Category Archives: Guest Post

Creating a playground in your yard

Have you been trying to figure out a way to get your kids out of the house? Let’s face it—these days kids just aren’t as active as they used to be, and when we are so busy ourselves, it can be hard to get them out of the house and away from the TV, the Xbox, or any other of the gadgets that we’ve bought to distract them.

One way to inspire your children is to start putting together a homemade playground in your backyard. Look outside and think about it. A lot of us have nothing more in the yard but a flat, pristine stretch of lawn or some gravel and a broken down car. Not exactly inspiring for play, so unless you want them wandering off who knows where. It’s time to make something in the direct vicinity of your home that will drag them outdoors.

Here are some simple things to get you started.

Trampolines

A trampoline is probably the simplest way to immediately make your yard a kid’s heaven, and even if you didn’t add anything else, they will be tempted to run out and use it for years, even far into their teens. Trampolines are an amazing source of physical activity that have proven to be even more beneficial than a cardio routine, and kids like to do all sorts of stunts on them, making them lot of fun.

Just be sure to consider safety first when choosing the model for your yard. A lot of the older ones have proven to be quite dangerous, so look for a newer design, like the springless trampoline.

Slides

What kid doesn’t love a slide? This is a rather cheap addition to your background playground. If you’ve already got a pool installed, this can be a way to really make it that much more of a blast.

Swing sets

While certainly not as versatile or captivating as a trampoline, swing sets will always hold their allure for children. A moment in your backyard giving them a push can be the simplest of bonding experiences, and you will likely find yourself sitting in the seat for a little rocking back and forth as well. If you’ve got a big back yard and some sturdy trees, save some money by putting up a strong rope or tire swing.

Pools

I realize not everyone can afford an Olympic size swimming pool in the backyard, but all you need is something that can hold some water. There are plenty of above-ground pools that provide plenty of fun for kids who just want to get wet in the heat and splash around a little bit.

Those are just a few simple ideas. The point is to start thinking about how you can make your backyard more inviting to kids, and then you won’t have to nag on them to get them outside—they’ll go all on their own. Sure, they’ll still spend some time playing games on the Xbox, but their lives will begin to alternate between the inside and outside world rather than resembling the life of a couch cushion.

Start adding components like these one at a time as money allows—trampoline, swing, pool—and before you know it, your backyard will be the most exciting place in town.

Fireworks pictures–in the sky

Pictures in the night sky made from light have always fascinated people. The ancients looked at the stars and created pictures that incorporated the different constellations in them. Now we can use chemicals to create our own ephemeral and beautiful pictures in the night sky.

Not only can we recreate a simulation of the Pleiades meteor shower, we can recreate it in much denser form and in a multitude of colors. The fun only begins with that image. There are twinkling star shapes in reds, blues, greens, and yellows. Umbrella formations grace the night with their flowing images. Balls of light, which look like we are seeing the creation of the universe in a big bang that expands across the sky. Puffballs of exotic flowers bloom quickly then fade away, leaving room for the next spectacular fireworks picture.

Palm trees that sparkle in a lovely array of colors grow, expand and disappear before our eyes. Flowers bud, blossom and fade before our eyes. A hacky-sac in magenta appears out of the darkness, glowing with a promise of more beauty coming behind it. A whirling whiz-bang shoots off sparks in every direction. Rockets pierce the sky, throwing sparkles of colors in every direction. Colored fountains grow and sparkle, showering beauty on us all. When the fireworks pictures occur in the sky over a still lake or pond, we get a doubling of the wonderful images that are created.

When there is a backdrop for stationary fireworks, pictures can be built such as a plant growing into a bush, then a rose budding and blossoming. Surrounding the rose in a semi-circle can be a group of Scottish thistles as was described in one of Louisa May Alcott’s books. The possibilities are endless. No matter what you would like to see in a gorgeous array of lights, fireworks pictures can provide it. The fleeting nature of these wonderful images only makes them more precious.

Snails in an aquarium

There was a time when snails were thought to be necessary to have in a home aquarium. The idea was that the snail would clean up the fish droppings and the snail droppings were good for the plants. The plants in turn would give off oxygen that would help keep the fish healthy.

The reality is that the snails don’t eat the fish dropping, and the snail droppings add to the tank debris. Plants can utilize some of the droppings but the rest must be cleaned up by the filtration system. Plants do give off oxygen during the day, but the fish are not dependent upon that oxygen source if you have a good filter that is aerating the water.

The filtration system in the aquarium cleans up the animal matter and provides the necessary aeration to the fish tank. So what do snails do? They clean up excess fish food that would otherwise foul a tank. They help by eating some of the algae that adhere to the tank walls. They eat on the eggs of the fish, breaking them up but not consuming all of the egg before they move on to the next. Snails will also eat on the plants. Most of them usually do not eat the whole plant. They make holes in the plant, weakening them and disturbing the ambiance of the aquarium décor.

There are hundreds of snail species. The most common snails which are most likely to find their way into the aquarium as a stowaway on plants and live food is the Pond Snail. Most of them are prolific breeders. It is necessary to thin the snail population from time to time or they will consume the tank plants. The easiest way to thin the population is to crush them. Many fishes will eat the crushed snails and benefit from the live food.

Some fish breeders raise snails as a source of fish food. Not only will larger fish eat crushed snails, but the snails will help produce infusoria, a collection of tiny single-celled and multi-celled organisms that very small fish can eat. The Apple snails are a common group used to help start infusoria. The snails eat large quantities of plant material, such as lettuce. They produce a large amount digested waste that is a wonderful source of food for infusoria*.

*The use of infusoria was mentioned in an earlier posting.

Yogurt with probiotics

There is no question that yogurt is good for you. However, you should know what is in this dairy product that you consume. This nutritious treat that dates back to centuries ago is rich in potassium and calcium, low in sugar and fat and contains natural microorganisms that are beneficial to the digestive system. Known as probiotics, these live active cultures are simply good bacteria.

Dannon, the Paris-based food company behind Activia®, one of the familiar names in yogurt, notes in its official website that probiotics, as defined by the World Health Organization is “a living microorganism that, when administered in adequate amounts, confers a health benefit on its host”.

Sounds good, right? But before anything else though, let me ask you these two questions: what is considered an “adequate amount” of probiotics? And, what are the benefits of yogurt with probiotics?

Activia® is a yummy low-fat yogurt that contains friendly bacteria. The key ingredient is DN-173010 which has been claimed with a trademark status by Dannon, being indicated in its US labels as Bifidus regularis. As part of a healthy lifestyle, the same site recommends consumption of 4 oz Activia® daily for a couple of weeks, the adequate amount and period in order to start experiencing its positive effects on the digestive system. These benefits include regular bowel movement and the relief of constipation and diarrhea, among others. Apart from this, additional benefits are ridding the body of toxins and maintaining good health.

So what is this Bifidus regularis exactly? This name is coined by Dannon and it varies in the different countries where the product is available. More important to note, however, is that this bacterial strain is a sub-species of Bifidobacterium animalis which is found in the large intestines of mammals, including humans. It is considered an effective probiotic since it is able to withstand the gastric juices in the digestive tract from the stomach down to the small intestines, until it reaches the large intestines where it works its magic.

On an interestingly related note, in his March 2008 article on individual probiotic bacteria, Matthew Hogg discussed a study conducted at Finland’s National Public Health Institute. In this research it indicated that probiotic bacteria, when used singly are more effective in boosting the immune system as opposed to when several strains are used in combination.

So the next time you grab a yogurt, enjoy but do read the label. Make sure that it is one which contains high-quality probiotic to make it a tasty yet nutritious respite.

Outdoor shower enclosures for a unique bathing experience

Naturally, most people prefer to take showers in the privacy of their own home. However, outdoor shower enclosures are increasing in popularity, especially in warm locales. Though most don’t take their usual shower outdoors, these enclosures have a number of helpful uses.

Often, these types of showers do not utilize the typical shower wall panels. Still, it is important to make sure that the enclosure is protected from water damage, with a lining or painted seal. It is important that the shower has the ability to drain properly and that the floor is water sealed or built from a non-permeable material like concrete.

An outdoor shower can be built by the handy homeowner, or can be created by one’s favorite contractor. Before starting, it is important that one decide what type of features they would like their shower to have and to plan out their design. There are several things to consider when designing a shower, including whether or not it will be enclosed, where the water source is, where the shower should be located, and what it will be used for. Some outdoor showers are not enclosed, but many people prefer them to be for privacy. One must be sure that they can access water in their preferred location and that they can easily install a shower head without too much piping and reconfiguring of their home water system.

These showers can be used for a number of things, but they are especially popular with homeowners near a beach. An outdoor shower can help one get rid of the sand on their feet and body before they enter the house. A shower like this can also be great for a pet owner to use for giving Fido a bath without making a mess of the house. The shower can be used for children who are dirty after spending the day outside, or for dirty shoes to prevent tracking into the home.

Boneblogger: Science and the outdoors

Exploring the natural world