September 4th, 2010 | 
Author: Clocks As Home Decors
Word Count:
603
Summary:
Clocks are more than just mere timepieces. They can be used as good decorative pieces in your home. They come in various sizes and shapes. Clocks also are made from different materials. The nature of the material used and the clock manufacturer are among the most crucial factors in determining the quality of the clock, including its price. For example, a simple digital clock might fetch you a few dollars, while those wooden and antique grandfather clocks generally cost up to …
Keywords:
wall clocks,alarm clocks,grandfather clocks,time clocks,antique clocks
Article Body:
Clocks are more than just mere timepieces. They can be used as good decorative pieces in your home. They come in various sizes and shapes. Clocks also are made from different materials. The nature of the material used and the clock manufacturer are among the most crucial factors in determining the quality of the clock, including its price. For example, a simple digital clock might fetch you a few dollars, while those wooden and antique grandfather clocks generally cost up to thousands or more. Today’s clocks are do not just provide time correctly, but they also add glamour and beauty in your home. There are many clocks available, especially of the pendulum type. From miniature, table-accent clocks to grandfather ones, clocks are a gorgeous addition to your home. Don’t you think it is now time to think of clocks as not just mere timepieces?
1. Clocks In History
Clocks first came into existence in 1656 when the first pendulum clock was built by Dutch astronomer and mathematician Christian Huygens. Prior to his invention, clocks during Huygens’ time were not inaccurate. The most accurate clocks that time were off by several minutes daily. Thanks to Huygens, having a reliable clock everyday proved to be possible. Huygens used a pendulum as the timer of the clock. Before Huygens, however, Galileo was already doing some work on how to invent a clock! Galileo even had a pendulum system to keep track of time. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to complete his work.
2. Decorating with Clocks
Decorating a home using clocks is not exactly new. Since a few hundred years ago, home owners and good decorators have been choosing clocks as decorative devices in their homes. Ever since the pendulum clock was invented by Christian Huygens in the 1600s to measure weights and as a type of swinging pendulum, clocks have been known as good decorative items.
3. Modern Clocks
Compared with past ones, today’s clocks are stylish and sleeker in style aside from serving its main purpose. More than just telling time, clocks of today’s age, thanks to the state-of-the-art technology, are definitely more elegant and nice to look at than compared with their older counterparts.
4. When Choosing A Clock:
- Remember that the clock you are buying should reflect your personal tastes and serve as a decorative complement in the room you are putting it in
- One good tip in choosing clocks is to look for the fashion and style in a clock. When looking for a clock, choose one that makes a statement
- If you want to have a French country look in your home, select wall clocks that reflect country accents, such as having a patina finish on the clock’s face, wrought iron accents, or wood base that were whitewashed
- If you, on the other hand, want a contemporary look, why not try to shop around for a clock that has minimalist lines as well as chrome. There are also clocks that are sleek and have stainless detailing.
- You could also choose big and oversized clocks if you want to emphasize your timepiece, compared with a smaller one that could get lost in a clutter.
5. Large Clocks
- If you want to balance out an oversized lamp, try putting a traditional anniversary clock on the end of the table
- You could also put a wall clocked placed on a sturdy and decorative easel in your kitchen for quick and instant charm
- Having an antique grandfather clock in your den provides extra comfort and warmth. Of course, the grandfather clock should be in a nice condition. Otherwise, the effect is somewhat diminished
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Posted in 
Oregano: Joy of the Mountain
Word Count:
464
Summary:
Oregano (Origanum vulgare), the herb known as ‘joy of the mountain,’ is featured in this article. One of the three essential ingredients in Italian cooking, oregano can be grown both indoors and out. Cultivation requirements and uses in the kitchen and garden are described.
Keywords:
Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace ? Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen’s Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit www.gwenshealinggarden.ca
Article Body:
Known as “joy of the mountain,” Origanum vulgare is commonly called culinary oregano or Turkish oregano. Oregano is a close relative of marjoram and is also known as pot marjoram. Similar in taste to marjoram, oregano’s taste is more pungent and has overtones of mint. Greek oregano, subspecies hirtum of O. vulgare, is recommended as the best type of oregano for cooking. Oregano is a half-hardy perennial that can be grown outdoors as an annual or indoors as a perennial. Blooming in early summer, Greek oregano has pink, white, or purple flowers, dark green opposite leaves that are highly aromatic, and slim, squarish, woody, branched stems. Greek oregano has a branching taproot and grows in a clump. Used the world over in Italian, Mexican, and Spanish dishes, Greek oregano is one of the three essential ingredients in Italian cooking along with basil and marjoram.
Greek oregano grows 24 inches (60 centimetres) tall. Cultivation requirements: does best in light, rich, well-drained soil; requires full sun and a sheltered location; do not overwater and allow the top 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) of soil to dry-out between waterings; pinch off flowers to keep the plant bushy; do not over fertilise. Buy young plants or take cuttings to propagate, as the flavour and aroma of oregano started from seed may be disappointing. Start new oregano plants by layering stems from existing plants. Pin down the stem, cover with soil, and keep moist until you see new growth. Transplant new plants to pots or their new location.
Greek oregano requires at least 5 hours of sunlight a day. If you are growing oregano on a windowsill, turn frequently to ensure that all sides receive equal amounts of light. Oregano can also be grown under fluorescent lights. Hang lights 6 inches (15 centimetres) above the plants and leave on for 14 hours a day.
In the garden, plant oregano with broccoli to deter the cabbage butterfly. It is a beneficial companion to all plants, improving both flavour and growth. Oregano can be grown in pots in the garden as well as in the soil. In the kitchen, use in pizza, tomato sauces, pasta, hearty soups, omelettes, cold bean salads, marinades for meats of all kinds, cheese and egg dishes, and bland vegetables such as zucchini, green beans, eggplant, potatoes, and mushroom dishes. Oregano blends well with garlic, thyme, and basil. Oregano butter can be poured over fish and shellfish just before serving or baking. Oregano has a strong flavour so use sparingly and add during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
To harvest, pick small sprigs as needed. Oregano can be stored by drying. To dry, cup off plants 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) from the ground, tie plants into bunches, and hang in a warm, dry, shady location. After leaves are dry, strip off and store in an airtight container.
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Polishing Granite
Word Count:
536
Summary:
Of all the natural stones that you can choose for flooring granite is by far the hardest material and the most hardwearing. It is also resistant to staining and acid and alkaline chemicals. This is the reason it is the kitchen worktop of choice and the flooring material of choice.
Despite its hardness it is still capable of being scratched by quartz. Quartz is sand like material which makes up the biggest proportion of dirt brought into a building on the underside of foot…
Keywords:
granite polishing,granite maintenance
Article Body:
Of all the natural stones that you can choose for flooring granite is by far the hardest material and the most hardwearing. It is also resistant to staining and acid and alkaline chemicals. This is the reason it is the kitchen worktop of choice and the flooring material of choice.
Despite its hardness it is still capable of being scratched by quartz. Quartz is sand like material which makes up the biggest proportion of dirt brought into a building on the underside of footwear. Traffic going over this then moves the small particles of sand over the surface of the granite causing minute scratches. The scratching effect on granite will be much less than that on marble for instance but non-the-less it still scratches.
This effect can be minimized by the correct maintenance programme. A typical maintenance programme for granite flooring would be to dust mop the floor each day to remove these particles of dirt and once or twice a week depending upon traffic wash the floor with stone soap. This reseals the floor and enhances the colour. This is then wet vacuumed up and the floor then washed with pure water which is also wet vacuumed up. This wet vacuuming prevents the possibility of water staining.
Once per week or once every other week, again depending upon traffic the floor is misted with a crystallising agent and buffed at high speed. This removes the minute scratches and restores the shine to a floor which may be dulling very slightly in areas of high traffic. Then once per year it can be shined using a more abrasive crystallising compound and a slow speed buffer with non-rusting steel wool pads.
If this regime is followed then the shine on the granite floor should last for as long as you require it.
If the floor becomes neglected and is not cleaned correctly then it will slowly become dull and the scratching will build up enhancing the dull effect. If this was a marble floor then the scratching would be greater and could be removed and the shine restored by using diamond grinders on a slow speed buffing machine. However successful re-grinding of granite cannot be achieved. It can be re-ground using the diamond technique and made shiny but quite often it causes a colour change in the granite which is obviously not acceptable to the customer.
This regrinding process which for marble might take about 30 minutes per square meter for granite, being much harder takes about two to three hours to achieve any sort of shine.
In the processing plants marble is ground for about 40 minutes to achieve the high gloss effect. Granite on the other hand will be ground for several hours to achieve the same effect. There is no way that once the granite is in place this process can be replicated.
Consequently if you have a granite floor and it dulls and somebody offers to restore the shine by re-grinding it do not bother. You will end up with a floor that may be shiny but has probably changed colour and it will have cost you a small fortune. Take care of it from the outset and you will never be in this position.
