How to Speak Dog Book Review

Dixie 

 Last April we adopted a wonderful 2-year-old Jack Russell Terrier named Dixie.  We are really enjoying Dixie and when our grandkids came to visit, they fell in love with her.  She is very sweet, but sometimes I wonder what she is trying to tell me.  For Christmas this year my daughter gave me a book called How to Speak Dog.  This little book is full of ways to give you ideas of what your dog is trying to relate to you by their actions and body language.  

In the book you meet, Dr. Gary, a veterinarian and dog expert.  Dr. Gary gives you all kinds of training tips and vet and care advice.  The book is also full of fun facts, quizzes, hands-on-activities, resources to get more information and dog photos.

I love the way the dog on the front cover looks just like our dog, Dixie.  The book is listed for children ages 8-12 and in fact has won the Children's Book Award from the Animal Behavior Society.  I feel that the book is actually great for dog lovers of all ages.  I know I have learned a lot from the book.

On the rest of this post, I will have my dog Dixie show you through her pictures some of the different areas of the book.  This is only a sampling of the wonderful material in the book.

Body Talk

Dixie- Belly Up

Dixie loves to roll over and lay belly up when I talk to her.  She loves to get her belly rubbed.  In the book, Dr. Gary says the real meaning of this dog position is submission and trust.  She is saying that you are in charge and she's okay with that.  In this section Dr.  Gary gives a tip that massage feels as good to animals as it does to humans and if they are nervous a good way to calm them down is a back rub.

The chapter on "Body Talk" also contains several other topics such as paw on your knee, full body shake, wiggles away from you and one paw raised.  Each section tells what that usually means and gives you some tips.  Each topic is two page long.

Read my Face

Expressive Ears

The section on " Read my Face" has topics like the begging stare, ears erect, and teeth barred, pricked ears, licking your face and yawning. 

In the photo above you see Dixie's expressive ears.  Whenever she is interested in something her ears go up.  In the photo above she had been laying on the bed when something outside the window caught her attention.  Dr. Gary said that dogs will prick up their ears to hear better.  One of the tips on the page says, " Dogs can hear noises that are up to four times farther away than those humans can hear".  No wonder Dixie jumps to attention or barks when we don't hear anything.

Telling Tails

There is another chapter in the book just on tails.  It contains things like a showy tail, stiff high tail, crooked tail, scared wag, straight tail, tucked tail, and happy wag.  Dixie's tail is constantly going.  If we say her name, her tail wags even if she had been sleeping.  I can really see the "Happy Wag" on her.  Dr. Gary says " A wagging tail is a truth-ometer.  Dogs can't control when or how wagging happens.  The tail is like an electric line connected directly to the brain that transmits how a dog is feeling."

Wagging tail at squirrels.

This is just a sampling of the delightful material in this book.  If you love dogs, I know you will enjoy the book.   In closing I'll leave you with a few more photos of Dixie.

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The Best Tool Roll Organizer To Store & Protect Your Tools

Whether you enjoy jewelry making, building, painting or refurbishing models, other hobby, crafts & DIY projects or doing small electronics repairs, investing in good quality tools for doing delicate precision work can help achieve better results faster and with less effort by giving you more precise control and leverage while reducing the strain on your hands (your most valuable tools by far!).

Choosing the right tool storage and organization system can not only help protect that investment but also enhance your efficiency and enjoyment of the creative process while you are working on your projects. However, I have learned the hard way how challenging it can be to evaluate, compare and, ultimately, determine the best solution for your individual tool storage and organization needs, 

Today, I am sharing my personal product review of the DuraTech Tool Roll Organizer, 21 Pockets Tool Bag Roll that I bought a few months ago as a Christmas gift for my husband, who has an extensive collection of precision hand tools for his hobbies, crafts nd DIY projects.

This awesome waterproof DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer can securely hold many tools of different sizes and shapes. You can view them at all a glance, find and remove what you want, and return it to its spot quickly and easily when you have finished using it.

My husband John works long hours at a rewarding but stressful and high-pressure job. One of his favorite ways to relax and recharge his batteries is working on a variety of hobby, crafts & DIY projects. He especially enjoys collecting and restoring rare and hard-to-find, vintage 1:43 scale die-cast model cars and trucks, as well as collecting and refining hard-to-find plaster buildings for our Christmas village display and then painting them in stunning, elaborate detail and adding interior lights. Sometimes, he even adds strategically placed, tiny color-changing LEDs to create special effects (for example, randomly flashing multicolored lights inside a Harry Potter-esque magic shop, as though the wizards inside are trying out different magic wands to find the one that will choose him or her, or simulating the glow of a blacksmith's forge by carving out a large, wide opening in a wall, lining it with iridescent, colored foil through which you can see tiny LEDs, each cycling through red, orange and yellow and out of sync with each other). We actually display two different Christmas villages, one made up of lighted Dept. 56 Christmas in the City buildings and another with John's amazing carved, exquisitely painted and lighted plaster buildings. During the holidays, our display can take up half of our living room, with two villages arranged around that year's train tracks layout and connected by John's wonderful, vintage, O-scale model train collection, some of which he inherited from his beloved uncle.

Since John isn't easy to buy gifts for, I usually ask him for a Christmas wish list to give me some guidance. (I also choose one or two gifts for him that will be complete surprises, but in case they miss the mark, I know that he'll at least get some of the gifts he really wants!) Two of the items on his most recent wish list were a set of good quality, upgraded pliers and cutters and a better storage and organization solution for them and the rest of his precision hobby tools. 

Since I used many of the same items as jewelry making tools, I knew exactly which pliers and cutters I wanted to buy for him. Xuron makes very high quality tools for small-scale, delicate, precision work at a very reasonable price. They are also more durable than similar tools I have purchased from much more expensive brands. So I chose several pairs of my favorite Xuron pliers and cutters as part of John's Christmas gift.

However, while there are lots of great toolboxes and other tool storage and organization options for larger tools, like hammers, wrenches and sockets, I knew that finding a better tool storage and organization solution for my husband that would meet his specific requirements would be a lot more challenging, since he had already experimented with several different types of tool organizers and storage that weren't working for him.

The five Xuron jewelry making and electronics pliers and cutters I gifted to my husband for Christmas, nestled in the four lower and far right upper pockets of the DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer I also gave him to store them and the other precision tools in his collection.

Great Tool Storage and Organization Solutions for Precision Pliers, Model Building Tools, Jewelry Making Tools, Etc. Are Surprisingly Hard to Find!

Last year, John purchased a secondhand, wheeled O.P.I. nail polish salesperson's sample case that he has been converting into a super cool, customized, mobile crafting workstation with a spacious, attached, removable work surface that he calls his hobby tray. Since he doesn't have a dedicated workspace for his hobbies and crafts, this clever solution now enables him to work on crafts and DIY projects whenever he has a bit of time, wherever he happens to be. Even better, it also doubles as a compact, consolidated storage organizer for all his painted plaster Christmas village, electronics repair and vintage die-cast car refurbishing and model building tools, supplies and current projects. 

He has been having a blast "imagineering" (to use a Disney term) and tweaking his one-of-a-kind mobile craft storage and workstation over time. In fact, redesigning and refining has turned out to be one of his favorite projects to date!

He had come up with workable solutions for customizing the interior in terms of organizing and storing his paintbrushes, paints, glues, sandpaper, markers and other supplies and for safely storing delicate project works-in-progress. Unfortunately, he wanted (and needed) a better way to store and organize a variety of other tools, including pliers and cutters, needle files, riffler files, X-ACTO knives and blades, hemostats, dental picks, micro carving tools, tweezers, specialty pens, scissors, miniature screwdrivers, a ruler, a pin vise, micro drill bits, etc. 

These precision tools needed to be easily visible and acccessible while in use and protected during storage and transport, and the tool organizer not only would need to fit neatly inside the top compartment of the new mobile hobby storage/workstation but also work as a standalone, portable tool storage organizer that he could easily bring to another location, for example, to help a friend or family member with an electronics or jewelry repair project. 

In addition, John's ideal tool organizer and storage solution would need to hold a lot of tools, in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and store them compactly, as well as be both lightweight, sturdy and wear-resistant. 

Traditional and Nontraditional Tool Organizers Didn't Meet Our Needs

Like John, I have been a "maker" since I was a child. and have spent many years trying to find better storage and organizing solutions for my jewelry making, beading, metal clay, polymer clay and painting tools and supplies. While I discovered some wonderful bead storage and organization solutions years ago for my enormous collection of rare and vintage beads and jewelry making supplies, I continue to search for better jewelry making tool storage and organization solutions.

Between the two of us, we have tried or considered a variety of traditional hobby, DIY and craft tool holders and organizers, such as brush holders, tool caddies, plier stands and tackle boxes. (Plano tackle box systems are wonderful for storing jewelry findings, beads, and other jewelry making supplies, but not the best solution for storing, organizing and protecting delicate precision tools.)

We both have also tried a number of non-traditional tool storage and organization solutions, such as cosmetics organizers, including the acrylic eye pencil and lip pencil organizers and lipstick/lip gloss organizer that I keep on my vanity for makeup.  (They work great for their intended use!)

Unfortunately, every commercial or DIY tool organizer solution either of us has tried over the years has had significant limitations that failed to meet our respective precision tool storage and organization needs. As a result, each of us ended up having to cobble together several different tool storage and organization products to accommodate our collections.

Some of the Tool Storage and Organizer Products We Tried That Missed the Mark (and Why)

• Storing delicate, precision tools in a Plano tackle box rack system would give them no protection. They would rub against each other, potentially nicking or dulling cutter blades or scratching or dinging smooth pliers jaws, creating uneven surfaces that would transfer to the wire or metal on which they were used. 
• For example, John's coarse bastard file or diamond-coated riffler files could wreak havoc on his pair of fine nippers if they were to come into contact. 
• Another important downside of that type of storage is that it would not be easy to see each individual tool at a glance and find and remove the desired one quickly and easily.
• Tool storage organizers with uniform-size compartments, like brush holders or marker storage units, would not work for pliers, cutters or similarly shaped tools. Even straight tools of varying widths, lengths/heights and diameters could not be stored and organized in these storage solutions efficiently (and some tools were too wide or thick to fit at all.    
• None of the three common types of pliers storage solutions I have used have been particularly convenient for me, and none would work for John's mobile hobby and crafts cart. 

A pliers rack is fine if you have a permanent spot for it to live in a dedicated workspace. However, they don't protect the tips of the pliers, cutters or nippers from each other and would be unsuitable to lay on their sides in John's rolling hobby station cart.

Wood pliers blocks keep the pliers and cutters separated and, therefore, somewhat protected. However, they don't fit every pair of pliers or cutters (especially those with wider/ergonomic handles or grips), and removing and replacing the tools into the holes in the block requires a bit more fiddling than we want to do, especially for the pairs in the middle of the block.

I have a lot of jewelry making pliers and cutters, most of which I have been storing in zippered tool pouches (similar to this Eurotool tool pouch with zipper), for lack of a better lightweight, easily portable solution. They have elastic loops or straps inside to hold the tools in place and prevent them from knocking into each other when not in use. Unfortunately, since the manufacturer doesn't know the sizes, shapes, handle widths and other characteristics of the pliers and cutters you own or how many you have, I have found that unless the zipppered tool case was designed by the manufacturer for a specific brand and set of these tools, it is very difficult to use the interior storage space efficiently.

More importantly, in my experience, it is impossible to remove a pair of pliers or cutters from the elasticized loops without using two hands, even if the tool pouch was custom designed by (or for) the tool manufacturer to work with a specific set of pliers and cutters from a single product line, and especially if the tips have protective caps. So, whenever you are working on a project and need one of those tools, you have to stop working, put down the project so you have both hands free, and then wiggle and coax the required pair of pliers or cutters out from under their elastic strap restraints (without banging into or dislodging any adjacent pairs) before you can pick up the project again with your nondomiant hand and try to pick up where you left off before this unnecessary and distracting interruption.

The need for a simpler, more compact, more portable tool storage solution became a much higher priority when John began customizing his new mobile hobby workstation. (Since we have also been rethinking and trying to redesign my too-small crafts room/ "studio" space, if I could figure out a great tool storage and organization solution for John, I had my fingers crossed that maybe it could work for my jewelry making and crafting tools, too!) 

The DuraTech 21-Pocket Tool Roll Organizer to the Rescue

One Tool Organizer and Storage Solution to Rule (and Hold and Protect) Them All!

The main pockets are in wider and narrower widths to accommodate a wide range of tool types, shapes and sizes and provide flexibility in how your organize them. The bright turquoise blue lining also makes it much easier to see and distinguish between the "business ends" of different pliers, cutters and other precision tools.

As usual for me when shopping for an important product purchase, I did my due diligence. 

I began with an in-depth needs analysis, asking John to describe in detail his storage and organization requirements for his model building tools and to take me through all the types of craft storage he had already tried and explain why they didn't do what he wanted and needed.

Then, armed with that information (and a spinning head!), I dove into my product research. Since I had already been looking for solutions to similar storage and organization challenges for my jewelry making tools for my compact crafts studio redesign, I was already familiar with a lot of what was out there and knew that none of what I had found so far would meet my husband's very specific needs.

Fortunately, my persistence paid off! I wanted to make sure that whatever tool storage and organization solution I picked for John would be one he would be happy with, so I had decided to run my choice by him before ordering it, rather than keeping it a surprise until he opened it with his other Christmas gifts.

When I showed him the DuraTech Tool Roll Organizer, 21 Pockets Tool Bag Roll I had picked out for him on Amazon, I could telll immediately from his interest that I was on the right track. The more he read, looked at the product photos and read the product reviews, the more his eyes lit up.

I placed the order that same day, fingers crossed that he would love his new DuraTech tool roll organizer as much when he put his gift to use after Christmas as he did when looking at the product page. Fortunately, he did!

Key Features and Benefits

After filling his new tool organizer with his scale model making tools and using his DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer for more than a month, here are the things he loves about his gift.

Areas of stress are reinforced with bartack stitching between the pockets and heavy-duty, stitched twill tape bias binding enclosing the edges of the pockets and flaps. .

Durable Premium Fabric, High Quality Construction

• The double-layer, high-quality, waterproof 1680-denier turquoise blue and 900-denier black oxford cloth fabrics are extremely durable, making this Dura-Tech tool roll organizer both sturdy and water-resistant. (Oxford cloth is a tight basketweave fabric. The ones used in this tool roll appear to be ballistic coated nylon or polyester oxford cloth, similar to Cordura fabric.)
• Even if you aren't storing your tools in a car or shed or traveling with them, so they are exposed to the elements, it's still nice to know that they will be protected against spills and water damage in the event of an accident.
• The comfortable haul handle, adjustable straps, buckles and hook-and-loop flap closure are also made of sturdy, high-quality materials with durable construction, e.g.:
• bartack stitching reinforcement between the pockets and on the top haul handle, areas most likely to be subject to stress during use.
• edges of the pockets and flaps are bound with heavy-duty twill tape bias binding tape and stitched securely with sturdy contrasting thread.
• After two months of nearly nonstop use, my husband’s DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer still looks brand new.

Thoughtful and Attractive Design

Pockets Galore

• The 17 main pockets that span the length of the tool roll's interior along both sides are tall and come in different widths. The wider pockets can accommodate and hold most pliers and cutters securely to prevent them from moving around and potentially causing damage to the working surfaces. The narrower pockets are great for storing thinner tools and can even accommodate a 12-inch ruler, as you can see in the photos of my husband's DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer.
• The three shorter, deeper, gusseted pockets at one end can hold a surprising amount, and there is a flap with a hook-and-loop tape closure to help keep the contents from escaping accidentally. These are great for storing smaller items (e.g., a set of micro drill bits housed in a hard storage case, a set of sockets, small packages of nails, screws or washers, a tape measure). 
• At the opposite end, there is also a sturdy mesh pocket attached to the outside of one of the 17 main pockets. Since this mesh pocket is shorter and also see-through, it's perfect for shorter tools, such as needle files, that could slide down inside one of the taller, opaque, main pockets, where they would be hidden and hard to reach. 
• The DuraTech tool roll organizer lays flat when unrolled and filled with tools, and there’s plenty of room in each pocket. This means you not only can store all your crafting, model building or jewelry making tools in one place and see them all at a glance, you can also easily remove and replace each tool with just one hand while you are working, so you don't have to put down your project every time you need to reach for a new tool.

The open mesh pocket at one end of my husband's DuraTech Tool Roll Organizer holds micro drill bits (in a fitted case), needle files and a small diamond nail file for rounding and smoothing wire ends

Striking Use of Contrasting Colors Goes Beyond Just Good Looks

• The two-tone black and bright turquoise color-blocked design looks very sharp and distinctive. Bonus—the bright blue color makes it easy to spot your tool storage organizer quickly if you happen to misplace it (or if your work space, craft room or studio is messy and overcrowded, like mine). 
• The "business end" of the tool(s) in each stitched pocket are much more visible against the backdrop of the bright turquoise fabric lining in the center. So, you can quickly and easily distinguish a pair of round-nose pliers from a matching pair of needle-nose pliers or a Phillips-head from a flathead mini screwdriver, or pick out an individual diamond-coated riffler file from others in an assorted set.

Versatile Touches

• The large, sturdy, aluminum D-ring next to the haul handle can be used to hang your DuraTech tool roll organizer from a hook or to use as a keyring, attach a water bottle, etc.

This close-up photo of the bartack-stitched, reinforced haul handle, durable, high-denier, heavy-duty oxford cloth fabric and large, sturdy D-ring help you visualize a few examples of the high quality materials, workmanship and construction that went into this superior  tool roll orgaizer.

Capacious When in Use, Lightweight and Compact When Rolled up for Storage

• The DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer can hold a lot of pliers, cutters and other hand tools.
• The adjustable straps allow this tool roll organizer to accommodate a large number of tools of varying shapes and sizes and store them securely. In fact, if you shake the closed and buckled  tool roll, you won't hear any of the tools rattling against each other. 
• As you can see, even after my husband put all his favorite model making, crafts and DIY and other hobby tools into his new DuraTech tool roll organizer, there is still plenty of storage room for future specialty pliers or other precision tool acquisitions. (As any hobby or crafting enthusiast will tell you, you can never have too many tools, lol!)
• Given its generous capacity, this tool roll is surprisingly lightweight and compact. It's takes up relatively little real estate on a work surface or in a cabinet, drawer or rolling cart and doesn't add much weight to that of its contents, making it extremely portable.

A Remarkable Value

• After researching so many tool organizers and storage solutions, I was very surprised (and delighted) to discover how affordable this DuraTech tool roll organizer is, given its obviously  superior quality materials, construction, design and durability compared to most of the other types of storage and organization products I've found during my extensive searches. 
• Currently this DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer is priced at less than $18 on Amazon, which I consider an absolute steal in terms of value for money.

A Inexpensive and Thoughtful Gift for Any Jewelry Making, Scale Model Making, Electronics or DIY Enthusiast

My husband couldn't be more thrilled with his DuraTech 21-pocket tool roll organizer. I'm seriously considering buying another for my jewelry making pliers, cutters, awls and other hand tools.

It's hard to imagine anyone whose hobbies and interests include model railroading, remote-control cars and planes, building scale models or dioramas, jewelry making, watch repair, electronics and similar creative pursuits who wouldn't appreciate receiving such an attractive, thoughtfully designed, well made and durable storage organizer for their precision tools as a gift.

Of course, if that description also fits you, I encourage you to consider treating yourself to one of these terrific DuraTech tool roll organizers. 

The Best Tool Roll Organizer To Store and Protect Your Tools by Margaret Schindel

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Metal Wind Spinners For The Garden Reviewed

 

Metal Wind Spinners For The Garden Reviewed

I wanted to buy a wind spinner to place in our garden for some time. I have admired them in others people's gardens and a few months ago we bought two!

How Metal Wind Spinners Add To A Garden

I do like a wind spinner in the garden. In this review, I am covering Wind Spinners that stake into the ground. There are also those we can hang up. They are a joy all year round. In the winter they are a lovely sight when perhaps there is not so much interest in the garden and when the sun shines on a cold frosty day they really do look gorgeous

In a storm or even just when windy they do spin round and provide lots of movement for a sculpture. In Spring they seem to compliment the emerging bulbs and fresh green shoots and spin more gently in the breeze.

In summer they may be calmer and with perhaps less breeze a more static feature but beautiful and providing height and a lovely focal point. In autumn we have the breezes picking up and the wind spinners back in action shining out as the plants start to retreat. 

If a garden needs a sculpture or a little drama and movement or even just in winter when it may be a little lacking in interest a wind spinner can provide a little colour and drama to the space. 

Cup Or Spoons Metal Wind Spinner

If the garden is full of colour a natural bronze or silver wind spinner can calm and ground the space complimenting the flowers while they bloom and be a constant in the ever-changing bud to bloom to fading process. Or a fun colour Wind spinner can simply add to the riot of joy!

The weather can be dull, windy, rainy, snowy or bright or golden sunlight and a wind spinner or two can really shine out in the garden and give it a beautiful constant focal point. 

Leaf Metal Wind Spinner In The Breeze!

Ours are two bronze metal wind spinners. I wanted ones that are robust, long-lasting, beautiful and timeless.

I also wanted ones that really spin fast in the wind and have a reference to nature so a natural shape and feel to them. 

Ours have integral long stakes that you simply push into firm soil. I love the way the metal shines when it is sunny and gives a gorgeous bronze glow.

They certainly do spin well in the winds yet have not fallen over or become damaged even in a recent storm. 

Metal Wind Spinner On Stake

Where To Site A Metal Wind Spinner

Keep them in a place clear from other vegetation. If they are too close to the other plants the plants can become tangled up in the spinner and that is not good for the plants or the wind spinner.

They do need to have a firm anchor in the ground. This can be into the soil itself or into pots  I have mine in pots on the patio and the stakes are firmly deep into the soil. You do need to test that they are firmly anchored and secure.

I also find watching our wind spinners very relaxing. A gentle breeze and they turn around slowly almost meditatively and in a storm they really spin round with energy! 

We have them in sight of our windows so even on a very windy cold or rainy day we can watch them in comfort. I think it is good if you can see them from a window so you can enjoy them all year round whatever the weather. 

Wind spinners take up little room and would be totally suitable for a large garden to a small patio area as long as they can be securely pushed into the ground.

 I have not noticed any particular noise from ours but some do emit a gentle sound when they spin. 

Leaf Metal Wind Spinner On Long Stake

Wind Spinners And Wildlife.

Much as I wanted a wind spinner, I was a little concerned at first that our local wildlife might not like them and stay away from our patio. 

I had read that they can scare birds away and even that they can be useful as a benign deterrent if you want to keep birds off fruit or vegetables or freshly sown seed. 

However, I need not have worried as our garden birds took no notice of them at all! 

The sparrows still come in small flocks to pick grit from our wall, flying straight over one wind spinner, the blackbirds visit the patio for food in the pots happily kicking out the soil to look for food in even the pot I had spiked the wind spinner and nothing seems to mind in the slightest. We currently have small birds scoping out the bird boxes and sparrows noisily debating over who gets the best place in the eaves this year.

Even the neighbour's cat is not remotely afraid of the wind spinners as he calmly sat watching them while washing his fur the other day.   

Leaf Metal Wind Spinner In Bronze

However, I must remember that our garden birds are very used to us and to us moving things around on our patio. They have never been hurt or afraid. It is pretty much their garden, we just visit it from time to time! In fact, during the breeding season, we often get chittered and scolded for daring to be in their garden! They are wild birds but very confident around us. 

I do however keep the wind spinners away from the bird feeders and the birdbath and any known nesting sites in the shrubs just in case they find it distracting.

If you are concerned about scaring the birds but want a wind spinner simply place it in an area where either you know birds do not frequent much perhaps close to the house and monitor it. If you do have seeds, fruit or plants you want to protect from birds a wind spinner placed nearby may act as a deterrent but I can't promise it. Success with that may depend on how your birds view you and your garden! 

Spoon Or Cup Metal Wind Spinner In Bronze

A Wide Choice Of Metal Wind Spinners

I think they make a beautiful gift for anyone who loves their garden and would like some added interest. Wind spinners are available in such a wide range of choices there is something for everyone. 

Ours are bronze look and one is a leaf shape and one is a spoon or cup shape.

 There are wind spinners of plain colours or many vibrant colours and everything in between. Many have gorgeous shapes and either beautiful colours or natural tones, all equally stunning.

 There is a wide range of sizes and prices from affordable to high-end. 

Wind Spinners, 84 Inch Garden Metal Large Windmill Kinetic Wind Sculpture for Yard Decor(Classical Flower, Copper Teal)

Solar Wind Spinner Willow Leaves-Improved 360 Degrees Swivel Multi-Color LED Lighting Solar Powered Glass Ball with Kinetic Wind Spinner-Metal Sculpture Construction-Outdoor Yard Lawn & Garden

Ironic Wind Spinners with Willow Butterfly Including Colorful Metal Petals-Enhance Decoration of Yard and Gardens- Dual-Direction 60 Inches Height Spinner - Decor with Statues and Sculptures

Stanwood Wind Sculpture: Kinetic Copper Wind Sculpture Dual Spinner - Dancing Willow Leaves

I would certainly buy more wind spinners for our garden and buy them as gifts. I love our bronze wind spinners and the next time we buy one it may be a cheerful brightly coloured one for fun. It was hard to choose just four for this selection but I have tried to show the variety available.  

More Gardening And Garden Product Reviews 

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Diary Of A Wild Country Garden

Essential Wildlife Gardening Gifts

Raintree Earth Designs

 

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Funny Word Search Book For Adults With a Twist

Fresh off the press is my latest word search book, "Funny Word Search For Adults."

This book is different from your typical word search book. It features the usual single words to find and multiple words strung together.

There are Three Ways to Challenge Yourself with This Word Search Book

1. The Usual Way - Find the Word

Of course, this book includes the typical approach to word search, which features single words to find. So go ahead and enjoy the standard word search challenge.

2. Multiple Words Strung Together (Like a Hashtag)

In this word search book, you'll find multiple words put together in a brief phrase without spaces in between. You get a dual challenge in that you must guess the phrase and then find the phrase in the puzzle.

3. Time Yourself - See How Fast You Can Complete a Word Search Puzzle

The bottom of each word search puzzle provides a place to enter the start and finish times. Use this area to compete with family. One family member can tackle a puzzle and mark their time; another can try to beat that time by solving another puzzle.

What is Included with Funny Word Search for Adults

• You get 60 unique word search puzzles
• 1440 words to find
• Multiple words strung together for an added challenge
• One puzzle per page
• Puzzles are easy to read
• A place to track the time it takes to complete the puzzle
• Each puzzle features a humorous approach to a different topic

Examples of the Funny Word Search Puzzle Topics

• Worst Marriage Advice
• If I Ruled the World
• Funny Tooth Fairy Traits
• If Dogs Could Talk
• Newbie Pirate Mistakes

and more.....

The Types of Humor You'll Find in this Word Search Book

• Sarcastic
• Silly
• Obvious
• Stupid
• Bathroom
• Eye Rolling

I hope you enjoy this book if you're in the market for a fun activity. I sure enjoyed writing it!

Funny Word Search Book

My activity books are on Amazon, here, or at StumpedRiddles.com.

Recent Word Search Books:

Christmas Word Search

Baby Shower Word Search

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How to Make a Breakfast Parfait

I am going to review how to make a breakfast parfait.   If you haven't tried a breakfast parfait before then you are in for a treat as it is a delicious way to start your day.

Image photo by Louanne Cox, adapted for this article with Canva

I know that technically it's not a parfait, but I saw someone on Instagram layering yogurt, fruit and a little granola in a tall glass and calling it a breakfast parfait.  I immediately thought of a different option that I could make.

First a little bit about me.   I absolutely love overnight oats and eat these for my breakfast regularly, they taste good, but to be honest they don't look that fantastic.   I also love having berries with my breakfast and when I choose to have proats I will often top them with berries.   I also like to keep my breakfasts both gluten and dairy-free for the majority of the time.

Now let's look at the breakfast parfait.

My Breakfast Parfait Breakdown

I basically have 3 different layers:

1. Coconut yogurt
2. Overnight oats
3. Frozen berries

Let's talk through the overnight oats layer.   I use the following ingredients:

2/3 cups oats (now I use regular oats as I'm not a celiac so the fact that some gluten may be present - oats are naturally gluten-free - isn't something I need to worry about, but obviously you can use any oats)

2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (I use Arbonne's one which is a vegan protein)

1 cup dairy-free milk of choice (I alternate between using coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk)

The rest of the ingredients I don't really measure (confession time I tend to be a throw things together kind of cook as opposed to measuring everything carefully!).

Black chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

I mix this all together and I'm ready to start making the parfait.   You will note (if you've made overnight oats before) that I don't add as much fluid as usual, this is because I'm adding yogurt and frozen berries so the oats can soak up some of the water from the defrosting process and some of the yogurt.

I use what is called a breakfast smoothie cup to make my breakfast parfait in - I had tried a hurricane glass I have at home, but it wasn't big enough!   I brought mine in K-Mart here in Australia, but you can find similar items on Amazon if you're not in Australia or New Zealand.   Mine has a lid with a hole in it and reusable straw as well as a full lid which is the one that I obviously use and is similar to this one that I found on Amazon - Smoothie Breakfast Cup.

Putting the Breakfast Parfait Together

I place a little yogurt in the bottom of the glass/cup, on top of this I add 1/3 of the overnight oats mixture, then some frozen fruit*, yogurt, 1/3 of the overnight oats mix, frozen fruit, yogurt, remaining overnight oats, a small amount of fruit and a tsp or two of the yogurt (I like to be able to see a little of the oat mixture showing through around the edges when I look at the breakfast parfait, but the aesthetic is up to you.

As far as the frozen fruit I actually use different ones on each layer.  First up I use a mixed blend called the Dark Fruits Mix (it contains blackberries, dark cherries, black currants), next I use a mixed blend called Ruby Fruits Mix (this contains strawberries, dark cherries, red currants), on the top I use frozen blueberries.

To be honest, I would probably mix the fruits up even more, but they've been in short supply in our local supermarket at the moment so I've been using the fruits I've got plenty of.   I do love the variety as I eat so I'll continue to mix it up but I can't wait to be able to get frozen raspberries & blackberries again as I fancy trying a layer of each of the following - raspberries, strawberries & blackberries.

Photo by Lou16

You can see the different layers showing through in this photo, doesn't it look good?   Let me know if you are going to try this or not.

I share recipes on my Healthy Tips to Feel & Look Your Best Facebook group, you're welcome to join us.

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Her Unsuitable Match (Supposed Scandal Series) Reviewed

When determining if someone is an unsuitable match, we must first consider the criteria. Society may look at financial status or social status of an individual, while the person desiring a match may be seeking something totally different.

I suspect we have all known couples we felt were ill-matched but seem completely happy with one another.  There are a variety of reasons why we wouldn't think they would be a good fit.  The heart rarely looks at social status, education level, finances, or even physical looks based on the current day opinions or popularity. 

In the book, "Her Unsuitable Match", I questioned whether the title referred to the individual her family had selected for Pippa, or if it was based on the individual Pippa selected.  Either way, both sides thought someone was an unsuitable match for the Earl's daughter.

However, what was most interesting about this book was that Pippa didn't seek someone based on any of the previously mentioned criteria.  She wanted someone who would allow her to be free, which meant she needed a husband who didn't make any demands on her, her time, or her money.  Interesting dilemma for a Regency era (1795-1820) setting. 

"Her Unsuitable Match" Book Synopsis

Lady Philippa Gillensford is 23 years old, past the expected age for marriage.  Wishing for his daughter to have some choices in life, Pippa's father had stipulated in his will that she would be given her own dowry if she was unmarried at 23, as an inheritance so she could live independently.  That is exactly what she wanted, but her mother and her oldest brother who was now the Earl, had a totally different opinion and they were determined to have their way regardless of the cost.

 Her Unsuitable Match
(Supposed Scandal)Check PricePippa's mother wanted her to marry someone equal or of greater social station.  Her brother had someone specific selected and had already granted Lord Walter permission to marry his sister.  Pippa was repealed by the very presence of Walter who sought to marry her even if he had to ruin her reputation to do so.

Lord Walter Ruthersby (the suitor), the dowager Countess of Montecliff (her mother), and Richard, the Earl of Montecliff (her brother), colluded to force Pippa into this alliance and marriage.  All of society seemed determined to see Lord W & Lady P wed, especially once there was gossip and a touch of scandal associated with the couple.  But Pippa knew she was innocent and she had no desire to marry anyone, especially Ruthersby.

Pippa did have one very strong alliance of her own.  Her younger brother, Adam and his wife, Elaine wanted her to be happy. They were blessed with a marriage based on love and they would have preferred that for her, but Pippa didn't have any love interest. She did, however, desire independence and they supported her choice. 

When the earl refused to give Pippa her inheritance, she sought legal counsel.  Even though she was willing to pursue her rightful inheritance in court, she knew that might not be successful.  However, marrying someone else would end that ridiculous torment. Recalling a man who had stepped in to defend her, she decided to make an offer to a soldier.  A gentleman she hoped would join in a contract that would be mutually beneficial without the normal marital confines.  

Myles Cobbett had returned from war with severe battle scars, both physically and mentally.  He found a reclusive lifestyle with a daily routine, along with his small pension, provided a tolerable life. He didn't really have hope for more. When he was presented with an unusual marriage contract, he felt needed again and compelled to assist the damsel in distress. He believed he could provide the shelter from social norms that she needed and she offered to provide dowries for his younger sisters to hopefully ensure better marriages for them.  

The marriage arrangement seemed like the perfect solution for both Pippa and Myles, but the aforementioned alliances against Pippa were not sated and they were relentless.  After all, marriages could be set aside by annulments and jealous gossips still wagged their tongues with reckless abandon. 

Conclusion

It is impossible to not like Myles Cobbett and to feel sympathy for Pippa.  In spite of her social standing, they are the underdogs we all want to see succeed.  

While not your typical romantic novel, this book does pull at the emotions of the reader.  We would all love to see these two people happy.  

I read the book in two evenings.  It was rather hard to put down.  I wanted to see what was going to happen, who would succeed in their pursuits and what inevitable changes would have to be made. 

I do highly recommend this book for the hopeless romantic and those who enjoy rooting for the underdog.

 

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 Her Unsuitable Match (Supposed Scandal)Check Price Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage (Supposed Scandal)Check Price

 

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