Gardening - Natural Science NOT Rocket Science
August 31, 2005
Don’t force yourself out of the most profitable hobby in the universe because you think it’s too hard to learn …It isn’t!
Gardening is fast becoming the world’s number one hobby, and with all the latest ‘alternative’ information we have to hand, gardening as a natural science is fun to learn about and rewarding in the extreme…
Produce your own fruit and veg - cut the shopping trips.
Keep it organic!- be nice to the planet, and your body.
Stay fit and healthy with exercise and fresh air.
Spend quality family time in the outdoors.
Turbo boost your creative spirit
And if that isn’t enough to be going on with, learn about plant-kind in all it’s glory. From trees through to fungi, there are millions of plants to research, grow and eat- no chance of getting bored!
First you have to take your first step.
Start gardening, be a gardener, enjoy your garden.
Starting from scratch? Let your imagination run wild. Stand in the centre (-ish) of your garden and imagine..close your eyes if you like.
Don’t hold back. Let your creative thoughts flow. How much can you do with your space? Don’t imagine for one minute that a simple lawn will let you off the hook here. A lawn needs maintaining, and mowing regularly - for EVER..and it can get kind of boring to look at as well! How about creating
a butterfly patch
a wildflowers corner
a vegetable plot
a herb garden
a water feature
Then you will need a shed to store your tools. Where would that be best placed in your garden? Don’t waste a sunny position with a garden structure. Sheds don’t need to be in full sun to survive!
Is there enough space to place garden furniture? Rather than going for the table-and-four-chairs-on-patio style, can you place benches and small tables in semi-shady spots near the honeysuckle or round the herbs?
When you think you have a reasonable idea of all you want from your garden, take some notes and think about it for a while. Don’t leap in too soon-more often than not you’ll land up doing the same job twice. Browse through garden catalogs, take a little time and do a little planning.
But not for too long! Don’t let the ideas wither into another was-gonna-do-one-day file.
If you have enough of a budget to buy your garden structures and furniture, do this first, and position them in your garden. Then create your flower beds, vegetable plots and wildlife patches around these structures.
If you don’t have cash up front, don’t worry. The things you need will come to you. For now, prepare the space as if you DID have the shed, or bench or whatever, and work around these areas.
Start all the patches and work on them as and when you can, or start one patch and get it finished before moving on to the next. How you work in your garden depends on a number of things…
size of land and budget
helping hands available
seasons and the weather
time slots and energy levels!
Treat gardening as an ongoing hobby rather than a project to be started and finished. Plants are growing life forms and will always be changing the shape and feel of your garden. Go with it where you can, and prune heavily where you have to!
Get the kids involved with quick-germinating seeds, and fast-growing plants. Many retailers offer special seed mixtures for kids. Pumpkins are great for getting the kids interested in gardening.
Learn about edible flowers and teach the children what can and can’t be eaten - and why.
Don’t let the grass grow under your feet. Get in on the action now. Turn off the TV, put your wellies on and leap into nature!
About The Author
Linda Gray is a freelance writer and, with her partner. has spent ten years renovating a neglected acre of woodland. Find heaps of straight gardening advice and pots of inspiration at http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com
Why My Wife Is My Hero
August 31, 2005
My name is Chas Brothers. Many of you know me as an author of motivational articles directed towards both big and small business alike. As writers, we draw upon our knowledge and experience to offer our readers the one or two things they may need to inspire them to greatness.
Life experience is also a great teacher as are the people who have the greatest influence over us. My wife Jolene has been my source of inspiration and greatness for over 14 years. Those who know me intimately will tell you I don’t give away my affections easily but she brings out the best in me even when I don’t want her to.
When we met, I was informed by this Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and former Marine, that she was going to take this stubborn Polish, Native American, and former Army dog face and mold me! Friends you can imagine that at times, it was the classic clash of the Titans!
I have seen many things over the years which have caused me to view life in colors of black and white while she sees things from every form of gray imaginable. For me, there were no hero’s and I was desperately looking for where I fit in, in the overall scheme of things. The hero I was looking for was right in front of me all the time ? my wife!
Jolene has taught me more about business and cultivating the tools I needed to succeed more than anyone. Without her direct support, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this. I’m not surrounded by nay - sayer’s ? just supporters. She is my editor, most staunch critic, advisor, and most trusted partner. She has never ceased to amaze me. Despite at times a not so friendly work atmosphere at a couple of previous employers, she always maintained a high level of professionalism about her that was inspiring. And if that weren’t enough, when I got custody of my four children from a previous marriage she accepted them and set about teaching me how to be a good father to them.
I remember when I first started in management, I just couldn’t wait! I was the flavor of the month ? an autocratic leader just like the bosses before me. Only problem was everyone went democratic on me overnight ? I was lost! I have always possessed the ability to motivate others and help them find their strengths but it was through her refinements of me that I was able to find mine and manage to give myself a break in the process. She has taught me to be tolerant of a great many things that I never thought I would be capable of.
All that I am, I owe to her for she is truly my hero, my rock. We make a pretty formidable team. It took 14 years to mold and shape this team but I was already moldy to begin with so she had a head start!
It’s important to me that you know what motivates and inspires someone who enjoys motivating others! I’m better because of her and it shows. Thank you Jolene - I Love you Kiddo!
Chas Brothers is a Home Based Business Owner, Motivational Writer, and an Independent SFI Marketing Representative and may be reached at; http://work-from-home-make-extra-income.com , http://work-from-home-exchange.com or brothec@msn.com
Discipline Without Damage
August 31, 2005
If your parenting methods include abuse of any kind; physical, sexual, emotional or verbal, please get help to stop as soon as possible. Adults are supposed to safeguard and protect the young among us. You may be repeating patterns learned in your family of origin or not know any other methods of parenting.
I have included a number of different approaches to discipline that won’t damage the spirit of your precious children, but none will work if you haven’t acknowledged that what you were doing in the past was harmful and that your family deserved a more nurturing environment. I am not a psychologist or a counselor, but I know there are good ones out there who can assist you in shifting your paradigm of discipline to a more loving and respectful relationship.
You owe it to your children and yourself to break the bonds and cycle of abuse and get help. Change is possible; I see it every day in families I work with. You are a good, kind and loving person or you wouldn’t be reading this book and attending these classes, so I encourage you to take the steps that will change the lives of your children and their children.
You can do it. I believe in you.
A list of talking points to help you discipline without damage is listed below.
? The meaning of the word discipline
? Is your love unconditional
? Be both firm and kind in discipline
? Adults also need time out
? Teach them that mistakes are never final
? We all need boundaries
? Consistent does not mean rigid
? Discipline but never punish
? Catch them doing things right
? Teach without anger, shame or blame
? There is no such thing as a "good" or "bad" child
? Issue a warning, but mean it
? Spanking and screaming are not effective teachers
? Eliminate "Who’s at Fault?"
? Be aware of your body and facial language
? Treat each child as an individual
? Be careful of abusive adjectives, they really hurt
? Recognize effort and improvement
? Don’t punish them for telling the truth
? Deal with problems in private, praise in public
? Distinguish between minor mishaps and major problems
? Teach them to forgive and ask for forgiveness
? Be curious not furious-Ask questions
This handout has been prepared for you by Judy H. Wright, Parent Educator. It is part of a new book, Raise a Confident Child which will be coming out soon. For Free reports and to subscribe to the "Artichoke-finding the heart of the story in the journey of life" please join us at www.ArtichokePress.com
Judy H. Wright is a parent educator and life coach. Her passion and joy is in working with Head Start staff and Child Care providers to create a climate where every child succeeds and blossoms. The website http://www.ArtichokePress.com contains many free articles and reports as well as books, workshops and tele-classes for parents and educators.
6 Saving Tips When Moving
August 31, 2005
Moving households, whether it is due to a job transfer or upgrading your home, and whether moving across country or across town, is an expensive proposition. Even when a new employer sponsors a relocation, there are hidden or un-thought-of expenses such as tipping or registering your vehicle in a new state. Here are six ways to reduce expenses during your next move:
1. Boxes, boxes, boxes
Asking your local grocery, drug, or liquor store for their empty boxes is certainly one way to save money. You could easily spend $100 or more when buying new boxes. Consider visiting an apartment complex the first weekend of the month when new tenants are likely to move in. Tenants will be eager to rid themselves of their unpacked boxes and you can score by taking them off their hands. If your employer is paying for the move, be sure to save and store your new boxes for future use.
Buy your packaging tape at a hardware store instead of a grocery store or office supply store. It can save you up to $5 per roll! And remember to be nice to whomever is helping you move, pack books in a few smaller boxes instead of one big box!
2. Truck Rentals
If you are ambitious enough to move yourself, be sure to comparison shop weeks in advance of your move to get the best prices on truck rentals.
At the time this article was written, the following online price quotes were researched from well-known companies offering truck rentals. Be careful to investigate how the company charges for mileage. Another hidden charge that you may not be aware of is that of dropping off the truck in a different city/location from where it was rented. Inquire with the truck rental store or website if there are special promotions or discounts for being a AAA or AARP member. Do call your insurance agent before you reserve any truck to determine if your homeowner’s insurance will cover any damage to your furniture and if your auto insurance will cover the truck. This will save you worry and money, if you don’t need to purchase additional insurance from the rental company.
As an example, you could expect to tpay the following charges for a 400-mile move:
? Uhaul, www.uhaul.com, 14′ Truck, $109 + $.40 per mile after the first 476 miles
? Penske, www.penske.com, 15′ Truck, $429 for unlimited miles, receive a 10% discount for reserving the truck online and another 10% for being a AAA member
? Budget, www.budget.com, 15′ Truck, $452 with a $100 refundable deposit, 515 miles are free
Each of these companies does a great job of up-selling boxes, tape, hand truck rentals, and moving quilt rentals on their websites and in their stores. The boxes and tape can be purchased much cheaper if you plan in advance.
In this scenario, Uhaul is the clear winner, but this is NOT always the case. Prices will vary due to availability, timing, and distances.
And, don’t forget ? you are responsible for paying for the gas in the truck, which can be an exorbitant cost with current gas prices. Ask the rental company for the average mile-per-gallon of the truck when you are reserving it to estimate this cost.
3. Storage
Temporarily storing your belongings may be a necessary expense. There are a lot of options with storage facilities and you will want to weigh each aspect carefully. For example, if you are always strapped for cash, and there is the slightest chance thay you will not be able to make the payment in a timely fashion, your belongings may be confiscated! Don’t risk signing a contract with a storage company if you aren’t confident you can make the payments. An alternate option here is to use your credit card for the recurring monthly costs, but ONLY if you pay off the balance in full each month.
When choosing a storage facility, consider the companiy’s reputation, whether they have climate controlled units (if this is important to you), and what security the company can promise. Having easy access 24 hours a day may also be a key attribute for you depending on your circumstances.
If you are renting a truck to move your belongings, be sure to ask what partnership pricing they have with a local storage facility. Sometimes storage can be obtained for as little as $1 for the first month with a 2-month minimum contract when you rent a truck at the same time. Buy a padlock for your storage unit at your local hardware store to save spending 3-times the amount at the facility.
4. Packing Fragile Belongings
As with boxes, packing materials to protect fragile belongings can be expensive. A cost effective and space efficient tip is to pack these breakable items in your bathroom and kitchen towels, throw rugs, blankets, bed linens, and even shower curtains! This is a much better alternative to newspaper, which leaves ink residue behind. All of your linens can be washed and folded once you have moved into your new home.
In an easily identifiable place such as a drawer of a piece of furniture, be sure to pack a complete change of clothes for you and your family members, toiletries, a complete set of bed linens, and toilet paper. This way, you won’t be panicked trying to find the necessities when your first apprive at your destination.
5. Utilities and Address Changes
Remember to cancel your old utility services, start new utility services, and change your address. You may uncover some forgotten money when canceling services if you were required to pay a deposit when you started your service. Be sure to end the services the day AFTER you move out. This may incur a few dollars of extra costs, but typically these companies can not ensure a cut off time, and you don’t want to be stuck without electricity or hot water while you are still in your place. On the same note, you may wish to schedule set-up of your utilities at your new residence the day before you arrive to be sure everything will be working when you arrive. Here is a list of common utility companies to contact. The property management company or Chamber of Commerce in the area where you are moving can give you local company numbers.
? Electric
? Gas
? Water
? Phone
? Cable
? Garbage
Also, if you are moving into a subdivision or condominium complex that has a private trash collecting service, you may be charged for the pick-up of your moving boxes! This cost can be $25 or much higher, depending on the number of boxes. Check this out before putting your boxes out at the curb. You may want to consider donating your boxes to a new neighbor with a ‘For Sale’ sign in front of their home.
In addition canceling and starting new utility services, don’t forget to change your address with your:
? Bank
? Credit Cards
? Utility Companies
? Insurance Companies
? Doctors
? Magazines
? U.S. Post Office (at your old location)
6. Save ALL Moving Receipts
If your move is not being paid for by an employer, the incurred expenses may be tax deductible. According to the IRS website, www.irs.gov, "You can deduct your allowable moving expenses if your move is closely related, both in time and in place, to the start of work at a new or changed job location." The IRS has an interactive questionnaire, which determines whether your move may be deducted on your taxes. http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=132125,00.html Contact the IRS or your tax preparer if you have specific questions relating to your move.
Moving even the simplest of households can be expensive. Save yourself a lot of stress and money by planning far in advance of your move.
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Is Dr. Arthur Agatston Fearing the Loss of Popularity of South Beach Diet?
August 31, 2005
Dr. Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who developed South Beach Diet has stated in a recent interview that the diet is not low-carb, as everybody labels it.
Speculating the wave of decrease in popularity of the low-carb diets, many hastened to say that Dr. Agatston’s recent statement is issued from his fear that the diet would fail altogether taken by this wave. The way I see it, the allegation was made not necessarily as a defense against the popularity fall, but as a reaction against frequent associations with low-carb diets, especially with Atkins diet, with which it shares slight resemblance but of which it fundamentally differs.
What is it that the two diets share? The common points of the diets lie in the carbohydrate restriction during the incipient phases, with the induction of ketosis. But, speaking of the following phases in the diet, unlike the unhealthy recommendations of strict reduction of carbohydrates and foods high in saturated fats that Atkins makes, the South Beach diet recommends replacement of all simple carbohydrates with complex, healthy ones. In fact, South Beach diet recommends consumption of lots of whole grains, brown rice and fruit. Also, it strongly advises against all saturated fat, recommending instead unsaturated fats consumption, stressing on the healthy properties of the olive oil and fish oil.
So, is Dr. Agatston’s claim that the South Beach diet is not a low-carb diet a response to the fading of the low-carb craze? In fact, with the allegation that “We are not low carb. We are good carb”, Dr. Agatston reestated part of what he declared in his book “South Beach Diet”, that the diet was neither low-carb nor low-fat. So, how Dr. Agatston could have known in 2003, when the book was published, of the dramatic drop in percentage of low-carb dieters - from 9% in January 2004 to 4.6% in September 2004?
Laura Ciocan writes for http://www.south-beach-diet-101.com where you can find more information about the South Beach Diet Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:lauracio@gmail.com
Exercise Nutrition: How To Keep That Energy Up!
August 31, 2005
How many times has this happened to you?
>> You psych yourself up mentally (you are GOING to do it!)
>> You don the outfit (you can practically feel the energy flowing through your veins!)
>> You lace up the running shoes (Nike: Just Do It - that’s you.)
>> You grab your towel (because ANYONE SERIOUS needs a towel).
Then it’s time.
It’s time to sweat. It’s time to burn the evil fat from your body. You face the treadmill (or stair climber, or rowing machine, or exercise video with the perky aerobics instructor on it).
And you start.
You warm up, and start moving faster and faster. The sweat starts to pour. The blood is pumping. Man, you are burning! That size 2 exercise instructor is going to look like a whale compared to you when you get through!
The adrenaline hits your blood and you feel GREAT! You could exercise forever! In fact maybe you will exercise forever!
Your time winds down. Ok, maybe you’d better slow down, no sense in going TOO crazy here. The cool down sure feels good. You turn off the treadmill, or the exercise video and head to the shower.
Then it hits you.
EXERCISE REPERCUSSION.
You feel like you want to die, or at least sleep for about 12 hours. You go through the day craving anything you can easily grab: anything edible or, depending on how good it looks, anything at all. Nutritional value? Who cares!
But nothing seems to satisfy you and you could swear that you’ve just eaten all the calories you burned during exercise PLUS more!
What was the point in exercising at all if you go through your day tired and eating everything in sight? It was just a waste of your time and a stress on your body for nothing right?
Well, not necessarily, not if you can learn from it. Here’s how to avoid the above experience when exercising:
1) Check Your Hydration Levels
(I know not really exciting-but it will do wonders!!)
The average adult loses 10-12 cups of water a day (that’s not including water we lose from exercise, caffeine, etc).
It’s estimated that approx 75% of North Americans are chronically dehydrated. And even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
And here’s the key, all you exercisers: Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue!!!! Unfortunately this fatigue often gets mistaken for hunger and we eat more than we need in a desperate effort to get that water back into our bodies.
What can you do?
Before your workout: drink 1-2 glasses of water
During your workout: Have about ½-1 cup of water for every 20 minutes of exercise
After your workout: Have at least 3 cups of water in the hour after you exercise.
2) Check Your Pre-workout Nutrition
Since you want energy over the long haul, your best bet is to try having some complex carbs before you exercise (like oatmeal, whole wheat toast, or whole wheat crackers).
Some people prefer to get their carbohydrate from fruit also, it depends on what works for you.
Try to combine this with a little bit of protein (like peanut butter on your whole wheat toast, or a couple slices of cheese with your apple). Try different combos and see what gives you the most energy.
3) During your workout:
If your workout is under an hour: Make sure you keep drinking that water and continue to listen to your body.
If you want to go more than an hour you should try eating 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrate every half hour (i.e. From sports bars, fruits or whole grains).
If you are exercising for more than 3 hours you should consider sipping a sports drink to replace lost electrolytes. Both sports drinks and energy bars help to maintain your blood sugar levels and prevent muscle glycogen (energy) depletion
4) After exercise:
Keep drinking that water! (See above) You also want to refuel with carbohydrates as soon as you can after exercise (toast, bagel, fruits, oatmeal, etc.)
Your body not only needs to refuel but it also needs to rebuild with some protein since intense exercise involves the breakdown of muscle tissue.
Some possible snacks are: Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat toast, cottage cheese mixed with fruit, scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast.
The most important thing is to pay attention to your body and feel what works for you as you exercise. If you feel light-headed or dizzy or in pain at any time during exercise stop! Respect your body and what it tells you.
Hopefully the next time you decide to face the treadmill (or the exercise video) you’ll be able to feel great both during AND after you exercise.
You’ll be able to feel as if you’ve made your body better and stronger, by feeding it and exercising it and keeping that energy up!
Kathryn O’Neill is a contributing writer for Diet and Weight Loss Reviews .
For more weight loss tips and free diet reviews, visit http://www.freetobethin.com.
