Improve your homes value

Six Simple Tips

2009-03-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here are six simple tips that will help you loose weight in a balanced and healthy way.
1. Lose weight with water.Water is essential for everybody - it is also the key to losing weight. If you haven't been drinking enough water, your body has developed a pattern of storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted weight.
By drinking more water, you are not only flushing out toxins, you are also teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. Drink at least 60 ounces of water (about 8 glasses) a day. Boil water and sliced lemons, and drink this throughout the day to help with fluid retention. If you are still not sold on the merits of water, try this on for size: water is a natural appetite suppressant.

2. Soup up your weight loss program. A simple dietary change will have you shedding pounds: eat a bowl of soup at least once a day. Nutritious, low-salt soups will nourish you as they flush waste from your body. People who eat a serving of soup daily lose more weight than those who eat the same amount of calories but don't eat soup. Go for homemade soup whenever possible, as canned soups are loaded with salt and chemicals.

3. Eat early to keep weight off.The human body follows a circadian rhythm, which means that the same foods eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed differently than when eaten at dinner. Studies show that when you eat your daily protein and fat at breakfast you tend to lose weight and have more energy; however, eating the same things at dinner tend to increase tendencies toward weight gain. I suggest that you eat your last meal of the day by 7 p.m.

4. Eat smaller meals, more frequently.Follow an eating schedule with five little meals every day. Eating steadily through the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal. Make a low-fat trail mix from raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried plum, and apples and have it available at all times to avoid the tempting lure of high-calorie snacks.

5. Adopt a balanced approach to your diet.Most of the fad diet programs out there nowadays are extreme in a few recommended foods, or else deprive the body of food altogether. This works in opposition to our metabolism and the results usually don't last, producing a yoyo effect that depresses your metabolic function - not to mention your self-esteem. We are natural beings that need a balance of nutrition from all sources.
Your diet should consist of a balance of organic sources of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of white rice and pasta, opt for brown rice, bulgur, millet, or buckwheat. Eat more green, chlorophyll-rich foods such as broccoli, kale, spinach, and asparagus. Eliminate candy, sugar, soda, and all simple sugars from your diet. Excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain. Also, keep dairy to a minimum because most dairy products are high in saturated fat. Avoid fatty foods, processed or fried foods.

6. Walk off the weight.The No. 1 cause of weight gain is inactivity. Physical activity is the key to speeding up your metabolism and burning excess calories. The best way to be physically active is to use your legs! Walk as often and as long as you can. Always take the stairs instead of the elevator. Step outside during your break at work and take a walk around your building. Consider joining a local hiking club. Try taking a walk 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes in the early evening.

Compost Easy as A,B,G

2009-03-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

You may find it hard to believe.

That simple compost is relevant to an efficient modern lifestyle. Some benefits of compost concepts include, stress reduction, quality family time, even lowered costs of living.

Composting, without much thought seems to have a very small place in our modern world. Reserved for back yard enthusiasts and such. Yet it's role is more important and relevant than ever before.

In our modern world of fast food and retail stores we don't garden so why should we compost? Yard and food wastes make up approximately 30% of the waste stream in the United States. Many of us toss out the organic components of our refuse along with the rest of the trash out of habit. Yard waste and organic components head to our landfills. Buried and breaking down very slowly due to the lack of oxygen. As it decomposes, it produces methane gas and acidic leachate, which are both environmental problems .

If we, as the individuals that make our communities. Were to practice composting most of these green and organic refuse items. We would reduce the amount of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal by almost one fourth.

If you do not garden, you should. Even a small victory garden will help lower your food and fuel costs. Help you to eat healthy, exercise, and have some quality time. You already are producing the raw materials for great compost. A personal victory garden is a great way maximise the use of your compost.

Compost that is added to gardens improves soil structure, texture, aeration, and water retention. When mixed with compost, clay soils are lightened, and sandy soils retain water better.

Choosing to think Green and having a Re purposed mindset has many benefits. You can always save some money by thinking green.

Making compost, all you need to remember is A,B,G. Air + Brown + Green,

Composting is the transformation of organic material through decomposition into a soil-like material. Across the planet earth this amazing process is continuously taking place. As a practice, the art of composting has been part of our global culture since ancient times. Yet it takes place with or without our help. Plant parts and animal leavings rot or decompose with the help of microorganisms, earthworms and an assortment of insects. All of which do their part digesting and mixing the matter together. The result is a layer of organic matter we call compost, which is God's gift to the gardener.
How to Make Compost
Set aside an area that meets your goals or needs for you compost area. You can keep this compost process in an container if you would like to. Some prefer to have a bin to work it in. Some bin's are constructed from scrap wood. Try to avoid using treated lumbers, old railroad ties, utility poles and other things that would have chemical treatments that would leach into your compost and eventually your body. Some gardeners purchase special bin's manufactured online. Many types of compost bins are available at your local garden center. Some of these have devices for turning and removing compost. Although these bins make turning easier and are more convenient, they aren't necessary. An enclosure made from chicken wire or five wood pallets (one for the bottom and one for each side) does the job just
as well. A bin can be any box or container that will allow air ( the A of our formula) to get into the compost as needed. Also remember you will turn the compost mix regularly to incorporate air. Don't get held up on the bin. You do not need one to make compost. You can pile the ingredients in the corner of your back yard, with the same results.

Start putting in the B (brown) and the G (green)
Some suggestions but certainly not limited to are,
organic kitchen waste (vegetable peels, apple cores, fruit skins and peels etc.)
lawn clippings (use thin layers so they don't mat down)
chopped leaves (large leaves take a long time to break down)
shredded branches garden plants (use disease-free plants)
shredded paper
weeds (before they go to seed)
straw
hay
newspaper
wood ash (sprinkle lightly between layers)
tea leaves
coffee grounds
egg shells
potato peels
manure

Keep the pile in a semi-shaded area to keep it from drying out too much. If your pile is near a tree, turn it
frequently to make sure the tree roots don't grow into it. Make an indentation in the top to hold water and
sprinkle with a garden hose when it appears dry. Keep it moist, but not wet. Beneficial organisms cannot survive in
soggy conditions.

What Not to Compost
Meat scraps
fats
bones
vegetable oils
meat grease
trash
excessive wood ashes (counteracts with manures)
sawdust generally slows the decomposition of the pile
large branches
dairy products
salt
Worms eat garbage
Enlist worms -- usually red worms -- to do your dirty work.
Worm composting, also known as vermiculture, turns garbage into a rich, dark earth-smelling soil conditioner, which you can use to help your lawn, your flowers or your vegetable garden.
Worm composting doesn't just help you, but also the environment. For that you need red worms Eisenia foetida (also known as red wigglers, brandling or
manure worms) or Lumbricus rubellus (manure worm).
How many? Experts recommend two pounds of worms for every pound of garbage.
With adequate food and a good home they can double their populations every 90 days. So, you may want to start out slow and with fewer worms than you think you'll need and the resulting
worm population explosion will take care of the rest.
Ideally your compost bin should be in an environment where the temperature ranges
between 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and red worms generally prefer temperatures in the 55 to 77 degree range.
If you live in a cold climate, your compost pile will probably go dormant in the winter. No problem it will start back up again when the springtime thaw comes.

Remember A+B+G if you have good aeration and moisture, and the proper ingredient mix, your pile will decompose just fine. Use the compost in your victory garden. Then return your harvested gardens' refuse to the compost. Soon you will be saving money, spending time wisely, and living well.

Fun & Leisure

2009-02-10T14:27:00.001-08:00

this blog is being updated, check back soon

Health and Wellness

2009-02-10T14:13:00.001-08:00

health and wellness blogs under construction, check back soon

Gardening for Victory Again

2009-02-08T18:30:00.001-08:00

The Victory Garden, Again!

Experienced and first-time gardeners during World War II, planted vegetable gardens to grow produce in suburban, urban, and rural areas. These were called victory gardens. Back in the '40s, resources of all kinds were being diverted to support national war efforts. Countries asked their citizens to help in every way that they could.
People tended their victory gardens basically for their own use and to share the overabundant bounty with neighbors. These concepts are very foreign to us in our post-war, global economy. For years we have been bombarded by marketing messages of consumerism, reliance on others, and having experienced nearly constant economic growth since the '40s. Victory Gardens came in every shape and size. Patches of lawn were turned over to create gardens large enough to feed their families through the summer and, sometimes, to preserve some for winter use. People conserved raw materials, they recycled, they rallied behind the troops, they helped their neighbors, they gave their lives, and they planted "Gardens for Victory".
People in , rural and urban areas alike, worked the soil to raise food for their families, friends, and neighbors. Victory gardening enabled more supplies to be shipped to our troops around the world.
A whole generation has grown up without knowing self reliance. As our future unfolds, we are losing the experiences and knowledge of the Great Depression and WW II.
The strong economy's of the 1980s and 1990s has begun to weaken, and there are lessons to be learned from the past. It is always a good time to plant your own "Victory Garden". Now more than ever, the lessons learned and the benefits of family's doing victory gardening together are priceless and beyond comparison to anything we have ever been able to buy off of a grocers shelf.

The modern victory garden should expand the original intent. Your garden should include an extra row or bed you plant specifically to share-with those who lack the means to grow their own. Plant a row, or more, for the hungry and distribute the produce to a nearby soup kitchen or food bank. This is how everyone can make a difference in the area where you live.

Plant A Row for the Hungry began as a grass roots program, which, under the auspices of the Garden Writers Association of America, continues to expand. Last year it was responsible for providing more than 1 million pounds of fresh produce to food banks, soup kitchens, and other organizations feeding the hungry across the country.
Why plant a victory garden?
Today our food travels an average of 1500 miles from farm to table. The process of planting, fertilizing, processing, packaging, and transporting our food uses a great deal of energy and contributes to the cause of global pollution.
Our current economic situation is another good reason to start a Victory Garden. Every time that food is shipped from the farm to the store and your table, gasoline is used. As gasoline prices rise, food costs rise. Remember the lessons from the past, self reliance can translate into money in remaining in your pocket and better health. Foods which use fewer chemical pesticides are better for you and cost less to produce. In addition they are healthier for you to consume.

You should plant what you like to eat. If you don't like spinach, then don't plant it.

Suggested Vegetables and Herbs for a Victory Garden
basil, onions, beets, oregano, broccoli, parsley, Brussels, sprouts, peas, bush beans, potatoes, carrots ,radishes, chives, spinach, cilantro, summer squash, cucumbers, Swiss chard, dill, sweet corn ,eggplant, thyme, lettuce, tomatoes, melons, whatever you like to eat you should try planting in your personal victory garden. Once there was a small boy who wanted popcorn so he planted some from the store bought brand bag he had discovered in the cabinet. To his mothers surprise it grew and the whole family enjoyed eating popcorn that their son had grown.

Show off your victory garden and make the Most of Your Space. Harvest more than once from the same row or bed by inter planting and succession planting. Follow vegetables that grow best in cool weather, such as radishes and lettuce, with warm-weather crops, such as tomatoes and peppers. Purchase bedding plants of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.
A few winning combinations: * radishes and summer squash * lettuce and peppers or tomatoes * lettuce and pole beans * peas and cucumbers * beans and sweet corn * beans, sweet corn, and pumpkins. Show off your victory garden. A good idea is to surround the beds or the perimeter of the garden with a border of red, white, and blue flowers. * Saliva, Zinnia, Vinca, Estonia, Verbena, Zinnia, Zinnia, Snapdragon, Shasta Daisy, Estonia, Nierembergia, Verbena, Celia.

Sixty Eight Years and another Wedding

2009-02-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

" It was just beautiful"... These were the words as a bride of sixty-eight years reminisced about her wedding night.

On February sixth, 1941, bridges over the Ohio and the Mississippi rivers had not yet been constructed and Kentucky marriage laws required a three day waiting period to obtain a license to marry. So after sunset, on that wintry February evening, two young people snuggled close to keep warm, waiting to be ferried across the river to Missouri, where marriage laws were less restrictive.

It was on that night, Dick and Gwen, decided to elope to Charleston, Missouri. The snow danced in the sky on that cool winter night, sparkling under the softness of the nearly full moon, creating memories so enchanting and sweet that still bless this couple aftger a lifetime of love together.

Now, sixty eight years years later, with five children, many grandchildren and even more great grandchildren, their loving spirit continues to instill romance and hope into the lives they touch.

Along with Dick and Gwen Meadows there is now another young couple who will share February 6th as amost special kind of day.

Congratulations to Shawn and Paula Jones. The date for their wedding was chosen by their grandaughter Paula.

It was a ceremony shared with friends and family at a church in Livingston county Kentucky. That evening the moon was almost full as it was so many years before. Shining down once again through a clear winter sky in February.

Another honeymoon for another young couple, in love and excited to begin their new life together.

Giving your home curb appeal in the winter

2009-02-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

Selling a home during the winter months.

In the short days of winter, you have less time to show your home during daylight hours.

Yet there are a few things you can do to enhance “curb appeal.” Let in the Light. Pull up the blinds, open the shutters, push back the drapes. Some homes in the winter, with the leaves off the trees, might have a nice view that isn't as apparent in the spring and summer months. The winter months are a great time to sell waterfront properties. In some parts of the country, such as ski areas or regions where the snow birds flock, winter weather can actually be a selling point. Yet you may want to consider keeping blinds partially closed that otherwise show undesirable outdoor scenery such as a dilapidated fence or a nearby structure that obstructs views.
Take yourself on a tour of your home. As you work your way through the house. You could see many previously undiscovered cluttered spaces and needed repairs that can run off potential buyers. Wash windows clean out cobwebs. Turn on every light in the house, including appliance lights and closet lights. Brighten dark rooms with few windows by placing spotlights on the floor behind furniture.

You want the temperature inside to be comfortable. It's better to heat the house a degree or two warmer than usual. Give the buyer more of a reason to linger, especially on a cold day.

Pride of ownership and meticulousness resonates with buyers. Ask buyers to either remove shoes or slip on paper "booties" over their footwear before touring the house.

Protect your investment. Be prepared to put a little effort into it. When you do it right, you can really make your house stand out. The concept is one of showing that your house is always at it's best, year round.

2009-01-26T20:44:00.000-08:00

Remodel to Protect Your Home Investment

excerpts from aralifestyles.com

(ARA) - It's a bad time to be selling a house in many markets across the country. But if you just can't ride out the real estate downturn, and you must sell now, the right renovations can help you seal the deal - and get top dollar.
You probably already know that upgrades in kitchens and baths are in demand among buyers. But did you know that using high-quality materials throughout your home can also improve its value and salability?
Cheaper materials may save money at the outset of a renovation project, but in the long run they reduce the potential value of a home.
In fact, in homes that increased in value by at least 100 percent, owners spent 2.5 times more on improvements than in homes where the value increased by less than 50 percent, according to a study by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.
Use high-quality materials to enhance the value of your home. Choose timeless, not trendy. Often, trendy building materials can't compete with traditionally popular ones for staying power and durability. Choosing traditionally popular materials for your renovation can help ensure your house is appealing to a wide range of buyers through years of evolving fads.

Long a traditional favorite, Western Red Cedar has a number of qualities that make it a preferred, quality material for decking, siding, and the increasingly popular outdoor living spaces that can enhance a home's value, White says. Natural preservatives in the wood make it very durable for outdoor uses, even in more severe climates, according to Web site realcedar.org. Its texture and coloration give it a rich, natural beauty that enhances interiors as well, in features such as interior paneling, vaulted ceilings, trim and boxed-in beams.
One trend worth tapping, however, is the movement towards more eco-friendly homes. Many buyers are looking for homes that incorporate recycled materials or new ones drawn from renewable sources, energy-efficient design and a minimal carbon footprint. When choosing products for your remodeling project, consider the steps the product took to reach your home.
Synthetic materials such as vinyl and plastic are manufactured with non renewable materials. Minerals making up cement, stucco and metal are mined from the earth and not replaced.
Woods such as pine, fir, and Western Red Cedar are renewable resources, grown and harvested sustainably. The environmental costs of wood production are also much less than mineral or synthetic materials.