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Home and Garden

Dealing with Barren Trees

One of the most frustrating things that can possibly happen to someone who has slaved for hours and hours in growing a fruit tree is the unexplainable barrenness that can sometimes occur when there should be a plethora of fresh fruit. I know this from experience. My neighbors all consider me the gardening guru because of my extensive knowledge. But this is only because gardening has been my passion for years and years, and like a sponge I have accumulated so much information in my mind. My learning has also come from past experiences with failure. For about 5 years after I started planting fruit trees, I did not see a single fruit for all my labor. I was nearly ready to give up, until I met who I think is truly the guru of gardening.

I was in the gardening store, looking for some sort of new fertilizer to put my hope in for my quest to obtain fruit. I don’t know if there was a look of desperation in my eyes, but a kindly old man came up and started speaking with me. He introduced himself as Ralph, and for some reason I opened up to him and told him about all of my difficulties. I’ve never been the type to spill all my problems on anyone who asks, but Ralph seemed like such a nice fellow that I just couldn’t help it. And I’m glad I did, because what he taught me truly helped me to get my fruit trees in gear and start producing.

I learned that generally, the inability to produce can be caused by a number of factors. Sometimes the tree is simply too young; If your tree is less than four years old, you shouldn’t exactly expect it to be producing yet. If it has reached 4 years and you still have seen no sign of fruit, then you should start to consider other factors that might be causing the barrenness.

If the tree is undergoing any type of water stress (this can be poor drainage, too much water, or too little water), then it will have trouble growing. If you suspect this is the case, you should evaluate your own watering techniques and compare them with the needs of the tree to see if you are causing water stress. Also always be on the lookout for any diseases or pest damages. If your tree is constantly being molested by all kinds of little creatures, then you can’t expect it to be lively enough to produce fruit.

If your tree blooms but still doesn’t produce any fruit, this could be because of cold temperatures during the bloom. The coldness damaged the flower bud or damaged the baby fruit. Aesthetically the tree may look fine, but the inside could be damaged beyond any hope of ever seeing fruit. Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do in this case except for wait until next year and hope that it doesn’t happen again.

If the tree’s pollination process has not been fully completed, it could have troubles growing fruit. If you planted different varieties, you may find that the requirements are different than you had originally thought and they were incompatible. In this case you need to replant the correct combinations.

Once I evaluated the conditions of my tree and everything that has occurred in its life, I realized that not only had I cross pollinated slightly incorrectly, but I was also giving my tree too much water. After I fixed these problems, I had learned my lesson and I have not had any trouble bearing fruit since then.

So if you are struggling with a plant that is not being cooperative, you should consult an expert gardener. If you can find a gardening mentor like mine that is willing to teach you everything they know, then you should be able to get your garden on the right track with no problems.

Family

Beach Holidays for Fun in the Sun

Everyone loves beach holidays and vacations! The little ones can dig in the sand and splash in the lapping waves. The older ones can swim, get a tan, or just relax. The inquisitive types can explore for sea life, tide pools, and drift wood. The warm breezes and natural beauty are invigorating and restorative. Any trip, however, can cause discomfort if you do not plan well. Here are things you can do to make your beach holidays easier, safer, and more meaningful.

In many parts of the world, people head for their beach vacations in the family car. When planning a trip, it’s always a good idea to give the car a good cleaning out first. This will give you more room for your luggage. Stock you glovebox, too, with a few first aid and comfort items, such as sunblock, acetominiphen for headaches, a roll of antacids, a few cough drops, and a few band-aids. Don’t forget a couple of scrunchies or pony-tail bands for long hair. Get the tires checked and replace any that are likely to go flat. Get an oil change if it’s getting close. Road trips are not much fun when they include breakdowns. And whatever you do, make sure you have a map and a place to keep it handy.

Traveling with kids is always a challenge. They may be particularly excited and impatient when they know they are going on beach holidays. Make sure they have cool water bottles and healthy snacks to munch. Try a simple car game to make the time pass. Many kids like looking for letters of the alphabet on signs. If several people get involved it can be quite fun.

With beach holidays particularly, there is always a need to provide for skin safety. Be particularly careful about being in the sun for long stretches of time between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Use a sunblock with a high SPF rating and replace it after getting wet or drying off with your towel. The towel you choose can make a difference too. Thick towels get heavy and tend to trap a lot of sand. You may find you like thin towels at the beach. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and some sort of foot protection to keep your feet from being burned on the hot sand.

With a little preparation your beach vacations can be enjoyable and problem-free. When you arrive home you will be relaxed, refreshed, and ready for work. Take a minute to unpack and get your laundry going. It won’t belong until the kids will be shouting, “When can we go on beach holidays again?”

Computers

Digital Photo Recovery

Digital photographs are something that are important to all of us. Most of the pictures we take happen once in a lifetime, which is why they are so very important. From your child’s first steps to pictures of your family, photographs are very important. As important as they are, nothing is worse than losing them. This can be very traumatic and frustrating, especially knowing that you’ll never to capture the picture again.

Even though it may appear that the camera malfunctioned, all hope isn’t completely lost. There are ways that you can recover your digital photographs, even though you may not be aware of it. Most digital camera’s for instance, use smart cards that will store the information. To be on the safe side, you should always safe your photographs to your card, and transfer them to your computer the first chance you get – then back them up to a CD or DVD.

Sometimes, when you have your photographs on your computer, you may move them to the recycle bin and not even realize it. You can always correct this, by right mouse clicking the recycle bin then choosing to open it up. If the pictures are there, simply drag them to your desktop or right click them and choose restore. This will put them back in the location they were in before they were moved to the recycle bin.

There are other instances where your photographs aren’t this easy to recover. If the card in your camera has become corrupted or if your camera has experienced hardware problems, then it won’t be so easy to recover your pictures. If this is the case, you should always look towards software or professional repairmen. There is software out there that is designed for most types of digital camera problems, and it can normally recover your pictures in the case of malfunction.

Most services and software can recover almost all files that you have on your camera, from JPEG pictures to video files. Most people transfer their pictures to their computer as soon as they can, which can be recovered using data recovery methods. On the other hand, those who don’t, will need a professional to take a look at the camera. If you don’t waste any time and seek a professional immediately, your pictures can normally be recovered.

Digital cameras are something that most of us own these days, as they take professional quality photos. Anytime that it appears you have lost your pictures, you can turn to software and professional recovery services to get your pictures back. Your digital photographs are very important, which is why you’ll want to take care of them. Mistakes and disasters do happen though – which is why there are recovery services.

Beauty

5 Tips To Improved Skin Care

Your skin is the first thing that people notice about you and that is why a proper skin care regimen is so important. There are many products that claim to help improve skin tone and promote a flawless complexion, but the truth is that there is no such thing as instant results. An effective skin care regimen is one that is done consistently over a time before results will begin to develop.

Skin Care Tip 1:

Always use some type of exfoliation product, which will help to remove old skin cells and other debris and particles from your skin. This will expose the healthy cells and rid your body from the old ones.

Skin Care Tip 2:

If possible, avoid constant sun exposure and tanning beds. In addition to being dangerous where health is concerned, these may also lead to early signs of aging. Everyone loves a suntan, but there is no reason to sacrifice your skin or your health in order to achieve it. Therefore, many individuals opt for a self-tanning lotion instead. Back in the day, these products had a tendency to turn the skin orange, but that is no longer the case. Improvements have helped to give self-tanning products a more natural, streak-free look. Before applying the lotion to your entire body, apply it to a small test area just to make sure there is no irritation.

Skin Care Tip 3:

If your lips tend to become chapped in the winter months or wind burnt at other times, using lip balm or lipstick will help to protect the lips from nature’s worst.

Skin Care Tip 4:

Dry or cracked skin can be very unbearable. Not to mention the discomfort of tight red skin, it can be downright embarrassing. A container of Pacquin Plus hand & body cream will eliminate soreness, redness and help to add moisture back to dry skin.

Skin Care Tip 5:

Do not use products that irritate your skin in any way, including soaps that have harsh ingredients. If possible, use a moisturizing soap or that which is designed for sensitive skin.

In addition to these tips, skin care products are available as commercial or prescription based treatments. A dermatologist is often consulted for matters relating to acne or other skin disorders, especially if they are severe. Many skin care enthusiasts also believe in using plenty of moisturizing body lotion in order to replenish the skin’s natural moisture, which is often stripped in today’s harsh environment.

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes. It should not be considered as, or used in conjunction with, professional medical advice. Consult your doctor prior to beginning any skin care regimen or if you have been diagnosed with any disorder involving the skin.

Travel

All Inclusive Beach Resort Vacation

Who wouldn’t want to splurge when on vacation? Why would anyone want to fit fun within a budget? Everyone wants the best they can get so a budget vacation is not something most of us favor. If you are a practical person then you had rather not spend everything you have but if you have unlimited funds then the scenario does not apply to you.

For a majority of us budgets cannot be ignored. But just because you want a budget vacation don’t rule out your desire for luxury and world class service. Remember that you are on vacation so you deserve all the pampering and fun you can get. And your solution is the all inclusive beach resort vacations.

All inclusive beach resort vacations give the vacationer the option of making the most out of the money they spend. Over 400 hotels spread all around Mexico and the Caribbean offer a variety of all inclusive beach resort vacations for those on a budget. It is an ideal choice for most people.

An all inclusive beach resort vacation is, however, not a simple deal. The name of the package itself is a mouthful and you need to be very careful before you decide on an all inclusive beach resort vacation.

There are different types of all inclusive beach resort vacations. Some of them are meant only for couples and some for families, singles or even gay people. There are also hotels which offer adult-only all inclusive beach resort vacations.

The services offered also differs from one all inclusive beach resort vacation to another. Some of them include only hotel and airfare while others include meals, transfers, hotel and airfare. And there are still others which include all meals and special activities but not the airfare. It is recommended to go for an all inclusive beach resort vacation which includes airfare instead of spending on the airfare separately, unless you have frequent flier miles which you can use.

It is important to know what you would need or want before you search for deals. Once you have figured that out then use the internet to list out all inclusive beach resort vacations that fit your budget. You could also get a travel agent to help you pick the best. Most all inclusive beach resort vacations also include services and activities that cater to kids including child-care facilities.

The biggest advantage of such all inclusive beach resort vacations is that you pay a single amount for the entire trip and you can enjoy a worry-free vacation.

Finances

Avoiding Impulse Spending

Answer these questions truthfully:

1.)Does your spouse or partner complain that you spend too much money?

2.)Are you surprised each month when your credit card bill arrives at how much more you charged than you thought you had?

3.)Do you have more shoes and clothes in your closet than you could ever possibly wear?

4.)Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailer’s shelf?

5.)Do you buy things you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them on display in a store?

If you answered “yes” to any two of the above questions, you are an impulse spender and indulge yourself in retail therapy.

This is not a good thing. It will prevent you from saving for the important things like a house, a new car, a vacation or retirement. You must set some financial goals and resist spending money on items that really don’t matter in the long run.

Impulse spending will not only put a strain on your finances but your relationships, as well. To overcome the problem, the first thing to do is learn to separate your needs from your wants.

Advertisers blitz us hawking their products at us 24/7. The trick is to give yourself a cooling-off period before you buy anything that you have not planned for.

When you go shopping, make a list and take only enough cash to pay for what you have planned to buy. Leave your credit cards at home.

If you see something you think you really need, give yourself two weeks to decide if it is really something you need or something you can easily do without. By following this simple solution, you will mend your financial fences and your relationships.

Technology

All about Electric Cars and Their Great Advantages

We all know how the global financial crisis is affecting the way we live our lives. It literally made people a lot more conscious with their spending habits and it also made people think twice about spending their hard earned cash for something that they don’t really need.

The car is now considered to be a necessity in today’s society. Without it, it would be next to impossible for you to do your everyday tasks. Cars doesn’t just add to convenience, but it will also help you do things a lot faster when you compare it to taking the public transportation system.

However, even driving a car today can be costly. Although the gasoline prices may seem to be at its lowest, you wouldn’t want to expect that this will last. In the unstable economy that the world is experiencing today, spending money on gasoline is now slowly being considered as an unnecessary expense.

This is the reason why more and more people are now considering getting rid of their old car with internal combustion engine and go electric.

Electric cars are now very popular among a lot of people today. Because of the fact that these types of cars runs purely on electricity, you don’t have to spend a dime on gasoline ever again.

And, with the latest battery cell technology being used in electric cars today, you will find that you will be able to travel much farther and also do so with maximum efficiency. You have to keep in mind that the battery cells used by electric cars today are now a lot lighter, and much more powerful than in the past.

You need to understand that the electric car concept have existed ever since the first car was invented. However, because of the available battery technology back then, the idea of using electric cars was scrapped as it wasn’t as efficient as cars that are run with internal combustion engines.

Thanks to the research and development of modern batteries, the electric car was literally resurrected. Today, you will find that there are now quite a number of people who are now using electric cars or at least conventional cars that were converted to electric cars.

A lot of automobile manufacturers today are now even developing electric cars. You will find hybrid electric cars to be a very popular choice among a lot of people today. Hybrid cars are basically cars that run on both gasoline and electricity. This type of car has two engines, which are the internal combustion engine that uses gasoline and also an electric motor.

Hybrid cars really made it possible for a lot of people to save a lot of money on gasoline. Now, just imagine how much more money you can save if your car runs purely on electricity.

In addition to that, you will also contribute to the overall well-being of the environment. How? Well, you need to remember that cars that run purely on electricity don’t use any gasoline or any other fossil fuels to run. Instead, it uses electricity to run the car, which is the cleanest form of energy that you can ever use today. It has no harmful byproduct that can contribute to global warming and also no harmful fumes that can be harmful to health.

Electric cars offer a lot of advantages. With it, you will not only save a lot of money on gasoline but you will also contribute to a cleaner and greener environment.

Pets

The Playful and Inquisitive Dog: Cairn Terrier

The Cairn is assumed as one of the subcategories of Scotland’s terriers along with the Westies (West Highland White) and the Scottish, The Westies and the Cairns are highly related. For one, Westies are hybrids of white dogs crossed with Cairns of western Scotland. The Westie can be considered as the white variety of the Cairn who has a coat of any color but white. Scotties, however, have longer heads and bodies, have generally dark coats and are aloof than the other two. These dogs originated from the short-haired Skyes.

Cairn is the smallest breed among the terrier group. The name Cairn was coined after the small stone piles that marked borders of Scottish farms and graves. During the early times, this breed was used to guide small animals into these piles of stones. However, cairns are strong and sturdy but are not heavy.

This dog was already present during the 1500s even before it became popular in 1930, after the appearance of “Toto” in “The Wizard of Oz” as Dorothy’s companion dog. Presently, like the American pit bull terriers, Cairns are used as companion dogs. Among the variety’s talents are tracking, watching over the house, hunting, and performing tricks and sports regarding competitive obedience.

The following are some of the basic facts breeders would really love to know about Cairns:

Category: Terrier

Living Environment: indoors (highly recommended); outdoors (fenced yard)

Coat: shaggy and coarse outer coat and short and soft furry undercoat

Colors: any color except white

Height: between 9.5 and 10 inches

Weight: between 13 and 14 pounds

Temperament: like most terriers that were bred as hunters, these dogs are mischievous, alert, restless and high-spirited; also have a special connection with children age six and above

Breeders should note of the following health issues:

Atopy, a type of allergy
Cataract, or loss of transparency of one or both lenses of the eyes
Cryptorchidism, wherein testicles do not descend into the scrotum
Glaucoma, a condition that causes an increase pressure within the eye
Patellar luxation, a disorder in the kneecap

Care and Exercise:

Daily brushing is recommended to prevent tangles and mats.
Hair around ears and eyes must be trimmed regularly.
Do not over feed them as they gain weight easily.
Their physique requires a regular exercise routine which includes a daily play time while on leash.
They should be on leash while walking in public places because of their hunting instincts.

Origin/History:

As already noted, the Cairns were existent since around the 1500s. At around 1700s, the Isle of Skye and other highlands in Scotland were already producing lots of small terriers. Scottish breeds were separated into two: the Skye terriers and the Dandie Dinmont terriers.

The Dandie Dinmonts were categorized as a separate breed. The Skyes included the Scotties, the Westies, and the Cairns.

In the year 1912, the Cairns receive their official name based on their excellent ability to hunt down vermin such as otters, foxes, and badgers that were hiding in cairns. However, it was in the year 1913 when they received the official recognition from the American Kennel Club.

The Cairn terrier is one heck of an agile little dog that is very appropriate for the whole family. This breed is playful, prying, and is always ready to join the fun. If you are still not convinced, just reckon how Dorothy was entertained and accompanied by this type of dog.

Make Money

Extra Income through Affiliate Marketing – Part 1 of 2

Affiliate Marketing is the fastest growing industry on the Internet today. Extra Income made through this channel runs into billions of dollars yearly. Many people get involved in it without a solid plan for success. Indeed, many want to earn extra income using affiliate marketing, albeit without a real base plan, which is the most important reason for most being unsuccessful at it. Do you really look at any earning without understanding or planning the future of any business, be it at work or at earning extra income?

Do not be under any misconceptions, though, affiliate marketing is an easy and entertaining way to earn extra income, it is serious work, and just like any other job that requires effort, perseverance, and above all, a clear line of sight and plan of action from start to finish line.

Small things like setting up your home office properly, getting up to date on know-how, setting achievable goals, making people connections, and investment in your business will ensure that you are one-up on your competition, and also make sure that you firmly stand over them.

Home Office Setup

The most important step to take before becoming an affiliate marketer is to set up your base – the home office you’ve always wanted.

You can find many resources on the internet about ergonomic design – ergonomic because anyone intending to spend a major amount of time working on their computers need space which promotes good posture at the same time takes care of safety issues involving their office workspace.

Learning the Trade

Nobody gets into work untrained. Even when you applied for your first job, you had made sure that you are qualified and can do justice to it. Putting it in a nutshell, no one hires you to give you a free extra income without basic training.

What you need then, is to get some training on how to become a professional affiliate marketer. You can start by finding another one and check what they can do to help you. There are many professional affiliate marketers already earning a substantial extra income, who would be willing to teach you by passing o their knowledge so that you can augment the extra income they are already earning. The internet also offers a lot of resources and conference time tables which you can attend to learn.

The secret is to become a student of your own business; you will get to learn something new day after day. Now you are ready to begin by setting some realistic goals for yourself.

Goals

The major problem that plagues most affiliate marketers is that they tend to set themselves unrealistic goals by being over confident about their skills and plans. This results in becoming disenchanted very quickly due to non attainment of goals. Being realistic removes a lot of pain in this context. For example a goal of $5,000 a month realistically attainable, but a first time affiliate marketer is not likely to attain it when starting up.

Sports

Learning how to Fish

You have decided that you want to learn to fish. There are several ways of learning, the hardest being trial and error. It would be best to find an instructor for one-on-one lessons.

1. Buy seasickness medication

Nothing is worse than ruining your fishing because of seasickness. Most seasickness medication e.g. Bonine would be fine. Even seasoned fishermen are known to take some on rough days. Take one before you go to sleep, another when you wake up and a third one before you board.

2. Buy a reference book

A lot of good books are available at your bookstores and online. The book should give you instructions as well as terms and definitions. Some things you may not immediately understand but you should know anyway. Learn how to tie different kinds of knots. This knowledge will be invaluable for other purposes throughout your life.

3. Go to a party

There are party boats that carry from fifteen to as many as sixty anglers. The boat provides everything like bait, rod, reel, sinkers and hooks. They assist you in fishing and take the fish off the hook for you. Mates will spot you and will generally stay close to assist you. Party boats generally will cost you $25 – $70 a day, and the fish are yours to keep. The party boat is a bargain for beginners.

4. Pick your pier

Assuming you have already acquired skills to operate a rod and reel, you need to look for a fishing pier.

Majority of coastal cities have one public pier or pay-to-fish pier. You can rent tackle and buy bait at the piers. If you’re having trouble, there are many pier anglers willing to help and give you tips.

5. Party or pier

You may want to do either step three or four or both at this point. The best thing to do is to do both several times to really learn.

6. The reel deal

The conventional reel is probably what you’re using up to this point. The conventional reel is designed for a lot of wear and tear. You may now want to consider other types and makes of reels. Ideally you have met people and perhaps made a friend or two who can assist you in selecting a reel. You can even ask a tackle shop owner for tips.

You need to understand the mechanics of the reel and the other equipment. Learning to cast, tie knots and bait are not that complicated. Secondly, you need to learn where to fish. Successful fishermen know where the fish are located. Fish move from place to place and knowledgeable anglers understand these patterns and are able to anticipate where the fish are located.