Glass Sunrooms - What You Need to Know

If you're building a sunroom, more than likely it is going to have a lot of glass in it. In fact, many sunrooms actually are about 75-90% made of glass. Of course all the glass is wonderful for allowing you to enjoy the sun and almost feel that you are outside without all the bugs and nasty weather. However, while these glass sunrooms have many wonderful features, there are many things that you need to consider when you are having one installed. Before you start choosing the glass for your sunroom there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.

Consider the Location

First of all the location of your sunroom should be taken into consideration when you are trying to choose the glass. If you are putting a sunroom in a place where you want a great view to the outdoors, then floor to ceiling glass may be something that you want to consider. Also, if you want a great view of the sky, you may even want to be able to consider going with a sunroom that has a glass roof as well, providing you with more sunlight and a great view of the night sky as well.

Use Tempered Glass for Safety

When you are choosing the glass you need for glass sunrooms, it will be important that you go with tempered glass for your safety. You must have tempered glass, since it is much safer and works in the same way the glass in your car does. Going with tempered glass is important for a couple reasons. First of all, it is much stronger so that you avoid having a problem with the glass breaking. Also, tempered glass breaks differently than other glass. It actually crumbles instead of shattering, which means that you are safer if something does happen to break the glass.

Go with Insulated Glass for a 4-Season Sunroom

If you want to have a glass sunroom that you can use all year long, then you'll want to make sure that you go with insulated glass. You should never choose single pane glass for a sunroom that you want to use all year long. It won't keep out the heat of the sun or the cold during the winter. Double pane glass is going to be a bit more expensive but it will provide you with the insulation that you will need from your windows.

Look for a Warranty

Last of all, no matter what type of glass you decide to go with when it comes to the glass for your sunroom, you should look carefully for a good warranty. You want to make sure that your glass has a warranty on the seals and on the glass for breakage as well. A warranty can save you if something happens to your glass, so make sure you only go with glass that comes with a good warranty to keep you protected if something should occur.

For more information on sunrooms and sunroom additions visit TheDiyHomeGuide.com

Pest Control Books

Vegetable Gardening For Beginners

Thinking of growing your own vegetables? There's very little to compare with the joy of gathering harvest from your own vegetable garden and eating it fresh! Add a selection of herbs and some tomato plants and you are growing a feast to delight a king.

Where in your garden should you have your vegetable bed? Find a spot that has good sunlight and, ideally, is conveniently near the kitchen. When selecting the area be aware of shadow from buildings, walls, trees, etc. Your food plants need at least six hours of direct sun per day to yield a satisfying crop. Some days will be sunnier than others but aim of a minimum of six hours of full sun on average. Water drainage is important as soil that is too wet can cause the vegetables to rot in the ground.

You may have to compromise on convenience, sometimes proximity to the kitchen is not the deciding factor. Should the soil itself not be generous or suitable do not lose heart. You can, of course, always improve on poor ground by buying soil and adding your own home made kitchen and garden compost.

Plants need fresh air around their leaves but if you live in a particularly windy part of the country protect your vegetables from strong winds. Special fencing is available as a windbreak. Too much wind tends to dry out the plant; it can also break the delicate stems.

Keep an eye on your vegetables as they grow. They love being nurtured. In dry weather, keep them well watered as they can wilt easily. They will need approximately an inch of water per week, especially during the fruiting season.

Notice if they are being attacked by pests and if so use an organic spray before too much damage is done.

You probably already have an idea of what vegetables you want to grow based on your family preferences. A good variety is pleasing and fun to grow. You will need to give more space to favored foods. Some vegetable seedlings benefit from being given a start indoors while others need to be sown directly where they are expected to grow.

Watching your vegetables grow is delightful, anticipating the delicious experience of enjoying them at the table. Watering is of prime importance, keeping them moist. Mulching helps retain moisture if placed in between rows. Mulching also provides a convenient pathway as you tend and harvest your crop.

Mike Ward here: Did you find this article useful? You'll find a lot more information about planning and creating a new garden and how to maintain it here... http://GardenMaintenance.WardInfoNet.com

Organic Gardening Tips For Beginners

Many individuals, especially the mothers, are so fond of gardening. They love to decorate the house with beautiful and flowering plants and have many sources of oxygen. It is so nice to garden especially if you are with your family. If you are planning on renovating your garden or you just want to place additional plants around the house, do the natural way. Organic gardening is said to done by feeding the soil and not the plant. This is more advised than using chemicals on the plants to get them to grow.

It is so nice to have a garden filled with fruits and vegetables that are fresh and safe to eat. Organic gardening assures you to give no harmful effects after the plants are harvest. Want to have the best organic fruits and vegetable garden? Here are some helpful tips on organically growing most anything.

Feeding the soil - the soil is the every reason for growing the plants and nourishing them. Microorganisms are needed by the soil to provide nutrients to it. Feed the plant soil with manure, compost, mulches, and chopped leaves. Plants with the right microorganisms are less threatened by pests and other problems for the plant.

Emphasize on Prevention - there are certain guidelines that you need to follow in order to achieve the right growth of the plant. Here are some tips that might be helpful:

Check the site where the plant is at. If it is well lighted, well moisture, and if the soil fits the plants preference for growing. Check also if it receives enough air. Allow gaps in your plants for a proper air circulation.

Clean your garden always. Pick up rotten fruits and fallen leaves. Check plants for black spots and pruning. Remove it in your garden right away to avoid spreading of diseases and problems.
When unwanted pests are crawling around your garden, chemical sprays are not the first resort. Why not just pick it and kill it or use water to wash them away.

If you would closely think of it, organic gardening is not at all complicated. You just have to grow your plants naturally and cure the problems with these helpful gardening tips.

Chemicals may be effective but could also harm the plant. If you really want to have a fruitful and safe outcome of the plants in your garden, then go back to the natural way and achieve that healthy garden.

Trends in Color and Paint

A relatively unknown fact is that Architect Frank Lloyd Wright frequently designed clothes to coordinate with the colors, patterns and style of his clients' homes. (Hmmm...What a surprise this would be to the guest, after one too many martinis, to realize that he has been discussing the origin of man with the kitchen wall.) It also has been claimed that one way to determine a client's color preferences is to simply look beyond the skeleton's in the closet to the colors on the hangars. This concept begs me to to wonder why I haven't been inclined to paint my home as well as those of any of my clients in a range of matte to to high gloss enamel black or, as another option, white with Ralph Lauren's faux denim. (So, let's presume that if this method really worked the profession of residential interior design would quickly become obsolete.) But there is one final method worthy of mentioning, since it has has reclaimed itself as the trendy answer and is found in the ancient art of Feng Shui. Here you can achieve appropriate color and good karma simultaneously with ultimate modern efficiency.

Letting the cynic in me subside, I am not proposing to entirely cast aside these methods, ancient and modern, but would like to also consider other guidelines which will take into account the natural lighting conditions, color effects, and recent color trends as another solution to selecting paint.

SELECTING COLORS THAT WORK:

Natural Lighting: Clearly, more light brightens and accentuates while less creates shadows and dulls color. However, one color on a wall could be entirely different on another due to natural lighting conditions that also shift and effect color values throughout the day. The direction of each room will also need to be considered since northern exposure rooms receive more cool blue casts while southern exposures receive warmer reds and yellows. Although many color guidelines advise against using the same cast of color this will be, in the final analysis, a personal choice. (De gustibus, non est disputandum.) Blues in eastern facing exposures can also be brilliant and comfortable due to the natural cool effects of light. Fire red on a southern exposure wall can also create high impact appropriate for a particular room that demands a dramatic effect. So, whether or not you use a cooler color to tone down a southern exposure or a warmer color to support it will rely ultimately upon the effect you are trying to achieve.

Color Intensity: Another challenge is how to imagine the effect that one inch paint sample will have across the entire room. If your room receives a lot of natural light consider toning down the intensity by lightening or neutralizing it. Otherwise the effect could be too extreme for comfort.Color Trends: Color impacts everything from cars to make-up to upholstery, clothes and well, just name it. Understanding these trends will help determine when to put an out-dated color to rest and provide newly improved alternatives. At this time the darker neutrals have replaced the lighter ones, especially darker taupes. Also new to the map are slate and charcoal grays as a savvy alternative to taupe and a subdued version of the impossible black. Camel is and will remain the classic and sophisticated neutral that works with every color. All three options work beautifully with bolder trendy accent colors in the red, orange, turquoise and avocado range. Let's turn to effects of color and some of many recommendations provided by Benjamin Moore.

Psychological Effects of Color:

While color impacts our mood and behavior, it also reflects our personality and desires. First, consider what effect you trying to achieve. Many answers can be achieved initially by simply describing how you would like to perceive your room. Below are a few of the symbolic associations attached to color with a few trendy color recommendations by Benjamin Moore.

Red: Love and heat. Aggressive and bold. Courageous. A good luck and fame color in Feng Shui. It both attracts attention and creates excitement, while being expressive, rejuvenating, and passionate. Try Benjamin Moore: Fuchsine 1343 or Coral Essence 2007-40.

Pink: Feminity, softness, sensitivity, faithfulness. Try Benjamin Moore: Victorianna 1263 for subtler pink.

Orange: A bold and high energy color of nature. It is the out-going color: friendly, cheerful, and happy. It creates order without being overly-controlling. It can also decrease irritability. Try Benjamin Moore: Tangerine Zing 132, Tangerine Fusion 083, or Peach Brandy 112.

Yellow: Great color to promote study. It is cheerful, optimistic and stimulates memory and mental clarity. However, like the sun, only minimum exposure required. This is a difficult color for the eye to process. Try Benjamin Moore: Firefly 299 or Malton 1073.Green: Life and nature. A powerful and popular color that is easy on the eyes. It is a color of relaxation and comfort, balance and harmony. Darker green represents ambition and prosperity, envy, rejuvenation, moderation, concentration, and security. Try Benjamin Moore: Glacier Lake 867, Four Leaf Clover 573, or Trailing Vines 1505.

Blue: Tranquil and inspiring like the clear blue sky. Like water, it is refreshing and renewing. Symbolic of trust and longevity, also associated with leisure, authority and strength. Light blue reflects patience and dark blue, impulsivity. Try Benjamin Moore: Waterfall 2050-50, Tropical Teal 734, Blue Jean 2062-50 or Ash Blue 2057-40.

Purple: The color of royalty. It contains romance, imagination, passion, and spirituality and encourages wisdom, reverence, inspiration, and quietness. This is the color of elegance and mystery. Color of the season is Benjamin Moore: Frozen in Time 1448.

Black: Noncommittal. Color of sophistication, elegance, dignity, and power, while reflecting aloofness and mystery.

White: Perfect balance and color with hidden values. Indicates purity, sterility, sharpness, and spirituality. It encompasses the entire color spectrum. Tone it down with Benjamin Moore: Super White 02.

Gray: Both black and white, it lacks in assertiveness, but compensates by revealing intelligence and a sense of discipline, and self-reliance. Try Benjamin Moore: Ashland Slate 1608.

Brown: Conveys warmth and comfort, genuineness, solidarity, and masculinity. Try Benjamin Moore El Cajon Clay 1260 or neutral top pick Grege Avenue 991.

Certainly the home is true reflection of ourselves, our beliefs and aspirations, so take care, choose wisely and know thyself!

Sharon Hess

Interior Designer,

http://www.askdesigncenter.com

Ask Interior Design, Inc.

Food - What is Milk?

There is strong evidence that proves that milk has played a very important role in the history of man. There are early records that frequently mention that milk and milk products were part of a man's everyday life from childbirth until old age. It was in the year 1922 that a temple near Babylon that was thought to be 5000 years old was discovered by a British-American expedition. In this particular temple can be seen painted walls with different milking scenes of the local people. On the mural, some men are depicted milking cows. The positioning of the milker is peculiar because they milk the cows from behind it instead of from the right, like the dairymen of modern times do. The milker is shown sitting on a milking stool. Another scene that is painted on the wall is men straining the milk into a certain container on the ground. There is also a third group of milkmen depicted collecting the strained milk into large stone jars and sealing them up. Another proof that attests to the role of milk in society is the book of Exodus in the Bible. It is described in Exodus 3:8 that Palestine is the Promised Land which was "flowing with milk and honey". In the Bible, milk stands for riches and abundance.

Every single human being has consumed milk at at least one point in life. We all know what it looks like. But what is milk? Milk is the white liquid that is especially produced by the female species of warm-blooded animals that they use to feed their young. Warm-blooded animals that produce milk are called mammals. Mammals have udders or mammary glands where blood that is pumped by the heart passes through. The mammary glands are specialized glands that have the ability to separate different substances from the blood and combined them into the substance we know as milk and then excrete them. To make 1 pound of milk, it takes 150 to 500 pounds of blood to pass through the udder.

Nowadays, the most common sources of milk used for human consumption are the cow and the goat. However, many people still get milk from other animals that are native to their land. In India and Central Asia, they drink the milk of the water buffalo and the zebu. They also milk camels, yaks and horses in Asia. The sheep provides milk for the people of Asia and Europe. Eskimos and the Laplanders use the reindeer and the caribou.

Milk contains several hundreds of chemical components. Even today, scientists are constantly finding something new in milk. Milk is best known for its good taste, high quality and high content of phosphorus, protein and most especially calcium. Since milk is a natural substance, it is easily broken down and digested making the calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients effortlessly available to be used by the body. Milk contains important vitamins needed for growth and normal functioning. It has large amounts of Vitamin B2 or riboflavin and some vitamin A. Some of the components of milk are only found in it and not anywhere else. These are the Milk Fat, Milk Sugar or Lactose and Casein, which is the major milk protein.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Food

"Resistance is Futile" - Life Lessons From Star Trek?

I confess, I used to watch Star Trek! Not that I'm a "Trekkie" by any means, but I did used to find the show interesting. My favorite character was Mr. Data - he always seemed to be the one to get them out of trouble, probably because he knew everything!

If you've ever watched the show at all, you'll probably be familiar with "The Borg" and their memorable phrase "resistance is futile". You know what? The Borg were actually right!

Most stress is created in our lives when we resist what is. When we try to fight against something that's happening because we don't like it. But the more we fight and struggle against it, the more stuck we become and the more stressed we become. Let's take a couple of every day examples:

You're late for an appointment. You rush out of the house, get in your car and on the road, and just as you get going on the highway, traffic comes to a standstill and you're stuck in a traffic jam. You get upset. You're late. Your boss or the customer will be upset with you. Tension mounts. Your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises - this can't be happening. You're in resistance. But what does that resistance achieve? It can't change the fact that you're in a traffic jam. It can't make you move any faster. So what can you do? You can accept the fact that there is a traffic jam and that you're stuck in it. That's a fact. There is nothing you can do at this moment in time that will change that, so accept it.

When you accept that this is indeed the situation you find yourself in and there is nothing you can do to change it at this moment, it gives you the ability to relax. To stay calm. To breathe. It takes away all of the tension and stress. When you are in this calm state, you can think more clearly. Since you find yourself in this situation, what can you do? If you have your cell phone you can call the people you are meeting with and tell them of your situation so they know. You can listen to some music, or better still, some educational CD's that you keep in your car. Very often you'll find that once you've relaxed and surrendered the situation, that traffic will soon start moving again and you end up not being so late after all. But even if that doesn't happen it's okay.

Consider the alternative. You get upset, you fight, you resist the fact that you're in the traffic jam and you eventually arrive at your meeting, very late, very frustrated, and very angry. Will you be at your best in the meeting? This stress will most likely stay with you not only throughout the meeting, but throughout the day. You then go home and are upset with your family because you've had a stressful day and you're not able to let go of it. You may even find that you can't get to sleep because you're still thinking about what a terrible day you had. You just can't let go of it.

This can apply to any situation. Let's take another example: you're preparing a report that's due first thing in the morning. You've left it until the last minute and now you're rushing to get it done - so you're already stressed because you're under pressure. You work diligently on your report and now you're almost at the end when - the computer crashes. You realize you didn't save your work. You can't get your computer going again. You call technical support and are placed on hold for - who knows how long? This can't be happening. Why didn't you start the report sooner? Why didn't you save it? Why do these things always happen to you? Why is life so unfair? Why is everybody so incompetent that you can't get anybody to fix it when you need them to?

Does this sound familiar? Again, in this situation your blood pressure rises, your heart rate increases, you're upset, you're angry, you're worried. How can you possibly surrender this situation? It's terrible! Well, let's look again at the facts. You left preparation of the report until the last minute. You didn't save your work. The computer crashed. You can't get through to anyone to fix it right now. No amount of you jumping up and down, shouting, getting angry or frustrated is going to change any of that, is it? Acknowledge that. Accept that the situation is as it is. Getting upset won't change it. Once you can accept that these are the facts, this is what is happening now, and simply let go of trying to wish it were different or force the change, then the tension you feel will go away. You'll be able to breathe and become calm. Once you're in a calm state, then you can ask yourself the question - is there anything I can do right now that will change or improve this situation? Perhaps you can borrow somebody else's computer and start the report again. Perhaps there is somebody else you can think of who can get your computer working. Once you're in this calmer state of mind you might actually find that you get through to Technical Support and the situation gets resolved. You might even find that your document did not disappear thanks to document recovery in the program.

Most of us are extremely stressed. There is a great deal of research that shows that stress is the major cause of most illnesses, relationship challenges and so on. But we create most of it ourselves by being resistant to what is happening. When you can accept a situation as it is and be okay with it, that doesn't mean that you are giving in, that you'll never make any progress. Just the opposite in fact. When you give up the resistance, somehow you find that the ideas, resources, people - whatever you need to move forward just shows up. Instead of "making it happen" you're "allowing it to happen."

I encourage you to try this as you go through your day. Whatever challenges arise, simply accept them as they are. Stay calm, and allow the solutions to present themselves - without you trying to force the situation.

Linda Binns shows you how to be more successful in all areas of your life by working with your environment. Sign up for her free 9-step E-course at http://www.HarmoniousLifeChoices.com

Linda Binns is author of Feng Shui for Your Relationships: Changing Your Environment to Create Better Relationships. She has been a Feng Shui Practitioner, Author, Speaker and teacher for over 10 years. She has appeared internationally on television and radio and in local publications. Linda is also the founder of The Feng Shui Success Institute - which teaches in-depth Feng Shui training and practitioner certification.

Manifest Destiny - Is it Possible to Manifest Your Desires With Software?

By focusing on your overall spiritual development, you can begin to realize improvements in your list that you never before imagined. Manifesting your ideas through software technology can help you to achieve a new level of spiritual growth and positive thinking that can help to heal your body, mind and spirit. In order to manifest your desires, it is important to take time out from your daily schedule to focus on your spirituality in order to channel spiritual growth and begin to manifest your goals through your daily actions. Achieving personal healing is increasingly possible with the help of technical software that can translate your internal thoughts into tangible ideas that you can act upon on a daily basis. Software can be a utility that you use to come to better understand and channel your positive thinking into actions.

Often times, it can be difficult to manifest your dreams to achieve the self healing that you want to accomplish. As a result, leading developers have creating software to manifest anything that you want to achieve, so that you can channel your inner desires that may have otherwise been hidden. Leading providers of radionics software can help to channel your inner energy so that you move to positive thinking and shift your focus to helping you manifest your dreams above all. When you are awake, your body works through countless ideas that become part of who you are, but can only be manifest when they are fully identified. While it can be difficult to tap into this fountain of spiritual growth in the context of a busy day, taking time out to manifest these positive ideas is an important element of helping you to achieve a higher level of personal growth. Technology is a core part of our lives, and is increasingly used to help us work and act more efficiently, but, amidst all of this information, many of our internal desires can get lost. You can harness this very same technical potential by using software to manifest your ideas, just as your utilize software to help you manage your daily life.

Many times, you may have ideas and goals, but struggle to truly manifest what you want. Whether you are aiming to manifest your soul mate, wealth or your ultimate destiny, you can realize these goals through advanced technology that can help you to discover meaning that you may not otherwise be attuned with. Powerful software can be used to manifest your subconscious ideas in a way that you can understand and communicate, so that you can begin to visualize the ideas that can improve your life. The reality is that you know the solutions to many of the issues affecting you, and the real goal is to help manifest those realities by learning how to communicate the ideas effectively. For many people, it can be difficult to manifest meaning from what you really want to achieve, which is why software that can help you to manifest and identify your spiritual thoughts is so beneficial to helping you achieve your long term goals.

For more info in manifesting software, visit: http://radionicssoftware.com