How to Know When to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Starting vegetable seeds indoors gives you a bit of a head start on the growing season. In addition, you can plant crops that will yield at different times of the year – the seeds you start indoors will yield sooner, and then the seeds you plant in the garden will yield later, extending your harvest.

The timing of seed planting is pretty precise – one week can make a big difference. While a great deal depends on your region, there are some general tips that can help. Here are some tips and suggestions on how to know when to start vegetable seeds indoors.

1. Your Local Extension Service – Get to Know Them!

Your local extension service has a wealth of information for gardeners. Contact them and ask for a planting calendar for the year. It can make all the difference. One of the most important pieces of information provided by your extension service is the average frost-free date. It varies from region to region, and seeds depend on this date.

2. Counting Back

Once you know your frost-free date, look at various seeds and how many weeks it takes them to sprout and be ready for transplanting to the garden. That helps determine when you sow your seeds indoors. For example, if a cucumber seed takes 3 weeks from the time it is planted until the time it is transplanted to the garden, you count back 3 weeks from your frost-free date and that is the date you sow your cucumber seeds.

3. Various Vegetables and Their Transplant Times

Here is a list of a few commonly grown vegetables and the number of weeks it takes for them to be ready to transplant:

Broccoli

Can Unpaid Experience Help You Land a Permanent Position?

When you really need a job, it’s hard to consider unpaid or volunteer work. But it just might be the ticket in to a more lucrative position.

If you choose carefully and do your research, it is possible for unpaid experience to help you land a permanent position. Here are some things to consider as you start this venture.

1. The Advantage of Tough Economic Times

Generally speaking, economic struggle means competition for jobs is tough. While this seems discouraging, there is actually an advantage here. Businesses that are struggling financially may be more open to taking on a volunteer or intern, because unpaid help is pretty attractive when you’re under financial strain. And struggling businesses are going to be pickier about whom they hire – a disadvantage in a way, but an advantage in that they will only be hiring serious, interested candidates. If you are willing to work for no pay, you are showing that you are one of these rare individuals.

2. Experience

Volunteering and unpaid internships provide valuable experience. Again, in highly competitive times, how much experience you have or don’t have can make the difference between getting a job or being passed over. The fact that you were willing to volunteer your time to learn a skill shows that you are serious about acquiring that skill, too.

3. Networking

There’s just no doubt that who you know can be the thing that gets you a job. And the more people you know in your field who have a positive impression of you, the better your chances are of getting into a permanent position later. Internships and volunteer positions are a fantastic way to make connections that will benefit you (and the other person) later.

4. The Old-Fashioned Apprenticeship

Did you know that studies have shown we learn a skill best when it’s presented through an apprenticeship? In the old days, this is how you learned a skill – you were apprenticed to a skilled worker and learned the trade. An internship and volunteering are like a modern version of this age-old way of learning the ropes. So at the end of your unpaid experience, you may very well have a better grasp on the necessary skills than someone who has only learned in the classroom.

While there are certainly pros and cons to volunteering and internships, there are definitely advantages. Think of it as investing your time so as to reap financial stability in the future.

Using the Internet in Your Job Search: Tips and Tricks

It makes sense to use the internet in your job search. It’s where new jobs are listed and where recruiters turn for almost half their hires, sources say. If employers are using the internet and you’re looking to be hired, you should use it, too.

Here are some tips and tricks for using the internet in your job search.

1. Find Your Niche

There are several well-known, large-scale, generalized employment websites. There’s nothing wrong with these, and it’s fine to put your name in at one of these. Finding your niche takes a little more looking, but it may be your chance to show off specific skills and abilities.

A good way to start is to do an internet search for your niche area, such as “tech support jobs” or “ghostwriting jobs.” Look for job sites that specialize in connecting prospective employees with particular jobs, such as FlipDog.com.

2. Broaden Your Scope

This may seem like the opposite of #1 above, but it’s not necessarily. The internet allows you to broaden your scope while keeping your search narrow. For instance, if you would like a job working in a stable with horses, you can search for this niche anywhere in the world! You don’t have to be confined to your local area even if you choose to be confined to your chosen niche.

3. Post Your Resume

Another trick is to post your resume on a “resume bank.” These are sites that function as databases for employers. Such banks are easy to find, and are often part of job listing sites. It’s a good idea to have your resume in ASCII format for this (copy and paste your resume rather than use the fill-in-the-blank form). This format allows employers to scan and enter your resume into their database, making you even more accessible.

4. Network on Social Media

Use the internet to connect to people in your field. Facebook, LinkedIn, and networking groups in your area of interest are a great way to make connections with people who are active in your area of interest. You might want to set up a separate, professional Facebook page if you already have a lot of personal activity on your current page.

Using the internet in your job search helps you to be both specific and broad-ranging; it gives you a feel for the job market without having to leave your house or pick up the phone. It’s a great resource – use it!

Top Tips for Finding Contentment in Motherhood

Finding contentment in motherhood builds on the principle of being content where you are in life in the present. That’s challenging, but not impossible. Here are some top tips for finding contentment in motherhood.

1. Keep Things in Perspective

Motherhood can sometimes seem endless. You feel like you will always have interrupted nights, always be changing diapers, always have a cluttered house. But it’s a good idea to remember that motherhood with small children is not forever. Your kids will grow up and leave your house, and you will have plenty of quiet days ahead. Too quiet, in fact…so embrace this season and realize it’s not forever.

2. Laugh!

Okay, sometimes motherhood isn’t funny. Potty accidents four times a day are not funny…unless you choose to see the humor in your situation. Try to laugh whenever you can, even about the frustrating stuff…especially about the frustrating stuff! Laughter helps you look at things a bit more lightly, and it also models healthy humor for your kids. If Mom is mad, the kids get mad too – if Mom is laughing, they will probably join in! And you’d be amazed at how much more compliant kids tend to be if they are in a happy mood.

3. Talk to Older Mothers

Whenever you get a chance, talking to experienced, older mothers can help you find contentment. These wise women have been there and done that, and they probably have learned from their mistakes. Experienced moms whose kids are grown can offer a healthy perspective and help you find contentment in the job you’re doing.

4. Look at Mothering as a Job

Really. Look at what you are doing as a job. Yes, motherhood is rightly called a “high calling” at times, but sometimes such lofty sentiments set you up for disappointment. Instead, try thinking of it as a job, and focus on the tasks and responsibilities involved as you would in the workplace. Also, have a time that your day ends and schedule in breaks just like an office job.

5. Rest

Yes, this is a tough one. Moms are often told that they need to get rest to be content. But it’s simply true that an over-tired mom is not a content one! Whether you work outside the home or not, try to have a time when your personal “door” is closed. Maybe you can only do this once or twice a week, when Dad takes over or a sitter comes. But at least once a week, it’s a good idea to make sure your day ends and you “clock out.” It’s important for your mental and physical health to be able to “turn off” for a bit on a regular basis.

Helping Children Cope with Stress: Top Tips

Unfortunately, stress is not an “adults only” problem. Children can feel stressed, too, and they need for the adults in their lives to teach them proper coping mechanisms. But sometimes, adults feel stumped and unsure what to do.

Here are some tips for helping children cope with stress.

1. Recognize the Signs

Depending on the age of your child, stress can exhibit various signs and symptoms. Toddlers may regress to baby-like behaviors, such as using a diaper, be fearful of loud noises, or even bite. Preschoolers may cry uncontrollably, have anxiety, and experience problems with eating or sleeping.

Kids of grade school age may have difficulty with friendships, become withdrawn, or be distrustful. As kids move into the preteen and teen years, stress may present as feelings of loneliness, anger, low self-esteem, and extreme behaviors.

So if your child is showing signs of stress, what do you do?

2. Don’t Add to the Stress

Your child does not need to hear about all of your problems. Unless it’s something relevant to his or her life, too much information can be burdensome to kids. Your child should not be your confidante, sources caution. So make sure you check your own behavior, and discuss your feelings with a trusted friend or relative instead.

3. Listen

While you’re talking out your life stresses with a peer, make sure you’re available to listen to your child. Active listening is a skill, and it’s important for helping kids cope with stress.

Asking your child outright whether or not he or she is stressed or if something is wrong may not get much of an answer (or you’ll get the infamous “Nothing”). Rather, listening also involves observation – note your child’s behavior. It can tell you a great deal. Pay attention to your child’s non-verbal communication, in other words. Watch body language and what words they use on a day-to-day basis. And when your child does choose to talk to you about his stress, then try focusing more on listening and less on reacting.

4. Words

Helping younger kids with words that identify their feelings may help the feelings seem less intimidating and overwhelming. Help young children by labeling their emotions and explaining what they are feeling.

5. Include Your Child in the Solutions

As you talk over stressors in your child’s life, include him or her in discussions regarding solutions. Let him think of some things he believes might help. This can actually provide a lot of insight into how your child is feeling.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help you as you help your child cope with stress. Remember, stress can have a solution.

Tips for Exposing Kids to a Variety of Music

As we read various studies and other reports about the benefits of music for children, it may cause you to wonder what kind of music? Classical music is usually assumed to be the music of choice for kids by their parents and educators, but is it the only kind of music from which kids can benefit? It may be that a variety of music is actually best.

Here are some tips for exposing kids to a variety of music, as well as to some reasons why it can benefit them.

1. Developing a Preference

As children listen to a variety of musical genres, it helps them define their individual tastes. Having this sense of individuality can be empowering for kids, and helps them gain a sense of identity. This can develop into a healthy sense of individual freedom – it becomes “their” music, and it both sets them apart and helps them socially.

2. Match the Mood

One way to get your kids to listen to a variety of musical types is to play music that reflects your kids’ moods. This is easiest when your kids are very young, but you can still play mood-appropriate music for any age. Doing this helps them identify their emotions, and gives you the opportunity to play whatever genre fits.

3. Opera? Really?

Many adults cringe at the idea of taking children to an opera. But you don’t have to sit through a complicated, multi-act opera in a foreign language to appreciate it. With little children, you can do an “opera” of your own, singing your “lines” instead of saying them. For older kids, you can watch segments of an opera or famous scenes so they can get a feel for the genre.

4. Concerts

As long as it’s age-appropriate and parent-approved, let your children attend as many concerts as possible, with as wide a variety as possible. Take them to see your local drum corps, or take them to an outdoor bluegrass festival. This also helps children see music in a lot of different settings, and they can see the wide variety of people and instruments that make music.

5. Just Play It

Try to set up your home so that radios, CD players, computers with speakers, and so forth are in the rooms where your family spends a lot of time. Then you can turn on the radio, pop in a CD, or set up the computer with streaming music any time. It doesn’t have to be loud (in fact, it’s better if it’s not too loud). Just let music play often and choose a wide variety, and your children will notice.

Tips for Adults: Coping with Stress

One of the difficult things about dealing with stress is that there often does not seem to be a way to cope. Stressful lifestyles and situations seem overwhelmingly demanding. But you can take back control. Here are some tips that may help.

1. Sneaky Stress

As hard as it may be to believe, stress can be a bit sneaky…or more correctly, causes of stress can be sneaky. One of the first steps toward coping is to identify just what’s causing your stress, and to think outside the box a bit. It may not be as obvious as you think. For example…

2. Maybe It’s You

Not to beat yourself up, but have you ever considered the possibility that at least some of your stress is the result of how you approach things? For instance, you may find your job stressful, but could that be because you procrastinate and end up with everything due at once? That stress is more an issue of how you handle your work than the nature of the work itself.

3. Look at Your Habits and Excuses

Do you find yourself saying, “I just have a lot going on right now,” but “right now” is pretty much all the time? What about people and circumstances – do you find yourself blaming them often?

4. How Do You Currently Cope?

Everyone has some sort of coping mechanism. Do you eat, smoke, shop, withdraw, or indulge in some other habit when you are stressed? Take a look at how you are currently coping and see if it’s self-destructive or unhealthy.

5. Take Control

Take a look at your schedule and put down on paper just what’s stressing you out. Get out a calendar, and rearrange tasks and schedules (to the hour if necessary) to see if you can find a way to grab some down time. There may be some things you can cut out, or perhaps there is a task or two that could be delegated to take some of the pressure off of you.

6. Parenting Stress

Parents are often stressed about their kids. While you’re rearranging your schedule as suggested above, consider cutting back your kids’ schedules, too. Also, seek out a support group where you can air concerns and receive and offer support. This helps so much when you are trying to reduce the stress of parenting.

7. Workplace Stress

As noted above, take a look at what’s causing your workplace stress, and identify your role in it. Then take charge and make changes. Are deadlines stressing you out? Take control and take on deadlines that you know you can meet. Perhaps starting sooner on projects and working in small steps would reduce the stress level, too.

There’s no doubt that stress is a fact of life. But it doesn’t have to run your life! Hopefully, these tips will help you take charge and reduce the stress in your life.

Ten Tips for a Successful Job Interview

So you’ve landed a job interview – congratulations! But landing an interview and landing a job are different. To get the job, you need to nail the interview, especially given current rates of competition.

Here are ten tips for a successful job interview.

1. Do Your Research

It’s going to be pretty obvious if you haven’t read up on the company you’re interviewing with. When you go in, it’s important to know who the CEO is (or the head manager, or whoever is in charge). You should also familiarize yourself with the company’s history and its major competitors. Find out what the company’s vision or mission is, and familiarize yourself with it. The best place to start is with the company’s website. It should have that basic information.

2. Open Up a Little

Of course, you don’t want to dominate the conversation or be too personal, but it’s not a bad idea to open up and share some personal experiences that are relevant to the prospective job. It should be a story that highlights your accomplishments and areas of expertise.

3. Gather Contact Information

When you are at your interview, get the contact information for those who interviewed you so you can follow up with a thank-you note (see point 10 below). Gather business cards or carry a notebook to get names and addresses.

4. Appearance

A whole article could be written on dressing for success at an interview, but a few quick tips include: don’t chew gum, wear clothing that is appropriate to the job, and go light on perfume or cologne.

5. Actively Listen

Listen to what your interviewers are saying. Actively participate in the conversation, because an interview is just that – a conversation. They want to find out about you, but one of the things they will like to find out is that you are a good listener!

6. No Complaining

Even if you had a rotten experience in your past job, complaining about your past employer is an interview no-no. Prospective employers want to hire someone who is ready to move forward and who is mature enough not to automatically blame others.

7. Be on Time!

Nothing gets an interview off to a bad start like the interviewee being late. In fact, prospective employers have been known to cancel an interview if a person is late. So make sure you’re on time, and allow extra time for traffic and other unforeseen delays. Better to arrive early and have to kill time before going in than to arrive late.

8. Have Your Paperwork Ready

Having your resume, references, planner, and pen ready shows preparedness. It shows that you’ve thought this interview through and are ready.

9. Talk to Yourself before the Interview

For a few days before the interview, practice in front of a mirror or video camera. Ask yourself questions that are often asked during interviews, and prepare your answers. Study your facial expressions and voice inflections. A web cam is ideal for this.

10. Follow-up with a Thank-You Note

After the interview, following up with a thank-you note is polite and courteous. These days, a thank-you email may be preferred. Just follow through using whatever means your employer is most comfortable with.

Although all of these tips are great, make sure you are yourself – after all, if you’re faking it in the interview to get the job, you’ll get exhausted trying to keep up appearances after you’re hired!

Success Tips for Hardening Off Seedlings

While we humans may not feel it, moving from an indoor environment to an outdoor one is a very big adjustment for a plant. After all, in your home or greenhouse, it’s always about the same temperature, watering is regular, and there is no wind. Outdoors, on the contrary, brings wind, cold nights, and other harsh realities. So it’s a good idea to take things slow, and the following tips may help.

Here are some success tips for hardening off seedlings.

1. Make Your Plants Mobile

While you can’t make your plants move on their own, you can facilitate moving them yourself. If your seedlings are not already in flats, put the separate containers into flats that you can carry easily. This is because you will be carrying them in and out for a while.

2. The First Day – Start Slowly

On the first day you begin hardening off, take your seedlings outdoors for only about an hour. Make sure they are in a sheltered area away from harsh sun and wind. Then bring the seedlings back in again. Repeat the procedure for about a week, adding on an hour each day. After about 8 days, you’ll be up to 8 hours outdoors a day. When you get to 12 hours a day, you’ll just be bringing the plants indoors at night.

3. Watering

The day before you transplant your seedlings out into the garden, give them a thorough watering. This will get them ready for transplanting, and will be one less bit of stress the plant has to endure.

4. Choose a Cloudy Day

If possible, choose a cloudy day to transplant. This prevents the harsh, hot sunlight from scorching your tender plants. A day without a lot of wind is helpful, too.

5. Night-Time Cover

For the first week or so, you may want to cover your seedlings with plastic covers at night. Use stakes to keep the plastic from “smothering” the plants and pushing them down and/or breaking them. Also, this keeps air circulating around the plants.

6. Keep Watering

Water your seedlings each day for the first week or so. They will not have established root systems yet, so daily watering is important.

7. Pest Control

If you are concerned about pests (and what gardener isn’t?), then now is the time to take precautions. Dusting with diatomaceous earth is a good start.

8. Stakes

If you are transplanting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, or other plants that will need support, have the support firmly in the ground before you transplant your seedlings. This way, you don’t have to disturb the roots of the plant to put up stakes or “teepees.”

With a little care, you can successfully harden off your seedlings and enjoy a bountiful, beautiful garden this season.

Five Strategies for Stopping Stress before It Starts to Overwhelm You

Some stress is inevitable, and all of it is not bad. But when stress overwhelms you and affects your quality of life, it’s gone too far. And sometimes, when stress gets to that point, it’s hard to turn things around.

It’s said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and it’s true regarding stress as well. Here are five strategies for stopping stress before it starts to overwhelm you.

1. Connect with Friends

Whether you join a choir, take up a sewing class, or join a bowling league, doing something with friends on a regular basis can help keep stressful feelings from piling up. Studies have actually shown that a lack of social relationships can actually have a negative effect on your health that’s comparable to smoking. And when you do have stressful situations, having that group of friends in your life can help you manage those situations better. So making time to be with friends can be a bit of insurance against future stress.

2. Little Breaks

Making a habit of taking breaks between tasks helps your mind reorient itself. It’s not unlike pushing a reset button. It doesn’t have to be long, but a 2- or 3-minute pause before you move from one thing to another helps keep cortisol levels low, experts say. (Cortisol is a steroid-like hormone that your body produces in response to stress, and it can have a negative effect on your health if it’s constantly present.) So scheduling in a few minutes to regroup between tasks, conversations, and events can help a lot to stave off cumulative stress.

3. Go Out in the Woods!

Okay, it doesn’t have to be the woods. But getting out into nature has been shown to be a significant stress reducer. Like all of these preventative measures, try to make it a regular thing, such as daily or weekly. If you can’t take a walk in nature each day or week, you can download nature sounds to listen to, and you can also look at pictures of natural settings. Still, try for the “real thing” at least once a month.

4. Practice Good Nutrition

A healthy diet keeps your body in top shape. Consume lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and foods with healthful fats, like salmon, flax seeds, avocado, and olive oil. Eat whole grains rather than refined ones, and keep sugar at a minimum. A good multi-vitamin is also important, and an additional B-complex supplement can help build immunity and strengthen your body to cope with stress.

5. Get Regular Exercise

This is the one no one wants to admit is necessary, because it seems like so much trouble. But there’s no doubt that regular exercise reduces stress; research has shown this over and over. Perhaps you can combine the need for regular exercise with the need to socialize, and join a Zumba class or take martial arts.

Taking control now can prevent stress from piling up and causing a host of health problems. Take care of yourself first, and your mind and body will thank you!

How to Control Stinging Insects in and around Your Home

Controlling stinging insects in and around your home is certainly a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Stinging insects pose a threat to people and animals, so getting rid of them is important for preventing injury.

There is quite a variety of stinging insects, and different methods apply to different types. Therefore, the important first step is to identify what kind of stinging insects you have. Then you can apply the appropriate method. So here are some general tips and suggestions that may help you with stinging insect control in and around your home.

1. Stinging Insects in Walls or Trees

If you have a nest of yellow jackets inside your walls or in trees in your yard, it’s not a good idea to expose the whole nest right away. Instead, spray or dust insecticidal powder around the entry and exit point of the nest. You may need to do this a couple of times, until a large number of the adult stinging insects are dead.

Once most of the adults are dead, seal off the point of entry into your home (for insects in walls). Use caulk or something similar to seal it completely.

2. Hornet and Wasp Nests

Some nests are not in walls, but instead are in aerial nests – often made of paper. For this type of insect, a long-distance spray that can shoot straight into the nest from 8 to 10 feet away is ideal. Aim directly for the nest, and if it is the type with an opening at the bottom, aim into that. Once the insects are dead, you can leave the nest where it is or gather it in a trash bag.

3. Ground Nests

Some stinging insects, like yellow jackets and bumblebees, will make their nests in the ground. Don’t try to dig it up or expose it; instead, go for the entry and exit point of the nest, as in #1 above. Spray or use powder where the insects access the nest. Sources say that the nest will not be reused once the insects are killed.

Some types of stinging insects make tunnels, the tops of which can be seen on the surface of the ground. For these, you can spray the ground where you see the tunnels, then use a rake to damage them. The insects will ingest the poison when they repair the tunnels.

4. Work at Night or in the Evening

Regardless of which method you use to eradicate stinging insects, working at night keeps you safer from stings than attempting to spray or dust in the daytime. Also, wear gloves and a hat, and cover as much of your skin as possible.

Hopefully, if you’re careful and persistent, you’ll get rid of those pesky (and dangerous) stinging insects.

Quick and Easy Steps for Starting Seeds Indoors

Does starting seeds indoors sound too complicated or difficult? It doesn’t have to be at all – you just need to find the right information. A step-by-step guide can help. Here are some quick and easy steps for starting seeds indoors.

1. Find a Location

First, you need to find a location for your seed-sowing ventures. “Indoors” is a bit vague! Here are some tips for a good seed-sowing location:

* A flat surface, such as a garage work table that is about waist-high, is a good place to start.

* Lighting is essential – a window with some indirect sunlight is good, or you can rig up artificial light (more on that later). So consider lighting as you choose your spot.

* Water is also essential, so if you can, choose an area where you can get water easily.

2. Containers

Generally speaking, seeds can be started in almost any container. But containers that have drainage holes and provide at least two inches of soil are best. You can recycle used produce containers, such as plastic strawberry and lettuce “clamshell” packages.

Peat pots are another option and these make things easier in one particular way: the peat composts into the soil, so when you transplant, you place the whole pot into the garden soil. The roots remain undisturbed when you use peat pots.

You don’t have to have separate containers for each seed or seedling. If you like, you can choose an open flat and tease seedlings out when it’s time to thin or transplant. However, sources point out that separate containers require less root disturbance when transplanting the seedlings.

3. Lighting

If you have a sunny window, you may need to move the containers periodically as the sun moves. You can also set up a plant light or grow light, which is available at most garden centers. Your seedlings will need 8 to 12 hours of light a day.

4. Soil

The next step is soil. At your local garden center, choose soil specifically formulated for starting seeds. If you can’t find something labeled for seedlings, a good potting soil will do.

5. Water the Soil

Before planting, water the soil in the containers thoroughly. Make sure the soil is soaked through. This is important – if you plant in dry soil and then attempt to water, your seeds will get dislodged and may float away over the rim of the pot!

6. Plant the Seeds

Most seed packets will have directions. Make sure to read these! The directions will tell you how many seeds to plant at once, and how much soil to put over them.

With a few quick tips, you can be well on your way to starting seeds indoors – an economical and rewarding way to start a garden.

Using the Internet to Plan Your Garden

When it comes to planning your garden, chances are you’re starting pretty early, when it’s still cold out. In fact, that’s one of the fun things about a garden – you get to start planning while it’s snowing! But have you ever considered using the internet to plan your garden?

Here are some ideas on doing just that.

1. Webapps and Apps

There are apps available these days that can take care of some of the details of plotting and planning your garden. You provide information about your garden’s location, whether you have containers and what kind, and the garden’s basic shape. Then, depending on the webapp, you receive information about what plants grow well in your area, which ones will fit in your space, and even the best places to plant various plants. It may even remind you of when to plant, prune, and harvest. This can come in handy if you’re planning a vegetable garden!

There are similar apps for iPads and iPhones, too. And the mobility of the iPhone means you can take it out “in the field.”

2. Gardening Websites

Do an online search for gardening sites in your area. There are sites dedicated to only one aspect of gardening, such as when to plant or how to preserve your harvest; there are also sites dedicated to native plantings in your area. Still other websites can help you with the layout of your garden and clarify in what zone you’re located. A great place to look is your extension service – they should have a website with a wealth of information.

3. Social Networking and Groups

As you look on the web for gardening information, you’ll undoubtedly find chat rooms, message boards, Facebook pages, and online groups dedicated to gardening. Join one or more of these! There is nothing like discussing gardening with other like-minded people who are often full of advice. You can ask questions and learn from others’ experience. And there will probably be lots of information and links to websites and other resources.

4. Online Calendars

Using an online calendar can be a huge help in planning and maintaining your garden. You can use it to set up reminders to weed, plant, and water, for example.

5. Online Garden Planners

And finally, there are online planners where you can, with the click and drag of a mouse, design your entire garden. You can add shrubs, a patio, containers, flowers, fences…you get the idea! This is a great way to hone in on what you want to plant in the spring, so you don’t end up with a trunk-load of impulse buys.

The internet is a fantastic tool for garden planning. Put it among your most-used garden tools – and you don’t even have to sharpen it!

How Music Affects Kids’ Intellectual and Creative Development

When you think of intellectual development in children, what do you think of? Do you think of the “nerd” image, or imagine a super-genius with no social life? What about creative development? Many of us think of painting and drawing and other visual arts when we think of kids being “creative.” But here’s something interesting: music can enhance intellectual and creative development, and it doesn’t necessarily mean your child will be a super-genius or the next Picasso. (Or maybe he or she will!)

Music and the Brain

Study after study has shown how music positively affects children’s developing brains. Music enhances intellectual development in various ways. Here are some of them.

* Math – Math and music are natural partners. Even on a very basic level, understanding and reading music requires some math skills. Rhythms are expressed in wholes and fractions (whole notes, quarter notes, half notes, etc.), and even the measures in written music are divided into equal sections. So it stands to reason that math and music enhance each other.

* Reading – Interestingly, reading skills can be enhanced by music study. A 2009 study took a look at this and concluded that music training (not just listening to music) gave children an edge over their non-musically trained peers. Kids who took music lessons showed better reading skills when compared to their non-musical counterparts.

* Overall academic performance – Adolescents can also benefit from the intellectual effects of music. Studies have shown that kids this age who participate in music lessons and attend concerts with their parents do better in school.

* Music and creativity – Let’s not forget the creative side! Music also affects children’s creative development.

* Creative thought patterns – At its core, creativity is basically a particular type of thought pattern. Music encourages this type of creative thinking. After all, the number of pitch, rhythm, and note combinations is practically infinite!

* Imagination – Listening to music evokes all sorts of wonderful, imaginative images. Children can conjure up all kinds of scenes and pictures in their minds based on music. And sometimes, these can come out as artwork.

* New worlds – Music spans the globe. Listening to music from different times and cultures gives children “fodder” for wider expanses of thought. It stimulates creative thinking by giving them something new to think about.

* The art of dance – Dancing is a very creative art, and as children learn to move to music, it can open up creative ways of self-expression.

How to Let Go and Be Grateful: Tips for Moms

Just letting go…that’s a challenge for moms, isn’t it? We fear that if we let go for even a moment, everything will fall apart. Rules won’t be followed; messes will be made; income will be lost; clothes will be worn backwards.

But so what?

Sometimes, it helps to let go a bit and be grateful. Here are some tips for moms on doing just that.

1. Start Early

As soon as you wake up, take a moment to think positively. Get your mind settled down and remind yourself of all you have to be thankful for. This helps get you in a positive, grateful frame of mind right off the bat.

2. Repeat to Yourself…

It can help to have a mantra, or repeated phrase that you say each day, especially when stress closes in. It might be a Bible verse, a saying, a line of poetry, or a positive saying. Whatever it is, repeat it as needed and let it “sink in.”

3. You’re Not Really in Control

You may think your whole house will fall apart if you take a break, but really, letting go now and then is helpful for your sanity and for the rest of the household. Sometimes you just need to relax and realize that mistakes will happen, messes will be made, and life will go on. You can’t control every variable.

4. Cultivate Gratitude

There is something to be thankful for every day, even if it’s just that you’re alive. Sometimes it helps to consider all the things that didn’t happen on a given day that could have, such as a leaky faucet, the loss of your job, or someone in the family getting sick. Try to be grateful for the things you might normally take for granted, such as having enough food in the house or being able to drive.

5. Take Opportunities Wherever They Come Up

One of the keys to being grateful is to watch for opportunities to be still and feel the gratitude. This might be at night, when your kids are sleeping and you look in on them. Maybe it’s during the day when little ones are napping, or when your kids are reading or playing. Just watch them for a moment, and be thankful that you have them. Look for opportunities to say “thank you,” and everyone in your family may feel more grateful.

Overwintering Insects in Your Home – What You Can Do

Have you ever wondered where the bugs go in winter? Many overwinter in wood and leaf piles, in tree bark, and in the ground. But many others overwinter in your house.

In the fall, usually around the middle of October, insects begin looking for a place to spend the winter. There are several types of bugs that head for your house, depending on where you live: stinkbugs, ladybugs (Asian beetles, lady beetles, etc.), paper wasps, cockroaches, cluster flies, elm leaf beetles, and spiders (yes, you’re right – spiders are not insects).

How Do They Get In?

Overwintering bugs get into your home through cracks you probably never knew were there! They come in around doors and windows, including garage doors, and through attics, wall voids and spaces, around window screens, through attics, and through soffits.

Nuisance, not Infestation

Generally speaking, overwintering bugs do not infest your house the way other insects do. They are just looking for a place to spend the winter, and they do not reproduce during that time. When the weather warms up, they begin to leave their winter homes and make for the outdoors…but sometimes, they end up in the living room instead.

Control of Overwintering Bugs

Once the bugs are in your home, sources recommend vacuuming and discarding the bag as the easiest way to get the numbers of overwintering bugs in your house under control. Make sure to discard the vacuum bag after each use so the insects do not escape back out into your home. Or, if you have a canister vacuum, discard the bugs outside.

Prevention for Next Year

To avoid the problem of excessive numbers of overwintering insects, it’s a good idea to seal up those openings where the bugs gain entry. Use caulk to seal around windows and doors. Include attic vents in your sealing efforts. It also helps to install “sweeps” at the bottom of your doors that lead to the outside. Use foam weather stripping around glass or screen doors. Don’t forget the openings in your walls for utilities, from dryer vents to cable TV wire portals.

Another note on prevention for next year – many overwintering bugs are attracted to debris and leaves close to your house, and then they come on in where it’s warmer. You can help prevent this by sweeping away debris from the side of your house each fall.

Overwintering insects are a pain, but they are pretty easy to get under control. Hopefully, next year your precautions will pay off!

Following Up After Your Job Interview: How to Do It Successfully and Why It Matters

So you just completed your job interview! You’ve heard you should follow up, but is that going to annoy them? Does it really matter? What’s the best way to do it?

Here are some tips to help you with following up after your job interview – how to do it successfully, and why it matters.

1. Why Follow Up?

You may wonder if following up really matters. In two words, it does. In fact, some employers deliberately wait 2 or 3 weeks after the interviews in order to see who follows up and who doesn’t.

Here are some reasons why following up is important. When you follow up, it:

* Shows your interest level in the job
* Reassures your prospective employer in case he/she had any doubts about you
* May make the difference between your prospective employer choosing you or someone else
* Keeps your name and face in front of your interviewers
* Leaves a good impression, which can help you with future positions (and leaving a good impression is always a good thing)

So what is the best way to follow up? How can you do it without being annoying or seeming too eager? Here are some tips to help you out.

2. Time Frame

Hopefully, when you had your interview, you asked (or were told) what the next step is, and/or when you could expect to hear back from the prospective employer. This gives you a time frame – if you were told two weeks, and it’s been 15 days, it’s okay to send a note that politely mentions the time frame of two weeks and asks if your interviewer needs any more information to aid his/her decision.

3. Thank-You Notes – an Immediate Follow-Up

In contrast to the follow-up note that is a query about the job itself and whether or not you’ve been hired, the thank-you note is something you send out right away regardless of the time frame for the decision. Sources agree that the sooner you get this note out, the better. These days, it’s likely to be electronic; so fire out that first email as soon as you get home (or before, if you have your laptop and a hot spot!).

4. Social Networking

LinkedIn is a respected place for professionals to connect. Ask your interviewer if you can send them a request to connect on LinkedIn, and if they say yes, send the request as soon as possible. Experts suggest making the connection through other motivations, such as forwarding an article you think they’d like, or offering to connect them to someone who shares their personal interests.

5. Snail Mail

A business-like letter mailed to your prospective employer is not unlike a cover letter, only in reverse! In doing this, you’re showing your ability to write this sort of letter, and also pointing out your comprehension of the interview. In this letter, you’ll summarize key points discussed in the interview and emphasize a few of your strengths. This shows you were paying attention during the interview, too.

Follow-up with your interviewer is vital. How you do it is equally important. So make sure to follow up so they won’t forget you!

How Volunteering Can Help You Reduce Stress

Volunteering is a good thing to do for your community, but did you ever stop to think that it may help reduce stress? All kinds of evidence points to the fact that working as a volunteer reduces stress levels. In fact, when people take on volunteer positions, their stress levels are no longer detectible through a stress monitor. A 1990 study showed that people who volunteered at least 40 hours a week actually lived longer!

So why not give volunteering a try? Here are some ways that volunteering can help you reduce stress.

1. Getting Your Mind Off Your Stress

Sometimes, the best way to get stress reduced is to put it on the back burner. That doesn’t mean you ignore things that really need your attention, or that you hide your head in the sand, so to speak. It just means that you take some time to think about something besides your stressful schedule, situation, home life, workplace, or whatever it is that’s making you tense and anxious. Volunteering causes you to focus on what you are doing right now, taking your mind off of your troubles for a bit.

2. Putting Things in Perspective

Another aspect of volunteering is that you see the situations of others – and those situations are often much more dire than yours. It can be humbling to see people who are struggling with things that you can’t even imagine dealing with on a daily basis, yet they are moving forward with their lives. It really puts your own stress in perspective, and may foster a sense of gratitude.

3. A Sense of Purpose and Meaning

One of the things that stress tends to bring is a sense of meaninglessness, or the feeling that you have no clear purpose – you’re just surviving each day long enough to spin your wheels. Volunteering can break that cycle, infusing your life with meaning and definite purpose. When you have a sense of personal meaning, stressors seem to “roll off” more easily and be more manageable.

4. Making a Difference

Another of life’s stressful things is the sense that nothing you do matters or gets noticed. But when you volunteer, you matter very much, and it allows you to make a difference in an area that you’re passionate about. It may be animal welfare or elder care, but if it matters to you, you’ll matter to them.

5. Connections

Stress can make you feel isolated and alone in your struggles. Volunteering counteracts that by connecting you to people with similar interests and concerns. And if you and a friend or two take on volunteering together, it can be a lot of fun!

Instead of crashing on the weekends or in the evenings, see if you can carve out some time to volunteer. The research shows that you will benefit.