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2012 Family Posts

 

Stay Warm This Fall & Winter | Bellevue & Seattle Family Portrait Photographer

by admin JMon November 10, 2012 in 2012 Family Posts, Family Portraits, My Blog

5 Great Tips to Stay Bundled Well This Season

We all like to stay warm so I thought I’d share these tips I found in a couple articles online. And although this sounds obvious, it’s more about ‘how’ you layer yourself that will work the best. I know personally I like to wear 3-5 layers when it’s sub-40 degrees out, which is many mornings and evenings for the next few months!

Some specific ways to stay bundled: (because we like to have fun)


  • Wearing several thin layers of clothes will help you stay warm in cold weather. The warmth from your body will get trapped in the air pockets between the layers. Long underwear is particularly good for helping you stay warm and dry.
  • Keep a throw blanket handy to cover your feet or shoulders, or use a fleece shawl across your lap or around your shoulders to help you stay warm. Fleece blankets and throws are particularly useful, because they are incredibly warm but lightweight and less bulky than most other fabrics. (blankets are a necessity around our household)

Related: See Fall Recipes like Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie and Holiday Cranberry Sauce and More

  • Wearing fleece slippers around the house can help keep your feet warm. Look for non-skid bottoms because they prevent slipping and possible falls. (I’ve slipped before so can attest to this!)
  • Heat from external sources can be helpful. If you use a heating pad for warmth, limit the length of time it’s close to the skin to avoid a burn and always turn it off if you are sleepy. Some heating pads come with safety shut-off switches, which will turn off automatically after a set period of time. There are also wraps or pads that you can heat in the microwave. They provide temporary warmth and you don’t need to remember to turn them off.

  • Get sunshine, water, vitamins and stay social and active. Just because it’s cold and damper out doesn’t mean you have to stop doing what you would normally do in the summer. Your body needs vitamins, hydration, and activity to stay healthy, and ultimately to function well and keep you warm. So this season be sure to keep going!

Learn more about Holiday/Fall Family Portrait Specials

Related: See Great Fall Decorating Tips

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Fall Home Maintenance & Family Portraits | Bellevue & Issaquah Family Portrait Photographer

by admin JMon November 6, 2012 in 2012 Family Posts, Family Portraits, My Blog tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Smile If You Love the Fall Season!

Scroll to bottom to see special offer from Julian Michael Photography for Fall Family Portraits

In most parts of the country the Fall is the best time of year for all kinds of garden activities, including planting and transplanting my types of plants. It’s also the time of year when you can save a bushel of cash on gardening equipment and nursery stock, and save even more by properly tucking in your garden and equipment for its long winter’s nap. Here’s how:

1) Build yourself a compost pile and/or mulch

If you don’t already have one, you definitely want to start a compost pile in the Fall to provide a receptacle for all the leaves, pumpkins and other yard debris you should rake up before winter sets in. Building a compost pile can be as simple as staking up a hoop of three-foot-high “chicken wire” or other mesh fencing; just so long as it allows for air circulation from the sides and is deep enough for leaves and other organic matter to compress itself thanks to the law of gravity. Also, keep your eyes open after Halloween and Thanksgiving for leftover bales of straw that might be discounted – or even put out for the garbage man – now that they’ve served their decorating purposes; straw makes great mulch or can be added to the compost pile. Mulching garden bedsin the Fall with wood chips, compost, or other suitable organic matter helps to retain ground moisture and protect plants sleeping underneath. Check with local landscaping and tree removal services in the Fall for some of the best prices of the year on mulch.

2) Score great deals on end-of-season local nursery stock

Just recently I saw a Japanese Maple measuring about 8-10 feet high for only $40! Plants, shrubs, ground cover, even soil sees a discount this time of year at your local nursery or Home Depot!

3) Update your garden tools and equipment

Fall season means it’s slowing down at the local Lowe’s and Home Depot for ‘summer projects’ so you’re likely to score a deal on the latest lawn and garden equipment they’ve overstocked. Pick up a new shovel, shears, planters, you name it!

4) Use your current plants to multiply and make more

In addition to being the best time to plant most springtime flowering bulbs (e.g. tulips, daffodils, crocuses, irises, etc.) as well as trees and shrubs, many perennial plants and vegetables can be divided in the Fall. Do a little homework on which ones are best for this sort of arrangement but you’ll find just a little light labor will have you with double the amount you had for no extra cost!

5) Tune up and do some TLC for your current tools and equipment

Since you won’t be mowing the lawn as much (or at all depending where you’re at), you’ll need to make sure you keep fuel that’s been treated with a stabilizer to prevent condensation and deposits. Sharpen your shears by cutting through the aluminum foil scouring pad a few times. Oil all metal surfaces of your tools with used or new motor oil, and scrub that dirt and rust off your shovels, hoes, etc, to guarantee their lifespan.

Hopefully this helps you in your yard and garden heading into the fall.

Reference: TheDailyGreen.com