Essential Gardening TipsGardening Tip #1: Build on a Good Foundation.First, you must check the nitrogen and carbon levels in your soil. You want to start with a good foundation to your spring gardening season, and these tips will help. If you have very bad soil, I highly advise that you start with a square foot garden. You can either build a wood box or buy plastic ones from gardeners, which is what I did. You can then add fresh top soil from the store and add mulched and composted leaves. This is the best way to start.Gardening Tip #2: Ensure Good Drainage.When you have the square foot garden set up, you must ensure that the drainage is good, otherwise your plants will not survive and your gardening career will be miserable. Be positive that you provide just as much water as the plant needs, and you will know this amount through your gardening experience.Gardening Tip #3: Provide Lots of Sunlight.All plant life is totally dependent on the sun. without enough sunlight, the garden will never be strong and probably never sprout. This is absolutely crucial. However, you must ensure that the plants that are in the sun are able to withstand it. All this information is on the back of every seed packet. The square foot garden location should be carefully located according to drainage and sunlight location.Gardening Tip #4: Make Variety.For a successful garden, add a lot of variety to your garden. This will help with pests and the soil quality. If you vary the different plants, the insects will tend to not come back due to the uninsurability of what will be in the garden. Also, it is generally known that all farmers rotate their crops for better soil. All gardeners should do just the same!Gardening Tip #5: Plant at the Proper Time.This may seem obvious, but it is critical. If you plant the plants too soon, they will be frozen by the frost of early spring and all the work will be for nothing. If too late, they will not be able to gather strength before the sun beats down on them and withers them, or a fall frost eliminates them. Always check the seed packets for this information.Gardening Tip #6: Jump Start Transplants.Make positively sure that you buy good and healthy transplants. It is much wiser to spend more money for quality plants that will return a hundredfold in produce to your work. Make sure as well to give the transplants a lot of water, or they will not survive to thrive. However, the growing season is not as long as many people may think, so you have to get the plants into the ground at the proper time, and they will hit the ground running!Gardening Tip #7: Resist Over-planting.As a beginning gardener, it is best to just start small. As you perfect all the methods of growing and harvesting different kinds of produce, you will then be able to plant more of what you like.Gardening Tip #8: Provide Plenty of Nutrients.After you have planted the seeds and they are thriving, you must make sure that you continue to provide them with nutrients. Depending on the plants you are cultivating, fish emulsion and blood meal are good things to add to the soil. Furthermore, all types of compost such as leaves, kitchen scraps, and other nitrogen rich composts will make your garden flourish. Of course, remember the rule of moderation.Gardening Tip #9: Detect Pests Early.As your plants are getting bigger and better, always check for the signs of pests on the plant. Are the leaves holed and chewed? Is the plant dying because of some disease? if so, as a good gardener, you must take the steps to defend your plants. If you are being attacked by deer and rodents, you can put a net or radio out near the garden to distract and scare the pests, and bloodmeal will deter the deer. As for all diseases, there are organic formulas at the store that can help with them.Gardening Tip #10: Stop Weeds Before They Start.This is imperative. It is critical when gardening the old fashioned way, because I did not take care of them and they took over the garden in no time. Just a little care every day, saves hours and days of hard and unnecessary labor. Also, some natural prevention of corn gluten meal and a natural herbicide of vinegar may really ease your task of clearing the weeds.I hope these gardening tips helped! I will be implementing them in my gardening as well. May these gardening tips ever be part of your gardening arsenal!
Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!
He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.
But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.
Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!
Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.
We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.
Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.
Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!
But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.
Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.
Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.
And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.
All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.
He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.
Achieving Optimum Health and Harmony of Its Dimensions
Being healthy is a basic requirement in order to fully appreciate the good things around us and be inspired to work for the realization of our dreams and goals. It is a fundamental necessity to earn a living in order to survive. When you are not healthy, your routine activities are disrupted. Medical news show that discomforts caused by annoying bodily disturbances or by nagging problems result in persistent unhappy moods that may drain your capacity to cope and adjust.But then, how do you know you are healthy? Perhaps you may consider yourself healthy but are considered unhealthy by another. You may have your own idea of what characterizes a healthy person. It is indeed better if everyone has a common basis for determining when a person is truly healthy. What then are the qualities that one must have in order to be considered healthy?To determine the status of your health, you should look into the six dimensions of your life which is the physical, mental, emotional, social, vocational and spiritual dimension. These six dimensions will give ideas to ascertain the level of health. Medical journals say that all these are expected to interact in conformity with each other. Any disorder involving one dimension may affect other dimensions.Physical health involves the different systems of the body. All the body mechanisms are expected to operate harmoniously to be considered fit in meeting the demands of daily activities. Each system should monitor the functioning of the organs to make the necessary adjustment in order to maintain balance. For example, when you are suffering from loose bowel movement, the other organs that release water such as the sweat gland and the kidneys will be called upon to conserve water to prevent dehydration.Mental and emotional health can be seen as your way of looking at your ability to perform your task and face problems in an appropriate manner. It is also the capacity to make and apply good decisions and at the same time feel good inside. If you possess mental and emotional health, you are optimistic in life and are appreciative of the things around you. You can also accept disappointments with courage and composure. Social health includes your ability to get along with others and create a relaxed atmosphere by being sensitive and responsive to the needs of others.Vocational health applies to your behavior and attitude in carrying out the duties and obligations of your chosen career. As an adult, you should consider your attitude in doing your responsibilities as a worker in preparation towards gaining financial independence in the future. Spiritual health is also another important dimension. Any disturbance in the operation of the other dimensions may still be handled as long as spiritual health is maintained.All these dimensions overlap and interact with one another. Therefore, to be in the best of health and experience fulfillment in life, you should see to it that all these dimensions work cooperatively to attain balance. Be alert with the latest health news and what you can do to maintain optimum health. To achieve this, you have to accept the responsibility of looking after your own health to live longer and at the same time experience satisfaction and happiness.