Simple Things for the ?Sailing Life?
March 31, 2007
Owning a boat has an oxymoronic quality to it. "The simple life" can be pretty complex–I think of it as having a plane, a car, and a house compressed into a very small space. This specialized environment calls for specialized equipment and tactics…sometimes. In spite of what marine retailers would like us to think, there are a number of ‘normal’ (and inexpensive) items that we can put to very efficient use aboard our boats. For example:
Winterizing Your Pond
March 31, 2007
For many parts of the country, it’s getting to be that time of year again. Time to start thinking about getting your fish and plants ready for old man winter…
Every year, as the weather gets colder and we start heading into winter, many of our customers ask us how to prepare their ponds for winter. Pond owners should be aware of several simple things to do in preparing their ponds for colder months.
Fish and plants need very different things in the winter, but can be kept in top condition for the following season if the appropriate steps are taken (see related articles).
Fish should be fed less, floating annuals should be thrown out, potted hardy plants should be cut down and moved to the bottom of the pond, filters should be cleaned & drained, and pumps shut off.
Another good practice that we recommend is to do a partial pond cleaning and water change. It’s not necessary to drain the pond completely, but we recommend draining 25% - 50% of the water and net out or remove as much organic debris as possible (IE: leaves, plants, etc.)
Should You Write a Book?
March 31, 2007
One morning, you open your inbox and find several e-mails that will boost your business. There is an invitation to speak at a local group comprised of your best prospects. Several emails have arrived from people who’ve “heard of you” and inquire about your services.
There is a message from a potential joint venture partner who has invited you to be a guest on a teleconference that will reach 500 people, all of them prospects. Later that day, a journalist calls. She wants to write a story about your business, which she heard about on a radio interview you gave weeks earlier.
Is this a fantasy? No. This could be a typical day in your life as a published author.
More and more business people are realizing the power of writing a book to catapult their businesses to a higher level. Speakers, consultants, coaches, therapists and other small business owners are learning that publishing a book is one of the most powerful marketing strategies available.
Published authors report that their lives change, often dramatically, when their books reach the marketplace. When you become an author, you become known as the expert. When you are known as an expert in your field, whatever your field, you will find that the world will beat a path to your door.
Boxers Make Great Family Dogs
March 31, 2007
A breed of dog called a Boxer is very family-oriented and they always love to be around people. Treat them as family members. Never underestimate their need for human companionship, which is the most notable trait of this breed.
The Boxer is happiest when it is with people. Its whole pelvis moves when a Boxer wags its tail in delight and exhilaration. It can adapt to any environment as long as it is with people.
They love being with their “families” and don’t like to be alone. Include them in your gatherings when company is around.
They love to be your shadow. Boxers are intelligent and are quite capable of participating in many family adventures.
Boxer dogs are like humans and they need lots of love to feel like a part of the family.
Accept them for what they are and give them time to show how loyal they can be. They are very sensitive animals too so never hit them.
Boxers Work Well With Kids
Boxers are gentle with children. Boxers love to play and are always ready for a romp or game, “…so make sure you have kids,” said one owner.
Bookmarks As Unique As You
March 30, 2007
Racks and racks of bookmarks ranging from funny to inspirational are available in most bookstores. But for a truly unique bookmark, make your own from a treasured digital photo.
This idea came from my wife, who wanted to give something meaningful to the ladies in her group she met with regularly. She and her friends love reading books, so the bookmark idea sprung in her mind. After a few minutes of searching our digital photo database, we found the perfect image from a rare Valentine’s Day snowfall in Dallas.
Tools you will need
If you have a digital camera then you are half way there to having all the tools you need to create your very own bookmarks. The other half is a digital photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0.
When Does Practice Make Perfect? Not Much Of The Time Unless All The Pieces Fit First
March 30, 2007
Often people receive a banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar or some other musical instrument as a birthday, Christmas or special occasion gift. There’s glee and joy everywhere. The giver of the gift knows how much the receiver of the gift wants to learn this instrument and the receiver of the gift is ACTUALLY holding the coveted instrument in his/her hands instead of lusting for it down at the corner store or through the shop window. NOW WHAT?
Finding an instructor that fits into a busy work schedule is hard enough?but once you decide on a lesson plan, then the student must calculate the practice time, how to practice, what to practice ? and let’s face it?not all people learn something the same way. We have math-wizard types that write everything down, social butterflies that strictly learn by only talking to others about it and yet others that envision a categories and divisional compartment-style strategy for a problem and logically devise a plan to solve the problem in a completely different way than there next door neighbor! So?in order to learn a musical instrument, how much practice time is enough and what kind of practice is right for you?
How to Publish a Book: Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing
March 30, 2007
For many authors just starting out, it can be a confusing and overwhelming decision whether to self publish a book or to seek out a traditional publishing house. It is important to know that the decision you make can have a huge impact on the success, or the failure, of your book. There are many factors to consider, and the right decision is going to be different for every author and for every book.
Here are just a few key factors and publishing tips excerpted from Idea to Book to Success to help you make the decision of exactly how to publish a book:
Time:
When seeking a traditional publishing house to publish your book, you will soon discover that the book will be published according to the publisher’s timeline. Publishing houses have a set production mandate and books are scheduled for publication far in advance. Often, books are signed on for publication one to three years before they are actually published.
When you self publish, the only timeline restricting the publication of your book is your own. You can take years to publish a book if you so choose. Or, if you work incredibly hard, you can have your book out on the market within months. You can take as much or as little time as you want or need to publish your book.
Training Your Dog
March 30, 2007
Training your dog can be time consuming and frustrating at times, but it’s well worth it. Here are several tips that should help things go much smoother and faster… plus reduce the frustration both you and your dog feel!
Conduct “play training” where by the training tasks are made into fun games and your dog’s play drive is used as motivation. There are a lot of really good books available on this type of training.
Intelligent dogs can also be stubborn, so you may have to outwit them! While training your dog, you have to make him want to do what you want him to. You can’t make him do stuff unless it is fun. Otherwise you are wasting both your time and his. Try to make your dog’s training so fun that it becomes his or her favorite activity. This will make learning much easier and more enjoyable.
Most dogs love to play! You can make your dog the happiest just by spending some time with them, giving your undivided attention each day. Without this, your dog will feel ignored, bored, or think they’re in trouble. When this happens they’re more likely to chew, tear things up, and not listen to you. Here are some tried and true tactics you can use to make your dogs listen to you more:
How to Make Homemade Ice Cream (Without an Ice Cream Maker!)
March 29, 2007
COLFAX, WISCONSIN - June is Dairy Month and what better way to celebrate than with homemade ice cream?
When I was growing up on our small family dairy farm in west central Wisconsin 40 years ago, my dad would make homemade ice cream using cream and milk from our very own cows and a hand-cranked ice cream freezer.
But you don’t need an ice cream freezer to make your own homemade ice cream. You can make ice cream with your refrigerator. Here’s how:
Dad’s Favorite Recipe (From the book: Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam - True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm. Coming Soon - Fall 2004)
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs for several minutes until thick and lemon colored. Add 1 cup of milk and blend into the eggs. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Add egg/milk mixture to the sugar and cornstarch. Cook until thick (about 5 minutes) stirring constantly. Allow the custard mixture to cool to room temperature.
Wildlife in Winter Ponds
March 29, 2007
This may seem contradictory, but you want to leave a little bit of debris in the pond when preparing it for winter.
Some water gardeners net out the fish, completely drain the water and scrub out the pond, refilling it with fresh water.
Frogs, tadpoles, snails and microscopic pond life need to burrow down into mud and leaves to survive the winter.
Fish also hibernate on the bottom, settling in around a bed of leaves and mud. I remove about 90% of the leaves and silt that have accumulated over the summer.
Leave the rest as “bedding material.”
You’ll be amazed at the diversity of pond life that emerges in spring. Keep in mind that tree leaves will continually blow into the pond as long as the water isn’t frozen.
I recommend covering the pond with bird netting.
This black plastic netting is almost invisible and prevents tree leaves and debris from getting into the pond.
About The Author
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary ‘New Pond Owners Guide’ for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens at our website.
