Halloween Treats

Bones of the Dead Cookies

In a large bowl combine the flour, egg whites, sugar, and lemon juice.

Work in the nuts, leaving them whole, and continue kneading until you have a fairly firm dough.

Roll the ball of dough out with your hands on your work surface so as to obtain a snake; cut the snake into half-inch thick slices and shape the bit into bones with your hands.

Preheat your oven to 360 F (180 C).

Butter your cookie sheet, dust it with flour, lay the bones on it, and bake them for about 20 minutes.

Let cool before serving.

Creepy Crawly Spider Cookies

Place 1 cup of chocolate chips in a 2 to 4 cup glass measure.

Heat on high in the microwave for 1 minute.
Remove, stir, and heat on high for 1 minute.

Let set for 1 minute and stir until chips are melted.

Or melt chocolate chips in a heavy saucepan over low heat until melted.

Mix in the cereal and the coconut.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper for the spider bodies.

Melt the second cup of chocolate chips.

Gently stir in chow mein noodles (being careful not to break noodles up).

Pick noodles out one by one and attach them to the spider bodies for legs (8 to a spider).

Add dots of frosting for eyes.

Fall and Winter Tips for Pets

Noelle

Fall and winter and the holiday seasons all can pose special risks to your pets. Here are some tips for keeping everyone safe and healthy.

Maintenance Tips

Always provide fresh, clean water for your pet. If the weather is cold, please check their water for ice formation and remove the ice.

Indoor pets should be provided with a warm, dry area free from drafts. Provide bedding that is off cold floors, and wash bedding weekly if possible (the fleas will hate you).

Outdoor pets should have dry shelter out of the wind. Bring cats and dogs into the house if the weather conditions are rainy , snowy or weather conditions are severe (cold, etc).

Staying warm requires extra calories, pets may need more food or a change in diet. Talk to your veterinarian about your pets needs.
Ice, snow and mud-Remove ice, salt, mud, snow from your pets coats, feet as soon as possible. If the skin looks reddish, white or grey in cold weather, may be scaly or peeling, suspect frostbite if the weather has been really cold. Talk to a veterinarian immediately.

Shedding-Most dogs and cats shed their summer coats in the fall before putting on their winter coat. Most years this is light and not very noticable. Special attention should be paid to hair coats and daily or weekly brushing (as needed) should help your pet and you be happier.

Hazard Warnings!

*Cats and kittens like to nap on warm places, this can include car engines! Knock on the hood of your car or truck or honk the horn, then wait a few minutes before starting the engine. If in doubt, open the hood and look.

*Antifreeze smells good and tastes very sweet, Very small amounts can kill your pet. If a cat walks through in and then licks its paws, it will get enough. The damage is done by chemicals crystallizing in the kidney, so symptoms may not show up for a few days and then it may be too late. Thoroughly clean up any spills, store antifreeze in tightly closed containers and store where pets and children can't get to them. Sierra make a non toxic antifreeze. Do not dispose of antifreeze by pouring into the gutter and never let your pet drink from the gutters.

*Fall is the most common time of year for male cats to "block" or forming small " stones "that block the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra. Any cat that seems to be straining "to go to the bathroom" should be checked by a veterinarian at once. One of the most common complaints I heard was that the owner thought the cat was constipated. Why this time of year? May have to do with decreased water intake.

*Halloween. Candy is not good for your pets, especially chocolate. Keep cats inside to avoid tricksters and possible encounters with cars, make sure that the dogs are kept safe ,with all the visitors and open doors to sneak out of, dogs can also get confused and frightened by the costumes.

*Holiday food. Alcoholic beverage, candy, chocolate, turkey and fixing, pork , fish, bones, just to name a few hazards...keep your pet on its regular diet. I always saw lots of dogs with vomiting and diarrhea right after Thanksgiving and Christmas, and some were very seriously ill. Another food related hazard is the plastic six-pack beverage holders, kittens especially can become entangled in them. Cut them up before putting into the garbage. This will also help the wildlife at the landfill too (especially birds).

*Poisonous plants--Many plants , including Christmas rose, holly, mistletoe, philodendron, dieffenbachia (see poisonous plant list) are toxic to your pet. Keep them out of your pets reach.

*Holiday paraphernalia- Electric cords, tinsel, glass ornaments, candles, spray on-snow (some are non-toxic-read the label), ribbons, plastic or foil wrapping, etc. can be dangerous to your pet. Cover up or hide electric cords, never let your pet chew on them. Do not tie ribbons around pets necks or limbs. Watch out for rubber bands too. 

Safety Tips Help Prevent Halloween Hidden Dangers

Children around the country are eagerly anticipating the night when they will wear their favorite costume and search for fun and delicious treats. As Halloween creeps up, the Consumer Product Safety Commission  reminds parents and caregivers that when it comes to Halloween safety, there is no trick. Hidden dangers associated with costumes, treats, and decorations can be easily prevented, so that the holiday celebration is a real treat.

According to the CPSC, the most serious Halloween-related injuries involve burns from flammable costumes and decorations, including ignition from open flames, such as candles and Jack O’Lanterns. Other incidents have involved abrasions from sharp objects attached to masks or costumes.

“Home-made costumes that are not flame resistant continue to be the major concern,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. “When making a costume, parents need to use inherently flame-resistant fabrics, such as nylon and polyester. Also, they should avoid long-draped items that could cause an entanglement hazard.”

CPSC helps keep children safe by enforcing the Flammable Fabrics Act and by recalling products at Halloween and throughout the year that can cause injury.
Follow these safety tips to ensure this year’s holiday is a safe one:

Costumes

• When purchasing costumes, masks, beards and wigs, look for flame-resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester, or look for the label "Flame Resistant." Flame-resistant fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.
  
• Purchase or make costumes that are light, bright and clearly visible to motorists.
  
• For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car's headlights. Bags or sacks also should be light-colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores.
  
• Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.
  
• Costumes should fit well and not drag on the ground to guard against trips and falls.
  
• Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Oversized high heels are not a good idea.
  
• Tie hats and scarves securely to prevent them from slipping over children's eyes and obstructing vision.
  
• If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has eye holes large enough to allow full vision.
  
• Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible materials.

Treats

• Warn children not to eat any treats until an adult has examined them carefully for evidence of tampering.
  
• Carefully examine any toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters under three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.

Decorations

• Keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.
  
• Indoors, keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire. Do not leave burning candles unattended.
  
• Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
  
• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, such as UL. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.
  
• Don't overload extension cords.

Fall Tips

* Fall is a great time to add to your compost . Leaves and other lawn and garden cleanup material are perfect for composting. Turn your compost material at least once a week with a garden fork to speed its decay. Chopping and shredding materials to make them smaller before adding to the pile helps compost break down faster.

* If you are in colder climes, the temperature in the pile may diminish. You may want to cover the compost pile to retain heat.

* Get your tools, especially your mower, ready for the off-season with a little simple maintenance. They'll be ready to go to work next year when spring fever strikes.

* Drain the water from garden hoses at the end of the season. Coil them and store them in a spot where they won't freeze.

* Birds are extremely susceptible to catching and transmitting diseases. If you
enjoy your feathered visitors, make sure the feeders, bath and ground underneath is clean. Also ensure that the food and water is changed or replaced.

* Outdoor lighting provides more than just safety. Use lighting to highlight plants and features in the landscape. Trees especially offer year-round interest when appropriately lighted.

* Plant a green manure crop. These cover crops are chosen for their nutrient value and are used by serious home gardeners as well as commercial agricultural growers.
* Clean up debris in the lawn and garden. Leaves, sticks, rocks and other late season leftovers can harm next year's lawn and harbor pests and diseases over the winter.

* Identify and repair slopes where erosion has occurred. Retaining walls and plants are two ways to control a slope.

House Hold Tips #2

Bathroom Odors: Place an opened box of baking soda OR an open container of activated charcoal behind the toilet to absorb bathroom odors.

Blood Stains: Soak the stain in hydrogen peroxide, wash (don't dry), and repeat if necessary. This tip works especially well for caret and clothes.

Carpet Stains: Baby wipes are miracle-workers on carpet stains, from motor oil to blood, they remove almost anything!

Candle Holders: To prevent the wax from melting and sticking to the inside of a votive candle holder, pour a bit of water in the holder, then place the candle on top. If you're reading this tip too late, and there's already wax stuck inside your candle holder, pop it in the freezer for an hour. The wax will chip right off.

Candle Wax: To remove wax from carpeting or other fabric, first scrape away any excess. Then, place a brown paper bag over the wax and run a warm iron over the bag. The wax will melt right into the bag! Continue moving the bag around as you pick up the wax so you are always using a clean section. If a little grease stain remains on carpet, sprinkle with baking soda and allow to sit overnight before vacuuming, which will remove the grease residue. If colored wax leaves a stain on carpet, blot with spot remover or carpet cleaner, following label directions.

Cast Iron Pans: To gently and effectively clean your cast iron skillets after most uses, wipe out excess food with a dry paper towel, then sprinkle salt inside the pan. Wipe clean with a clean, dry paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive to scratch off any stuck-on particles of food without using soap and water, which can remove your seasoning. For stubborn stuck-on food, use a putty knife to scrape it off. You may, however, need to reseason the pan after doing this.

Ten Ways to Grow Your Spirit

Ten Ways to Grow Your Spirit

Tips on Spiritual Growth By Phylameana lila Desy, About.com

Esoteric Healing

 1. Embrace Your Talents
Recognize and further develop your intelligence and special gifts. Our talents are signifiers that lead us toward our unique paths. Follow your passion and you will soon discover where you fit in this world. When we squelch innate yearnings we lose our way.

About the Roles We Play 

Self Empowerment

2. Tie Up Loose Ends
Unresolved issues eat away at us emotionally and mentally. Tackle troubling things that need dealt with and put them to rest. In the meanwhile, learn not to allow future problems to be ignored. Our wounds fester when they are not attended to in a timely manner. Realize that buried problems always surface eventually. Dealing with difficulties as they arise rather than hiding from them is the best route.

Forgiveness 

Healing Our Emotional and Mental Bodies

3. Be Responsible in Your Relationships
Turn away from the "blame game" when it comes to addressing problems in your relationships. Be honest about the things that you have said or done that harmed the relationship. Own up to your own failures. Focus on changing your defeating patterns rather than expecting changes from the other person. 

As You Change Your Relationships Will Change
Spiritual Relationships: Partnering Through Change

4. Love Sometimes Means Saying Goodbye
Not all relationships are meant to last forever. We sometimes out grow our partners, or our partner goes off in a direction which makes us struggle to stay in step with. Sometimes, the most responsible thing you can do is to offer love and compassion to the person as you release the relationship.

At a Crossroads: Right or Wrong Decisions
Cutting Cords to Toxic Relationships

5. Let Go of Useless Attachments
If a thing no longer serves a purpose in your life, it is clutter. Clutter can be a physical thing or a belief that blocks your path. Holding on to things that don't feed you will instead eat up your energy. Free your space and expand your energy by getting rid of unwanted gifts, broken or useless items, self-defeating mental images, etc.

Full Moon Release Ritual
De-clutter Your Environment

6. Confront Your Inner Demons
Everyone makes mistakes or regrets past decisions. Exposing our frailties and recognizing that we are not perfect frees us from feeling stupid or "less than." Bring light to those things that you are not proud of and realize that through these experiences you have learned great lessons, and have likely become a better person for them. Keeping negative actions hidden can overshadow our spirits with shame or depression. We all deserve to live with joy regardless of our imperfections.

An Evolving Life Without Regrets
Healing Through Liberation From Regret and Denial

7. Accept Change - Go with the Flow
There is a fine line between caution and fear. We are meant to travel along a spiritual pathway. We are not meant to remain stunted in one place for very long. Yes, change can be scary. But, change is a path of learning, so why not follow it? When we resist change we can actually create chaos. Do you want to undertake a lesson down a path which you've chosen, or have lessons thrown at you down a path that was forced upon you?

Discovering Opportunity in Times of Challenge
Healing from Within - The Paradigm Shift

8. Accept Delays
There are times when we need to be still. Impatience or frustration will not help any situation. Desired changes sometime take time to unfold. You may feel like you are ready to jump into a new arena... but wait. The situation or person that you are wanting to meet may not be ready for you just yet. It's okay to sit at the bus stop for a few more minutes, the bus will arrive eventually. What's the hurry?

Are You in a Creative Void?
Ways to Calm an Anxious Spirit

9. Love and Honor Yourself
Are you taking good care of yourself? Your physical body is the vehicle that has been loaned to you to live out your life in and to assist growing your spirit with. Pamper your body, tend to your illnesses, exercise and give it the proper nutrients.

Steps to a Healthier and Happier You
Tips for a Healthy and Balanced Physical Body

10. Dealing with Death and Illness
Physical life is a gift that comes with a variety of experiences. Suffering and illness are bundled in with that package of experiences. Although our bodies have expiration dates, our spirits don't expire. Choosing to look at illness and death in positive ways rather than negatively will help to give your life here on the planet deeper meaning.

Hurdles to Wellness - Benefits to Sickness
Dealing with Grief

10 Health Benefits of Green Tea

Asian cultures have used green tea for medicinal purpose throughout the course of time. Recent scientific studies, though, have shown many different benefits associated with green tea. Green tea is rich in powerful antioxidants. While green, oolong, and black tea all come from the same plant, the Camellia green tea is processed differently than the other teas. The leaves are steamed. Therefore, the compound that is so helpful isn't oxidized as it is in the other teas. The only harmful effect noticed with green tea is the same kind of effect noticed with other caffeine drinks. Green tea, though, has considerable less caffeine than coffee.

Green tea offers at least ten health benefits. One health benefit green tea offers is a lowering of cholesterol because green tea has a high concentration of antioxidants. Green Tea will help your body increase your liver's LDL receptors. This helps reduce bad cholesterol in the blood, thereby lowering your total cholesterol levels. Consuming as few as five cups of green tea per day could lead to lower cholesterol. Green tea has also been known to cause remission in cancer patients. Green tea inhibits the enzyme which can help cancer cells spread throughout the body. It can decrease tumor sizes and prevent further tumor formation.

Green tea may also help prevent cancer. Because it contains the compound EGCG, the tea prevents cancer cells from growing when the compound binds with the enzyme also found in the body. Another health effect of drinking green tea is that it is able to ease the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. The antioxidants in the tea ease swelling, which in turn, help ease the pain associated with arthritis. Green tea can also prevent heart disease. The tea not only helps lower cholesterol, as previously mentioned, but it also helps break down plaque on artery walls. This allows better blood flow, and thus, heart disease prevention. Another health benefit of drinking green tea is its ability to cure infections. The antioxidants in the tea have the ability to kill the disease causing organisms.

Green tea can also assist with impaired immune function. Polyphones and antioxidants exist in green tea. These help with the stimulation of your immune system. This can help to make you stronger and more able to fight infection. Green tea can treat acne. Because green tea has natural antioxidants and antibacterial properties, it is just as good as acne medications. Moreover, helps reduce toxins and swelling. It also reduces some of the hormone levels that are known to cause acne. For acne problems, it can either be ingested or administered directly on the skin in the form of a cream. Green tea can prevent cavities. As green tea can destroy bacteria and viruses, it inhibits the growth of cavities, which are primarily caused by these things. In the future, you may see it in toothpastes and mouthwash products. One final health benefit of green tea is that it can promote longevity. The polyphones in green tea help to fight against free radicals. This means fewer wrinkles and longer life.

To brew the perfect cup of green tea, use one tea bag per cup. Boil a kettle of cold water. Once it has boiled, allow it to stand for a minimum of three minutes. Pour the hot water over the tea bag and let it steep for at least four minutes. Before drinking, allow the tea to cool.

Many people have difficulty brewing green tea. There are a number of things you can do to ensure that you receive all of the health benefits. First, if it is brewed at a heat higher than one hundred seventy five degrees, it will become bitter. Further, it should not be brewed for more than two minutes. Next, green tea only has a shelf life of six months. Once you've opened it, you need to get rid of it in two to three months. However, if your tea was poorly packaged to begin with, it was probably bad from the start. Also, the best green tea is harvested in April and May. While you can get it throughout the year, it may not be as tasty.



Green tea has many health benefits if properly used.

Windows explorer multiple renames

Quickly and easily rename multiple files in Microsoft Windows XP Explorer by following the below steps.

1. Open Explorer.
2. In Explorer select all the files you wish to rename.
3. Once the files have been selected press F2 and type the new name for the files. For example, typing "test" will rename the files to test, test(1), test(2), test(3) etc. If you have file extensions shown make sure to
also type the name of the file extension you're renaming.

Keep a log with Microsoft Notepad

Keep a log easily using Microsoft Notepad by opening a new text file in Microsoft Notepad or an existing text file in Notepad and adding ".LOG" (without the quotes) at the beginning of the file. Now each time the file is opened in Notepad a time and date stamp will be automatically added.

Driving Habits to Improve Fuel Efficiency

Driving Habits to Improve Fuel Efficiency

· Avoid quick or 'jackrabbit" starts and stops.

· Aggressive driving wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city.

· Observe the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 60 miles per hour.

· Avoid excessive idling. Idling gets 0 miles per gallon.

· Use cruise control because it helps you maintain a constant speed limit.

· Use overdrive gears because the engine speed goes down saving gas and reducing engine wear.

· Avoid carrying unneeded heavy items in your trunk.An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical

car's fuel economy by 1-2 percent.

· Use air vents to circulate air instead of air conditioning.

Preventative Maintenance Tips:

Simple preventative maintenance steps that you can do to conserve energy, protect your investment, improve highway safety and benefit the environment include:

· Regularly changing your oil

· Inflating your tires properly

· Taking your vehicle for annual brake inspections

· Changing the windshield wipers

Whether you do it yourself or visit a professional technician, the Car Care Council recommends regular inspections of the following systems:

· Brakes

· Electrical and ignition

· Emission control