How to Keep Your Family Flu-free
(ARA) - “Sniffle, sniffle, wheeze, wheeze.” These are tell-tale sounds of cold and flu season, which is right around the corner. With a little knowledge and a few smart tips, you and your family may make it through the winter without a single “ah-choo!”
Lifestyle expert Hannah Keeley, author and founder of TotalMom.com, offers the following tips for keeping your family flu-free this winter:
Get your daily dose of healthy food.
Eating raw fruits and vegetables not only helps your digestive health, it also strengthens your immune system. But as any mom can tell you, it’s hard to get your family thrilled about noshing on raw carrots all day. Try fresh or frozen fruit smoothies or offer raw veggie slices served with a zesty dip. Be creative – look for opportunities to slide some sprouts in a sandwich or hide sliced peppers in a wrap. A healthy diet makes for a healthy family.
Wash your hands.
Mothers have been chanting the same mantra for ages, so why mess with a good thing? The simple act of washing hands with good old-fashioned soap and water is, hands down — no pun intended — the best way to prevent the spread of colds and viruses. Make soap easy for children to reach and try paper towels for drying instead of cloth towels, which can harbor germs.
Keep your body moving.
Daily exercise is a great way to strengthen your immune system; and we all know that a strong immune system is key to fighting off potential infections. Even though the cooler winter weather drives us indoors, make time during the day to get up and move. Turn on some music and dance around the house or bundle the kids up and go skating. Find ways to make exercise fun and get the whole family in on the action.
Take a daily multi-vitamin.
Many people suffer from diets that are low in the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to guard against disease. Protect the health of you and your family by taking a daily multi-vitamin. Remind the kids to take their vitamins by making it a part of your family’s morning breakfast routine.
Tell a good joke.
Stress can make the body more susceptible to catching colds and the flu. Fight off stress this season with a little laughter, fun and games. Host a weekly family game night, watch a hilarious family comedy together, or share funny stories around the dinner table. You’re not just strengthening bodies; you’re strengthening your family.
Clean the air.
During the winter, your family is exposed to viruses that circulate in the air they breathe both outside and indoors. While indoors, protect your family by installing a whole-home air filtration system like American Standard AccuClean. Not only does the American Standard AccuClean system remove a whopping 99.98 percent of particles and allergens from indoor air, but according to a recent Harvard University research study, it also removes more than 99 percent of the common flu, or influenza A virus, from your home’s filtered air. It’s an easy way to keep your family breathing clean, comfortable air all year long.
Forget stocking up on the tissues and expensive meds. In just a few simple steps, you can protect your family and look forward to a fun and healthy winter together.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - It’s a home comfort emergency. Your air conditioning system breaks down in the middle of a heat wave, or your current heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system sounds and feels like it’s on its last legs. When you need to replace your system quickly, what should you do?
The folks at American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning offer a list of things to consider when you need to replace your home comfort system in a hurry without getting worried.
Choose the right HVAC dealer.
The most important step is finding someone you can trust to provide expert advice and properly install your new system. When selecting the best professional dealer, ask friends and neighbors for a recommendation, check credentials through the Better Business Bureau and learn about the dealer’s credentials and services, including whether removal of old equipment is included. Some dealers also have North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification, confirming the highest level of training for installation and service.
Get an in-home assessment.
Before any professional dealers can share a solution, they need to diagnose the situation and understand your family’s comfort needs. The dealer should conduct an in-home assessment to determine the right system that will deliver the greatest comfort and energy efficiency for your home. This includes asking questions about your lifestyle and comfort requirements, checking your insulation, ductwork and building materials, and measuring your windows and rooms.
Ask about a matched system.
In a matched system, indoor and outdoor units are integrated to give you the best comfort and efficiency. For example, the indoor unit — either a furnace or air handler — works in conjunction with the outside unit such as an air conditioner or heat pump. Matched systems are quieter, more reliable, more efficient and last longer to make the most of your investment.
Some matched systems also offer added convenience and comfort through built-in technology that allows all HVAC components to “communicate” with each other. For example, the American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning AccuLink system ensures all components are automatically and properly charged, configured and calibrated for sustained reliability, peak performance and energy efficiency. In addition, the AccuLink communicating system also provides homeowners with remote telephone access to their system, meaning they can adjust temperatures and control the system whether they are home or away.
Add an air filtration system.
If you have family members with allergies or asthma, or if you want to improve the indoor air quality in your home, consider adding an air filtration system to your furnace or air handler. Most systems have only a standard one-inch air filter that simply protects components from clogging. A whole-home air cleaner, like the American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning AccuClean, removes up to 99.98 percent of dust, pollen, bacteria and pet dander from your filtered air — making it 100 times more effective than a standard throwaway filter. In addition, it removes more than 99 percent of the influenza A virus from the filtered air your family breathes.
Ask about extended warranties and financing options.
Many dealers offer financing options that fit your budget. In addition, understand the limited warranties that come with your new equipment and how you may extend the warranty coverage on parts and labor to provide further peace of mind.
Plan ahead.
If your furnace, air handler, air conditioner or heat pump is eight years or older, it may make sense to replace them with more up-to-date models — before they break down. Recent increases in government efficiency ratings mean that the new systems may help you increase your family’s comfort while decreasing your home’s energy costs.
For more information on choosing an HVAC system or to find an American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning independent dealer near you, visit http://www.americanstandardair.com .
Birders Outsmart the Squirrels This Spring
(ARA) - Few sights ignite as much frustration in the hearts of bird-lovers as a squirrel’s bushy tail bobbing happily in the bird feeder. Serious birders and casual bird lovers alike know that when the squirrels move in there’s not often much left for the birds.
Outwitting the squirrels is even more important in spring, when food is still scarce for birds. Too cool for many insect populations and months away from fruit on trees or ground seeds, birds may struggle to find enough to eat.
It is possible, however, to provide for your feathered friends and keep squirrels out of the feeder. With the right seed mix and some nature-friendly squirrel control tactics you might just be able to win the battle and keep everyone happy in your backyard habitat.
The first step is to draw the birds to your back yard. Next, provide alternatives or deterrents to convince squirrels to stay out of the bird feeder. Here are some steps for doing just that:
Buy the Right Seed
Birds, like people, are selective – even picky – when it comes to food. To attract the most birds to your feeder, buy the best seed possible. Many commercial feed mixes contain cheap filler seeds like red milo that most songbirds just don’t like. They’ll sort through the undesirable mix to get to the “good stuff” – and leave the rest in the feeder or on the ground. What the birds won’t eat, the squirrels will love, so reducing the waste will help reduce your feeder’s appeal for squirrels.
Opt for a mix from Cole’s Wild Bird Products that offers birds select natural seed choices specially formulated just for them. Cole’s feed is comprised of top-of-the-crop seeds pulled from the top 1 to 2 percent of every crop. The complete line of wild bird feed was developed and based on factual research about what birds really eat.
Also, avoid brands that wash or coat the seeds with chemicals and mineral oil to make the seed look more appealing to humans. Cole’s feed is kept as close to a natural state as possible.
Finally, select seed mixes that attract specific types of birds. A good mix will contain seeds that appeal to bright favorites like goldfinches, woodpeckers, cardinals and bluebirds, as well as colorful migrating species.
Birds are like people; give them what they like to eat and they’ll keep coming back - and they’ll bring their friends. For more information on Cole’s products visit www.coleswildbird.com/products.html.
On to the Squirrels
Squirrels need not be an inevitable element of bird feeding. Love them or loathe them, most birders agree they don’t want squirrels in the feeder, where they can damage the feeder itself and devour seed meant for the birds.
One alternative is to stock your feeder with a seed that the birds will love, but squirrels will hate. Squirrels will eat just about anything you put out for birds … anything except Cole’s Hot Meats. Cole’s infuses top quality sunflower meats with an exclusive Habanero chili pepper and Safflower oil that birds find delicious but squirrels simply hate. The blend is a safe, effective and a humane way to feed the birds and not the squirrels.
Another option is to serve the squirrels something they’ll find even more appealing than bird seed. It is possible to enjoy both the squirrels and the birds in your back yard if you lure them away from the feeder. Squirrels love whole, dried corn-on-the-cob and loose dried corn. Cole’s offers Critter Munchies, a blend of whole yellow corn, striped sunflower, peanuts in the shell, black oil sunflower and raw peanuts. Provide Critter Munchies on an open platform style feeder, an ear of dried corn on a stick, or even a stake (or pinecone) coated with peanut butter, and hopefully squirrels will be less of a problem at the bird feeding station.
Finally, if you just can’t stand the bushy-tailed pests in your back yard, consider an organic solution that sends them packing safely and effectively. Messina Wildlife Management’s Squirrel Stopper is an OMRI certified 100 percent organic animal repellent. Easily applied in a ready-to-use spray bottle, it dries clear, has a pleasant aroma and works for 30 days before reapplication is needed, no matter the weather. Spray it around your feeder and the squirrels will stay clear. It won’t harm the squirrels or the birds. For information of Squirrel Stopper, and the full line of Messina’s pest repellents visit: www.messinawildlife.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - What winter traveler can resist the attraction of a small cabin deep in snow-swept woods at dusk, lit and warmed by a crackling fire and framed by two overstuffed chairs and a tray of snacks on the hearth? Indeed, a welcome sight on any blustery evening. This could be the site of a well-stocked bird feeder to the feathered visitors of our wintry backyards.
Winter provides a unique opportunity to attract various wildlife to your yard while lending the chance to be a small but integral contributor to the local food cycle.
The winter view from your home does not need to be bleak. As you move indoors for the season, the time is right to either place or reposition backyard or porch bird feeders within an easy sight line of windows to provide comfortable inside viewing of birding activity. Providing more than one type of feeder at differing heights will invite a greater variety of birds. For example, a raised feeder, five to 15 feet above the ground, will attract evening grosbeaks and finches, while feeders closer to the ground tend to draw doves and sparrows.
Whatever the season, however, always remember to consider the ever-present competition from the local squirrel population for the food you put out. Descending chain feeders are a more ready squirrel deterrent than poled platform feeders. Regardless of the feeder you use, you can often retro-fit a variety of squirrel guards to your feeder to tilt the food competition toward your small flying friends.
Once you have positioned your feeders for easy viewing from the inside, then comes the all-important enticement of food. Not unlike us, different foods attract different types of birds. And higher quality foods lend even more reason for feathered visitors to make your feeders part of their daily stops.
When considering what type of foods to put out, try to stay away from common generic mixes. Lower-priced mixes are often not a bargain, as they contain various fillers, like red milo, which almost all birds discard. Buying higher-quality seed mixes or individual seeds that end up being a complete food to birds are the best value. Sunflowers are a universally popular choice. They attract cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, goldfinches, purple finches, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches. Black sunflowers are a particular treat for birds, as the oilier shell is easier to crack and they are also usually cheaper than the traditional gray and white striped sunflowers we most often recognize.
The use of safflower seed will further differentiate your visitors as this small white seed attracts chickadees, downy woodpeckers, cardinals and titmice, while repelling grackles, blue jays and starlings who often keep smaller birds away from feeders. Another excellent individual seed is niger or thistle. While this seed is a bit more expensive, it provides a high-energy meal full of oil and calories. Thistle is often the meal of choice for finches, one of the most colorful of birds to observe. If you don’t want to mess with putting out individual seeds, the best option is to simply buy a good premium blend of wild bird seed. Premium blends contain quality ingredients and are an appealing food source.
“Providing high-energy bird food is more critical in the winter, when natural food supplies are not as accessible, and no food is better suited to high-energy winter feeding than quality suet,” says Tony Vahedian, vice president of ScottsMiracleGro’s wild bird food division. Suet is a high-fat food that is readily affordable in various size cakes and easily inserted in matching wire-mesh feeders to keep larger tree animals out. Scotts Songbird Selections suet, available in February 2008, is an example of a new high-quality suet bird food. You can be sure to see colorful woodpeckers and blue jays visiting your suet feeders.
Finally, if you like to attend to your feeders daily, remember to sprinkle affordable white millet along the ground and you’ll be sure to spot snacking mourning doves, sparrows and juncos.
Winter doesn’t have to be a dreary, bleak landscape outside our windows. This year, provide some winter entertainment by making your yard like that little cabin in the woods — an enticing stopover spot for the nourishment of our feathered backyard friends.
For more information on bird feeding, visit www.scotts.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Check-up and cleaning take little time, and effects last for years
(ARA) – Brisk mornings and crisp evenings, long shadows and a quicker-to-fade sun all say it’s time to store garden tools and hoses, tidy up the shrubs — and winterize your home’s wooden outdoor structures.
Caring for decks, gazebos and pergolas, often made of Western red cedar, should be a regular part of the fall checklist. Routine maintenance like removing seasonal and ornamental pots and plants, cleaning the wood of dirt and other debris, and getting rid of mold and mildew can be done easily in a weekend.
“Many people choose Western red cedar because of the natural durability and beauty of the wood,” says Paul Mackie, or “Mr. Cedar” as he’s known in the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. “Preparing your outdoor living structure for winter is an important step to help maintain that beauty.”
Properly preparing wooden yard structures for winter protects them in much the same way as winterizing plants and water features and helps maintain their original appearance. Western red cedar contains natural preservatives that make the wood very durable and basic maintenance relatively simple. A broom and a garden sprayer, a little bleach and a hose are all that are needed.
Winterizing the deck
Start with the deck. Inspect it for buildups of dirt, water and pollen, and sweep it clean of debris the way you would with any wood, plastics, composite or cement surface. Take special care to clean between the planks and boards of horizontal surfaces so water can drain and air can flow between the boards. Reducing standing water and increasing airflow will limit the amount of moisture that can collect and stay on the surface of the plank.
Get rid of mold, mildew
Killing mold and mildew is another important piece of deck maintenance in wetter climates, particularly for materials that have rough textures such as composite decks. Mackie recommends a simple solution of three parts water and one part oxygen bleach applied with a simple garden sprayer. Rinsing the treated areas with clean water once the solution is applied should eliminate mold and mildew.
Don’t pressure-wash
Don’t pressure-wash wood, says Mackie, because “you can make it look like your grandfather’s corduroy pants.” Pressure-washing also can disrupt Western red cedar’s natural moisture resistance by forcibly pushing water into the wood. If you just can’t resist using your pressure-washer, keep it below 800 pounds per square inch.
Empty and store planters
Many outdoor living spaces are decorated with planter pots and boxes. Setting and leaving planters directly on surfaces can stain the wood. Moisture accumulates below the planter, leaving insufficient airflow for the moisture to dry.
The Web site realcedar.org, recommends people remove dirt from pots and planter boxes in early fall and store them in a covered area until spring. If moving the planters is not possible, it is especially important during the cold, wet months to elevate them from the surface with planks that will allow moisture to more easily evaporate without the benefit of the hot summer sun. Adequate airflow keeps the area drier and allows Western red cedar’s natural preservatives to preserve the wood.
Care for gazebos, siding
Check gazebos and pergolas, as well as any wooden siding on the house itself, for dirt, mold and mildew. Clean away any dirt, and treat the siding or structures with the oxygenated bleach solution if needed.
Water, pollen and mold tend to collect and sit on horizontal surfaces throughout the spring and summer. Left over the winter, they become a harmful cocktail that can speed up the deterioration of otherwise healthy lumber.
Preparing an outdoor structure is simple and well worth the minimal time invested. Following the easy steps is a sure formula to protect your wooden structures during the winter and maintaining their natural beauty for years to come.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - In these times of severe drought in many parts of the country, consumers are desperate for plants that will make their gardens shine, in spite of water restrictions. The secret is selecting plants that are naturally not thirsty.
Many of our own native plants, water-storing cactus and succulents for example, have evolved over time to tolerate dry conditions. Typically such plants are found in areas with strong light, good air circulation, and poor soil such as parts of the Southwest. Often they display one or more adaptations, including deep taproots or shallow but wide-reaching root systems to maximize the chance of finding water, gray green waxy or hairy leaf coverings, or reduced leaf surface to cut down on water loss through transpiration.
Prudent gardeners select companion plants with similar water needs, both in the landscape and in containers. In either location, avoid rich soil and fertilizer that encourages soft, water-thirsty growth. The trick is to keep young plants watered during the first two to four weeks while they become established, and after that they will be fine. After planting, spreading a layer of gravel or organic mulch on top of the soil will help reduce surface water loss through evaporation.
To try low-water planting in your own garden, here are a few suggestions:
* Top your list with “Diamond Frost” euphorbia, an easy-care, deer-resistant plant from Proven Winners. Its 10- to 12-inch-tall, mounded plants can reach up to 2 feet across. Even in extreme heat they sparkle with clouds of airy self-cleaning flowers all season long; in frost-free climes they are evergreen. In containers water “Diamond Frost” as little as once a week, but when planted in the ground it seldom needs additional water, even during very dry spells.
* Self-cleaning Cuphea llavea “Totally Tempted” displays a profusion of 1-inch wide, lavender-throated, fiery red blooms that attract hummingbirds throughout the season.
* Chrysocephalum apiculatum, “Flambe Yellow” and “Flambe Orange” are Australian shrubs that sport clusters of brilliant yellow or orange knobs of flowers at the end of silver-hairy trailing stems.
Try a large container with shrubby shiny-leaved ”Petit Bleu” Caryopteris as the “thriller,” surrounded with ”Diamond Frost” and ”Flambe Yellow” or ”Flambe Orange” spilling over the edges.
* Another good trailer for containers or as a ground cover is Lantana, “Luscious Grape.” The new low-water, heat tolerant selection with heads of large bright purple flowers attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. The leaves have a strong fragrance or odor, depending on your nose. Their rough-to-the-touch surface cuts water evaporation. Pair this with 2- to 4-inch tall lavender pink Cleome “Senorita Rosalita” and ”Diamond Frost” for a long-blooming designer-look.
While periods of dry weather are nothing new, the frequency and degree of drought that certain regions are experiencing are critical. We may need to confine our old favorite annuals to containers where they can be babied, possibly with recycled household water. Change is always unsettling, but gardeners must adapt their mindset and search for plants that laugh at the sun. The palette is broader than we think.
For more information on plants for low-water gardening, visit www.provenwinners.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Yurts Provide Year Round Enjoyment without Costly Additions
(ARA) – Do you like to ski, snowshoe or snowmobile? Maybe you just enjoy the outdoors, even during the colder months. If you are looking for a way to enjoy nature in all seasons, but don’t want to build a costly cabin, vacation home or addition, you do have options.
We all know that building a home is costly. Even a small cabin, cottage or addition on an existing home comes with a price tag that will make most of us cringe. Because so many people are looking for options but don’t want to spend the money for traditional construction, yurts are growing in popularity.
What is a yurt? A yurt is a tent-like structure that has been around for hundreds of years. They are recognized by their round shape and lattice frame. Used to this day by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia, yurts are very sound structures used for living in a variety of seasonal elements.
Today, yurts are embracing the demands of modern living and can withstand intense weather conditions. Elegant integration of tension and compression components allows the yurt to withstand heavy wind, rain and snow. Acclaimed by Architectural Digest as an “architectural wonder,” the yurt is remarkably strong yet lightweight and as versatile as your imagination.
In the United States, yurts are made with traditional elements that have been enhanced by modern technology. For example, Rainier Yurts in Seattle, Wash., use the ingenious and beautiful design of traditional yurts, but have refined the construction details and added many options and features, including a skylight, large windows, tall walls, locking doors with insulated glass windows, high-quality, fire-retardant materials, insulation and excellent hardware.
The price is attractive as well. Building a traditional structure of similar size could cost tens of thousands of dollars. Rainer Yurts start at about $5,500. Easy to set up, yurts can be wired or plumbed and are designed to stay warm in winter and cool in summer. Many people have discovered the versatility of these outdoor living structures. They are used as beach houses in ocean communities and cabins in thick wooded areas.
Even in harsh winter climates, yurts are popular. They are used on ski hills as warming houses or as vacation homes for winter hobbies. When Ross Mayfield was looking at housing options for his property in McCall, Idaho, he needed something that would work for all seasons. He decided that a yurt was right for him.
“We looked at a number of different ideas but we had some problems getting a building permit. A resort near the area was using yurts while they developed the property. We saw them and decided to search for information,” explains Mayfield.
He looked at the various sizes and decided a 24-foot yurt would fit his needs. He ordered the materials through Rainier Yurts and erected it with the help of his family. A road was built so that during the summer he can drive to his property, but during the winter, he accesses it by snowmobile.
Mayfield says that during the winter the temperatures get as cold as 31 degrees below zero. He heats his yurt by propane, which powers his stove and outhouse.
When he purchased his yurt he decided to get the maximum insulation and heavy-duty roof to accommodate the snow fall. He says that the yurt works great for all weather conditions, and often during the winter the snow slides off the roof, “slick as a whistle.”
He also commented that he has a terrific view of nature, one thing often embraced by yurt owners. People tend to like the round shape and the positive energy of having an open space. Because yurts leave such a small footprint in nature, many conservation-conscious people enjoy them as well.
For more information on how yurts are an easy and affordable way to enjoy nature all year round, visit www.RainierYurts.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - Shopping, wrapping, prepping, cooking and cleaning are time-consuming activities any time of year, but these tasks reach a new level of intensity as harbingers of the holiday season. The very thought of the hubbub that approaches with cooler weather and Halloween treats and ends with the remnants of New Year’s confetti is enough to put even the most prepared and placid among us on edge.
But, if you get a jumpstart now, devoting a day or two to preparing your home, you’ll ease into the celebratory cycle with a lot less stress than ever before and enjoy the festive mood that permeates the atmosphere October through January.
First thing first: Get started by creating specially designated activity and storage areas. If you set aside space in the kitchen, dining room or mudroom, you’ll be guaranteed easy access to your holiday wares. Consider the following zones:
Wrapping Zone
Stock with wrapping paper, cards, tape, scissors, ribbons, etc. so you’re ready to present gorgeous presents after a big trip to the mall. Also, consider stocking up on last-minute hostess gifts such as books, journals, stationery or gourmet goodies in case you receive and need to reciprocate an unexpected gift. You can store them, along with any used wrapping paper and ribbon from received gifts (for future use), in this area.
To Do Zone
Convert your regular desk/media area to seasonal record keeping and storage by updating with appropriate organizers, holiday stamps and lists. Keep a copy of your master shopping list of everyone you want to buy for, complete with interests, sizes and styles, in this zone. Record what you gave each person directly onto your master shopping list, including how much you spent, so you’ll have something to reference next year.
Place a copy of your final address list in a holiday cards file. If you receive cards this year from people not on your list, toss their return addresses into your file and blend them into your current list for next winter. Keep track of expenses by using one credit card for all purchases. Be sure to hold on to all receipts and confirmations of gifts purchased online.
Cooking and Baking Zone(s)
Once, you’ve stocked up on seasonal ingredients including dry baking goods, decorative sprinkles, candies, herbs, spices, nuts and more, get ready to play chef and pull rarely-used items such as roasting pans, gravy boats and serving platters from your dusty cupboards, wash them, and get them ready to go. Get your favorite recipes out and place the cookbook with the first recipe you plan to prepare on Diamond Cabinet’s Logix Cookbook Recipe Organizer.
Also, pull baking items such as cookie cutters, rolling pins, stand and hand mixers and other utensils and place them within easy reach. Next, stash flat items (like cookie sheets as well as trays and cutting boards) in Diamond Cabinet’s Logix Rollout Tray Divider to keep them standing at attention.
Easy Entertaining Zone
First, set the mood for festivities by displaying favorite holiday photos in cute frames on your breakfast bar or island. Next, set this space up as a gathering spot for friends and family and stock it with little bowls and trays of dried fruits, spiced nuts and candies. Keep everything fresh in airtight containers prior to parties, and display snacks right before company arrives.
As guests arrive, fill your home with an inviting scent by microwaving popcorn or even cooking a casserole in Amana’s newest convection microwave, which cooks foods evenly and quickly. It’s like having a second oven at your finger tips.
Finally, create a serving station set with plates, utensils, glasses and napkins. If you intend to serve more sophisticated nibbles, pull your special holiday china and feature it on the buffet. Last but not least, you may also want to make decorative vases, clippers, and other flower-arranging tools easily accessible in case you receive bouquets/seasonal plans from visitors, and display your seasonal vases and bouquets in this zone.
Clean Up Zone
Once the party’s over, make clean up a cinch by designating spaces for washing dishes and fabric. Stack dirty, delicate china and flatware in a handwashing area for special treatment. Place soiled holiday ware (ties, dresses, even festive linens including tablecloths and napkins) on or near Maytag’s Epic Z front-load washer and dryer pair for home laundering or to take to the drycleaner. The Maytag Laundry 123 system includes special work surfaces, drawers and places to hang items for ultimate organization.
Seasonal Storage Zone
At the end of the season, reflect on what a great time you had with family and friends, and start gearing up for next year. Put away all holiday goods, from decorations (spooky knick knacks, Advent calendars, menorahs, Christmas lights, etc.) to special cookware, cookbooks and more. Unexpected storage solutions, such as Diamond’s Logix Base Toekick Cabinet, provide a smart and unique way to store these little-used items and ensure you make the most out of every nook and cranny your home has to offer.
In the end, the point is to remember that keeping calm and remaining collected during the holidays is all about you. If you personalize your zones to fit your needs and taste with storage accessories that play to your preferences and personality, happy holidays are practically guaranteed. And, if you set aside another couple of days post-holidays in early January to organize, clean up and take stock of your home, next season’s prep work will be a snap.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Julie Morgenstern is an internationally renowned organizing and time management expert, best-selling author, corporate productivity consultant and speaker. Her book, “Organizing from the Inside Out,” covers a new way of looking at the task of organizing effectively.
ARA) - People associate lawn care with spring and summer, but the fall is actually the optimal time to take steps toward a healthy, greener lawn.
“Autumn gives lawn owners an opportunity to repair summer damage and prepare the lawn for winter,” explains John Marshall, head of the Scotts Training Institute. “Taking action in the fall will lead to a healthier lawn in the spring.”
Rout the Drought
This summer’s drought has left many lawns across the country straw-colored and dormant. Fall lawn care can help your lawn recover. During a drought, you should continue to fertilize your lawn every eight weeks with a slow-release fertilizer. A lawn that has the proper nutrients grows dense, deep roots and recovers from drought faster. A regularly fed lawn will also be healthier and thicker than an unfed lawn. Couple feedings with infrequent, deep watering to promote deeper roots, which provide a larger reservoir of water to draw from.
After the drought passes, keeping this feeding schedule up through the fall should help your lawn green up quickly. If brown patches remain, fall is the time to consider raking those spots out and reseeding to get your lawn healthy for the following spring.
Feed the Need
Even lawns not stricken by drought need nourishment in the fall – and autumn feeding can make a big difference. Fall feeding can bring a dramatic improvement as the lawn recovers from summer damage. Treatment with a product such as Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard helps “winterize” the lawn, storing vital nutrients so that underground root development can continue until the ground freezes to ready the lawn for fuller growth in the spring. Two feedings — timed around Labor Day and Halloween — are recommended for Northern lawns, while Southern lawns are best-fed four-to-six weeks before the first frost occurs in your specific region.
Let It Breathe
In order to grow, a lawn needs air. As a rule of thumb, if you can’t see the grass due to leaf coverage, then it’s time to remove the lawn debris from the yard. Clearing leaves and clippings in the fall will help by removing clutter that keeps air and sun from reaching the growing grass. Heed caution if mulching leaves, as a thick layer spread onto the lawn actually does more harm than good.
One great way to let your lawn breathe is through core aeration, which promotes deep root growth. Aeration removes cores of dirt, thatch and grass and reduces soil compacting that can keep grass from developing roots deep enough to absorb rainwater. For best results, choose an aerator that removes plugs of soil, with the remaining holes at least 3/4” in diameter, 3” deep and no more than 3” apart.
Overseed
Once the lawn is aerated, look for weak spots in it. Drought, thatch, insects, disease or seeding too lightly at first planting can make lawns thin or patchy. Overseeding — the spreading of grass seed directly onto soil within an existing lawn — can improve a lawn’s appearance dramatically and eliminate the need for a total lawn renovation.
Fall is the prime time to overseed because the warm soil promotes rapid seed growth and typically, fewer weed problems emerge at this time of the year. If the thatch layer of dead roots and stems below the green blades is more than 1/2” thick, you should de-thatch the lawn before overseeding. If the presence of tree roots has resulted in an inadequate topsoil layer, spread a layer of topsoil, like Turf Builder Seeding Soil, no more than 1/4” over the lawn.
The day before you overseed, mow the lawn slightly lower than normal. Be sure to use fertilizer when you seed. For the next several weeks after overseeding, keep the top inch of soil moist to permit growth.
“People often neglect these steps for fall lawn care, but when they finally try them, they’re amazed by the difference in the spring,” says Marshall. “The old saying, ‘Beautiful lawns are made in the fall’ is true.”
For more information on fall lawn care and tips on preparing your lawn for winter, visit www.scotts.com or call 800-543-TURF (8873).
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - When planning a trip to “wine country,” many think of California’s Napa Valley first and foremost. But what would the reaction be if you told your friends you were taking a trip to wine country — in Arkansas, Texas, or Indiana?
You won’t be alone if you venture to one of these rapidly-growing wine regions, or to one of the many popular food and wine destinations in Washington, Ohio, Oregon or Michigan. Just to name a few.
You could call it a classic example of supply and demand, as it appears the number of vineyards and wine-themed travel destinations are growing along with the number of food and wine enthusiasts. More and more travelers are using the enticing combination of food and wine as the focal point of a vacation getaway.
In fact, online travel agency Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) recently identified the fastest-growing food and wine destinations in the United States. It may come as no surprise that Napa Valley is still king, almost doubling its growth in Orbitz bookings since 2005, but there’s growing competition from its neighboring states to the north, as well as others in the south and Midwest.
Other regions graded highly include the second-ranked Texas Hill Country, Arkansas Wine Country (3rd) and Ohio’s Grand River Valley (6th). Aside from perennial favorites including Sonoma and a handful in Washington and Oregon, these destinations may be lesser known to those outside of their home state. But lesser known does not necessarily translate to smaller quantities when it comes to the number of wine touring options for travelers.
For instance, it may come as a surprise to folks not hailing from the Buckeye State that Ohio alone features 97 wineries.
A few travel tips for budding wine enthusiasts:
1. Book your flight and hotel as a package versus booking ala carte for added savings.
2. Think outside the box and do your homework. You might be surprised to learn of a number of good wine regions that could be within short driving distance.
3. Plan to road trip? Book a pre-paid hotel room to manage your costs up front.
4. Don’t drink and drive! Online travel agencies like Orbitz.com now let customers book car service within certain destinations for their wine sipping excursions, or ask the hotel concierge about a local car service they trust.
5. Pack light. When touring vineyards and wineries, you’re surely going to want to take some of your favorites home with you. Save the shipping costs and take home what you can readily pack or carry.
As wine producers’ high season approaches, thousands will pack their bags and fire up their taste buds for a pilgrimage to a favorite, or perhaps a new food and wine destination. And whether that brings them to New York or Florida, Rhode Island, Missouri or Virginia, or points in between, they can travel the country and probably never run out of harvest celebrations or elegant wine tastings.
For more information about booking a wine-tasting excursion, log on to www.orbitz.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
