Monday, November 30, 2009

White Rose Garden

White Garden Rose

The language of flowers has been with us since ancient times. The earliest tradition of using flowers to convey messages was found in ancient Persia and Japan. During the Victorian era it was very chivalrous for a man to express his devotion towards his fair lady using flowers. This is what is explained by: A marriage of nature and meaning.

This was due to the lack of technological advances that would restrict travel and also because most of the people of ancient times, especially in the Europe of the Middle Ages, were kept illiterate. Most of the knowledge was held in monasteries and churches.

Today many people celebrate holidays, like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, but they do not know the history behind them or they cannot read the meaning of the symbolism involved. However, there still exists in our psyche the need to express feelings and sentiments that are well beyond our words and we can accomplish expressing these feelings by using the beauty of flowers.

There are many flowers of different colors that help us convey many messages. One of the most prevalent roses is the white rose. The white rose is usually found in weddings and bouquets. White roses in weddings are a symbol of pure and young love. That is to symbolize the brand new union of a man and a woman that have embarked on a journey of life together.

This is the same as in ancient Rome where love was always depicted as an infant child or in the form of cupid. This symbolizes the ever changing presence of love. That it begins as a simple whim, but as years pass by, it becomes strong and it becomes selfless love.

In other cultures the meaning of the rose is reflected in the color. The rose was merely the media in which the message was convey. It is the same as the canvas of a painting, were the canvas is just the surface that gives the idea; the colors and the richness of a painting give it a place to exist. This is the same in the language of roses. In this case a white rose was a sign of purity and youth or when given to a woman it can be a symbol of your admiration and respect towards her.

Whether it is with roses or words, the meaning of emotions should be always expressed with the heart. As one of the best singers of Spain wrote, “There are no mysteries when the one that talks is the heart.” So when you think about doing something nice for that special one, remember color can be important. Chose you color wisely, for it can tell what is truly in your heart.

By: Lee Martin Resource: http://www.WonderfulRoses.com

Growing and Using Medicinal Herbs

Growing And Using Medicinal Herbs
Growing your own medicinal herbs can be an interesting and worthwhile hobby. Using the medicinal herbs you grow the way they are meant to be used can be extremely satisfying.

To grow medicinal herbs, create a garden area just as would for flowers or vegetables. Choose the varieties of herbs you grow carefully. Some herbs are perennials. (They come back every year.) Some herbs are annuals and need to be replanted every year. Others take a full two years to mature. These are biennials. Which of categories the herbs you plant fall into will affect how how you take care of them and when you plant them.

When deciding which medicinal herbs to grow, consider what you want to use them for. If you are looking for a good night’s sleep, things like Passion Flower, Chamomile, and Skullcap are very beneficial. There are several herbs that are good for prostate health. Some of these are Echinacea and Horsetail. St. John’s Wort has been used for years for emotional health and concentration. Skullcap and Cayenne are used in many dietary supplements for heart health. Woman’s health issues are addressed with things like Chaste-berry, Angelica, and Ginger.

Okay. You have prepared your garden, chosen the medicinal herbs you want to grow, and now they are ready. After a successful growing period, the medicinal herbs are mature and ready to cut and prepared so they can be used. Just as for any herb, medicinal herbs can be dried in the oven or hung upside down, then stored till you are ready to use them. You can dry the entire plant, including the roots.

Here are some tips for using the medicinal herbs you have painstakingly chosen and grown. The most common way of using medicinal herbs is to make a tea using the stems, leaves, and flowers of the herb. If you are using fresh medicinal herbs, boil the water over the stems and leaves for a few minutes. If you have dried your herbs, pour boiling water over one teaspoon of dried herb.

To make a tea with the roots, bark, or seeds of the herb, put one teaspoon of the dried herb per cup of tea into a glass or enamel pan. Add the water and boil for about fifteen minutes. Be sure to put a lid on it so all the goodness doesn’t boil away, and then strain the tea into a cup. So thats it for now. Pick those herbs that are best for you and your family and get growing. You will reap the benefits of these wonderful herbs by being more healthy and vibrant.

By: Keith Greene Resource: http://www.NewHerbGarden.com

Candle Making Jars

Candle Making Jars
Homemade candle making has come a long way in the past decade. I remember when I was a child, we used to make candles using a 1/2 gallon milk container. We'd fill it up with ice and pour melted candle wax in. After it had set, we'd peel off the milk carton and you'd have a very interesting homemade candle. It kind of looked like, frozen colored ice.

Nowadays with places like Micheal's Crafts, and other large craft stores, the home crafter has access to a plethora of tools. There are different types of candle wax so that homemade candle making has gotten to be much easier than in the past. You can purchase metal and poly molds or you could actually use any jar that you like. All you have to do is fill it with the candle wax and a wick.

A very inexpensive way to do your homemade candle making, is to go to your local dollar store and purchase different glass votive or glass jars, actually any glass container can be used as candle making jars. Here is a quick overview of how to make a glass jar candle. The main thing here is to use your imagination.
Almost any glass jar can be used to make candles. Tall , thin, short, fat whatever. If you are using various colored waxes the tall clear jars make a beautiful impression. Just make sure you have plenty of clearance between the burning wick and glass so it does not get to hot and break. For more information on this visit the web site at the bottom of this article.

So to do your own homemade candle making, you'll need a crock pot or double boiler to melt the wax to 160 degrees. Then you can add scented oils and food coloring. Put a dot of glue on the bottom of the metal part of the wick and place it in the candle making jars. Then pour the melted wax into the candle making jars or glass containers that you've purchased. Let the wax cool to a semi-hardened crust and then you can straighten out the wicks and get it centered. Let the candle cool at room temperature completely, which will be about 6-8 hours.

You'll see that the wax has sunken a little in the middle. Now you are going to re heat the leftover wax to about 185 degrees and pour some in to your jar to level it off. Let that cool again and trim your wick to about a quarter inch, and you now have your very own homemade jar candle.

The possibilities are endless; you can use any type of glass containers for your candle making jars that you like, so let your imagination go wild! Have fun with it!

By: Lee Martin Resource: http://www.EasyMadeCandles.com

Guinea Pigs Diet

Guinea Pigs Diet
Guinea pigs are herbivores and grass is their natural diet. Herbivores require a lot of vitamin C because they cannot make their own. Unlike other mammals that synthesize their own vitamin C guinea pigs get their daily requirement from raw fruits and vegetables or through dietary supplements.

Hay is an important part of a guinea pigs diet. Hay serves two important purposes. It is high in fiber which aids in digestive system health. A guinea pigs teeth grows constantly, their molars are used for grinding plant matter, a good supply of hay should be available at all times to help keep their teeth trim.

Oxbow Cavy Cuisine pellets are good for adult guinea pigs. They are high in fiber, have a balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio, and are fortified with stabilized vitamin C. However, they are not recommended for guinea pigs under 6 months old. Timothy Hay and Cavy pellet mix is good guinea pig food, but your guinea pigs diet should also include leafy greens, raw vegetables and fresh fruits.


Vegetables and herbs that are safe: Kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, peas, celery, carrots, parsnip, parsley and basil. Red or green bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C; cucumbers and asparagus have a high water content.

Fruits that are safe: Apples, oranges, cantaloup, grapefruit, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, mangoes, tangerines, and strawberries. Always remove any seeds. Introducing your guinea pig to new food should be done slowly because of their sensitive digestive system. Always watch for any digestive changes before gradually increasing the amounts.

Unsafe foods: Potatoes, onions, radish, wild mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, rhubarb, rhubarb leaves, and tomato leaves. These foods may cause toxicity or digestive problems. Avoid feeding your guinea pig grain mixes which contain sugary and fatty ingredients. Guinea pigs are herbivores do not give them dairy products or meats.

Always make sure a supply of fresh cold water is available. Use a drip bottle to avoid contamination.
f you need to supplement vitamin C with tablets, plain vitamin C is okay, but never give a guinea pig multivitamins. Excessive amounts of some other vitamins can cause problems.

Using a syringe is a safe way to give your guinea pig vitamin C supplement tablets. Never put vitamins or medication in their water supply. A well balanced and nutritious guinea pigs diet will keep your pet happy and healthy. So talk to your Vet make sure your guinea is doing well. They can suggest any dietary changes that you need to make to keep your pet in the very best health. Good luck .

By: Lee Martin Resource: http://www.Guinea-Pig-Lovers.com