A Horse-Drawn Buggy

 Last week we spent a few days holiday at a hotel -out of town. One morning, when I was walking around in the front of the hotel, I saw a horse-drawn buggy nearing.

The Weekend in Black and White

Tips to Keep Your Swimming Pool Clean and Hygienic

Having a swimming pool in your backyard always brings the sense of luxury and excitement. It not only makes the home look more lavish, but also become the big time source of relaxation for the inmates of the house. There is nothing better than plunging into the pool on a fresh Sunday morning and relaxing under the bright sunny natural light.

Perhaps luxury comes with a cost, followed by lots of responsibilities. Those who own personal outdoor swimming pools know it well. Building a pool is undoubtedly expensive, but maintaining it is even more costly and requires lots of efforts and time as well. In this article, we will tell you about some basic things that you should take into consideration while taking care of your pool. These tips will help you keep the water of the pool hygienic and crystal clear.

Tips To Maintain a Swimming Pool

1. Circulation Is The Key-  It is very important to check that the main pump of the pool is in proper working condition. This pump is the heart of the pool that makes the process of circulation possible. Without water circulation it will be difficult to maintain the purity and clarity of water, and as soon as the winters will arrive the algae will start settling into the pool. Thus, make sure that the pool’s main pump in working in order.

2. Run The Filter-  Filtration is as important as circulation. The process of filtration removes all kind of impurities and dirt from the pool. Without a sufficient and effective filter the water inside the pool will remain dirty. Therefore, it is important to conduct a routine check-up to ensure the filter is working properly. The filter-run time may vary on the basis of size of the pool and climatic conditions. Make sure that the run time is adequate for the season and the climate. If you are not sure of the run time, it is always advised to call the pool facility experts to get better guidance.

3. Balanced Water - It is also important to balance the water chemistry of the pool. All you need is some guidance and a good test kit to ensure that water level and chemicals present in it are perfectly balanced. Having a balanced pool water can help you save on a lot on other expenses, that may arise due to various pool problems caused because of chemical imbalances. If you do not know how to do it, consider hiring a professional pool facility for it.

4. Clean the Pool Regularly- Since it is a regular practice, many people take it as a tedious work. However, if done with proper concentration it should not take more than 10-15 minutes of your time each week. You can also get an automatic outdoor swimming pools cleaner installed to save yourself some more time. Make sure you empty the skimmer basket, pump basket and cleaner bags before moving out of your house every day. This help prevents the clogs which can be the major cause of obstructed water circulation.

Buying Vintage Furniture : Things to Keep in Mind

A good furniture has the ability to enhance the entire look of a place. The material, style, color, polish and design, everything play an important role in determining the atmosphere and ambiance of a place. Every detail of a furniture affects the total appearance and appeal of a room. In the era of modern and modular furniture, Antique furniture pieces are still in huge demand. This is for a simple reason that they provide a sense of class and uniqueness.

Vintage industrial furniture is the new demand of ever changing market. People find it elegant, classy and appealing in every respect. You can bring a rich and glamorous feel in your living space or in your office with antique furniture pieces. However, finding an appealing vintage furniture is not an easy task. It should be purchased only on the basis of appeal and overall elegance. There are many other factors that you should consider when making the purchase.

Considerations to Keep in Mind While Buying Vintage Furniture

  

1.    Appearance and Condition:  As the name suggests, Vintage is basically antique pieces that were built years ago and are now available in limited quantity. You might get too excited while seeing an antique furniture piece and may even get carried away with this feeling. The only advice would be not to get fooled with the looks and appearance of the furniture item. It may seem classy and elegant from outside, and have broken corners and chipped pieces within. Make sure you check the quality and overall condition of the furniture piece before buying. It should not have any chipped corners and must not be suffering from woodworms.

2.    Durability: If it is vintage, it is ought to be durable! Many people have this notion when buying an antique piece. This is only half correct, for a reason that not every person selling the furniture is concerned about the maintenance. Vintage furniture pieces need lots of maintenance and care. Vintage durable is usually made of solid wood, which only needs refinishing to cover up the signs of wear and tear. Furnishing can be quite expensive and will affect the entire the appearance of the furniture itself. As far as material is concerned,  it is advisable to choose furniture which is made of solid material.

3.   Functionality: This should be the major consideration while buying a vintage industrial furniture. You must find a furniture piece that will provide you with maximum benefit and utility. If you're spending huge amount on its purchase and maintenance, then make sure it retains its function. Otherwise, no matter how good the furniture looks in your home or office, it is of no use if it cannot provide any comfort. 

4.    Price: If you are lucky enough you may bag a good deal and get a vintage furniture at half the price as well. However, in normal circumstances where everything goes well, buying a vintage furniture can even cost you a fortune. Just make sure that whatever you may purchase should be worth each penny you have spent on it. 

Guarding Your House against Carbon Monoxide Infiltration

The presence of carbon monoxide (CO) in our homes is hazardous and thus it is very crucial to install a device inside the house to detect its presence. Carbon monoxide detectors perform this task and protect your family from the perils of CO. One must ensure that carbon monoxide does not enter your house as its presence can lead to serious health problems. CO has the ability to get accumulated in the blood stream really fast and thus hampering ability of blood to carry oxygen.

The presence of CO in the environment is mainly caused by burning of fuels used in natural gas, propane and oil. But if the equipments using these fuels are properly installed and taken care of the amount of CO produced by them can be drastically reduced. In most houses this harmful gas is safely vented out through windows or chimneys. But problems arise when there is something hindering this smooth ventilation process. Such blockages might lead to increase in the level of CO presence in the air and lead to dangerous consequences.

Taking some precautions can greatly help in saving the environment from the CO menace. The first step in this direction could be shunning any possibility of carbon monoxide to get into your home. Some other significant steps that could be taken in this direction are as follow.

An annual inspection and servicing of all appliances inside the house used for fuel by an expert technician is one of the drastic measures that can be taken to assure that there is no leakage from the appliances and they are working properly. Apart from this all the vents should also be examined for any blockages or cracks. Heating and hot water equipment like geysers should be installed in appropriate position to ensure proper ignition. One should avoid use of natural gas stove tops or ovens for heating ones home. If you have an enclosed garage parking always make sure that you open the garage door before starting the vehicle. Garage should also not be used for barbeque which uses charcoal as fuel or even the one which runs on propane or natural gas. It is advisable to restrict the use of lawnmower, snow blower, or any gasoline- operated tools within a garage or house. 

Any use of fossil fuels for refrigeration, cooking, heat, and lighting within a living area can prove to be really unsafe. One should ascertain that all such gears if being used is carefully vented outside and at best use devices propelled by battery and electricity to avoid the dangers of air poisoning. Devices like these harm you more than the convenience that they provide.

Such precautions taken on your part can help in evading the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning to a great degree. But even after much alertness sometimes accidents do happen and it is at this point that carbon monoxide detectors act as the life saving devices. Presence of even one carbon monoxide detectors serves as a wise safety measure towards a carbon monoxide free environment for your family. 

 

5 Techniques to Gain Free Traffic to Your Website

Getting traffic is often the sole purpose of creating a website.   Whether you simply want to share your views with the world or would like to gain financially, without traffic your website isn’t likely to be considered successful.  Although there are many paid ways to gain traffic, there are also a number of free ways to get traffic flowing into your website.  Below are 5 tips on getting free traffic to your website.

Search Engine Optimisation

Search engine optimisation is the process of optimising your website – both on and off the site itself – for the purpose of obtaining better rankings in the search engines when your keywords are searched for by a user.  By moving your way to the top of the SERP you will experience a huge surge in ‘organic’ traffic.  While you can pay a hefty sum for search engine optimisation experts, there are also numerous websites dedicated to providing you with the details of carrying out your own SEO campaigns.

Create a Free Product or Service

Let’s face it; most of us love free stuff – especially when the free stuff is quality material.  One example of a free product that you can easily create for free is an eBook.  These are digital books that people are able to download directly off your site and read on their computer.  Pick a large topic in your niche and stuff the book full of great, engaging content that will be beneficial to your readers.  If it’s good enough, they’ll pass it on and you’ll quickly see a spike in traffic.

Use Social Media

Another excellent way to obtain free traffic to your website is through the use of social media.  Sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn have become exceptionally popular.  By staying active and engaging the users on social media sites you can often gain a number of loyal readers and customers.  In addition, people often use these sites to share content they love.  By consistently offering fresh content, you’ll certainly gain a nice chunk of traffic.

Social Bookmarking

Perhaps one of the quickest ways to obtain free traffic to your website is by taking advantage of social bookmarking websites.  Sites like Reddit, Digg, and StumbleUpon have a large base of active users always looking for fresh content.  After creating a great article, consider letting people know by bookmarking it on the most popular social bookmarking properties.  However, use these sparingly – you don’t want to become known as a spammer, otherwise you’ll likely be banned.

Use Offline Promotion

Often overlooked, the offline world is an excellent place to gain some free traffic.  Techniques used in offline promotion of your online website include: providing the URL on your business cards, swag, and possibly on your vehicle.  If you’re in the right niche with a large following, you can also consider selling merchandise to raise the bar even higher.  While offline promotion can be a little more work than the other methods mentioned, it can be an excellent way to boost your traffic.

Sharon Freeman writes about SEO and other online marketing techniques for the AustralianWebMarketers. blog

Fashion for the Fashionistas

For a long period of time, today’s fashionista’s were gearing away from skirts and dresses and leaning towards skinny jeans, slacks and low riders.  The time is back to reintroduce a more lady-like style of dress.  Women are no longer hiding their legs and even wearing mini dresses and skirts on a regular basis.  A new fashion trend developing for a while is the reintegration of old styles with a new touch. More ladies have even been investing business and club style clothing for casual wear.  High society style is taking over for our average young adult. 

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The most popular new trend in dress wear is the new peplum style.  Peplum dresses consist of a ruffled overskirt and is attached to a shirt, sometimes penciled skirt.  Peplum dresses can be purchased in several different fabrics with simple or bold patterns.  Often times peplum are used in a business casual setting and are seen in the colors black, white and khaki.  The simple format of colors makes it easy to adjust to any setting whether casual or formal.  Peplum formal dresses are also available in satin, organza and even lace.  Investing in peplum will show a remarkable sense of style while presenting class and elegance. 

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In addition to peplum style clothing, pencil skirts have shown a remarkable come-back.   The sleek design makes it desirable to all shapes and sizes and contains and brings any shape into a desirable form.  Pencil skirts are classy and sexy all at once.  Paired with a nice blouse or a white t-shirt, a pencil skirt can catch any eye.  Pencil skirts are mainly seen in black to compliment the purpose of displaying a woman’s best attributes.  In the summer season it can be seen in shades of white and other lighter colors.  Pencil skirts bring a classy, sexy approach while re-inventing a vintage style. 

Vintage is definitely in today.  Rockabilly dresses are seen everywhere.  Several websites and mainstream stores are adding a generous display of halter dresses with a flare out skirt with a little bit of tool beneath.  The sensational look is offered in fabric with printed polka dots throughout.  Polka dots are often seen in yellow and white, red and white, and black and white.  It represents a time where woman wore fashionable dresses and high heels whenever leaving the home.  Vintage clothing compliments any shape or size of woman.

Dresses and skirts are no longer hid in the closet for formal events, women everywhere are revealing more for everyday wear.  Working, shopping, clubbing or just hanging out is all appropriate occasions for fashionable wear.  Peplum dresses add flare to any drab business outfit, while a pencil skirt can be made extravagant with a nice blouse or dressed down with a simple shirt.  Rockabilly or vintage dresses reiterate times were wearing dresses all the time was much desired.  Throw out uncomfortable jeans and reestablish or create a new closet with an unbeatable style and desire for fashion.  Dresses and skirts are an everlasting way to represent a stylish personality. 

About Sharon Freeman - Sharon is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about anything from designer T-Shirts, Celebrities & fashion designers.