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LIFE`S SIMPLE PLEASURES---BIRD FEEDING by della griffin
FIRST, LET US DISPEL TWO COMMON MYTHS ABOUT PROVIDING BIRD FEEDERS FOR WILD BIRDS: THE FEAR THAT WILD BIRDS WILL BECOME DEPENDENT ON THE FEEDERS AND THAT THIS WILL PREVENT THEM FROM MIGRATING. THE TRUTH IS THAT BIRDS TREAT THE FEEDING STATION LIKE ANY OTHER PATCH OF FOOD, THEY INCLUDE IT IN THEIR DAILY FOOD INTAKE BUT DO NOT EXCLUDE OTHER FOOD SOURCES. DEEPLY INGRAINED SURVIVAL INSTINCTS LEAD BIRDS TO CONTINOUSLY SAMPLE FROM MULTIPLE FOOD SOURCES. THIS ENSURES THAT THEY HAVE FAMILIAR BACKUP FOOD IN CASE ONE PATCH RUNS OUT.
ONE SMALL FOOD PATCH SUCH AS A BACKYARD FEEDER WILL NOT CHANGE DEEPLY IMPRINTED SURVIVAL MECHANISMS, YOUR BIRD FEEDERS WILL NOT ALTER THEIR MIGRATION INSTINCTS. BIRDS STAY THROUGH WINTER BASED ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CUES. THOSE WHO SURVIVE ON SEED STAY. OTHERS THAT MUST HAVE INSECTS, FRUIT AND SUCH FLY SOUTH WHERE THOSE FOODS ARE AVAILABLE.
NOW WITH THESE MYTHS OUT OF THE WAY, LET US PROCEED WITH THE SIMPLE PLEASURES OF ATTRACTING AND KEEPING WILD BIRDS COMING TO YOU FEEDERS. NUTRITIOUS FOOD WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST IS THE KEY. EARLY SPRING, WHEN THE PREVIOUS YEAR`S SEED ARE GONE BUT NEW SEEDS HAVEN`T YET SET; AUTUMN, WHEN SEED FIRST FALL BUT OLD AND MATTED GRASSES MAKE THEM DIFFICULT TO FIND; AND COLD SNAPS IN MIDWINTER, OR HEAVY SNOW AND ICE ARE TIMES WHEN THE FEEDERS SHOULD BE FILLED AND AVAILABLE FOR THE SEED EATING BIRDS.
ONCE BIRDS HAVE HAD A FAVORABLE FEEDING EXPERIENCE AT YOUR FEEDERS, YOU CAN EXPECT THEM BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN. BUT, THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE. DURING WINTER A LARGE PERSENT OF A SMALL BIRD`S DAY IS SPENT IN SEARCH OF FOOD. IF THEY HAVE FOUND SPOILED BIRD SEED AT YOUR FEEDER THEY MAY AVOID IT AND USE THEIR TIME AND ENERGY SEARCHING ELSEWHERE.
SO, HOW DO WE PROVIDE THE MOST FAVORABLE FEEDING EXPERIENCE AND YET KEEP IT SIMPLE? PERHAPS THE BEST WAY TO ATTRACT AND KEEP THE BIRDS COMING BACK TO YOUR YARD IS TO LANDSCAPE WITH PLANTS NATIVE TO YOUR REGION. THEN, KEEP A SIMPLE FEEDING STRATEGY. MIXED SEED IS NOT THE BEST RECOMENDATION. THE BIRDS USUALLY PICK OUT ONLY THEIR FAVORITE SEED. REMEMBER THEY ARE CONSTANTLY FORAGING FOR THEIR DAILY NEEDS BY EATING WILD FOODS. BLACK-OIL SUNFLOWER SEED IS A FAVORITE. YOU MAY ALSO PROVIDE NYJER AND MILLET IN SEPARATE FEEDERS TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL SPECIES. A BIT OF SUET IS ALSO A GOOD CHOICE.
NOW DON`T TAKE ANY ADVICE AS THE DEFINITIVE ALL. ISN`T EXPERIENCE STILL THE BEST TEACHER? EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT SEEDS, WATCH YOUR BIRDS. LET THEM TELL YOU WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE ON THEIR MENU. ADD SUET AND BY ALL MEANS WATER. ENJOY!
CLEAN GRILLS SAFELYFinding A Family-Friendly Degreaser Cleaner
by: Vincent P Platania
Super dirty, grimy, and filthy ovens complete with built-up slime and heavily encrusted gunk requires an intensive, heavy-duty cleaning device. The problem is that many oven degreasers contain poisonous and even toxic chemicals.
Moreover, most of these brutal chemicals do not, in fact, make a product’s cleaning power much better than those containing safer substances. Degreasers filled with harmful ingredients will not necessarily clean better than its less toxic counterpart, but they will make your home less safe, especially for small children.
Manufacturers of cleaning products include harsh chemicals in order to please consumers who have been lead to believe that those very materials are needed to clean powerfully and effectively. Moreover, these harsh substances cause
Unfortunately, many of these harsh chemicals produce several intolerable side effects.
Many of these toxic substances emit intense odors generating indoor air pollution.
For this reason, consumers need to ventilate their houses when cleaning as recommended on the products’ packages. Such pungent smells often leave consumers with such symptoms as headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Several studies have indicated that chemical inhalation can lead to serious, long-term health problems. Pregnant women should avoid using these poisonous products since these fumes may harm the fetus.
Such harsh chemicals are not only harmful to people, they are damaging to the environment. In fact, many toxic products include government-sanctioned instructions on how to dispose of them. Heaven forbid if these unused substances leaked into our soil and water. To use such products, you need to wear rubber gloves to avoid skin contact. Rubber gloves are not biodegradable, and languish in landfills when thrown out.
On an up note, citrus degreasers and other natural ingredients are just as effective cleaners as toxic chemicals, and do not have any harmful side effects. Safe, biodegradable, Degreaser cleaners are currently available.
While you must still take some obvious precautions like keeping the products out of the reach of children, citric cleaners are nevertheless much safer than their chemical-laden counterparts. And many of these natural cleaners are packaged in biodegradable and recycled packaging.
Most corporations manufacture citrus degreasers and other biodegradable degreaser cleaners not only because they help our health and the environment, but because they work extraordinarily well. Citrus cleaning products are usually made from corn with orange oils added for extra cleaning power and an agreeable scent. These ingredients enable the degreaser cleaner to lift and dissolve dirt and grime.
Because citrus degreaser cleaners are safe and biodegradable, they can be used to clean more than just ovens, barbeques, or engines. Such products can also clean carpets, counters, stovetops, etc. Yet, you must always first read the directions on the label.
Some of these instructions will tell you how to dilute the cleaner so that it works on bathtubs, showers, toilets, floors, grouts, tiles, and glass. The uses for degreaser cleaner are endless.
You can be assured that effective and environmentally friendly degreaser cleaners will be around for a long time.
About The Author
Vincent Platania represents the Stanley Home Products. Stanley Home Products has been in business since 1936, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean.
Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com
Outdoor Patios - Six Ideas For Creating a Beautiful Design
by: Susan Schlenger
Thinking about an outdoor patio design can be both fun and confusing. You might be imagining entertaining your family and friends. Perhaps relaxing quietly enjoying the peace and quiet is a nice thought or even listening to some trickling water. Yet, how do you go about creating a patio design that you will really be happy with? Where do you start?
There are many design aspects to consider.
1. How large do you need your patio to be? Is it just a small sitting area for two, or do you need the space to entertain large groups of people? As a guide, a sixty inch round table and chairs would need about fifteen feet of space. This allows for chairs to be maneuvered and also allows for access around the furniture. A lounge needs approximately ten feet of space. A patio which is fifteen feet by twenty feet or about 300 square feet is decent size.
2. Work with a design that looks well with the architecture of your home. Sometimes the simplicity of interesting geometric shapes and paving patterns look elegant. In other situations, curvilinear designs look beautiful and might blend in well with natural surroundings.
3. What about paving materials? Are you looking for an inexpensive solution? Colored concrete works nicely. I suggested this for a client on a budget and they loved it. I designed the concrete so that it was patterned with large squares for interest. Do you have your heart set on natural stone? Travertine pavers are becoming popular. They are actual stone but are cut into regular shapes for an easy, dry laid installation. Bluestone is always beautiful whether it be laid in mortar or dry laid. You can choose from irregular or regular shapes.
4. How high above the ground is your door to the house? If there is a four inch to eight inch difference, you can plan on just stepping onto the patio. However, if your doorway is higher, some creative design work must be done. Many times I will create a nice sized landing to step onto. From this, a few steps are provided down to the patio. This provides a comfortable area to step onto, rather than just a narrow step. If your door is very high, you can also add some steps off the patio. The ideas is to create a gradual transition to ground level.
5. Seat walls are a nice addition to patios. They not only provide something attractive and vertical to look at, but also additional seating and a nice place for conversation. Seat walls should be eighteen to twenty four inches high and a minimum of one foot deep. The top of the wall should be flat. For example, if the seat wall is to be made of natural stone, a bluestone cap provides a comfortable seat and also a resting place for food or drinks.
6. Think about some nice features to add to your patio. The sound of water from a natural or formal pond at the edge or nearby is both beautiful and peaceful. Perhaps a special sculpture works well in the design. If your patio is in a hot and sunny area, consider a pergola or trellis for shade.
You might even include a simple bird bath fountain.
Considering all of these design elements will lead to a patio project that is aesthetic, functional and enjoyable.
About The Author
Susan Schlenger is a Landscape Designer with a degree in Landscape Architecture. She has been providing design services for 10 years and has worked in various parts of the United States. Her company, Susan Schlenger Landscape Design, is located near Charlottesville, Virginia. To learn more about her landscape design ideas for patios and see some of her projects, visit http://www.landscape-design-advice.com/patio-designs.html
THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY
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The Importance of Play
by: Judy Hansen
For children, play is naturally enjoyable. And since it is their active engagement in things that interest them, play should be child-led, or at least child-inspired, for it to remain relevant and meaningful to them. Children at play are happily lost in themselves; they are in their own realm of wonder, exploration, and adventure, pulling parents in at times with a frequent “Let’s play, mom!” as an open invitation into that world.
As early as infancy, children immerse themselves in play activities with the purpose of making sense of the world around them. Play gives children the opportunity to learn and experience things themselves, which is vital for their development. Although peek-a-boo games seem pointless to adults, tots are awed by the surprise that awaits them as they see the suddenly emerging faces of people they love.
(Stages of Play)
During toddlerhood, children experience a motor-growth spurt that equips them to solitarily fiddle with anything they can get their hands on – be it a construction toy or the box from where it came.
Toddlers also love breaking into song, wiggling and jiggling to tunes, and imitating finger plays they are commonly exposed to.
Preschoolers begin extending their play to involve others, whether they bring others in at any stage of their game or they plan their game and its players’ way ahead. Their physical and motor skills allow them to widen their lay arena, from dramatic play to table games to outdoor pursuits.
School-age children start appreciating organized play – such as innovated songs and rhymes, games with rules, relays and other physical activities, sports and projects that they can accomplish over a certain time frame.
Play Perks:
Why the big fuss about playing? Play benefits the child in ways that might be a tad difficult for adults to imagine.
1. Play brings pure and utter joy.
A toddler who jumps into an empty box and runs around the house ‘driving a car’ shows the sheer happiness that play brings him or her. When children are asked what they did in school and they answer ‘play,’ it is a clear sign that these kids remember a feeling of genuine joy that is captured in this four-letter word.
2. Play fosters socio-emotional learning.
What does a ten-month-old baby who shrieks at the sight of her stuffed toy have in common with a ten-year-old boy who plays basketball with his friends? They both deal with their confidence as they choose to embark on their play activities. At the same time, they are displaying their independence in the decisions that they make. These two children are also internalizing social rules in their respective play situations: the baby waits patiently for her stuffed toy to appear, while the school-age child has to contend with an impending loss in a ball game.
3. Play hones physical and motor development.
Play often involves the use of the senses, the body, and the extremities. When children play, they exercise their bodies for physical strength, fluidity of movement, balance and coordination.
Perceptual-motor ability, or the capacity to coordinate what you perceive with how you move, is an essential skill that preschoolers need to develop. A three-year-old who is engrossed in digging, scooping, and pouring sand into a container must match his or her perception of the space in front of him or her with actual hand movements, so that he or she can successfully fulfill the motor activity.
4. Play facilitates cognitive learning.
Play is vital to the intellectual development of a child. We live in a symbolic world in which people need to decode words, actions, and numbers.
For young children, symbols do not naturally mean anything because they are just arbitrary representations of actual objects. The role of play is for the child to understand better cognitive concepts in ways that are enjoyable, real, concrete, and meaningful to them. For instance, through play, a child is able to comprehend that the equation 3 + 2 = 5 means ‘putting together’ his toy cars by lining them up in his makeshift parking lot. When he combines 2 triangles to make a square during block play, or writes down his score is a bowling game, the child is displaying what he knows about shapes and numbers.
Through play, the child is constructing his or her worldview by constantly working and reworking his understanding of concepts.
5. Play enhances language development.
Toddlers who are still grappling with words need to be immersed in oral language so they can imitate what they hear. They benefit from songs and rhymes that provide the basis for understanding how language works.
When these tots are playing with toys, adults model to them how language is used to label objects or describe an event. At play, preschoolers use language to interact, communicate ideas, and likewise learn from dialogues with more mature members of society.
6. Play encourages creativity.
Barney the dinosaur was right about using imagination to make things happen. A lump of Play-Doh suddenly turns into spaghetti with meat sauce and cheese; a small towel transforms into a cape that completes a superhero’s wardrobe; and a tin can serves as a drum that accompanies an aspiring rock artist. Play opens an entire avenue for children to express themselves, show what they know and how they feel, and to create their own masterpieces.
7. Play provides bonding opportunities.
Play is an important factor in child development. It provides for interaction, experimentation, and moral development. Here are some ways by which parents can encourage and support their children’s playtime.
- Let your child be the player-leader. Let children initiate their activity, set their own theme, choose the parameters where the play will take place. Play becomes a venue for children to express their feelings and be in control.
- Help them help themselves. When your 5-year-old asks for help, say, figuring out how to piece a puzzle together, stop yourself from coming to her rescue and first ask your child questions that allow him or her to help himself or herself. Say, “Where do you think this piece should go?” Afterward, commend his or her success.
- Play attention. Once you make a commitment to play with your child, watch for the following signals: Does he or she want you to actively play a part in the activity? Does he or she need encouragement? Is he or she tired or hungry? Does he or she need to take a break?
- Have a play plan. If you seem to have little time for playing with your child, consider using self-care chores to have fun with him or her. Also, get support from other people in your household, like older siblings, household help, or the child’s grandparents, so that they understand why play is important and how they should continue to encourage it.
About The Author Judy Hansen is a web administrator of http://www.child-central.com
She is also a mother of 2 girls and a preschool teacher with Child's Minder School House. |
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Freshen Up Your Home with Outdoor Lighting
For those of you who are looking to start updating the look of your home, consider starting with the outside first. After all, the exterior of your home is the first thing that visitors see as they approach your house. What better way to greet visitors and let them know that you’re available than with outdoor lighting? Whether it’s a post mounted lantern, porch lights, or ceiling mounted lights, outdoor lighting is an ideal way to give your home a fresh look.
Post mounted lanterns are terrific for giving your home a polished, English inspired look and feel. Ideally placed in the front yard, by the front door or even by your driveway, post mounted lanterns work as landmarks for first time visitors to your home. Contemporary styles are also available to match the look of your home along with your personal style, making this type of lighting one of the more versatile within the selection of outdoor lights.
Another type of outdoor lighting that’s very common among households everywhere is porch lighting. Porch lighting can be anything from a wall mounted lantern to a flushed ceiling light, to even a hanging ceiling lantern. Usually weather friendly and luminous, porch lights are considered a user friendly alternative to post mounted lanterns. Post mounted lanterns are usually set to a timer so that they stay on from dusk till dawn, whereas porch lights can be manually turned off once everyone goes to bed. An additional benefit to having porch lighting versus a post mounted lantern is the fact that it will not take away from your landscape, limiting the light to only the front door or garage.
Undeniably, outdoor lighting will give the exterior of your home a fresh new look. It’s really quite surprising that all it takes are a few outdoor lights here and there to update the look of your home, and since they’re so easy to install, it’s a wonder why most home owners start with this affordable process in the beginning.
Article Source: http://www.eco-lights.com
USE AND HISTORY OF HOT TUBS
Increase your knowledge of the uses and history of hot tubs and spas.
http://www.hot-tubs-spas-swimming-pools.com
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Note: All prices in US Dollars
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