Archive for May, 2008

Bean Bag Game Ideas For Your Next Party

If you are planning a party or other type of get-together, you might be wondering what you are going to do to make sure that all of your guests are entertained. One of the things that you can do is play the bean bag game. Not everyone knows about this game, and some people who do know about it feel that it was only a game that they played in grade school. They think that it was just for their school gym class, and why would they want to play it as an adult? That is easy to answer: because the bean bag game is fun! People forget how much they enjoyed playing games like that, and they forget that they can enjoy childhood pursuits when they are older. There is no shame in it. These kinds of games can bring people together and help to ensure that they have a good time with their family and their friends.

It does not matter if it is a birthday party, an anniversary party, or some other kind of get-together. Almost any time is a good time for the bean bag game. It can be played at tailgating parties and family reunions, too. No matter where you are in the country or what age group is coming to the party, the bean bag game can still be played. This is one of the reasons that the game is so popular, because people of all age groups can play it. It does not matter if a person is five or ninety-five, because the game is fun and easy and the instructions are not hard to understand. By making a game that everyone can play available at your next party you will give everyone a chance to have fun and interact with each other. Some people are quite nervous when they come to a party, especially if they do not know anyone that well. The bean bag game can be a great ice-breaker for these people. It gives them something to do and an excuse to talk to other people. This can provide them with the boost that they need to come out of their shell a little bit and make some more friends.

If the party you are planning is a family get-together there might even be some family members who enjoy the game and can bring their own bean bag game set. This will help you, since you will have more than one set for people to use. It will help keep the party from stagnating and help stop people from getting bored while waiting their turn. Just make sure to have some indoor games planned as well, so that there is something to do if bad weather strikes. If you have a large enough home, or if you have a screened-in or glassed-in back porch, you can also play the bean bag game inside. Just be sure there is nothing breakable or easily knocked over around, especially if there are children or rowdy teenagers playing the game. By offering things like the bean bag game at your next party, you can provide a fun and wholesome atmosphere for everyone who attends.


Easy Water Gardening

If you’ve wanted to add water to your landscaping, a water feature is the perfect, easy way to get started. Water features are today’s hottest trend in landscaping. Water features or gardens create a great natural focal point in your gardens and the sight and sound of running water brings a magical, refreshing feel to the landscape.

If you’re not sure you want to tackle a pond or waterfall, or don’t have the space for one, a water tub garden would be the perfect solution.

Tub or container water gardens are easy to build, and can be placed almost anywhere you want to bring moving water. Put them by the front door, the back deck, or close to your favorite sitting area. The one requirement for running water is electricity, so locate the tub water garden near an electrical outlet. If you don’t have electricity you can still have a water garden, just without the running water.

The first step is to choose a container or reservoir which needs to hold water and there are many beautiful containers available without drainage holes which work great for water gardening. Ceramic and concrete are popular materials or you can also make them out of wood, metal, rock, or plastic. A container that is at least 8-12 inches deep, or deeper and twelve inches across or larger will work, but the average size of tub gardens seems to be around two feet across and one to three feet deep.

You will need to purchase a small fountain pump. Usually the pump is rated by how many inches up it will pump the water. You’ll need to keep in mind how high the water will need to be pumped to work in your water feature and purchase an appropriate size.

The fountainhead or water source is a key design element in every fountain. Using stacks of stones, or pottery pieces, and concealing the pump and hose creates a feature that seems to magically pour forth water.

Another popular fountainhead is a spout made from bamboo or copper pipe, or clay jars, old watering cans, and old iron pumps can also be used. You can find many fountainheads or spitters that are already created and sold for immediate use and are very simple to connect the pump to the fountain head with a piece of vinyl tubing that slips over the outlet of the pump while the other end goes to where you want the fountainhead to begin.

The finishing touch for your water feature is to add some plants and there are many water plants to choose from. Just choose from smaller varieties depending on the size of your water feature. Some possibilities are: miniature water lilies, water primrose creeper, small rush plants, dwarf papyrus, creeping jenny or cardinal flower, just to name a few.

Some floating plants such as water hyacinth or water lettuce are nice choices to fill in around the plants. The plants can be put right into the water in the pots they come in. A couple of small gold fish will do quite well in your water feature, if desired, and don’t need to be fed as they will feed off of microorganisms, algae cells and other matter which will help keep the water algae free..

The relative ease of setting up a water feature will have you enjoying the soothing sound of water in no time. The fun of growing plants in water and setting up water features will be quite rewarding and you may find yourself looking for more places to put these fun water features.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darlene_Anderson


Best Nutrient Solutions for Summer Growing

Summer means heat. If you live in a warm place, excessive heat can affect your plants, especially those grown indoors. Some plants thrive in plenty of sunlight while others will require shade. Because of the summer heat, plants often do not get the water they require. This leads to stress, causing nutritional deficiency. Hence, the most important summer tip is to use water wisely and ensure that your plants receive adequate nutrition.

The quality of nutrient solutions that you use directly affects the growth and health of your plants. Improper plant nutrient can lead to poor yields, or worse, diseases. Hence, it is important to use tried-and-tested nutrient solutions that provide the necessary nutrients.

Here is a look at the important factors that are involved in choosing nutrient solutions for summer growing:

Indoor Gardening in Summer
Hydroponics enthusiasts avoid the summer heat by growing plants indoors. However, you will need to ensure that indoor plants absorb adequate amounts of light by using a nutrient solution such as Liquid Light, which improves light absorption.

Stages of Growth
Plants have different nutritional needs in the vegetative and flowering stages. Depending on the stage of growth and plant type, it is important to vary the nutrient solutions. Several hydroponics hobbyists use ESU Greenleaves Grow Juice for vegetative growth and Bloom Juice before fruiting and flowering. Similarly, pHAT Hydro offers products for the vegetative and blooming stages that are extremely popular with amateur as well as professional growers who use hydroponics.

Growing Mediums
Nutrition depends on the growing medium you use, as each growing medium has different amounts of trace nutrients and micronutrients. Inexperienced growers and professional growers can simply use ready-to-use nutrient solutions from Canna, which have been scientifically tested on specific growing mediums such as coco, soil, and rockwool.

pH Levels
Adding nutrients to the reservoir is bound to affect its pH level, which affects the uptake of nutrients and increases the chances of plant diseases. Technoflora provides a range of products such as B.C. Boost, B.C. Bloom, and B.C. Grow for different stages of plant growth. The balanced formula allows you to maintain pH levels of the nutrient reservoir, eliminating the need for frequent pH adjustment.

Chelation
A good nutrient solution should contain quality chelates, which aid the transfer of nutrients from fertilizers to plants. Nutrient solutions from Advanced Nutrients are known for their high chelate to micronutrient ratio, which ensures bio-availability for a longer duration.

Hydro-Organic Nutrients and Growth Supplements
Most nutrient solutions used in hydroponics are “hydro-organic” which means that they are organic materials that are readily soluble in water. One of the well-known brands in highly soluble nutrient solutions is General Hydroponics. General Hydroponics offers a range of growth supplements to enhance the development of both flowering and fruiting plants. Another trusted name, FoxFarm offers hydroponic nutrients that work by providing an extra boost of nitrogen and important trace minerals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richa_Parera



Spoil Your Dad For Father’s Day

Father’s Day is coming. And more than likely your gift probably has something to do with sports. At least that is my plan for my dad. But one problem that I’ve been facing in planning a fantastic Father’s Day is that I want to make it memorable. I don’t want it to blur with all the other sporting events that he has been to over the years. It needs to stand out, mean something, and make him smile when he thinks back on that day. So, here are a few ideas I came up with to make sure he gets the full sporting events/father’s day experience that he deserves.

• Foam Finger: Yes, this is imperative. The foam finger is a fan favorite and a classic thing to have at a game. In fact, if you are the one going with him to the game, make sure you get one as well. You can both be silly and have a great time cheering on and routing for your favorite sports teams, whatever they are.

• Face Paint: Just like with the foam finger, this one will be a lot of fun. If you are really brave, try to convince your dad to use body paint as well. Let me tell you; he will definitely remember your sports outing if he is wearing enthusiastic body paint supporting his team.

• Nasty Hotdog: Well, maybe you enjoy them. But honestly, they are a part of the experience of going to sporting events. It just wouldn’t be the same without the infamous low-quality hotdogs.

• Tailgate Party: Depending on the preference of your father, you can make this a big thing or just something for the two of you. Either way, you are bound to have a great time , enjoying each other’s company.

• Sports Pick: Do some research and get your father a baseball betting pick or something like that. He will enjoy keeping track of it and watching how his team fares.

• Kodak Moments: Take tons of pictures. It will be easier to recall the memories with pictures. Make sure you get doubles-one for you and one for your father. Hey, if you really want to get mushy/sentimental (depending on how you look at it), frame the pictures and give them to your father for the second part of his father’s day gift.

• Take Care of All the Details: This may go without saying, but let your father have a worry-free sporting experience. Take care of all of it-all the planning. Just let him relax and enjoy. After all the stress that he had to endure putting up with his children, he deserves a relaxing time, right?

Show your father you care and are grateful for everything that he has done for you and continues to do for you. In a sense, just spoil your dad.



A Memorial Day Celebration

Memorial Day is usually the start of the picnic and outdoor grilling events of the year. While the stars and stripes are the theme for table decor and outdoor decorations, the food can complement any backyard or neighborhood event.

Burgers and hot dogs are a mainstay for the person in charge of the charcoal or gas grill, but chicken, steaks, and even fish are a very close second. Setting a bowl of fresh blueberries and luscious raspberries in the center of the table will put every-one in festive mode very quickly.

The table covering can be patriotic as well. Cover either your round or oblong table with white cloth or white paper from a roll. Buy red and blue ribbon in wide and narrow widths. Self-adhesive tape is available and makes your decorating simpler. Run a red ribbon down the center of your table and place two blue ribbons about an inch apart from the red ribbon on either side. Then at intervals go vertically with red and blue ribbons and you have a table covering that invites fun and festivities. Wrap your white plastic ware in blue or red paper napkins and tie with a contrasting ribbon (red ribbon with blue napkin, or blue ribbon with red napkin.

Proudly wave an American Flag at the entrance where guests arrive. You can visit your local American Legion office and make a donation and ask for some of the poppies they offer on this day. Then place one at the setting of each guest.

Dessert can be something as simple as a one-crust blueberry pie but with stars cut out from another crust and placed on top of your pie while it bakes. Any cheesecake topped with a mint leaf and either a strawberry or blueberry medley on top is a sure fire hit.

The most important part of this celebration is for everyone to simply stand up and salute all those from all the wars who have served -it only takes a minute but it sends gratitude waves to the army, navy, airforce and marine countrymen/countrywomen.

A nice touch indeed.
Something to think about
©Arleen M. Kaptur
May, 2008

Arleen M. Kaptur has written many books and articles on everyday living and finding peace and joy in all we do.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arleen_Kaptur



Addicted To Funny Aprons

Funny aprons make all the difference when you are holding a barbecue or picnic. You can set an upbeat tone when you sport an apron with a wacky saying or humorous cartoon.

There are many great uses for funny aprons beyond just wearing them at home. Here are three favorite uses:

1. At An Office Barbecue Or Charity Event

If your office barbecue is going to be fairly small, having the cook or chef wear a funny apron can really lighten the mood. Work parties can be tough to lighten up sometimes, since usually everybody is so serious with focused all day. Even better than the chef wearing an apron, is having the Boss wear one. If you can get him to, that is! Having the Boss sporting a funny apron will let everybody know that it’s okay to laugh and have a good time!

2. For A Children’s Birthday Party

Children love to laugh and have a good time. If you are planning a party of any kind for kids, you will want them to feel at ease around adults. Short of wearing a clown costume, what other options do you have? Wear a funny apron! For kids, an apron with a cartoon on it is much more effective than one with a humorous saying. Getting kids to laugh at adults is a fun way to a rollicking party.

3. At A Halloween Or Costume Party

A lot of people don’t really enjoy shopping for Halloween costumes every year. Trying to find something new each year can become a chore that you dread. Just throwing on a funny apron and showing up can really get you out of a jam. Pick up one or two, keep them in your closet, and you will always have the perfect solution, even if a friend decides to have an impromptu costume party in the middle of the year.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Holly_Harris



Picnic Safety

It’s a lovely day and what better way to spend your time than loading up the car and setting off to the countryside for a family picnic.

In theory that’s a great idea, but in practice, there are many picnic safety elements to take into consideration to ensure your day is as enjoyable and trouble free as possible.

Listed below are a few picnic safety pointers.

  • Before laying out the blanket and unpacking the food and drink, have a good look around the site you have chosen making sure there are no obvious problems on the ground and surrounding areas.
  • Picnic safety affects everyone, and although the enjoyment of the picnic is intended for all family members, children have a tendency to stray off sometimes and do their own thing. Make sure to keep them involved with setting up your picnic and within close proximity for the duration of the day
  • Be sensible with your choice of clothes for your picnic. Depending on the landscape of your site, you may need to wear clothes which will protect you from bramble bushes or bracken. If you are planning to stay out all day, take a warm top and a pair of jeans with you in case it comes in a bit chilly later.
  • With picnic safety in mind, it makes sense to check in with the park ranger or station if you are picnicking in a supervised area. It is best to inform the ranger of your location so he will know where to find you should an emergency situation arise. If swimming is one of the activities you will partake in whilst on your picnic, the person in charge of the park will be able to tell you about safe bathing and likewise, which areas are off limits.
  • Most of us love animals and you are likely to come across various species whilst picnicking. You should make sure your children are educated about proper behavior towards animals, both the wild ones and the ones which belong to other picnicking families. Once again, the park ranger will be able to advise you about type of animals you may encounter in the park.
  • Keep an eye on the weather – you may need to pack away quickly if the rain decides to fall.
  • Picnic safety is not just about location. You are going to be eating some delicious food throughout the day so you must ensure you always handle food hygienically and keep it chilled and out of the sun. If you do not do this, it can lead to stomach upsets or even worse, food poisoning. Have lots of water available to prevent dehydration.
  • Take care of your skin, and especially the children’s skin when sitting in the sun for a long time. If you are not used to the rays, make sure you use a high protection sun screen and spell your time in the sun with time in the shade. Wearing a hat is always a good idea too! Just in case you get too much sun on your head, a hat will stop the dizziness and nausea.

So now you are aware of all the picnic safety tips, as long as you put the tips into practice, there is absolutely no reason why you should not have a fantastic day out with the family.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Roper



Nice to Meet Nice People

Some times you meet really nice people. This weekend I spent time with spectacular people. The couple who hosted work as academics at various universities. They, an international couple, she British and he American, have built the most beautiful place. And there they entertain so hospitably. The atmosphere does not make the evening memorable. The food neither, though it had all the incomparable attributes you associate with home cooked carefulness. The people made everything while the setting and fare added greatly.

We discussed the friendliness of Muslims to England historically. And Al, the father of the house, who boxed as a youth, needed a book for statistics of 19th century Indian demographics. I never doubted that he knew exactly where the book with that information sat. And mother’s questioning, direct and personal questioning. Prim and yet invasive relentlessly, the first night she interrogated author Glenn about his religion book especially and, later, my work, books her husband and even she had written and a book their son, and my friend, Adam plans to write: International high grade of people. Fun.

I play music with their son Adam. He makes films and presently occupies himself by getting ready to move to Brazil. He actually, believe it or not, has an operation on his thyroid on Monday WISH HIM LUCK!! And for his mother’s mother’s day weekend we played lots of music in the barn. Me, Steve, Adam, Tim, Justin, Ed and Sam before the day and nigh played out. But one moment that outshone them all was the arrival in the music space of Adam’s parents. They both danced and even sang a little bit.

At that very moment their grandchildren also played music in the room over the barn. Two on drums and little Ester singing “eight days a week” over and over. A little ham! And their parents who brought them were also just nice folks And it is a real joy to hang around with family such as that because they make one believe. They make one believe in what niceness our cultures can produce. And appreciate women to whom to say, Happy Mother’s Day!! It’s refreshing to meet such nice people.

John Press is the author of Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future. He is a an adjunct professor and doctoral student at New York University.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_K._Press



7 Reasons to Be Relieved on Mother’s Day

With a lot of bad press about teens beating each other up, getting pregnant at 15, going to rehab, or small kids being poisoned via lead from toys in China, moms need some good news on Mother’s Day. Here are 7 reasons to be RELIEVED if you are a parent in 2008. These 7 should calm your worries, and make you happy!

7 good news stories (for a change):

1) Domestic Violence has Plummeted to a 30-year low. Domestic violence against spouses and intimate partners in the U.S. fell by nearly two-thirds in recent years, reaching a 30-year low. Government figures show the marked declines began in 1994.

2) What Makes Teens Happy? Family Ties. “Spending time with family,” was the top answer to what makes teens happy, according to an extensive survey of people ages 13-24 conducted by The Associated Press and MTV on the nature of happiness among America’s young people.

3) Teen Pregnancy Rates are way Down. Since 1991, U.S. teenage pregnancy, abortion, and birth rates have all declined steadily in every age, racial and ethnic group, and in every state. And, they’re having less sex than their peers did 15 years ago.

4) Lower Lead Levels in Kids – Levels of lead have dropped dramatically. In 1976, 88.2 percent of U.S. children had elevated blood lead levels compared to 1.6 percent today.

5) Less Smoking, Alcohol, and Drug Use for Today’s Teens – Teen drug use has declined by 23 percent since 2001, with reductions in the use of nearly every drug, including alcohol and cigarettes — approximately 840,000 fewer youth using illicit drugs in 2006 than in 2001. High school students who had smoked one cigarette in their lifetime dropped to 54 percent, compared with 70 percent in 1991. The number of teens who had at least one alcoholic drink dropped from 81 percent in 1991 to 74 percent last year.

6) The number of moms breastfeeding is the highest it’s been in 20 years — giving more health benefits to the child, a closer bond for the mother, and a lot of savings for families on tight budgets. The Centers for Disease Control noted that it also conveyed health benefits to women, including decreased risk for the most common form of diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer.

7) The Divorce Rate has hit a 37-Year Low. America’s per capita divorce rate has declined steadily since its peak in 1981, dropping by one-third to its lowest level since 1970.

With all those reasons to be happy, mothers ought to have a great Mother’s Day in 2008.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geri_Weis-Corbley



Christmas Lights Design – Adding Twinkle

Have you grown tired of your steady-on Christmas lights?

Perhaps it’s time to add a little twinkle!

When designing your Christmas light display, there are several aspects of design to keep in mind as you make your lighting plans. Early in the process you’ll choose the style of lights you want to use based what you like – from traditional C7 and C9 Christmas light sets, to mini lights to the latest in LED lighting. Christmas light lovers have never had so many choices. Next you need to consider a color scheme.

The most popular color is transparent with multi, red, blue and and green not too far behind. New upward trends in purple, pink, and teal are making the lighting future very exciting.

So, you’ve selected the types of lighting you want to use, you’ve decided on color and now you wonder, “what about twinkling and movement in my lighting display?” or perhaps you are thinking,”how do I drive my neighbors crazy with twinkle lights”.

There are a wide variety of ways to add movement to your Holiday lighting. Let’s take a quick look at a few of them.

1. Turn your steady mini lights into twinkling lights. That little extra bulb with a red tip is a flasher bulb. It causes all the lights on the string to turn on and off simultaneously.

You don’t need more than one flasher per line but if you have a longer mini light set that is wired in sections, you can put a flasher in each section of bulbs.

2. Mini lights also come with built in controllers. These sets commonly have 140 lights and have multiple functions like chase, fade, slow fade, steady on and more. These light sets are like cayenne pepper and unless you are using them on your Christmas tree – that’s classic – you should be cautious not to overuse these spicy lights.

Unless, of course, you like a carnival atmosphere in your lawn. In which case, go for it. Remember, those neighbors?

3. C7 and C9 Christmas light sets can be set up with 2-3 lines offset by 50% or 30% of the spacing between the individual bulbs and connected to a multi channel controller that will cycle throught the 3 channels. This will give your lights a marquee effect. (This is also a good approach for outlining signs.)

4. Lastly, one of the nicest and most elegant ways to add twinkle to your lighting is to sprinkle in a few C7 or c9 twinkle lights into your transparent bulb display. Imagine a wonderful tree, full of clear C7 lights – and every so often, randomly placed through the tree, a very few twinkling lights.

Twinkle light bulbs start to flash as they heat up – with about a one second on and a one second off rhythm. If you use just the right amount of twinkle lights, viewers won’t necessarily see the twinkling action right away – they’ll just see that you have a magical tree or two in your yard.

Steady on, twinkling, flashing. There are different ways to personalize your Christmas light display with light movement. Just consider it another part of your total design.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shellie_Gardner