A Christmas Carol Review - The Meaning Behind Dickens' Title

The protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge, is described as the absolute anti-thesis of everything Christmas stands for. Described as a covetous, miserly man of a sinful nature, he has no time for Christmas or for the basic human qualities of compassion or kindness. Christmas Eve is a time for him to eschew acts of charity, and to rebuff the last remnant of his family, Fred (his nephew). It is only with a great deal of reluctance and contempt that he allows his clerk, Bob Cratchit, the day off for Christmas.
On the night of Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by his deceased partner, Jacob Marley's ghost. The ghost narrates his tale of horror and misfortune. As a punishment for a lifetime of avarice, his spirit is trapped on Earth and is forced to wander in loneliness and pain, imprisoned by weighted chains around his body. He warns Scrooge that he is likely to meet the same fate if does not change his ways and tells him that he will be visited by 3 spirits.
The first apparition that visits him is the Ghost of Christmas Past. This spirit takes him on a trip to the many Christmases of his childhood and youth. He is reminded of the kindness and happiness that he experienced in his youth and witnesses a different side of himself. This journey also reminds of him of the love that was lost along the way, and his reasons for disliking this festive period.
The Ghost of Christmas Present allows Scrooge to experience various scenes of joy and happiness of the present Christmas. He is taken to the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit, where he witnesses the meager Christmas feast placed before his employee's family. During this time, he realizes that it is his miserliness that prevents Cratchit from adequately tending to his crippled son, Tiny Tim.
The final Spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This apparition shows Scrooge a glimpse of the future that awaits him, if does not change his ways. He is taken to the scene of his death, where he realizes how much the people in his life despised him for his lack of humanity. The vision of his untended, dilapidated grave has a strong effect on Scrooge.
The final stave of this book describes the actions of Scrooge on Christmas Day. Transformed by these visions, he rediscovers his more humane side, and goes about spreading joy and happiness to other people.

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, Revised and Expanded Edition

Musicophilia, Tales of Music and the Brain tries to explain the impact that music has and how it affects the minds of individuals. Believe it or not but music has the capabilities to alter the way of life of an individual. The author, Oliver Sack has denoted human beings as a musical species.
In one of his statements he said that music is a form of therapy that adjusts individuals feelings, due to some sort of neurological changes. Since then a lot of research and investigation has been done in this area, assessing various patients physical, physiological and psychological abilities.
In many schools now, children are taught through music. While practicing his work he has made the point that he lets his clients or patients speak and open up with their problems. This is to let them free from pain or any kind of other problems or fear.
He does not restrict to just the powers of music impacting their neurological pattern, but he goes on to say that there are other facts associated with it and these may contribute equally for changes in behavior.
He assesses 29 different topics in this book and the chapters are always supported with case studies, so its not just made up baloney.
However I felt that the book lacked images of the brain including its parts and functioning, so that a better understanding of which parts respond to a particular situation could be studied because not everyone has a neurology background.
Musicophilia is a very short, concise study that delves into the relationships between music and the way our psyche responds to music, the beautiful words and phrases that he uses has resulted in a very insightful and intriguing new understanding of this topic.

If you would like to read more about this excellent book

Our Cats and Dogs

                                     Five Ways to Improve Your New Pet's Quality of Life!

Taking home a new pet into your home is easy but it takes time to introduce your pet to his or her new home. It is especially important for you to do whatever it takes to make your new pet as comfortable as possible. Underneath I have outlined some guidelines for providing a safe and clean shelter for you new animal:

1. Select a cat litter box that does the work for you. We all try to avert bad odor as much as we can and so does your cat. Instead of buying a standard litter box, why not opt for an automatic cat litter box? Ease of use and hassle-free operation makes this automated litter boxes a breeze to use.

2. Everything can be learned. Dog training is one of the training programs that can be bought. Buy a book in your book store or order online. It is easier for you as well as for your dog when your animal is well behaved. This good behavior is an important aspect during the transition time. Daily practice will teach your dog to understand the commands that you want him to understand. Not all dogs have the same learning curve. Give your "best friend" time to learn.

3. Why should you invest money in pet insurance? We all need insurance. There is no difference between human and animal. With medical care expenses going through the roof we simply cannot afford to have our animals uninsured. Can you really go without pet insurance? Before you go out and buy pet insurance have a look at their website. A quick phone call can help you saving on insurance and finding the correct coverage for your pet. Insurance companies for animals will provide all the details on their websites as on what and what not can be insured.

4. Dog grooming is healthy for your dog. It is not only you that feels good when someone treats you nice, your dog will feel the same way. Animals have feelings too and are much happier being properly groomed. Some breeds of dogs require regular haircut some other do not. Regardless what breed of dog you own, shampooing and hair cutting should be done on a regular basis. As we cut our nails on a routine basis, we have to make sure that our animals receive their frequent nail cut, too. Instead of paying for professional groomers you can learn grooming by buying a dog grooming kit.

5. Play with your pets. Especially when animals are in a young age they want to play. Do yourself a favor and play with him or her. Pet toys become an important household article when you have a pet. Never underestimate the power of a pet toy. Your animal can have fun for hours at a time playing with his or her toy. We all know that stress is killer number one. Boredom is very close to that number. Keep yourself and your animal busy with some activities to prevent boredom. Depending on your animal, activities vary. While you go out with your dog and jump in a body of water with him/her, a cat would not be thrilled with jumping in water.

Welcome your new pet into your family by following this list. When you bring a new pet home you need to understand that your new "addition" is scared at first. Do not force your pet to get adjusted but try to make him or her as comfortable as possible.

Three Wonderful Pet Care Book

                          Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Pet Care
Carol Frischmann

This guide offers you all the facts you'll need to value sustainability in the framework of pet parenting and equips you with the knowledge to choose wisely for you, your pet, as well as the environment. It outlines the environmental costs of pet ownership and offers a variety of environmental friendly choices for every family with pets, such as selecting pet food; purchasing pet toys (who knew?) and equipment; getting rid of your pet's waste and steering clear of household toxins. Carefully researched and crammed with practical guidelines for starting "green" pet practices, "Pets and the Planet" is an effective map for sustainable parenting for your pet. 

Wiley Publishing

Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet
Gary Kowalski

Any one who may have lost their pet will find comfort in author Gary Kowalski's sweet supportive book. Goodbye, Friend. The author is the minister of Burlington Vermont's Unitarian Universalist church. Upon completion of this book, his elderly dog, Chinook, died. Kowalski's new book is full of supportive and empathetic counsel to help you through the loss of your pet. He includes ceremonies, rituals and spiritual guidance. There are precious readings and poems that offer solace. The author's tone is a comforting one, not unexpected for a pastor whose profession it is to be thoughtful and wise. The book also talks about animals' sadness when they lose someone close to them or another family pet who may have been their buddy for a long time. He explains the various life spans of animals; their growth, needs and illnesses. They are very similar to our own: the need to eat healthy, to exercise daily, to sleep soundly, to enjoy life, to savor companions and to anticipate routine. Kowalski shares advice on nurture yourself after the death of a cherished pet and how important honesty is when speaking with your children about this transition. Kowalski's guide is very therapeutic support when an excellent friend dies, but also impresses his key point: that our pets are essential and they are worthy of our respect and nurturance. Kowalski offers the perfect path to grieving the loss of your pet and holding them in high esteem for eternity.

Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
Richard H. Pitcairn, D.V.M

In excess of 400,000 copies of this cherished classic have been purchased ever since its initial publication over two decades previously. The guide that's the conclusive manual for an all natural diet and lifestyle for cats and dogs has been totally updated and edited for the very first time in nine years. Written using the tenderness and empathy which have earned them a nationwide fan base, Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM along with his wife, Susan Hubble Pitcairn, considered authorities in chemical-free nourishment and natural treatment for pets, demonstrate how cat and dog lovers the way to supply the most beneficial friendship and ongoing care and attention. The book now includes ecological factors, such as contaminants equally within the home and outside, in addition to current hot-button subjects, including Mad Cow disease, Lyme disease, plus the West Nile virus. They have modernized lots of quality recipes for scrumptious and healthy pet food and goodies. Along with helpful tips for dealing with emergencies and an exhaustive Quick Reference segment, they provide distinct guidelines for avoiding, diagnosing, and the treatment of an array of pet diseases and conditions with unique focus on homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional treatments.

Anyone who is active in their own health management through healthy nutrition and exercise will find that Dr. Pitcarin and his wife support that lifestyle for your pet as well. If you want your pets to be healthy, Dr. Pitcarin's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats is the best read for you.

Office in the Garden

                                                   The reality is: nothing declares straightforward magnificence than having a timber garden office. First of all, when you say timber, the very first thing that is certain to cross you mind would be logs and that would be robust, wooden logs very similar to those used in log cabins. A timber garden office can afford you the same magnificence quite as simply if only you know the way to choose one that will best fit your space.

Only one note to consider though: though you can always hire a contractor to build your structure, you won't desire to deal with rising work costs, varying prices of the materials, building allows, wood stretched in and around your house, and the very long noisy months while the office is being constructed. So a more sensible choice would be to reserve a ready-to-ship model instead.

Here are a few valuable pointers on how you can select a timber garden office which will suit your wants.

1. Make sure that your space is about five meters away from your home and about 1 meter away from your land's boundaries (firewall, backyard hedge, fence, etc.). Please do not fall into the common trap of ordering a very large model and trying to fit it into a particularly tiny space; or getting an extremely petite model that you have no other option but take some of your work back into your house. The opposite is true if your area has too many days in a year under overcast skies.

2. This is a very straightforward energy saving practice you may want to practice. Lighter coloured structures have a tendency to reflect back sunlight and heat, which can help bring your household bills down. On the other hand, darker coloured structures soak up heat.

3. Select the model which will afford you the amount of natural illumination you are most happy with. Virtually all timber garden office models have large and numerous window setups. Again, if your area has too much sunlight, you may want to choose office models with fewer or smaller windows. This will also mean that you spend less money trying to fit blinds or curtains that would cut out some of the glare from particularly sunny days.

The Best Book on Growing Grapes

                                 The Complete Grape Growing System by Danie Wium is by far the best book I have read about growing grapes. Danie has a 'grape farm' and this is what he does for a living. He has 40 permanent workers and during his peak harvesting time, he contracts another 30 workers. He knows grapes!

Danie's book offers insight to the best way to grow grapes that I have never read before. He even gives you the low down on the origin of grapes!

There are a lot of images to guide you. It is simply written for all to understand. So clear, that I now understand how to prune the vines, which I simply did not understand before!

Detailed information on the complete structure of the grape so there is no misunderstanding of 'Canes' to 'Spurs' to 'water shoots'. There is even a diagram of where to take cuttings from the grape vines. He includes ways to start your own grape cuttings to produce more vines, so you can begin with only one vine if you wish.

Danie includes detailed instructions on constructing fences or trellis and how to train the vines to grow on them. There is no room for confusion on how to build either a fence or trellis.

Watering your grapes is no longer a mystery for Danie makes it crystal clear on what is needed. Danie wraps up the book on pest and disease control. He offers some natural ways to get rid of pesky animals that would eat your grapes!

Danie closes his book with a way to contact him if you have questions, or read something in the book that you don't understand, a bit of 'tech support' for grapes!

The book is true to its title, it is complete in every way. This is a book that is extremely valuable to me and is the only grape growing book I own. I have search for the best book I could find that would give me everything I need to know to be able to grow grapes in my backyard successfully. Though I do not want to own a grape farm, I do want to grow my own grapes for fresh eating and to make jelly. This book goes over any expectations I was looking for.

Controlling Squash Vine Borer

Recently a grower from the UK sent us a photo of damage to a pumpkin plant and wanted to know what it was and whether it could be controlled. This pest had apparently been a problem for a long time, to the extent that it was questionable whether it was worthwhile planting pumpkins or squashes again.
Like all vegetables, pumpkins and squashes are no strangers to diseases and bugs. Squash Vine Borer (Melittia cucurbitae), which is what was affecting our grower's pumpkins, is only one of the range of pests that affects members of the cucurbit family (members of which include pumpkins, squashes, zucchinis, cucumbers, melons etc). Besides the UK Squash vine borer lives in most temperate areas of North America, although not on the Pacific Coast. This pest is renowned for the fact that you cannot see it until it is too late (when the plant is wilted and does not recover when watered). Close examination will reveal that the stem has been severed just above ground level.
Symptoms
When you examine the base of affected plants, you will notice a small hole and some frass (sawdust-like droppings). The hole is a sign of the presence of the Squash Vine Borer. If there are multiple numbers of borers, these pests can actually cause the stem to break - especially if it is windy - or to rot, depending on the weather. The injury will also prevent the plant from taking up water and nutrients, which will ultimately cause it to die.
The Squash Vine Borer is the larvae of a species of black moth that attacks both wild and cultivated varieties of squash. The moth looks like a bee or wasp because of its movements, and the bright orange scales on its hind legs. It has a wing span or around 25 to 37mm (1 - 11/2 in). The females usually lay reddish-brown eggs on the leaves, and when they hatch the larvae bore their way into the base of the stem; the larvae develop and feed inside the stalk, eventually killing the leaf. From the leaf, the caterpillars migrate to the main stem, and with enough feeding damage to the stem, the entire plant may die.
Squash Vine Borers can affect hubbard squash, pumpkins, zucchinis, gourds and other squashes. It is not common to find them on melons or cucumbers. Control Gardeners find Squash Vine Borer a difficult pest to combat. Some try to avoid it by timing the production season to harvest before the pests can build up, or after they have peaked. However, there are cultural control measures that can be implemented.
As Squash Vine Borers overwinter in the soil as larvae in cocoons, removing and destroying old vines after harvesting will help. Tilling the soil will also help to destroy any cocoons that may be there. Birds will also assist you with this job once the soil is tilled.
Once your crop is planted, if you are vigilant, you may be able to remove eggs when they appear. As the larvae usually bore into the stem close to ground level, a paper or other wrapping at the base of the stem may assist as a barrier. If you notice the plant wilting or a hole at the base of the stem, it is possible (if you are very careful) to slit open the stem and remove the larvae, and then cover the stem with moist soil so that it can grow more roots. In fact if you notice a hole, you can even just pile some moist soil over the affected area to try and promote new root growth so that the plant will not die.
An old trick for growing pumpkins and squash is to cover the vine with earth at various points along its length, inducing rooting at several points, thereby continuing to feed the developing fruit despite the loss of the original stem. After the vine has taken root at multiple points, the infected portion of the plant can be cut off, along with another inch where the larvae is eating into healthy tissue, without significant damage to the plant. Row covers are another option that can be used up until bloom.
Some gardeners use pesticides, but these are ineffective after the larvae are inside the plant. It is also not recommended as these pesticides used to kill the adult moth may contaminate the flowers and thus kill pollinators through poisoned nectar or pollen.

Lucia Grimmer is the main author of best selling books How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes and How to Grow Great Potatoes.
Lucia Grimmer is a world renowned expert in plant disease and nutrition who trains horticulturists, agronomists and professional growers. She has won awards for her technical papers and regularly conducts trials on a range of crops with the objective of improving yield and reducing disease.
Co-author Annette Welsford also has a horticultural background, however her true skills like with taking complex technical information and representing it so that even novice gardeners find it easy to understand.
Their books are considered to be the authoritative "bibles" on  and growing tomatoes and great potatoes have sold to thousands of novice and professional gardeners in 85 countries, and have been featured on TV, radio and leading gardening publications in 4 continents.