The Jeffrey And Tracey Info Emporium

I planted seeds in my little garden this year.

I have never planted seeds before because I am not a very
patient person and waiting for the little green shoots to rise
above the ground was just too much for me. But this year, I
thought I would give it a try. I thought it would be a good
metaphor for me to plant something and watch it grow, much as I
have many times, planted thoughts, dreams and affirmations and
watched many of them become a reality.

And so in the Spring of this year, I planted my garden. I chose
many types of flowers and among them, Morning Glories. Within a
month, many of the other flowers were bursting through the
earth, but not the Morning Glories.

Each morning I would run outside to check on them and nothing,
nothing for several weeks more. I was about to give up on them.
I was sure that they just did not ‘take’ so to speak. And then
one day, it happened! They had broken through the earth and were
starting to climb. And climb and climb and climb they
did….with their big beautiful heart shaped leaves.

And so the saga continued, nothing for weeks and weeks and weeks
but more and more beautiful leaves. And I thought to myself,
“Well, leaves are nice, but that is all I will probably get at
this point.” And then one fine and glorious morning, there it
was, the most beautiful sky-blue morning glory I have ever
seen!!! It seemed like a miracle to me. I had waited over 3
months for this one delicate, funnel-shaped flower to show up
and now here it was, in all its splendor.

It reminded me of just how many times I had waited in life for
something I had longed for and how incredible it felt when it
finally arrived and also how many times, that I had wanted to
throw in the towel and just give up.

But I wasn’t prepared for what was to happen next with these
little flowers and I was surprised and deeply saddened by it.

Roses and geraniums and daisies and most other flowers bloom and
stay around for a while but not Morning Glories. Morning Glories
open themselves up to the world, in the morning, in all of their
glory, hence the name Morning Glory.

And if you look closely at them, you will see how extraordinary
they are both in colour and texture and that in their centre is
a kind of golden light that shines from within.

But here is the hard part…

At the end of the day, they turn a most beautiful shade of
lavender, and then close up, wither and die. They live for only
one day and then they are gone. I cannot tell you how much this
saddened me and what a profound effect this little flower had
upon my life. I kept thinking how sad to be so beautiful and
live for only one day. And then I suddenly realized what a gift
they were.

You see it doesn’t matter how long your life is. It only matters
that you were here, in all your glory, that you opened up
completely and let your light shine and that you brought joy to
those who came into contact with you. That’s what matters to the
morning glory and that’s what really matters to all of us.

The morning glories make me appreciate every new day now, in a
way I didn’t before. Each evening I go and visit with them
knowing those particular ones won’t be here tomorrow, new ones
will take their place. If we knew when we woke up in the
morning, that we only had that one day to really live, life
would be very different indeed for many of us.

Now, each morning I give thanks that I have been given the gift
of another day in all its glory. We can learn from all of life
if we remain open to the beauty that is all around us. And
nature can be one of our greatest teachers.

What a profound lesson from such a simple flower.

…Thank you, my sweet little morning glories!

Amazing as it may seem, homes inspected prior to going on the market have two very significant attributes:

1. They sell faster than homes not inspected until the buyer has made an offer.

2. They sell closer to the asking price than homes not inspected until the buyer has made an offer.

Why the heck does that happen?

When the buyer makes an offer, there is an assumption made by the buyer, reasonable or not, that there is nothing wrong with the home! If there was something wrong with the home that the seller knew about, but did not disclose, shame on them, it is about to cost them money. Most often, though, the items that come up on the inspection by the buyer were unknown to the seller. Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise! And we’ve already established that surprise is not good in real estate. So how is it that the inspection for the seller makes the buyer pay more for the home and do it in less time?

Let us create an example of a 20-year-old home that has a fair market value of $100,000, just to make the math easy. That value assumes that nothing is wrong with the home. When the buyer has the home inspected it is with the assumption that anything discovered to be wrong will be corrected by the seller or a price concession will be made.

Now, let’s consider that the buyers inspection revealed the need for a new roof, several plumbing leaks, and the need for replacement of three exterior doors. When these discoveries are made by the buyer’s inspection, the clock is running and running fast. These items need to be corrected before the sale can be completed. This time crunch puts the seller at a disadvantage when dealing with the contractors. When time is critical, you have fewer choices and the costs go up. Additionally, the buyer often wants to have input on who does what work.

This situation is always tense and expensive. It can be avoided!

Let us now assume that the inspection result occurs, but it is for the seller as the home goes onto the market. The seller is now in control. Armed with a clear picture of what is wrong, the seller can choose to shop calmly for the best value in repair contractors, offer a credit at closing or adjust the sales price to reflect the diminished value. They can even make the necessary repairs, then increase the price of the home to reflect the increased value!

No matter the choices made, the seller, on the seller’s time frame, makes them. This actually makes for a neater, simpler buying decision for the buyer. The buyer knows better what condition the home is in and knows what issues to base the initial offer on. The buyer will still in most cases get the home inspected, but this is a breeze. It is rare that any additional items of significance arise.

The pre-listing inspection puts deal killing at the lowest risk. Most often, it makes for an awesome deal-closing tool!

Copyright © Florida HomePro, Inc. and Wallace J. Conway. All rights in all media reserved.

About the Author

Wally Conway is President of Florida HomePro Inspections, and has recently written a book entitled “Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector”, available at GoHomePro.com. As a speaker, writer, and instructor, Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit WallyConway.com for more information!

Garden thyme, fresh or dried, alone or combined with parsley and bay leaves to make a bouquet garni, adds a distinctive aromatic flavouring to meats, poultry, stews, sauces, and stuffing. Thymus vulgaris, commonly known as cooking thyme, English thyme, French thyme, or winter thyme is just one of the 350 species of the genus Thymus. Often called the ‘herb of courage,’ garden thyme can be grown indoors or out. Thyme is a shrubby perennial with small, oval, narrow, grey-green leaves, long, woody, branched stems, and sturdy roots. This plant blooms in mid-summer and has lavender-pink flowers that occur in small clusters. The flowers attract bees and the honey produced is highly valued. The leaves are very aromatic. Leaves, stems, and flowers may all be eaten.

Garden thyme grows 6 – 20 inches (15 – 50 cm) tall, prefers light, well-drained soil, and full sun. Allow soil to dry between waterings, as this plant is susceptible to root rot and will not survive long in heavy wet soils. Thyme can be propagated by stem cuttings, seeds, and layering.

Pot outdoor plants for bringing indoors in the fall. Check for insects and spray with a soap and water spray if required. Indoor plants require at least 5 hours of strong sunlight a day. If placed on a windowsill, turn plants frequently to ensure all sides receive equal exposure to the light. If growing under fluorescents, hang lights 6 inches (15 cm) above the plants and leave on for 14 hours a day.

In the garden, plant thyme anywhere as it deters cabbageworm and accents the aromatic qualities of other plants and herbs. In the kitchen, thyme is often used in sausage and other fatty foods such as lamb, pork, duck, or goose as it aids in the digestive process. Generally speaking, in the kitchen, dried thyme is used, as it is preferred for cooking. This herb enhances the flavour of tomato sauces, casseroles, soup, spaghetti sauce, eggs, potatoes, fish, green vegetables, chowders, seafood of all kinds, breads, roasted meats, marinades for meats, plain rice, and tea.

Thyme is especially good in recipes that call for long, slow cooking as it is one of the few herbs that does not lose flavour in cooking, so can be added early. Sprigs can be placed in the water of steamed or boiled vegetables, or used to make thyme-scented vinegar or oil. Fresh leaves and flowers can be used in tossed green salads, and use the leaves, fresh or dried, for butter and cooking oil. Strip the leaves from stems when using fresh. Chopped fresh leaves are much more pungent than dried so use sparingly if substituting for dried in a recipe. The dried flowers and/or leaves are often combined with rosemary and spearmint to make an aromatic tea said to be useful for calming the nerves and soothing headaches.

Thyme can be preserved by freezing or drying. To dry, lay the stems of thyme flat or hang them in bunches in a shady, dry location. Strip the dry leaves from the stems and store in an airtight container. To freeze, lie on a cookie pan, freeze, store in airtight freezer bags, and use as required.

Bouquet Garni

2 sprigs parsley
1 sprig thyme
Tie together with white string, immerse in cooking liquid, and remove before serving.
Bouquet garni are flavouring agents composed of herbs tied together and immersed in liquids, early in the process of cooking to enhance the flavour of dishes such as soups, stews, and some vegetables. You can make bouquet garni ahead-of-time and preserve their flavour by tying in bundles, place in plastic bags, label and date them, and freeze for later use.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace – Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen’s Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 – 2006. All rights reserved.

Garage sales should be fun and hassle-free, with your goal to make some good money and off-load your unwanted items – our garage sale checklist is your hassle-free, step-by-step organiser for achieving this.

2-3 weeks before the sale

-Start sorting through your household for unwanted items

have the mindset that almost anything will sell if it is a bargain

- Price your items

price items about 25-35% of what they cost new (clothes are exceptions - 5-15% here)

- Pick a date and time for your sale

weekends are the best; avoid public holidays or special events

- Write your ad

give the address and hours of the sale; mention items that are of particular interest

- Place your ad in local newspapers and using free garage sale adversting sites

put up flyers on local community boards; inform neighbours as they might want to have a joint sale

1 week before the sale

- Make sure items are cleaned and repaired

the better condition it is in, the higher price you will get

- Determine where signs will go

in and around your neighbourhood is best; one in front of your house is smart too

- Make your signs

use arrows, print the address, start and end times, use big letters

1-2 days before the sale

- Set up your sale area

use tables to lay items out, display clothing hung up; you want to create an area so people can browse and shop in comfort

- Get checkout area ready

have plenty of change; spare bags; calculator; newspaper (to wrap fragile items); paper & pens

Night before the sale

- Put up signs

- Make some refreshments and have a radio ready to play some soft background music

Morning of sale

- Make sure your house is locked up and fully secure

don’t want to give buyers the opportunity to snoop around

- Open the gates/door to your sale

greet all customers with a freindly smile and “hello!”; be prepared to bargain with buyers

Right after sale

- Take signs down

not only is this courteous to the environment, but you might incur a fine or penalty if you don’t

- Count your money and rejoice!

About The Author

Copyright George Grubetic. An avid garage sale enthusiast, he is the webmaster of www.egaragesales.com.au, a website offering tips, hints and resources on how to have successful garage sales, including free listings across Australia.

admin@egaragesales.com.au

Over watering ranks first in causes of houseplant demise because
it causes roots to rot. Most plants are tough so they can
recover from under watering with only the loss of a few leaves
– unless you wait too long and pass the point of no return.

Watering schedules depend on the kind of houseplant, its size,
container, and environment. No two plants have the same water
requirements, so you’ll need to know what your particular
plant(s) require.

Generally, it’s best to water during morning hours. Most
flowering plants require more water than their non-flowering
counterparts. Since the needs of individual plants vary greatly,
you should research your houseplant’s requirements.

Test dryness of soil by probing the top inch with your finger.
Tapping the side of the post also indicates the degree of
wetness. If the tap sounds hollow, the plant needs water. If it
sounds solid, wait a day or two to water. If a plant begins to
wilt and its soil looks dry and cracked, it needs water
immediately.

For plants that require moderate watering, allow 1/2 to 1-inch
of soil to dry out before re-watering. If a plant needs light
watering, let two-thirds of the soil dry out. For plants that
need heavy watering, the surface should always be moist.

You can water in several ways. A quick and easy method is to
water from the surface with a watering can. Use a long-spout
water can and water at room temperature. When water escapes
through the bottom of a pot, the houseplant has had enough.

Pots also may be placed in a tray of water for about half an
hour. This allows the soil to draw water in from drainage holes.
Some plants, such as ferns, especially like this watering method.

During each watering, use enough water to completely soak the
soil in the pot rather than simply wetting the surface. (Keep in
mind when watering that hairy plants, such as African Violets,
can be damaged if their leaves get wet).

Tap water is fine for plants, but it’s a good idea to let the
water stand in an open container overnight to allow it to come
to room temperature and allow chlorine to evaporate. If your tap
water has a high fluoride content, it is wise to use water from
another source — spring, well, rain water, distilled water, or
water that has collected in a dehumidifier. You also can add
perlite or limestone to your plant’s soil to neutralize
fluorides.

More steps to easily care for your house plants can be found at
http://www.koripuckett.com/house-plant-care

Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About House Plants Inside This Powerful Guide. Visit House Plant Secrets At:
http://www.koripuckett.com/house-plant-care/houseplantsecrets?wa

As the villain of innumerable “B” movies, and the subject of
myth and superstition, bats have an undeservedly bad reputation.
Did you know that they are quite clean, and that they don’t fly
into your hair? They don’t have more rabies than other mammals,
and they can eat up to 3000 mosquitoes per night - each!
So you want them around.

But while bats are intriguing and beneficial creatures, if they
get into your home, they can become really annoying. Starting in
mid-August (for most of the USA) you will have a window of
opportunity to rid your house of bats relatively easily. Here’s
how.

First, you will need to provide alternative housing for the bats
before you start excluding them from your home. Bat populations
have been in decline for the last few years because of lack of
habitat. Additionaly, you want the benefits of having them
around.

The next step is to determine where the bats are coming/going
from your house. There may be one - or many - ways bats are
getting into your home. You may be able to find these entry/exit
points by going into your darkened attic in daylight and look
for light leaks. Or, you may be able to observe the bats coming
and going.

If there are multiple points of entry, you will need to seal
permanently all but the most obvious point of entry (you need to
leave one entry point to allow the bats to leave.)

Once you have eliminated all but one entry point, you will need
to devise a way of allowing the bats to leave, but not reenter.
There are two basic ways of doing this.

1. Each night after the bats leave, temporarily plug the
entry hole, so they cannot return in the morning. If any bats
remain, the next day, open the entry hole to allow the remaining
bats to leave. You may need to repeat the process for several
nights. (Note, depending upon your situation, this method may
require climbing ladders at night. In which case I cannot
recommend this procedure. Use your own judgment.)

2. There are valve-like devices available that allow bats
to leave, but not return. Here’s a link to one such device: batfree.com. You can make a check valve
yourself, as described here (page 5) Wildlifecontrol.info. (This pdf
file has lots of valuable bat information.)

The timing of when you do your bat removal is very
important. Your bat removal must be done between mid-August
and mid-May. This is the time when the young bats have been
weaned and can fly, but the bats are not yet breeding again.
This time frame is appropriate for North America. Bat removal at
any other time is inhumane, and will trap bats in your home,
creating other problems. (Check with a local extension agent as
to when bats occupy roosts in your area.)

These procedures should work, but every situation is different.
By providing an alternative roost, you not only get the bats out
of your house, but retain the benefits of having bats around.

Companion sites of Wild
Bird Goodies:

Welcome Baby Gifts

A Pampered Dog

Web Design
Partners

The perfect weather for grilling out has come at last! Impress your guests, friends, and family with the very best new high technological equipment that will provide a place for you to do your cooking without being stuck inside cooking. It is amazing how great it can be to have an outdoor kitchen, especially if you like to do more than just barbeque for outdoor meals and parties.

Outdoor kitchens are designed to live outside. Outdoor kitchens are usually made with marine grade polymer, especially to withstand the outdoors. This advantage is not temporary, either. Your outdoor kitchen and accessories will last and last without becoming warped, without peeling, and without deteriorating. They are designed exposed to the elements without any harm to them.

With an outdoor kitchen you can be a part of the socializing as well as get your cooking done! This is multi-tasking of the greatest kind.

For the culinary enthusiast who wants to impress his or her visitors by cooking an exquisite meal—life can be unkind. As you prepare the food, your guests, or friends, or family can all enjoy the outdoors while they wait—but now you can too!

The outdoor kitchen will be hard to miss—and I wager your outdoor kitchen will get more than a lift of the eyebrows or two—there might be a “wow” or more, even if you do not use the kitchen for that particular occasion. Make ‘em all jealous of you with an outdoor kitchen that is designed with your personal style and has that look you want.

The most impressive kinds of outdoor parties can be made a bit more luxurious with the outdoor kitchen, even if all you prepare is a simple desert or serve some wine from behind the counter.

There are lots of options when you consider what kinds of outdoor kitchen equipment to buy, from side grills to sinks, to more non essential accessories like wine racks or cabinets. And believe it or not, there are even kitchen islands available on the market, so your choices are virtually endless, or so it would seem.

Many outdoor kitchens are custom designed, with your outdoor kitchen, not only will you be able to grill out your steaks, chicken, veggies or burgers—like you always have, but also you can bake potatoes, perhaps you can make a hot pasta like spaghetti or macaroni, and not just a pre-prepared chilled picnic pasta salad. You can serve wine, tea or coffee without having to go indoors. You can even prepare a cake or soufflé for desert right there in your garden, yard, or on the patio.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on outdoor dining please visit Outdoor Kitchens.

It is quite unusual in the UK for a new conservatory to require planning permission. However, as we shall continually state in this article it is always sensible to check with your local authority. As there is always some element of the project that is quite unusual it is prudent to get permission. If in any doubt at all you should contact your local authority for confirmation. This is particularly so in Scotland where the rules governing conservatory planning permission differ somewhat from the rest of the UK.

There are a number of things that may cause your conservatory to require planning permission. The size of the conservatory relative to the property is important and also if the property is a terraced, semi-detached or detached house. Also, the size of the garden or back yard is important, as the conservatory must not occupy more than a certain percentage. When you are planning the conservatory take into account its position relative to boundaries of the property as the conservatory must remain within certain parameters. Should the conservatory be used as a commercial entity or if it is to be used as a separate dwelling then planning permission will almost certainly be required.

The make and style of the conservatory does not normally impact the need for planning permission. For example, the convention materials for conservatory construction are timber, aluminium and uPVC and these do not impact the planning issue. Similarly the style such as period designs like Victorian, Georgian and Edwardian is not important to this issue. Lean-to conservatories may have some bearing depending on the height of the roof relative to the property.

If you are considering a patio awning attached to the conservatory then this should also be OK, but a quick phone call to the planning department is always sensible.

If you are ambitious enough to build the conservatory yourself then definitely check with the local building regulations and planning department. If you don’t and mistakes are made it could become a very costly business, so follow the golden rule and always check. If the conservatory is being built for you, then your retailer should guide you in the right direction, but always check with your local authority as the worse thing that can happen once you’ve built your conservatory is that you have to take it down.

About the Author

Garry John has contributed several articles to home improvement sites such as conservatories and greenhouses

Sheds are single-storied outhouses, usually constructed in gardens, which are primarily used for storage. The design of a shed and its furnishing depends upon individual tastes. Many people construct their sheds themselves using simple carpentry skills and crude building tools.

There are different types of sheds depending on the use that they are put to. The most common type is a garden shed that is used to store garden tools. These are generally found in houses with a garden. Tool sheds contain all types of sundry tools like screwdrivers, saws, hammers, and nails and are used by people that have a penchant for light furniture work and other types of hardware engineering. Storage sheds are used to stock unused household items that may be of use sometime in the future. Some people build sheds just so they can relax in them and pursue their hobbies in peace. Sheds for children may also contain stuff like their toys, sporting equipment, and computers. Garages can also be classified as sheds. Other types of sheds are lawn sheds, pool houses, and boathouses.

In America, outbuildings with an area of less than 200 square meters can be classified as sheds. All sheds require zoning approvals. Sheds that have an area of more than 100 square meters also require building permits. There are also certain rules for the building of sheds. Sheds that are less than 100 square meters need anchors on all four corners. If the sheds are above 100 square meters, then they need four inches of gravel foundation apart from the anchors on all four corners.

Sheds can be constructed with wood, bricks, or metal. They are basic structures with hinged doors, tiny windows, and a shingled roof. Inside there may be minimal furniture like a worktable and a chair.

Sheds are personal outbuildings, but that has not prevented them from evolving into a unique architectural style. Sheds sport different roof styles like the gambrel, gable, and New England styles. Based on their structures, they may be of lean-to locker, or colonial saltbox potting types. Different houses have different types of sheds pertaining to their individual fancies. Though people may construct their own sheds, it is important to select a good style since the design of the shed affects the overall appearance of the property on which it is built.

Sheds provides detailed information about sheds, how to build a shed, metal sheds and more. Sheds is affiliated with Modular Home Plans.

Cloudy or dull pool water can be related to improper chemical balance, or fine debris suspended in the water. The first step to resolving a cloudy pool water problem is testing the pool water for Comined Chlorine, pH, Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness. The two areas that are most likely to cause cloudy pool water are the pH and the Calcium Hardness. If the pool chemical levels are not within the suggested ranges below, adjust and run the pool filter system for 12-24 hours before re-testing. If the pool was clear before and just became cloudy immediately after adding products to adjust the pool chemical levels (such as pH increaser or decreaser), the pool water may still be adjusting to the changes you’ve made. Filter for 12-24 hours before re-testing, and the water should clear.

• Free Chlorine: 1-3 ppm

• pH: 7.2 – 7.6
• Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm
• Calcium Hardness: 200 – 350 ppm

If all the pool chemical levels test in range, the cloudy pool water is caused by fine debris suspended in the pool water. You should backwash or clean your pool filter following the manufacturer’s instructions, and run the pool filter system continuously for 24 to 48 hours. If the water conditions have not significantly improved you should add a clarifier pool chemical to the pool water to help your pool filter remove the fine debris from the water. Continue filtering for 12 to 24 hours. If the water conditions have not significantly improved you should add a second dose of clarifier, or a stronger clarifier chemical. It is important that you continuously filter the pool water until the water is clear, and closely monitor your pool filter pressure. Backwash or clean the pool filter as needed, following the pool filter manufacturer’s instructions.

Please visit www.InTheSwim.com for a complete selection of pool water clarifiers and quality pool chemicals.