Thursday, March 18, 2010

How to Plant Spring Flower Bulbs

Spring is the favorite season of many. It is a time of rebirth, renewal, and rejuvenation. One of the greatest joys of spring is the beautiful assortment of flowers. You can get this joy at home by planting spring flower bulbs. These are bulbs that bloom in early spring while other plants are still developing.

There are many spring flowering bulbs, but some of the most popular are crocus, tulip, narcissus, and hyacinth. These bulbs should be planted before the ground freezes, preferably in late September or early October. This enables them to develop a strong root system before the first frost.

Spring flower bulbs should be planted in an area that drains well. Bulbs will rot in standing water. They must also receive adequate sunshine—at least six hours daily. The soil doesn’t need any special treatment, but it should be loose and workable. If you are working a new area, you might want to add some compost or peat moss.

When it comes time to dig the hole, follow the package directions. Most bulbs will require a depth of six to eight inches, but loosen the soil for an additional four inches. Place the bulb in the ground with the pointy end facing up. Pack the dirt firmly and water thoroughly.

Spring annual bulbs crave actual little care. Simply baptize them occasionally, and add a admixture awning if algid acclimate comes. With a little water, sunshine, and luck, you will be adored with beautiful, ambrosial blooms in aboriginal spring.

Are Toys & Video Games The Right Christmas Gifts For Kids?

It’s the age of innocence when their eyes a little brighter and their smile are full of possibilities. Their minds are being shaped by everything around them and it’s important to make sure that those surroundings are positive and promote good character traits.

The question is are toys and video games the right Christmas gift for kids? The simple answer - yes.

Creative Development

Children love toys and they love to play video games. Imagination is the greatest gift that we can give our children and toys are essential to their creative development. With so many toys on the market, it’s difficult to choose which are best for our little ones during this holiday season. The best way to know is to ask your child to write a Christmas list. Go over the list and make sure that everything will be a positive learning, or playful, experience for your child. Avoid buying anything with an implication of violence or negative influences, which is sometimes present in current video games.

Promote Healthy Competition and Creativity

On the other hand... Video games can offer a very positive learning experience if selected carefully. They have the ability to promote healthy competition and creativity. If a child fails to achieve the next level in a video game, they are forced to come up with more creative ways to move forward. This creativity can lead to a wonderful imagination in all areas of life. Video games can also promote persistence and shows a child that patience is a key factor in achieving any goal. If a child begins playing a video game and stays with that game until he/she defeats it, this promotes patience, determination and intelligence. The child will learn that, if he/she works hard enough, they can achieve anything. This will carry over into other aspects of life and will be a positive experience. The most important thing is, that now, the child is simply having fun and doesn’t even realize how beneficial a creative mind can be. They don’t realize that they are learning and, to them, they’re just enjoying their toys.

Promote Sharing

Toys and games are terrific Christmas gifts for kids also because they promote sharing while keeping the child entertained and happy. Some toys promote learning, such as math and board games. Others, such as building blocks, promote creativity and the ability to build things on their own. A karaoke unit could help a child overcome shyness while a Barbie doll will allow a child to make up story lines and create fictional events.

Age Recommendations

Before allotment any toys or amateur as Christmas ability for kids, accomplish abiding to apprehend the age recommendations printed on the box or acclaimed in the description. It’s important that the age recommendations bout that of your adolescent for assurance reasons. If a toy needs batteries, don’t overlook to cover them in the box.

Unconditional Love

Keeping in mind that children are very influential, the best gift that we could ever give is unconditional love. Perhaps you can’t wrap it up or even add a fancy red bow, but that just goes to prove that the best things in life really are free.

Happy Holidays!

What Is Landscape Architecture?

Many times I have been asked what is the difference between a landscape architect and a landscape designer. Hopefully the following will answer this question.

The American Society of Landscape Architects, ASLA, provides the following:

"Landscape architecture encompasses the analysis, planning, design, management, and stewardship of the natural and built environments. Landscape architectural projects include design of public parks, site planning for commercial and residential properties, land reclamation, urban and community design, and historic preservation. Examples of landscape architecture include Central Park in New York City, TRW’s headquarters outside Cleveland, the “Emerald Necklace” of green spaces and parks in Boston, Sursum Cordan Affordable Housing in Washington, D.C., preservation of Yosemite Park and Niagara Falls, and the landfill reclamation of Fresh Kills in New York. Landscape architects have advanced education, professional training, specialized skills, and are licensed in 47 states."

What is the difference between a Landscape Designer and a Landscape Architect?

The national professional association is the American Society of Landscape Architects, based in Washington. ASLA full members have graduated from an accredited landscape architecture program, have 7 years of education and/or professional experience and are state licensed. In Michigan, as well as all other States, a three (3) day LARE examination administered by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards is required to be passed for state licensure.

Landscape designers do not have these professional credentials. Many state and local governments require designs to be stamped with a state registered Landscape Architect's seal.

What can I expect the landscape architectural design process to be?
Various architects may have different approaches, yet all are aimed at the same result. Make sure you're comfortable with the steps that the Landscape Architect defines. A typical process includes:

· Pre-planning - As the client, you discuss your desires with the architect and provide background, priorities, and any basic design guidelines. You'll work together and define the overall scope and timeline. The result will be a proposed budget and statement of work. The landscape architect will then prepare a contract for you to sign.

· Project Planning - Further preliminary details are developed with you about the site and its function and usage. The site is analyzed and the Landscape Architect creates a list of development priorities, which you'll approve.

· Preliminary Design - A review of the site, usage requirements, and environmental conditions are undertaken to create preliminary drawings. The Landscape Architect will show you design and presentation drawings showing the overall site concept. Initial construction cost estimates are provided, which you review and approve.

· Final design - Further detail is added to the concept. Material is selected and initial construction documentation is created. Where necessary, cost estimates are revised.

· Documentation - Additional detailed specifications and drawings are developed and provided to you for approval. The Landscape Architect may give you construction documents to assist you in soliciting bids from contractors and may help you review bids.

· Installation - Depending on your contract, the Landscape Architect may play an active role in representing you in your interaction with the contractor and provide on-site supervision. At the close of the project, the Landscape Architect will make a final inspection.

How do I find a good landscape contractor?

If you're going to need referrals to contractors and other service providers as part of your project, ask the Landscape Architect about these people. They will typically have an array of competent people in the industry for you to contact.

What's included in the landscape architecture contract?

Any acclaimed Mural Architect will accommodate a accounting arrangement afore alpha a project. This acceding will specify in detail the exact plan to be done, the plan schedule, the bulk and transaction agreement of the mural architect's fees, and the responsibilities of anniversary affair to the contract.

As a registered landscape architect in the State of Michigan and principle architect with Sexton Ennett Design, LC, a landscape architectural firm in southeast Michigan, I am particularly aware of the professional responsibilities related to landscape design. See: http://www.sexton-ennett.com

If there are nay questions please feel free to contact the ASLA or me.

6 Family Christmas Vacation Tips You Must Know

A family Christmas vacation can be a wonderful experience. It can fill you with wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Christmas is a magical time to be surrounded by loved ones, friends and the spirit of the holidays. It’s also one of the busiest traveling times of the year. But, not to worry - there are still plenty of ways to enjoy a family Christmas vacation. A few tips will make your trip a breeze.

Christmas Vacation Tip #1: Play Santa

If you’re planning a Christmas vacation, be sure to wrap your gifts early if you are taking them for the trip. Always pack each gift carefully, especially if they are fragile, to avoid breakage or other damage. If you don’t have the extra room to travel with a gift, ship it before you leave home. If you ship to the address that you will be arriving at, the gift(s) should arrive within several days and will save you from traveling with them.

Christmas Vacation Tip #2: Don’t Forget

Make sure that you plan a trip that is enjoyable for everyone in the family. Before finalizing any details, sit down with your entire family and make sure they each person has something special to enjoy during the trip. Make sure that your trip is long enough so that everyone can enjoy their favorite activities.

Christmas Vacation Tip #3: Weather Planning

If you are planning outside activities, check ahead with the weather forecast. If you are going skiing, make sure to check with the local ski resort to inquire about their conditions.

Christmas Vacation Tip #4: Arrive Early

When authoritative biking plans, consistently buy tickets as aboriginal as possible. Airlines and added forms of transportation, abnormally abreast the holidays, tend to ample up early. If you’re flying, alarm to affirm that your flight is on time afore you even leave home. Upon confirmation, accomplish abiding that you access at the airport early. The aforementioned is accurate if you are traveling by train. Consistently alarm advanced to accomplish abiding that aggregate is on agenda because you absolutely don’t wish to be larboard continuing in the cold.

Christmas Vacation Tip #5: Don’t Forget The Chef

If you are having a family gathering, which may include Christmas dinner, always pitch in to help with the cooking or clean-up. Catering to an entire family is a real job and it requires a lot of work. Therefore, any extra help that you can provide to the family member, who is acting as chef for the day, will definitely be appreciated.

Christmas Vacation Tip #6: Santa Questions

One of the best ways to enjoy a family Christmas vacation is by simply being together. When your children start asking questions like "How will Santa find me if I’m away from home," have your responses ready and reply with reassurance that Santa is always watching. It’s these little moments that will be treasured forever and nothing will ever take their place.

3 Great Ideas For 4th Of July Party Food

Add some fun to your 4th of July party food. If you are tired of the same old burgers and hot dogs on this celebration, go ahead and add more to it or change it up the way that you would like to. There is no rule that the food should be one thing or another. In fact, a potluck of choices is the most American of all ways to celebrate. Gather up some new menu ideas and make this fourth of July fun and enjoyable for everyone.

Need some help coming up with fun ideas for party food? If so, there are more than a few things that you can do. Here are some great ideas.

Add more choices. Instead of just burgers and hot dogs, why not cook up some shrimp, crab or even lobster? You can add chicken, fish and steaks to the menu. Yes, you can cook all of this right on your grill (with the help of a side burner in some cases) and still enjoy the grilling atmosphere that the 4th is all about.

Dress up dessert. How about a cake that is in the shape of an American flag? For red stripes, go with strawberries in rows. For the stars, add enough blueberries to make them shine through. Frost the cake white and decorate. This is a great way to make a special treat.

Don’t forget the drinks. You can make various types of drinks special by just adding in flavored ice cubes, in blue and red, of course. To make them, add strawberry and blueberry flavoring to the ice cube trays. Or, just use the right colored Kool-Aid to make it work. Drop them into drinks for a festive yet fun way to add to your food celebration.

You can add virtually any side dish, any dessert and any type of appetizer to your menu and find those that will love it. The only rules to consider about food for the 4th is that it should be something that does not require fine china, something that can handle being out in the sun and something that is all about fun eating. You can come up with your own fun menu of foods, but don’t forget that some will want the traditional fare nonetheless.

Friday, March 12, 2010

A Rare Bird Indeed For Bird Watchers – The Atlantic Puffin

For most bird watching enthusiast, keeping an eye out for a rare sighting is of great importance. Sighting an Atlantic Puffin is just such rare sighting

A Rare Bird Indeed For Bird Watchers – The Atlantic Puffin

Observing an Atlantic Puffin is a bird watcher’s golden egg because they are not prevalent in the world. As the name suggests, they can only be found on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and only during certain times of the year. If you are building a life list, this is a bird that will set you apart from others.

The Atlantic Puffin is a admirable bird, a affiliate of the Auk ancestors of birds. A seabird, this little bird is a fisher in the ocean, generally diving 50 anxiety or added to bolt dinner. It is apparent by its white lower body, which contrasts with a midnight atramentous aback and wings. The arch is atramentous topped with white about the eyes and extending to the beak. The bill is a affluence of across-the-board colors with yellow, atramentous and red getting the ascendant pigments.

This little beauty is the only member of the Puffin family of birds found in the Atlantic. It is typically found in northern reaches, from Maine up through the artic and down through northern Europe. Occasionally, the Puffin will range as far south as North Carolina on the coast of North America, but not often. For bird watcher’s in the continental United States and elsewhere, this makes the bird a sighting worth having.

The Atlantic Puffin is a bird that seems to teeter back and forth between population problems. In the 1800s, the bird was under serious pressure due to the harvesting of its eggs by humans. Coming to shore to mate in cliff outcrops, the female laid only one egg. The losses thus were substantial and the bird nearly disappeared. Recently, populations have begun to grow again, but now new threats exist. Gulls and rat populations are once again threatening the breading grounds of these exquisite birds. Conservation efforts are fighting back and populations are at least remaining steady with some studies suggesting they are actually growing at a rate of five to ten percent.

If the opportunity presents itself, a birding expedition to sight the Atlantic Puffin is definitely worth a go. The birds have a relatively small onshore territory, which makes them a fairly rare find for the avid birder.

6 Simple Steps to Becoming A HOT Guitar Player!

Learning how to play guitar well is not easy. There are so
many methods and so many conflicting opinions, it makes
it difficult to know what to do.

But the simple fact is, if you want to be the best you can,
as soon as you can, then all you need to do is - copy what
the pro's do...

Master the Basics!

Mastering the basics agency getting able to play in all keys.

Being able to alter any song to any added key - ओं

the atom preferably.


Did you know that 95% of guitarists DON'T master the
basics. Oh yes, they mean to get around to it, but they
hardly ever do.

Why is that? Well, it's because they think it's boring,
complicated and too much hard work. And most of all - no
fun! And mostly they were right. Well, it needn't be that
way. Mastering the basics can be a lot of fun if you go
about it in a methodical set-by-step way.

What does mastering the basics entail?

There are 6 basic steps you need to follow:

1. Learn the names of all notes on all strings, one string at
a time.


2. Learn how to construct a C Major scale.

Basic must-know guitar theory. Easy stuff.


3. Learn how the chords of the major scale are made and
what they are... their names etc. C Dm Em F G Am Bdim.

Basic chord construction knowledge.


4. Learn the triad patterns for the C major scale all over
the fret board.

Triads are simple 3-note chords. Easy and fun to learn and
play.


5. Learn to play those triads with common chord
progressions.

Learn to play and apply the triads to the most common
chord progressions that fit thousands and thousands of
songs.


6. Learn to do step 5 in all keys.

Once you can do steps one to five in the key of C, it's real
easy to learn it for the other 11 major keys.

Hint: It's much easier than you think. All the patterns are
exactly the same as what you learn for C major. You don't
have to learn any new patterns. Cookie cutter stuff.

It really is not hard at all. All you need is a methodical
step-by-step method that makes sense and is easy and
fun to use.