Potting Benches: Beautiful and Practical
September 30, 2008
Do you love spending time outdoors in your garden creating beautiful floral arrangements that can be enjoyed by all? Do you spend more time gathering up your supplies than you actually do planting flowers? If so, you should consider enhancing your garden with a potting bench.
Potting benches do more than just add another gorgeous piece of furniture to your outdoor space; they are also very practical and can be extremely convenient when creating floral masterpieces in the garden.
Just imagine walking into your garden and having your entire supply of favorite gardening tools at your fingertips and a convenient workspace on which to work. Would not gardening be that much more enjoyable if you only had to walk into your space and begin creating?
And there are so many different styles of potting benches that you are sure to find the perfect bench to complement your garden, personality and unique sense of style. You can have your choice from potting benches in some of the more popular styles such as Rustic, American and Classic.
Getting a Puppy? Make the Right Choice
September 30, 2008
Getting a Puppy? Make the Right Choice
by: Nikola Marshall
We all love a sweet, cuddly-faced puppy. Who wouldn’t? But those little bundles of joy grow up and we must make an informed decision in order to have a happy household.
Each breed of dog has its own set of characteristics and quirks. These can either be endearing or run us batty, depending upon our own personalities. Small dogs can be yappy and are often like small children. Some breeds, like the Saint Bernard, are “wet mouth” dogs. This means they have a tendency to drool—a lot! Other breeds tend to be diggers, swimmers and climbers. Working and herding breeds are very intelligent and will need “jobs” to keep them occupied.
Where do you live? If an apartment is your home, you certainly don’t want a large dog. It would need more space for exercise. A small breed is perfect for you. Think Boston Terriers, Maltese, and Chihuahuas. A mid or large size dog is great if you have a large fenced-in yard. Consider Boxers or Shetland Sheepdogs. If you reside in the country with plenty of space, any large breed would benefit. Choose Border Collies, Great Danes and Australian Shepherds. Make sure your dog has plenty of room to exercise. And please keep them safe! A dog running loose in the city is hazardous for the dog, people and traffic.
Pictures Of Landscaping - Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.
September 30, 2008
Pictures Of Landscaping - Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.
by: Steve Boulden
One of the most common searches on my site is for pictures of landscaping. So I know that a lot of folks rely on photos of other peoples designs to get ideas. But at the same time, while I do have a large picture directory of other peoples projects on my site, the most common questions I receive are still related to specific shapes and design ideas.
It would seem that with as many pictures of landscaping there are to look at online, just about everyone could find a close match to their own property that could be copied. It would seem so…..if every yard was square or rectangular. However, the fact is that most yards aren’t square or rectangular. So even with the endless landscaping ideas and examples out there, it’s still highly unlikely that you’ll find an exact match to the shape of your property.
Don’t tell anyone… but even as a professional, I still use pictures of other peoples landscaping as an educational tool and to get new ideas. However, unlike most people, I don’t search for an exact idea to copy. I look for unique, creative, and new ideas and pieces of the puzzle.
What Makes Fiction Special
September 30, 2008
What Makes Fiction Special
by: Rebecca Guevara
What Makes Fiction Special
I was in a brisk discussion about whether a woman ‘would’ or ‘would not’ leave her wayward husband when a man interrupted and said, “But he’s not real! It’s fiction!” It was time to end the talk before I began my ten minute soliloquy that would have sent everyone in the kitchen for one too many drinks before going home. I knew the difficult husband in The Trading of Ken was not real because he fell out of my head and ended up on paper over a year’s time as I had fun punching him, his wife and girlfriend about. That’s exactly the point. Fiction has helped me put life in fascinating perspectives that allegedly truthful biographies, gooey memoirs, self-righteous improvement and dry scientific report studies can’t touch. Imagine:
Buying a New Puppy? How To Avoid the Pitfalls
September 29, 2008
Buying a New Puppy? How To Avoid the Pitfalls
by: Armen T. Ghazarians
Many books and articles have been written regarding the art of choosing a puppy (i.e. performing puppy tests, looking for parental OFA certifications, and so on…), but few, if any, discuss the contractual end of purchasing a puppy. I can tell you through personal experience that purchasing a quality show puppy from a famous breeder can be quite a stressful experience because no breeder would give up the pick of the litter to a competitor (for obvious reasons) or to a novice without co-ownership of the puppy. Co-ownership of a puppy entitles the breeder to many rights to the detriment of the buyer. To begin with, the breeder might also be an experienced handler and might contractually require the purchaser to use the breeder as the puppies’ trainer and handler. Agreeing to this could be a monumental mistake because the purchaser might be required to pay (even though they might be co-owners) for the breeders time to train and handle the puppy. Agreeing to this can COST you THOUSANDS of dollars.
A Dying Cat And A Nylon String Guitar
September 29, 2008
"Music isn’t just learning notes and playing them, you learn notes to play to the music of your soul" ? Katie Greenwood.
Why are you learning music anyway? Is it to pick up chicks? Is it to fulfill a void in your mundane life? Is it an indescribable calling?
I always wanted to learn the drums. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the aggressive nature of the things. You sit there and bash the crap out of them.
As fate would have it I shared a house with Dave, a guitar player, so I decided to learn the guitar as I had my very own teacher living in the next room. Or so I thought.
I went out and bought a nylon string classical guitar for $70. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing but that never stopped me before.
So I went back home with my new guitar in its cardboard box. And with anything new, you want to play with it straight away, as soon as you get it home.
I also bought one of those guitar case chord dictionaries. You know the ones, they have a thousand chords in them and they are designed to confuse rather than actually help you.
Writing A Book - Tips From An Author #7
September 29, 2008
Writing A Book - Tips From An Author #7
by: www.GetPlotted.com
Secrets of the Plot
The one overriding principle you have to remember when creating a blockbuster of a plot is to avoid randomness. A good story is a chain of events, and each link in the chain is bound to other links (otherwise it isn’t a chain!). This is worth repeating - whether it is an event, a character or place name, or a motivation, think it through and create it for a reason, not randomly. Keep asking yourself ‘why’. Your readers will certainly be doing the same, and if you have created it with a logical reason behind it, they will accept it, no matter how implausible it may actually be. Done correctly, this way of plotting will also steer the reader firmly towards the climax, and this, of course, is important if you want to write a ‘page turner’ bestseller novel.
Furniture Benches Are Perfect For Every Outdoor Space
September 29, 2008
The task of selecting outdoor furniture for your natural spaces can seem daunting at times. There are just so many options to choose from that many people get confused browsing through the large collections that can be found in catalogues, stores and even online.
One of the simplest, yet beautiful solutions for people who are overwhelmed when it comes to choosing outdoor seating is to incorporate the use of furniture benches into outdoor spaces.
Whether you need furniture for your porch, garden or yard, benches provide not only a practical solution to your problems but a beautiful and durable one as well. One of the best ways to create an outdoor space that is both warm and inviting is by using furniture benches in your favorite natural spaces.
Whether they are simple or grand, furniture benches send a subtle message to your neighbors and guests that you want your outdoor space to be appreciated and enjoyed by all.
Benches are an open invitation to slow down, to linger, and to enjoy the beauty that has been created in spaces such as gardens, ponds and orchards. They present more than just the opportunity for outdoor seating; benches help to create breathtakingly beautiful outdoor rooms that can be used for meditation, relaxation or for visiting with friends and family.
Should Outside Cats Use A Collar
September 28, 2008
Should Outside Cats Use A Collar
by: John Marcus
Most cat owners find themselves in a quandary over whether or not to use a cat collar on their outdoor cats. The debate still reigns over the pros and cons of outfitting an outside cat with a collar, but many veterinarians and cat experts agree that collars are the best way to go. However, before you decide, take a look at these pros and cons:
Pros:
• Cat collars can hold identification and registration tags. This is critical in case your outdoor cat becomes lost or is picked up by a concerned individual. Also, collars can hold bells or other noise generating items to scare away potential prey.
• Many cat collars are equipped with reflective material. Whether the collar is made completely out of reflective material or only contains a small strip, this will help your cat to become more visible in the dark. Cats, especially those of dark color, can become invisible at night, which is a potentially dangerous situation.
Cons:
• Cat collars can easily snag and cause your cat to become hung or stuck on branches, fences, or anything else in the great outdoors. Some cats have actually been strangled when their collar has gotten caught and cut off the animal’s air supply.
Fact or Fiction — Terrorist attack our nation using smallpox as a weapon against us?
September 28, 2008
Fact or Fiction — Terrorist attack our nation using smallpox as a weapon against us?
by: Paulo Reyes
It very well could be real, but for now it’s the latest heart-pounding fiction book, Sledgehammer, about a terrorist who arrives in the ER with smallpox symptoms. An ER physician suspects it but has just six days to convince hospital executives and the U.S. Government before an epidemic breaks out.
The story is brought vividly to life by Dr. Paulo J. Reyes who obtained his MD at the UCSF School of Medicine, has 25 years in medicine and internal medicine and is a First Responder for the busiest cities in California specifically in terrorists training.
In Sledgehammer, the lead character, Max Kroose, an intuitive emergency room physician, believes terrorists are to blame for the attack and fears the more lethal form of smallpox, called Sledgehammer, will kill within days. As time progresses, the terrorists planned attacks at a sports arena, mall and airport must be stopped. The question becomes can this ER doctor convince the hospital administration and the public health care system about the presence of this deadly disease and the need to vaccinate the American public. You won’t be able to stop reading as you seek to find out the truth in this non-stop thriller.
