Category Archives: Guest Post

Searching For a Poison Oak Cure?

Poison oak is a plant that causes a rash to develop upon the skin on contact. This poison oak skin rash later develops into a series of blisters and these blisters can vary in severity. Poison oak cures are designed to alleviate the symptoms associated with the rash, typically the itching and blistering. There are a number of different poison oak cures to try out. Let us discuss a few of these.

The first poison oak cure to try is cooling the rash. This should effectively relieve itching. A common way in which to cool the rash is to soak a cloth or small towel in cold water and hold it on top of the rash. Alternatively, a cold bath could be run to soak in to aid relief of the itching or ice placed directly on to the areas affected. It is often recommended that oatmeal soap be added to the bath to aid better relief.

The second poison oak cure is the use of calamine lotion. This product can be purchased in pharmacies and drugstores in your locality for an affordable price. The product is dabbed onto the affected area where it will help to reduce itching and dry up blisters, letting new skin develop once the dry skin flakes off.

The final poison oak cure is the use of a paste made from vinegar and baking soda. This will have to be created in the home. Vinegar and baking soda must be mixed together to create a paste similar in consistency to peanut butter. This paste can then be applied directly to the skin, left to rest and then washed off with cool water.

There are just a few poison oak cures to try. However, keep in mind that the above cures may not work for you. Furthermore, when using products such as calamine lotion, remember to read the instructions provided on the bottle before applying the product to the skin. If ever in doubt, consult with your Doctor.

Camping and Hiking Holidays: 4 Safety Tips

When taking camping and/or hiking holidays, safety prevention becomes extremely important. If your planned girl getaways include any trail hiking, then there are some very valuable safety precautions that should be followed during your hiking adventure. It is very important that you follow these guidelines because it can come down to a matter of life or death. There are four important safety tips that will help keep you safe and in top physical condition while enjoying nature with your friends.

The first and probably the most crucial tip that applies to any of your hikes is preparation. It is extremely important that you always plan and prepare the hiking route in advance. Know the estimated time to complete the trail you plan on hiking. Be sure to communicate all the details of your hike with someone at your base camp, just in case you or your entire party does not return to your campsite in a timely manner. Accidents can and do happen when you are out on the trail or in the wilderness. If a person at camp knows you are late returning, they can quickly send a search party out to look for you. It is always good to be safe rather than sorry.

The second safety tip will help you to keep in good physical condition while on your hiking tour. Be sure to carry an adequate amount of drinking water for use while hiking, it does not matter how short the trail might be, always carry a bottle of water. Keeping your body hydrated is much more important than having something to eat because our bodies are comprised of up to 80% water.

The third tip has to do with what you wear. It is essential that you always wear appropriate protective gear. Be sure to pack suitable clothing for warm weather as well as waterproof gear to provide protection and help prevent hypothermia. If you happen to be hiking in areas with warm weather, you will want to be diligent about apply sufficient sunscreen and be sure to carry it along with you while hiking.

Finally, the last tip is to always bring a map and compass with you when hiking. If you are the kind of girl who likes gadgets, then bring a GPS device along (See recommended handheld GPS units). This will help prevent you from being lost while out on your hiking adventure.

It is important to remember these four simple tips while on your hiking vacation or get-away. These tips will be important for your personal safety and if you fail to follow these tips, it may result in an accident with either you or one of your friends. Fatalities can occur, so be safe while hiking.

Cutting trees for warmth

Cutting trees is hard work especially if you cannot afford a chain saw for the task and you are cutting a solid wood or hard wood tree. It is however a very invigorating form of exercise provided you can justify the need to be tree cutting in the first place. The great thing about cutting trees is that it provides warmth twice or possible three times. The first time is the actual felling of the tree. The second warming experience is when you are splitting logs for firewood and finally the third is when you actually burn the timber in the hearth (fireplace).

You can make the most beautiful furniture from trees you cut down. If you can get the tree to a saw mill for cutting (slicing) you will be rewarded with lumber than can be transformed into benches, gazebos or arbors for your garden or yard. If you get the timber planed then you can create interior fine furniture for your home. You can select the cuts that are most beautifully grained and make a treasured dining room table which can be French polished to bring out the grain. The surplus pieces and off cuts will warm you via the fireside through out the winter.

The safest way to cut a tree or logs is without using the chainsaw. This powerful machine is deadly and all it takes is one slip or trip and the consequences could be fatal. Better is to use a good ‘Bushman’ saw, which is a hand saw, and allow plenty of time for the work. It will, of course, be much harder, more tiring and you will be warmer, but more importantly you will still be around to enjoy the heat from the logs you cut so lovingly. I like to replenish the trees I have to take down and I always plant new ones as replacements.

Fishing as a pastime for you and your family

Lots of folks prefer fishing, over other physical activities such as tennis or golf, as a relaxing pastime to get away from worries. Some view it as a personal hobby, others as a quality activity to enjoy with friends and family. Evidence supports the fact that over 50 million Americans choose to make fishing a big part of their life, rather than enjoying other sports. Fishing activity has a huge impact the economy. Hundreds of millions of dollars are devoted to fishing; and, around 20,000 people report fishing to be their livelihood. However, the majority of fishing enthusiasts consider it a peaceful indulgence and a family pastime.

Generally speaking, fishing is a lifestyle option. “The Incomplete Psychology of Everyday Fishing” is a book written by psychologist Paul G. Quinnett. In this book, Quinnett devotes a whole chapter to fishing and its ability to relieve stress. In the chapter entitled “Ethics of Fishing” he brings attention to the fact that a true fishing enthusiast must have an appreciation, and find joy, in the benefits of nature. He also brings attention to the fact that fishing correctly carries over into a person’s ability to live a more disciplined lifestyle.

Fishing also makes a wonderful family activity that can provide quality time for the entire family. “Family Life First” is a group that specializes in presenting to parents ways that they can spend quality, constructive time with their children. FLF possesses factual data that proves that in the past 20 years children have experienced a 25 percent decrease in play time. Outdoor activities, which are responsible for the majority of a child’s play, have gone down by 50 percent. A study performed by the White House Council of Economic Advisers concludes that from 1969 to 1996 family time activities have experienced a 22 percent drop.

Needless to say, any positive time spent interacting with your children is worth investing in. And, fishing is definitely a way to achieve this family time. The quality time that you experience is a very rewarding result of the effort that you put in. The significant aspect of fishing, actually catching fish, is the bulk of the enjoyment. With an abundance of public fishing lakes, all with countless fish to catch, all children can experience the excitement and adventure of fishing. Your first catch is a very memorable one. And, it would be hard to forget the parent who guided you in catching it. The enjoyment, the thrill and the learning experience all make fishing a wonderful idea for a family activity.

Everything that you need to go fishing can be found in a store–except for your family. Fishing can relieve your stress and help to promote a calm and stress-free lifestyle for both you and your family. So, gather the loved ones and be pleasantly surprised at how much you will actually like each others company while you enjoy the best family entertainment ever–fishing.

Author Bio: Nichole Weathers is a content writer for Online Schools and Online MBA who gives advice on the pursuit of education and living a healthy life. In her free time she enjoys writing, gardening and horror movies.

Fishing games—a sea of options

Hunt with Only the Best Fixed Handle Hunting Knives

Hunting is one of life’s greatest challenges for the avid hunter who looks at his knife as a necessity that he cannot live without. For the more serious ones who use their knives exclusively for hunting, the fixed blade knife is the perfect choice. Some brands use both full and partial tangs in their blades. Good quality brands use high-carbon stainless steel. Some knives have coated carbon steel blades which are easy to sharpen and stay sharp for a longer time than stainless steel. The handles used for these hunting knives are usually wood, stag or soft grip rubberized or composite handles.

These types of knives are permanently in an open position. They are considered as the strongest, most secure and most reliable among the hunting knives as they do not have any moving parts. The only downside is that the knives are always open and therefore would need to be carried in their sheath. Even with the same blade, the fixed blade hunting knives are definitely bulkier than folding hunting knives.

Some of the best brands in the market today are the 50-year old Gerber Hunting Knives, century old Buck Hunting Knives and Ka-Bar Knives which have been field and battle tested by the military since World War I.

When buying hunting knives, there are criteria that you should look out for. Dependable fixed blade hunting knives should be strong and reliable. Its handle should provide a good grip to make it easy to work with, whatever the weather or hunting conditions may be. A metal handle would be too hot to hold in the desert while it would stick to your fingers in extreme cold. Find knives that have changeable blades so you can carry different types of blades for different uses.

Whatever your choice may be, the best thing to do is buy the brand that you are most comfortable with or do some research over the internet for those that come highly recommended.

Boneblogger: Science and the outdoors

Exploring the natural world