Home And Family

It’s time for a great summer party. Maybe you’re planning a big outdoor event, like a family reunion, garden wedding, or milestone birthday party. Or perhaps you’ve decided on the spur of the moment to invite a few friends over for a small get together. Here are some hot tips to turn your average summer party into a real blast.

1. Instead of balloons, hang inflatable beach balls.

2. Give each of your guests a little battery operated personal fan that you can get at the dollar store. It’s a practical party favor that will come in handy if it’s a very hot day.

3. No pool? Throw a sprinkler party. Tell your guests to bring their bathing suits for a run through the sprinkler. Provide water guns and water balloons for additional entertainment.

4. Rain in the forecast? Have an indoor picnic. Push the furniture to the side, put a checkered or gingham tablecloth on the floor, serve take out fried chicken, sandwiches and potato salad.

5. Use a beach pail to hold plastic utensils or napkins at your summer party. The plastic shovel makes a novel serving spoon.

6. Keep white Christmas lights handy all year. They look great strung around the patio, deck, trees, or around the table or doorway inside the house.

7. Try to have much more ice on hand than you think you’ll need. And make sure you have lots and lots of beverages, especially frozen drinks and smoothies. Summer parties are the perfect time to try out some new recipes in the blender.

8. Use a wheelbarrow filled with ice. Add cans and bottles of your favorite drinks for a portable outdoor cooler.

9. Have a luau themed party. Decorate with grass skirts, plastic leis, etc. from a party supply story. Scatter seashells on the table. Hang colored lanterns. Play background Hawaiian music. Don’t forget the pineapple and macadamia nuts.

10. If you don’t have a backyard, have your summer party at the park, beach or even zoo.

11. Give each of your guests a dollar store beach pail as a party favor filled with summer stuff, like sunscreen, flip flops and a novel for summer reading. Add a homemade or professionally made personalized photo bookmark inside the novel that thanks your guests for coming to the party.

12. At night, light candles for atmosphere and Citronella candles to discourage bugs.

13. If you’re having a pool or beach party, make sure you find a guest to volunteer as a designated lifeguard who is willing to give full attention to watching the kids in the water.

14. Have an ice cream party. Provide a selection of ice cream and sherbet flavors and let your guests add their own sundae and fresh fruit toppings.

15. Have extra sunscreen prominently displayed and available to any of your guests who may need it.

16. If you’re doing the grilling, ask your guests to bring the salads and side dishes.

17. Have Christmas in July (or August). Put up your fiber-optic or pre-lit tree, play Christmas music, serve cookies.

18. Have a Mexican fiesta, complete with make your own tacos, salsa and chips (try some fruit salsas) and a pinata.

19. Some outdoor activities kids can enjoy at a party include a treasure hunt, blowing giant bubbles, water balloon toss, fishing for magnetic fish in a wading pool, ring toss in a wading pool, croquet, horseshoes, badminton, face painting, spin art, hide and seek.

20. Serve fresh, seasonal fruit in hallowed out melon or pineapple halves.

21. Take lots of photos at your summer party. Email a few of the best ones to all the guests who attended. Better yet, have custom made photo magnets made of a group photo or one of you and your family with a message thanking people for coming to the party. Then mail them out as a great remembrance to a special occasion.

22. Don’t forget to toast some marshmallows!

The other day I happened to see a half-hour video on posture designed to be shown in the public schools. It appeared to be aimed at middle-school students.

I was quite impressed by the first twenty minutes or so of the video. The narrator covered a number of reasons why students might develop poor posture, with emphasis on the psychological and social pressures faced by children in our society. He also did an excellent job of explaining the harmful physical effects of poor posture – shallow breathing, restricted circulation, back and shoulder pain etc.

The narrator was a man of about thirty who had very good posture himself. As he alternated between sitting on a high stool and standing he demonstrated – without specifically talking about it – what good posture looks like.

But then, in the final minutes of the video, he addressed the question of how students could improve their posture. His basic message? 揝tand (or sit) up straight.? In other words, pretty much what parents and teachers sometimes tell their kids and what passes for posture advice in most magazine and newspaper articles on the subject.

Interestingly enough, when the narrator illustrated 搒tanding up straight?he stiffened himself a bit, thereby losing his natural easy upright stance.

Admonishing someone to 搒tand up straight?is at best useless advice. When children are told to do this, they typically do what they need to get the parent or teacher off their case. Usually they stiffen themselves up, lifting their chest and pulling their shoulders back. More often than not they will also arch their lower back a bit.

This semi-military stance typically lasts for a minute or so and then they抮e back in their usual slump. Which is just as well because all they抳e done to 搒tand up straght?is rearrange the pattern of tensions in their body. And perhaps develop some antagonism to the person who told them to do this – and to the whole notion of posture improvement.

Professor John Dewey, the American philosopher, public education reformer and longtime student of F. M. Alexander, the developer of the Alexander Technique, had a very clear understanding of the problem:

揑t is,?he wrote, 揳s reasonable to expect a fire to go out when it is ordered to stop burning as to suppose that a man can stand straight in consequence of a direct action of thought and desire. The fire can be put out only by changing objective conditions; it is the same with rectification of bad posture.

揙f course, something happens when a man acts upon his idea of standing straight. For a little while, he stands differently, but only a different kind of badly. He then takes the unaccustomed feeling which accompanies his unusual stance as evidence that he is now standing straight. But there are many ways of standing badly, and he has simply shifted his usual way to to a compensatory bad way at some opposite extreme.”

The posture training video I saw was clearly useless. But beyond that lies the sad irony that the students forced to view it were almost certainly sitting in chairs and at desks pretty much guaranteed to promote poor posture. Most schools today use standardized furniture that makes no allowance for students?different sizes and shapes, furniture chosen to save a few dollars and make them easy for the custodial staff to stack and move.

Moreover, they likely were forced, because of heavier and heavier textbooks, to carry overloaded backpacks to and from school – backpacks that distort their young spines in ways that may well cause them serious physical problems later in life. Amazingly enough, some new schools are being build with no storage lockers – presumably to prevent drugs being stored – so these packs have to be carried from class to class as well.

Neither the dreadful school furniture nor the heavy loads would ever be tolerated in the workplace. Government regulations, union pressure and the compelling threat of lawsuits insure that adult workers are not subjected to the harmful conditions our school kids are faced with.

If you are a parent, I urge you to take a close look at those conditions. Try carrying a backpack that weighs as much, relative to your own body weight, as the one your kid carries. You may need to use two packs to get enough weight. Take a look at the school furniture your child has to use. If at all possible do so during an actual class so you can observe how students deal with it. Be sure to sit at a desk yourself for at least one class period.

You may be amazed – and appalled – at what you discover. Hopefully you will be motivated to bring pressure on your local school board to issue spare textbooks that can stay at home and to make desks and chairs of different sizes available in classroom.

Your kids will thank you.

Nice gardens come in many forms and sizes. A garden often reflects its owner’s personality and taste. It can be viewed like a piece of artwork. This article outlines some tips to get your dream garden.

The first consideration would be the size of your garden. This is crucial since changing the size of a garden is not as easy as re-arranging the plants. You can get some ideas from the articles in magazines, or by looking around. A visit to a friend’s house or the lake garden may give you some inspiration to construct your lovely garden. A house with limited space may house an herbal garden but if your land area is big, an herbal garden may seems awkward and out of place.

Next, you need to imagine what your garden would be like. This way you will have an idea to come out with a concept and design. Imagine a garden that suits your taste and the purpose of designing a dream garden. Would you use it as a playground for your kids, as a place for the whole family to rest, as a place to entertain guests or simply a playground for your pet dog?

Once you get a rough (or maybe detailed) idea of how your dream garden would be, you can now consider structures that can be included in your garden. Structures are not only limited to building; walls, trees, pergola, garden chairs and walkway are some of the other elements that form your garden. Wisely chosen structures contribute to a feeling of spacious garden and also act as direction marker in the area. A proper arrangement of these structures could also create a peaceful environment.

Another consideration to create your dream garden is lighting. You can depend on both sunlight and artificial lights. Alternatively, you can use artificial lights at night. Although you may think that this is unnecessary since you seldom sit at the garden at night, think of the attractive effects that the lights can bring during the nights.

Then the last thing to do is to choose the right combination of plants. Some people may do this first, thinking that this is the most important step towards creating a dream garden. But believe me; this will turn out to be the simplest thing to do once you have a clear idea of what your garden would be. Consider a variety of plants that could give you different colors, textures and height. You can do simple experiments in getting the most out of your garden. Proper planning and patience may bring your dream garden into reality.

For a light weight, trouble free knitting experience you need to use bamboo knitting needles. These are made after extensive research was done, to make your knitting experience as smooth as possible. They are manufactured using a high technological processes. The companies that manufacturer these needles maintain, high quality, smooth finish and a perfect needle points. The high quality and standard they are manufactured to will make your knitting, an experience you will not forget.

By using bamboo knitting needles, you will minimize any possibility of splitting yarns, these needles also maintain a smooth flow of yarn over them, because of the smooth surface they have. This all helps to make your knitting trouble free. As these needles are of such a light weight your hands will not tire even after long hours of knitting.

The smooth wooden finish makes them glide over each other in perfect unison, hence minimizing the noise created by other needles such as aluminum ones. The amazing thing is that they become even smoother, the more you use them. Thus, knitting with these smooth bamboo needles all helps to make a comfortable experience, unlike the plastic and aluminum ones that are often used.

The bamboo knitting needles are made only out of the finest quality natural bamboo, that is grown in parts of Japan. The manufactures make a great effort to prepare bamboo needles of the highest standard. The strict quality control that is applied, assures that the bamboo needles prepared last longer and produce some of the most exquisite knitting patterns you can see.

The bamboos used to produce bamboo knitting needles are harvested during the cold winter months. The bamboo that is from these cold climates is far more resilient, and hard. During the winter the water contained in the bamboo is at a minimum. Thus, this avoids any staining, or mold.

During the winter months the woody fibers of the bamboo become tighter, hence these bamboo shoots are used to produce needles that are of strong density. The use of a fully matured bamboo shoot means, that when they are produced, they are strong and long lasting.

These bamboo needles are available in a variety of different shapes and sizes. The tapered point ensures that every loop is even, which leads to a beautiful stitch. This also makes them perfect for the beginner and the people who like the feel of a smooth warm bamboo passing between their fingers.

They are highly recommended to be used by beginners as they are not as slick as the plastic or metal ones. Thus, the possibility of the loops sliding from them becomes much less likely to happen. Professional knitters prefer bamboo knitting needles as they are able to knit quickly without any mistakes.

The flexibility, strength and comfort provided by them are second to none. Knitters can get a good quality bamboo needle at an affordable price. Unlike the wooden ones, that are much more expensive, and if they are homemade then it will cost you a lot to own a set of them.

Bamboo knitting needles are available in a wide range of varieties, such as double points, single point and circular types. The size of every needle is so accurate that you can use various same sized needles and still get a high quality uniform stitch. You can also purchase them with paperweight tops.

Thy also come with a bulb of glass containing beautiful flowers, or other patterns. They are often collected for their beauty and elegant look. The beautiful glass design adds an exquisite touch to your knitting experience.

Even though bamboo knitting needles are long lasting, if you are using them for long periods of time it would be beneficial to you, to sand their tips, doing so will keep them smooth. This also stops the needles from splitting yarns, and of course them breaking. Apart from this the bamboo needles virtually maintenance free.

Birthdays are a time for great celebration. When we are younger we set important time frames on different years of age. All children go through the terrible two’s, that age when they just seem to get into everything as they satisfy the urge of curiosity. Then there is the age of 5 when children embark on the journey of educational success. For some children the age of 10 becomes important because they have reached age in double figures. Then there is the age of 13 that special birthday when you become a teenager. Soon after that is that magical age of sweet 16. Before you know it you have reached the legal age of 18. Now you are an adult.

Once you have reached the age of 18 you are off to college or the start of your chosen career. Then your 21st birthday arrives. This seems to be one of those most special birthdays. This is the last of those young milestones that we are so anxious to reach. From there the new birthday milestones begin to take us to another level. The next birthday on the list seems to be the age of 30. When you are 16 the age of 30 seems like it is over the hill. Once you reach the age of 30 the landmark birthdays begin to arrive in decades like 40, then 50 and then 60 and so on. The age of 40 seems to be one of the most emotional birthdays. For many it is the age where you have reached the top and are heading down the other side of the mountain.

There is no doubt that the older you become the more you value your birthdays. You may not celebrate it with a cake and ice cream but you are glad to see another. It is a fact that when we are younger we are in a rush to reach certain age milestones and that when we reach a certain age our wisdom seems to change and we want it all to slow down. Once we reach the age of 40 we begin to evaluate our position in life. What have we done? Have we left our mark on the world? The age of reflection begins. We begin to examine our lives through a microscope.

There are so many special birthdays in our lives. We celebrate our own and then we celebrate those of our family and friends. Birthdays should be important to us. It is the one day of the year that belongs to us individually. It is our day. The emotions of this day are often shared in the form of poetry. Say Happy Birthday to someone you love with a special poem today.

Organic farmers do not want their families to consume foods that contain chemicals from pesticides. A vegetable grown organically and in the proper circumstance will naturally repel pests and diseases. Growing a Organic garden benefits not only you and your family, but your land, animals and the earth. And you will find with fertile soil and healthy plants that insect production will actually decrease.

Organic gardening, then, begins with attention to the soil, for it is the engine of the garden. You regularly add organic matter to the soil, using locally available resources wherever possible. Decaying plant wastes, such as grass clippings, fall leaves and vegetable scraps from your kitchen, are the building blocks of compost, the ideal organic matter for your garden soil.

Container gardening may be the answer when space is limited. Containers can also be used to accentuate decks, patios, entrances, and other areas. Container gardens can exist in just about any spot that gets good sun, such as a patio, deck or balcony. In fact, some say that a container garden is easier to maintain than a conventional garden.

Growing in raised beds and square foot gardening makes this easier too since you don’t have to spread compost or fertilizer over a whole field. Growing my own food wasn’t enough, though. If I was going to eat it, it had to be organic, especially with genetically modified foods becoming more of a global, food safety issue. Grow fresh organic vegetables and herbs in your own back yard.

Growing a organic garden is something that people do for many reasons. Maybe you want to supply your relatives with food that you grow yourself because you don’t have the assets to buy all organic food from the store.

Compost is a soil amendment used primarily to bring beneficial soil microbes to your soil. If you want a thick, green turf grass, you need to add protein to feed the soil microbes. Composting or decaying mulch is also a superb source of food for beneficial soil organisms such as earthworms. So in effect, what happens is that you don’t have to water as much and the water that you do apply to the garden is used by the plants in a more efficient way.

For centuries man employed the power of steam to propel mighty steamboats along the big rivers of the world in an effort to transport & deliver goods & materials to the early Pioneer settlers spread along the great river valleys.

Steamboat travel was once as common as is boarding a high-speed train today. But the aura and romanticism of steamboat travel still captures the hearts of people as much today as it did back in the mid 1800s – & early 1900s.

Take a look around any river port today where these might steamers once plied their trade and you will now see a flourishing collection of paddle steamboat operators ferrying the many tourists who flock to the historic steam ports to soak up the atmosphere of these majestic old steamboats.

Have you ever stopped to think why there are now so many of these beautiful old vessels plying the major inland rivers and ports where these old boats were piloted daily along the rivers? The old derelict steam boats, have now been lovingly totally rebuilt & restored from the ground up by a band of totally dedicated steamboat enthusiasts.

Even as you read this, there are huge restoration projects underway to bring more of these old boats back to their former glory; such is the demand and interest in steam. But what about the old skills that are required to construct these old vessels, where are all of the skilled shipwrights?

You would have little luck finding them simply by placing an advert in the paper to find the Shipwrights, blacksmiths, old time ship chandlery makers, experts on building & restoring steam engines, or people who know how to use old time foundry skills to remake all kinds of brass & bronze items to refurbish the parts used for the restoration.

Many of the skills of yesteryear have, unfortunately, gone to the grave with those wonderful old master tradesman who knew the intimate shipwright secrets, and how best to use these valuable old skills.

So what now for the present day steam boat restorer? I guess in all fairness there are still people around who have been lucky enough to learn the trade secrets from the old masters and that is a real bonus, otherwise can you imagine the research and relearning that would need to take place if that wasn’t the case. Where would you find the skilled people to build the timber boat hulls – the intricate steel fabrication – the rebuilding of steam engines and boilers – the recasting of name plates – special bronze and aluminium boat parts…so much to do…so much to learn… But, did you ever stop to think that the keen restorer and steamboat rebuilder can in fact learn many of the trades of yesteryear.

For the steam enthusiast to remake replica cast metal parts, all they need to do is master the foundry skills used back in the late 1800s & early 1900s to reproduce obsolete parts, the skills are not that difficult to learn, the tools & equipment can be easily built if you know how to use a welder, and you enjoy working with metal.

Perhaps you are one of the many thousands of baby boomers looking for practical hobbies & interests to help provide new challenges, and an outlet where you can interact & socialise with other like-minded people, the retirement years can be one of the most frustrating times for people in their late fifties and early sixties, but if you make the effort to immerse yourself in rewarding practical hobbies, you just won’t believe the huge amount of enjoyment & rewards that are awaiting you. To learn more about how to get involved in practical metal craft hobbies visit our web site soon.

Your baby nursery idea will begin to take shape while you shop for a crib and other furniture. Just be prepared to be overwhelmed at first by the mind boggling choice of themes. You may be looking for a complete furnishing set, or you may be day-dreaming about designing your own custom decor. Often a simple, classic approach is more sensible than a frilly, over-the-top baby nursery idea with paraphernalia that will just get in the way when you are frazzled and exhausted. This collection covers just a few of the thousands of possibilities.

1. Magical Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme Decor

Who doesn’t love the Mother Goose characters? Adorable watercolors bring these stories to life. Your baby will grow to love the colorful creations on the wall decor. This wonderful series will coordinate well with most baby furniture and you will easily be able to find bedding and furnishings to match. Colorful Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme quilts and blankets are a treat. This is a delightful, fresh theme.

2. Original With Other Lovable Characters

We all fall in love with certain lovable story book characters, such as Peter Rabbit or Snoopy. Winnie the Pooh is a favorite of almost any baby, and the bedding and furnishings are available to create a classic Pooh crib. Find Snoopy curled up under a friendly moon and starts. Or opt for a variety of Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse. Furnishings with rhymes always lead to hilarity and enjoyment and can be a fun baby nursery idea.

3. Charm Your Kid With Cute Creatures

When it comes to babies, it is a given that they love cuddly animals. A vast variety of creature comforters are on offer. From farm animals to frog decor abound. For adventurous kids there is dinosaur bedding. Little girls love lady bug or butterfly designs. African safari crib bedding lends itself to endless bedtime stories. Dolphins, adorable puppies and Noahs Ark will also be well-loved.

4. Anything On Wheels Will Appeal

Boys love fire truck crib bedding as a baby nursery idea. Be different and decorate with Harley Davidsons. Alternatively take to the sky with airplane decor. Another old favorite on wheels is a train theme. Kids love cars and anything that moves or make a noise. So indulge them in their room.

5. Naptime On A Nautical Note

Ship Ahoy! Tell tales of sea creatures and far-away, dreamy places with furnishings on a nautical note. From ships and sails to whale’s tales and other ocean critters will stimulate little imaginations. This is the stuff bedtime stories should be made of. Every night another place and a new animal.

6. Sporting A Lively Theme

Dads will probably opt for this one if they are involved in decorating for a boy. Every sport under the sun is now represented in cot accessories. Baseball fans can choose their favorite colors, while football and basketball enthusiasts have not been forgotten. Just don’t put too much pressure on the growing little person. Remember dad, this is his life – not your second chance…

7. Proudly Display Your Patchwork Creations

This baby nursery idea comes in every conceivable color and pattern. It often is a sensible choice, as the inevitable spills and mishaps won’t be as noticeable. Patchwork quilts often become heirlooms. Perhaps you can make your own quilt from fabrics scraps with a story attached to each one. That can make for some interesting bedtime tales. Plaids are also a good choice, if you don’t fancy patchwork.

8. A Star For Your Little Star

Watch your baby’s face lit up as he or she discovers the wonders of creation. Why not help in this process with the moon, stars, planets and spaceships on bedding and curtains. All sorts of wonderful accessories can be added to complement this theme. You may have to brush up on your own knowledge about the subject, but you will need to do that anyway when your child reaches school-going age. With an outer space crib set your bundle of joy will go on many an adventure.

9. Turn Back The Clock With A Vintage Theme

Perhaps your family has some heirlooms you would like to incorporate in your design. With the right furniture, an old-world look can be quite something. You can always introduce a touch of color and some modern elements to stimulate the baby’s senses. Try to use a variety of fabric textures for tactile stimulation when expanding on this baby nursery idea.

10. Teach To Care With Care Bears Bedding

These can be really adorable, with bright and cheery colors. Babies love these sets. A wide variety of accessories are also available, from bedtime bears to potty seats and keepsake pillow sets. You can also find delightful Care Bear lamps, area rugs, crib organizers and wall borders to go with the cot set and curtains.

Full sets usually include the fitted sheet, a quilt of some sort, pillow cases, crib bumper, dust ruffle, curtains and valance. Many manufacturers dream up all sorts of adorable, matching accessories to bring the room together. Wall hangings always help to create a warm effect.

So, get yourself a cup of tea, kick off your shoes, pull up the rocking chair and day-dream about all the magical hours you are going to spend here, discovering all the wonders of your baby nursery idea with your little one.

If you are a beginner at rose gardening you have probably heard the phrase rose propagation and you are quite sure what it is and how to do it. Propagation is a term used to describe reproduction in the plant world. You can propagate you roses by using seeds or taking a cutting from your existing rose plant.

There is a long and rich history to Rose propagation. Not much has changed as far as the terms used in Rose propagation since the early 19th century. This is when American settlers rose stems with them into the West. Some may even remember their mothers or grandmothers taking a rose stem and putting it in the ground with a plastic jar over top to make it grow.

The use of a cutting from a rose plant is the most common method of rose propagation. They main people who use seeds in rose propagation are commercial growers and horticulturalists. By using a seed you are never guaranteed that you will get the exact replica of the original rose bush. It is possible that the pollen that was used to fertilize the seeds may not be completely pure, you may actually come out with a mix of different plants.

Using a cutting from an existing bush it is guaranteed that you will get an exact replica of the bush you took it from. Rose propagation is really quite simple. All you need to do is ensure that you give the new cuttings a safe, moist and humid environment so the roots have time to develop. It is natural for any part of the plant to try to establish its own root system so it can stay alive, but it is only through your help that this can happen at all.

The best time to propagate your roses is in the spring when the weather is still cool and the plants are alive and particularly vigorous. When you are selecting the perfect cutting it is best to choose one that is young, the younger ones seem to grow easier and better than the older ones. You should also choose a shoot that does not have a bud on it yet and cut off about six inches off the top. You will want to cut off the leaves at the bottom of the shoot but leave the ones at the top.

The leaves will be able to help provide the food and nutrients while the roots are still establishing themselves. Next you need to clear an area of the garden; it needs to be free of dead leaves and weeds. Before planting your cutting, put a notch in the end of it and dip it into some compost to encourage root growth. Then plant the shoot a few inches into the ground and it is best to be put in a place you want your new rose bush to go so you do not have to transplant it later.

Next you will want to water your shoot and then cover it with either plastic or glass. This will create a green house effect. In other words it will keep the air inside the plastic or class at a higher temperature and moist. You will want the cutting to be exposed to sun light but not too much because you do not want it to overheat. You can plant your shoot in partial shade to avoid direct sun light and keep it from overheating.

You need to check the shoot often to be sure it is staying moist enough. If the ground feels a bit dry you will need to water it. The glass or plastic can be removed if the temperature reaches above 75 degrees but then put it back on come nightfall when the temperatures are likely to drop below 75 degrees. You should not be looking for results right away, the shoot may look like a stick in the ground for a while but what really matters is what is happening in the ground.

If your first shoot does not turn out like expected do not get discouraged, try again. Many first time or inexperienced growers have a little difficulty propagating for the first time. Even though the success rate for new cuttings is low you can improve your odds by planting more than one shoot. If by some chance they all sprout roots and grow, you can always transplant or give them to other gardeners you know.

Check out The Joy of Rose Gardening now at http://www.roseflowergarden.com , to find great articles, advice, tips and much more on rose gardening topics.