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Posts Tagged ‘families’

Everyone with a lovely garden, patio or deck will surely enjoy sitting outside on a warm summer’s day or evening. But if there is one thing that can blight it for you, it is mosquitoes. Sometimes, it only takes one of two persistent mosquitoes to make your blood boil. Mosquitoes are a pest for sure, but they can also be a health hazard, spreading dengue fever and malaria and several other really horrible diseases. So how do you go about keeping mosquitoes out of your garden?

Maybe you cannot realistically hope to keep mosquitoes out of your garden entirely, but there are some things you can do to deter them and keep their numbers down. Stopping them breeding in your garden is the first step to take. Mosquitoes do not have a long flying span. A lot of the mosquitoes that bother you in your garden will have been born in your garden.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, so make certain that there is none in your garden. They will lay eggs in water vats, dogs’ bowls, water that has collected in old tyres, bottles and tins and your rubbish bins, so make sure that no water can gather anywhere. Blocked gutters are another breeding site. If you have a water feature, put fish in it to eat the larvae.

Mosquitoes detest the smell of lemon, so you could grow citronella plants, lemon thyme, lemon grass and even a lemon tree, if the type of weather is right. Otherwise, you could burn citronella scented candles or oil in the surrounding area They not only keep the mosquitoes away, but the smell is very fresh and envigourating.

If they are still bothering you, you may have to resort to mosquito repellent. You could drench your clothing with permethrin, like the army does for jungle combat or just smeer a deet-based brand on your skin. There are also a lot of natural mosquito repellents too, such as lemon oil, citronella and eucalyptus oil.

Garlic is supposed to repel mosquitoes, so you could try growing garlic close at hand. It is also meant to repel ticks and has demonstrated to discourage greenfly (aphids) from roses. What could be better, particularly if you like garlic as well?

You could hang up one or two of those lamps that attract insects to them and them vapoourize them with a high voltage shock. These electric bug killers are particularly good for killing mosquitoes and house flies, which can also be a nuisance when you are sitting outside.

They are inexpensive and will last for years. They give off a pleasing glow and some claim to be able to clear areas of a quarter, a half and even a full acre of land of all flying insects by the use of the ultraviolet light and pheromones.

By using some or all of the above methods of keeping mosquitoes out of your garden, you should be able to enjoy your drink, a chat or a snooze in complete peace and freedom from flies and mosquitoes.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on several subjects, but is at present concerned with work on mosquito bite treatment problems. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Mosquito Bite Swellings.

Boys and girls of all ages like trains and train sets. They have played a vital part in the history of this country and Seattle, Washington and the Northwest in particular. In fact, the roles of trains in this part of the country have in the past been so critical that there are a couple of museums dedicated to them. Trains were essential supply routes for the people here for many years. While their importance seems to be diminishing in today’s society, their importance throughout the history of our country remains.

If you truly are a train enthusiast, then it should not be difficult to talk you into stopping by Seattle’s Train Center before and after touring the museums devoted to trains and their vital role in history. The Train Center offers a wide selection of model train parts and pieces that would make excellent additions to your train set or a great beginning for a train set for you or your kids.

After you’ve whetted your enthusiasm for trains and gotten your child all excited about them, it is time to take a walk back in time to the Northwest Railway Museum. There you can learn about railway history or even choose to take a ride on one of the trains that departs on several tours throughout the day. Most of the excursions are 65-75 minutes long and are a great extravagance for young and old alike. Perhaps the best thing about this museum is that its main objective is to educate the public about the important role that railroads had in the growth of this part of the country.

If you’re really interested in sharing your love for trains with the ones you love, you may think about taking a trip on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. This is a great way to not only get the experience of travelling the rails but to take in some of the beautiful Washington scenery and have a gourmet meal in the process. During the months of November through to April up to two children may ride free with a paying adult.

There are certain limitations on the kind of seating, but it is a splendid way to get the event at a greatly reduced price. There are also exclusive events such as Murder Mystery Trains and Magic and Illusion shows in addition to certain holiday events as well. Be sure to check out what is going on while you are visiting Seattle and see if this is something that might interest you and your family.

If you are up for a not so short drive to Pasco (approx. three and a half hours from Seattle), you might find the Washington State Railroads Historical Society Museum well worth the trip. Be sure to keep in mind that the museum is only open on Saturday and that the hours are limited so this is a journey you need to plan in advance. The best thing about this museum to me is the fact that there are lovely little stories, like the blackboard that recorded the first snowfall at the depot each year and others such as this.

It is the little tales that do not necessarily make history that do make lasting impressions and I am happy to see this particular story is being shared. Just bear in mind, when visiting any of these depots, museums, and train excursions that you definitely must bring your inner child with you in order to enjoy them as you should.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a lot of topics, but is presently involved with train sets for kids. If you would like to know more about train sets for kids, please go over to our website for some great offers.