Tips – Pear Tree Cottage

Tips For Preparing For Your Cycling Marathon

If you are interested in participating in a cycling marathon, then you will need to learn some tips for preparing for your cycling marathon. If you already know how to ride a bike, then you can skip down to the section on healthy diet and food… Sadly and surprisingly, it’s not too different from diet and food recommendations for dogs. If you have never cycled before, then these tips for preparing for your cycling marathon may help you get started with improving your fitness. These tips include getting enough sleep and rest, following a healthy diet, and using proper techniques when riding your bike. By following these simple tips for preparing for your cycling marathon, you will find that your workouts become more effective, and you enjoy much better results.

The most important tip for cycling marathon preparation is to ensure that you get plenty of rest and sleep. Without adequate rest and sleep, your body will become depleted of energy. During the night, while you are sleeping, it is important to remember to eat a healthy diet. Make sure that you eat several small meals during the day to keep your body well-balanced, and hydrated. As for eating during the day, it is important to remember that you should always try to eat several smaller meals, spread throughout the day, rather than eating one large meal late at night.

Another tip for cycling marathon preparation is to make sure that you have a good and healthy diet. The type of diet that you follow depends on your own personal preferences. However, it is important to remember that you should stay away from drinking alcohol, as this will affect your performance. Instead, drink plenty of water, as this will help you to maintain proper hydration levels. It is also important to remember to use carbohydrates and protein in the diet to ensure that you have the energy that you need to complete your cycling exercise routines.

In addition to eating right, you will also need to do some cardio exercise for your cycling exercise. It is important to do this before you go on your bike ride. If possible, try to incorporate a few different types of exercise into your routine. For example, if you like to cycle slowly then try jogging instead of cycling fast, and vice versa. Jogging will give you a good cardiovascular workout, while cycling fast will help you burn more calories and raise your heart rate.

There are many other tips for preparing for your cycling marathon. However, by following these basic tips, you can greatly improve your chances of success. These simple tips include eating right, eating several small meals throughout the day, and making sure that you have a good, healthy diet. As you can see, following these tips for preparing for your cycling marathon will ensure that you have a successful and enjoyable time during the entire event.

Cycling is a fun sport, and one that anyone can enjoy. Even if you have never done a cycling marathon before, it is easy to learn how to do this. In fact, even if you already do this type of exercise often, you can still benefit from some simple tips for preparing for your cycling marathon. Cycling is a great way to get fit, as well as to burn calories. With these tips for preparing for your cycling marathon, you will be able to enjoy this new adventure for years to come.

Are Inverter Generators Worth The Extra Money?

You can’t blame yourself if you are thinking twice about investing in inverter generators as an extra source of electricity. You should lean on doing so since there are a lot of benefits to having it in your home. One of them is portability as you won’t have a problem transporting it from one place to another. There may be other times when you would want it in the basement and other days when the basement gets full so you would want to put it inside the tool shed. Whatever the case may be, you know it is not that heavy so you won’t need the help of another person just to move it. Besides, if it has been in one place for a long time, you would want to clean what is underneath it so that you can put other things there. When the dust piles up, a lot of people in the area may get sick. Another benefit is the noise level is not that high. That means your neighbors won’t even notice that you have an inverter generator at home. When the electricity goes out, you know you would want to have electricity immediately. When your neighbor notices that you do, that is when that person will find out that you have a generator. At other times, they may not even notice because of how quiet it is. You may even forget that it is actually there. You would have a hard time sleeping when there is no electricity too.

Inverters are known to not consume that much fuel. Thus, you will be conserving a ton of energy and it can be used a lot more times than you originally thought. Yes, that would also mean it will be a long time before you would need to buy another one in the future. It means you are with the inverter generator for quite a number of years. If you have encountered traditional generators, you will realize that fuel efficiency is not that good. When it comes down to consuming fuel, they will do it a lot and if you don’t have electricity for a while, the traditional generator may go down. It is a good thing that won’t happen in the case of the inverter generator. Besides, it is there for the long haul and you would have a hard time replacing it since it is worth every penny. Most manufacturers are so confident of this product that they would attach a long warranty to it so you know they used the best materials available for the time being. You may be spending a bit more when you are dealing with an inverter, but you will feel the benefits in the long run. It is quite possible you won’t feel the short-term benefits of the inverter generator but it won’t be long before you do. When that does happen, it is going to be great for you and the people in your home who would not want a power interruption.

Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Sauna

So, you’ve made the leap and purchased your very own home sauna. Congratulations! You are very fortunate to have one to use at your leisure. Now it’s time for you to get the most out of it. How can you do that? By knowing the best practices and routines for sauna usage. In this article, you’ll find some helpful tips from a fellow sauna user to make sure that your sauna doesn’t just go unused. That would be quite a shame after all!

Incorporate Sauna Sessions Into Your Routine

The best way to make sure you’re using your sauna enough to make up for the cost is to incorporate it into your daily or weekly schedule. It’s helpful to pick a particular time of day that you’re going to use the sauna and stick to that, much like a healthy gym habit. Speaking of gym habits, if you are maintaining a thorough fitness routine then planning to go to the sauna right after you work out can be excellent timing. Many people find it really helps reduce the amount of soreness and fatigue they feel throughout there body to have a quick sauna session after good exercise. You’ll really need to make a point to drink plenty of water though, as exercise takes a lot out of you and a sauna certainly does too. It can actually be very dangerous to sauna in a dehydrated state. Just make sure to get as much water as your body needs, and if there is any question or concern at all just speak with your doctor to clear things up.

Other great times to use the sauna include first thing in the morning, and in the evening. People who sauna in the morning tend to find that it helps wake them up fully, and leaves them energized and revitalized ready to conquer the day. On the other side of the spectrum, those who sauna at night find it’s a great way to decompress and that it may actually help them fall asleep and stay asleep better.

Pay Attention to Temperature, Humidity, and Time

Another thing to keep in mind is what temperature you’re operating the sauna at. They often take a long time to heat up, so it’s recommended that you preheat your sauna well before you get in to use it. Nothing is quite so disappointing as a sauna that’s just not hot. There is definitely such a thing as too hot though, make sure to read the manufacturer’s recommendations and do your own research as well to make sure you’re not overdoing it on your body.

As far as humidity goes, some people prefer dry saunas while others prefer a little bit of humidity. As a quick primer in this respect, a humid sauna feels a lot hotter than a dry sauna at the same temperature. Also worth noting is that it really doesn’t take all that much water to increase the humidity in a sauna, so go easy at first until you get the hang of it.

Then, of course, there is the amount of time you spend in a sauna, and this is really where you’ll need to consult professionals, your manufacturer’s recommendations, and listen to the feedback from your body. You obviously want to get enough time in the sauna to get the job done, but you don’t want to overdo it. Again, make sure you drink plenty of water before and after your sauna to keep dehydration at bay.

Finish It Off With A Bath

A shower works just fine too, just make sure to get all that sweat cleaned off and you’ll be left feeling like a brand new person when you’re done. If you’re a little adventurous, try taking a cooler or even cold bath after the sauna. It can make your body feel amazing. It’s definitely not for everyone though, because you have to be able to put the high level of initial discomfort to the back of your mind.

Preparing Your Snow Blower for Storage

By now it’s safe to say that the nasty winter weather is behind us. The grass has turned green as far as the eye can see, the trees are in full bloom, and the summer weather is right around the corner. With so much going on around the yard and the household it can be easy to overlook the proactive maintenance that your winter tools require to keep them operating at top functionality.

Particularly, if you haven’t already you should pay attention to the way you store your snow blower over the summer months. Snow blowers are expensive machines and we really rely on them when the winter comes around to keep our everyday lives going – cleaning our driveways and sidewalks just so we can get out and about for the day is a must.

Make sure to put a little effort in now so that your snow blower is ready to go when the time comes to take if for a spin next winter. Otherwise you’ll be left without one and facing a big expense at the next snow storm.

First and foremost, you want to make sure that you’re storing your snow blower without any gasoline in the tank. Hopefully you’ve been adding stabilizer to your gasoline mix all along, and if you haven’t been you should consider doing so in the future. It will help with the life of your snow blower’s engine and it will just generally make things run more smoothly.

You want to make sure to store the snow blower without gas in the tank for a few reasons. The first is that the fumes and vapors can corrode the engine components, leading to more trouble down the road. The second reason is that as the weather goes from temperature swings, particularly during times of the year where the nights are cool and the days are hot, it is likely that condensation will form inside your snow blower’s engine. As this condensation mixes with the gas it will become more difficult to combust, meaning you’ll have a harder time getting the engine started when you go to use it next winter.

The easiest way to make sure that there is no as in the engine is to run it until it sputters out. This way you can know for sure that there is nothing in the system. If you still have a full tank of gas it makes sense to siphon out as much as possible, then to go through this procedure. Otherwise you’ll be running the engine all day. Plus you can use that gas that you remove for other equipment, like lawn mowers and weed whackers. Once you’ve drained the gas you’ll want to unplug the spark plug to keep the electrical circuit isolated and further prevent corrosion.

While you’re at it, it makes sense to give your snow blower a quick look over and fix any problems now before they come back to bite you when you need it. Take a look at the shear pins in the auger. Are they all in tact? If not, replace them. They are fairly cheap, and you’ll all of a sudden realize why it was so hard to move snow with your snow blower this winter. Take a look at the tire pressure, and fill the tires up if they are low. Inspect the interior components for rust or other issues that may need to be addressed, as now is the perfect time to take care of them.

Once everything is squared away, make sure that you cover your snow blower for the storage period. A tarp will certainly do the trick, but many people opt for specialized form-fitting covers, which are great as well. If you can keep the snow blower in a shed, the garage, or in the basement that is even better as it will protect it more so from the weather.

If you’ve taken all these steps then there’s a pretty good chance your trusty snow blower will be up for the battle when winter rolls around next year. You’ll be happy you took the time to put it away properly when your snow blower starts right up for the first snow fall.

What To Look For When Evaluating Different Dog Foods

Your dog deserves the best food that you can find. We put so much effort into grooming our dogs, taking them for walks, and generally making them feel loved that it really makes sense that their food it top-notch too. In simple terms, the quality of your pet’s food equates to how healthy your dog will be for its entire life. With this fact in mind, it’s time to take a look at the different dog foods found in the marketplace today. There are certain features that you should look for before deciding to place the food in front of your dog.

Main Ingredients

Look at the food’s listed ingredients. There should be meats that are relatively familiar by name at the beginning of the list. Any chemical descriptions should be near the end of the list or omitted entirely. Although dogs are pets, they still deserve quality ingredients. Beef, chicken, liver, fish and other items might be listed.

Consider grain-free foods so that meat and produce are always the main ingredients. Grains are considered fillers in the dog-food world. Grain-free foods are often more expensive, but the dog eats less volume because it’s so filling.

Food “Description”

Those descriptions on the dog food’s retail packaging are actually precise reflections of the ingredients within. If you want a product that has at least 70 percent chicken, for example, look for descriptions that are simply “chicken.” Fancier terms, including platter or entree, usually mean that only 10 percent of the food is actually meat. “Chicken flavored” descriptions are the most deceptive terms for consumers because this equates to about 3 percent or less of a meat product.

Try to pick the product with the most meat. Filling your dog with a lot of fillers will only impede their health and contribute to weight gain.

Dietary Restrictions

Some dogs might be sensitive to certain foods. In fact, it’s not unheard of for some foods to be outright allergy-inducing for Fido. Local pet stores typically carry foods that are specially designed for these issues. Read over the dog food label to clarify the type of ingredients. The containers usually state that they’re for “sensitive stomachs” or “food allergies.”

Don’t forget that the dog also needs a food designed for its age. Puppy, adult and senior varieties are always good mixtures to choose from as your dog ages.

Breed Considerations

The trend today is matching a dog food to the breed. It’s true that each breed has slightly different needs in comparison to the others. Try these products out – especially if you have a purebred dog. The mixtures should offer the proper nutrients for a dog breed at any age.

If you don’t find dog food that’s specifically designed for your breed, try to match the dog’s dietary needs to the general mixtures. Large breeds tend to have more skeletal issues than smaller dogs so choosing a mixture with bone-rich ingredients for your German shepherd is a good choice.

Real Fruits and Vegetables

Always pick dog food that has real fruits and vegetables within the ingredient list. Sweet potatoes, spinach and apples might be a few of the choices. Although dogs are carnivores, they do require produce as a means to fill out the rest of their nutritional needs. Grains offer some nutrition, but they’re never as good as fruits and vegetables.

Some pet owners prefer to feed their dogs raw produce outside of the everyday food. Be careful with “human” food because some produce doesn’t sit well with each breed.

Feeding Instructions

Always read the label on your new dog food. Each mixture has a slightly different feeding volume. Some products require twice- or thrice-daily feedings. When you follow the instructions on the product, it may or may not be used in a rapid manner. High-quality foods don’t need to be piled up in the dog’s bowl. In contrast, low-quality foods demand volume so that the nutrients can be distributed at a proper ratio.

Be aware that more food volume might increase the calorie intake. You want to strive for a dog food that balances nutrition and healthy calories at the same time.

It may take a few tries to find the proper food that your dog actually likes. Be patient with your pup because there will be a mixture that it likes. At the end of the day, the pup must eat at some point, and you control the quality of the meal.

Tips for Planting Your First Vegetable Garden

If you are thinking about planting your first vegetable garden, you may have a long way to go before you get started. Since there are so many things that you will need to know before you can be successful with your efforts, you need to pay close attention to what the seasoned gardeners are saying. Specifically, because there are some tried and proven tips that you can go by to do your best. With this in mind, here are 5 great tips that can help virtually anyone with planting a vegetable garden that you will be proud of.

Tip #1 – Start Small

Even though you may be tempted to grow a large crop that has a variety of different types of vegetables, it is important that you think these things thru. This is especially true for you that have limited knowledge about what vegetables should be planted and those that may not do well at all. That said, you need to start with a relatively small vegetable garden to see how these vegetable gardens are being planted. For instance, you can get better results when you do not try to grow a farm overnight. Instead, all you need to plant is a couple of beds of vegetables so that they you can begin to get the experience that you need.

Tip #2 – Create Raised Beds to Avoid Weeds that Kill

When you are getting started with your first planting season, you want to make sure that you are doing a proper job. Therefore, to avoid specific types of common problems, you must be able to raise the beds high so that the plants will not be unnecessarily compromised. For instance, if the beds are not raised enough from the ground, you may begin to see and experience certain woes. One of the more commonly known includes having the weeds to grow up and interfere with the planting.

Tip #3 – Determine an Exact Time When you Should Plant Your Vegetables

If you think that you can begin planting your vegetables at any time of the year, you are probably not familiar with how to get started. This is because not all planting seasons are the same since each region in the U.S. or abroad have certain rules and guidelines that must be followed to get the best or proper results. Therefore, you need to do your research in advance to see when it is best to get started. For example, if you live in the state of Tennessee or Alabama, the planting season for you may fall in the month of April. The month of April will give the gardener an opportunity to watch their vegetables grow before they are adversely affected by the heat of the sun.

Tip #4 – Learn the Different Types of Gardens

Because there is more than one type of garden that can be planted for your vegetables, you can do your research to see which one will best fit your needs. For instance, if you want to build a small garden of vegetables for your family, you may find that a container garden will fit your specific needs. Container gardens can be planted in a variety of different forms including buckets, boxes and the like. All of which are ideal for those who are not considering using a hose to till the ground.

Tip #5 – Make Sure You Know Which Vegetables to Plant

Just like there are certain times for planting your vegetables, it is also important to know which vegetables should be planted and when. Since there are some vegetables that grow to maturity easily during specific types of weather, you need to know exactly which ones are considered to be cold weather vegetables and which ones fit into the category of mid-summer season vegetables. For instance, if you like and want to plant broccoli, you should get ready for the cold season to begin this type of garden. Also, you go to a popular resource to find the information that you need. Again, for the state of Tennessee, you should go to the Old Farmer Almanac to find the guidelines that you will need to complete your garden with a certain amount of ease and success.