The Art of Growing Bonsai Trees

Bonsai tree cultivation is a Japanese tradition stretching back hundreds of years.  Translating literally to "tray planting," growing a bonsai tree involves actively working to shape a tree into a dwarfed, artistic version of itself.  A bonsai tree is not a special dwarf or hybrid species of a common tree; they’re genetically identical to their bigger relatives.  It’s the careful cultivation that keeps these trees miniture is size.  However, the trees are not sick or damaged.  In fact, given the proper attention, the bonsai version of a tree can live longer than the same tree if it was allowed to grow in the wild.

Bonsai trees can either be grown from seeds or from cuttings of trees, and they normally range from two inches to three feet in height.  They are kept miniture through pruning both branches and roots.  Additionally, new growth is frequently pinched off when the bonsai plants are periodically repotted. 

There is a much about art as there is about horticulture in the cultivating of bonsai trees.  Bonsai trees are not only kept miniture, they are also formed into pleasing shapes.  They frequently follow a number of different patterns of growth, from elaborate waterfall shapes cascading down over their pots to simple triangular pattens.  The shapes are usually a product of both the pruning of the tree and by the use of wrapping the trunk and branches with wire, shaping the tree into its desired form.  The pots themselves are part of the art as well, chosen to compliment the shape and color of the tree itself.  Mosses and rocks are often added to the base for aesthetic appeal. 

Cultivating a bonsai tree is more complicated than cultivating most houseplants.  Since the bonsai has has a smaller root system than most plants, it needs fertilizer and water more often than most garden-variety houseplants.  Pruining is also essential occasionally, since the bonsai tree would grow into just a normal large tree without pruning.  Also, if wire is used to help mold and form the tree, it is important to take care that the wire doesn’t dig into the bark of the tree, scarring the branches permanently.  Depending on the type of bonsai tree and your climate, you may be able to keep some bonsai trees outside year round, while others will need to be kept inside for at least part of the year.  Since moisture in the soil, branches, and leaves of the bonsai is important, they need to be misted occasionally to remain healthy. 

The Unity Candle and Other Ceremonies of Commitment

There are, in Protestant weddings, more than a few different traditions allowing the bride and groom to show their families a symbolic representation of their union and devotion to each other. The unity candle is one of those very traditions, steeped in only a few decades of history, but incredibly popular in today’s wedding ceremonies.

The unity candle’s birth wasn’t the first, nor the last ceremony to instill in a wedding the gravitas of commitment. Not only is there a definite focus on the importance of the candle, by couples as well as candle makers, there’s a sure gravitation towards the use of other unity ceremonies both new and old that allow both bride and groom to show their dedication to the union.

The unity candle itself is a fairly elaborate affair. One can buy a unity candle from any gift store or bridal shop, complete with a brilliantly crafted unity candle and often the two lighting candles that the bride and groom use to light the central flame. A candelabra for carrying all three is usually also available. Options, including engraving of the couple’s names on the candle or similar keepsake additions make the package perfect for the ceremony.

There are however, other simpler unity ceremonies involving the sharing of a common object, food, or drink that accomplishes the same effect. Probably the simplest of these is the Rose Ceremony, in which the couple might exchange a single rose to show unity. Other such exchanges include the Garland or Lei exchanging ceremonies in which Indian or Hawaiian brides and grooms exchange a ring of flowers to symbolize their unity.

Other similar variations include the pouring of wine or water into a communal glass, or the simultaneous tearing of a loaf of bread to be shared. The purpose of all of these is to display the way in which the couple is giving a part of themselves to complete a new whole. Appropriately, in the unity candle ceremony some couples choose to keep their individual candles burning as a sign of the individuality that they will retain beside the new entity created in their marriage.

The unity candle tradition’s growth then, is not as surprising as some might think. The concept of symbolically showing to your friends and relatives how you will become a new person and join with your spouse in a united marriage is a common procedure. The manner in which it is done is the only way in which it varies.

Backyard Bird Watching: Attracting Birds with Food and Water

For the avid backyard birding enthusiast, there are a few things that must be remembered at all times; don’t wear bright colors, don’t make any noise, and birds, like any creature, like food. If you feed them they will likely come closer to you than if you just sit in a bush quietly waiting for one to appear. As an added perk, the placement of a birdfeeder in your backyard might keep your neighbor’s from asking you why you’re sitting in a bush peering into the sky for hours at a time.

Having that bird feeder is a great addition to any backyard but it also makes it that much easier to get a peek at your quarry. What will you feed them though to keep different species flying through all times of the year? There are many options, but the most important thing to remember is to keep it varied. If you feed the same thing every day, all year, you’ll only attract a few birds at certain times of the year. A little variation will allow you to discover and watch a few different species.

Head to your local nursery, gardening center, or bird-feeding specialty shop for as many options as possible for feeding birds. Clerks there should be able to help you find exactly what you’re looking for to attract a specific species. Keep in mind though that no matter what kind of food you put out and how time sensitive its presence is, it does you no good if your food goes to other creatures, or worse yet can’t be found.

Place a few different feeders throughout your backyard, making the food as accessible as possible without attracting an entire flock of the hungry little guys. You’ll want to try and make the feeders as squirrel proof as possible Other small woodland creatures will sniff out and find your feeders a perfect source for their own daily nutrition if you don’t curb it right away. You can buy a specifically squirrel-proof feeder at most bird-feeding stores.

And last but not least, don’t forget the importance of water. Like any animal, the bird will be thirsty and while the summer time offers plenty of options in hoses and sprinkler systems, the fall through the early spring are dry months for a traveling bird. If you offer a bird bath or two and a renewable source of water alongside your food, you’ll have more birds than you’ll know what to do with, and that snoopy neighbor won’t be forced to come over and berate you out of the bushes.

Internet Phone Service

It isn't necessary to pay a lot of money for a telephone system or telephone service for your business. 

Easily create a "Big Company" image to compete by setting up a professional internet based phone serivce. Mobile professionals in particular find this communications solution extremely practical.

You’re essentially set-up in less than a few minutes. Your “front door” becomes the toll free or local area phone number that you select. You also have the option of transferring your existing phone number into this service and attach all the full features with your phone number that come with the phone service.

An Internet Phone Service gives you a number of methods to handle your calls:  You can set things up so that calls coming in go to your mobile phone, or perhaps you want calls going to an office phone number, or simply capture the calls directly from your PC.

This internet phone service also enables you to receive and send faxes, route callers to any member of your staff, team or other co-worker no matter where they’re located and best of all, it gives your caller an auto-attendant that can be set up with whatever message you need delivered, (for example, “push 1 for sales, push 2 for accounting, etc..”). You can also provide a dial by name directory to callers.

Grow your phone system at the rate your business grows. Expansion is simple, you can add extensions, route calls to extensions, create additional departments and you can even connect to offices in a remote location.

As mentioned above, you can set up your own virtual phone system online in minutes. An engineering degree isn't required, the set-up is easy to understand. Also, with this particular service there are no contracts, no long-term commitments and no cancellation penalties. Best of all, you get a Free Trial run of the service to see if it will work for you.

Visit My-Telework-Tools.com and click on “The Most Popular choice for Professionals Today Internet Phone Services for Home Based Business, Mobile Professionals or Small Business”.

Barbara Cipak

Site Owner,

My-Telework-Tools.com

Define Good Customer Service

When you are asked to define good customer service what are the first thoughts that come to mind? The ability to supply your customers' wants and needs, whether they are new or existing customers.

Providing exceptional customer service centers around ensuring your customers are happy. Your overall objective is to ensure that they are coming back for more or referring your services. By doing this you will be ensuring your continuing lively hood in the business that you have chosen to create.

There are several points that need to be considered if you wish to provide exceptional customer service these are a must for all businesses.

            1. Supply your finest service and ensure that it is provided on time. If you promise a product at a certain time ensure that it is delivered then. If for any reason you have to delay delivery, be honest with your client and inform them of the situation. Compensate or alleviate the problem if it causes your client any inconvenience.

            2. Listen to what your client wants and needs. Work with your client to provide them with the product that they need. Provide the advice that they need but also listen to their suggestions. You never know when what they suggest can help you improve your own business 

            3. Keep up with technology. Always strive to improve your services. With technology advancing at the rate it is you need to be sure that your skills are up to date as well. Enhancing your services allows you to offer more to your clients and thus keeps them happy.

            4. There is nothing like a guarantee. This is an important point of exceptional customer service. When a customer is 100% happy with what you have provided for them they are the biggest asset to your future. You will find that referrals come from their happiness. If they are not happy ensure that it is fixed right a way.

            5. Provide prompt responses to all communications & inquiries. There is nothing a customer hates more than being kept waiting. If you have to get back to a customer do it with 24 hours. The longer you leave to respond to an enquiry the greater the chance the client will move onto another business.

6. Don’t forget your manners – Always say thank you! How good do you feel when someone says thank you to you? Send out thank you cards to those who request a quote and when a new client comes on board. To save costs, send e-cards or emails of thanks.

 

So if we had to define good customer service it should be easy. Keep your clients happy by adding value to your business and the services you provide. And if all else fails think on how you would like to be treated if you went into their business.

The Art of Serving Caviar

Caviar’s role as the premier delicacy of kings, emperors, and other heads of state stretches all the way back to the Persian Empire and the “Cake of Power” days of the delectable Sturgeon Roe. It’s hard to come by, even harder to pay for, and what many people might not realize, hard to prepare and serve.

The most important thing to remember is that when you buy caviar, you have a limited window to use it. Fresh caviar is good for at most four weeks. Though, if you decide to purchase pasteurized product, you’ll be safe for a while longer. After opening though, you’ll want to use your caviar as quickly as possible, within a couple days at most.
In terms of taste, caviar is a very fickle food. It’s incredibly tasteful, evoking every response in the various arenas of your tongue. However, you’ll want to make sure that when you serve it to guests, you don’t disrupt that taste by drowning it out.

The best way to serve your caviar is to leave it in the tin, surrounding it with ice. If you try to take it out and pretty it up, you risk breaking the grain and losing the flavors before it even reaches your mouth. Secondly, you want to make sure whatever you serve it with doesn’t offset its flavors.

As an hors d’oeuvre it is best served on lightly toasted bread or crackers, usually with butter. You don’t want the bread or cracker to be too hard or you will risk losing flavor once more. There is a common misconception that serving caviar with eggs or other strong tastes like sour cream or yogurt is a good choice, but more often than not you only succeed in completely drowning out the taste of your caviar in doing so.

In terms of beverage, there are a few different opinions on the matter. Firstly, there is the classical choice of Champagne with your caviar. Many find it to be too sweet though, once again taking away from the taste of the caviar, but the tradition is old and so too is the draw of that tradition. Vodka is another traditional pairing, cleaning your palate each time to taste in full the various flavors.

Caviar is a delicacy of the highest order, and accordingly it’s foreseeable to be confused or even nervous about how best to serve it. There are many aspects to take into consideration; its freshness, its palatability, the after taste, and how strong other flavors come across. Keep all of these in mind when serving to get the most and the best out of your caviar.

Caviar Varieties and Variations

Since its discovery and rise to the top of the food ranks as one of the premier delicacies in the world, Caviar has been one of the most sought after rarities from the ocean. Going back to the days of Persia and its “Cake of Power” reputation, there has been a certain awe and majesty reserved for the Sturgeon from which the luxury is harvested.

There are, however more than a few different variations on that classic golden extravagance that flood the market these days. The sturgeon itself is nearly extinct for that very reason. American producers who make up over 75% of the market, are forced to look elsewhere for their Roe.

What do you look for when buying your caviar though? In America all caviar is labeled with which fish it’s derived from. Salmon is a commonly used substitute for the classic beluga sturgeon, but many find it unsatisfactory because it’s not pure caviar. For that, you might turn to French sources, a country in which you are disallowed from naming anything caviar unless it is harvested from the sturgeon specifically.

What are you looking for when you buy it? The lighter and large the caviar, the better it is generally graded and thus the more expensive it is. When buying, look for the grading on the packaging, where 000 is the lightest possible color and 0 is the darkest. The lighter it is, the higher it’s been graded. This applies mainly to the sturgeon derived caviar though, as Salmon or Lumpfish derived caviar is graded slightly differently, mostly due to its naturally different colors and size.

When buying caviar, it is possible to purchase either pasteurized or fresh variants. The pasteurized is naturally considered safer and doesn’t have quite the risk of bacteria or fungi that fresh caviar would, but is also not considered to be “true” caviar by enthusiasts. Generally after purchasing the caviar you can hold it for up to 4 weeks in refrigeration before opening, and two or three days after. Of course, with pasteurized caviar, you can stretch that time to a few months as it has been safely cleaned before shipping.

Your options for caviar are of course as wide and open as the market makes it, meaning for those that aren’t quite on the budget for a $120 jar of “true” caviar, there are American variations derived from less endangered species of fish, under different grading systems and pasteurized for you safety.