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Archives for January 2021

January 19, 2021 by Sofia

Small Space For a Garden? A Tiny Pond Will Do a Job!

You might’ve had big dreams for your garden, a lush haven of plants and features. Reality doesn’t always match fantasies, and now, you’re stuck with a space too small to fulfill your dreams.

A small water feature is your best bet. It’ll make your yard seem more spacious, more luxurious, and full of life. However, digging up a tiny pond inside your garden differs from planting a bush of marigolds or pansies.

Let’s go over the considerations to keep in mind if you take up this task.

Determine the Purpose

Your pond is primarily there for decorative purposes, but the multiple design options can change the aesthetics of your entire yard. Think about the following questions:

  • Do you want it to look natural or to stand out as the central piece? Would you prefer a fountain?
  • Will you use the area for planting?
  • Would you like to have fish in your pond?

The answers restrict the pump and filtration systems you can use to make it work. If you’re unsure about what you want, look into different types of backyard ponds for inspiration before making any decisions.

Choose the Right Spot

The ideal location for a pond has enough natural light. The sun consistently cleans and maintains your water surface, keeping it fresh and free of bacteria.

However, there should be some shade around, especially in hot climates, to prevent sunshine from drying out the water in the summer.

You should also find a level plot of land, avoiding tilted areas if possible. While a bit of an angle won’t make much of a difference, it’s more challenging to DIY the digging if you have to change depths halfway through the process.

Determine the Size

A small garden doesn’t leave enough room for a broad pond, but you can play around with depth depending on which plants and fish you plan on cultivating.

For example, many water plants flourish in shallow areas, while fish require a bit of depth to survive winter. Consider the pipes that run below your yard, too.

Once you choose the size and location, it’s time to break ground. Prepare some clay for lining once you dig it up and you’re already halfway there.

Get the Right Accessories

Filling the hole with water and stopping there leads to missing out on everything a mini-lake has to offer. You’ll find many affordable, easy-to-install extras that make the design much more practical and impressive.

You can go to Aquatic Ponds for a glance at the scope of tools and extras at your disposal. Notable cherries on top include:

  • Pumps to keep the water moving
  • Filtration systems for maintenance and cleanliness
  • Waterfalls for fancy details
  • Nightlights to astonish visitors

A garden pond is much more than a still pool of water. Most of its charm lies in what’s inside and around it, though, so don’t skip this step.

Add Fish and Plants

Finally, if you still have your gardening ambitions, you can plant flowers and bushes around the pond. Alternatively, many fish species thrive in small artificial spaces, breathing life into your backyard.

Do some research about which species from the natural world can survive and flourish in your climate beforehand, though.

Take Away

Instead of remaining frustrated with a garden not big enough to match your aspirations, enjoy your new project.

Adding a water feature to the back yard opens the door to endless possibilities. Embrace the hobby and uncover all the options this tiny pond adds to your gardening repertoire.

January 19, 2021 by Sofia

6 Tips to Take Care of Your Pet in Winter

The dropping temperatures and a sparkling white coating over the streets are a source of great joy. However, without a routine adjustment, the colder weather can be harmful to your pets.

Let’s check out the six essential tips for keeping your furry friend happy and toasty in wintertime.

Tip #1: Ensure Shelter

Ideally, your animal companion should stay inside at least from December to March. Take them out for walks and playtime, but don’t leave them outside when the temperatures drop.

Your pet might prefer to spend time outdoors, though, especially if you have a big garden. Introducing sufficient shelter space is your go-to solution.

For example, the best outdoor cat house will be big enough for comfortable movement but small enough to maintain body heat. The same goes for pups.

Tip #2: Consider the Food-Activity Ratio

Like people, animals aren’t as active when it’s cold outside. So, you might need to adjust their food intake to ensure adequate nutrition.

The changes can go both ways. You might have a puppy who loves snow and going out several times a day. In this case, up their intake to make up for the energy loss.

On the other hand, some pets avoid going out during the winter months. So, they should consume fewer calories. If you’re worried your animal isn’t getting enough activity, you could:

  • Spread meals around the house
  • Throw snacks for them to catch down the hall
  • Introduce mobile food-dispensing toys

Mixing it up a bit can help with their motivation to eat and move.

Tip #3: Check Their Paws

Tails, ears, and legs are the areas of dogs’ and cats’ bodies most susceptible to frostbite. You can’t do much for ears and tails except for keeping the walks short and during daylight hours. However, putting on boots provides some welcome warmth.

Plus, both these animals lick their paws. If they stepped into a harmful chemical such as a deicer, they could get sick after touching it. If footwear isn’t an option, at least wipe the paws with a warm towel when you come back home.

Tip #4: Don’t Bathe Them as Often

Bathing dries out the skin in people and pets alike. While you can mitigate the effects with moisturizer, your companion doesn’t get to enjoy the same luxury.

Don’t cut out baths altogether, but reduce their frequency to help them avoid dry skin discomfort. You could explore alternative cleaning methods or find a shampoo with extra moisturizing features to balance cleanliness and comfort.

Tip #5: Keep Them Leashed

Even if your regular outings don’t include a leash, in wintertime, they should. For one, your dog could run out in the snow, and it’ll be much harder to locate it. Plus, snowfall can disguise recognizable scents that a pet would typically use to find its way home.

Additionally, make sure that your microchips and collar are up-to-date if they do run away so they could more quickly and easily return to safety.

Tip #6: Remove Hazards

Finally, the snowfall is home to many potential hazards for animals. Clean up spills and shovel snow from your backyard. When you take your dog or cat outside, keep an eye out for antifreeze, rough terrain, and hidden debris on the ground.

It might make walks mentally straining, but it’s worth avoiding the health risks that come with these outdoor threats.

Safety First

As long as you keep these tips in mind and apply them for every walk, bath, and feeding session, your pet will be happy and healthy once the snow melts.

January 6, 2021 by Sofia

4 Things You Should Do Before 40

Even though there’s no exact age when everybody feels like they suddenly become a grown-up, 40 seems to be an age that most people consider you should start to have your life together. At age 40, you should have already established a job, attained life skills like how to balance your checkbook, and hopefully know how to look after your hygiene.

However, in addition to these basic accomplishments that you should have ticked off by 40, you should also make sure that you have mastered these things too.

Write a Will

Even though you may not want to believe that anything can happen to you, the truth is that things can come up. If you don’t leave an estate plan, then you’ll be leaving everything you own in the hands of the courts. A common misconception is that your assets will go to your next of kin. Unfortunately, this isn’t always automatically guaranteed. An estate plan is essential for ensuring that what you own goes to the people you want it to.

Establish a Sleep Schedule

When you’re younger, it’s normal to have a busy social life and find yourself less susceptible to fatigue after a long night out. However, the older that you get, the more critical that sleep becomes. It’s important that you establish a regular sleep schedule to get your body functioning as it should be. Exhaustion doesn’t just wear on your mental health but also on your immune system. Ideally, you should go to bed as early as possible and wake up as early as possible.

Learn How To Small Talk

It’s not unusual to find yourself in your younger years struggling to find a way to fill dead air when meeting people you don’t know. However, making small talk is one of the best life skills you can develop. You never know who you can meet along the way, and knowing how to put yourself outside of your comfort zone is a fantastic skill to have. If you’re not sure how to get started, try asking questions.

Stay Active

Finding a way to stay active will keep your body lean and healthy. Research shows that people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop age-related diseases and even depression. Being active doesn’t necessarily need to mean going to the gym and lifting barbells, either. Staying active can be as simple as walking briskly for 30 minutes a day. The idea is to get your blood pumping and your muscles moving. Since your muscle mass starts to diminish as you get older, you should keep your body as strong as possible. Not to mention, exercise is also a great way to make new friends.

 

About Me and My Family

Hey! I'm Sofia, mother or two and happily married to my husband, Lorenzo. We believe family is the most important thing in life today. People can get easily distracted by all the business life brings. This blog is dedicated to helping you navigate life and spend more time with your family!

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