What do you grow in a greenhouse?

Once you’ve got your greenhouse ready, it can be difficult to know exactly what to grow. All sorts of things will grow in a greenhouse, and most will grow at least a little better than they would outside it, but there isn’t much point in doing all that work just to end up with a crop of slightly bigger potatoes.

The two things that most people grow in greenhouses are tomatoes and cucumbers, as they grow quite badly outside but very well inside. They are also easy to grow, as the seeds available are of such high quality: often you will be able to grow quite good tomatoes and cucumbers even if you’re too useless at gardening to even follow the instructions on the seed packet properly.

After a while, though, this gets dull. So what should you do next? The answer is that you should get a little more adventurous with what you grow in your greenhouse. Strawberries are a good start, as they are very nice, expensive in shops, but not too difficult to grow yourself. Other bush fruits such as raspberries and blackcurrants also work well in a greenhouse.

Once you’re a greenhouse pro, though, the hardest thing to try is a melon. There’s a reason why farmers have competitions to see who can grow the biggest melon: melon-growing is more of an art than a science, and it’s very difficult to master. Generally, the key is to give your melons as much support as you can: as soon as the plant starts growing, support it with a length of string tied to the roof of your greenhouse, and once melons start to appear, support them with string nets. One other thing to be aware of is that it is easy to accidentally drown melons if you water them normally, so you should set up an alternative system, such as a pipe leading directly to the plant’s roots.

Why You Should Have a Garden Fountain

Commonly, people set up garden fountains for the welfare of the natural ambiance
it offers. Somehow, being around a beautiful scene of water feeds
you with  positive energy. And this is great for the people ho  practice Tai Chi or some
sort of yoga or meditation. The steady drone of the water is precisely
what most folks need to focus on what they're doing. Even if
You are not into that sort of stuff, just living in a garden with a Garden fountain
has a kind of meditative character to it, even if you are not trying to do
so. I advice it to anyone.

As you first determine to put in a fountain, you want to put a lot of care
into choosing one that will fit with the balance of your garden. Whenever
you have any other ornamentations, you would like to consider if it goes good with
your motif. Does the garden fountain you are thinking of stand out in your garden
like a painful thumb, or does it appear like it was meant to be there? If
You are like me, you can not naturally tell whether the fountain will be a
fine add-on to your garden by merely by looking at it. And so my answer was to
bring my mother (a  born natural at fashion design and that sort of things) along
with a image of my garden to the garden shop. I was able to get her skilled
judgment, in addition to that i can  see for myself what it would appear like. By doing this
I was able to pick a fine-looking stone fountain that goes terrifically with
the balance of my garden.

Nevertheless, I still had a slim problem with providing my fountain with
electricity. You see, my garden Is not near to my home. I believed it would
look pretty nasty  to run an extension cord over my back yard, and so I had to
think up another answer for my problem. I talked over my problem with a professional,
and he rapidly found me the precise solution I wanted:
an extension cord intended for to being buried! Altogether it took was a a couple of hours of
digging out a small ditch across my backyard, and I had electricity to my fountain
without an ugly cord coming across my yard. After I got over this
Small hitch, my garden fountain plan went great.

So if you are seeking a way to form your garden into a more fashionable and
beautiful place to be, I hope you think of installing a garden fountain. The
Whole thing  is astonishingly cheap, and I believe that you'll be
very pleased with the results.

Beginning Recycling at Home

Every year, tons of material that could be recycled aren't, and end up clogging our already overwhelmed dumps, waterways and roadsides.  Most people think it's a difficult undertaking to organize a recycling center at home.  However, with some creativity and commitment, it can be easy to do.  You'll feel better about yourself doing your part to care for the environment as a result, too.

Find a convenient place in your home or apartment for the center. It doesn't take much
room for your recyclables. The garages, a storage closet, corner of the kitchen, or under your kitchen sink all make great locations.  Find and clearly label containers in which to store your recycled materials.  Plastic buckets, storage containers or even trash cans work great depending on the amount of room you have available.

Get your family actively involved in the recycling process.  Make sure they all are aware of what products can be recycled.  Teach them the difference between the aluminum can bin and the tin can bin.  While doing their weekly chores, teach them to be on the lookout for recyclable material lying around the house, and encourage them to place it in the proper storage bins.

Encourage them to come up with ideas for reducing the amount of recycled material that's consumed by your household.  Take them along with you to the recycling center in your neighborhood so they can witness the process firsthand.  Show them how they can reuse recyclable materials in their own organizational efforts at home.  Perhaps a large cardboard box can double as a bin for all their shoes, or a coffee can be repurposed as a penny bank.

And when they learn the money that can be both saved and earned from recycling and reusing products, they'll have developed an environmentally healthy and thrifty habit for life.  

Be Safe and Sound When Repairing or Remodeling your Home

Home improvement projects can be dangerous. Many tasks call for sharp tools or power tools that can cause injuries. You can't successfully repair or tackle home improvement projects your home if you're not careful.   With a little careful organization and forethought, even the most difficult home improvement tasks can be conquered safely and successfully.

Be sure to completely read the instruction manual for your power tools and follow the manufacturer's safety cautions. Tighten any adjustments and check that the guard is working before you operate a tool.  Keep power tools dry, and plug them into grounded electrical outlets. Take care not to cut the power cord. Never store your power tools while they are still connected to the power supply.

Keep fingers well away from a power blade. Clamp small pieces of wood before cutting them, rather than holding them. It's imperative to wear work gloves when you're handling rough materials such as wood, glass, or metal, but take them off when using a power tool so you have complete control over it.

Never use any kind of power tool without proper protective eyewear. Unplug a power saw before changing the blade or doing any other kind of maintenance or cleaning to it.
Learn how to properly support a board when you cut it with a power tool so it doesn't kick back towards you during use.

Always completely shut off power or water when working with the electrical wiring or the plumbing.  One of the first questions you should ask as a new homeowner is where your shutoffs are located.

When working on a ladder, don't lean out to either side. Keep your body weight between the sides of the ladder. It may take longer to get off the ladder and move it to reach farther, but it is well worth your time. Falls are one of the most common causes of injuries in the home.
If you're not used to the physical element of doing construction, remodeling, or renovation work, you might easily injure yourself or strain your muscles.  You may not even notice the aches and pains until you wake up the next day.  Don't take chances and overexert yourself when lifting heavy objects, or when repeatedly lifting lighter loads. Get a helper to do some of the work, and take plenty of breaks. Listen to your body's signals and realize when enough is enough.  Learn to bend and lift with the knees and not your back.
You're going to find a great satisfaction and pride knowing that you're able to safely and successfully accomplish repair, remodeling and renovation projects around your house as long as you're smart, safe, and keep yourself organized, focused and on task.

Avoid the Avoiding Habit and Find More Time and Less Stress

Procrastination can creep in and easily become a habit. Once it does, it erodes your capacity to function effectively. But it can be a hard habit to break.  However, with some honest self-assessment and an organized and attainable plan of attack, it can be overcome successfully.
Be gentle with yourself when you decide to try and kick the procrastination habit.  It may be so ingrained that you don't fully recognize all the ways you actually procrastinate. Start out by taking a large or complicated task and breaking it down into smaller parts that you can accomplish easier.  It's important to bear in mind that the most difficult or complex tasks are simply just a series of smaller jobs.
Make a verbal commitment to someone else about improving your time management skills and your desire to avoid procrastinating. Allow others to become involved in your efforts by reviewing your progress, helping you set deadlines or evaluating your results can be very helpful.  This will most likely create a commitment on your part to fulfill the expectations they've set for you.
Sit down and map out a plan to manage your time more effectively.  When a deadline is looming, make sure you allot time each day to work on the project so it doesn't sneak up on you in the final hours or days.  Learn to ask for help when you're feeling overwhelmed or overworked.
Reward yourself for good behavior and accomplished goals. Don't wait until you've accomplished the ultimate goal, but reward yourself for your successes along the way.  Make sure the reward is something you like to do.  Treat yourself to the newest book by your favorite author and take the time to read it.  Indulge in bubble baths or relaxing music.  If you've gotten into the habit of working late, make sure you develop a new habit of going home on time each night.
By making a commitment to avoid the avoiding habit, you'll soon be well on your way to finding more time and find yourself more relaxed and productive and less stressed in the process.

Attractive Arrangement of your Furniture Enhances your Room's Décor

Arranging the furniture in the right manner ensures that the room area is efficiently used.  A clever furniture arrangement can also highlight a favorite piece of furniture.  However, figuring out the best way to utilize space and create a comfortable atmosphere can be a difficult chore.  But with some planning and creativity, it can be accomplished easier than you think.
Before you move anything, you have to decide what the focal point of the room is going to be.  Focus your efforts around that location or item.  Before arranging furniture in the room, decide on what will be the focus of the room. Center your furniture arrangement around that focal point.   It can be anything; a fireplace, a picture window, a home entertainment center or a wall painting.
Chairs should be placed within about eight feet of each other to encourage conversation.  Position a table in such a way that it is easily accessible from every chair. Keep a light source near the seating area. Coffee tables should have a clearance of about 14 to 18 inches from the sofa. Side tables should be at least as tall as the arm of the chairs or sofa to make serving easy and discourage accidental spills. When arranging furniture, make sure you provide enough space to move around the room.
In a multipurpose room, arrange furniture in a way that you divide the room into separate living and dining spaces. A strategically placed screen or curtains hung from the ceiling are simple and inexpensive ways to accomplish this. Make sure the room stays balanced and that the sections or divisions don't fight one another.  Area rugs are a great way to define areas and groupings.  Small pieces can easily get lost in a large room, so be sure to group them with larger elements.

Affordable No Sew Curtains for Your Home

If you're looking into adding some fresh decorative touches to your home, a good place to start is with your window treatments.  But it can be a bit daunting to your budget to purchase window treatments for an entire room.  However, there are many window treatment options available that you can do yourself, and you never even have to pick up a needle or thread a sewing machine. With a little imagination and some simple connectors, any piece of fabric can easily and quickly be transformed into a window treatment.  So find a fabric that suits your home décor and personal style, and choose something that already has finished edges, such as a vintage linen or printed sheet. Then choose a grommet, clip, hook, or cord to hang it with, and you'll have a beautifully simple and inexpensive window treatment that reflects your personal style and creativity.
Grommets, slipped over wall hooks, produce a simple, crisp window treatment. Generally, a hammer and a grommet tool works at least as well for setting just a few grommets.  The grommet prevents the hook from tearing through the hole. You can thread rayon cording through grommets and tie behind the grommets to create loops to hang from a wooden dowel or hooks above the window.

There are also stylish clips that can be found at flea markets and antique stores that simply latch onto the fabric.  Home decorating and import stores also carry clip-on rings to hang curtains from.

You can even use buttons on curtains.  Simply thread fine wire through the holes and sections of ribbon and simply twist the wire on the back side to create simple ribbon loops to hang the curtain with.

Let your creativity be your guide, and you can craft window treatments that reflect your personality and style.  You're only limited by your own imagination.

FRUIT COCKTAILS.

Cocktails made of a combination of fruits are often served as the first course of a meal,  usually a luncheon or a dinner, to precede the soup course. In warm weather, they are an  excellent substitute for heavy cocktails made of lobster or crab, and they may even be  used to replace the soup course. The fruits used for this purpose should be the more  acid ones, for the acids and flavors are intended to serve as an appetizer, or the same  purpose for which the hot and highly seasoned soups are taken. Fruit cocktails should always be served ice cold.

Grapefruit cocktail.
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The cocktail here explained may be served in stemmed glasses or in the shells of the  grapefruit. If the fruit shells are to be used, the grapefruit should be cut into two parts,  half way between the blossom and the stem ends, the fruit removed, and the edges of the shell  then notched. This plan of serving a cocktail should be adopted only when small grapefruits  are used, for if the shells are large more fruit will have to be used than is agreeable for  a cocktail.

2 grapefruits 2 oranges 1 c. diced pineapple, fresh or canned Powdered sugar

Remove the pulp from the grapefruits and oranges. However, if the grapefruit shells are  to be used for serving the cocktail, the grapefruit should be cut in half and the pulp  then taken out of the skin with a sharp knife. With the sections of pulp removed, cut  each one into several pieces. Add the diced pineapple to the other fruits, mix together  well and set on ice until thoroughly chilled. Put in cocktail glasses or grapefruit shells,  pour a spoonful or two of orange juice over each serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar,  garnish with a cherry, and serve ice cold.

Summer cocktail.
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As strawberries and pineapples can be obtained fresh at the same time during the summer,  they are often used together in a cocktail. When sweetened slightly with powdered sugar  and allowed to become ice cold, these fruits make a delicious combination.

2 c. diced fresh pineapple 2 c. sliced strawberries Powdered sugar

Prepare a fresh pineapple, and cut each slice into  small pieces or dice. Wash and hull the strawberries and slice them into small slices.  Mix the two fruits and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Place in cocktail glasses and  allow to stand on ice a short time before serving.

Fruit cocktail.
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A fruit cocktail proper is made by combining a number of different kinds of fruit, such as bananas, pineapple, oranges, and maraschino cherries. Such a cocktail is served in a stemmed glass set on a small plate. Nothing more delicious than this can be prepared for the first course of a dinner or a luncheon that is to be served daintily. Its advantage is that it can be made at almost any season of the year with these particular fruits.

2 bananas 1 c. canned pineapple 2 oranges 1 doz. maraschino cherries Lemon juice Powdered sugar

Peel the bananas and dice them. Dice the pineapple. Remove the pulp from the oranges in the manner, and cut each section into several pieces. Mix these three fruits. Cut the cherries in half and add to the mixture. Set on ice until thoroughly chilled. To serve, put into cocktail glasses and add to each glass 1 tablespoonful of  maraschino juice from the cherries and 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

HYGIENE OF DIGESTION.

With the stomach and other digestive organs in a state of perfect health, one is entirely unconscious of their existence, save when of feeling of hunger calls attention to the fact that food is required, or satiety warns us that a sufficient amount or too much has been eaten. Perfect digestion can only be maintained by careful observance of the rules of health in regard to habits of eating.

On the subject of Hygiene of Digestion, we quote a few paragraphs from Dr. Kellogg's work on Physiology, in which is given a concise summary of the more important points relating to this:

"The hygiene of digestion has to do with the quality and quantity of food eaten, in the manner of eating it.

If the food is eaten too rapidly, it will not be properly divided, and when swallowed in coarse lumps, the digestive fluids cannot readily act upon it. On account of the insufficient mastication, the saliva will be deficient in quantity, and, as a consequence, the starch will not be well digested, and the stomach will not secrete a sufficient amount of gastric juice. It is not well to eat only soft or liquid food, as we are likely to swallow it without proper chewing. A considerable proportion of hard food, which requires thorough mastication, should be eaten at every meal.

Drinking Freely at Meals is harmful, as it not only encourages hasty eating, but dilutes the gastric juice, and thus lessens its activity. The food should be chewed until sufficiently moistened by saliva to allow it to be swallowed. When large quantities of fluid are taken into the stomach, digestion does not begin until a considerable portion of the fluid has been absorbed. If cold foods or drinks are taken with the meal, such as ice-cream, ice-water, iced milk or tea, the stomach is chilled, and a long delay in the digestive process is occasioned.

The Indians of Brazil carefully abstain from drinking when eating, and the same custom prevails among many other savage tribes.

Eating between Meals.
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The habit of eating apples, nuts, fruits, confectionery, etc., between meals is exceedingly harmful, and certain to produce loss of appetite and indigestion. The stomach as well as the muscles and other organs of the body requires rest. The frequency with which meals should be taken depends somewhat upon the age and occupation of an individual. Infants take their food at short intervals, and owing to its simple character, are able to digest it very quickly. Adults should not take food oftener than three times a day; and persons whose employment is sedentary say, in many cases at least, adopt with advantage the plan of the ancient Greeks, who ate but twice a day.

Simplicity in Diet.
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Taking too many kinds of food at a meal is a common fault which is often a cause of disease of the digestive-organs. Those nations are the most hardy and enduring whose dietary is most simple. The Scotch peasantry live chiefly upon oatmeal, the Irish upon potatoes, milk, and oatmeal, the Italian upon peas, beans, macaroni, and chestnuts; yet all these are noted for remarkable health and endurance. The natives of the Canary Islands, an exceedingly well-developed and vigorous race, subsist almost chiefly upon a food which they call gofio, consisting of parched grain, coarsely ground in a mortar and mixed with water.

Eating when Tired.
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It is not well to eat when exhausted by violent exercise, as the system is not prepared to do the work of digestion well. Sleeping immediately after eating is also a harmful practice. The process of digestion cannot well be performed during sleep, and sleep is disturbed by the ineffective efforts of the digestive organs. Hence the well-known evil effects of late suppers.

Eating too Much.
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Hasty eating is the greatest cause of over-eating. When one eats too rapidly, the food is crowded into the stomach so fast that nature has no time to cry, 'Enough,' by taking away the appetite before too much has been eaten. When an excess of food is taken, it is likely to ferment or sour before it can be digested. One who eats too much usually feels dull after eating."

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD ELEMENTS

The purposes of food are to promote growth, to supply force and heat, and to furnish material to repair the waste which is constantly taking place in the body. Every breath, every thought, every motion, wears out some portion of the delicate and wonderful house in which we live. Various vital processes remove these worn and useless particles; and to keep the body in health, their loss must be made good by constantly renewed supplies of material properly adapted to replenish the worn and impaired tissues. This renovating material must be supplied through the medium of food and drink, and the best food is that by which the desired end may be most readily and perfectly attained. The great diversity in character of the several tissues of the body, makes it necessary that food should contain a variety of elements, in order that each part may be properly nourished and replenished.

The food elements.
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The various elements found in food are the following: Starch, sugar, fats, albumen, mineral substances, indigestible substances.

The digestible food elements are often grouped, according to their chemical composition, into three classes; vis., carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and inorganic. The carbonaceous class includes starch, sugar, and fats; the nitrogenous, all albuminous elements; and the inorganic comprises the mineral elements.

Starch is only found in vegetable foods; all grains, most vegetables, and some fruits, contain starch in abundance. Several kinds of sugar are made in nature's laboratory; cane, grape, fruit, and milk sugar. The first is obtained from the sugar-cane, the sap of maple trees, and from the beet root. Grape and fruit sugars are found in most fruits and in honey. Milk sugar is one of the constituents of milk. Glucose, an artificial sugar resembling grape sugar, is now largely manufactured by subjecting the starch of corn or potatoes to a chemical process; but it lacks the sweetness of natural sugars, and is by no means a proper substitute for them. Albumen is found in its purest, uncombined state in the white of an egg, which is almost wholly composed of albumen. It exists, combined with other food elements, in many other foods, both animal and vegetable. It is found abundant in oatmeal, and to some extent in the other grains, and in the juices of vegetables. All natural foods contain elements which in many respects resemble albumen, and are so closely allied to it that for convenience they are usually classified under the general name of "albumen." The chief of these is gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Casein, found in peas, beans, and milk, and the fibrin of flesh, are elements of this class.

Fats are found in both animal and vegetable foods. Of animal fats, butter and suet are common examples. In vegetable form, fat is abundant in nuts, peas, beans, in various of the grains, and in a few fruits, as the olive. As furnished by nature in nuts, legumes, grains, fruits, and milk, this element is always found in a state of fine subdivision, which condition is the one best adapted to its digestion. As most commonly used, in the form of free fats, as butter, lard, etc., it is not only difficult of digestion itself, but often interferes with the digestion of the other food elements which are mixed with it. It was doubtless never intended that fats should be so modified from their natural condition and separated from other food elements as to be used as a separate article of food. The same may be said of the other carbonaceous elements, sugar and starch, neither of which, when used alone, is capable of sustaining life, although when combined in a proper and natural manner with other food elements, they perform a most important part in the nutrition of the body. Most foods contain a percentage of the mineral elements. Grains and milk furnish these elements in abundance. The cellulose, or woody tissue, of vegetables, and the bran of wheat, are examples of indigestible elements, which although they cannot be converted into blood in tissue, serve an important purpose by giving bulk to the food.

With the exception of gluten, none of the food elements, when used alone, are capable of supporting life. A true food substance contains some of all the food elements, the amount of each varying in different foods.

Uses of the food elements.
--------------------------

Concerning the purpose which these different elements serve, it has been demonstrated by the experiments of eminent physiologists that the carbonaceous elements, which in general comprise the greater bulk of the food, serve three purposes in the body;

1. They furnish material for the production of heat;

2. They are a source of force when taken in connection with other food elements;

3. They replenish the fatty tissues of the body. Of the carbonaceous elements, starch, sugar, and fats, fats produce the greatest amount of heat in proportion to quantity; that is, more heat is developed from a pound of fat than from an equal weight of sugar or starch; but this apparent advantage is more than counterbalanced by the fact that fats are much more difficult of digestion than are the other carbonaceous elements, and if relied upon to furnish adequate material for bodily heat, would be productive of much mischief in overtaxing and producing disease of the digestive organs. The fact that nature has made a much more ample provision of starch and sugars than of fats in man's natural diet, would seem to indicate that they were intended to be the chief source of carbonaceous food; nevertheless, fats, when taken in such proportion as nature supplies them, are necessary and important food elements.

The nitrogenous food elements especially nourish the brain, nerves, muscles, and all the more highly vitalized and active tissues of the body, and also serve as a stimulus to tissue change. Hence it may be said that a food deficient in these elements is a particularly poor food.

The inorganic elements, chief of which are the phosphates, in the carbonates of potash, soda, and lime, aid in furnishing the requisite building material for bones and nerves.

Proper combinations of foods.
-----------------------------

While it is important that our food should contain some of all the various food elements,  experiments upon both animals and human beings show it is necessary that these elements, especially the nitrogenous and carbonaceous, be used in certain definite proportions, as the system is only able to appropriate a certain amount of each; and all excess, especially of nitrogenous elements, is not only useless, but even injurious, since to rid the system of the surplus imposes an additional task upon the digestive and excretory organs. The relative proportion of these elements necessary to constitute a food which perfectly meets the requirements of the system, is six of carbonaceous to one of nitrogenous. Scientists have devoted much careful study and experimentation to the determination of the quantities of each of the food elements required for the daily nourishment of individuals under the varying conditions of life, and it has come to be commonly accepted that of the nitrogenous material which should constitute one sixth of the nutrients taken, about three ounces is all that can be made use of in twenty-four hours, by a healthy adult of average weight, doing a moderate amount of work. Many articles of food are, however, deficient in one or the other of these elements, and need to be supplemented by other articles containing the deficient element in superabundance, since to employ a dietary in which any one of the nutritive elements is lacking, although in bulk it may be all the digestive organs can manage, is really starvation, and will in time occasion serious results.

It is thus apparent that much care should be exercised in the selection and combination of food materials. Such knowledge is of first importance  in the education of cooks and housekeepers, since to them falls the selection  of the food for the daily needs of the household; and they should not only understand what foods are best suited to supply these needs, but how to combine them in accordance with physiological laws.

MOUTH-WATERING LOBSTER RECIPES.

To boil lobsters.
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Ingredients:- 1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

Mode:- Medium-sized lobsters are the best. Have ready a stewpan of boiling  water, salted in the above proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling  quickly from 20 minutes to 3/4 hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim well. If it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention. Hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off again.

Time. Small lobster, 20 minutes to 1/2 hour; large ditto, 1/2 to 1/3 hour.

Hot lobster.
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Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 2 oz. of butter, grated nutmeg; salt, pepper, and pounded mace, to taste; bread crumbs, 2 eggs.

Mode:- Pound the meat of the lobster to a smooth paste with the butter and seasoning, and add a few bread crumbs. Beat the eggs, and make the whole mixture into the form of a lobster; pound the spawn, and sprinkle over it. Bake 1/4 hour, and just before serving, lay over it the tail and body shell, with the small claws underneath, to resemble a lobster.

Time. 1/4 hour.

Lobster salad.
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Ingredients:- 1 hen lobster, lettuces, endive, small salad (whatever is in season), a little chopped beetroot, 2 hard-boiled eggs, a few slices of cucumber. For dressing, equal quantities of oil and vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of made mustard, the yolks of 2 eggs; cayenne and salt to taste; 3 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. These ingredients should be mixed perfectly smooth, and form a creamy-looking sauce.

Mode:- Wash the salad, and thoroughly dry it by shaking it in a cloth. Cut up the lettuces and endive, pour the dressing on them, and lightly throw in the small salad. Mix all well together with the pickings from the body of the lobster; pick the meat from the shell, cut it up into nice square pieces, put half in the salad, the other half reserve for garnishing. Separate the yolks from the whites of 2 hard-boiled eggs; chop the whites very fine, and rub the yolks through a sieve, and afterwards the coral from the inside. Arrange the salad lightly on a glass dish, and garnish, first with a row of sliced cucumber, then with the pieces of lobster, the yolks and whites of the eggs, coral, and beetroot placed alternately, and arranged in small separate bunches, so that the colours contrast nicely.

Note. A few crayfish make a pretty garnishing to lobster salad.

Lobster (a la mode francaise).
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Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of white stock, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; bread crumbs.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it up into small square pieces; put the stock, cream, and seasoning into a stewpan, add the lobster, and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes. Serve it in the shell, which must be nicely cleaned, and have a border of puff-paste; cover it with bread crumbs, place small pieces of butter over, and brown before the fire, or with a salamander.

Time. 1/4 hour.

Lobster curry (an Entree).
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Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 2 onions, 1 oz. butter, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1/2 pint of medium stock, the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it into nice square pieces; fry the onions of a pale brown in the butter, stir in the curry-powder and stock, and simmer till it thickens, when put in the lobster; stew the whole slowly for 1/2 hour, and stir occasionally; and just before sending to table, put in the lemon-juice. Serve boiled rice with it, the same as for other curries.

Time. Altogether, 3/4 hour.

Lobster cutlets (an Entree).
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Ingredients:- 1 large hen lobster, 1 oz. fresh butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, pounded mace, grated nutmeg, cayenne and white pepper to taste, egg, and bread crumbs.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and pound it in a mortar with the butter, and gradually add the mace and seasoning, well mixing the ingredients; beat all to a smooth paste, and add a little of the spawn; divide the mixture into pieces of an equal size, and shape them like cutlets. They should not be very thick. Brush them over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs, and stick a short piece of the small claw in the top of each; fry them of a nice brown in boiling lard, and drain them before the fire, on a sieve reversed; arrange them nicely on a dish, and pour bechamel in the middle, but not over the cutlets.

Time. About 8 minutes after the cutlets are made.

Lobster patties (an Entree).
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Ingredients:- Minced lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of bechamel, 6 drops of anchovy sauce, lemon-juice, cayenne to taste.

Mode:- Line the patty-pans with puff-paste, and put into each a small piece of bread: cover with paste, brush over with egg, and bake of a light colour. Take as much lobster as is required, mince the meat very fine, and add the above ingredients; stir it over the fire for 6 minutes; remove the lids of the patty-cases, take out the bread, fill with the mixture, and replace the covers.

Potted lobster.
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Ingredients:- 2 lobsters; seasoning to taste, of nutmeg, pounded mace, white pepper, and salt; 1/4 lb. of butter, 3 or 4 bay-leaves.

Mode:- Take out the meat carefully from the shell, but do not cut it up. Put some butter at the bottom of a dish, lay in the lobster as evenly as possible, with the bay-leaves and seasoning between. Cover with butter, and bake for 3/4 hour in a gentle oven. When done, drain the whole on a sieve, and lay the pieces in potting-jars, with the seasoning about them. When cold, pour over it clarified butter, and, if very highly seasoned, it will keep some time.

Time. 3/4 hour.

MACARONI RECIPES.

Home-made macaroni.
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To four cupfuls of flour, add one egg well beaten, and enough water to make a dough that can be rolled. Roll thin on a breadboard and cut into strips. Dry in the sun. The best arrangement for this purpose is a wooden frame to which a square of cheese-cloth has been tightly tacked, upon which the macaroni may be laid in such a way as not to touch, and afterwards covered with a cheese-cloth to keep off the dust during the drying.

Boiled macaroni.
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Put a larg cup of macaroni into boiling water and cook until tender. When done, drained thoroughly, then add a pint of milk, part cream if it can be afforded, a little salt and one well-beaten egg; stir over the fire until it thickens, and serve hot.

Macaroni with cream sauce.
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Cook the macaroni as directed in the proceeding, and serve with a cream sauce prepared by heating a scant pint of rich milk to boiling, in a double boiler. When boiling, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smoothed in a little milk and one fourth teaspoonful of salt. If desired, the sauce may be flavored by steeping in the milk before thickening for ten or fifteen minutes, a slice of onion or a few bits of celery, and then removing with a fork.

Macaroni with tomato sauce.
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Drop a cup of macaroni into boiling milk and water, equal parts. Let it boil for an hour, or until perfectly tender. In the meantime prepare the sauce by rubbing a pint of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander to remove all seeds and fragments. Heat to boiling, thicken with a little flour; a tablespoonful to the pint will be about the requisite proportion. Add salt and if desired, a half cup of very thin sweet cream. Dish the macaroni into individual dishes, and serve with a small quantity of the sauce poured over each dish.

Macaroni baked with granola.
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Cook a large cup of macaroni until tender in boiling milk and water. When done, drain and put a layer of the macaroni in the bottom of a pudding dish, and sprinkle over it a scant teaspoonful of granola. Add a second and third layer and sprinkle each with granola; then turn over the whole a custard sauce prepared by mixing together a pint of milk, the well beaten yolks of two eggs or one whole egg, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. Care should be taken to arrange the macaroni in layers loosely, so that the sauce will readily permeate the whole. Bake for a few minutes only, until the custard has well set, and serve.

Eggs and macaroni.
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Cook a cup of macaroni in boiling water. While the macaroni is cooking, boil the yolks of four eggs until mealy. The whole egg may be used if caught so the yolks are mealy in the whites simply jellied, not hardened. When the macaroni is done, drain and put a layer of it arranged loosely in the bottom of a pudding dish. Slice the cooked egg yolks and spread a layer of them over the macaroni. Fill the dish with alternate layers of macaroni and egg, taking care to have the top layer of macaroni. Pour over the whole a cream sauce prepared as follows: Heat one and three fourths cup of rich milk to boiling, add one fourth teaspoonful of salt and one heaping spoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. Cook until thickened, then turn over the macaroni. Sprinkle the top with grated bread crumbs, and brown in a hot oven for eight or ten minutes. Serve hot.

PREPARE AND COOK MACARONI.

Macaroni is a product of wheat prepared from a hard, clean, glutenous grain. The grain is ground into a meal called semolina, from which the bran is excluded. This is made into a tasty dough by mixing with hot water in the proportion of two thirds semolina to one third water. The dough after being thoroughly mixed is put into a shallow vat and kneaded and rolled by machinery. When well rolled, it is made to assume varying shapes by being forced by a powerful plunger through the perforated head of strong steel or iron cylinders arranged above a fire, so that the dough is partially baked as it issues from the holes. It is afterwards hung over rods or laid upon frames covered with cloth, and dried. It is called by different names according to its shape. If in the shape of large, hollow cylinders, it is macaroni; if smaller in diameter, it is spaghetti; if fine, vermicelli; if the paste is cut into fancy patterns, it is termed pasta d'Italia. Macaroni was formerly made only in Italy, but at present is manufactured to a considerable extent in the United States.

Good macaroni will keep in good condition for a long time. It is rough, elastic, and hard; while the inferior article is smooth, soft, breaks easily, becomes moldy with keeping. Inferior macaroni contains a large percentage of starch, and but a small amount of gluten. When put into hot water, it assumes a white, pasty appearance, and splits in cooking. Good macaroni when put into hot water absorbs a portion of the water, swells to nearly double its size, but perfectly retains its shape. It contains a much smaller amount of gluten.

Do not wash macaroni. Break into pieces of convenient size if it is long. Always put to cook in boiling liquid, taking care to have plenty of water in the saucepan (as it absorbs a large quantity), and cook until tender. The length of time required may vary from twenty minutes, if fresh, to one hour if stale. When tender, turn into a colander and drain, and pour cold water through it to prevent the tubes from sticking together. The fluid used for cooking may be water, milk, or a mixture of both; also soup stock, tomato juice, or any preferred liquid.

Macaroni serves as an important adjunct to the making of various soups, and also forms the basis of other palatable dishes.

THE CHEMISTRY AND ECONOMY OF SOUP-MAKING.

Stock being the basis of all meat soups, and, also, of all the principal sauces, it is essential to the success of these culinary operations, to know the most complete and economical method of extracting, from a certain quantity of meat, the best possible stock or broth. The theory and philosophy of this process we will, therefore, explain, and then proceed to show the practical course to be adopted.

As all meat is principally composed of fibres, fat, gelatine, osmazome, and albumen, it is requisite to know that the fibres are inseparable, constituting almost all that remains of the meat after it has undergone a long boiling. Fat is dissolved by boiling; but as it is contained in cells  covered by a very fine membrane, which never dissolves, a portion of it always adheres to the fibres. The other portion rises to the surface of the stock, and is that which has escaped from the cells which were not whole, or which have burst by boiling. Gelatine is soluble: it is the basis and the nutritious  portion of the stock. When there is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when cold, to become a jelly. Osmazome is soluble even when cold, and is that part of the meat which gives flavour and perfume to the stock. The flesh of old animals contains more osmazome than that of young ones. Brown meats contain more than white, and the former make the stock more fragrant. By roasting meat, the osmazome appears to acquire higher properties; so, by putting the remains of roast meats into your stock-pot, you obtain a better flavour.

Albumen is of the nature of the white of eggs; it can be dissolved in cold or tepid water, but coagulates when it is put into water not quite at the boiling-point. From this property in albumen, it is evident that if the meat is put into the stock-pot when the water boils, or after this is made to boil up quickly, the albumen, in both cases, hardens. In the first it rises to the surface, in the second it remains in the meat, but in both it prevents the gelatine and osmazome from dissolving; and hence a thin and tasteless stock will be obtained. It ought to be known, too, that the coagulation of the albumen in the meat, always takes place, more or less, according to the size of the piece, as the parts farthest from the surface always acquire that degree of heat which congeals it before entirely dissolving it.

Bones ought always to form a component part of the stock-pot. They are composed of an earthy substance, to which they owe their solidity, of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. Two ounces of them contain as much gelatine as one pound of meat; but in them, this is so incased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the surface of whole bones. By breaking them, however, you can dissolve more, because you multiply their surfaces; and by reducing them to powder or paste, you can dissolve them entirely; but you must not grind them dry. Gelatine forms the basis of stock; but this, though very nourishing, is entirely without taste; and to make the stock savoury, it must contain osmazome. Of this, bones do not contain a particle; and that is the reason why stock made entirely of them, is not liked; but when you add meat to the broken or pulverized bones, the osmazome contained in it makes the stock sufficiently savoury.

In concluding this part of our subject, the following condensed hints and directions should be attended to in the economy of soup-making:

 Beef makes the best stock. Veal stock has less colour and taste; whilst mutton sometimes gives it a tallowy smell, far from agreeable, unless the meat has been previously roasted or broiled. Fowls add very little to the flavour of stock, unless they be old and fat. Pigeons, when they are old, add the most flavour to it; and a rabbit or partridge is also a great improvement. From the freshest meat the best stock is obtained.

If the meat be boiled solely to make stock, it must be cut up into the smallest possible pieces; but, generally speaking, if it is desired to have good stock and a piece of savoury meat as well, it is necessary to put a rather large piece into the stock-pot, say sufficient for two or three days, during which time the stock will keep well in all weathers. Choose the freshest meat, and have it cut as thick as possible; for if it is a thin, flat piece, it will not look well, and will be very soon spoiled by the boiling.

Never wash meat, as it deprives its surface of all its juices; separate it from the bones, and tie it round with tape, so that its shape may be preserved, then put it into the stock-pot, and for each pound of meat, let there be one pint of water; press it down with the hand, to allow the air, which it contains, to escape, and which often raises it to the top of the water.

Put the stock-pot on a gentle fire, so that it may heat gradually. The albumen will first dissolve, afterwards coagulate; and as it is in this state lighter than the liquid, it will rise to the surface; bringing with it all its impurities. It is this which makes the scum. The rising of the hardened albumen has the same effect in clarifying stock as the white of eggs; and, as a rule, it may be said that the more scum there is, the clearer will be the stock. Always take care that the fire is very regular.

Remove the scum when it rises thickly, and do not let the stock boil, because then one portion of the scum will be dissolved, and the other go to the bottom of the pot; thus rendering it very difficult to obtain a clear broth. If the fire is regular, it will not be necessary to add cold water in order to make the scum rise; but if the fire is too large at first, it will then be necessary to do so.

When the stock is well skimmed, and begins to boil, put in salt and vegetables, which may be two or three carrots, two turnips, one parsnip, a bunch of leeks and celery tied together. You can add, according to taste, a piece of cabbage, two or three cloves stuck in an onion, and a tomato. The latter gives a very agreeable flavour to the stock. If fried onion be added, it ought, according to the advice of a famous French chef, to be tied in a little bag: without this precaution, the colour of the stock is liable to be clouded.

By this time we will now suppose that you have chopped the bones which were separated from the meat, and those which were left from the roast meat of the day before. Remember, as was before pointed out, that the more these are broken, the more gelatine you will have. The best way to break them up is to pound them roughly in an iron mortar, adding, from time to time, a little water, to prevent them getting heated.  In their broken state tie them up in a bag, and put them in the stock-pot; adding the gristly parts of cold meat, and trimmings, which can be used for no other purpose. If, to make up the weight, you have purchased a piece of mutton or veal, broil it slightly over a clear fire before putting it in the stock-pot, and be very careful that it does not contract the least taste of being smoked or burnt.

Add now the vegetables, which, to a certain extent, will stop the boiling of the stock. Wait, therefore, till it simmers well up again, then draw it to the side of the fire, and keep it gently simmering till it is served, preserving, as before said, your fire always the same. Cover the stock-pot well, to prevent evaporation; do not fill it up, even if you take out a little stock, unless the meat is exposed; in which case a little boiling water may be added, but only enough to cover it. After six hours' slow and gentle simmering, the stock is done; and it should not be continued on the fire, longer than is necessary, or it will tend to insipidity.

Note. It is on a good stock, or first good broth and sauce, that excellence in cookery depends. If the preparation of this basis of the culinary art is intrusted to negligent or ignorant persons, and the stock is not well skimmed, but indifferent results will be obtained. The stock will never be clear; and when it is obliged to be clarified, it is deteriorated both in quality and flavour. In the proper management of the stock-pot an immense deal of trouble is saved, inasmuch as one stock, in a small dinner, serves for all purposes. Above all things, the greatest economy, consistent with excellence, should be practised, and the price of everything which enters the kitchen correctly ascertained. The theory of this part of Household Management may appear trifling; but its practice is extensive, and therefore it requires the best attention.

prevent your rose

Any gardener who has grown roses knows that sooner or later you are going to encounter a problem or two. But growing roses isn't as difficult as you might have heard. Choosing the right type of rose and giving it the care that it needs are common sense approaches to carefree plants. Planting your roses in combination with other plants, rather than in an exclusively rose garden, can further cut down on problems. However we are often drawn to the beautiful prima donas in the rose world and these will require more attention. The best remedy for rose problems is a good defense.

Prevent Rose Problems Before They Occur

Choose Resistant Varieties: Where you are gardening plays an important role in which roses you should be growing. Humid areas will always be prone to mildew. Hot, dry climates need roses that can withstand a little drought. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for a list of disease resistant varieties for your area.
Keep Them Healthy & Vigorous: Pests are bullies and they will pick on the weakest plants first. Unless you’re growing roses to compete, rose bushes aren’t nearly as fussy as you may have been led to believe.
Keep your roses watered and fed.
Don’t over do the nitrogen. Lots of tender new growth attracts aphids.
Prune to allow air circulation, particularly in humid climates.
Stop pruning at least 6 weeks before expected frost, so new growth is not damaged by the cold.
Mulch around rose plant roots to prevent soil born diseases from splashing onto leaves
Clean up Fallen Debris and Dead and Diseased Plant Parts: Good sanitation can foil a lot of problems.
A mildewed leaf that falls and remains on the ground will send spores to the rest of the plant.
Fallen leaves can provide a safe haven for insects and diseases to over-winter and re-infest the plant next season.
A damaged or dead branch is an inviting entry point for many pests.
Learn Which Insects are Problems and Encourage the Good Guys: Random spraying of insecticides does more harm than good. There will always be more trips flying in or more aphids being born. Encourage the insects that feed on these pests. And don’t panic at the first sign of a pest. If there are no pests, there will be no reason for the beneficial insects to take up residence in your garden. There needs to be a balance in your garden.
Lady beetles are renowned aphid eaters.
Green Lacewings eat aphids, mites, thrips and many insect eggs.
Predatory Mites feed on thrips and spider mites
Parasitic Wasps attack caterpillars
Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be an insect predator for Japanese Beetles. Pesticides aren’t particularly effective against adult beetles and hand picking is your best option.

Avoid Annual Diseases with a Preventative Spray: Even during years of drought, humid climates can expect some Black Spot on roses. A dormant spray of a fungicide applied after pruning will help greatly in offsetting the problem. A rose fungicide containing either lime or copper is a good low toxic choice.

Why You Should Remodel Your Kitchen

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Why You Should Remodel Your Kitchen

Are you a homeowner?  If so, have you ever thought about remodeling your kitchen before?  While a fairly large number of homeowners think about remodeling their kitchen, not everyone makes the decision to do so.  There are a number of reasons why a homeowner wishes to remodel their kitchen, but later decides not to.  One of those reasons is the uncertainty. It is not uncommon for you and other homeowners to be wondering whether or not you really need to have your kitchen remodeled. While there is always a chance that you may not, there is also a chance that a kitchen remodeling project is just what you, your home, and your kitchen needs.

One of the most obvious reasons why you should remodel your kitchen is if you want to.  While a large number of individuals wonder whether or not they should, the uncertainty most commonly has to do with spending the extra money.  If you have the extra money and you want to remodel your kitchen, you should.  If you are interested in remodeling your kitchen, there is a good chance that you may be unhappy with your current kitchen.  Since your home, particularly your kitchen, is something that you spend the majority of your time in, you will want to make sure that it is warm, welcoming, and inviting. If your current kitchen scheme makes you feel uncomfortable or if you just want to change it, go right ahead, you could benefit from doing so, a number of different ways.

In addition to knowing for sure that a kitchen remodeling project is what is needed, there are other homeowners who want a change, but don’t necessarily know what that change should be.  When this feeling is present, many homeowners automatically assume that they should purchase a new home, because they are no longer satisfied with the one that they live in.  If you want to purchase a new home, go right ahead, the decision is yours to make. However, before you start searching for a new home, one that actually peaks your interest, you may want to think about changing your home around a little bit.  By remodeling your home, you could easily spice up your home or even make it feel like something new.  As an experiment to see how to goes, you may want to first try remodeling your kitchen. 

Another fairly oblivious reason, why it may be a good idea to remodel your kitchen, is if your kitchen needs repairs. Although it is possible to fix a broken cupboard or replace a few kitchen floor tiles, you may want to do more than that. The perfect time to remodel your kitchen is when you have work in your kitchen that you need to do anyways.  Even if you do not decide to remodel your whole kitchen, you can focus on a particular part of it, such as your countertops or floor, if you wish.  If your kitchen has missing floor tiles or broken cupboards, you are still advised to do those repairs, especially if they may be putting you or your family in danger, safety wise.
 
If all of the above mentioned reasons weren’t enough, there is one more reason why you should remodel your kitchen. That reason is one that could bring you money, sometime in the future.  One of the greatest reasons why you should remodel your kitchen is because it is likely to increase the overall value of your home.  Any time that a home is remodeled, as long as the remodeling job was successful, the home’s value increases.  This means that if you make the decision to sell your home in the future, you could easily get more money for your home than you paid for it. Depending on how long it has been since your repairs were done and how they were paid for, you could easily get a full return on your investment, which was your decision to remodel your kitchen.

As you can easily see, there are a number of different reasons why you should want to or at least want consider remodeling your kitchen. Of course, the decision is yours to make, but it is a good idea to keep the above mentioned points in mind.

Types Of Swimming Pools

Types Of Swimming Pools

Swimming pools provide a great way to relax, exercise, and enjoy yourself on a hot summer day, coming in a variety of different shapes and sizes.  To efficiently and safely operate a swimming pool, you’ll need to have a pump, basin, water filter, chemical feeder, return, drains, and the proper plumbing to transport your water.

Depending on the basin structure, there are various types of pools available for you to choose from.  Above ground swimming pools are the easiest to build and the cheapest to buy, as they come with pre-made kits.  Fiberglass pools are built using molded fiberglass, reinforced plastic.  Fiberglass pools are in ground, and can provide you years and years of family fun and swimming excitement.

Vinyl lined swimming pools are the cheapest types of in ground designs you can get, although you’ll need to have the liner replaced every 10 years or so.  Concrete is another popular design for in ground pools, as they provide plenty of room and no need to have the liner replaced.

There are also the public swimming pools, which include heated indoor pools, children’s pools, and outdoor pools.  Public swimming pools are well known for their slides and other features such as waterfalls and splash pads.  Public pools are great for hot days, although most prefer to get their own pool due to public pools being so crowded on a frequent basis.

Swim spas, or exercise pools are also popular, known for their resistance swimming.  Swimming is one of the best exercises that you can do for your body, as it works just about every muscle in your body.  There are several exercises that you can do in an exercise pool, such as jogging, water toning, and water yoga.

No matter what type of swimming pool it may be, it’s very important that the chemicals stay balanced.  If the balance of the chemicals is off, it can damage the water, which can really irritate your skin and your eyes.  Therefore, swimming pools need to be disinfected on a daily basis and treated with various chemicals.  To maintain the proper health of the skin, purifying the water is very important.

If you are looking to add a swimming pool to your property, there are several for you to choose from.  Swimming pools can help add property value to your home, which is always a good thing.  When you add a swimming pool to your property, you should always think in terms of safety, and ensure that your pool is protected against young children.  If you take care of your pool and always make sure that things are clean and safe, your pool will provide you with plenty of fun for years and years to come.

Locating And Repairing Swimming Pool Leaks

Locating And Repairing Swimming Pool Leaks

If you own a swimming pool, it can be quite easy to notice a leak.  Once you have opened your pool for the year, you can easily spot a leak by the water gushing out.  Where the leak is coming from though, may be an entirely different story.  Sometimes it may be easy to tell, although other times it can be a bit more complicated.

The first thing you need to do, is make sure that the water you see or notice missing is actually a leak.  Even though you may think it’s a leak, it could be something else.  Basically, there are three causes of water loss with swimming pools - plumbing leaks, shell leaks, and evaporation.  You should make sure you know the cause of the leak before you go any further.  Sometimes, what you think is a leak could be water lost from splashing - which can easily happen if you have a lot of people diving in your pool.

Evaporation is a common cause of water loss, and there is a way that you can determine if your loss of water is indeed evaporation.  To find out, take a large container then fill it full of water and put it on the first pool step.  Next, remove some water from the container sitting on the first step, so that the water in the pool and the container are the same level.  Now, let the container sit there for a few days, with no one using the pool during the entire time.

When you check back in a few days, the levels should be the same.  If they have gone down any, then you know that evaporation from the sun is to blame.  If the water that you have in the pool has dropped a great deal more than what you have in the container, you’ll know that you have a leak in your pool.

If you think that the water is going down to a pool leak, you’ll first need to find where the leak is coming from.  You should always start looking near the pump and the filter.  Along the way, if you happen to notice any wet areas or damp areas, you should trace the water back and see if you can locate a leak.  In most cases, the leak will turn out to be a connection with one of the pipes.

If it isn’t a pipe, then it could be a problem with the shell.  If you have an aboveground pool, simple look for the hole where the water is coming out of and repair it.  On the other hand, if you have a pool that is below ground, it can be a bit more complicated.  You can try inspected the shell in the pool, or checking surrounding areas.

Sometimes, no matter how hard you look, it can seem almost impossible to find where the leak is coming from.  Keep in mind that if it is the shell, you should always leave it to a qualified professional to fix the problem.  Shells for underground pools especially can be very tough to fix, and even harder if you know very little about swimming pools.

In most cases, locating and repairing a leak with your swimming pool is more or less just eliminating causes until you find the right one.  Once you have located the problem and know what is causing it, you can decide on whether or not to do the repair yourself or to call a qualified professional and have them do the repair for you.

In Ground Pools

In Ground Pools

Although above ground swimming pools may be cheaper to buy, easier to install, and cheaper to operate, a lot of people prefer to have in ground pools.  In groung swimming pools provide you with a lot more room to swim, and a lot more space.  Those of you who have families or a lot of friends who love to swim, would greatly benefit from having one of these pools.

In ground swimming pools are long lasting, as they are designed with cement on the sides and along the bottom.  They are a bit more expensive than above ground swimming pools, although they are more than worth the money you spend.  Depending on your needs, you can have your in ground pool built to your liking, such as a shallow end for kids and a deep end for diving.

Installing an in ground swimming pool will take a bit more time than above ground pools, which only take a few hours.  To install an in ground pool, the contractor will need to dig a hole in the ground, then set up the framework outside of the hole.  Once this is finished, he will pour some sand in the bottom of the this hole, then set the liner up.

With in ground pools, you’ll have a few different types of material that you can select for the liner.  The most common and preferred is vinyl, which is also the most attractive.  Vinyl liners are also better for winter as well.  If you live in an area that is well known for winter, you may want to go with a vinyl liner for your swimming pool.

Fiberglass and concrete are also excellent liners as well.  Fiberglass liners are constructed in a factory from fiberglass reinforced plastic then worked with until it resembles a really large bathtub.  Unlike vinyl liners, you won’t need to replace fiberglass.  In the end, you can save a lot of money and time by using a fiberglass liner.

Concrete liners are also great, and are one of the most common ways to line your in ground swimming pool.  If you are using concrete, you can also have your pool custom poured, giving you the design you want.  Concrete lasts for years and years, and like fiberglass liners, it doesn’t need to be replaced.  You can also add to the look of this liner as well, by using tile or finishing the concrete liner with plaster.

In ground swimming pools are great for families who love to swim, or those who want to have the biggest swim pool possible.  Even though they take a lot of time to build and cost a lot of money, they are more than worth it in the end - when you walk outside and see what you have with your own eyes.

Swimming Pool Accessories for Sport Fans

Swimming Pool Accessories for Sport Fans

Swimming pools, they have become a staple of summer. Each year, millions of children and adults jump into a swimming pool, not only to cool off, but for excitement as well.  If you are a pool owner, regardless of whether or not you have children, you may want to consider incorporating some fun sports games into your pool. If you are interested, this can easily be done with the purchase of a few popular pool accessories. Those pool accessories may include, but should not be limited to, basketball hoops or volley ball nets.

Poolside basketball hoops have been providing swimmers and spectators with fun for years now. Even though more modernized pool accessories have been developed, there is still just something fun about playing basketball in the water.  In fact, paying basketball in the pool is so much fun that everyone is likely to enjoy it, even those that do not consider themselves to be sports fans.

What is nice about most basketball hoops, for the pool, is that they can be used on all different types of pools.  For instance if you have an in-ground pool, an aboveground pool with a deck, or an aboveground pool without a deck, there should be a basketball hoop that will fit your pool. This is because some basketball hoops are able to attach on to the side of a pool, while others attach to the deck, or there are even basketball hoops that are filled with water.  Unlike basketball hoops that are anchored into something, these types of hoops are easy to move.

If you are interested in purchasing a basketball hoop, for your pool, you will have to start shopping. In your search, you will likely see that basketball hoops come in a wide variety of different sizes and styles. In fact, there are so many different styles that you may find it overwhelming to choose just one. If this is the case, you are advised to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each style. This may help you pick the basketball hoop that will not only be right for your pool, but right for your needs as well.

In addition to basketball, volleyball is another popular sports game that can easily be played in the water. To play water basketball, you need to have a basketball hoop and to play water volleyball; you need a volleyball net.  Unlike basketball hoops, for the pool, most volleyball nets are the same or similar. This may make purchasing this popular pool accessory easier.

When it comes to purchasing a volleyball net, you will find that most nets are able to be used in aboveground swimming pools and underground swimming pools. This is due to the fact that volleyball net arms are usually extendable.  This means that if you have an aboveground pool, you will need to increase the length of the poles to reach from the ground to your pool.  If you have an in-ground pool, you will often decrease the length of the poles to the smallest size.  In addition to being ideal for both aboveground and in-ground pools, most volleyball nets should be easy to remove and store.

Despite the fact that basketball and volleyball are considered the most popular sports games to play in the pool, you do not have to limit yourself.  By visiting your local pool supply store or by shopping online, you may be able to find other fun games that can be played in the pool. And, if not, you can also get creative and make your own. What could be more fun than that?

new Pool Accessories for Kid Pools

new Pool Accessories for Kid Pools

When most of us think of swimming pools, aboveground pools and in-ground pools are often the first things that come to mind. Although they may be the most popular types of pools, they are not the only pools that are available for sale. In the United States, a large number of families have what is known as a kiddie pool.

A kiddie pool is a small sized pool. It was designed with children in mind; thus the title of kiddie pool. These popular pools come in a wide variety of different shapes, sizes, and styles.  Despite the different designs, most kiddie pools do not average more than two feet of water.  In fact, many are designed to hold less than that amount. As previously mentioned, kiddie pools are designed for families with small children; however, anyone can own them. They are also popular among teens and adults, especially those that live in a home or an apartment with a small backyard.

Since most kiddie pools are small in size, many believe that they do not need pool accessories.  While your kiddie pool may not need pool accessories for you to enjoy it, you may want to consider purchasing some. The size of a kiddie pool may limit the number of pool toys or pool accessories that you can have, but there are still many products that you may find available for purchase. These products may include kiddie pool cleaning supplies, lifesaving devices, and pool toys

Although the depth of most kiddie pools is only around two feet, you may still want to protect your child. The best available lifesaving device is a lifejacket; however, many are difficult or impossible to use in a kiddie pool. If you want to equip your child with something that may help them stay afloat, you may want to examine arm floaties. Once inflated, arm floaties will slip on to a child’s arm. What is nice about most arm floaties is that they can be purchased for a low price.  Many discount stores, department stores, and even dollar stores carry arm floaties.

While it is nice to protect your child while they are swimming, you will also want them to have fun. This can be done with the purchase of pool toys.  As with most aboveground and in-ground pool toys, you will find that there are a wide variety of different pool toys that are safe to use in a kiddie pool. These items may include, but should not be limited to, beach balls, swim rings, and small floating toys.  Similar to, the above mentioned arm floaties, many of these pool toys can be purchased for a low price.

In addition to pool toys and lifesaving devices, you may also want to examine other pool accessories.  These other accessories may include pool cleaning supplies or maintenance supplies.  Despite the fact that many kiddie pools are easy to drain and refill, not everyone may be able do this. If you are unable to regularly change the water in your kiddie pool, you may be able to benefit from purchasing a few pool cleaning supplies. A pool skimmer makes it easy to remove debris from all pools, including kiddie pools.

Since most kiddie pools are inflatable, you may want to have repair kits on hands. These repair kits should contain patches that can be used to repair a leak or hole in a kiddie pool. While most kiddie pools come with a few repair patches, you may want to think about having more on hand, just in case. As with most other pool accessories and cleaning supplies, kiddie pool repair kits can be purchased from most, on and offline, retailers.

As you can see, a kiddie pool doesn’t just have to be a kiddie pool. Whether your kiddie pool is used for fun or for relaxation, there are a number of different pool accessories and supplies that may help to make your swimming or wading enjoyable.

Pool Accessory Buying Guide

Pool Accessory Buying Guide

If you are interested in purchasing a pool, you are not alone. Each year, thousands of homeowners make the decision to purchase a swimming pool. Many of these swimming pools are in-ground pools, while others are aboveground pools. Regardless of which type of pool you are interested in purchasing, there is one thing that you should keep in mind. It is often difficult or impossible to purchase just a pool. In addition to a pool, you may need to purchase additional pool accessories or supplies.

When it comes to purchasing pool accessories and pool supplies, there are many individuals who are unsure exactly what they are, let alone where to buy them.  If you are about to buy a swimming pool, it may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the most popular and most needed pool accessories and supplies. Even if you do not plan on purchasing anything right away, you are still advised to consider what is available for your pool. Familiarizing yourself with all of your available options is a great way to not only find quality pool supplies, but find affordable ones.

Perhaps, one of the first things that you should think about purchasing for your new pool is cleaning supplies. In most cases, cleaning supplies will not be included in the cost of your pool. This means that you will need to purchase your own. Whether you purchase your swimming pool from an online retailer or a local pool supply store, you may what to consider purchasing your cleaning supplies and equipment at the same time. This will help to ensure that you do not forget these important items.

When purchasing a swimming pool, it is important that you examine all of the fixtures that are included in your package. Most swimming pool packages will include steps, for in-ground pools, or ladders, for both types of pools. Despite the fact that these fixtures are often included; it is still advised that you check before making your final purchase. In the event that these items are not included, you will want to consider purchasing them right away. Depending on the type of pool you have, you may be unable to go swimming without a way to get in or out of your pool.

Pool fixtures and cleaning supplies are the pool accessories that you should be the most concerned with. Once you have those items covered, you can begin to think about other accessories. These accessories, may include, but should not be limited to, pool toys, pool furniture, and other fixtures.  When purchasing these items, it is important to remember that they are optional. While you may enjoy having floatable furniture or fun pool toys, they are not required.

If you are interested in purchasing pool toys, you will find that you have an unlimited number of different options.  Pool toys come in a wide variety of different sizes, shapes, styles, and designs. By shopping online or by visiting your local retail store, you should be able to find a large selection of pool toys. These toys may include, but should not be limited to, arm floaties, swim rings, baby floats, beach balls, dive rings, and other floatable toys.

While shopping for swim toys, you may also want to examine pool furniture.  This furniture may include, but should not be limited to, traditional floating chairs, floating lounge chairs, or floating rafts.  While pool furniture may be a little bit more expensive than most traditional pool toys, you should be able to purchase them from the same locations. Many retailers, both online and offline, will carry a selection of floatable pool furniture.  By purchasing your pool toys and pool furniture together you may not only be able to save time, but money as well.

The above mentioned pool supplies and accessories are just a few of the many items that can you can purchase for your in-ground or aboveground pool. For additional products ideas, you may want to visit your local pool supply store or visit the online website of a well-known retailer.

In-Ground Pools

In-Ground Pools

In-ground pools are one of the most popular pool styles in the United States.  If given the opportunity, many homeowners would prefer to have an in-ground pool, rather than an aboveground pool. One of the many reasons why in-ground pools are preferred over aboveground pools is because of their appearance. In-ground pools are more attractive than pools that stick out of the ground.  If the appearance of your pool is important, you will want to keep your pool cleaned.

To keep your in-ground pool clean, you will have to obtain the proper cleaning supplies and equipment.  If you have yet to purchase cleaning supplies for your pool, you may be unsure as to which type of cleaning supplies are best for your pool. Instead of just guessing, you are advised to familiarize yourself with all of the in-ground pool cleaning supplies that are currently available for sale.

When it comes to familiarizing yourself with in-ground pool cleaning supplies and equipment, you will have a number of different options.  Perhaps, one of the easiest ways to learn about well performing cleaning equipment and supplies is to speak to those that you know.  If you live in a warm area, it is likely that one of your friends, neighbors, coworkers, or relatives has a pool. If so, you may want to ask them about the cleaning supplies or equipment that they use. If you receive positive feedback or product recommendations, you may want to consider further examining those products.

In addition to speaking to your friends, relatives, coworkers, or neighbors, you can also use the internet to familiarize yourself with in-ground pool cleaning supplies. In addition to visiting the online websites of multiple product manufacturers and pool supply stores, you may also want to look for online resources guides. There are a large number of online websites and resource guides that are aimed at assisting those with in-ground pools.  On these websites, you should be able to learn more about the cleaning supplies that are currently on the market. You may also be able to read product recommendations or warning from other pool owners.

Whichever search method you select, it is likely that you will hear of automatic pool cleaners and manual pool cleaners.  If you are looking to save time, you may want to examine automatic pool cleaners.  If you are looking for low-cost cleaning supplies or equipment, you may want to examine manual cleaners.  Before making a final decision, as to which type of pool cleaner you would like to purchase, you are advised to examine the advantages and disadvantages of each product.

As mentioned above, automatic pool cleaners are popular because they save time.  In most cases, automatic pool cleaners work without your assistance.  For instance, if you are using chemicals to clean your pool, automatic cleaners would require that you just pour the chemicals into your pool. If you were looking for cleaning equipment, such as a pool vacuum, many vacuums only require that you turn them on and then the vacuum will do the rest.  However, it is important to be on the lookout for automatic pool vacuums that may require your assistance to operate.
As previously mentioned, manual pool cleaners and cleaning supplies are ideal for those who are looking to save money. In most on and offline retail stores, you will find that manual cleaners and cleaning supplies cost less than those that are automatic. While it may take time to manually clean your in-ground pool, you can also make sure that it is done right, the first time.

In addition to either purchasing manual cleaning supplies or automatic ones, you may want to consider purchasing both. In the event that your automatic cleaner does not work, you will have an extra alternative and visa versa.  Having a backup plan, when it comes to cleaning your in-ground pool, is the best way to ensure that you can swim anytime you want.

HYGIENE OF DIGESTION.

With the stomach and other digestive organs in a state of perfect health, one is entirely unconscious of their existence, save when of feeling of hunger calls attention to the fact that food is required, or satiety warns us that a sufficient amount or too much has been eaten. Perfect digestion can only be maintained by careful observance of the rules of health in regard to habits of eating.

On the subject of Hygiene of Digestion, we quote a few paragraphs from Dr. Kellogg's work on Physiology, in which is given a concise summary of the more important points relating to this:

"The hygiene of digestion has to do with the quality and quantity of food eaten, in the manner of eating it.

If the food is eaten too rapidly, it will not be properly divided, and when swallowed in coarse lumps, the digestive fluids cannot readily act upon it. On account of the insufficient mastication, the saliva will be deficient in quantity, and, as a consequence, the starch will not be well digested, and the stomach will not secrete a sufficient amount of gastric juice. It is not well to eat only soft or liquid food, as we are likely to swallow it without proper chewing. A considerable proportion of hard food, which requires thorough mastication, should be eaten at every meal.

Drinking Freely at Meals is harmful, as it not only encourages hasty eating, but dilutes the gastric juice, and thus lessens its activity. The food should be chewed until sufficiently moistened by saliva to allow it to be swallowed. When large quantities of fluid are taken into the stomach, digestion does not begin until a considerable portion of the fluid has been absorbed. If cold foods or drinks are taken with the meal, such as ice-cream, ice-water, iced milk or tea, the stomach is chilled, and a long delay in the digestive process is occasioned.

The Indians of Brazil carefully abstain from drinking when eating, and the same custom prevails among many other savage tribes.

Eating between Meals.
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The habit of eating apples, nuts, fruits, confectionery, etc., between meals is exceedingly harmful, and certain to produce loss of appetite and indigestion. The stomach as well as the muscles and other organs of the body requires rest. The frequency with which meals should be taken depends somewhat upon the age and occupation of an individual. Infants take their food at short intervals, and owing to its simple character, are able to digest it very quickly. Adults should not take food oftener than three times a day; and persons whose employment is sedentary say, in many cases at least, adopt with advantage the plan of the ancient Greeks, who ate but twice a day.

Simplicity in Diet.
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Taking too many kinds of food at a meal is a common fault which is often a cause of disease of the digestive-organs. Those nations are the most hardy and enduring whose dietary is most simple. The Scotch peasantry live chiefly upon oatmeal, the Irish upon potatoes, milk, and oatmeal, the Italian upon peas, beans, macaroni, and chestnuts; yet all these are noted for remarkable health and endurance. The natives of the Canary Islands, an exceedingly well-developed and vigorous race, subsist almost chiefly upon a food which they call gofio, consisting of parched grain, coarsely ground in a mortar and mixed with water.

Eating when Tired.
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It is not well to eat when exhausted by violent exercise, as the system is not prepared to do the work of digestion well. Sleeping immediately after eating is also a harmful practice. The process of digestion cannot well be performed during sleep, and sleep is disturbed by the ineffective efforts of the digestive organs. Hence the well-known evil effects of late suppers.

Eating too Much.
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Hasty eating is the greatest cause of over-eating. When one eats too rapidly, the food is crowded into the stomach so fast that nature has no time to cry, 'Enough,' by taking away the appetite before too much has been eaten. When an excess of food is taken, it is likely to ferment or sour before it can be digested. One who eats too much usually feels dull after eating."

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL KITCHEN.

It is a mistake to suppose that any room, however small and unpleasantly situated, is "good enough" for a kitchen. This is the room where housekeepers pass a great portion of their time, and it should be one of the brightest and most convenient rooms in the house; for upon the results of no other department depend so greatly the health and comfort of the family as upon those involved in this 'household workshop'.

Every kitchen should have windows on two sides of the room, and the sun should have free entrance through them; the windows should open from the top to allow a complete change of air, for light and fresh air are among the chief essentials to success in all departments of the household. Good drainage should also be provided, and the ventilation of the kitchen ought to be even more carefully attended to than that of a sleeping room. The ventilation of the kitchen should be so ample as to thoroughly remove all gases and odors, which, together with steam from boiling and other cooking processes, generally invade and render to some degree unhealthful every other portion of the house.

There should be ample space for tables, chairs, range, sink, and cupboards, yet the room should not be so large as to necessitate too many steps. Undoubtedly much of the distaste for, and neglect of, "housework," so often deplored, arises from unpleasant surroundings. If the kitchen be light, airy, and tidy, and the utensils bright and clean, the work of compounding those articles of food which grace the table and satisfy the appetite will be a pleasant task.

It is desirable, from a sanitary standpoint, that the kitchen floor be made impervious to moisture; hence, concrete or tile floors are better than wooden floors. Cleanliness is the great desideratum, and this can be best attained by having all woodwork in and about the kitchen coated with polish; substances which cause stain and grease spots, do not penetrate the wood when polished, and can be easily removed with a damp cloth.

The elements of beauty should not be lacking in the kitchen. Pictures and fancy articles are inappropriate; but a few pots of easily cultivated flowers on the window ledge or arranged upon brackets about the window in winter, and a window box arranged as a jardiniere, with vines and blooming plants in summer, will greatly brighten the room, and thus serve to lighten the task of those whose daily labor confines them to the precincts of the kitchen.

The kitchen furniture.
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The furniture for a kitchen should not be cumbersome, and should be so made and dressed as to be easily cleaned. There should be plenty of cupboards, and each for the sake of order, should be devoted to a special purpose. Cupboards with sliding doors are much superior to closets. They should be placed upon casters so as to be easily moved, as they, are thus not only more convenient, but admit of more thorough cleanliness.

Cupboards used for the storage of food should be well ventilated; otherwise, they furnish choice conditions for the development of mold and germs. Movable cupboards may be ventilated by means of openings in the top, and doors covered with very fine wire gauze which will admit the air but keep out flies and dust.

For ordinary kitchen uses, small tables of suitable height on easy-rolling casters, and with zinc tops, are the most convenient and most easily kept clean. It is quite as well that they be made without drawers, which are too apt to become receptacles for a heterogeneous mass of rubbish. If desirable to have some handy place for keeping articles which are frequently required for use, an arrangement similar to that represented in the accompanying cut may be made at very small expense. It may be also an advantage to arrange small shelves about and above the range, on which may be kept various articles necessary for cooking purposes.

One of the most indispensable articles of furnishing for a well-appointed kitchen, is a sink; however, a sink must be properly constructed and well cared for, or it is likely to become a source of great danger to the health of the inmates of the household.  The sink should if possible stand out from the wall, so as to allow free access to all sides of it for the sake of cleanliness. The pipes and fixtures should be selected and placed by a competent plumber.

Great pains should be taken to keep the pipes clean and well disinfected. Refuse of all kinds should be kept out. Thoughtless housekeepers and careless domestics often allow greasy water and bits of table waste to find their way into the pipes. Drain pipes usually have a bend, or trap, through which water containing no sediment flows freely; but the melted grease which often passes into the pipes mixed with hot water, becomes cooled and solid as it descends, adhering to the pipes, and gradually accumulating until the drain is blocked, or the water passes through very slowly. A grease-lined pipe is a hotbed for disease germs.

Tools You May Need for Your Next Kitchen Remodeling

Are you a homeowner who has recently decided that a remodeled kitchen is just what you need?  If so, there is a good chance that you may want to do that remodeling yourself.  If that is the case, there are a number of tools, likely a large number of tools, which you will need.  While there is a good chance that you may already have the majority of the tools needed for your next kitchen remodeling project, there is also a chance that you might not.  Rest assure though because the majority of the tools needed can be found right at one of your local home improvement stores.

When it comes to determining the tools that you will need, when starting your remodeling, it is important to determine which type of remodeling you will be doing. For instance, if you are installing a new set of kitchen cabinets, you will find that the tools needed may vary a little bit from the tools that would be used to replace your kitchen floor.  That is why it is advised that you determine exactly what in your kitchen you would like remodeled, as well as what types of tools will be needed.  Despite the fact that you may need different tools for different projects, there are a number of common tools; common tools that you may need no matter what kitchen remodeling project you are working one.

Perhaps, the most important tools to have is a hammer.  Hammers are used on a wide variety of different kitchen remodeling projects, particularly ones that require nails.  Hammers can also be used to help position a tile or countertop piece into a tight space.  Since hammers are used all around the house, sometimes on a daily basis, there is a good chance that you already own a hammer.  In fact, there is a good chance that you own more than one!

Aside from a hammer, it is also a good idea to have a collection of screwdrivers on hand. Although there is a good chance that you already own a couple of screwdrivers, you may want a multi-function screwdriver.  A multi-function screwdriver is one that easily allows you to change the screwdriver heads, in no time at all.  In fact, if you are really looking to save time, you may want to purchase an electric screw gun.

A putty knife is another tool that you may need to use, when remodeling your kitchen.  Putty knifes are ideal when replacing a kitchen countertops or when retiling your kitchen floor.  They are great for removing unwanted or unneeded caulk or spreading around the glue that is needed to hold your kitchen tiles down.  Putty knifes are common tools, but they are not as common as hammers or screwdrivers; therefore, you may need to purchase yourself one.

It may also be a good idea to have box cutters or handsaws on hand.  If you are replacing the flooring in your kitchen or if you are installing a new laminate kitchen countertop, there is a good chance that you need to cut materials down to size. In some cases, a box cutter could do, but in other cases, you may need a handsaw. That is why it is best to have them both on hand.

In addition to the above mentioned tools, you may need to have a wrench, a measuring tape, a glue gun, a pair of pliers, and a ladder.  Of course, it is also advised that you think along the lines of safety. In addition to the above mentioned tools, it may be a good idea to have a pair of safety goggles, a face mask, work gloves, and even a hard topped construction hat, just in case.

Remodeling Your Lighting Options in kitchen

each year millions of homeowners do it ( kitchen remodeling ).  Are you looking to become one of those home owners?  Whether you are looking to remodel every square inch of your kitchen or just part of it, there is a decent chance that you may be in the market for new kitchen lights.  The lighting found in a kitchen has a significant impact on the room’s overall atmosphere.  That is why many homeowners, when remodeling their kitchen , make the decision to change their kitchen light fixtures.

If you are interested in replacing your kitchen lights, you will find that you, literally, have an unlimited number of different options.  Kitchen lights, as well as their fixtures, come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles.  Honestly, there are some many different kitchen light fixtures to choose from, you may have a difficult time making up your mind. Despite having a difficult time making a decision, it is important that you do. As previously mentioned, the lighting in a room has a significant impact on the overall quality of that room, as well as how you may feel while inside of it. That is why it is important that you take time to research all of your choices, so that you can make the perfect selection.

One of the most popular types of lights for the kitchen are ceiling lights.  Ceiling lights are light fixtures that are attached right to the ceiling.  Although they are often known as the most traditional type of lighting for the kitchen, they can be anything but traditional. Whether you are shopping online or at one of your local retail stores, you should have access to hundreds of different light fixtures, many of which are ceiling lights.  The cost of a ceiling light will all depend on which style you choose, but, in most cases, you will find that ceiling lights are the most affordable of all kitchen lights.  If you are remodeling your kitchen on a budget, these types of lights may be best.

In addition to ceiling fans, hanging kitchen lights are quite popular.  Hanging kitchen lights comes in two main styles, chandeliers or pendants.  Pendant lighting fixtures are lights that hang down from the ceiling, often about a foot or more.  Chandelier lights are a usually a collection of hanging lights that are all grouped together.  When it comes to chandelier lights and pendant lights for the kitchen, you will often find that they are referred to as mini lights. This is because the larger size light fixtures are often too large to use in most standard kitchens.

In addition to the above mentioned kitchen light fixtures, you may also want to purchase lights that are known as under cabinet lights.  Under cabinet lights are ideal for those who are looking for a quick snack in the middle of the night.  If you are purchasing new kitchen cabinets, as part of your kitchen remodeling project, an under the cabinet light may be the perfect addition to your new cupboards.

Whether you have decided that you would like to purchase a mini pendant light, a ceiling light, or a mini chandelier kitchen light, you will still need to choose the light that looks best in your kitchen. As previously mentioned, it may be a good idea to start shopping at one of your local home improvement stores, but if you are looking for a light fixture with a particular design, it may be best to shop online.