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Tuesday, June 30, 2020
7 Tick Repellents That Work (Plus 2 That Might Not)
R&R Insect Repellent Lotion
This non-greasy, odorless lotion lasts for up to eight hours and features IR3535, an EPA-registered tick repellent, as its main active ingredient. Not familiar? It’s a biopesticide, different from traditional pesticides like DEET or picaridin. It can be safely reapplied up to three times per day, and there is no need to wash it off because it’s considered harmless to your skin. Using tick repellent isn’t all you can do to protect yourself. These smart devices ward off bugs.
Article source here: 7 Tick Repellents That Work (Plus 2 That Might Not)
Article source here:
Here Is How to Remove a Tick (And What Not to Do)
Anatomy of a Tick Bite
Ticks in the summer are as certain as heatwaves and higher A/C bills. Consider there are at least 15 tick-borne diseases, with Lyme disease the most common in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a zero tolerance policy for allowing ticks to feed on us.
Using tick repellent isn’t all you can do to protect yourself. These smart devices ward off bugs.
The way the tick delivers its pathogens is not for the faint of heart, as described by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in a news release about ticks and tick-borne illness. A tick uses incisor-like claws to tunnel beneath the skin, often in seconds, latching on with two legs and cutting open the skin with a mouth that resembles a reciprocating saw. After injecting its long, jagged mouth, it begins to draw blood up slowly before it reverses the flow, releasing saliva into the wound. Here’s what to do if you find a tick in your house.
What You Should Be Concerned About
There are two main concerns with a tick bite, says Pat Salber, M.D. One is an infection from the breaking of the skin itself, which allows bacteria to contaminate the open wound. The other is disease. But for a tick to actually transmit a tick-borne illness, it needs to be attached for about 24 hours, says Walter Schrading, M.D., director of the UAB’s Office of Wilderness Medicine and associate professor in UAB’s School of Medicine.
To protect yourself from ticks, Dr. Schrading recommends insect repellents containing DEET or permethrin. He also suggests wearing long pants and socks if tick habitats like woodlands and brushy areas cannot be avoided.
After spending time in such areas, you should always check for ticks. Dr. Salber explains how:
Take off all your clothes and look over every part of your body from head to toe. That means standing in front of a mirror to check your backside as well. Be sure to carefully run your fingers through your hair as well, looking in the mirror as you do. Having a partner’s eyes on you as well, can be helpful. If your dog went with you on the hike, he deserves a thorough tick check as well. Ticks come in all sizes, some can be quite small and some can be large if they have are engorged from just having finished a blood meal.
How to Remove the Tick
If you see a tick, “remain calm,” advises Jorge Parada, M.D., medical advisor for the National Pest Management Association. You’ll need to remove it immediately and completely. Dr. Parada offers the following method:
Gently pull back any hair from around the tick, exposing the skin near the tick/bite. Locate the head of the tick, grasp it as close to the skin as possible using fine-tipped tweezers and gently squeeze. Do not grab the tick’s body, as this can increase the chance of injecting the tick’s blood into the skin. Pull outward in a straight motion until the pressure pulls out the head of the tick. Do not twist or wiggle the tick, as that may tear the head off, leaving it lodged in the skin.
“If the mouth parts break off, leave them alone because your body will expel them on their own,” advises Dr. Salber. Whatever you do, he says, don’t try to dig them out because that’s a recipe for a bacterial skin infection.
Removing ticks should always be followed by hand-washing and cleansing the bite area with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or an iodine solution to avoid bacterial infection. What you should not do is try to burn the tick off your skin with a match or paint it with nail polish, because neither works, according to Jeremy Allen, M.D., a physician with American Family Care. Plus, check out these common myths about personal insect repellents.
Watch the American Academy of Dermatology’s video on exactly how to remove a tick:
Should You Save the Tick for Further Testing?
There is some disagreement among experts about saving the tick for testing for specific tick-borne illness. But it is widely accepted that it can be helpful to take photos or describe the tick. Identifying the species narrows down which illnesses you may be at risk for. For example, Lyme disease is transmitted only by deer ticks. Here’s how to avoid deer ticks.
You don’t necessarily need to see your doctor after removing a tick. But if you believe it was a deer tick and was attached to you for at least 24 hours, your doctor may be willing to prescribe a prophylactic antibiotic (200 mg of doxycycline within 72 hours after the bite). according to Joshua Zeichner, M.D., a dermatologist in New York. Even if you don’t see your doctor immediately, you should continue to monitor the bite for the expanding redness, which would suggest the characteristic rash associated with Lyme disease, says Dr. Salber.
“The salmon-colored rash expands over a few days to weeks and can get as big as eight inches in diameter,” he says. “It may eventually become clear in the center, creating what is known as a `bulls-eye’ lesion.” Nearly 80 percent of people with Lyme disease develop this rash, so if you notice it, see a doctor quickly because Lyme disease can be treated effectively when caught early. If not, Lyme disease can develop into a chronic illness. Ticks are dangerous, as are these other bugs, so it’s important to learn how to avoid them!
Article source here: Here Is How to Remove a Tick (And What Not to Do)
Article source here:
10 Naturally Derived Tick Repellents That Actually Work
A Well-Groomed Yard
One of the easiest ways to reduce ticks is to maintain your yard and its perimeter. About 82 percent of ticks found on lawns are discovered within nine feet of the lawn’s edge, especially if the lawn borders woods, stone walls, or lush leafy plantings or ground cover such as pachysandra. “Ticks don’t like dry and sunny conditions,” says Thomas Mather, director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Vector-borne Disease and the TickEncounter Resource Center.
To minimize your exposure to ticks and their potential diseases, including Lyme disease, create a landscape that includes more sunny areas and a clearly defined border of wood chips or gravel between the lawn and the woods. Removing dead leaves and overgrown shrubs along the lawn’s perimeter can also help keep ticks away. Here’s what to do if you find a tick in your house.
Article source here: 10 Naturally Derived Tick Repellents That Actually Work
Article source here:
Here’s How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Home
How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Home
Thanks to Dr. Thomas Mather, director of the Center for Vector-Borne Disease at the University of Rhode Island, people in New England are buzzing about the tick explosion taking place this summer. According to URI’s TickEncounter website, tick activity will be high in most of the eastern United States, the Midwest, the Plains states and the West Coast. The spring and summer is a prime time for ticks, which means you’ll need to do anything you can to protect your home from the tick explosion.
To keep ticks out of your home, we turned to the helpful guide released by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). Here’s what they recommend.
Create a Lawn Edge
Deer ticks are found in wooded areas, particularly where humidity levels are high. They enjoy cooler places rather than sunny, manicured lawns. That’s why you don’t find ticks crawling in the middle of your yard. CAES says that 82 percent of deer ticks will be within the first nine feet of your lawn. Adding an edge around the yard is the best way to keep ticks out. This edging could be made up of gravel pathways, mulches, decking, stone, tile or other hardscapes. Check out our best lawn edging ideas and tips.
Put Up Deer Fencing
If deer ticks are the problem, its make sense to get rid of the deer. The best and most humane way to do it is fencing off your property. If you live in a remote area, a fence will certainly help keep the ticks to a minimum around your property. Here’s how to avoid deer ticks.
Shut Down The Deer Feed
Deer like to eat plants, so if you have plants close by, they will come. Limiting food sources or planting vegetation deer won’t eat means they won’t come into your yard with ticks in tow. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, deer tend to stay away from fragrant plants with strong scents such as sage, ornamental salvias, lavender, peonies and bearded irises. Here’s how to safely deter animals that steal from your garden.
Apply Acaricides
Lastly, chemicals should keep the ticks away. Acaricide is a pesticide that kills ticks and can be applied to lawns and woodland edges. However, only a licensed professional can apply it since it requires specific spray equipment. Regarding other pests, a few do-it-yourself pest control methods don’t require professional help. You could also try natural tick repellents such as cedar oil spray, apple cider vinegar and others. Here are some tick repellents that really work.
Speaking of pests, you may have seen centipedes crawling around your house. If that’s the case, here’s why you shouldn’t kill house centipedes.
Article source here: Here’s How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Home
Article source here:
How to Avoid Deer Ticks
Why You Should Avoid Deer Ticks
Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. They estimate that up to 10 times as many cases go unreported in the same time period. Lyme disease is serious business, causing joint pain and inflammation, loss of movement in parts of the face, severe headaches, shooting pains in the limbs and occasionally heart palpitations. Here are some tick repellents that really work.
What causes Lyme disease? A 3-millimeter arachnid called ixodes scapularis, also known as the deer tick, is the main carrier and spreader of Lyme disease in North America. A 2018 study discovered that of 1,633 captured ticks of various species on Long Island, N.Y., more than half the deer ticks carried Lyme disease. That’s why learning to avoid deer ticks is so important.
Know Where Ticks Live
According to the CDC, deer ticks and other tick species are most commonly found in grassy or brush covered areas and forests. So do your best to avoid areas with long grass and fallen leaves. If you’re spending time in a forest, try to keep to the paths and avoid thick brush. The CDC publishes maps showing tick hot spots in the U.S., but ticks are so ubiquitous you could be bitten nearly anywhere. Many people report it happening in their backyards. Deer ticks are generally most prevalent in the Eastern half of the country.
Check for Ticks Regularly
According to the Mayo Clinic, removing an infected tick less than 36 hours after being bitten drastically reduces your chances of getting Lyme disease. That’s why doing thorough tick checks is a must if you’ve been in a tick-infested area. Check your and your children’s clothing, hair and entire body carefully. If you find a tick, remove it with a pair of needle-tip tweezers. Carefully grip the tick’s head and pull straight up, gently and steadily, until the head and mandibles slide out of your skin. This video shows how to safely remove a tick.
Be sure to inspect any pets that were outside with you. They can get Lyme disease, too.
Use Tick-Repelling Products and Practices
Start by trimming back any long grass near your home and keep it short. Rake up dead leaves in your yard and burn them, if that’s allowed, or take them to a compost site. Shower as soon as possible after coming in from anywhere ticks might be.
If you live in a rural area where your pet may run loose in possible tick hot spots, consider keeping it on a leash away from these areas.
To minimize your chances of getting Lyme disease, use insect repellent containing DEET, or a product designed to kill all ticks in a certain area, such as these tick control tubes from Thermacell. You can also buy clothes specially designed to repel insects from companies such as L.L. Bean.
Article source here: How to Avoid Deer Ticks
Article source here:
34 Brilliant Ways to Use WD-40 at Home
Remove “Paint Rub” From Another Car
You return to your parked car to find that while you were gone, another vehicle got a bit too close for comfort. Luckily there’s no dent, but now your car has a blotch of “paint rub” from the other car on it. To remove paint-rub stains on your car and restore its original finish, spray the affected area with WD-40, wait a few seconds, and wipe with a clean rag. Be sure you’re not wasting money on your car with these maintenance tasks.
Article source here: 34 Brilliant Ways to Use WD-40 at Home
Article source here:
7 New Painting Tools to Try in 2020
Paint Spraying Gun
A traditional brush and roller will do the job, but this handy piece of machinery will help you do it faster. A paint sprayer is ideal for large jobs, such as painting several rooms or a long privacy fence. When done correctly, a sprayed paint job results in a perfectly smooth, even finish in half the time. The Graco Magnum X5 Airless Paint Sprayer is highly rated.
Article source here: 7 New Painting Tools to Try in 2020
7 Tick Repellents That Work (Plus 2 That Might Not)
R&R Insect Repellent Lotion
This non-greasy, odorless lotion lasts for up to eight hours and features IR3535, an EPA-registered tick repellent, as its main active ingredient. Not familiar? It’s a biopesticide, different from traditional pesticides like DEET or picaridin. It can be safely reapplied up to three times per day, and there is no need to wash it off because it’s considered harmless to your skin. Using tick repellent isn’t all you can do to protect yourself. These smart devices ward off bugs.
Article source here: 7 Tick Repellents That Work (Plus 2 That Might Not)
Here Is How to Remove a Tick (And What Not to Do)
Anatomy of a Tick Bite
Ticks in the summer are as certain as heatwaves and higher A/C bills. Consider there are at least 15 tick-borne diseases, with Lyme disease the most common in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a zero tolerance policy for allowing ticks to feed on us.
Using tick repellent isn’t all you can do to protect yourself. These smart devices ward off bugs.
The way the tick delivers its pathogens is not for the faint of heart, as described by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in a news release about ticks and tick-borne illness. A tick uses incisor-like claws to tunnel beneath the skin, often in seconds, latching on with two legs and cutting open the skin with a mouth that resembles a reciprocating saw. After injecting its long, jagged mouth, it begins to draw blood up slowly before it reverses the flow, releasing saliva into the wound. Here’s what to do if you find a tick in your house.
What You Should Be Concerned About
There are two main concerns with a tick bite, says Pat Salber, M.D. One is an infection from the breaking of the skin itself, which allows bacteria to contaminate the open wound. The other is disease. But for a tick to actually transmit a tick-borne illness, it needs to be attached for about 24 hours, says Walter Schrading, M.D., director of the UAB’s Office of Wilderness Medicine and associate professor in UAB’s School of Medicine.
To protect yourself from ticks, Dr. Schrading recommends insect repellents containing DEET or permethrin. He also suggests wearing long pants and socks if tick habitats like woodlands and brushy areas cannot be avoided.
After spending time in such areas, you should always check for ticks. Dr. Salber explains how:
Take off all your clothes and look over every part of your body from head to toe. That means standing in front of a mirror to check your backside as well. Be sure to carefully run your fingers through your hair as well, looking in the mirror as you do. Having a partner’s eyes on you as well, can be helpful. If your dog went with you on the hike, he deserves a thorough tick check as well. Ticks come in all sizes, some can be quite small and some can be large if they have are engorged from just having finished a blood meal.
How to Remove the Tick
If you see a tick, “remain calm,” advises Jorge Parada, M.D., medical advisor for the National Pest Management Association. You’ll need to remove it immediately and completely. Dr. Parada offers the following method:
Gently pull back any hair from around the tick, exposing the skin near the tick/bite. Locate the head of the tick, grasp it as close to the skin as possible using fine-tipped tweezers and gently squeeze. Do not grab the tick’s body, as this can increase the chance of injecting the tick’s blood into the skin. Pull outward in a straight motion until the pressure pulls out the head of the tick. Do not twist or wiggle the tick, as that may tear the head off, leaving it lodged in the skin.
“If the mouth parts break off, leave them alone because your body will expel them on their own,” advises Dr. Salber. Whatever you do, he says, don’t try to dig them out because that’s a recipe for a bacterial skin infection.
Removing ticks should always be followed by hand-washing and cleansing the bite area with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or an iodine solution to avoid bacterial infection. What you should not do is try to burn the tick off your skin with a match or paint it with nail polish, because neither works, according to Jeremy Allen, M.D., a physician with American Family Care. Plus, check out these common myths about personal insect repellents.
Watch the American Academy of Dermatology’s video on exactly how to remove a tick:
Should You Save the Tick for Further Testing?
There is some disagreement among experts about saving the tick for testing for specific tick-borne illness. But it is widely accepted that it can be helpful to take photos or describe the tick. Identifying the species narrows down which illnesses you may be at risk for. For example, Lyme disease is transmitted only by deer ticks. Here’s how to avoid deer ticks.
You don’t necessarily need to see your doctor after removing a tick. But if you believe it was a deer tick and was attached to you for at least 24 hours, your doctor may be willing to prescribe a prophylactic antibiotic (200 mg of doxycycline within 72 hours after the bite). according to Joshua Zeichner, M.D., a dermatologist in New York. Even if you don’t see your doctor immediately, you should continue to monitor the bite for the expanding redness, which would suggest the characteristic rash associated with Lyme disease, says Dr. Salber.
“The salmon-colored rash expands over a few days to weeks and can get as big as eight inches in diameter,” he says. “It may eventually become clear in the center, creating what is known as a `bulls-eye’ lesion.” Nearly 80 percent of people with Lyme disease develop this rash, so if you notice it, see a doctor quickly because Lyme disease can be treated effectively when caught early. If not, Lyme disease can develop into a chronic illness. Ticks are dangerous, as are these other bugs, so it’s important to learn how to avoid them!
Article source here: Here Is How to Remove a Tick (And What Not to Do)
10 Naturally Derived Tick Repellents That Actually Work
A Well-Groomed Yard
One of the easiest ways to reduce ticks is to maintain your yard and its perimeter. About 82 percent of ticks found on lawns are discovered within nine feet of the lawn’s edge, especially if the lawn borders woods, stone walls, or lush leafy plantings or ground cover such as pachysandra. “Ticks don’t like dry and sunny conditions,” says Thomas Mather, director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Vector-borne Disease and the TickEncounter Resource Center.
To minimize your exposure to ticks and their potential diseases, including Lyme disease, create a landscape that includes more sunny areas and a clearly defined border of wood chips or gravel between the lawn and the woods. Removing dead leaves and overgrown shrubs along the lawn’s perimeter can also help keep ticks away. Here’s what to do if you find a tick in your house.
Article source here: 10 Naturally Derived Tick Repellents That Actually Work
Here’s How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Home
How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Home
Thanks to Dr. Thomas Mather, director of the Center for Vector-Borne Disease at the University of Rhode Island, people in New England are buzzing about the tick explosion taking place this summer. According to URI’s TickEncounter website, tick activity will be high in most of the eastern United States, the Midwest, the Plains states and the West Coast. The spring and summer is a prime time for ticks, which means you’ll need to do anything you can to protect your home from the tick explosion.
To keep ticks out of your home, we turned to the helpful guide released by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). Here’s what they recommend.
Create a Lawn Edge
Deer ticks are found in wooded areas, particularly where humidity levels are high. They enjoy cooler places rather than sunny, manicured lawns. That’s why you don’t find ticks crawling in the middle of your yard. CAES says that 82 percent of deer ticks will be within the first nine feet of your lawn. Adding an edge around the yard is the best way to keep ticks out. This edging could be made up of gravel pathways, mulches, decking, stone, tile or other hardscapes. Check out our best lawn edging ideas and tips.
Put Up Deer Fencing
If deer ticks are the problem, its make sense to get rid of the deer. The best and most humane way to do it is fencing off your property. If you live in a remote area, a fence will certainly help keep the ticks to a minimum around your property. Here’s how to avoid deer ticks.
Shut Down The Deer Feed
Deer like to eat plants, so if you have plants close by, they will come. Limiting food sources or planting vegetation deer won’t eat means they won’t come into your yard with ticks in tow. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, deer tend to stay away from fragrant plants with strong scents such as sage, ornamental salvias, lavender, peonies and bearded irises. Here’s how to safely deter animals that steal from your garden.
Apply Acaricides
Lastly, chemicals should keep the ticks away. Acaricide is a pesticide that kills ticks and can be applied to lawns and woodland edges. However, only a licensed professional can apply it since it requires specific spray equipment. Regarding other pests, a few do-it-yourself pest control methods don’t require professional help. You could also try natural tick repellents such as cedar oil spray, apple cider vinegar and others. Here are some tick repellents that really work.
Speaking of pests, you may have seen centipedes crawling around your house. If that’s the case, here’s why you shouldn’t kill house centipedes.
Article source here: Here’s How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Home
How to Avoid Deer Ticks
Why You Should Avoid Deer Ticks
Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. They estimate that up to 10 times as many cases go unreported in the same time period. Lyme disease is serious business, causing joint pain and inflammation, loss of movement in parts of the face, severe headaches, shooting pains in the limbs and occasionally heart palpitations. Here are some tick repellents that really work.
What causes Lyme disease? A 3-millimeter arachnid called ixodes scapularis, also known as the deer tick, is the main carrier and spreader of Lyme disease in North America. A 2018 study discovered that of 1,633 captured ticks of various species on Long Island, N.Y., more than half the deer ticks carried Lyme disease. That’s why learning to avoid deer ticks is so important.
Know Where Ticks Live
According to the CDC, deer ticks and other tick species are most commonly found in grassy or brush covered areas and forests. So do your best to avoid areas with long grass and fallen leaves. If you’re spending time in a forest, try to keep to the paths and avoid thick brush. The CDC publishes maps showing tick hot spots in the U.S., but ticks are so ubiquitous you could be bitten nearly anywhere. Many people report it happening in their backyards. Deer ticks are generally most prevalent in the Eastern half of the country.
Check for Ticks Regularly
According to the Mayo Clinic, removing an infected tick less than 36 hours after being bitten drastically reduces your chances of getting Lyme disease. That’s why doing thorough tick checks is a must if you’ve been in a tick-infested area. Check your and your children’s clothing, hair and entire body carefully. If you find a tick, remove it with a pair of needle-tip tweezers. Carefully grip the tick’s head and pull straight up, gently and steadily, until the head and mandibles slide out of your skin. This video shows how to safely remove a tick.
Be sure to inspect any pets that were outside with you. They can get Lyme disease, too.
Use Tick-Repelling Products and Practices
Start by trimming back any long grass near your home and keep it short. Rake up dead leaves in your yard and burn them, if that’s allowed, or take them to a compost site. Shower as soon as possible after coming in from anywhere ticks might be.
If you live in a rural area where your pet may run loose in possible tick hot spots, consider keeping it on a leash away from these areas.
To minimize your chances of getting Lyme disease, use insect repellent containing DEET, or a product designed to kill all ticks in a certain area, such as these tick control tubes from Thermacell. You can also buy clothes specially designed to repel insects from companies such as L.L. Bean.
Article source here: How to Avoid Deer Ticks
34 Brilliant Ways to Use WD-40 at Home
Remove “Paint Rub” From Another Car
You return to your parked car to find that while you were gone, another vehicle got a bit too close for comfort. Luckily there’s no dent, but now your car has a blotch of “paint rub” from the other car on it. To remove paint-rub stains on your car and restore its original finish, spray the affected area with WD-40, wait a few seconds, and wipe with a clean rag. Be sure you’re not wasting money on your car with these maintenance tasks.
Article source here: 34 Brilliant Ways to Use WD-40 at Home
Monday, June 29, 2020
13 Best Patio Heaters for Outdoor Comfort
Why You Should Get an Outdoor Patio Heater
An outdoor patio heater is an effective way to bring a little more warmth to your outdoor living space so you use it more often, especially on those chilly nights early and late in the season. Go beyond an outdoor fireplace and add even more warmth to your ultimate backyard with one of these highly-rated outdoor patio heaters. Check out 40 more of our favorite outdoor woodworking projects that can be incorporated into any backyard idea.
Article source here: 13 Best Patio Heaters for Outdoor Comfort
Article source here:
Monthly Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Take Care Of
Inspect Attic For Leaks During Rain Storm
“Go into your attic to spot any leaks during a rain storm,” said John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada. “Roof leaks can go unrepaired for a long time, creating damage to insulation, and can be a source of mold growth, which is harmful to your health.”
Article source here: Monthly Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Take Care Of
Article source here:
13 Best Patio Heaters for Outdoor Comfort
Why You Should Get an Outdoor Patio Heater
An outdoor patio heater is an effective way to bring a little more warmth to your outdoor living space so you use it more often, especially on those chilly nights early and late in the season. Go beyond an outdoor fireplace and add even more warmth to your ultimate backyard with one of these highly-rated outdoor patio heaters. Check out 40 more of our favorite outdoor woodworking projects that can be incorporated into any backyard idea.
Article source here: 13 Best Patio Heaters for Outdoor Comfort
Monthly Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Take Care Of
Inspect Attic For Leaks During Rain Storm
“Go into your attic to spot any leaks during a rain storm,” said John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada. “Roof leaks can go unrepaired for a long time, creating damage to insulation, and can be a source of mold growth, which is harmful to your health.”
Article source here: Monthly Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Take Care Of
Saturday, June 27, 2020
homeLAB
Article source here: homeLAB
Article source here:
homeLAB
Article source here: homeLAB
Friday, June 26, 2020
11-Year-Old Mowing Lawns to Raise Money for Social Justice
Many children and teens mow lawns in the summer to put a little spending money in their pocket. But for one 11-year-old boy from Missouri, his summer lawn mowing business has turned into something much bigger.
Jack Powers is a sixth-grader from South County, Mo. who started mowing lawns in his neighborhood in early June. Instead of keeping the money for himself, he’s donating it all to the Black Lives Matter Foundation.
“I just wanted to make a change and I didn’t like how people were being treated,” Jack told KMOV-TV.
Jack was inspired to make a change for social justice following the tragic death of George Floyd in late May. He quickly put up flyers around his neighborhood advertising his new philanthropic business plan.
“I saw what happened to George Floyd and saw how people were being treated and I decided to make a change,” Jack added.
According to KMOV, the response to Jack’s flyers has been overwhelming. One of his neighbors, April Strelinger, says that the boy’s actions were enough to create a conversation in her family about how they could personally fight for social justice reform.
“There’s been a lot of change, flux and hardship,” said Strelinger. “So to see Jack’s poster and find a helper, it actually opened up a great conversation with my son about how he can be a helper.”
Jack had raised $110 before KMOV picked up his story. If you want to donate, you can email Jack here at JackforBLM@gmail.com.
Article source here: 11-Year-Old Mowing Lawns to Raise Money for Social Justice
Article source here:
Must-Have Boots for Working in the Garden This Summer
Bogs Sauvie Slip-On Men’s Boot
These Bogs are perfect for doing stuff. Wet stuff, cold stuff and hard stuff. They’re 100 percent waterproof, comfortable, stable and slip-resistant. They’re made from durable synthetic material, and the dual-side stretchy textile panels make for easy on and off. Feel confident and steady on your feet while walking the dog on wet pavement, taking trips to the store and working in your muddy garden with the sleek and comfortable style of the Bogs Sauvie Slip-On Boot. Check out these 15 advanced work boots for every DIY project.
Article source here: Must-Have Boots for Working in the Garden This Summer
Article source here:
11-Year-Old Mowing Lawns to Raise Money for Social Justice
Many children and teens mow lawns in the summer to put a little spending money in their pocket. But for one 11-year-old boy from Missouri, his summer lawn mowing business has turned into something much bigger.
Jack Powers is a sixth-grader from South County, Mo. who started mowing lawns in his neighborhood in early June. Instead of keeping the money for himself, he’s donating it all to the Black Lives Matter Foundation.
“I just wanted to make a change and I didn’t like how people were being treated,” Jack told KMOV-TV.
Jack was inspired to make a change for social justice following the tragic death of George Floyd in late May. He quickly put up flyers around his neighborhood advertising his new philanthropic business plan.
“I saw what happened to George Floyd and saw how people were being treated and I decided to make a change,” Jack added.
According to KMOV, the response to Jack’s flyers has been overwhelming. One of his neighbors, April Strelinger, says that the boy’s actions were enough to create a conversation in her family about how they could personally fight for social justice reform.
“There’s been a lot of change, flux and hardship,” said Strelinger. “So to see Jack’s poster and find a helper, it actually opened up a great conversation with my son about how he can be a helper.”
Jack had raised $110 before KMOV picked up his story. If you want to donate, you can email Jack here at JackforBLM@gmail.com.
Article source here: 11-Year-Old Mowing Lawns to Raise Money for Social Justice
Must-Have Boots for Working in the Garden This Summer
Bogs Sauvie Slip-On Men’s Boot
These Bogs are perfect for doing stuff. Wet stuff, cold stuff and hard stuff. They’re 100 percent waterproof, comfortable, stable and slip-resistant. They’re made from durable synthetic material, and the dual-side stretchy textile panels make for easy on and off. Feel confident and steady on your feet while walking the dog on wet pavement, taking trips to the store and working in your muddy garden with the sleek and comfortable style of the Bogs Sauvie Slip-On Boot. Check out these 15 advanced work boots for every DIY project.
Article source here: Must-Have Boots for Working in the Garden This Summer
Thursday, June 25, 2020
How to Build a Gazebo
This Gazebo is Builder-Friendly
This how to build a gazebo project is not as difficult as it looks. Think of it as a series of several shorter projects with an end goal in sight for each. You can make all the decorative parts in your garage or shop (especially on rainy days).
If you have several friends help you with the slab and framing (promise them anything), you can spread these two tasks over several weeks. A project like this would take two experienced carpenters nine working days from start to finish. An intermediate do-it-yourselfer who has built a deck should plan this as a whole summer project. Check out these 12 one-hour projects for your summer bucket list.
NOTE: You must have a site that slopes less than 4 in. over 12 ft. (any more than this will require some excavating).
Figuring Out The Slab:
You don’t have to get the slab dimensions perfect, but the closer they come to it, the easier things will be later. If you hate doing concrete work, skip this section, photocopy it and give it to your concrete mason. A crew can do the work for about $1,200 while you’re out shopping for lumber or cutting parts (but you can cut the cost to a couple of hundred if you do it!). Follow Fig. B (above and below in “Additional Information”) closely if you decide to pour the concrete slab yourself.
Running an Electrical Conduit
To build your own gazebo, begin by driving a 2-ft. piece of rigid electrical conduit at the intended center of the gazebo. Drive it in 18 in. Remove the sod with a rented sod cutter. You’ll need to excavate a 9-in. deep area radiating out about 78 in. from the conduit. After that you’ll set forms and put in a layer of 1/4-in. gravel to the dimensions shown in Fig. B. The idea is to have the outside foot or more of the slab thicker to support the weight of the structure. Here’s how to run power anywhere.
Tips for Building Your Forms
Build your forms after carefully examining Fig. B. Set your circular saw at 22-1/2 degrees and cut eight 2×8 exterior forms with the short side measuring 57-1/2 in. Screw the forms together with 3-in. deck screws. Have a friend help you align the forms so the eight corners of the forms are all the same distance from the conduit center. If these measurements are all equal, your slab will be a perfect octagon– get it as close as you can. Drive 3/4 in. x 2-1/2 in. stakes along the outside of the forms at each intersection, level the forms and screw the forms to the stakes.
Now build a square inner form for the patio inlay, 72-1/2 in. on each side. Center it as shown and drive in the stakes on the inside of the forms and screw them together.
Concrete Slab Requirements
The slab will require about 1-1/2 yds. of concrete and four 10-ft. pieces of No. 4 rebar. Have plenty of help (at least three strong backs and two heavy-duty wheelbarrows). Wheelbarrow the concrete and dump it into the forms, lay rebar 4 in. in along the perimeter, screed the concrete with a straight 2×4, then run the hand float over it. Set your anchors in at the locations shown in Fig. B. Wait till the concrete is firm (you should have to push hard to leave a thumbprint). Smooth it with a steel trowel, cover it with 4-mil clear plastic and let it set for two days. Keep kids and pets away.
Additional Information For this How to Build a Gazebo Project:
Cut the Posts to Length
- Bolt posts to the steel strap anchors. Here’s how to do it:
- Make the anchors by cutting 12-in. lengths of 1/8-in. x 1-1/8 in. steel and boring 7/16-in. dia. holes into them as shown in Fig. B.
- Pro tip: You can find steel stock next to the threaded rod at your home center.
- For extra grabbing power for your posts, be sure you put a bolt and nut into the base before you push the steel into the concrete.
- The 6 in. of steel anchor above the concrete fits into a saw kerf at the base of each post.
- Cut this kerf with a circular saw.
- Pro tip: The blade won’t cut all the way through, so flip the post over to continue the cut in the other side.
- Make the kerf wide enough so you don’t have to struggle to slip it over the steel anchor.
- Before you mark your anchor hole cut your posts to length and bolt them to the steel strap anchors locations, screw the aluminum post standoff to the base of the post.
- Pro tip: These standoffs keep the post elevated for protection against rot.
- Mark the anchor hole locations as shown in photo, then drill a 1-1/4 in. hole 1/2 in. deep on each side of the post, followed by a 3/8-in. hole all the way through.
- Pro tip: The 1-1/4 in. hole recesses the bolt head and nut to make room for the piece you’ll nail over the post later.
- Grab a buddy to help set the post while you push the bolt through the hole and tighten it.
- Once all the posts are in place, cut the 2×6 top plates and screw them to the top of the posts with a pair of 3-in. deck screws.
- Plumb this framework with some temporary braces.
Article source here: How to Build a Gazebo
How to Get Rid of the 10 Worst Garden Insects
Aphids
These 1/6-inch pear-shaped creatures pierce plant tissues to suck out sap. Affected plants often form puckered leaves, show stunted growth and can die without treatment. Moreover, the honeydew (a sweet, sticky substance secreted by aphids) promotes the growth of sooty mold and attracts ants, which protect the aphids because they want the honeydew.
How to get rid of aphids:
Wash plants with a strong spray of water to dislodge aphids, or remove and destroy affected plant parts. Organic solutions include spraying with horticultural oil (petroleum- or vegetable-based oil used to smother insects), insecticidal soap or neem (insecticide made from a tropical tree by the same name). You can also buy lady beetles, which feed on aphids. Discover these other natural remedies for pest control.
Article source here: How to Get Rid of the 10 Worst Garden Insects
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