to discourage climbing. Also, stow all lawn furniture away from the fence to prevent children from using it as a booster.
Keep floats, long reach poles, and other rescue equipment handy, and practice using them with your children. Always keep your pool covered when not in use – and choose a safe cover. Plastic tarps tend to collect water, creating a drowning hazard. Floating covers, usually made of styrofoam and not attached to the sides of the pool are also dangerous; kids can get trapped underneath. The kind of cover that’s safe, is one that is anchored to the sides of the pool on tracks and automatically retracts by pushing a button.

LAKES and RIVERS: Beware of hidden dangers.
Even the most appealing watering holes can be treacherous to young swimmers. In early spring and summer, icy water temperatures can trigger cramps and breathing problems. Check the water temperature beforehand. Anything under 60ºF should be off limits.

Wade through the water first to be sure it’s safe; there may be trouble underfoot. Look out for broken glass, rusty pop tops, and other debris. Keep feet protected by insisting your kids wear water shoes. Some creeks and rivers have currents strong enough to topple small children, or bottoms that drop off precipitously. Water that’s waist-high one moment can be above your head the next.

BOATS: Always use lifejackets.
Choose only Coast Guard-approved jackets, have the whole family wear them, and test them regularly for punctures and waterlogging. Most jackets are designed to flip you onto your back and keep you afloat. It is advisable to let kids wear life jackets in the water so they’ll be familiar with the feeling in the event of a boating accident.

Fundamentals of Water Safety
1. Supervise, supervise. Never let a child go near or in the water alone.
2. All preswimmers and nonswimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved vest when around the water.
3. Never dive into shallow water.
4. No rough play in the water.
5. Stay away from water during thunderstorms and threatening weather.
Always remember, water can be a lot of fun once you and your kids develop a healthy respect for its power. Water safety can be learned by anyone without taking any of the joy out of summer.

flickr image by brightroyalty

© 2010 (Quazen) Athena Goodlight

How the US Became Part of Philippine History

2011-06-16T11:45:00.000+08:00

In 1896 the first organized revolution succeeded in overthrowing the Spanish sovereignty. As a result of this Spanish-American War which broke out subsequently, the Philippines was ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Paris, in December 1898. The Filipinos would not give up their hard-won freedom easily; it took the well-armed American troops almost three years before they could occupy the country and establish complete sovereignty.

The American rule was characterized by a rapid progress in self government, in education, in science, and in economic development. Schools, hospitals, and roads were built; new industries were created. A new vigorous and progressive civilization was introduced.

Despite the changes, the Spanish regime had left enduring traits on the Filipino people which cannot be easily changed. During the American occupation (and even up to the present time), the influences of Spanish culture were discernible in certain aspects of Philippine life—the economic, the religious, and the social.
Economically, the effects of the feudal system of landholding largely remained. In fact, American capitalism abetted the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few people. The country folk, who have always depended on the produce of the soil, have stayed in chronic poverty, denied substantial education and the benefits of modern culture. American industry built better roads, faster means of communication, factories, and town, but it failed to modernize farming as a whole during that period. Antiquated methods of agriculture are still widely used even today, with the hand plow and the water buffalo as the standard farm equipment. With a little exception, the rural community has preserved the old ways of livelihood, the peasant folk still engaged in the same type of daily activities.

In the realm of religion, the traditions of the Catholic Church have been largely preserved. Religious festivals are still occasions for the devout to flock to church and hold elaborate processions. While the American regime fostered the growth of various Christian sects and denominations, notably Protestantism, the Catholic religion has continued to be the dominant influence in the lives of the masses. The Philippines remain to be a predominantly Marian country up to the present.

image source
The Americans instituted a democratic system of education which raised the general social level. The stress on hygiene and sanitation, urbanized living conditions, and material progress improved the health and living conditions of the people at that period, but it has also encouraged unhealthful crowding in the cities, and, to some extent, the neglect of the soil. With education many folk superstitions disappeared. The newspaper, the radio, the moving picture, and television made the rural people better informed of the world about them. English, used as the medium of instruction, soon became the popular language, superseding Spanish, which, however, continued to serve as an alternate tongue. Eventually Pilipino or Filipino, the term applied to the national language, has become widely used in mass media and everyday discourse.
As a result of the new education, folk culture as a whole became remote to the experience of the ordinary person. This was also the period of the rise of the middle class Filipino.

The United States stayed in the Philippines for almost half a century, interrupted only by the brief Japanese occupation from 1942-45. In 1946, the Philippines became an independent republic, although the American naval and air bases still remained in the Philippines for many more decades. Up to the present, the USA and the Philippines continue to foster a close socio-political relationship.

© 2010 Athena Goodlight

Facts About Subterranean Termites

2011-06-15T16:29:00.000+08:00

Though there are actually several different species of termites, the kind that does practically all of the damage to homes is the subterranean termite. As its name means, this type lives underground, building colonies in damp regions wherever a source of wood (its main food) is available in the soil. The colony reproduces rapidly; then, as its population increases, worker termites are sent out in search of other sources of food. They prevent exposure to both daylight and open air and, if possible, will work their way into the wooden structure of nearby houses without exposing their supply lines.

Since termites can’t survive except under moderated conditions of moisture and temperature, they’ll never expose themselves to the drying effect of open air, except on swarming time in the spring. Termites will burrow through the soft parts of an entire wood beam without breaking through to the outside. As an outcome, the destructive effects can sometimes go absolutely unnoticed until the damage is so serious that complete crumble takes place. Nonetheless, this type of damage would take a lot of years, so even when an infestation is ultimately detected, there’s no need to panic or to act hurriedly.

Wherever possible, subterranean termites will work below the surface of the ground to bore into those wooden members which come in direct contact with the soil. Still, these ingenious insects will also build up mud tubes or tunnels through gaps in masonry foundations, through the hollow cores of cement blocks and even on the surfaces of metal pipes, foundation walls and similar surfaces. In extreme cases, termites have even been recognized to build tubes straight up—unsupported —to bridge from the ground in a damp crawl space to wooden beams overhead.

The mud like tubes or tunnels named above vary in size from 1/2 to 1 1/2 inch in width, and they’re half-round in cross section. They enable the termites to travel to and fro from the underground colony to the wooden structure without exposing themselves to sunlight or open air. The termites need to return to the ground at least once a day to refill their supply of moisture and to bring food to the other members of the colony.

When a colony becomes large enough, warm weather is the sign for the younger kings and queens, the reproductive members of the colony, to fly out in their yearly attempt to establish new colonies. On this period they fly about in the open air on mating flights, then cast off their wings before settling for good into their new underground homes.

It’s the appearance of a swarm of these flying insects or of a multitude of discarded termite wings near a wall that frequently gives the homeowner his first warning that one or more established termite colonies are situated nearby. In some cases these swarms may be mistaken for flying ants, since both insects appear similar to the uninitiated eye. Actually, the deviation in appearance is quite pronounced. The termite has a relatively straight, oblong body of equal thickness along its total length. The ant has an hour-glass-shaped, segmented body which is linked up in the center by a thin, wiry stem. Termites are generally less than half an inch in length, and their wings will be opaque and milky in color. An ant’s wings are transparent, with dark veins obvious.

References:
The Complete Book of Home Inspection by Norman Becker
Termites and Borers: A Homeowner’s Guide by Phillip Hadlington and Christine Marsden

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Human Personality Traits That Make Us Reject Change

2011-06-14T20:58:00.000+08:00

Change is the only thing constant in this world. But in reality it is ironic that only some people readily embrace change while others resist it. Why?

First, let us define what “change” is. What is “change?” A person’s definition of change varies depending on one’s age. A young person perceives change as a part of growing up — change of height, appearance of hair growth, change of voice. But later in life, a person builds a clearer idea of one’s self. The concept of change then develops. He or she then sees it as a need to adapt. Personality changes happen based on one’s social dealings and confronting situations. However, a person should not allow change unless he or she agrees to it. There must be a personal examination of how one values his or her own self and the situation that requires one to change.

There is actually no need for someone to project a perfect personality. It is pointless. People should accept you for who you are.

What are the reasons for resisting change?

The Fear of Change
Sometimes situations and other people may impose change upon others. A person has the right to assess and challenge the change that he wants for himself. Not everyone favors change. To some, change is not welcome because they don’t see a need for it. There should be a stimulus to motivate a person to change.

Pride
Some people are just too proud to change. This is why new concepts and ideas are better absorbed by younger minds. As people age they become more resistant to changing their belief system—some to the point of bigotry until death.

Any form of change is stressful and can be confusing.
This is one of the main reasons why change can’t be done. Not all can cope with change. People have different levels of abilities to adapt. Change is most critical during the teenage years. They get confused with the many changes that are happening in their lives. For instance, they may get reprimanded for doing things they are too young to do and for not doing things that they are supposed to because they are old enough.

Family influences change.
A person raised in an unhappy family will understandably seek stability upon reaching adulthood. On the other hand, someone who grew up in a stable family environment will more likely seek change.

Our values are primarily setup by our parents and change when we interact with other people. If we could discern, we know which values to keep. For instance, we all know that we are expected to be honest; but if dishonesty, lying, or pretense is openly practiced in a family, those family “values” still adhere to a person’s character because it is already set up, both subconsciously and consciously beginning from the formative years of a person. Oftentimes, only a traumatic experience can change a person.

Habit is more comfortable.
Because humans are creatures of habit, “we get used to being a certain way, even if it doesn’t work very well,” say Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen in their book, The Alladin Factor.

They add, “Many of the things that are required to build and maintain high self-esteem may sometimes be uncomfortable.”

Now that we have identified what makes change so difficult, hopefully we can assess ourselves and situations easier when faced with a challenge to change something within us and around us. Are the factors really life threatening, or are they just superficial?

© 2010 Athena Goodlight

The Marine Turtles: Beautiful, Exotic, and Endangered

2011-06-14T18:44:00.001+08:00

Sea turtles, these four-legged shelled reptiles have inhabited the earth since prehistoric times. Unfortunately, overhunting, illegal trade, and sea pollution have caused their population to continually dwindle.

There are two turtle families (Cheloniidae and Demochelydae), five genera and eight known living species of sea turtles. They are differentiated by their flattened forelimbs, each with a single claw. Freshwater turtles have five easily distinguishable claws on each forelimb. Of the eight remaining species of marine turtles in the world, six are found in the Philippines. The UNESCO World Heritage considers the Turtle Islands in the Philippines as the only major nesting ground, hosting more than 1,000 annual nesters of the giant Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the whole ASEAN region.

The Turtle Islands (Kalayaan Group of Islands) atolls in the South China Sea and is being claimed by several countries including the Philippines. The marine turtles found in the different islands in the Philippines and the Indo-pacific region are the green sea turtle, the loggerhead, the hawksbill, the leatherback, the olive Ridley, and the flatback. Most of these species are migratory, crossing vast distances of tropical and subtropical oceans to and from their nesting and feeding grounds. Once, a loggerhead turtle from Yakushima Island, Japan, was captured off Pilas Island in Basilan, about 3,000 kilometers away.

Green Sea Turtle

Well-adapted to life in the sea, marine turtles can dive for long periods of time and swim powerfully. The leatherback turtle, the largest of the sea turtles, is capable of diving at depths exceeding 1,200 meters. The leatherback, called kantuhan in Palawan, Philippines and manahanga in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, got its name from its leathery covering which distinguishes it from its hard-shelled relatives.
a leatherback turtle covering her eggs - image source

Marine turtles have no teeth and use a sharp, bony beak and jaws to tear and bite their food. They feed mostly on jellyfishes, crabs, shrimps, fishes, algae, and sea grasses. Their senses of sight, taste and touch are well developed. Due to the absence of vocal cords, the only sounds they can make are hissing and grunting noises while exhaling during courtship and mating.

Nestling turtles lay eggs of different number and size per nest according to species. Hawksbill turtles lay 50 to 250; loggerheads and olive Ridleys lay an average of 120; leatherbacks lay 85 to 120; and green sea turtles lay 40 to 190 eggs per nest. The eggs are leathery and resemble white ping pong balls. It takes 52 to 62 days before they hatch. Throughout the incubation period, the eggs are preyed upon by monitor lizards, crabs, birds, rodents, stray cats and dogs. But the most ravenous predator is human. two olive ridleys
image source

The hatchlings’ first year of life is planktonic or “free swimming.” Offshore, they are preyed upon by fish and other marine creature. Those who survive migrate to some unknown habitat. Marine herpetologists call this stage the “lost years.” Upon reaching sexual maturity, they will return to their birth place, guided by a mysterious instinct, to start reproducing. Less than 1% of the hatchlings that emerge from the nest will survive to reach adulthood. And because of man-made intrusions in the life cycle, less than 1% live up to the reproductive stage. Sea turtles are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “endangered.” Conservationist groups have been established to protect these species from becoming extinct. In the Philippines, an administrative order was issued prohibiting the capture and trade of marine turtles or any of its by-products.

Although the green sea turtle is the most abundant among the six species found in the Philippines, its number continues to decrease. Conservationists have seen alarming percentages of decline in the population of marine turtles—the main cause of decline is man-made. Turtles are hunted in the sea or slaughtered on the beach while they lay their eggs. Their meat and eggs are taken as food, while their skin and shells are processed into various by-products such as jewelry.
Hawksbill turtle image via Wikipedia

The hawksbill’s carapace is highly priced as tourist souvenirs whether stuffed or made into novelty items such as bangles, combs, and jewelry boxes. Thousands of these species are slaughtered yearly. Its population decline has been recorded at 80% as of 2009. Today the population of sea turtles remains in dangerously low levels. It is saddening that these beautiful creatures are being slaughtered just for money.

image source

Help a Struggling Reader With One-on-One Tutorial Sessions

2011-06-14T17:29:00.000+08:00

Reading problems can be prevented if the indicators are found early and intervention is enforced at once. Tutoring can be one of the alternatives but it can be critical. Tension amidst tutoring elements may cause positive or negative results on the learning process. All starting reading instruction must contain a balanced oral reading for fluency, alphabetic and comprehension according to a study. Effectual tutoring requires carefully graded materials as it allows for kids to be placed in accordance to their instructional level.

Another important component to look into is the relative frequency and duration of tutoring. According to Susan B. Neuman and David K. Dickinson, "reading recovery" lessons tutoring program for instance, must be done in 30 minutes and continued each day from 12 to 20 weeks. The routine can only be halted when they reach a level of performance consistent with their classmates in the middle reading group or when they already show features of problem solving with new words and sovereign processing of texts.

Further, they cited that in "Success for All tutoring" program, kids are given 20 minutes daily in 8-week cycles tutorial classes. Then, their betterment/performance is observed within that period. Depending on the results, kids are evaluated whether they could be circulated in or out of tutoring. In "Success for All" tutoring, it is important for kids to be tutored as long as they need it. In direct contrast, "Success for All" tutoring is only given 2 days of training along with all other first reading teachers in the school.

In tutoring programs like "reading recovery" tutors are fundamentally mentored for a full year by a "reading recovery" trainer. Through with the one whole year, tutors are taught to make in progress decisions about tutoring tasks that are responsive to the knowledge and interests of the kid. In essence, success depends upon the acquired knowledge of the tutor who is particularly trained to perform a daily changes in the response of the child.

Within the school environment, assessment and instruction must be together to advance student accomplishment in reading. When schoolroom teachers only use advance student advancement, it is plausible that useful instructional is lost to over testing. Communication is bounded by the lack of basic parlance and the connection gets lost in the shuffle. Consideration should be given to the student like using common appraisals to inform teachers to ascertain whom to serve with which intercession and where and how.

Tutoring plays a significant role to children who are scrambling to read. Research shows that by continuing them to support with additional reading instruction across the classes, the current ratio of children with reading difficulty can be reduced to 5% or less.

Person-to-person tutoring can give direct, systematic, intense instruction that’s responsive to the knowledge and interests to the child. Researchers on reading troubles concluded that the only way to give opportunities for some children to gain normal reading is to provide one-in-one instruction over a significant period of time.

Building upon rich interpersonal relationships, reading tutors can give individualized, elaborated and specific instructions on the right level, time and child — a task that’s often difficult to achieve in a classroom scene. By enlisting the human resources inherent on every home, school, and community, we can assure that every kid learns to read, one child at a time.

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Can A Feral Cat Be A Pet?

2011-06-12T15:44:00.000+08:00

Feral cats are all over. You can chance upon feral cats in rural or farm areas, desolate buildings and even parks and alleys. You could catch a glimpse of them, but you would not be able to catch them easily. After all, they have not been around persons so whatever contact would make them shy away from you. If you have feral cats in your locality, you may wonder whether these animals can be held as pets...READ MORE>>>

The Solar Powered Lifestyle

2011-06-09T09:44:00.000+08:00

image source

The rise of solar energy has been going on for a long time, but in recent years it has become much more attractive. We are all aware of what has been going on with oil and natural gas, and that has been pushing many to consider alternative energy. It is possible to achieve a dramatic lowering of your energy costs, but that is dependent on where you reside. What follows are just a few of the ways that solar energy can be used to help you save money and help the environment at the same time.

Let's look at consumer electronics such as MP3's and cell phones because many of them are solar powered. There is a very clear trend that has been going on for years in the area of consumer electronics. It goes without saying that it would be very useful to have solar powered electronics around in the event all power is lost. As for an interesting application, do check out cell phone chargers that are solar powered. What's more, you can use the same facility for other types of electronics, as well. Solar chargers are versatile and can be used in many applications. Solar powered computers are also available, but these aren't yet as practical or cost effective.

There is a logical use for solar energy, and that is for heating swimming pools or even a hot tub. You have the choice of having a pool or hot tub that works with a gas or electrical unit or one that runs completely on solar energy. If this interests you, then be sure to look for solar power conversion kits. You see, this is a significant way to keep your energy bills down during the demanding summer months.

How easily you can use solar energy will be affected by the situation of your house. If you live somewhere that gets very poor sunlight, then you could explore a hybrid arrangement. The ideal climate for solar energy would be a place like the Southwestern part of the United States, such as Arizona, New Mexico, Texas or Southern California. Of course, you don't have to live in this type of region to benefit from solar energy, but you'll get the most sunlight in such places. Most cities have solar consultants who can give you a very detailed report about your current situation. Explore what is online, and you will have a much better sense of the range of options you can consider. Solar energy is no longer a fringe or unusual way to heat your home, hot water heater or even your cell phone. There does seem to be a growing movement away from total dependence on businesses that do not have your best interests at heart. We hope this will just be the beginning for you, and you will take a serious look at what you can do.

Tips on Choosing Chicken Breeds to Raise

2011-06-08T16:37:00.000+08:00

There are several varieties of chickens to raise. Choosing a breed will be based on the type of chicken that you wish to raise. There are chickens that appear healthy but their egg-laying capability is frail while other chickens give off plenty of eggs each day. Before ultimately selecting the right chicken to raise, you must consider several things.

Different angles should be taken into account such as the area where your chickens will inhabit. Do you have a large backyard? Is it sufficiently wide to allow your chosen number of chickens to wander? You have to consider this factor since chickens vary in breeds – some are large and others are small. Also, another element is the surroundings you are living in. If you are living along the equator, it's likely that the temperature in that place be, almost all of the time, searing hot. But when you are living someplace up above or down below, it turns colder.

There are cross breeds that can withstand any weather that might come. Production Reds is among many usual examples. They are resistant to cold temperature and can be tamed. So when you live in a place where it’s always cold, this breed is the suitable one for you. Bantams could be a little bit hard-nosed. They like flying around, a really good reason why pens may be worthless. These breeds are tough but pretty and their featheriness is incomparable. They're not good in laying eggs but when they do, their product is quite small and isn't advisable for selling.

The Silkies and Pekins are two of the great selections when it concerns laying eggs. They come in assorted colors and types. If you try to hybrid a silkie with a cochin bantam, you'll have a fantastic breed because the result is a kind which never bite, hurt or clawed anybody as tested by top breeders. Be mindful with purebred chicken meat since they are quite fragile, they tend to choke on their own food, and are prone to getting heart attacks with no probable cause. If you're looking for inexpensive egg-laying chicken, you can settle having a leghorn. Though you still have to clip their wings since they flyaway. Also, they're a bit skinny so watch out! A few breeders dare not prefer a leghorn because they're ugly and are high strung.

Searching for a chicken that’s sweet? Try out cross breeding Cochin bantams. Breeds that come from a Cochin bantam’s ancestry are astounding due to of certain qualities like sweetness, manners, and can readily be noticed in exhibitions. Barred Plymouth Rocks are also among the top breeds. It’s like the best deal ever, all in one bundle. During summer time, they lay nearly every day. They bear a healthy and good weight, are amazingly pretty, and are not savage. Americaunas have an immaculate beauty that is more beaming due to their feathers. They possess a color like that of a falcon’s – dark, golden feathers. Their beaks are nearly similar with a falcon’s because a few breeds have pretty arched beaks. They're truly beautiful breeds and can resist the coldness of the night like during wintertime. If you like squeezing eggs out of such breeds, it just might be your luck! Sadly, they don’t lay quite well. Breeds that are strange need more care from the breeders so their breeds can endure. Choose a good chicken that you will raise.

Why Stagnation Happens in a Relationship

2011-06-05T21:27:00.000+08:00

When couples say that there is nothing new to learn from each other, it is only caused by stereotyped patterns of communication, unless, of course, that they do not like one another or they have no interest in their partner at all.

Many couples say that one of the disadvantages of marriage is that, after being together for many years, there is nothing new to learn about each other. This is a very sad state when it happens. It goes to mean that they have stopped developing as individuals or as a couple. It is true that some people do stagnate (if we look at it from the society’s conventional point of view), but it not a cause for concern if it is done by choice and, as a result, they are happier in their stagnation. Normally, people are driven by a desire to seek new experiences. Being in the comfort zone, provided with the essential security is rational. Most people choose to remain to be where they are right now, because it is comfortable. But whether it is a rural rice farmer or a jet-set business person, some change is always sought to make a person feel “alive.” Even those people who resist or abhor “change” are usually commenting on their dislike of certain social and technological changes, rather than the way in which they are developing as people. Change is constant—even in human beings. We change from child to adolescent to adult to parent to grandparent. It is along this dimension lie a host of new experiences that stimulate us. It is our source of learning so that we can discover something new about ourselves and about life.

When couples say that there is nothing new to learn from each other, it is only caused by stereotyped patterns of communication, unless, of course, that they do not like one another or they have no interest in their partner at all.

People have a tendency to get into the habit of talking about certain subjects in a routinary manner. They talk about children, holiday plans, jobs, plans for the house, etc. The danger happens when the format becomes ritualized into one’s daily living. Men and women, however, will always have their own attitudes toward, and beliefs about parenting, their expectations in a marriage, religion, politics, culture, entertainment, hobbies, etc. It is surprising to find out not how much we do know about our partner but how little we know. When one or both feel that there is a taboo against talking about certain subjects or topics, sometimes this happens; but much more often this is caused by too much preoccupation of the daily activities and tasks of family life. The couple then relates to one another in a stereotyped way as a result of this.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

Whale Shark Facts

2011-06-05T15:02:00.000+08:00

image via Wikimedia Commons

The earth’s water portion is far larger than the land in terms of geography. Just as land is home to many plants and animals, so are the seas and other bodies of water. Among these fascinating varieties of living creatures live the fascinating gentle giant of the sea.

Ranging from four to fourteen meters long, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest members of the cartilaginous fishes (Class Chondrichthynes), making them the world’s largest sharks and fish. Yes, the whale shark is a fish, not a whale as what its name implies. Its closest relatives are the rays and other species of sharks.

The whale shark has and enormous mouth that can reach a width of 1.4 meters, but its not designed to bite off people unlike those of the Great White sharks. Its mouth is at the very front of its head unlike other sharks, which have their have their mouths on the underside of the head. Its wide flat head has a rounded snout, small eyes, five large gill slits, two dorsal fins, and two pectoral fins. Its tail has a top fin that is much larger than the lower fin. Like in most sharks, female whale sharks are larger than the males.

Yellowish markings on very thick dark gray skin best distinguish the whale sharks from other sharks. According to some biologists this skin feature serves as a camouflage for the whale shark when it preys on shoals of fish. The camouflage spots on its skin, especially concentrated on its head, resemble a shoal of fish, thus attracting approaching fishes instead of scaring them away.

Whale sharks sieve enormous amounts of plankton, which they eat through their gills as they swim. Thus, they are called filter feeders. As they swim with their mouths open, masses of water filled with plankton and small fishes enter their mouths and pass through spongy tissues between their large gill arches. After closing their mouths, whale sharks use gill rakes that filter the food from the water. Anything that does not pass through the gills is eaten. Gill rakes are bristly structures in their mouths that trap small organisms, which they then swallow. Despite their enormous size, whale sharks’ diet comprise only of plankton, krill, small fish, squid, and other small invertebrates. This is why they are fondly regarded as the “gentle giants of the sea.”

Whale sharks are solitary creatures. They have been known to inhabit warm waters near the equator both along the coast and in the open seas, from Sabah, Malaysia to the Galapagos Islands. Interestingly, congregations of whale sharks have also been observed to frequent Australia’s Ningaloo Reef, and in Donsol in the Bicol peninsula of the Philippines. However, these regular visits by whale sharks to Donsol waters are no longer a surprise to local villagers, who have been aware of these massive but harmless fish species which they call “butanding.”

Whale sharks are known to spend most of their time near the water surface. This is also one of the reasons why they easily fall prey to unscrupulous fish catchers who hunt and butcher them. Some might say that whale sharks are butchered anyway to provide humans with tons of meat and other raw materials for various commercial products. However, people should consider the decreasing population of whale sharks. In fact, the whale shark is already in the list of endangered species. In the Philippines, it is now illegal to hunt and harvest these “butandings.” Some non-government organizations, like the Haribon Foundation are active with their “save our endangered species” programs to protect the whale sharks as well as other endangered creatures.

Benefits of Residing in a Retirement Community

2011-05-30T14:44:00.000+08:00

People these days are saving enough money for the future, and sooner or later be used for retirement. Retirement communities have been giving the essential needs for retirees and seniors. But what precisely do our elderly obtain from this community?

The good thing about selecting to reside in a retirement community, is that you get to interact among fellow seniors and retirees. As compared to a retirement home, there are places and activities were the residents can assemble and interact with each other. A good characteristic about retirement community is that it offers activities that would revitalize the seniors and naturally maintain physical fitness.

Even after retirement, seniors and retirees will still want to keep up their active lifestyle. There are a few seniors who look forward into spending a long time on their interests and hobbies. To carry out this kind of eagerness, an active retirement community will be the finest option.

As an example of activities being offered up, there will be retirement communities extending access to health club, hot tub, swimming pool, auditorium, large conference rooms and large centers. There are retirement communities that still offer college classes to those who are interested to further extend their education.
At every continuing care retirement community managed by Erickson, for instance, residents have access to a health club, hot tub, swimming pool, auditorium for movies and productions, large conference center, medical and dental suite with on-site physicians, devoted worship center, bank, convenience store, beauty salon, and at least two restaurants. College courses are even available to those who wish to get them.

These services are regularly available to the residents. For medical services, there are staff that can help the retirees for 24 hours. Also, you can make sure that the services that the institution and community provides are centered on improving the well-being of the elderly.

Living in a retirement community gives a peace of mind to retirees. Because retirement communities offer security, specialized services and support to their residents, retirees and seniors feel relaxed and can sleep soundly throughout the night.
The benefits of staying in a retirement community are genuinely numerous. As a matter of fact, there are close to 625,000 elderly who are planning to own their own home. Aside from this, another good thing about living in a retirement community is that they have various kinds of programs aiding residents deal with emotions, such as grief.

In this sort of recovery program, the institution will help the person recognize loss and grief and sooner or later reduce its impact. This kind of healing procedure helps the residents get through difficult times, particularly the death of the friend or family. Not only do you get support from the other residents, this also decreases the impact of loosing someone important. Relationships and caring among the residents were built up.

Here are several benefits from staying in a retirement community.
• An elder’s needs are regarded to the topmost priority. The fact that there are no children lurking about, provides somewhat a peaceful mindset.
• Residing in a retirement community make certain that things would be easily provided for you and easy to reach. Since age and mobility of retirees and seniors are taken into consideration, the household would be senior friendly.
• Modern equipment are present inside the apartment unit. There will also enough closet and bathrooms to support both the senior residing in a retirement community.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

The Rotisserie Convection Oven: A Valuable Kitchen Investment

2011-05-27T21:25:00.000+08:00

What could be better choice than a plain convection oven? The oven has been an essential part of the kitchen of the everyday cook to the finest chefs for ages. However, there is something even better. It’s the convection oven with rotisserie. For any gourmet cook, this kitchen appliance is a real treat.

It is not unusual why many gourmet cooks fall deeply in love with the rotisserie convection oven. This fine-looking cookery unit offers almost everything a cook could ever want and more. It also promises good service that can last for many years to come.

There are six universal cooking functions available on this type of convection oven. You may use the convection oven with rotisserie for various tasks from the simplest ones such as toasting and defrosting to the more complex cooking tasks like broiling and rotisserie. This can also serve to bake your favorite goodies or just to keep your food warm.

Accessories are just as important to a lot of cooks, too. There are many great gadgets that go with the convection oven with rotisserie. The rotisserie, of course, is number one on the list. In addition, a wire rack and a broil insert with drip pan are also included. If your are a pizza lover, you will love the pizza rack and pizza pan that accompanies the unit. A bake pan is also provided so that you can enjoy your baking activities with ease.

The inner part of the convection oven with rotisserie is state of the art, too. The insides have a non-stick surface to make cleaning simpler and easier. There is enough room for a 10 pound ham or even a 12-inch submarine sandwich. You will be able to cook these bigger food items without worrying too much about clean up. The removable glass door can be detached and cleaned in a very short time.

Those who don’t have much time to cook will really value the cooking speed that can be offered by convection oven with rotisserie. You could have your full course meal done in record time and everyone would think that you spent the whole day sweating it out in the kitchen. This product is very ideal even for the busy or the impatient cook.

A product such as this is a sound investment. The convection oven with rotisserie is amazingly affordable. Shop around for various styles and brand and you will be thrilled to know that there is one that can suit your budget. When you know that you can have a quality product at a reasonable price, it makes your cooking more enjoyable.

Frugal Living: Shopping for Stylish Clothes at Thrift Stores

2011-05-24T22:08:00.000+08:00

Most people, on the average, clean out their wardrobe closet at least two times each year. All the clothes they no longer need are brought either to charity organizations or thrift stores. Many people donate clothes, shoes, or accessories that they only wore a few times. Some still have the tags attached on them. The most common thrift shops to find such garments are the Salvation Army and the Goodwill. Both of these shops inspect clothes for stains and damages so you’ll still be able find good quality clothes at very low prices.

A lot of people think these thrift shops only carry obsolete clothing but that is simply not always true. Children frequently outgrow their clothes fast even before it has been worn out or the trend has faded. There are also lots of clothing items that never go out of style such as t-shirts and denim pants. While you might not find the same styles sold at the trendy stores in the area you’ll still find lots of quality clothes for less than what you normally pay for at a regular store.

For example, jackets are generally quite expensive but not if you buy them from a thrift store. There are many winter jackets, sweaters, and windbreakers you can choose from. To make it easier for shoppers to find the right size, most thrift stores sort clothing by the types and by sizes. However, you will to spend some extra time rummaging through the available items. The downside is that when you come across something you really like and it does not fit, chances are you won’t be able to find it in some other size as you do in the department store.

Some thrift stores carry assorted household items, too. Other larger facilities sell used furniture pieces, appliances, and books. You may just be able to spot a rare furniture item that you cannot find somewhere else.

Too many thrift shops have acquired a bad reputation for being viewed as a shopping place for people who don’t have enough money. If your pride holds you back from going to second-hand stores then you might just be throwing away money. If you’ve never visited a thrift store you should reconsider and take the time to do so. You may be pleasantly surprised at what treasures you may find there.

Another good example of a money saving opportunity at either thrift stores is when shopping for party dresses, wedding gowns, costumes, and prom dresses. These clothes are probably only worn once so you eventually avoid spending hundreds of dollars on such clothes if you find one you really like. You may be able to discover a good selection of such clothes that are still stylish. Even if you have to spend a little extra to have the dress modified, you can still get the beautiful dress you want without the unnecessary expense.

Suggested Outdoor Activities for Children

2011-05-22T19:09:00.000+08:00

If the child wanted to do or is interested in a certain activity, think outside the box. Be creative! Integrate an ordinary finger painting with and activity away from the house such as picnic. Getting kids mobile and active, not only during schoolwork, isn't just because we don't like kids to be overweight.

Children can enjoy nature trips such as hiking. Hiking isn't only good for the kids but it also give the necessary exercise adults should be doing. Hiking could be done almost throughout the year. During spring time, it's a great time of year for looking at the first flowers of the season and watching birds which are in flight throughout this season.

Bird watching is among the outdoor activities that can be cherished by both parents and kids. It is one among several activities that kids can engage in where they can build up their horizon educationally and enhance their social skills.

Bird watching or birding has aided children in terms of growing their knowledge in the field of creatures and birds. This is an activity that kids and grownups like, the appeal doesn't wear off since there are thousands of bird species that can be viewed anytime.

In summer, animals are most alive during this season. Kids can watch and sport squirrels in the trees and other animals. Autumn should be the season for acorns, pine cones, seeds and other objects for collection. Winter isn't the friendly season. Still, even in this cruel weather, hiking can still be regarded. Kids can learn how to analyze animal tracks and their food consumption during this season.

Apart from nature hiking, wildlife watching is a sure hit amongst children. Much like bird watching, all you require is just good eyesight and a green area. Like bird watching, there are field leads where you could distinguish the animals that you have already seen. Just make certain that the wild things are kept back in the wild.

Another great recreation sport with the kids during wintertime is snowshoeing. Just make certain that the kids are decently covered using warm clothes before they head out the door.

Gardening is likewise a great way of involving them with science, explaining how things develop as they grow along the way such as carrots, radishes, leaf lettuce and pumpkins. When involving kids in gardening, be sure that they should be asked what to make of their harvest. There are numerous outdoor activities that could be done such as picnics, camping and kite flying.

You may also pick some apples, berries, peaches and pears. The entire family can jump in with this outdoor activity. After picking some and nibbling a little of the fruits that you've picked, they can create some delightful fruit cobblers. Not only do you learn regarding fruits and experience lots of fun, you also get to have an opportunity of a marvelous dessert.

There is a study carried on by the UCLA Center for Healthier Children that kids who get high classroom performance are those kids who have an expanded flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. By exposing kids to sunlight and outdoor activity, they get their needed oxygen.

You could also do some star gazing. Get a map and include the children in looking and distinguishing planets and constellations, even discussing its history. This experience can be followed by going to the library to be well-read about the solar system.

The Costs of Hiring A Babysitter or Nanny

2011-05-18T13:47:00.000+08:00

50 years ago a nanny bore a remarkable resemblance to someone’s grandmother or aunt. Thirty-five years ago, our expectations of her were informed by a picture of a singing, dancing British governess floated to the doorstep by a fortuitous wind. Today’s nanny, however, is probably a certified and trained young woman or man sent by an agency. There are now hundreds of nanny-training programs worldwide training men and women, zealous to support and assist the numerous mothers who work out of the home or, for some other reason, require an in-home child-care provider. Nannies who are ordered through agencies are a select group. Nanny-referral agencies refuse as many as seventy percent of their applicants.

It’s important to recognize what type of child-care expert you want to hire before you begin to look for who could meet your needs. A nanny, schooled in child care, child development, nutrition, and first aid, attends to the needs of children in the child’s own home, while the nanny might "live in" with the family or "live out" in her own home. Besides child care, the nanny’s duties may involve light housework and some meal preparation. Nannies could earn $400 to $1,000 per week, depending upon their training and experience. The initial referral agency placement fee could range from $350 to $5,000. If the nanny is paid up through the agency, the agency will be accountable for such matters as insurance, medical care, social security payments, and withholding of taxes.

There are, on average, 5 applicant families for each available nanny. As a result, nannies have their option of positions and will be an active part of the interview procedure.

An au pair is somebody from a different country who is employed for a limited amount of time (normally a year) to help with child care. The au pair may or may not be properly trained. The au pair program, as presently constituted, started in 1986 when the U.S. Information Agency agreed to assign the program a cultural exchange to simplify the visa procedure for young people wishing to work in the U.S. Now, the services of an au pair must be set up through agencies sanctioned by the federal government. The rules regulating the hiring of au pairs are reasonably strict. In exchange for no more than 45 hours per week of service, the employer should pay a stipend (generally about $8,000 for the year), pay for the round-trip air fare for the au pair, pay tuition costs (au pairs are regarded cultural exchange students), and give a paid, two-week vacation.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

Science Activity: Teaching Composting to Children

2011-05-18T13:11:00.000+08:00

image source

Passing on composting methods through education is another way to secure that you're able to hand the legacy to newer generations. Though packaging the teaching process is a different facet that the composting enthusiast should not miss. There are several ways of instructing composting to adults, but kids have different needs and might require more than the expertise of supervising your heap's temperature.

Here are other techniques for teaching composting processes to kids. It can truly be fun and rewarding to transfer this skill to younger children when you are very familiar with composting, and it would actually help yield awareness to their parents and others in the community.

Using Visuals

Nothing pounds the boring feel a kid catches from pure text. Unless the child is bent on enjoying pure words, visuals are the best way to go about inculcating a love for composting. Make the best of pictures, Powerpoint presentations and different technical devices you could use. If you're on an offhand teaching class, make use of vibrant words to assist the kids to envision the scenario of composting. At any rate, encourage the kids to envisage the whole process.

Do a complete demonstration.

The demonstration would be able to teach a ton to the kids, better than any discussion could. Using demonstration, you not only display to them how it's done, you also show them that you're well capable of doing what you're instructing them. Looking the actions immediately will also get rid of the need for them to ask questions when their turn for trying it arrives because they will be able to ask their questions as you go along with the demo.

Feedback

Children can become opinionated about things that they like. Hit their fancy even further by drawing out some feedbacks from them once in a while. Also encourage them to ask their questions to you. Taking away their inhibitions would help you instruct them more concepts than when you're dealing with a restive crowd.

Entertain every question and give adequate time to answer every question.

Children get easily disheartened. So be sure that you're able to set aside judgment and entertain questions, regardless how “stupid” or minor they might appear to you. Keep in mind, you're dealing with kids here. Whenever possible, get an assistant teacher who's also a kid to help you gain a greater perspective of teaching composting to kids.

Talk about benefits at the beginning so they'll know what composting is really for. If the kids are oriented from the start that what they're doing has great importance, they're more expected to cooperate and do the projects cheerfully. Check that you're completely able to help them realize how composting aids the environment and how it would make a positive difference to many people.

Allow them to do it, and resist interfering when possible.

The main point for educating them about composting is to get them outfitted with the skills they require to be able to execute composting themselves. So, looking at them doing the composting may help you see where possible problems might dwell. You could also quickly praise them and correct them as needed.

At any rate, encourage them for each form of advancement attained, regardless how small it is, so as to help build up their confidence.

Eco-Friendly Honeymoon Ideas

2011-05-17T23:18:00.000+08:00

The honeymoon is a significant part of your wedding: it’s the perfect time to go through something novel with your partner, spending quality time with each other in your first days as husband and wife. Nonetheless, there are a couple of ways in which you will be able to do some green honeymoon preparation to help bring down its environmental effect, without sacrificing your dream honeymoon.

Set it up at home.

Eliminating travel entirely is otherwise the best way to prevent a carbon footprint after your big day. There could be a wealth of unexplored locations almost on your doorstep, and going by train is the excellent eco friendly means to see them. Nonetheless, it’s understandable that you would not want to abandon a trip abroad. If this is the case then just follow a couple of more of the green honeymoon planning propositions here.

Consider the eco-tourism option.

You may have come across the word "ecotourism" before, and the "ecotourist" mark is now employed to represent those who want to travel but wish to do so in a sense that gets as little effect on the environment as possible.

The fact is, ecotourism is the quickest developing market in the tourism industry based on the World Tourism Organization, and this is good for you since many hotels and resorts are now integrating eco friendly practices in their business.

The Various Factors of Green Honeymoon Planning

Green honeymoon planning incorporates several factors - perhaps more than you possibly know. There are more things to take into account than simply getting there (which should not be, if at all possible, by plane), including:

* You're destination (it doesn't have to be the countryside, you may also pick out a "green" city),

* Where you'll eat when you're away,

* What you'll eat (avoiding e.g. imported foods or endangered fish will cut down your impact),

* Where you're going to stay (there is more and more eco accommodation cropping up all over the world),

* How you will travel once you are there,

* Where you are going to shop (hint: shop locally),

* The travel agent you'll use to reserve the honeymoon,

* The way you will use to reach your destination,

* Little things, like not having your sheets laundered each day, can make a huge difference,

* Whether you're going to offset your carbon discharges while you travel,

* Whether you are going to do any domestic volunteer work when you are there (try WWOOFing - working on organic farms - and other schemes that do good the local area).

Tips on Booking Your Honeymoon

When you reserve your honeymoon, you will be able to make things much easier by employing an eco conscious travel agent who realizes your needs. They can assist you to book a package that would bring down the effect you have on the surroundings.

However, you constantly need to keep in mind that a lot of businesses lay claim to be green merely as a marketing maneuver, so do your research to assure that they genuinely do fulfill their promises.

Offsetting Carbon Emissions

You will discover that a lot of organizations are putting up a way to offset your carbon emissions by giving donations that will help to return to the environment. Even so, it’s important to know that this is a final resort, and several critics claim that offsetting your carbon won't completely make up for the emissions you'll create as part of your travels.

The fact is, it has been expressed that some companies may exaggerate the benefits of offsets, a different method of green washing. Particular projects, like renewable energy projects, might be worth more than others, so select your cause carefully - and keep in mind to avoid yielding the carbon as much as possible in advance.

Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner Product Review

2011-05-17T20:08:00.000+08:00

This Pressure cooker/canner is a high caliber gadget that lets you to use it both as a huge pressure cooker and as a pressure canner for a variety of ingredients - particularly low-acid foods, where pressure canning is the sole safe technique to use according to the USDA. This ware has been selling in large numbers and is among the best selling kitchen cookware gadgets of its type. But is it really worth it?

What You Must Look For In A Pressure Cooker And Pressure Canner

* Aluminum Vs. Steel: The former heats well and price is less, but steel will survive longer.

* Size: every pressure cooker requires extra space to build up steam, which you must consider into your decision.

* Pressure regulator: several cookers have other ways of showing the current pressure and holding the pressure inside a particular range.

* Safety: Pressure can be unsafe, so it's sensible to choose a cooker/canner with integral protection.

* Warranty: It's suggested to seek a 10 year+ warranty.

* Cooking Rack: deciding on cookers having a cooking rack will permit you to cook above the water.

* Handles: bigger pressure cookers will require handles on both sides for easy movement.

Features Of The Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner

* 23 quart size pressure cooker/ canner

* Holds 20 pint jars/ 7 quart jars

* Made from extra-strong warp-resistant aluminum

* Stay-cool handles

* Can be used on both regular and smooth-top ranges

* Strong lock steel lid

* Pressure gauge automatically allows you to keep a constant pressure

* Comes with cooking/ canning rack to allow liquid to circulate underneath jars

* Air vent and cover lock means pressure will only build up once the cover is properly closed

* Instructions and recipe book

* 12 year warranty

Benefits

Several customers have critiqued this product and the feeling is quite positive. In general, customers are stating how thoroughly this works as a pressure cooker and canner. The fact that it delivers dual usage as both a safe canner designed for low-acid foods and a huge pressure cooker entails it is well worth the money you'll spend, especially regarding it's backed by a really impressive 12 year warranty.

Many people are untrusting of pressure canning because of the safety issues, though this pressure cooker/ canner has several safety features to avoid any unsafe situations. An overpressure plug is developed to release pressure if it becomes too high, and this pressure cooker restricts the pressure to 15psi (an all-important safety feature to have in any pressure cooker). The cover is locked on throughout its use, can't be opened until the pressure has gone down.

Drawbacks

Being a 23-quart pressure cooker, it entails that it is large and that it can also be used also for canning and can do so at 20 pints at a time. This makes it really big and quite heavy.

There are some mixed reviews when it bears on the capacity of the canner. Some customers have remarked that they were only able to utilize it for 18 pints, instead of the advertised 20. Others, nonetheless, have stated they can fit 20 pints just great.

If you are primarily going to use it as a pressure cooker alone, remember that cookers in smaller sizes cost less than this model. Even so, the Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner is extremely respected and recommended when it concerns canning both high and low-acid foods.

Tips on Choosing A Summer Camp For Your Children

2011-05-15T18:57:00.000+08:00

image via Wikipedia

A summer camp is among the most awaited summer activities of children and teens. As parents, there are some factors to take note of know when choosing a camp to send your child or children to. Here are some tips.

To be licensed, a campsite has to meet state health and safety standards. Licensing and accreditation are two different matters, however. You may feel better about your child attending a camp that is periodically inspected by an independent and knowledgeable organization, as well as by authorized inspectors. In some places, short-term camps, such as one-week sports camps or day camps run by city recreation departments, are not required to have permits or licenses.

Generally speaking, camps that cost more are probably going to provide more physical comfort and more activities. But many of the less expensive camps run by scouting organizations, churches, and the YMCA will offer the opportunity for your child to meet children from different cultural and economic backgrounds.

TIP: Make sure you understand exactly what the camping fee covers. Many camps charge extra for such things as laundry and equipment use.

Staff ratio is important. For campers under the age of 12, there should be a counselor-to-camper ratio of about 1 to 6. For campers older than 12, a l-to-8 ratio is fine. Ask how the camp figures the ratio. Some include office and kitchen staff to lower their ratios. You should be specific and ask what the ratio is at night, when a higher ratio might be acceptable, and for activities such as swimming, canoeing, and hiking, where a lower ratio might be desirable.

You probably will not be able to meet your child’s counselor if you visit a camp off season, but you should be able to meet the camp director. It is a good sign if the director asks you and your child a number of questions about what you want and expect in a camping experience. A good director should address any concerns you and your child have about such common camper worries as what will happen if the child becomes homesick, what kind of food the campers will eat, or what happens if a child doesn’t want to participate in a certain activity.

It’s a good idea to take a list of questions with you to the camp for the first visit. Questions that parents commonly ask are:

■ Where do most of your campers come from and how many of them are repeat campers? The more repeat campers, the better.

■ How do you hire and train the counselors?

■ What are the age range of the counselors? Some camps have counselors as young as 15 or 16. Many employ college students. Again, the ratio of younger to more experienced counselors is worth checking; the more experienced counselors, the better.

■ What is the camp philosophy? Does it jibe with your expectations for a camp? Does the camp philosophy tend toward wanting campers to learn skills or just have a good time? Do the staff seem to want to fit the camper to the philosophy or the philosophy to the camper?

■ Do you have any medical staff onsite at the camp?

How sick does a child have to be before you call the parents? Are all staff trained in the essentials of first aid and CPR?

■ Can my son bring his favorite stuffed animal?

■ Can my daughter be in a tent with her best friend?

■ How do you train your staff!? Some camping professionals worry about camps that outsource training of their staffs. These professionals believe that with outsourced training, neither the camp director nor camper parents really know about the type or quality of training.

■ How many of the staff return year after year? Again, the more the better.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

A Review of the Popular Espresso Coffee Makers

2011-05-15T18:32:00.000+08:00

Thousands of people do love espresso. It helps them get started in the morning and keeps them going through the day and sometimes through the night too. Here are a few of the most popular espresso coffee makers.

Braun AromaDeluxe KF510BK 10-cup Coffee Maker

The Braun AromaDeluxe is a really fast brewing coffee maker. A Brita water filter gets rid of impurities that can affect coffee taste. The premium Aroma Deluxe sports a clock and timer so that users can set the machine to have coffee set up each morning.

Braun Tassimo Coffee-on-Demand 1 cup Coffee Maker

Fast and easy single serve coffee maker also fixes latte, cappuccino, cafe crema, tea, and hot chocolate.

Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200W, 12-cup Coffee Maker

The Cuisinart Brew Central Coffee Maker is completely programmable. It carries a built-in water filter and has a 12 cup capacity. There's no built-in grinder. There is a pause and serve subprogram and warns users when it needs decalcifying.

Cuisinart Grind and Brew DGB-600BCW 10 cup Coffee Maker

This thermal coffee maker grinds beans as needed, leaving a fresher taste with every cup. The thermal carafe is double insulated to keep coffee hot for a long time.

DeLonghi BAR32 Retro Espresso Coffee Maker

The DeLonghi Bar32 Retro Espresso Coffee Maker is take off of DeLonghi's Retro designer line of products. The machine is supposed to be inspired by the 20th Century Art Deco and Bauhaus periods of the 20th Century. This machine does not have a built-in grinder. It makes multiple cups and has a water tank size of about 34 ounces.

Jura/Capresso Impressa E8 Espresso Machine and Coffee Maker

The Jura/Capresso Impressa E8 Espresso Machine and coffee maker is a hi-tech machine capable of making espresso, cappuccino, lattes and long crema coffee. Settings provide customized brewing of mild, regular or strong coffee. A grinder is in-built, timer and cup warming surface are built in.

Keurig Elite B40 Coffee Maker

The Keurig Elite B40 Coffee Maker is a no-nonsense coffee maker. The water reservoir is detachable. The machine sports single button brewing, the water reservoir is removable and indicator lights let users recognize if water is heating, whenever it's necessary to add water, if the machine needs descaling and when it is ready to brew. This coffee maker doesn't have a built-in grinder.

Krups XP 2070 Espresso Machine & Coffee Maker

The Krups XP 2070 is a programmable combined espresso machine and drip coffee maker. It has a 10 cup coffee capacity and a 15 bar pump espresso capability.

Senseo Single Serve Pod HD7810/75 Coffee Maker

This pod system coffee maker has a patented brewing system that automatically uses just the right quantity of water and sends the water through the pod rapidly and evenly.

Coffee lovers can select from a variety of coffee makers. From individual cup Senseo styles to ten cup Cuisinart Models, there's a coffee maker for each drinker in every occasion. If all that's sought after is coffee, no problem. Whenever specialty coffees are preferred, no problem. Fresh java is simply a cup away.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

Tips on Hiring a House Cleaner

2011-05-08T18:27:00.001+08:00

It may sound like an immense indulgence but if you truly hate housecleaning (or specific bits of it), then employing a part-time help can make a huge difference to your quality of life. It's not only big homes that hire cleaners these days. As time appears to be the commodity in most inadequate supply, individuals from single girls with busy careers to time-pressed moms are paying off somebody to do the chores they do not have the time or a leaning to.

The sure way to locate a cleaner is by word of mouth. Do you have friends who live near by who may share their super-reliable tried-and-tested cleaner with you? Or you could ask around locally or put up ads in small shops or newspapers to find somebody who lives nearby. If you find somebody, ask them questions and try to determine if they meet your standards, which ought to assure that they do a job as you may hope for. If they have written references, always go after these on the phone, asking several questions that you can think of. Keep in mind that you will be giving the keys and security of your home to this individual, so you need to feel entirely at ease with them.

When you've found somebody you trust, create a list of precisely what you'd wish them to do - bear in mind you have employed a cleaner, not a psychic. Make sure you give them with everything they require to do the job, and should there be products they would like to use then take into account in purchasing these too. Clutter will just slow them down, so tidy up a little prior to them arriving to make their job much easier. If you require them to do more than light cleaning, you must afford them a lot of time. Do not anticipate a cleaner to do anything in less time than you could possibly do it.

Rates differ widely, depending on where you reside. You may call local cleaning agencies to get a ball park idea -though their rates will usually be almost 25 per cent or more than the cost of hiring somebody privately.

Let your cleaner know if there's something you're not pleased with - be straightforward and deal with the problem right away. While you prefer to keep your cleaner happy, you should not be frightened of letting them recognize how you prefer things to be done.

Don't expect them to do more than you might: they can not spring clean in a day. If you wish extra work done, be ready to pay for it.

Give them breathing space if you work from home. Nobody would want to work for you if you watch them round inspecting and taking notes.

Treat your cleaner with care. Leave some treats, work on developing a great relationship and if you are able to pay them over the odds, do so - you'll perhaps get better service.

Warn them about anything cherished: antique glasses that can not get in the dishwasher, frail antique rugs that can not be vacuum cleaned, French polished tables that must not get damp, etc.

Facts About Hibernation and Supecooling

2011-05-05T10:16:00.001+08:00

Decoding how some creatures put their lives on hold may bring about therapies for an assortment of human diseases. Human hibernation is indeed a hot topic in the Journal of British Interplanetary Science. Space agencies are concerned since the power to hibernate on demand would come in handy on long run space travel. The immortality bunch is interested as well. If you have an incurable disease or just won't settle for an 80-year-life span, it should be great if you can put your head down, grab forty million winks, and awake when medical science has caught up. Some of the applications aren't all so futuristic; they are practically closer to home. For example, findings from hibernation biology would be valuable in treating everything from hypothermia, heart conditions and obesity.

It is argued that there is enormous potential for applying hibernation schemes to enhance the human condition. Investigating further would lead you to discover that hibernation takes different types in different creatures. A black bear, for instance, lowers its body temperature just by a couple of degrees, and passes the winter in a sort of deep and uninterrupted sleep. Throughout that period, it does not urinate or defecate. For little mammals like ground squirrels and bats, in counterpoint, hibernation generally boasts heavy cut down in body temperature, wherein the animal is inactive, emphasized by steady bouts of thawing up to normal temperature and awakening into activity for a few hours. Particularly, the Arctic ground squirrel might be the most extreme example. Throughout regular life, its center body temperature, similar as ours, is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But in hibernation, its core body temperature can just come down below freezing, to as little as 26.8 degrees, for many days at a time.

How can Arctic ground squirrels handle hibernation? They supercool. Supercooling is what passes if the temperature of a fluid goes under its freezing point yet does not freeze. That can occur if a liquid bears no nucleating agents—no particles wherein crystals can form. But if you add a particle, like a piece of ice to a cupful of supercooled water, instantly the entire cup of water will freeze! The ability to supercool is uncommon among mammals—but not rare in insects. Like in Alaska, yellow-jacket queens of the species Vespula vulgaris endure the cold, suspended by their mandibles for 9 months in a dry, snow-free cavity, by letting the fluids inside their bodies to supercool. A supercooled yellow-jacket may drop her temperature to 3 degrees, but instead avoids turning into a popsicle. If you bring her into contact with snow, she freezes solid—which kills her.

Other insects can even get cooler: the ribbed pine borer, or the beetle Rhagium inquisitor, can supercool to minus 24 degrees. Now we ask, is a supercooled Arctic ground squirrel in danger of freezing solid? It is possible, but highly unlikely. Its skin should be pierced first by an icicle or something like that.

References:

Suspended Animation by Robert W. Prehoda, chapter 3

Hygienic System by Herbert M. Shelton, Vol. III

How To Keep Children Safe From Infection and Parasites From Pets

2011-04-28T10:13:00.001+08:00

Pets are great companions both outside and inside the house. Adults adore them; children love them all the more. But that cuddly and adorable puppy or cat can also give more than affection—it can pass along bacterial and parasitic infection.

Children are especially susceptible because they’re more likely to kiss and hug pets, and less likely to be meticulous about hygiene. Good thing about this is, most pet-transmitted diseases can be easily treated with antibiotic or any anti-fungal medication; some even go away on their own. In any case, it’s best to contact the doctor at the first sign of symptoms. Here are some of the parasites and infections that commonly come from animals and some facts you need to know:

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis – a viral infectious disease spread naturally by house mice, hamsters, and guinea pigs. An infected person may show symptoms such as seizures, breathing problems, and eye discharge. The disease can be acquired by touching an affected animal’s urine, droppings or blood.

Intestinal worms – a parasite infection that can be transmitted from dogs and cats. Tapeworms can cause diarrhea and weight loss; roundworms are visible in stools. Intestinal worms are transmitted through contact with soil or sand that is contaminated with feces with worm larvae.

Salmonella – Reptiles, such as iguanas and turtles may carry salmonella bacteria. A person infected with salmonella may experience diarrhea and vomiting. Salmonella is transmitted through handling infected animals.

Parrot fever – is a disease that infects both animals and humans. This bacterial infection can come from birds, like parrots and parakeets. Symptoms of a parrot fever-infected person include coughing, chest pain, fever, chills, and vomiting. This can be transmitted through contact with bird feces or by inhaling the dust in bird cages.

To prevent or avoid these pet-borne illnesses, here are some simple steps.

Have new pets tested before bringing them home.
Have animals vaccinated and routinely dewormed.
Keep litter boxes and cages clean.
If your pet displays excessive scratching, hair loss, digestive upset or other signs of illness, take it to the vet.
Don’t use the kitchen sink to clean your pets or their toys, cages, or tanks.
Don’t let children play in sandboxes that aren’t covered when not in use (animals may have urinated or defecated in them)
Teach children not to touch animal droppings or let pets lick their face or hands.
Always wash hands with soap and water after handling pets.

Green and Eco-Friendly Baby Shower Ideas

2011-04-27T22:58:00.003+08:00

Even baby showers can be environment friendly, too. As a party planner or the expectant parents, here are some baby shower party ideas to help celebrate the occasion with a green theme.

1. Set a sustainable venue.

In line with your intention, choose the perfect setting. If weather permits, an outdoor potluck picnic is a relaxed way to enjoy the party. Remember also to bring containers where guests can carry home leftovers, reducing food waste. Another fun way to eliminate the use of disposable plastic ware in a party is to host an afternoon tea, where you could ask the guests to bring their favorite tea cup and saucer.

2. The seasoned menu

Make the most out of the available seasonal organic products by including these in your menu. Banish excess by managing the menu well. Consider the amount of expected guests. Focus on a single high quality entreé and include some locally baked bread and sandwiches or side dishes made up of vegetables and fruits in season.

3. Gifts of green

To go with the theme, give the guests a list of suggested gifts with the invitation. Here are some suggestions:

A frozen meal for the expectant parents to rely upon during the first weeks of sleepless nights
rarely used or worn-once clothes or shoes for the baby
barely used toys
cloth diapers or reusable diapers (make sure you include the details of the store where they can buy these)

4. Sustainable wrapping

Encourage the guests to bring out their creativity in wrapping the gifts with sustainable gift wrappers. Instead of traditional gift wrapping paper, they may use receiving blankets, a beautiful scarf, old paper maps, etc. Bows and ribbons can be substituted with pine cones or wooden teething rings.

5. Pass it on

Make the event personalized both for the receiver and the giver by asking the guests to bring along something they can pass on to the new parents, such as a book they have read to their baby, a framed picture of the mom when she was a baby, and many other ideas that have a personal touch to it.

6. Invitations

Online invitations are very popular now, but if you should choose to give out printed invites, use recycled paper which can also be personally decorated with environmentally friendly materials.

7. Gather and immortalize wishes

Pass around a journal-type book where guests can write simple yet poignant messages for the mom. This can later serve as her coffee table book of wisdom. Well- wishes, poems, or messages like, “What I wish most for you is…” or “Looking back, I wish I would have known…” Along with recycling, reusing, and reducing, going green is also a spiritually uplifting practice.

8. A beautiful remembrance

Mark the occasion with a lovely, one-of-a-kind gift for the baby. Ask the family and friends to leave a painted handprint of their palm on an oversized plant pot to be kept in the nursery. Gather pieces of fabric and invite the guests to cut out a heart shape, write their name on it and, with a fabric glue, adhere it to a pillowcase, that the baby can use to rest on. Don’t worry if the project looks a bit crude or imperfect, the intention already is.

9. Lifelong tokens

As party favors for the guests to take home, give out packets of seeds for spring. Better than any token will be the memories that family and friends take with them long after the party is over.

10. Thanking them

To make your appreciation remembered, print out pictures of the party. Cut and glue a photo to a discarded tough cardboard and “laminate” with wide transparent tape, then attach a craft magnet to the back. Insert this in an envelope and write “Thank you for making this day “picture-perfect.” This personal remembrance helps preserve memories as well as the environment.

The Burrowing Owl and Its Unusual Habitat

2011-04-26T13:34:00.003+08:00

Owls are creatures of mystery and beauty. But the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is considered a comical character, having an everlasting quizzical appearance on its face. It bears bright yellow eyes, striking white eyebrows, and long featherless legs.

Some owls nest in trees, but the burrowing owl does its nesting underground. A lot of owls spend most of their time in the forests, but the burrowing owl is home on the flatlands. And while some owls live a lonesome existence, this one loves company and, as long as a dependable food supply is ready, lives in pocket-size colonies with others of its kind.

image via Wikipedia

The burrowing owl is slightly larger than a robin and weighs in at about six ounces. It is among the smallest raptors. But it makes up for its petite size with lots of attitude. While the typical owl is rather secretive, you can go up a burrowing owl without it fleeing away. Upright atop a mound close the entry to its burrow, the owl will pivot its head to look out as you begin to get closer — its eyes can not move like ours do - and, as it gets agitated, it will start to bob up and down. That's a signal you have gotten a little too close.

When the burrowing owl senses threat, aside from its distinguishing bobbing motion, it will ruffle up its feathers to look larger. Both the male and female burrowing owls could try to chase off trespassers. As a final resort, the owl, rather than flying away, will go down into its hole for safety.

Capable of digging a nest with the use of its bill and talons, the burrowing owl virtually always captures another animal's deserted hole and executes a home make over. It will utilize the former homes of prairie dogs, ground squirrels, badgers, and, in Florida, the burrows dug by tortoises and armadillos are also a favorite. The completed burrows can measure up to 8 feet long, with the real nest area as deep as 3 feet underground. Every nest burrow will have at the least one turn, and there's constantly a mound of dirt at the entryway to function as a lookout post.

The burrowing owl is much easier to spot than other owls, not only since it lives out in the open, but because it's more active on daylight hours. Trees are rarely part of its home ground, so it loves to sit on fence posts or other elevated area while looking on for flying insects or small scuttling rodents. This owl utilizes an assortment of hunting techniques: chasing and running grasshoppers and beetles over the ground, swooping downward from a perch as it spots moving target, or even getting large insects in flight. Different from other owls, the burrowing owl also would eat fruit and seeds.

image via Wikipedia

As many digging creatures (ground squirrels, prairie dogs, etc.) are regarded pests and efforts have been made to eradicate them, fewer nesting places stay on for burrowing owls to use. And because the owls require comparatively flat land as a living area (about an acre per owl), they're frequently forced to contend with others needing the same environment — housing developers and farmers.

Luckily, they're moderately patient of the presence of persons. Burrowing owls have turned out to be more difficult to find, but it is worth the effort. Among the ways we locate them is by gradually driving little-used roads through and through agricultural areas where irrigation canals surround the pavement. The owls occasionally nest in holes in the canal walls and utilize the top of the wall as a lookout.

Up until 1975, burrowing owls were quite commonly seen in many states on the western side of Mississippi Valley, California, and in Canada. In the last decades, beginning in the 1980s, a steady decline in the number of burrowing owls has been observed. This is mainly due to the continuous loss of their habitat brought about by urban and agricultural developments especially in flat land areas.

With the loss of habitat, these owls have been trying to adapt to whatever available areas they could find. Nowadays, one may be lucky enough to find a burrowing owl. Some have seen them nesting in irrigation canal walls, and abandoned pipes

References:

Birds of the World by Jason A. Mobley

Bizarre Birds by Jonathan P. Latimer and Karen Stray Nolting

Owls of the United States and Canada By Wayne Lynch

Urban Wilderness: When Humans and Wild Animals Become Neighbors

2011-04-24T17:03:00.003+08:00

The wild creatures that occupy the urban wilderness are not like the wild creatures that live in the natural wilderness away from people. They won't eat the same food drink from the same streams, climb the same trees, build their nests from the same materials, den in the same hollows or interact with man in the same manner as normal wild animals do. While they may look alike, keep in mind that they're not the same, at least not in their manner of thinking or habits.

Not all species can adapt in the city’s urban wilderness, and those that do are perhaps altered forever. Is this what we have to anticipate in the near future as the last few left over open spaces are reduced down to stamp-size plots? If we wish to keep a healthy, workable wild population of all the creatures found in the natural, unexploited environment, there have to be enough wild spaces to accommodate the broad range of biological diversity. To have the best of all worlds, there must be large protected areas where man and wildlife don't ever commingle.

image source

It's nice to see wildlife living in the city. Some enjoy feeding the birds from backyard feeders, and it's fun to spy a turkey vulture gliding over the house and a skunk tottering down the street when leaving for work in the morning. But is it truly a good thing that these wild creatures live here, in such close proximity to people? It is otherwise not natural for a few of these animals to have these types of interactions.

The wild animals that currently live in our artificial suburban and urban wilderness give us an unequaled opportunity to study and observe them, which should be done. And not just in a conversational, casual, random way. It must be required that biologists and ecologists and other scientists to check out these unique backyard relationships that are happening around where we live so we can determine what becomes of all these different wild species when we come in their natural habitats and remold them for our own use.

As we take part in the arduous process of attempting to figure all this out, we also have to take a long, mindful look at how we humans supervise ourselves. Otherwise, we could well become one with the very creatures we are straining to save. And if that materializes, what new wilderness would we humans discover ourselves forced to live in, and who (or what) would attempt to save us?

How to Keep Raccoons Out of Your Yard

2011-04-23T13:57:00.002+08:00

Urban raccoons get it good having their very own lawns full of scrumptious earthworms and tasty beetles, hot tubs, swimming pools, and free showers (sprinklers) to wash in before they go to bed before the sun rises.

When raccoons are not digging into your pile of garbage to check if last night's dinner fits their taste or sniffling for the tree frogs in your geraniums, they could be sleeping in hollow trees, attics, unused basements, or inside the cool storm drains in the summer when it is not raining. If they get bored, they sneak in via the cat door and rummage through your kitchen cabinets to see what sort of dry breakfast foods you've got. Suburban raccoons grow a lot larger than their wilder country cousins since they eat the very same fattening foods that we humans consume.

Here are a few tips on how to deal with raccoons

• Do not feed the raccoons. You'll be helping to make them tamer than they already are. You'll also be teaching them to depend on humans for food rather than learning to scrounge and hunt naturally.

• Address their lawn rolling humanely. Throughout the fall, winter, and spring months, raccoons would prowl your front and backyards searching for earthworms, lawn beetle larvae, and other tasty critters that inhabit your lawn. They forage along the grass using their hand-like paws, bundling up huge strips of your lawn by doing this. The impact can be rather shocking when you open your back door and look into the remains of your lawn the next morning. There are several ways to deal humanely with raccoon lawn rollers. Among the best solutions is the Scarecrow brand motion-activated sprinkler, which you can but at many hardware and garden supply stores. When raccoons, deer, skunks, and your neighbor's cat are observed by the sprinkler's optic sensor, it shoots a harmless but surprising blast of water at them, typically scaring them off. Then it resets and waits for the next intruder.

A swift and dirty way to protect your lawn of raiding raccoons is to get a roll of chicken wire from the hardware store and just roll it over the area of the lawn where the raccoons are digging. Stake it down with wooden pegs. Once the raccoons can not get to your lawn, they will go bother your neighbors. You can leave it on lawn permanently. When the grass grows up through the wire mesh, just mow it.

• Clean up rooftop bathrooms. Shake roofs are usually the raccoon outhouses of choice. For some reason, raccoons choose to do their flushing on rooftops. This can actually be a serious problem. The first thing is to dispose of the feces (use gloves, wear mask and use plastic bags to contain their feces) and hose down to clean up the area. Raccoons can carry a kind of roundworm that can be passed along to humans. Then spray a dog repellant and leave them around the problem area.

Study Tips to Avoid Mental Block

2011-04-12T12:00:00.000+08:00

A mental block is defined as the failure to continue a train of thought. It is often described as a temporary inability to recall a name or other information. Here are practical tips on avoiding mental block.

1. Have a preview of your lesson by reading ahead what your teacher may discuss in the near future.

2. As you read you may mark or underline important points.

3. Pause for a while and review in your mind, using your own words, what you have understood.

4. After reading and understanding the whole chapter/ subject matter, take down notes.

5. In your note taking, use some symbols (“retrieval cues) which would help you retrieve of recall what you have studied.

6. Review your notes night after night and discuss them with others. You may read other references.

7. You may scan your notes the night before the exam, but make sure you get enough sleep of at least 7-8 hours.

8. After waking up early in the morning, meditate or have a devotion to pray, looking at the bright side of life. Sing joyfully while taking a shower. Eat a good breakfast with less carbohydrates and more protein.

9. Be confident believing that you have done your best and now you are ready for the exam. Never cram. Give your mind enough rest.

10. During the test, answer the easy items first and then go back to the difficult ones later. This time you can use your “retrieval cues.”

Teaching Children to Enjoy Dental Visits

2011-04-09T18:16:00.000+08:00

Many people don’t enjoy dental visits, yet there is an increasing number of children who anticipate their appointments as excitedly as if they were going to the park. These children began their visits at an early age before serious problems occurred. They view their dentist as a friend.

By the age of three, all twenty of the deciduous, or primary, teeth have emerged. This is the time the first appointment should be scheduled. The initial visit, while establishing a positive attitude toward dentistry that will last a lifetime, is also essential for the child’s general health.

Healthy teeth contribute favourably to the child’s attitude about himself and the dentist. The primary teeth should be cared for as diligently as permanent teeth. They serve the same functions and aid in the good health of the permanent teeth. They affect speech and appearance and enable chewing of foods necessary for good nutrition. Another reason for taking care of primary teeth is that children who are victims of dental neglect often avoid foods that are difficult or painful to chew. This results in improper nourishment. In addition, primary teeth maintain spaces for the permanent teeth and aid in the proper growth of the child’s jaw.

In making your child’s first dental appointment, choose a time early in the morning after the child has had sufficient rest. Avoid scheduling the initial visit around an emotional experience such as the birth of a new brother or sister. The dental appointment can further confuse a child already upset by this kind of change in his life.
Most of children’s fear of dental visits originate at home or are based on what parents tell them. Never threaten a child with dentistry or use it as a means of punishment. Neither should you bribe the child to cooperate, because he equates bribery with unpleasantness. Refrain from discussion or display of anxiety in the child’s presence, particularly at the dental office.
A child’s positive outlook about dentistry, early visits, and regular checkups are as important as correct home care. Parental enthusiasm is the key to ensuring your child’s happiness with the dentist, which will in turn please the dentist with a well-mannered, eager new patient.

Lessons We Learn From Life's Darkness

2011-03-24T18:14:00.000+08:00

Darkness in life is like a cocoon to a butterfly. As nature has its painful way of strengthening or developing a butterfly in order to prepare it for the life outside, we as persons gain strength when we struggle through the darkness of a life crisis. Dark times often become our ‘cocoon’ which God uses to strengthen us.

Here are lessons we can learn from darkness:

In the darkness we yield control of our lives.
Our society places a high value on independence, self sufficiency, and achievement. While those can be positives, they can also keep us from trusting God in our lives. It is in darkness when we let go, when we have no one to turn to and we have exhausted all our resources, we search for a higher being beyond our abilities.
In the darkness we learn the value of light.

Often the blessings received and enjoyed are taken for granted until there is deprivation. The sheer contrast of light and dark, good and bad, positive and negative is what makes it possible to deeply appreciate the beauty of the light. “The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome,” says Helen Keller. “The hilltop hour would not be so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.”

In the darkness our sense of compassion is heightened.

“A deep distress has humanized my soul,” wrote William Wordsworth. Those who emerge from a dark and difficult time often have a deeper desire to help others who are suffering. There is a strong sense that the suffering should not be wasted. When we have been through a crisis situation and have survived, helping others overcome a situation similar to what we have been through does not seem to be a burdensome thing to do.

In the darkness we learn more readily.

There is a vast difference between intellectual awareness of truth which pierces the heart through an experience of darkness. “Truth which is told is quick to be forgotten; truth which is discovered lasts a lifetime,” writes Biblical scholar William Barclay. A time of darkness is often when our greatest growth and learning takes place. It is in the dark valley where we simplify life, clarify values, sort out priorities, and discover which friends are true and which friends are not.
In darkness we are more open to God.

The opportunity of seeing clearly is absent in the darkness. Because our vision is blurred, our mind is confused and our spirit is hurting, we turn to turn to God with a great hunger. We turn to seek a higher being who may be able to know the purpose or end result of our bleak situation. We seek hope, and if there is none to be seen in all elements in our life, we soon realize that there is a God who will give it to us and who understands what we are going through.

In the darkness we learn to live by faith not merely by sight.

During the dark and difficult times we acknowledge our helplessness and turn our lives over to God’s care and guidance. It is a common irony that people, after they have struggled and fought with what they think is the right way, and still lose the battle, will then try to put everything in God’s hands. What if we remember to trust God first? He is in control of everything in the first place. We often forget that fact.
In the darkness we become less judgmental.

Troubles, trials, and tragedies reveal our vulnerability and weakness. Those times strip us of arrogance making us less judgmental of others. Most of us become more accepting, understanding, and kind after we have been through a fiery trial.

Finally it is from the darkness that we emerge stronger, wiser, and more resilient. It is when we are falling into the depths that we experience the majesty and power of God’s promises. In the biography film The Hiding Place, Betsie Ten Boom said to Corrie, her sister that “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” – a statement of faith of God’s timeless and boundless love.

Internet Safety Tips When Your Child Wants to Blog

2011-03-20T19:45:00.001+08:00

Blogs are increasing in popularity not only among adults but with teens and children as well. Children are also more and more getting interested in blogging. With the growing popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook, blogging has grown to be another new hobby. Internet users have a variety of options available to them for publishing and maintaining a journal online. Because children are exposed to a variety of blogs accessible online on a daily basis, it is not unusual that they may be influenced to make one of their own, too.

Read more: Internet Safety Tips When Your Child Wants to Blog

How to Deal With Infant Colic

2011-03-20T18:53:00.000+08:00

Colic is not some strange disease that you should worry about. As a matter of fact, it is really rather common especially to infants who are barely a year old. Still, the constant screaming and fidgeting can worry many parents, specially if this is the first time that they have came across such a problem. After all constant crying could be the result of a lot of things not just a colic.
This is the reason why it's crucial for parents to understand just what colic is and to recognize its signs and symptoms.

Read more: How to Deal With Infant Colic