High Intensity Discharge lights are favored by horticulturists and gardeners because they produce more light and a greater intensity of light than other types of lamps. These lights consist of a quartz or alumina inner tube within a glass lamp. Inside this tube you will find tungsten electrodes, gas, and metals. When you turn the electricity on, an electrical arc flows over the electrodes. The gas inside the tube helps illuminate the lamp initially, and the metal produces a continuous light as long as the electricity stays on. A ballast is used to control the flow of the electrical current to the HID bulb. With no ballast, uncontrolled current would flow into the bulb unchecked, blowing up the bulb, so the ballast is vital to its proper operation.

When you are using artificial light indoors to grow plants, what you are trying to do is imitate the light that would ordinarily come from natural sunlight. Plants use this light to produce food for the plant, to ensure its proper growth and reproductive functions. Light falls into two broad spectrums in relation to plant growth. The blue spectrum is used by plants when they are in the early stages of growing. The red and orange spectrums facilitate a plant’s ability to produce flowers, which occurs in later stages of growth. In terms of led grow lights, none of this light would be possible without the use of a ballast.

Although magnetic ballasts were first used with HID lights, electronic and digital ballasts have gained in popularity. They offer a greater degree of control over the electrical current, with the electrical and digital units helping the light systems to function at a greater efficiency for a lower cost than is possible with a magnetic ballast. They are less bulky and have a lower weight than magnetic ballasts, and also run much quieter and start quicker than the magnetic units.

As is typical with many types of electronic circuitry, one aspect of maintenance of the ballast that is crucial is to run the ballast at the proper temperature level. To neglect this one simple fact is to greatly reduce the life of your ballast. You can lengthen the effective life of the electrical ballast by ensuring that the ambient temperature is cooler than the recommended fixture temperature. You can as much as double the life of your ballast easily by cooling the air around it.

In this article, Susan Slobac discusses maintaining and caring for your ballast. Since discovering how easy it is to grow food all year round, indoor gardening has become a way of life for her. Susan features seasoned advice to help aid you in choosing the right hydroponic gardening equipment for your needs.

We’re fortunate to have very good soil in our yard, while most of this part of the country is poor, rocky soil. This makes growing perennials easier and more bountiful. I say easier because we are in a high-desert climate and must water constantly to keep things green.

Those two things: certain flowers, and running the sprinkler system help attract the hummingbirds to our yard. With their specially designed beaks and long tongues, they just love the flowers suited to their anatomy. Our columbines, torch lilies and butterfly bushes are like giant billboards advertising a hummingbird-friendly play land.

We’ve tried to plant perennials that bloom at different times throughout the summer so that we always have something to attract the hummingbirds. What a difference it has made. We usually get to enjoy the hummingbirds at least a full month before they discover our next door neighbors yard.

While you may not need to run a sprinkler in the summer months like we must, you can install a fountain or bird bath that will attract just as many hummingbirds. They love the splash and spray of the water and we’ve seen them many times hovering and dipping over the nearby river where the water hits the rocks and sprays up.

Besides the flowers and water, we offer our hummingbirds feeders filled with sugar water. There is no need to buy mix for use in the feeders as it is simpler and less expensive to make your own. Here’s the recipe:

-One part sugar

-Four parts water

-Boil for 2 minutes

-Cool and fill feeders made for hummingbirds

There is no need to add food coloring to the feed and it may actually be detrimental to the birds. Why take the chance?

A little trick we’ve learned over the years is to put a short piece of transparent tape around the stem that holds the bee guard in place. That way it keeps the larger, more aggressive birds like the Orioles from pulling out the bee guard and guzzling the food.

We’ve tried many different designs of feeders and found that the birds like the ones with hard plastic “flowers”‘ surrounding the bee guards. We’ve not had much luck with the drip-type feeders.

Be sure to rinse the feeders well with very warm water between use. It is not recommended to put any part of a hummingbird feeder in the dishwasher or use detergent. To make sure the feeders are perfectly clean before storing for the winter, we use a tiny bit of chlorine bleach and water. You must be sure to rinse the feeders very well if you do need to use bleach.

So if you’re looking to attract beautiful hummingbirds to your yard, remember the flowers, the water and some food. You’ll soon have your own flock of hummingbirds who return to your yard each year!

Cindy Dykstra is an editor for Article-DirectorySite.com where you can article-directorysite.com find articles free to use on your web site, blog or newsletter.

article-directorysite.com/rssfeed.php Free RSS feeds and article submission too!

You can choose any wording you like and may include any information that you want to share with family and friends. Some people choose to include the height and weight of the baby, or have a photo of the baby for a photo announcement, but you certainly do not have to do this. Some people also include the time of the birth, but this is optional as well. It is enough simply to list the baby’s name, birth date and any sentimental saying you feel is appropriate and the birth parents’ names in the birth announcement.

The Internet is full of great ideas for wording a boy announcement as well as a girl announcement. Also, there are lots of tips for how to handle the wording for different family situations, such as twins, triplets, adoption, divorce and single mothers.

The following are some samples of wording for birth announcements:

We celebrate with joy
Our newborn baby boy

Christopher Chase Allen

Born:
Height:
Weight:
Time:

Proud parents
Marjorie and David Allen

2nd birth announcement:

Rejoicing in the birth of
Kristy Ann Whalen

Born:
Height:
Weight:

Sally Erin Smith
John G. Whalen

If you intend to purchase birth announcements, DistinctDeliveries.com carries birth announcement candy bar labels. This is a unique way of announcing the arrival of the newborn.

Share the joy of your child’s birth with some creative birth announcement ideas. Consider a new and exciting baby shower theme that you can carry throughout the baby shower and even the newborn’s nursery, such as family photos, artistic, traditional, inspiring, even astrological themes. You can pick out and order your announcements before the baby is born. You won’t have to worry about the details once the newborn arrives. You can simply call in the vital statistics to finish the order!

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has more information on planning-a-baby-shower.com/birth-announcement.html birth announcements and other tips and ideas for your baby shower. You can also purchase and find free planning-a-baby-shower.com/Baby-Shower-Games.html baby shower party games. Randy owned and operated a very successful storefront/mailorder business from 1988 to 2003. Currently full time owner/operator of several online businesses.

Do you find yourself saying this to your child? Well, you’re not alone!!
Sleep problems are some of the most common problems parents face with their children. Some parents struggle with getting their child to sleep through the night. New parents worry about how to help their child learn good sleep habits that last a lifetime. And still others wonder if their child’s sleep difficulties are chronic and are concerned that their child may be going through their days sleep-deprived.

Studies reveal that a significant number of children have some form of a sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbances among children and adolescents are common. Prolonged changes in sleep patterns, if left untreated, can result in significant emotional, behavioral, and cognitive impairment and can put your child at risk for poor school performance, accidents, and social or medical problems. The key is to identify changes in sleep, and to know when to seek assistance.

Sleep disturbance can take several forms including:

• difficulty falling asleep
• trouble staying asleep
• frequently awakening

There also are other variations of sleep issues known as parasomnias, e.g., night terrors or sleepwalking.

To alleviate your child’s sleep disturbance, try these simple steps:

• Keep bedtime at the same time each night: This helps your child establish a structure and enforces a predictable routine.

• Monitor unnecessary environmental stimuli: Minimize the light and noise in the child’s bedroom (music, lights)

• Encourage pre-bedtime relaxation: Children respond well to activities that allow them to wind down such as a warm bath, massage or aromatherapy

• Share some activity: Dedicate time to reading a bedtime story or talking about your child’s day and encouraging meditation and reflection

• Plan the transition: Ease the child into new processes by discussing changes and comforting their transition into healthy sleep habits

Sleep in its natural form is the only way our bodies can re-charge. Beyond resting, sleep serves many functions including memory preservation. If your child is not receiving the quality and quantity of sleep that is required (typically 8-12 hours each night is optimal), the toll can be enormous. Performance in school, interacting with others and activities of daily living may diminish in quality. The origins of a sleep disturbance may range from anxiety tied to emotional conflicts, such as fear of an upcoming test or excitement over a speaking part in the school play, to medical issues such as apnea. It is important that the underlying issue be addressed, no matter the source, to resolve the sleep disturbance and give your child their best shot at life.

Remember always to take into account where your child is in their developmental stage, because some sleep issues are age-appropriate. If you have exhausted the suggestions listed above, then possibly the need for professional intervention is warranted. You are the expert when it comes to your child and their sleep patterns. If you have a concern, trust your instinct and seek professional advice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Charles Sophy currently serves as Medical Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), which is responsible for the health, safety and welfare of nearly 40,000 foster children. He also has a private psychiatry practice in Beverly Hills, California. Dr. Sophy has lectured extensively and is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. His lectures and teachings are consistently ranked as among the best by those in attendance.

Dr. Charles Sophy, author of the “Keep ‘Em Off My Couch” blog, provides real simple answers for solving life’s biggest problems. He specializes in improving the mental health of children. To contact Dr. Sophy, visit his blog at drsophy.com drsophy.com

I have many different interests in my life. Because of this, it took me a long time to choose a major in college. My freshman year, I was a music major, but I never wanted to pursue music as a career. It was not that I did not like music, I loved it, but it was something I wanted to do as a hobby instead. I really like astronomy, and thought of majoring in physics and astronomy; I found it was something I also enjoyed a lot, but I decided to have those be hobbies as well. I ended up majoring in Political Science, with minors in Russian and Business. For some people, what I studied in college is a hobby for them. Some people love to participate in politics as a hobby; others love to learn foreign languages as a hobby or personal interest; and some people like to pursue business as a hobby – this is especially evident by those who follow the stock market and invest their money as a hobby. Investing in the stock market is a hobby I enjoy myself.

Some women like to grow plants and flower gardens as their hobbies. Men also like to work in the garden or yard as a way to get away from work. There is something relaxing about working in the dirt or soil. I actually read once in a popular science magazine that there is actually a chemical in the soil that makes people feel good. It is no wonder that some people enjoy working in the yard and garden so much. It really does make you feel good.

Camping is a hobby that many people also enjoy. I know some people who just cannot stay out of the outdoors. They always want to be up in the mountains or out at the lake. Some love to fish, some love to hunt, some love to trap, while others just like to look at the scenery and take pictures. Photography itself is a popular hobby for many people and the possibilities there are endless also with all of the sceneries and backgrounds to take pictures of, from city life to the mountains and backcountry.

Travel may be your hobby. Some people just like to see new things and visit new places they have never been before. I met one family who said they just could not be happy. They could not find what they liked until they began to travel. That is what made them happy, going and seeing the world, visiting new, diverse, and exotic places. The possibilities there are endless too. A new place for many people is often an hour or just a little more away. Think of all of the places you would like to visit and which ones are feasible and start visiting them. Figure out how to make the other places and hobbies feasible in the long run. In the meantime, bring your hobby ideas to life at the online hobby store and more.

Peter Jay is the Owner/President and CEO of Variety Access – Your online hobby store and more. For more information about hobbies, hobby products, or Variety Access, go to VarietyAccess.com VarietyAccess.com.

Photographs invoke emotion and conjure up memories. One of my favorite quotes is by Sy Parish; “And if these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it’s this: I was here. I existed. I was young, I was happy, and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture.”

Most of us have boxes, drawers, and albums filled with photographs we have taken over the years. Photographs symbolize a moment in time that has been forever frozen.

My Aunt was diagnoses with Alzheimer’s many years ago. As the years go by her memory of past events fades. Her daughters have made pocket sized photo albums with pictures and detailed descriptions; for example, “This is Sally. She is five years old; her mother is Jane, your youngest daughter.” My Aunt looks at these little books every day. Sometimes she remembers who Jane is; other days she has to ask.

While visiting my Aunt I noticed that she loves to watch television. It was then that I realized creating a DVD of her life with voice-overs describing each event might help her remember her past. When I returned home I contacted her daughters and asked them to email me photographs and descriptions of each photo asking them; “where it took place, when it took place and who is in the photo?” I then met with my Aunt’s sisters, asking them to go through their photographs and gather the one’s that might help my Aunt remember.

Once I had received all of the photographs I scanned them and placed them in a slideshow program. Each frame of the DVD describes the time, event and people in the photograph. It is important to include background music that is specific to the their era, in my Aunt’s case it was; Glen Miller, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra.

My mother and her sisters have been wonderful in writing down memories of their childhood. Silly events that happened when they were young girls, events that we hope will spark memories in my Aunt. Using a voice-over, the “memory” is told then the photograph appears for 30-40 seconds, giving ample time for individual to reminisce about the photograph and event.

Alzheimer DVD’s are a family affair. It is important to receive input from as many people as possible that are close to the person with Alzheimer’s.

If someone is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s it is wonderful to interview them, asking them their favorite childhood memories, school memories, their marriage, children and grandchildren. What are their hobbies? Where did they like to vacation? What are they most passionate about? What are their favorite songs?

There are so many good times in life; sharing them on a DVD is a way to preserve the memories.

Betsy Wegner
dvdsbybetsy.com dvdsbybetsy.com
Preserving the memory of your loved ones with DVD Slideshows.

Another type of stair lifts is the kind that attaches to the stairs in a home. This is a great way for someone with a disability or handicap to get up and down the stairs without having to worry about falling. This is a great idea for elderly people that live a lone. This chair requires the person to sit in the chair and then it will lift them up and down the steps. This is a great investment for anyone that has this type of problem.

There are many manufacturers and places that you can purchase a stair lift. You can get them through most of the medical supply companies around. Most of the time, a doctor will write a referral to the person that needs the stair lift and they will be able to get it easier so that they will not have to wait.

A professional that will know how to do it properly installs the stair lift. You want to make sure that you have a company that does this all the time and will be able to do it right. You do not want just anyone to install your chair lift. Some times, you can buy the chair lift separately and install it yourself. When this is the case, you should hire someone to do it for you. This is important so that you know it is done right.

With the proper installation and the right stair lift, a person who has trouble getting up and down stairs will have the perfect ride when they need it. They will be able to depend on this stair lift in order to make their life a lot easier and to give them back their freedom that everyone deserves to have.

For more info visit: stairliftsite.biz stairliftsite.biz

About the Author

To find the best stair lift for your house, the author provides a detailed website with info and resources for your needs.

A couple of great tips on gardening on a slope are to plant trees and shrubs. Their root system will slow water runoff, especially during heavy rainstorms, and anchor the soil. Tall perennial grasses also work well on hills and require no maintenance. If you like the natural look, sow wildflower seed over the area, which will look beautiful and keep the topsoil from eroding or washing away. Wildflower seeds are readily available in bulk at large garden centers and nurseries. For every square foot you need approximately fifty seeds. If you have a small area to seed, buy a small can, but for large areas, wildflower seeds are available in bulk. Make sure that whatever you plant requires no regular maintenance if it is a steep hill.

In Pennsylvania I saw a beautifully landscaped hill planted with different colors of azaleas. The site in the spring and early summer was breathtaking. This was on a steep hill so it not only helped with erosion but was gorgeous too.

For shady areas, the tips on gardening on a hill are a little different. Most wildflowers require lots of light so a shady area is not a good choice. Instead, consider shade-loving ferns, perennials and low growing vines. Not only does the leaves slow erosion by catching the rain before it hits the ground but the roots help keep the soil from washing away. Another couple of great tips on gardening on a slope are to create stair steps or terraces. This requires some work, as you need to do a lot of digging. You may need to construct a retaining wall, depending on how steep the slope is. A level area to plant helps with erosion problems and makes it far easier to work in your garden.

For anyone that has a few garden challenges, such as land that slopes, they are always happy to find tips on gardening on a slope. If you are lucky enough to have weathered or interesting looking rocks on your hill, then it is the perfect area to create a rock garden. It would be good to plant some low growing vines and perennials in your rock garden to add texture and interest to your rock garden.

Definitely come up with a plan before you attempt your hill garden. Ask your garden center for some advice about your garden; they will be of great assistance. As with all gardens it is most important that you take time to enjoy your gardens whether they are on a hill or in beds.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at ContainerGardeningSecrets.com Container Gardening and GardeningOutside.com Gardening Outside
and GardeningHerb.com Herb Gardening

Build your confidence – You need to believe in yourself and your artwork. If not, your marketing efforts will be less effective as the fear of rejection will hold you back. You have to learn to take risks. No one is going to come knocking at your studio door. Get out there and meet new people, network with other artists, open a booth at an art show, etc.

Get in a business mentality – If you want to be successful with your art business, then you will have to learn how to juggle more than one task. This means learning how to become successful as a businessperson. The artists that are most successful have learned how to enjoy both creating and marketing their art.

Art fairs – Art fairs open up great doors of opportunity for artists. They enable artists to market directly to the public without the need of an agent. The public loves art fairs. They usually come to these art fairs with the intention to purchase something, which creates more opportunity for an artist to make a sale and get recognized. You can find a wealth of information about art fairs online. One such place is sunshineartist.com/. Sunshine Artist is a great magazine that provides detailed information about art fairs and festivals. Check it out!

Follow up – You must get into the habit of following up with anyone who has shown interest or has appreciated your art. That person who saw your painting in the doctors office, or the person who took your business card at your last art show are leads who can possibly turn into paying customers. They may also be able to help you in other ways you never thought possible. It’s important therefore to keep in touch with everyone. Create a mailing list and ask your contacts if they would like to be added. You can send out mailers whenever you create a new piece, or to notify your contacts of upcoming exhibits or art fairs you will be attending.

Customer service – You must go above and beyond your customer’s expectations if you want to set yourself apart from the competition. Make sure you treat your customers and leads with the utmost professionalism. Answer all inquiries promptly. Send out thank you notes and instructions for preserving and caring for the art with all of your orders. Customer service is important to all businesses, and your art business should be no exception.

Artist agents – You are your own best agent. No one knows your art better then you, and no one can express yourself and your art better than you can. An agent generally deals with more than one artist at a time so their focus is not on you and your art alone. Agents usually charge a lot of money as well. By the time it’s all said and done, the artist doesn’t make very much on the sale. It’s better to learn the ropes yourself and learn how to reach your buyers directly.

Get your own unique website – The Internet has become a huge platform for selling goods and services. More and more people are going online then ever before and artists are taking advantage of this amazing opportunity. If you want to expand your business and reach more people on a worldwide scale, you should definitely consider getting your own website. You can market and sell your artwork directly online with your own website. Your website is also a great way to organize and showcase your art to interested galleries and the people you meet in public.

Would you like more free articles on sellingartnews.com” target=”_blank art marketing? Visit sellingartnews.com” target=”_blank sellingartnews.com right now and sign up for a free 25 part Ecourse on Art Marketing!

Well, when my sister was pregnant with her first baby, I volunteered to organize the baby shower and nearly collapsed doing all the exercise needed for this very special ritual. To start with, planning a baby shower involves time and motion study. Unless you coordinate things with the ‘mother-to-be’, things may go haywire. I took extra care in inviting people that my sister approved since on a previous occasion when my sister-in-law had a baby shower for one of her friends, she had inadvertently asked people to join the party that the ‘mother-to-be’ never wanted. The obvious result was an uncomfortable time for everyone. And I did not want a recurrence.

There are two options for arranging the baby shower – One before the birth of the baby and the other, after the arrival of the baby. My sister insisted on waiting till the arrival of the baby so that people attending the shower could see the baby while one of her colleagues, who also was planning a baby shower for her had plans to do it prior to the birth of the baby. In fact, her idea was to do it on the last day of my sister’s scheduled day of attending office prior to her maternity leave. And I was deputed to solve this debacle. However, after much deliberation we agreed to inform the guests about the issue so that they could select their gifts accordingly. Also, our plans to coordinate the two baby showers fell into their respective slots to our mutual relief. As I was responsible for asking the relatives and my sister took charge of her colleagues and co-workers, two apparent showers for the same person finally mingled into one and all were happy.

As for ordering the baby shower cake, a dispute of a different kind raised. Since my sister had forgotten to inform her husband that her brother had already placed an order for the cake (specially prepared with floral decoration and carrying the name of the ‘mother-to-be’), her husband had ordered for one and despite all our pleadings none of the confectioners agreed to cancel their orders. We were almost on the verge of paying for two pricey savories for a single occasion when help came from an unexpected corner. At the last moment, one of the confectioners voluntarily agreed to call off my order, as another ‘mother-to-be’ had suddenly appeared ordering for a baby shower cake. So the issue ended peacefully.

Planning a baby shower may include as much contribution as possible since it is a celebration in tribute to the new life of the baby. The inclusion of the father should not be neglected, as after all, he is the initiator of all the jubilations. Also, the cards received from the department stores where the ‘mother-to-be’ has registered to place in shower invitations are useful as they contain all the information to be noted down on the invitations.

For more information about babies and baby resources visit our website at babiesnmore.com Babies and More.