Decorative Rocks and Ornamental Stone - Landscaping

It's time to break out of the everyday landscaping design. What does your lawn consist of? Lots of green grass - that takes a lot of time to mow and a lot of water to look healthy, trees and shrubs. Perhaps some flowerbeds flanking the house itself.

But there's so much more you can do with your landscaping, if you just decide to do things a bit differently.

In desert locations, of course, like Arizona and Mexico, why bother to try to force grass to grow at all? Why not simply cover your yard with attractive, ornamental rock and stone, with a few shrubs. Or as the joke has it, "I'm retired, I've mowed my last lawn!" The reason is simple - you may think water is a renewable resource - but it doesn't renew as fast as mankind is consuming it. In desert states where water comes from below ground aquifers, the level of this fresh-water source is lowering every year, and rainwater cannot replenish that level fast enough.

Even if you don't live in a desert climate, there's no reason why you can't make a rock garden - either large or small - in part of your yard. Such a garden will cut down on the time needed to mow your lawn, there'll be no need to spread pesticides around, and it will be a quiet and restful place around which to sit.

Like any other landscaping element, a rock garden does have to be planned carefully. Rock doesn't absorb water - so any rain run-off will go straight into your lawn and does need to be carefully drained off. Don't put your rock garden over electrical or phone lines, either.

You may think that a rock garden is equivalent to a Japanese garden, but that isn't necessarily the case. The Japanese garden combines three elements: stone which represents mountains or islands, water - representing purity, and plants. A Zen garden is what most people think of when they hear the term Japanese garden - a stretch of white sand with black rocks placed strategically about, and one meditates by raking the sand smooth.

There are two ways to install a rock garden...one would be to make the rock look like a natural outcropping of bedrock...used to cut off an inconvenient slope. The more usual design is to pile up the stones - both large and small - in harmonious groupings...and if you simply must have greenery, leave small gaps between the rocks into which the plants may be placed.

Surf the web to get ideas for how to design your rock garden, and venture far and wide, into sites from Japan and India as well as the United States. You'll find beauty everywhere.

The History of Sofas - A Long Loved and Leisurely Way To Relax

Sofas have been called by many names, we are familiar with them being called couches, but they have also been called settees, lounges, davenports, or chesterfields. But it does not stop there they also go by other names because of their various styles such as a two-seater, a three-seater, a corner sofa, or perhaps a chaise lounge. A small version of a couch is sometimes called a loveseat, and, as you likely already know, there are sofas that fold out into beds, as well as futons – which are incredibly similar. There are even lounges or elaborate sofas with canopies for privacy or decoration.

Not many people collect antique sofas – or have sofas of older styles custom designed. I don't think it is a bad idea, actually. If one were to decorate one's home with an antique theme – with beautiful furniture, accessories and other décor, a lounge similar to the designs used in ancient Rome may be extremely beautiful. The distinct look of such a motif would be incredibly impressive to your guests, as well as an elegant environment for you and your family.

Couches or sofas are usually in the living room and / or other lounging areas of a given abode. If you are re-decorating your home, you may consider purchasing a new sofa. Sofas come in many styles and have been very popular throughout history. Now virtually everyone who resides in a home, apartment, etc. owns a sofa. Similarly to owning a television or radio, a sofa is one of the most essential pieces of priority furniture in a home – no matter what your income. If you look in the right place, you can find a great sofa at an inexpensive price, too!

Until the 20th century the sofa or couch was the name which referred to a long, upholstered seat – one end would be inclined enough for the person lounging on it to rest his or her head. In the late, middle ages the couch almost signified a daybed, and again, we do have our modern versions of the daybed, do we not? Window seats are also very beautiful, comfortable, luxurious and simple to install.

The daybed was the most popular and common kind of sofa in the 17th century. Especially into the 19th century the sofa, couch, or lounge bed was often thought of as a ladies lounging seat. However, reverting back further in history, men would often lounge as they ate or relaxed, and the women would stand or sit in chairs. As a matter of fact, it was not until the industrial era that sofas began to appear eventually in the homes of more and more common people. Soon it became so that virtually everyone, singles, couples, and / or whole families, would acquire at least one sofa for their home.

Sofas and psychologists have been associated with each other for some time. Although not all psychologists will instruct his or her client to lie down for sessions, the idea hinges on many Freudian psychoanalysis theories – therefore, is used often by doctors that adhere to such notions. Lying down as a therapist or psychoanalyst of some kind may be an important aspect of his or her method for interpreting dreams. It has been theorized that stream of consciousness is much easier for the client to voice when in a calming, physical position. It is the concept that the relaxation provided by reclining in such a way, as well as not looking the doctor or healer in the face – helps the individual "open up" or speak more freely: a logical idea.

Presently, even on situation comedies on American television, the couch is sometimes virtually serves as an additional lead – character in the show. For example: The Simpsons, a television show with which almost every American is familiar – even if only by reputation. I can not imagine a time in the future where the sofa or some version of it will be eliminated. Like all furniture that has been designed by people throughout the ages, the sofa is one that is revived, improved, designed by variations on a basic theme – and yet is timeless.

Learn About Feng shui

This time we'll learn about 2 main room that give biggest effect to our life

Bedroom

In 24 hours of our life we spend most time in this room, around 8-10 hours or even more than that. Let we check it. We sleep around 6-8 hours, after that we are usually take some activity school, or working, after that we come back home and first our destination is bedroom, almost 1/3 of our life is spent in this room, that's why this room is affect more than another room. So it has to give a positive energy to our life, because we sleep to refill our powerlessness.
Some forbidden thing for apply to bedroom:

You are forbidden to put your bed with directly across to the door! It will give a bad effect to your health. Is this logical?

Let we think about the possibly side,
Wind will directly blow our body when somebody else opens the door, eventually it will make your health be dropper.
The second reason is you will not have nice sleep because you're the door is below your body, so you will more concern about some body who's come in, because you can see that person's face well, you must get up first to do that. Of course it will give the nice less effect to us.

Our energy will be absorbed by television if your TV is put under your feet. To avoid this is you have to be always pull the cable from the electricity before you sleep, or move it up to the another place.

The second main place of your room is your main entrance

You must often pass this place. It is looks like the "mouth" of your house, energy will come in and out together with you, whenever you come in or out too. That energy is various, some positive, some else negative. That we have to do is how to avoid the positive energy go out, and in the other side we have to prevent negative energy come with us from outside.

One a simple thing to realize it is put the mirror above our door from outer. It is expected to prohibit to negative side from outside, because that mirror is trusted can reflect back a negative effect and keep the positive energy inside.

The forbidden thing


Don't put a some wide leaf plants in front of our door. It will prevent all energy to come in including "positive energy".

Top Spring Decorating Ideas Featuring Bird-themed Decor and Shades of Green

The days are beginning to feel warmer, and the landscape with its many shades of green is awakening. One only needs to listen to the birds in the early morning to know that spring will be here before long. This is a wonderful time of the year to include a touch of the outdoors in your home interior decorating ideas.

• Let's start with 'bird-themed" home decorating ideas which can be used in every room. A pretty birdcage makes a whimsical three-dimensional framework for a spring display. Inside of the birdcage place a craft-store twig nest with faux eggs or a petite flower arrangement.

• Ceramic egg cups can be used for decorated Easter eggs, jelly beans or pastel candies.

• To bring the "bird-themed" décor into the powder room, use iron-on transfers to print or color-copy a picture of a bird onto a linen guest towel.

• Look for egg-shaped soaps at specialty shops to use in your guest bathrooms.

• "Bird-inspired" iron-on transfers can also be used on table linens. Inexpensive paper coasters featuring pictures of birds add a further touch to the springtime table.

• Another natural look to add to your spring decorating ideas is the color, green. Whether you use leafy lettuce green or a serene shade of mint, you will find that a wide range of green represents what you already find in nature.

• Green is synonymous with life and renewal and is plentiful in our natural world. It is a peaceful color with calming effects. Use a variety of shades of green for a fresh, springtime feel.

• Because of the endless selection you will have no difficulty finding a suitable shade of green paint color. However, if you don't want to make a long-term commitment, adding home accessories in the desired shade of green is an easy and effortless way to add nature's color.

• Home accessories in shades of green include glassware, vases, pillows, afghans/throws, artwork and fabrics.

• Something as simple as putting garden magazines and flower books on the coffee table will help to bring nature inside and add color to your room.

• Simplify your interior decorating by displaying only the things you love. Clutter is distracting and adds stress to your life because of constant upkeep.

Spring is the time for renewal, beautiful flowers, green grass and the songs of birds. Enjoy each and every day!

"Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment!" – Ellis Peters

Do You Want Berber Carpet In Your Home?

The beauty of finding a carpet is there is such a vast choice with so many different types and styles to go for. One type of carpet that you can use in your home is Berber carpet.

Berber carpet was given its name after bulky hand made wool covering for floors were made by a tribe in North Africa. The term Berber is used today which described a broadloom that has a heathered and a natural off white look of the cloaks which were used by the tribe. There are quite a few different styles of Berber carpet including level loop, cut and loop and multi level loop as well.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Berber Carpet In The Home And Are There Any Disadvantages?

Berber carpet is a great choice for many homes and it has some great benefits too. One great benefit is that there will not be a trail of footprints all across the carpet as well as hiding any trace of the vacuum.

One thing people notice about having these carpets is that it helps reduce energy bills as it acts as an insulator by regulating the temperature of the room. As well as all of this, these carpets are easy to clean and they are extremely durable whilst still being nice and soft to touch. The only problem is that it may be quite easy to snap the loops in the carpet which in turn could damage it.

What Types of Berber Carpet can you choose from?

Berber carpet that has been designed with multilevel looping has more benefits and advantages compared to that of level loop Berber carpet styles. You can get a great range of different styles to choose from including a warm style ranging to casual patterns and then elegant carpets as well.

What should you consider when buying Berber Carpets for your Home?

If you are considering using Berber carpets for your home, try considering some of these pointers beforehand:-

Will any of the Berber styles suit the décor of the room you will be using them in?

Do you know how to properly care for Berber carpets?

Are you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of using Berber Carpets?

Will Berber carpets withstand your household due to the loops in the styles?

It is extremely important to know what you are getting as Berber carpets may not be for everyone. They can be extremely good to use in most households but they need to be carefully looked after in order to avoid getting snagged and ruined.

IED - Improvised Explosive Device

IED - Improvised Explosive Device


A cunning way to push vice


Meddle in international affairs


Stir up trouble and get in others hair


The Bush administration does it well


Ironically playing the neerdowell


By no means is Iran's President swell


Ahmadinejad wants to annihilate Israel


Both he, many Muslims, and the devil


Perhaps America should come to level


The Iranian dictator and usher in democracy


Make the younger generation free and happy


Nevertheless there is a unique art to diplomacy


To ensure and secure long-term relations


Peace is an intangible commodity not easy


To obtain, mediate, neither negotiate


The enemy always wants to aggravate


Deviate, denigrate, alienate, and isolate


Timing is also crucial, lest we be too late


However moving prematurely can insatiate


The enemy's ego and ravenous appetite


To start World War III and a furious fight


Thus we must navigate through this right


Involve and interact with nations nearby


Give it a go, bite our tongue, and try


To engage leaders in the Middle East


Stabilize borders, insurgents, and find peace


Bring to the oppressed liberty and release


While wisely welcoming and maneuvering


Fighting evildoers and nation building


Resist being self-righteous and idolizing


Our culture, concepts, and body politic


Stop, halt, harness, say no, and forego


Pushing on militarily like a mercenary


Guerilla warfare for making money


Regime changing for oil procuring


The Saudi royal family we protect


The price of oil we can't neglect


Nor can we worship and be glued to it


IEDs are far more than military weaponry


Ideological economic devices rhetorically


Surface instinctually and harm us globally


Alienating friends for us internationally


These IEDs we must question incessantly


As without Iran, Iraq remains in instability


Let us not demonize influential Iran unnecessarily


This strategic enemy must be won with diplomacy


Because many Iranians agree with us ideologically.


Therefore let us deal with Iran's president individually


On another front we can address its people collectively.

Minnesota Winter Crows - a Poem With Notes and Commentary on Winter Storms

Minnesota Winter Crows


[A Minnesota Poem] in Haiku form

The long, long wave of winter


Creeps, slowly creeps back


From where it came from

It had burst around us, this


This Merry spell—died


It has not, not yet…

But lifted its gray, bleak clouds—


It most surely has!


Less lovely…yes, perhaps;

Then comes early spring: crows


In their bleak, black—flight


Looking feverish…!

#1732 3-13-2007

Notes: here is a four stanza Haiku, on the ending of winter in Minnesota, in 2007. Minnesota is known for its winters going out like a lion, and so it has proven so in the month of March, of 2007, when this poem was written. It would seem winter would simply stop, and spring would come in, but it never happens that way. Even the crows have a period of time to readjust to the new season, for the winter has helped them grow thin and lean, and has helped the humans in Minnesota to grow fat, because they hibernate in the house somewhat. Then in spring the crows grow fat, and the humans start growing lean, they get out of the house as soon as possible—and then there is no end to their activities.

Commentary on Winter Storms: Winter storms are simply a part of the culture, a fact of life, or so it would seem in Minnesota; I was born there, in St. Paul, and have witnessed many of them. Severe winter storms go back as far as weather reporting goes, to perhaps, Nov 10, 1835, when a severe storm caused 19shipwrecks on Great Lakes, 254 sailor's died´. And then on Nov 8, 1870 the first winter storm warning was issued by the U.S. Army Signal Corps. On March 14-15, 1941 terrible blizzard in western counties, 85-mph winds at Grand Forks, 75 mph winds at Duluth. In 1996, we had three blizzards, and in 1997, we had five blizzards. The total seasonal snow fall, is between 90 and 120 inches.

Being Single And Opening Up To Love

W was single and approached me to help him rejoin his life with a partner. I first had to share that there is never a vacuum in nature, therefore he was not single. His partner exists, it was himself. His focus was on his feelings, his consciousness, his experience.

With True love, there are only two options for intimacy. Self or other. We are either in a relationship with ourselves, or someone else. Nothing is ever missing. We cannot do both well. Either one of these two is dominant. IF we are single or in a relationship that is suffering from a lack of intimacy and affection, chances are we are in the former, a relationship with ourselves.

If our highest priorities are focussed on ourselves, then our core intimacy is with our self . We become independent, emotionally frail, hyper driven, super sensitive, self conscious, self aware, self motivated, self inspired. If any these conditions exist, we have most likely become the intimate relationship we seek. We have gone within, and stayed there.

If we surrender in love and become other obsessed, we probably fail to be self aware, self conscious, self motivated, self inspired. We then have become dependent on others. Co dependent as it is referred to. Deeply vulnerable, intimate and in love.

This intimacy exposes us to pain and suffering, so, when a relationship fails we often resort to self dependency in order to protect and nurture ourselves. It is meant as a temporary measure until we are ready to re enter relationship.

There are many teachers, therapist and authors whose aim it is to cause their students to become self dependent. I followed that path for some time and 5 major relationships later came to realize that the missing intimacy I wanted was because not only had I become self dependent but I had chosen self dependent women in my relationships. I really wanted intimacy in relationships in which love and dreams are shared and enjoyed.

So, you can see the difference between healing mode and sacred relationship mode. I am reluctant to endorse any sense of independence from a co dependent relationship for fear of causing people to do what I have done and that is to "be on purpose" and therefore immune from the intimacy that come from vulnerability.

Seems weird. But when I saw my highly evolved yoga guru, Sri K Pattabhi Jois, cry on and off for 2 years after his wife's death, I realized that one of us, either him or me, had got it wrong. Self righteously, and following my American teacher, I held my ground, I stayed "on purpose" preferring independence to that vulnerability I saw in my yoga master.

Co dependence is a catch word. Few people want it because most are afraid of the downside, the potential hurt that comes if a relationship fails. Those who teach independence come from broken relationships, their methods and life process are designed to protect and avoid, rather than re immerse themselves in innocence and love.

One critical key to truly falling in love is innocence. If we approach our relationships with hurt and pain from the past, using blame and victim or guilt to sustain those past feelings, then there is no way that we can truly fall, and therefore achieve this beautiful truth of honest, and sustainable love. So, emotionally at least, we must learn how to heal wounds, become innocent, to surrender all the fears, ambitions, paranoia and phobias that we have accumulated order to truly become present and fall in love again.

Intimacy comes from vulnerability, and vulnerability comes from uncertainty. So, in the realm in which we really share, Sacred Love, there is a great vulnerability and uncertainty. Both of which contradict the notion of being safe, self directed and on purpose in life.

The key to moving from single-dom, to relationship with a significant other is to turn the attention from yourself to someone else. It is a new habit, a way of making other's feelings more important than your own, of choosing to say sorry even if it's not your fault, of wanting for their happiness instead of your own. This is the turning point, moving self consciousness to other consciousness. Not worrying about what they think of you, but worrying about what they feel about life. Simply put, it's the process of surrendering the ego that protects us, and becoming vulnerable again. This is sacred love, sacred relationship.