So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Coffee Making Accessories - Buying From The Premium

By Teresa Abigail

A lot of people need coffee to survive their everyday ventures at work. It is a necessity for those who want to get by everyday life with ease. If you are a coffee addict, it is normal to want at least a cup of coffee on a daily basis. For you to get the right mix of caffeine, you need to have the best coffee maker in town.

Since coffee-making requires a lot of tasting and experimenting with various beans to get the right mix, it is important to have the right coffee maker accessories. These accessories will help in defining the ingredients that will contribute to your drink's success. From an average person's point of view, this can be pretty absurd. But in truth, there are a lot of things that can be done with the best coffee maker accessories.

Bear in mind that your coffee maker must be efficient in producing the finest cup of coffee that is rich in taste and fresh in ingredients. Although you might require the simplest accessories for this, you must put that goal in mind during the stage of purchasing.

When shopping for accessories, look for the best water filters. The flavor of your coffee highly depends on the content of your water or liquid. If you are using tap water, the chances of altering the taste of your drink can be very high. With clean water, it is much easier to extract the richest flavors from your coffee beans.

Aside from getting reliable water filters, your coffee would also need specific filters in order to free your coffee cups from residues. This will make sure that your coffee powder is fully melted into your drink, thereby diminishing the presence of coffee residue.

Generally, you can choose from different types of filters, depending on your budget and requirement. Other use filters made of paper, whereas there are also those who use filters that are made of cloth. The latter is often found to be more effective and more environmental friendly.

On the other hand, if you have the money to spare, you can also look for Gold coffee filters. These are one-of-a-kind designs that are sure to give you only the best brew of coffee.

Grinders and mills are also part of the many accessories in coffee-making. These help in fully grinding your coffee beans, turning them into the finest coffee powder. You can check online on some of the best brands to help you while you purchase.

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Colors and Your Queen Contemporary Brown Wood Bedroom Furniture Set

By Kelly Kim

There's a definite charm to your queen contemporary brown wood bedroom furniture. That royal presence of brown and the soft touches of your queen bed make it a great combination for this part of your home.

You'll be staying in your bedroom most of the time when you're at home, so it definitely deserves that unique, unmistakable aura you'll love to rise from and retire to each day. However, creating that brown appeal in your room will need you to pay attention to some important color details. If you want to get the exact look you have in mind, don't take anything for granted.

Primarily, the shade. Wood comes in a lot of different hues from blonde to dark brown. You don't want to compromise in this arena since this is what's going to pull the look you would like. Without chauvinism to the other colors that wood may come with, dark brown gives the most regal and powerful presence to your room. It's also relatively adaptable as it blends with both traditional and contemporary settings.

As far as creating the mood to your room is concerned, once more, color comes into play. It's common familiarity that lighter colored bedroom sets generate a cheerful, jolly mood while darker ones create a perfect backdrop for rest and meditation. Striking a medium key between these two extremes would probably be the more common option for anyone who wants to strike that medium key in their own mood as well. Neither too dark nor too light is usually preferable. What you won't like about lighter colored wood, though, is that you'll probably have to dust it very often. Light colors won't have you missing those specks too often while darker shaded ones will in all probability cover the dust so you won't have to be dusting till it builds up considerably.

You won't believe what disparity color makes. Even the size of your room will have to play a part. If your bedroom is too small, maybe opt for lighter colored wood to avoid making it look cramped. If your bedroom is spacious, you'll definitely enjoy having that dark brown feel without making your room look like a dungeon. Dark brown bedroom furniture also tends to create compactness to your bedroom design, so it's always a safer color.

The surface of your wood will also be a detail you can't ignore. Keep in mind that staining your wood gives a shinier color and makes it stain-resistant while having it bare creates a dull but more natural outcome

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In Search Of Area Rugs Perfect For You

By Paula Gill

The easiest and fastest way to revamp a room is to decorate with area rugs. In an instant, there will be the elements of color, design, texture and pattern essential for successful decorating.

Allow me to guide you in your quest for the ideal area rug. There's an area rug for every person as we consider personal preferences and design taste. Also, an area rug for every home as themes and styles vary.

An essential factor in choosing your area rug is the size. It should fit perfectly with the area you have in mind. Too small or too big just doesn't cut it. Measure the space before shopping for your rugs. Many homeowners commit the blunder of buying what they visualize as a right fit only to find later that the rug becomes more of an eyesore instead of a decor because of the misfit.

Area rugs are indeed floor coverings, but what makes them different from carpets is that they don't have to cover the entire floor. With an area rug, you don't hide the flooring, you accentuate it. If you have a beautiful hardwood or interesting tiles, use an area rug to highlight it. Place the rug in high-traffic areas for protection.

Area rugs work best for high traffic areas. Strategically place a rug on a spot that is often used. Examples are the door entrance, under the table and chairs, the "sitting on the floor" space, in front of a painting, in front of the sink and under heavy furnishings.

We know that there are area rugs that are way too beautiful to be stepped on, right? Think of the authentic Persian, Native American and Oriental rugs. If I could tiptoe my way on them, I would! Therefore, know the purpose of your rugs. If it's primarily as floor protection say, in the kitchen and porch, use suitable rugs that are durable and lightweight. For decorative intentions like in the living room, then go for a more elegant area rug. You can also use such rugs as a wall decoration. The details and texture will make for a very impressive wall hanging.

You may want to use an area rug to hide a problem floor area. You may be searching for a rug to accentuate an area. Area rugs are very versatile and can be used in all sorts of ways. Some rugs are simply too beautiful to step on and make wonderful wall art.

Choosing area rugs become trouble-free if you base your decision on the things you like. It can be a color, material or design. Moreover, basing your choices on the theme you already have will give you clues as to which color, shape, design, etc. of area rugs match your home the best.

There are numerous area rugs in the market that come in all shapes, sizes, colors, designs and prices. Whatever your needs, budget and preferences are, you bet you will find the pieces perfect for you.

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Determining the Best Engine Oil for Your Engine

By Michael Kaufman

Many people don't realize that each oil is unique and that there truly is a difference in quality and performance between each different oil. They do NOT all offer the same benefits and drawbacks to the vehicle owner. Once an individual finally realizes that there IS a difference, they often begin a motor oil quest of epic proportions to find "the one" that will best protect their vehicles and/or equipment. I hope, within this article and some subsequent follow-ups, to help guide an individual through that process .

Legendary Lubrication Dreamland

Unfortunately, as vehicle and equipment owners seek out their "ultimate oil", they often make the misguided assumption that there can be one special oil or brand of oil that is best for everyone. They are in search of some legendary lubrication dreamland that will never be found.

No SINGLE oil can effectively meet everyone's needs. In fact, no one BRAND can meet the needs of every user either. A premium brand synthetic, like AMSOIL, Redline, NEO or similar, MAY, in fact, be a more premium quality oil, but that doesn't make it the best choice for every situation.

You need to understand the needs of your application before you can ever find the BEST motor oil for your application. Then you need to avail yourself of the valuable motor oil information that can be found around the net (being careful not to just blindly accept everything you read) and then you must use that info to establish which oils fit your needs best.

Only by following this pattern can you really make an educated decision regarding what oil will be able serve the needs of your application(s) and keep your vehicles and equipment running well in the long term.

Synthetic or petroleum, 0w30 or 5w30, Redline, AMSOIL or Valvoline, API CI-4 or CJ-4, the list goes on. Which of these you choose, ultimately, makes no difference, as long as those choices will be ones that will best serve the needs of YOUR application.

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Why A Proper Diet Is Important For Your Body

By Kelvin Peterson

The word diet must not be something new to any one, but when it comes to diet meal plans, the phrase itself might cause a little bit of confusion in ones mind. Everyone is aware of the fact that diet is something what we eat, but many of us might not be aware of the fact that what we eat matters a lot for the proper functioning of all our organs and the body as a whole.

The said importance of our diet for our bodies brings up the concept of a proper planning for our diet. The advancement in medical science has proven it all the way that a poor diet is more than capable of causing serious negative impacts on the health of our body. Our body is like a machine that comprises of various different systems and just like a machine needs proper oiling and fuel for its performance, our body also needs various different nutrients which work as fuel for different systems and organs in our body.

In order to get all the systems and organs of our body working effectively and efficiently, we need to have a proper diet plan to save ourselves from various diseases that could be caused by the deficiency of some nutrients. We need to have a balanced diet comprising of all the nutrients that are required by our bodies, but the problem is that many of us do not even know that what these nutrients are and how much of them we need for the proper functioning of our bodies.

This is where the Nutritionists come into play, who are the professionals who help us in giving us the awareness about the importance of different nutrients and who help us in making our diet plans.

A balanced diet plan, comprising of all the essential nutrients lik e, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, fats, fiber, minerals and water, is more than essential for the health of our bodies. The diet plans vary from individual to individual depending on the health conditions of every individual. For instance, the diet plan for an over weight person may be totally opposite of the diet plan for a person who is slightly under weight. Similarly, the diet plan of a sports man may be absolutely different from the diet plan of a normal person.

Moreover, one should have a clear perception of not believing that only unhealthy persons need a diet plan to reinforce their bodily health. A diet plan is equally important for a healthy person to maintain and prolong the blessing of health.

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Learn The Best Information For Making Your House A Greener Home

By Gary Greenman

Are you interested in making your home more electricity efficient and green? With rising electricity costs and sky high utility bills, most of us are looking for ways to cut costs and save some money. You can begin right at house, by making a few easy changes to make your residence energy efficient and more eco friendly.

But beyond electricity efficiency, there are numerous other vital factors that go into the model of a green home. For example, water conservation, indoor air quality, and the use of safer building materials will all contribute to a more eco-friendly house. This applies to new building, as well as renovating and greening an older home for improvement and sale. Here's a list of some of the factors to think about when remodeling your home, or buying a green home.

Correct Ventilation - The residence ought to have the right number and placement of exhaust fans, proper ventilation, vapor barriers, and duct sealing. A well designed thermal envelope can make the residence more comfortable and electricity efficient. Ventilation systems ought to be wrapped and sealed to prevent air loss.

Air Quality - To make the home healthier, safe building materials ought to be used to limit introduction of noxious and dangerous vapors. For instance, use zero-VOC or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, and install recycled, reclaimed, or sustainable flooring prepared from materials that don't have formaldehyde, such as bamboo or cork. Think about installing physical termite barriers instead of chemical treatments, where suitable.

Water Efficiency - Think about installing dual-flush toilets, low- flow wash heads, and a tankless water heater, or at a minimum; a more energy efficient Energy Star rated model.

Insulation - One of the best alternatives a shopper can make is to install additional insulation. Use formaldehyde-free insulation. As well, install a radiant barrier on the underside of the roof, where appropriate.

Roofing - Consider metal or cement tile roofing, or durable shingles rated for 40 years or more.

Appliances and Furnaces - Use Energy Star rated appliances. The HVAC (air conditioning) systems ought to have a 17 SEER rating or better, and furnaces ought to have a 90+ rating. The heating and cooling unit size and assignment should be correctly thought out to increase efficiency.

Lighting - Install electricity efficient fixtures. Compact fluorescent light bulbs should be utilized in place of halogen or incandescent bulbs.

Windows and Doors - Install double-paned, Low-E windows. Properly shade windows that face the sun, or install window overhangs. Install storm doors where suitable.

Thermostat Timers - Install a programmable thermostat and hot water heater timer.

Outside - Think about installing low upkeep materials that make sense for your type of weather and area, such as fiber cement siding, 40-year shingles, and engineered wood framing.

Landscaping - Eco landscaping considers careful assortment of plants, and focuses on water management. Use green landscape design activities, such as reducing the size of the lawn. Consider the proper position of trees to help shade the residence and reduce cooling costs. Employ hardscape materials to reduce weeds and do away with the use of pesticides and herbicides. Use native plants and xeriscape methods to avoid the need for too much care and watering. Compost. Install drip irrigation systems and think about reclaiming water.

You may see that from top to bottom, you can look at your whole house indoors and out to look for potential improvements to make it more eco friendly. It's not too hard to make your existing residence a green home. By making at least a few simple changes to enhance energy efficiency, in no time you will see the optimistic results in your utility bills. Plus, you have the extra benefit of knowing that you are doing more for the environment at the same time, and that always feels good.

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Searching For The Best Filter? Look No Further Than Filter Pur, Watts & Puriclean.

By Zachus J Winestone

Having a water filter is about caring about your familys health and well-being. Having a water filter is to understand and know that the water you may be consuming daily isn't as pure like many people assume. The problem of contaminated water does not just exist in third world countries rather it exists right here in our very own back yard. Sure! Water contamination is more prominent in third world countries than in the United States of America however we are still being affected by the same problem only to a lesser degree. While this may not be a problem for you, 45% of other fellow Americans complain about the water they receive from taps. Odor and a bad taste is the usual complaints however a new complaint is been warranted. This new complaint is that water which is being consumed is making people sick with diarrhea, head aches and sore stomach. The complaint has been diagnosed as water poisoning and in my opinion it is the new endemic problem that will only get worse. Already some chemical water poisoning cases have been linked to cancer, a new discovery that has a lot of people worried about their familys general health and well-being.

How is the water from my taps poisoning me?

Even though the water from our taps is certified as being clean enough to drink, it is not certified 100% as being free of disease carrying bacteria. The main source of tap water in cities is from a municipal source. That means that the water which you drink and bath in is the product of recycled water as the water from the municipal source is recycled waste water. Even though this may seem disgusting, the state of the art process involved in recycling this water back to purity is nothing short of revolutionary. But no matter how pure and clean this water may seem with the naked eye, when viewed under a microscope a different result is seen, a droplet of water contains millions of disease carrying bacteria that still exist even after the water has already been certified pure to drink. Some of the chemicals used in the disinfection process, such as lead, chlorine and fluoride pose an even greater threat because they still exist in the water after the purification process has been completed. These chemicals are necessary for disinfection however when overly used and overly consumed by the human body serious health issues start to take place.

Please understand that I'm not trying to condemn our water supplies rather I'm only trying to highlight there limitations in providing us with adequate pure water granted 100% to be free of bacteria and harmful chemicals.

What are some ways in which this problem can be eliminated?

To eliminate this problem is easier said then done. The entire problem of water contamination cannot be cured entirely overnight but it could be eliminated in your own household. Water filters are an answer to this problem of household water poisoning. Common brands such as filter Pur, watts and Puriclean are all excellent brands. These filters are of immense quality and are proven in the filtering industry. These water filters filter down our water again by 98% getting rid of bad odors and bad taste caused from pre existing chemicals and bacteria. The result after using one of these filters is fresh cleaner water than what you initially had coming from your taps. Personally, after using filters in my own house after a number of years now I can surely taste and even feel the difference. For me water from taps after getting use to filtered water is not quite the same. The health of my family and I come first so investing in a water filter for my house was a wise choice. Filter pur, watts and puriclean are just some filter options that can make a world of difference to your health and well-being. For the hundreds if households who do have water filters installed you could be sure they too know and feel the positive difference.

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Ancestor Worship In Chinese Miao Culture

By Clare Liu

Occuring only once every 13 years, the secret Guzang Festival is an exciting time for the Chinese Miao people to worship their ancestors. In the Chinese language, the word "Gu" means a bull, and "Zang" means innards of an animal. During the festival, a series of ceremonies like slaughtering bulls, beating drum are held.

An indispensable part of this festival is beating drums. The Miao use maple wood to make their drums, and cover both ends of the drums with cowhide. They believe the soul of their ancestors lives in this big drum. So during the festival, people beat the drum very loudly to awake their ancestors, who come and attend their great worshiping ceremony.

Two different kinds of drums are used in the festival. One is the double drum, which includes two identical drums. All together they reach 170 cm in length and 30 cm in diameter. The double drums are usually put in a couple's home, who has been married for a long time but doesn't have a child. They worship the double drums to expect that the drums can give them children. On the day of festival, people take the double drums out for the ceremony.

For each Guzang Festival, the Miao have a new single drum. After the festival is over, they place the drum in a cave until it decays. The single drum is quite smaller than the double drums.

In the August before a Guzang festival drawing near, people carry the old single drum out of the cave and perform a praying ceremony. Then they are ready to craft a new single drum.

Two years before the festival, an elderly and respectable man is selected as the leader, who officiates at the worshiping ceremony. The man is in charge of picking up the sacred bulls. The sacred bulls are fed with good food until the ceremony, and nobody is allowed to use the bulls for farming.

During the festival the leader in a unique costume is most noticeable. He wears violet clothes, with a few dried fish tied up around his head. This reveals that their ancestors ever dwelt in along the Yangtze river in east China and made a living on fishing.

On the first few days of the festival, people sing, dance, and hold numerous banquets to feast friends, neighbors, and relatives. Anyone who visits their village is warmly welcomed! They have meat and bean curd, but they can't eat vegetables. The festival lasts 13 days.

There are a few more exciting things about the secret Miao GuZang festival, so visit my website below to learn it now!

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