Every house uses timber in its construction or decoration, and while it can last a long time, it is a died material and nature has various methods of making it decay unless it is looked after. Providing it is well maintained, timber will last many life times. Below two areas of timber rot found in the UK are addressed – dry rot and wet rot.

Dry Rot

Dry-rot fungus is often thought of as a building cancer, rampaging through buildings and rapidly destroying any timber in its path. (Furniture Stores) The fungus, which thrives in moist unventilated conditions, will penetrate brickwork to get to more timber and can cause widespread destruction of structural timbers, skirting boards and door frames, and wood flooring.

In short, the fungus can be thought of as ‘living in masonry and eating wood’, and because the fungus thrives in damp, unventilated conditions, it can occur in the areas of a property that are not often seen, such as floor voids, or behind timber panelling, so damage may be extensive before the attack is discovered. (Tv Stands)

What to look for:

Initially the fungus appears as off-white felt-like or cotton-wool like sheets on brickwork and timber, and, in later stages, can develop fungal strands as thick as your finger. Where the fungus is exposed to light, it often has a lemon-yellowish tinge.(Furniture Online)

Damage is often confined to timber but large flat mushroom-like fruiting bodies can easily grow through finishes such as plaster or paint. These fruiting bodies may be the first visible sign of a problem, and they produce numerous spores which are normally brick-red in colour.

Entirely dry-rot decayed timber can be crumbled between your fingers. The fungus leaves deep cracks running across the grain, and there is often evidence of off-white sheets of the fungus on the wood.

Treatment:

The term dry-rot came from the belief that the fungus is able to transport moisture from a source many metres away, to attack dry wood. In fact, although the fungus can transport moisture over several metres, it cannot transport anywhere near enough moisture to attack wood that is otherwise dry.
Treating dry-rot can involve removal of the affected timber (including all timber for a metre beyond the visible signs of the fungus), and extensive chemical fungicide treatments for all adjacent timber and the brickwork of any contaminated walls and plaster. However, this approach is expensive and unnecessary.
The modern approach is to use environmental controls, such as isolation and ventilation, which ensure that the damp, unventilated conditions required by dry-rot do not occur. The techniques are simple ways to ensure that the timber in a property does not become damp enough for dry-rot to attack, for instance replacing dry-rot decayed joists with new timber using joist hangers, instead of building them back into the brickwork, or by using ventilated skirting board details to encourage ventilation of a floor void. (Cheap Furniture)

Replacement door frames should have a strip of damp-proof membrane around the outside, to fully isolate them from damp or potentially damp brickwork, so the timber would never become damp enough for dry-rot to ‘eat’.
If you have dry rot, it is probably best to have the problem looked at, and corrective action taken by a reputable specialist firm, so that you have a guarantee if the problems were to return.

Wet Rot

Compared with dry rot, wet rot is hardly a problem ! It is basically the timber decaying naturally in the presence of high levels of moisture. There is almost always a structural defect causing the problem, it may be that the wall adjacent to the timber is suffering from damp, or water collecting on the timber. Any structural problem must be tackled at the same time as the timber is treated otherwise the problem is likely to reoccur. The problem may just be damaged paint finish on the timber allowing the actual wood to absorb excessive moisture. Damage is normally limited to the timber although the original structural problem may also cause other areas to be affected by damp (such as plaster or just decorations).
What to look for:

Check vulnerable areas of timber, such as window and door frames, for signs of rot. The bottom of frames is more susceptible to rot where water can collect or the wall/floor is suffering from damp. If the paint finish is damaged, this can increase the risk of wet rot. However, although the paint may look sound, the timber underneath may be rotting from the back. You will often see a professional builder push a thin bladed knife into painted timber frames, the blade should stop after a very short distance; if it goes in upto the handle, it is a almost certainly a sign of rot behind the paint. Timber suffering from wet rot will feel spongy (even through a coat of paint) and look darker than the surrounding timber. When dry, the timber will easily crack and crumble into fine particles. Timber in the roof can also be at risk especially where there is roof damage allowing rainwater to run onto the roof timbers.

Prevention:

Ensure that all external timber frames are adequately painted to protect the timber from frontal ingress of water.
Be aware of any damp walls and address the problem, it could be a missing/damaged damp proof course (dpc), a bridged dpc or a bridged cavity. If necessary seek expert advice as the symptom may be just a sign of a bigger problem.
Make sure that any soil and other debris is cleared away from around the bottom of timber frames.

Check the roof space for the ingress of water, you may not see daylight through a hole in the roof, the water could be running down the underfelt behind the tiles onto timber some distance away from the hole. When it is raining, go into the roof with a torch, the shining of water on a timber or felt normally stand out very easily.
Other favoured places for wet rot are under the kitchen sink, bath, shower, washing basins, toilet and behind the washing machine etc.; all areas where a small leak from
either a water supply or drain could go unnoticed for a long time but where timber could become saturated with water.

Treatment:

First of all treat any structural problem, there is no point in repairing the damage to the timber if it is going to reappear.
If wet rot occurs in structural timbers (such as roof trusses, floor joists), expert advice should be sought as the implication for structural integrity must be established.
In other areas, the rotten timbers should be removed and replaced; if the damaged area is fairly small, it can be cut away and a new piece of timber joined to that remaining. If the damage is confined to a very small area, an epoxy based repair kit can be used to fill the damaged area once it has been cut back to sound timber and the new surface of the wood treated with a suitable primer. Preservative tablets are available which are inserted into the timber adjacent to the repaired area to protect the timber ‘from within’. If there is any doubt that the structural problem has been eliminated, the new and adjoining timber should be treated with a proprietary wet rot treatment before redecorating.
After repair, external timbers should be protected with adequate coats of paint or some other suitable timber treatment/preservative.

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Call it football or soccer, it is the one game that has won the hearts of millions. Today, millions of football fans are following their football stars by their looks, their dress, their behavior or their dedication. This can be seen by the sales of millions of different types of football clothing, shoes, accessories, and kits that are sold throughout the world. Whether it is in its birthplace, Great Britain, or in the most popular United States, football has its impact on the lives of millions. To meet this demand, the Fotoball shirt stores are growing like mushrooms with the original brands, and also their replicas.

Today, most fans do not bother to buy originals from the official teams, and rather go for a replica of the original design of the football teams. Apart from the official uniforms, the replica also displays the names, logos, pictures or captions of the teams. The most famous among these are the faces of famous players or their actions. Right from a kindergarten kid to a professional worker, everybody is bitten by the craze of football.

The season is up again, and the sales are zooming throughout the football shirt stores. People are looking for the latest trends with crazy designs and captions that support the players or teams. Some go even further and tattoo their favorite team’s logo, name or design onto their body. Although football is a successful game that has a growing number of fans, the fashion is very short lived. The football shirt stores need to update their warehouse from time to time to keep up with the models released by the official teams. In this regard, the football shirt stores are more inclined to bring out more generalized designs rather than keeping a huge stock of the jerseys.

These general shirts, T-shirts and accessories are more popular among the teenagers, who like to follow their football star. This allows them to afford the latest designs rather than shell out their savings on the costlier branded jerseys. The specialty stores which stock the official wear for the big teams also provide club membership for the fans and provide a discounted price on all the items purchased. This gives the fans a chance to interact with the other fans and also keep in touch with the latest trends in the town. The internet is playing a major role in these kind of clubs and associations. Fans can access via the Internet and keep a check on the products and prices, and order online for the best price in town.

Some football shirt stores not only provide individual items but also has provisions for group purchases: for a small team, schools, or even bigger clubs. Most of the fan clubs or football associations order their official and casual wear from these football shirt specialty stores which give a better price for smaller teams. Keeping track of the updates and adopting them is possible through these football shirt stores.

datafeedr

Call it football or soccer, it is the one game that has won the hearts of millions. Today, millions of football fans are following their football stars by their looks, their dress, their behavior or their dedication. This can be seen by the sales of millions of different types of football clothing, shoes, accessories, and kits that are sold throughout the world. Whether it is in its birthplace, Great Britain, or in the most popular United States, football has its impact on the lives of millions. To meet this demand, the Fotoball shirt stores are growing like mushrooms with the original brands, and also their replicas.

Today, most fans do not bother to buy originals from the official teams, and rather go for a replica of the original design of the football teams. Apart from the official uniforms, the replica also displays the names, logos, pictures or captions of the teams. The most famous among these are the faces of famous players or their actions. Right from a kindergarten kid to a professional worker, everybody is bitten by the craze of football.

The season is up again, and the sales are zooming throughout the football shirt stores. People are looking for the latest trends with crazy designs and captions that support the players or teams. Some go even further and tattoo their favorite team’s logo, name or design onto their body.

Although football is a successful game that has a growing number of fans, the fashion is very short lived. The football shirt stores need to update their warehouse from time to time to keep up with the models released by the official teams. In this regard, the football shirt stores are more inclined to bring out more generalized designs rather than keeping a huge stock of the jerseys.

These general shirts, T-shirts and accessories are more popular among the teenagers, who like to follow their football star. This allows them to afford the latest designs rather than shell out their savings on the costlier branded jerseys. The specialty stores which stock the official wear for the big teams also provide club membership for the fans and provide a discounted price on all the items purchased.

This gives the fans a chance to interact with the other fans and also keep in touch with the latest trends in the town. The internet is playing a major role in these kind of clubs and associations. Fans can access via the Internet and keep a check on the products and prices, and order online for the best price in town.

Some football shirt stores not only provide individual items but also has provisions for group purchases: for a small team, schools, or even bigger clubs. Most of the fan clubs or football associations order their official and casual wear from these football shirt specialty stores which give a better price for smaller teams. Keeping track of the updates and adopting them is possible through these football shirt stores.

my article network

More and more people are hearing the terms personal coach or life coach.  There have been newspaper articles and professional articles written on the subject.  Several people have asked me, “what is a life or personal coach and how is personal coaching different from psychotherapy?”  Until recently, personal coaching has been con-fined to corporations where it is known as executive coaching or executive consulting.  Today personal coaching has found its way into the public domain.  This issue of the Psychotherapy Update will discuss personal or life coaching as a new trend that will become more available over the next decade to assist people in achieving a more fulfilling, rewarding and balanced life.  Perhaps personal coaching is just what you’ve been waiting for to help you enrich your already satisfying life.

Coaching has been around for a long time.  It is usually associated with sports, e.g., tennis coach, golf coach, track coach, football coach or baseball coach, to name a few.  You want to get better at something, whom do you call?  A coach.  You want to become more physically fit, you call a personal trainer.  Just as there are athletic coaches, voice coaches, and acting coaches, there are personal coaches. Personal coaches, sometime referred to as life coaches, are usually professionally trained mental health practitioners, who, in most instances, have been successful in their professional and personal life.  In addition to their professional training, they have developed special skills in helping individuals develop their potential and fulfill their goals.  Within the past years the practice of personal coaching has mushroomed.  In 1994 it was estimated that there were approximately 1000 personal or life coaches nationwide.  Today it is estimated that there are close to 5000.  As people seek to achieve greater fulfillment from their work, their marriages, and their life in general, the need for personal coaches will continue to increase.  Previously many people sought psychotherapy for personal growth not just for treatment of emotional problems or mental illness.  Others wanted some other form of assistance without the association to mental illness carried by psychotherapy.  Now people can turn to personal coaches whose focus is on growth and development of all areas of one’s life rather than on internal stress and emotional conflict.

Coaching and Mentoring

Mentoring has been around for as long as there have been relationships.  Mentor was the name of the royal advisor to Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. A mentor is a trusted person to whom we turn for counsel, advice, and support who may act as a guide or consultant suggesting a path or course of action.

Many of us may have been fortunate to have in our lives an important person to whom we would turn for advice and counsel.  This person may have been a revered uncle, a respected teacher, a member of the clergy, or our Scoutmaster.  We often refer to these individuals as mentors.  We look to them for assistance in helping us fulfill a part of ourselves.  We want to develop a better self, whether that self is in relation to our school, work, business, or profession; or we want to develop more effective skills in organizing our life.  These mentors may assist us in fulfilling our dreams and aspirations, and may become role models as well.

Coaching and mentoring have a great deal in common.  A personal coach is similar to a professional mentor. The coach’s role is more clearly defined. The coach has no other relationship to the client than that of a coach.  Therefore, there is no hidden agenda or conflict of inter-est.  Often we seek a coach to help us achieve balance in our lives.  Personal coaches believe that when all aspects of one’s life are in harmony, a synergy is formed that can propel and individual forward to achieve greatness.

When we turn to a personal coach, we want to become better at whatever it is that we are focused on.  We want to actualize our potential.  We know that we have the potential, we know that our business can grow or that our life can be better balanced, but we have difficulty in developing a plan of action that will help us reach our vision of the way things could be. Something is blocking us or we are too close to the project.  We need a second pair of eyes.  We need a boost.   Professional coaches start with where you are.  They work with you, as a collaborator, to help you realize your goals.  Frequently they help you define and clarify your goals.  Once your goals have been articulated, they then work with you to develop a plan of action for achieving those goals.

Coaching and Consulting

Consulting is a much more recent development.  Indus-trial consulting developed after WWII followed by ex-ecutive consulting and continued to evolve with the de-velopment of the human potentials movement in the 1970’s.  Business schools and schools of management incorporated executive consulting into their programs. Executive consultants assisted top level managers in de-veloping training programs, human resources, manage-ment skills, and organizational development.

Coaching is related to consulting; some consider coach-ing a subset of consulting.  However, the consultant normally provides the consultation service for the period of the contract; once the consultant has completed the project, the relationship terminates.  In personal coach-ing, the coach not only helps the client develop a plan of action to achieve a desired set of goals, the coach also stays with the client to help implement the changes and goals.  With a consultant you pay for an expert’s advice and opinion.  A coach will help you explore options.  A personal coach will assist you in discovering alternatives that fit your agenda, rather than tell what to do.  A coach will empower you to find the answers to your questions and develop a strategy for your life that is consistent with your values and beliefs.  Generally speaking, coaching goes beyond consulting to incorporate all areas of your life rather than the narrower focus commonly found in consulting.

Coaching and Psychotherapy

What is the difference between coaching and psycho-therapy?  Coaching is not therapy.  Personal coaches don’t work on “issues” or delve into the past.  Nor do they deal much with understanding human behavior. Coaches do not focus on resolving past traumas that af-fect personality development nor do they try to change personality structures.  Coaches do not attempt to ame-liorate psychic pain, anxiety, depression, or sexual dys-function.  These are issues that are dealt with in psycho-therapy.

A personal coach focuses on:
• Helping people set better goals.
• Asking their clients to do more than they would on their own.
• Helping their clients to focus better so as to product results more quickly.
• Providing clients with the tools, support, and struc-ture to accomplish more.

Whereas psychotherapy focuses on the past and the pre-sent, coaching focuses on the present and future.  The personal coach maintains a focus on the goals that the client decides s/he would like to achieve.  The collabora-tive effort propels the individual to continually move toward the goal.  In psychotherapy the assumption is that there is something wrong that gets in the way of a person’s functioning that needs fixing.  In coaching the assumption that there is nothing wrong with the client, but the client wants an even better life.  In psychother-apy the main focus is on the client’s internal world.  In coaching the focus is on the client’s entire life including health, relationships, career, spirituality, etc., and how it all fits together.

Personal coaches help people develop a balanced life.  They do this through strengthening their client’s personal foundation.  Part of one’s personal foundation is recognizing and clarifying one’s core values.  Most of us seldom take the time to delineate and clarify our values, those beliefs that are at the center of our belief.  Often we act in ways that our contrary to our internalized values and we end up feeling uncomfort-able, guilty, or even ashamed.  Frequently, we are not aware of the causes for our disquietude.  On exploration we may find that we acting in ways that are contrary to our own value system.  A coach can help you explore your values and assist in developing a set of goals and actions that comport with this value system such that you feel in synch with yourself.

Coaches have no agenda but that of their clients.  It is one of the few relationships where the client’s agenda is the only agenda that matters.  Personal coaches want to assist you in actualizing your agenda on your terms.  The objective of the coach to open new possibilities.  The attention in coaching is solely on you and your agenda.

How Does Coaching Work?

Similar to psychotherapy, coaching works best when there are regular appointments. In order to maintain fo-cus and honor commitments, continuity is necessary.  However, coaching is not limited to face-to-face meet-ings.  In fact, most personal coaching takes place over the telephone.  Coaching is not limited to geographical location.  One can be coached from any location.  Coaching sessions are usually thirty minutes in length with three or four sessions scheduled per month.

There are many variables that contribute to the effec-tiveness of coaching:
1. Better goals are set, ones that naturally impel you forward.
2. Synergy between the coach and client creates mo-mentum.
3. Accountability.  Knowing that you have to report to someone on progress or completion of an assign-ment, impels you to completion.
4. Time limits and deadlines may set which mitigates procrastination.
5. Prioritizing tasks with your coach makes it more likely that the tasks will be accomplished.
6. Tasks are put into manageable pieces to avoid feel-ing overwhelmed with the enormity of the task.
7. You can borrow your coaches belief in you, until you develop a belief in yourself.
8. You have a partner in your coach; working with someone always feels more empowering than work-ing alone.
9. You develop new skills.
10. When you have a coach, you tend to take yourself more seriously.
11. You take more effective and focused actions imme-diately.
12. You stop putting up with what is holding you back.
13. You set better goals that are more in accord with what you want out of life.

Why is coaching becoming so popular?

Thomas Leonard, founder of Coach University, says that coaching is becoming so popular for several reasons:
“Many people are tired of doing what they think they “should” do and are ready to do something special and meaningful for the rest of their lives.  One problem is that many can’t see what this is or, if they can, they can’t find a way to reorient their life around it.  A coach can help them do both.

People are realizing how simple it can be to accomplish something that several years ago might have felt out of reach or like a pipedream.  A coach is not a miracle worker…but a coach does have a large tool kit to help the Big Idea become a Reality.  Fortunately, people now have the time and resources to invest in themselves in this kind of growth.
Spirituality.  If you track the phenomenal success of James Redfield’s Celestine Prophecy on the NY Times best-seller list back in 1994, you got a sense of just how many people are willing to look at, and consider, the notion of spirituality.  Wow.  Many coaches are spiritu-ally based – even the ones who coach IBM or AT&T.  America is growing more spiritual very quickly.  ([My] working definition of spirituality?  How connected you are with yourself and others.”)  The coach helps the clients to tune in better to themselves and to others.”

How can I know whether I need a coach or a thera-pist?

Generally people have turned to a psychotherapist when they experience psychological pain that interferes with the conduct of their everyday life. They may experience anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, dysphoria, low self-esteem, lack of identity, obsessions, compulsive rituals, or a feeling that they are not functioning to ca-pacity.  Many people have turned to psychologists and other psychotherapists when they want to enhance their life.  They seek therapy for personal growth and greater self-understanding.

Coaching begins where psychotherapy leaves off.  The coach assumes that the client is well-functioning and is facing a roadblock or finding it difficult to get over the next mountain to greater fulfillment.  People turn to coaches when their life is going well.  Usually they are high-functioning people who want to expand their lives, their businesses, and their general outlook.  They tend to be successful people who have a vision that they could go beyond where they are, but feel that they would like someone to work with them to achieve their goals.  These are the same people who would seek a coach to improve their golf or tennis game, seek consultation in their business, or utilize a financial planner to assist with their finances.  They seek a coach to accelerate their growth or maximize an opportunity.  Some people choose a coach to help in the short-term for a specific task or project, while others engage a coach to restruc-ture their life.

What training do coaches have?

Many coaches have a background in human behavior, psychology, or human development.  A large number of coaches hold licenses in a psychological discipline, e.g., psychology, counseling, social work, etc.  Others have a background in business, law or consulting.  These indi-viduals usually have sought additional training in coach-ing.  Most all coaches have had extensive personal ex-perience.

Many coaches, like myself, have found that coaching emerged naturally out of their clinical practice.  After having been in practice for over 30 years, I have developed a body of experience.  I have worked with individuals for years and watched them through their various life transitions.  Many times people come back after being in therapy seeking something different from their therapy experience.  They are facing an obstacle to their progress and wanted a trusted professional with whom to discuss their situation.  Whether it is a business decision, a life decision, or a wish to change their lifestyle, they want a different perspective.  So they have turned to me.  Over the years I have found this type of relationship very rewarding. Often these people would jokingly refer to me as “Coach.”   Little did I know that this title was to be prophetic.  I am sure that many practitioners have found their way into coaching by a similar route.

People choose their coach on the basis of whether there is reason to believe that this person can help me to ac-complish my goals.  If they feel comfortable with their coach and believe progress is being made, they continue.  Otherwise, they terminate the relationship.  Coaching is not about “the doctor knows best” model.  It is about what works for you.

Poker Stars

Growing our own food
It may seem difficult to achieve much indoors, but there are some opportunities which are more appropriate inside because of the difference in temperature, especially in winter. Sprouts grown from seeds and pulses, for instance, can be grown almost anywhere that is warm, and these do not even require light. We can also grow herbs on window sills. Mushrooms can be grown in complete darkness in a cellar or outhouse, and yoghurt and similar cultures can be seen as a way of growing fresh food. If you have a conservatory, you may choose to grow plants and vegetables that cannot be grown outside.

Storing food
Storing food to provide for the winter is not as necessary as it was in the past. However we should ensure that any produce we do grow is kept in the best condition possible. Apples from an apple tree or potatoes from an allotment require space allocated in the coolest location possible. Systems for ensuring that no food is kept longer than its recommended eat-by date are important.

Processing our own food
We are buying more processed food than ever at present. Often this means the centralisation of production with all the inefficiencies of packaging and transport that result. Preparing food ourselves, shortly before eating it, is also healthier. A well-designed food preparation worktop is the heart of a good kitchen.

Making, repairing and maintaining
Looking after our possessions prolongs their life and reduces the need for replacements. Suitable workspaces and kits for the repair of clothes, furniture, toys and appliances etc. greatly facilitates these activities. Good maintenance habits are all ecological and should be given the necessary priority.

Recycling
There is almost nothing that cannot be recycled. However it is an important principle that these materials need to be separately categorised. This requires space for a storage system of drawers, cupboards or containers. An ecological household will put as much energy into the proper disposal of goods and materials as it does into procuring them in the first place. Even the recycling of water, heat and air is possible to some degree and requires the allocation of space for the necessary equipment.

There are many more ways in which we can be self-sufficient: in education, entertainment and health, for instance. The important point is to give priority to the activities which reduce our unecological levels of consumption.

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When we moved into the house where we’re at, zoysia grass was planted on 1 side of the front courtyard. (It’s divided by a walkway). I love the zoysia grass, and am seriously considering doing the other half. Any tips on this would be appreciated.

Anyone tried rubber mulch?
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Apple seed?
i have some apple seeds and i want to create the seed sprout roots before putting it surrounded by an pot of soil how would i do that

Apple tree not producing any apples?
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Apple tree question?
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Apple tree serve?
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Are coffee grounds “good” to put on adjectives plants?
i have a variety of plants within containers, growing on my balcony.

Are daisies related to clover?
Last week i had a garden full of daisies. This week i have a nouns of clover flowers. Are the two related or a completely different family?

Are flower bulbs considered seed or seedling?
or are they just considered bulbs? Otherwise which would it better resemble, a seed or seedling?

Are here any bee experts out in that please?
We are clearing away a huge heap in the corner of our garden which have been composting down for years. We have discovered a nouns of rubble at the base and A number of bees have be coming out of the soil?? I don’t want to harm them but we…

Are in attendance any flowers that bloom surrounded by nose-dive… around October?
My friend is having a baby contained by October. I thought of giving her seeds that would bloom every year around the baby’s birthday. Is there anything that can be planted and will bloom contained by the fall?

More Garden and Landscape questions please visit : HomeAVA.com More than 13,000 Home DIY Questions and Answers

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Seasonal Harmony  By Ellasara  

“The wise nourish life by flowing with the four seasons and adapting to cold or heat, by harmonizing joy and anger in a tranquil dwelling, by balancing yin and yang, and what is hard and soft.”  The Neijing

 The more we practice Qigong/taiji, the more we experientially understand that we are energy beings connected to the vast energy network of the Universal. As related to food, all foods are also energy. The energy of each food has a “message” for our bodies. Each food substance has its own Qi value that can be understood through Five Element Theory. (In western naturopathic terms, the message of each food can be found through understanding the Doctrine of Signatures.) According to TCM, the foods that are natural to a particular season carry strong messages of Qi balancing and tonifying for that season.

Food energy is supportive and complementary to our energy, especially at certain times in certain ways. That last is where it becomes a deeper study. This can be approached in a variety of styles. One way is to study tables of foods for seasons, meridians, organ systems, yin/yang, hot/cold, etc. Learning and mechanically applying this information can have great value.  Another is to listen carefully to our bodies’ messages and what we are being told. Then, relate these messages to TCM Five Element Theory and learn what it is our body is asking us for at that time. After we sort it out, give ourselves that food or combination of foods. This will develop our intuition about food and our deeper intuition in general. And, in a natural learning process, we will learn what foods work for ourselves for what conditions under what circumstances. Over time this becomes natural and we just know what we need. Usually, this intuitive style leads to more of the first style, wherein we want to study more about Five Element Theory. At least this has been my experience in observing people over the past 15 years or so.

 Learning basics about each season, foods and having basic seasonal recipes become foundations from which we can easily incorporate more information and fall back upon when we have simple questions.  For example, last week an elderly friend of mine got a chill and couldn’t get warm. When I went over to her home with my “ginger tea kit” her fingers were like ice cubes.  I made her basic ginger tea, (recipe below) and before she finished her first cup, she felt warm and the circulation had returned to her fingers. Ginger is a yang food that aids digestion and generally balances the forces in your body.   

 Basic Ginger Tea

 1” fresh ginger – sliced, chopped

4-5 scallions – whites only

Rind of one dried tangerine

4 cups of water

Rock/Brown sugar/honey to taste

 Add all the ingredients together and bring to a boil  Simmer for no more than 5 minutes as it will get bitter.  Remove the foods.  Drink hot.

  Additionally, I want to mention that every culture has food cures and food combinations for increasing health.  Often, the purposes for these foods have been forgotten, even when the custom has been retained.  For example, the parents of a friend of mine are from Poland and her mother makes bone marrow soup in the winter simply because “it is good for you to eat in the winter.”  When we consult Five Element Theory, we see that bone marrow soup is an excellent winter energy soup that supports the Kidney function (recipe below).

 Basic Bone Marrow Soup 

Ingredients

1 lb marrow bones

1-1/2 quarts water

2” sliced ginger

6 scallion whites

1 bay leaf

 Part 2

1 diced carrot

1 diced stalk celery

1 quartered plum tomato

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup cilantro/;parsley

 Directions

Put the marrow bones, bay leaf, ginger, and scallions in the water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 3 hours

Let cool–Poke marrow out of bones and discard everything except water.  You should now have about 3 cups of broth.

Add veggies, cover and cook till veggies are done. add salt and pepper to taste.. .serve and  sprinkle with cilantro

To this basic recipe you can add other root vegetables, such as turnip, or green vegetables such as kale.  Adjust this to your own taste.  Bone marrow soup is considered to be a strengthening soup that is good for prevention and also if someone has been ill.

 Further, it is helpful to have seasonal guildelines. Things that are particularly good to do or pay attention to in a given season.  Often, they remind me of things my Mom said when I was growing up.  Simple things such as, eat a good warm breakfast, especially in the winter.

Winter Energy Cereal

Ingredients

1/2 cup of rice

6 cups of water

½ cup toasted black sesame seeds

½ cup TB toasted crushed walnuts

3 TB honey

½ tsp salt

 Directions

Cover the rice in 2 cups of water and soak for 2 hours.

Toast the walnuts and crush.  A simple crushing method is to place the walnuts in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin.

Toast the black sesame seeds.

Drain the excess water off the rice.

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and mix.

Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is thoroughly cooked and all the water has been absorbed.  Stir the cereal frequently as it is cooking.  The texture of the cereal at this stage is like a thick porridge or cornmeal mush.  The rice is creamy and the sesame seeds are still slightly crunchy.

 To make into a breakfast cereal:  add ½ cup boiling water to ½ cup of cereal – optional: a touch of cinnamon  Yield: 4 cups

Serving size ½ cup

 Basic Congee

 1 cup of white rice (or ½ cup short grain rice and ½ cup of long grain rice)

8-10 cups of water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer for about 3 hours. 

This makes a basic rice porridge which is very easy to digest and which can be eaten at any time of year. To it, you can add shredded ginger, chopped scallion whites, lightly steamed vegetables, pieces of fish, pickled vegetables, etc.  

 A few other winter guidelines that are in accord with TCM/Five Element Theory are: Raw foods are cooling and should be avoided in the winter when warming foods are best emphasized, such as eating warming, hearty soups*, cooked whole grains, root vegetables and toasted nuts. These kinds of foods warm the center of the body and their heat stays with you longer. Since winter energy is about storing and rest, it is good to go to bed earlier and get very restful sleep, lighten one’s activities list, if possible and spend more time in contemplation and meditation.

 *Kidney Bean, Tomato &  Winter Squash Soup

Ingredients:

 2TB walnut oil

1 medium red onion

4 cloves of garlic – slivered

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped parsnip

½ cup chopped yam

14 oz can of plum tomatoes

½ tsp rosemary

3 half dollar slices of ginger

2 small dried hot red peppers (or to personal taste)

1 15 oz can of kidney beans

5 cups of water

3 cups of Kombachu or butternut or hubbard squash, diced into 1 inch cubes

Salt to taste, ground pepper

Chopped cilantro/parsley garnish

Directions

 Heat the oil in a saucepan/wok/dutch oven and add the onion. . .cook until it is just softened.  Add the garlic, parsnip, yam and cook for about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add the tomatoes, rosemary, ginger, peppers, beans and water

Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 1/2 hour – stir occasionally

Add squash and simmer for about 1 hour until squash is tender.  Check liquid levels, add water if necessary and don’t forget to stir occasionally.

Add salt and ground pepper, adjust seasonings to personal taste.

Garnish each bowl with a sprig of cilantro or parsley

Viewing the above chart, we can easily identify some of the major relationships that are part of the Winter season. The Winter/Kidney season has now mutated from Fall (see last season’s chart) and will continue to change until it is Spring/Liver season.  Autumn, which we are leaving, is a time of harvest, reaping the benefits of our year’s work. Then it slowly mutates to Winter when we save/store energy so that this deep rest will give our Springtime the most optimal opportunity to come forward with abundant health.

 Some Foods That Harmonize With Winter

 Black Beans, Black Mushrooms, Blackberry, Black sesame seeds and oil,  Black soybeans, Blueberry, Bone marrow, Cabbages, Celery, Chard, Cranberry, Ginger, Job’s tears, Kale, Kidney beans, Kohlrabi, Longan, Lotus seed, Miso, Mulberry, Mutton, Ocean Perch, Parsley, Pine nuts, Raspberry, Rutabaga, Seaweed, Shrimp/Prawns, Soy Sauce, String beans, Turnips, Walnuts, Wood ear mushrooms.

For more information on food/health/Chinese medicine/Qigong/taiji Visit:, www.taoofhealing.com; www.abodetao.com;

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Many aquarium owners crave to someday own a saltwater tank displaying numerous kinds of coral. This may be achieved is fast easy steps if you use coral starter kits to grow your own coral. This is recommended over buying coral from a store. By growing your own, you ensure it is properly acclimated to your tank. Setting up and caring for the coral aquarium, or reef aquarium is a task that requires a bit of knowledge before starting. There are some steps to take when setting up a new coral aquarium. The process may seem to take a long time, and because of this, many people opt to use fake coral instead. However, the time spent waiting will be well worth it when you are later able to display your own coral aquarium. If you follow some simple steps and have patience for about 12 weeks, you will be able to create and own your piece of underwater paradise.

To begin, the first thing to do is assemble your aquarium. Find a spot in the home that you wish to have it displayed. Follow through with the set up as you would a freshwater tank. When you are ready to add the water to the tank, follow these simple steps. First, pour the sand into the bottom of the tank. Add dechlorinated water to the tank. Next, add the salt and make sure it is mixed until the specific gravity measures 1.205. After the water and salt are added, arrange your live rock as desired and install the heater and the hood of the tank. After doing these things, you must then wait 4 weeks to move ahead.

After the four weeks has passed, you will then add your first living creatures to the tank. It is best to add fish later, and slowly as to make sure the salt balance in the tank is correct and remains that way. At this time, you can add a variety of snails or crabs if you wish to have them part of your tank. You will also need to install a protein skimmer. The tank should be functioning as if it were full of fish. Make sure the filters are working properly and the lighting is right. Remember not to leave the light on for more than 10 to 12 hours a day as it may promote algae growth. After adding some snails or crabs, wait another 2 weeks before proceeding.

Now at week 6, you will add your first pieces of coral. There are many types of coral used in saltwater coral aquariums. Some of the most common are Button Polyp, Yellow Polyp, Hairy Mushroom Coral and Bullseye Mushroom Coral. Make sure when adding your coral, it is attached to the live rock at the bottom of the tank. Wait another 2 weeks. Don’t get frustrated… you’re almost there! During the eighth week, you can add Aquacultured Coral such as Pumping Xenia, Starburst Polyps and Spaghetti Finger Leather Coral to name a few. Place these corals into the live rock as you did with the previous set of coral.

Now you have succeeded in creating your reef aquarium. During the course of the 10 to 12 week mark, you may begin adding your fish to your underwater world. It may seem a long drawn out process to get a coral aquarium up and running, but the time and hard work will pay off for years to come. Creating and caring for your coral aquarium will bring you much enjoyment and a wonderful sense of accomplishment for creating a spectacular coral aquarium.

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Aquarium owners once accustomed will hope to one day have many different kind of coral in their own saltwater tank – this is an absolute dream! Starter kits can be purchased where you can take easy steps into growing your own piece of coral. This is a much better way to start and is highly recommended against buying coral from a shop. Growing your own coral ensures that it is acclimatised to your tank. Before starting to set up and care for a coral aquarium, knowledge in this area is required as it is not an easy process. It takes time which is worthwhile in being able to showcase your own grown coral aquarium to its best. For some people, buying fake coral is the easier option, when all it takes is patience of about up to 12 weeks, to create your own piece of paradise underwater. A wonderful sense of achievement and a worthwhile project.

Firstly, you need to start off by assembling your aquarium. Find an ideal area of your home to display the aquarium. Read the instructions carefully on how to set it up as in a freshwater tank. Before you add the water, there are a few simple rules to follow. The bottom of the tank is where you pour the sand first, then followed by the addition of dechlorinated water. Salt needs to be mixed in next, until it reaches a specific gravity measuring 1.205. Decide where you want to arrange your live rock after the water and salt, then install the heater and finally, the hood of the tank. You should then wait approximately 4 weeks for the tank to settle before going ahead with the next move.

Once the 4 weeks is over, it is time to add the first living creatures to your tank. This will ensure that the water is tested for the correct salt balance and stays that way, before you add your fish. During this period, snails and crabs if you have chosen them, can be added. The tank should now be functioning as though you have already filled it with fish, so install a protein skimmer. Check to see that you have the correct lighting and that the filters are doing their job. The light should not be left on for any longer than 10 or 12 hours a day, as this can promote the growth of algae. Once snails or crabs have been added, you should wait 2 more weeks.

You have now reached Week 6, which is when you can proceed with the next stage of adding your first pieces of coral. For saltwater aquariums you will find different types of coral including the common ones like Bullseye Mushroom coral, Button Polyp, Hairy Mushroom Coral and the Yellow Polyp. The coral should be attached to live rock at the bottom of the tank when you add it. You can wait another 2 weeks – all the patience is worth it. It is now the 10th week when you can add Aquacultured Coral with types named Pumping Xenia, Spaghetti Finger Leather Coral and Starburst Polyps as part of your collection of many. Again these should be placed on live rock as with the first set of coral.

Your reef aquarium has now been successfully set up and by the 10 to 12 week period, you will be ready to begin adding your choice of fish to your created underwater world. The process of setting up your coral aquarium is a long and drawn out, but one well worth if for the long years ahead. Your own spectacularly created coral aquarium will give you years of enjoyment as you care for it and your living creatures. The aquarium will be something to be admired and very relaxing in your home. Watch how your family and friends are impressed by your creation!

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Our only hope is to help you become a great greenhouse gardener!. A brief introduction to the benefits of greenhouse gardening and what to consider before buying a greenhouse. You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy greenhouse gardening. Today there are a multitude of greenhouse kits to fit every skill level and price range. Greenhouses are a great addition to anyone’s garden They come in all different sizes and you can nestle them right where you want them and with smaller versions of greenhouses you can move them quite easily. Greenhouse Kits, Custom Greenhouses, Commercial Greenhouse, Lean to, Atriums. Plants That Should Be Keep In Your Greenhouse. However, snow and January thaws produce some beautiful days under the greenhouse roof. The blazing poinsettia, now past its prime as a living room showpiece, should be brought back to the greenhouse and stored under the bench until spring. These are usually brought into the greenhouse in late fall from the shaded cold frame where they have spent the summer.

A weed specialty in my greenhouse is a plant described as a choice exotic, Chamaeranthemum Gaudichandi. Seed is scattered throughout the greenhouse, a good greenhouse is both part of and a supplement to your landscape. Solar greenhouses are insulated to collect and store energy from the sun for use at night and during cloudy weather. As a result, greenhouse production in these areas will likely require the use of supplementary light and/or heat. This type of greenhouse system is often referred to as an active system. Greenhouses can be attached to a building house, shed, barn or freestanding. Most commercial greenhouses are freestanding. For an attached greenhouse, the south side of a building will be the sunniest all year. Another factor to consider in deciding where to locate a greenhouse is wind, especially one that is freestanding. Some experts suggest that any greenhouse from simple hoop structures to glass conservatories which grow plants in the soil can produce vegetables without artificial heat. To achieve this, all you need is to do is add a second protective layer of translucent material inside the greenhouse. So a completely sealed greenhouse is not ideal. Plants that should be keep in your greenhouse. Some experts suggest that any greenhouse from simple hoop structures to glass conservatories which grow plants in the soil can produce vegetables without artificial heat.

Warm weather crops like melons, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes can be started early in the greenhouse for later transplanting outside or can be grown inside the greenhouse all the way to harvest. For winter growth in the greenhouse look for varieties of plants grown in the South which are varieties adapted to short-day culture. Other possibilities for greenhouse growing include herbs, specialty or delicate plants such as orchids, some types of mushrooms, bedding plants, bulbs, potted flowers and, of course, cut flowers. Whether you plant cold tolerant or heat loving plants, timing is key in greenhouse growing. Diseases and pests can enter the greenhouse via insects, in soil, on plants, and on seeds so careful handling and monitoring can go a long way to prevent disease and pest infestation. Grow boxes simplify the whole process of hydroponic gardening by providing an ideal environment for your plants. Your choice of profit-making plants may be dictated somewhat by your indoor gardening experience and the time you have spent as a hobby gardener or collector. For more information on gardening go to www.teegoes.org/Greenhouse_Gardening.html

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