Category Archives: For the home

Outdoor wallpapers for your PC

I am so thrilled by my PC wallpaper. I am stuck in a high-rise office and deal with computer work and people. The outdoor PC wallpaper allows me to take mini vacations.

I cannot take the time to go to the nearest park which is too far away. I cannot spend the time wandering on the grass, feeling the earth beneath my feet, breathing in the flower scented air and seeing the trees stretch over head with long protective branches.

With the outdoor wallpaper I can have some of those sensations. One of the scenes is a forest scene with stately trees and the sun creeping down through the branches. Just the calm colors of the greens and browns can relax me. When I look at the picture, the details are so real I almost expect to see the blades of grass move in the wind. If I close my eyes and take a deep breathe, I can almost smell the scent of the damp musky earth at the base of the trees. For 30 seconds I can wander through the forest listening for the birds and feel the sun caressing my face when I move through a patch of sunlight.

When I come back to the office I am ready to deal with the next problem or issue, the next telephone call, and the next coworker with a request. Because I had that time, I am able to ground myself and to refocus on what I need to do to help my coworkers, my boss, my company and myself.

The other PC wallpaper is the ocean. It is a rocky beach with gentle waves curling around the boulders. The ocean is darker than the blue sky and the movement of the water with the darker blues and purples bring to mind tides coming in and leaving. With this one I can almost smell the salt water and feel the breezes playing with my hair.

I have to wonder what about these mini vacation that so rest me and restores me. Is it the scenes themselves and the memories they bring or the peaceful colors of this outdoor wallpaper? Is it because for a few minutes I am far away and alone? Could be if the balancing effect of nature?

I do not know why this works. I just know it work for me. When I returned to work after a vacation with my outdoor PC wallpaper, I am able to work better and faster. I can focus and handle any interruption with more ease and diplomacy.

Nature wallpaper

How to create an authentic Chinese bonsai look

Chinese Bonsai is a botanical art form that shapes trees as they would be seen in their natural environment, giving the viewer the idea that the tree was not shaped by human intervention. Typical trees used include the Chinese elm bonsai and the juniper variant.

When using the Chinese, or Penjing, form of Bonsai, keep in mind that its principles are far less demanding than those of traditional Japanese Bonsai. This article discusses guidelines that are perfect for the beginner to follow or to refresh the more practiced Penjing artist.

First, the trunk of your tree should measure thickest at the bottom and slowly taper down as it reaches the top of the tree. Second, use a shallow container so that the roots will grow side to side rather than up and down. This will force the roots to peek out from the soil. Many consider seeing the roots as an attractive feature of a miniature tree, since it gives the whole structure a more aged, wisdom filled look. A horizontal root structure also gives the entire tree more stability. Lastly, the branches should be pruned so that they are evenly spaced around the tree. Like the trunk, they should be thicker at the base and thin at the tips. They should appear light and delicate compared to the trunk and root system. Prune your tree so that the first branch is at about a third of the trunk’s height. This branch should be the strongest in appearance.

After designing the shape of the Chinese Bonsai itself, you can work on its landscape environment. Usually, the best view is towards the front of the tree, where it looks the widest. When you have established the most pleasing view, you can find a pot that showcases both the tree’s angle and the decor of your room.

Your pot should be shallow, only as deep as your tree’s base is wide. These pots are available in a large array of styles and colors so you can find one that suits the mood you would like to create. The arts of Penjing and Bonsai may have been born in the Orient, but you don’t have to have an Asian decorating scheme to enjoy them. You can embellish your tree’s landscape with stones, moss, or even a miniature village. Use your imagination!

Chinese Bonsai in the home is an excellent hobby for both the gardening and decorating enthusiast. Take time and patience to nurture your tree and it will be with you for many years to come.

The pros and cons of foam attic insulation

Guest Post:

When considering which insulation style to use to insulate your attic many factors must be weighed against one another. One must consider the cost of the material and the labor to have it installed. The usefulness of the product installed also needs to be taken into account, as well as the availability of this insulation type you are after.

A number of different kinds of insulation can be used to insulate an attic. The majority of these kinds are made from fiberglass. Fiberglass insulation is relatively cheap and easy to work with. It does a sufficient job of insulating most areas and can be applied in a number of different ways. There is another type of insulation that is made from foam and can prove to be very effective if used properly.

Foam attic insulation has many pros that go along with its use. This type of insulation comes as a liquid in spray cans and is essentially put on just like spray paint. This type of application means that it is easy to get the insulation in all different types of spaces. There is no cutting or trying to shape the insulation to the required shape involved. Because it is a liquid, every bit of the space involved is filled up without any gaps. This makes for a much better insulated space. The adhesive nature of the insulation also helps to bind all of the framing together better, which is especially important in attics, which deal with the most wind out of all the areas of a house.

Even though so many pros to installing foam insulation exist, there are also many cons too. This insulation type can be expensive to purchase when compared to fiberglass. It is also difficult to install which means that labor will most likely have to be hired to install it. Having to hire labor and pay more for the material makes this insulation style much more costly than fiberglass.

Although foam insulation is more expensive than fiberglass, for use in an attic it will do a much better job. It will leave you with a better insulated and more sturdy home.

An introduction to travertine tiles

If you are considering a home improvement project that involves floors or tiles, consider using travertine tiles. Travertine is formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ground, surface, or geothermally heated spring waters. This occurs where the water comes in close proximity with magma at some depth. While the water circulates and heats, it picks up dissolved minerals and solids. Those minerals are re-deposited when the water cools.

Typically, the crystallized minerals are calcium-based, or calcareous. The different impurities within the deposit contributes to the color and pattern of the stone. The random distribution of the colors gives each stone a unique design, which is one of the main appeals of this material.

In the United States, one of the best known areas where travertine is prevalent is in the Yellow Stone Basin in the National Park. There, geysors like Old Faithful circulate water in subterranian networks where it is heated. In the case of geysors, the water reaches a temperature where the steam pressure overcomes the overlaying water and it erupts in a dramatic display of steam and hot water. In other places, like Mammoth Hot Springs, the warm water comes to the surface less violently, but builds up deposits of travertine layer upon layer.

Mammoth Hot Springs at Yellowstone National Park where travertine is deposited from the geothermal waters.

Decorative stones are cut from source blocks in the quarry (not, of course, in the national park), and then taken for further processing. Based upon the intended use of the stones, they are cut and sized accordingly. Since the stone was originally deposited in a water environment there are usually many holes and pits. Frequently, these holes are filled with epoxy, cement, and dyes, but it can be used in its natural state if an uneven surface is no problem. The stone can also be honed or polished.

There are two or three small travertine quarries in the western United States. These quarries have a low production and the quality of stone is usually considered poor. A decade ago Italy had a near monopoly on the travertine market. Today Italy is still a leader, but has been joined by many other countries like Turkey, Mexico, and Peru.

Travertine has been used many ways. It can be used in a walkway, driveway, lanais, floor and wall covering, patio, and fountain. It can be used indoors and out. It has a wide variety of finishes and the price can be less than ceramic tile and wood flooring. When installed properly travertine will last the lifetime of a house.

Experiences in setting up a home aquarium

My aquarium experiences started off as something of an accident. My partner and I were given a 5-gallon fish tank with a simple over the side fiberglass filter. The tank also included a few guppies and mollies.

We set up the tank on a small aquarium stand near our eating area. It turned out that the tank became our mealtime TV. We could watch the fish swim and eat while we ate our evening meal. The slow movement through the water was accented by the mating chase and the territorial disputes. It was exciting the first time we saw a baby fish being born. It was just as moving to see that same baby fish become fish food.

Knowing very little about having an aquarium we also knew very little about how to best keep our newborn fish alive. One store suggested we use a breeding cage. The idea of the breeding cage is to place the mother inside a mesh cage or trap that would permit her to give birth. The babies would fall through the cage openings and the mother would not consume them. As you can easily imagine, this only protected the fry from the birthing mother and not from the other fish. In order for that method to be effective it would require that each mother have a tank of her own until she was finished giving birth. That did not sound like a workable idea for us.

Similar to the cage is a breeding plate. This is a mesh plate that is inserted into a tank slightly above the aquarium gravel. The idea is that the fry can fall below the plate and have a protected area to start their life. We did not like the appearance of the plate and it made cleaning the gravel impossible. For a breeder who wanted to collect young fish and didn’t care how the tank looked this might be a good method of separating newborns from adults.

Another suggestion was to have lots of plants for the fry to be dropped in or near. They could then hide and avoid being eaten by all the bigger fish. This idea at least was workable. In our ignorance we planted the whole bottom of the aquarium in plants. The plants were not properly anchored down and soon we had one of the biggest floating gardens I have ever seen. All we could see was the floating garden, no fish. With a little practice, observation and a bit of advice from knowledgeable shop owners we learned the proper balance of plants to fish and other aquarium ornaments.

Essential advice for starting a home aquarium
Aquarium gravel and water
Aquarium Stands, Options and Considerations
Aquarium backgrounds explored

Boneblogger: Science and the outdoors

Exploring the natural world