Month: August 2018
It’s always a tough job of figuring out what to give to someone you love who will celebrate his or her birthday. The gifts that you will give to a person on his or her 75th birthday should be extremely special. Here are some gift ideas that will help you with your search for the perfect gift especially for someone celebrating such a milestone:
Go platinum
A person’s 75th birthday is a platinum birthday, and platinum 75th birthday gifts are simply fitting for the occasion. Items like platinum jewelry, frames, and decor are ideal and great gift ideas. If you find platinum items too expensive, you may also choose to give gifts that are platinum coated. Engrave the name of the birthday person, along with the date of the celebration, on the gift item to make it even more special and memorable.
You could present the celebrant with greetings recorded by family and friends
Exert a little extra effort and visit the celebrant’s family, relatives and friends. Record audio or video greetings they have for the celebrant and save it to a disk. It will surely be a surprise to the birthday celebrant if you can play the music which he used to love or sing while he was younger. The celebrant will appreciate your gift and also cherish it all through his or her life. You can also look for some services on the Net that will gather the greetings for you to help you save time and effort.
You can gift a basket which has been beautifully decorated by your own
Gift baskets make a wonderful and fun birthday gift no matter what the age of the recipient. One gift could contain lots of exciting stuff. Look for things that are also 75 years old that the celebrant will remember from their youth.
Make a collage or scrapbook
Generally, as people age, they tend to get more sentimental. Make a collage of pictures or a scrapbook to touch someone’s heart. Do not forget to include pictures taken during the different milestones of the celebrant’s life. Look for memorable moments in the person’s life such as pictures from a baptism, school days, graduation, first job, wedding, first family picture and other moments. Include photos of the celebrant’s favorite stars sports team, movies, and even favorite food if you decide to make a scrapbook. You could touch the heart of the celebrant by posting lines from his or her favorite song, poem, quotations in the scrapbook. In order to make the surprise even more sentimental, you should have visits from grandchildren, children, in-laws, and any other close friends who are available.
You must take into account the hobbies and the preferences of the celebrant
A gift that is bound to delight someone who is celebrating his or her 75th birthday would be to give him or her something that relates to his or her hobby or interest. Adding to a collection or finding items that bring back fond memories of the past are both wonderful git ideas. Coins, stamps, and other collectibles, which are meaningful to the celebrant, might also be considerations. If the birthday celebrant like to cook the dinner, let him do it and give him an apron and book containing recipes. If the celebrant loves gardening, you can give a new set of tools in a favorite color to make the gift more interesting.
Give the celebrant a pleasant shock with a ticket for a couple to an exquisite holiday resort
If you can afford it, surprise the honoree with an amazing gift of two plane tickets for two to an extraordinary vacation spot. Take into consideration the recipients age and whether or not they are able to travel. In order to make your gift everlasting memorable, opt for a spot for the birthday celebrations which is almost near to the residence of the celebrant and the celebrant would really love that idea.
Remember memories fondly by encasing a portrait in a frame, painting, or by writing poetry about the event
You must maintain emotional relationship with your gift and get a portrait, painting or a poem framed keeping that consideration in mind. If you want to frame items make sure to include one of the celebrant’s favorite. The children can be asked about their favorite photos or recite a poem or scene if you are a friend or relative. Choose a platinum-coated frame to go with the platinum birthday theme or a vintage-inspired frame that older people often love.
To finalize your gift to a person’s 75th birthday, make sure to creatively wrap it and with a heartfelt dedication inserted to make the gift complete. A gift from the heart is always most appreciated and remembered, as it illustrates the giver’s thoughtfulness.
A recent article in the New York Times “the Island where People Forget to Die” by Dan Buettner really got my attention. I am a registered dietitian and yes it is a good goal to lose weight if you need to, and to lower your cholesterol, blood sugar and triglycerides if you are on medications for these conditions. I suggest a full examination not of your body, or weight but your total lifestyle. Coincidentally I am writing this article during the recent “Franken storm”. My “normal lifestyle” has changed to a much simpler one. This situation has given me reason to pause.
This article is a must read. It identifies a man in his mid-60’s diagnosed with lung cancer and given nine months to live. He chooses to return to his ancestral roots in Ikaria Greece. What occurred was astonishing. He adopted the local ways of living and his strength started returning. The years passed and his health continued to improve. Today, at 97 years old, three decades later he is cancer-free! He never received chemo therapy, took drugs or sought therapy of any sort.
So what happens on this island that improved this man’s health? Geographically the air and water have been identified as being responsible for extending life. There have been other communities with centenarians. There are similarities within all these communities that can be helpful for all of us to heed.
The residents of this island choose to have a simple life. Their day starts late morning with a breakfast of goat’s milk, wine, sage tea or coffee with bread and honey. Lunch includes beans, potatoes, greens and whatever home grown seasonal vegetables are available. Often dinner is small with bread and honey. Meals and social times extend late into the evening sharing stories, wine and or teas. The Ikarians farm their own vegetables, raise their own animals, and enjoy drinks made from locally grown herbs. Their focus is not on monetary success, multitasking and watching the clock; instead they choose to enjoy an enormous sense of community and time for daily naps.
As an RD I counsel patients and together we create goals. My initial assessment includes information for genetics, lab values, as well as diet and exercise habits. Very often it comes to light that my patients are under stress or don’t have a social network, in addition to other weight and health issues. The Ikarians don’t seem to have these stressors and they certainly seem to enjoy socializing with a close community of friends. Could these differences make so much difference with health? Research has indicated that dementia, cardiovascular disease in addition to cancer have been delayed or totally avoided.
The Times article has brought more of my attention to the importance of “way of life”. So let’s examine this way of life that seems to be so beneficial. Our cultural ways of multitasking, rushing and watching the clock are not included in Ikarian residents thought processes. Focus on taking naps, enjoying the social aspect of eating and having a lifestyle that naturally includes being active as opposed to gym time seem to reap impressive health advantages. Everyday life includes daily walking, gardening, and heavy manual labor. Another topic that I found extremely relevant was not particularly what these residents eat but what they do not eat such as sugar and soda. Their diets are based on the Mediterrean diet, a plant based format for Ikarians consisting of goats milk, wine, teas, coffee, whole grains, honey, beans, and home grown vegetables. The Mediterrean diet emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This diet includes moderate amounts of alcohol but limited dairy and meat products.
Low intake of saturated fat is associated with lower risk of heart disease and olive oil has been found to reduce bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Tryptophan found in nuts, seeds, legumes, soybeans and other soy products, tuna, shellfish and turkey is one of ten essential amino acids. The body uses tryptophan to synthesize serotonin which is helpful in regulating appetite, as well as elevating moods and increasing the ability to enjoy beneficial sleep. Coffee, also included in Ikarian diets, has been controversial but of late research credits it with lower rates of diabetes, and heart disease. Basically to summarize, the additional benefits of the Ikarian diet include fewer pesticides, more foods in their natural form and choices that are loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals. There is no mention of packaged and processed foods or beverages.
This wonderful article really got my attention. It ended by the cancer victim showing no further signs of cancer, and returning to the US to ask his doctors if they could explain what happened. When the interviewer asked “What happened?”this former cancer victim replied “My doctors were all dead.”
Energy is the latest buzzword to garner media attention. Fuel costs are rising, and finding an alternative and economical fuel source is vital to todays economy. Concern for the environment is also at the forefront of the energy issue. Solar energy is both an economical and eco-friendly alternative fuel source.
One simple step in harnessing solar power is planting. Growing fruit tress or having a vegetable garden is a healthy and natural way to use solar power. Home-growing fruits and vegetables also cuts down on grocery bills. Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, which helps to clean the air of toxins. This idea can be taken a step further by planting a roof garden. Roof gardens can be planted on the tops of houses, garages or sheds.
Roof gardens help to insulate and retain heat in houses more efficiently than conventional thermal insulation. They also use natural precipitation for water, which reduces run-off and a homeowners sewer costs. Roof gardens also absorb ultra-violet light, which can strip a roof over time.
There are three different types of roof gardens:
o Extensive living roofs
o Semi-extensive living roofs
o Intensive living roofs
Extensive living roofs are the easiest to maintain and require the shallowest soil systems. They are also the lightest and are ideal for sheds or garages. The downside is that extensive living roofs lack the visual appeal of the other two types of roof gardens.
Semi-extensive living roofs are more aesthetically pleasing than the extensive living roof. They require a denser soil and can support different types of vegetation. They are heavier and are more suited to flat domestic buildings.
The third type of roof garden is the intensive living roof. This type of garden requires a strong structure to support it, such as the roof of a commercial building. The soil is denser and can sustain trees and full working gardens.
Roof gardens can be planted on flat or slanted surfaces. When choosing to plant a roof garden on a slanted surface like a shed, be sure to check for adequate structural support. The best types of plants for roof gardens on slanted surfaces are mosses and lichens.
The first step in planting a roof garden is to layer a moisture-retaining protective mat over the area. A root barrier and drainage layer must also be added. The root barrier protects the waterproofing of the rooftop. The drainage layer allows for collection and proper evaporation of water run-off. A filter layer is added to protect the drainage layer from fine particles being washed out of the soil. The vegetation layer contains a zinc-mineral based soil that helps the plants adapt. There are several different types of vegetation to choose from when building a roof garden.
The choice of plant life for a roof garden should be based on the type of garden and the climate. For extensive living roofs, the lightest vegetation is mosses and lichens. These are small plants that do not flower. They can survive in various different climates and are a hearty option. Sedums are the most widely used variety of plant as they are drought resistant. They also change color based on climate change. Wildflower and Calcareous Grassland plants can also be used for living roofs. These types of vegetation need ample space and would not be a viable option for a shed or small garage.
Roof gardens are a natural way to harness solar energy and insulate buildings. They can add style and beauty to a home while also saving a homeowner on heating and cooling bills. Investing in a roof garden or small home garden is an excellent way to save on natural resources and energy costs.
The gardening headlines this week have been plastered with the threat of two new diseases that could potentially devastate Europes indigenous tree population.
In southern France, along the famous Canal du Midi, a plan has been in motion since last winter that will see the felling and destruction of 42,000 plane trees in the region. This is due to the arrival of Ceratocystis platani, a disease that, since the 1970s, has been blitzing across Europe, originating in Italy. It is believed the blight, endemic to North America, was brought across the ocean by U.S. soldiers in World War Two. While the Midi, perhaps due to its recently endowed world heritage title, is certainly the most noticeable among the losses, the disease has also become prevalent in Switzerland, Germany and Greece, where it now threatens a vast percentage of the original Plane population.
The Canal, a world renowned tourist attraction, was originally designed as an economic conduit that allowed the merchants of old to bypass the treacherous Atlantic Ocean en route to the Mediterranean Sea. However, in a somewhat ironic twist, the original species of Mississippi Plane that have successfully adapted to this affliction are being imported in great numbers in order to replace one of the Canals main attractions. Unfortunately, while Toulouse can cater to their favoured humid environment, it is unclear whether this species will be viable to supplement the depletion that chillier areas of the continent have suffered.
The threat does not stop in Toulouse however – given the virility of the affliction, tree pathologist Steve Woodward (University of Aberdeen) agrees that it poses a grave threat to the urban based Planes of cities like Paris and London. It is the Plane that so commonly and attractively lines our city streets.
“We are talking about a massive disaster here if it continues to spread,” he says.
The disease is a fungal infection that, once exposed to the roots of the organism, will completely overrun it within 3-5 years and due to the damage this causes to the plants integrity, it is imperative that it be removed, lest it should fall and endanger passers-by in doing so. The disease is characterized by cankerous sores appearing on the inner bark of the tree, as well as an accelerated decline in both the quality and density of the plants foliage. No wound to the outer bark is too great or small to escape it and contact equals instant infection.
In addition to this threat from abroad, a new menace has been identified in rural Devon as a potential watershed moment for the diminishment of our domestic Yews and Lawson Cypresses in the form of Phytophtora lateralis. Identifiable by the patchy colouring of its trunk, a tree will also often exhibit slightly lighter foliage in places followed by out of season autumn colours. The tree will succumb soon after, as this foliage deterioration signals that the tree has become totally infected. While certain soil drenches can be utilized in the earlier stages of the disease, these will likely prove ineffective once it has advanced past the root structure; aside from which, use of these drenches on a mass scale would likely cause further environmental concerns and prove something of a pyrrhic victory.
Due to this increasing encroachment of pests and diseases, a body has been established to specifically target incoming detriments to our native plant life. This group, known as the Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Action Plan, has been allocated seven million pounds with which, over the next three years, they will attempt to exert a tighter control on the intrusion of foreign fungi and pathogens that threaten the endemic population.
“If we don’t act now, we could end up with a similar situation to the 1970s when more than 30 million trees in the UK died [as a result of] Dutch elm disease.”
-Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman.
The key responsibilities of the plan will include the monitoring of exotic plants allowed to cross British borders, as well as increasing the knowledge and awareness of currently existing domestic threats.
Market gardening is a great job. Bringing fresh healthy food to appreciative customers can be enjoyable and profitable. But if you are on a budget, how can you start market gardening without breaking the bank? Here’s some suggestions to get started growing for market on a budget.
Step 1: Finding land to start market gardening. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to own a farm to be a farmer! In most rural areas, there is good land that is underused. Put the word out to your neighbours that you are looking for a small plot for a market garden. You can also find land by driving around and looking for fields that appear un-worked, without animals grazing. Ask local farmers if they might be interested in renting you a small plot; they may even take a share of the vegetables you grow in exchange. A plot as small as 5000 square feet can produce an amazing amount of food for sale.
Step 2: Covering your start-up costs. Here’s a way to raise the start-up capital you will need for seeds and equipment. Approach your friends, family, co-workers, boy scout troop, hockey buddies, in short everybody, and tell them you will be raising delicious, fresh, naturally-grown vegetables, and if they hurry they can get on the list to get some. You can ask them for a deposit to secure their share of the bounty from your garden, or even get them to pay you in advance for veggies they will receive throughout the season. This model of market gardening is known as Community Supported Agriculture, and is a popular and successful model to start gardening for money.
Step 3: Getting your equipment. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on market gardening equipment to get started. You can hire a local farmer to plow and disc your garden space for you. A simple light stand for starting seeds indoors can be built with florescent shop lights and 2 by 2 lumber. Shop light usually come with chains that will let you adjust their height as your plants grow. A market garden of up to an acre can be managed with mostly hand tools, often available cheap at farm auctions. If necessary, you can buy a used rear-tine roto-tiller, or rent one as required. Other recommended supplies include drip or soaker hose for irrigation, and a roll of floating row cover to protect your plants from weather and insect damage.
Step 4: Ordering seed. This is one place where you don’t want to skimp too much. Check the seed catalogs from different suppliers, and find the best prices and sizes of seed packets that suit your growing needs. It’s better to order too much rather than too little seed; if you run out in the middle of the season, more seed may be hard to find. And most seeds will keep for several years, so anything you don’t plant can be used next season.
Step 5: Putting it all together. You now have your land, some customers, start-up capital, and market gardening equipment. Now you actually have to grow the delicious vegetables your customers are expecting. To start with, you need a production plan for your garden. You need to figure out how much of each crop you need to grow, when to start growing them, and when they need to be replanted to ensure a continuous harvest. Your planning will be based on such factors as the length of your growing season, your date for last frost in the spring and first frost in the fall, the number of customers you have, and the equipment you have available. For example, if you have ten customers that each want one head of cabbage from you each week, you will obviously need at least that many cabbages available for harvest on a weekly basis. And since not every seed germinates, and there will be some losses due to weather or insects or disease, you should allow for a ‘safety factor’ when determining how many plants to start. To be sure you will have 10 cabbages ready for harvest, you might start 15 seeds to allow for losses. Follow this kind of analysis for each crop you plan to grow.
Step 6: Maintaining your market garden. Market gardening is real work, requiring regular daily attention to be successful. You will spend time each day in watering, weeding and feeding; the gardener’s WWF. One key to this is, don’t start too big a garden the first year. Perhaps just grow vegetables for a few friends, then as your experience grows you can increase the size of your garden.