How to Get Your Garden Winter Ready.

With some of us looking forward to Winter and some not, the fact remains that the seasons are changing, Summer is leaving us for a few months and we will be visited by her colder sister, Winter, at the end of the year. Preparing your gorgeous garden for the upcoming cold Winter months can be as easy as following these few steps below.

Dreamy winter in Seoul.

Borderline Perfect

Maintain your borders and trim back those hedges. Remove any dead plants, leaves or trimmings to ensure a clean and well-maintained space. Many annuals will now be done with their showing and should also be removed to neaten up your surrounding area.

Soul Soil

There has never been a better time to empty out your compost cupboard or heap. Now is the perfect time to use that well decomposed organic material and spread it all over your soil to keep it safe for Spring. This is the best time to add compost to your soil as it has time to breakdown and release all the nutrients over the next few months to make your soil ready for Spring. This will also help your garden by keeping it nutrient rich and looking good during the icy months ahead. You can then start filling up your composting areas for the next year.

Your garden can still be picture perfect even in freezing temperature.

Repair and Revive

Use this time to fix up any garden structure that may need a bit of TLC. Keep an eye on pest infestations present and deal with them accordingly. Fix up any sections of your garden swing, fence, or greenhouse that may need a little maintenance. Patch up any paint work on planters, water features or benches or find lovely new ones at Outdoor Art Pros.

Plant Protection Plan

Move any delicate and fragile plants to a more shielded and protected place for the Winter. If you have a greenhouse or a conservatory, this would be first prize. For plants or trees that cannot be relocated to a warmer environment, wrap a fleece around their trunks. Spread a thick protective layer of mulch around these plants to protect them from the bitter frosty months.

Flowers to beautify your winter garden.

Winter Friends

With the rush of family and Christmas coming up, you may not be going out into your garden as much in Winter, but the wildlife still is so do not forget to leave out feeders at different levels for different animals. Wait a while before you deadhead or trim any plants, your garden friends will thank you. These will be a much-needed source of food for them during the coldest time of the year.

Lawn Preparation

Prepare your lawn by with a spring-tine rake to remove any overgrowth, undergrowth or moss and allow your lawn to breathe clearly. Add some lawn food specially made for this period and have your lawn protected for the entire Winter season.

Snow Alert

Remain vigilant during the coldest parts of Winter, especially during snowfall periods. Dust off the snow while it is still soft and give your plants and trees the best chance of coming out of this next season in the best shape possible.

Guide on SMP: How Scalp Micropigmentation Works.

There’s nothing wrong with having no hair. In fact, a lot of people look really cool without a single strand of hair, and it especially fits tall men with muscular contextures. A lot of people might want to add a little more to their appearance, that’s when SMP comes into play.

Saitama aka One Punch Man.

SMP stands for Scalp Micropigmentation, but some people know it as a hair tattoo. Simply put, this is a non-surgical procedure that focuses on providing an illusion of recently cut hair, which for completely bald people or people with bald spots might consider an incredible solution.

In some people, results are incredibly effective and provide a lot of personality to their style. It can also fix some of their bald spots and provide a sense of texture that fixes most of their worries. Overall, this procedure is taken by those who are wanting to improve their looks and cut themselves some slack about their physical appearance and how their hair/head looks.

It’s completely okay to want to change your body for the better. And being insecure about bald spots and baldness is a completely valid reason to try this out. No one but yourself should decide whether the process is worth it or not, but knowing a little more about it will help you make a decision. 

How It Works

There’s a similar procedure that focuses on providing full brows, and it’s known as Microblading. The difference is that SMP is done on the scalp and uses a different equipment: an electrical tattoo device.

The reasoning is simple: the skin of your scalp is much thicker and resistant than the skin in your eyebrows, so instead of using a blade-like material like the one used in Microblading, Micropigmentation requires a much stronger device.

And as you might have expected… It might (or might not) hurt. It all depends on several factors, like how skillful and careful the professional is or how high your pain tolerance is. Just psych yourself beforehand and expect slight pain or discomfort during the process. Get to know more about it over here and learn how the process works https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/scalp-micropigmentation#what-to-expect.

If you are planning to have this procedure done, you should research for SMP artists near your area or clinics that have this service in their list, and look for reviews. Reviews allow you to know more about the service you want to hire without spending any money.

SMP artists and clinics usually have social media accounts or websites where people can comment about their services, and you can even check the store in Google Maps for more information and reviews about them.

Once you have decided on a clinic or artist, it is best that you schedule a consultation so you can ask questions regarding the procedure to know if the process is favorable for you or your condition. Some people suffer from skin conditions that are not favorable for electrical tattoo devices

Most of the time, SMP clinics and artists will provide enough information to prepare yourself before consultation and before any of your scheduled treatments.

The most common recommendations include showering before any scheduled date and making sure your scalp is dealt with thoroughly. After a session, you won’t be able to clean your scalp or sweat, because it can ruin the ink work.

You’ll have to be prepared for 3 or 5 hours long sessions and be ready to take care of the ink work as much as possible. Just so you know, tattoos are very sensitive when they are finished, and since this procedure is also considered a type of tattoo, you’ll have to take care of it as if it was one.

The Recovery

After all sessions have been completed, you’ll have to undergo a period of recovery that usually goes for 1 month. Sweat, excessive water, pools, and steam are absolutely forbidden during this time. You should also avoid the sun as much as possible. If necessary, apply sunscreen to protect your skin and tattoo.

You’ll also have to apply a moisturizing cream to help your skin recover faster and clean the area from dirt and bacteria.

Is It Worth It?

It depends on who you are asking. This non-surgical process can cost from $300 to $1000 USD depending on where you ask, and of course, the more expensive it is, usually correlates to how skillful the artist is and how safe and trusty they’ve become as time passes by.

To decide whether it’s worth it or not, you have to consider that this procedure is known for being semi-permanent. Meaning that it lasts from 5 to 8 years depending on how well the person treats it and takes care of it. As time passes by, the colors will start to fade away, so it’ll be less noticeable along the way.

Saitama with hair?!

Possible Risks

Most of the time, the problems related to tattoos are linked to bad hygiene practices by the tattoo artists, allergic reactions, and of course, poor recovery management. If you take poor care of the wound and don’t follow the recommended steps, don’t use the right products, or don’t follow the rules provided by your professional, you’ll probably end up suffering some of the possible side-effects, with infections being the most common one.

As long as you do things right and choose an honest, serious professional, you’ll be fine. Just make sure to take proper care of your scalp! If you want to make sure you are hiring a professional that is adequate for the job, you can check reviews, but also make questions regarding past experiences, and depending on the way they answer or how many customers they’ve had, then you can make your decision. I advise you to check clinics and artists who have a portfolio in their social media or websites, so you can survey their previous works and see if they fit your needs. 

Cooking with my Air Fryer | Cinnamon Sugar Muffins Recipe.

Two weeks into this Online Distance Learning thing (aka e-Learning) and it's the busiest I have been since the community quarantine started. With all the tasks that need to be done and all the assignments that my son has to turn in, it actually feels like I'm the student and the one enrolled for this school year. 

Miraculously, I somehow managed to make time for baking in between Yue's online classes and offline learning activities. I baked Cinnamon Sugar Muffins the other day and boy, oh boy, my house smelled like Christmas while I was making these babies! The scent was definitely a pick-me-upper and a nice distraction from all these busyness with schoolwork.

I'm also proud to say that I baked these muffins oh-so-perfectly on my first try, hence the early release of my recipe. Enjoy! :)

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

Ingredients: 

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

For the cinnamon sugar sprinkle:

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

2 tablespoons washed sugar (segunda or light brown sugar)

Procedure:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 170° Celscius.

2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, white sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center.

Making cinnamon sugar muffins is a breeze! :)

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs and mix the milk and vegetable oil.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the center of the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix!

5. Pour the batter into paper-lined muffin cups. 

Don't forget to sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on the top!

6. In a small bowl, combine the 1 teaspoon cinnamon with the 2 tablespoons washed sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the tops of the batter-filled cups.

7. Set your air fryer to Bake mode and bake at 170° C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean.

Cooking with my Air Fryer | Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe.

I love, love, love muffins. So much that they're the first bread-type dessert that I tried to learn how to make and bake from scratch. I've made muffins quite a few times since I got my Hanabishi Air Fryer and of course, I've also made some rookie mistakes along the way - like overmixing the dough, burning the bottoms of the muffins, even undercooking an entire batch.

But hey, making mistakes is always part of the learning process! I've definitely learned from all these bumps and hiccups that I've encountered along the way, and now I have a lot more confidence in my baking skills. (Wow, skills! Haha!)

And with that, I'm now sharing with you my Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 190° Celsius.

2. Stir together all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg) in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

3. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture all at once into the well in the flour mixture.

4. Mix quickly and lightly until moistened. Do not overmix.

5. Lightly fold in the chocolate chips into the mixture.

6. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.

7. Set your air fryer to Bake mode and bake at 170°C for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

8. Optional: Switch to Convection Broil for 3 to 5 minutes if you want the muffin tops to look more brown.

(Kindly make adjustments to the temperature settings if you're cooking with a conventional oven.)

Socially Distanced Vacation Ideas.

COVID-19 threw a wrench in everyone’s travel plans. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to get your travel in without putting you or your adored ones at risk. Don’t let your vacation go astray this year by booking a private vacation, enjoying the great outdoors or venturing out on the sea.

Kleine Scheidegg, Crash Landing on You.

Private Vacation

The travel industry was hit hard by the pandemic. Trying to travel without risking exposure is a major challenge, that feels all but impossible. However, you can book spots, like North Carolina beachfront rentals, Airbnb or Vrbo and even some hotels, that offer socially distanced vacation options. These locations allow you to travel with the people in your home and enjoy time away from home. Take your family to enjoy the ocean waves, bird watch or enjoy some BBQ at a private location. Wherever you go, you can rest at ease knowing you are both safe and still being responsible.

Lake Lungern, Obwalden in Crash Landing on You.

Outdoor Adventure

If a private location is a bit out of your price range consider great outdoors. Let Mother Nature serve as a natural barrier between you and others by getting out and exploring. Consider booking an RV or packing your tent and heading to a campground near your local national park. From there, you can stay a safe 6-feet away from your fellow camping neighbors and use your car to move to avoid any unnecessary exposure. Wherever you go, be sure to stock up on food and supplies beforehand so that you can limit the amount you go into stores. This will allow you to be responsible without missing the vacation.

Landing Stage, Lake Brienz in Crash Landing on You.

Sea Fun

Finally, if you have been missing the seas, but are too anxious to book a cruise, consider a private boat charter. There is nowhere better to social distance than the great open seas. Find a boat that fits your group size, and set out to enjoy some tranquility. To help you fill your days, consider packing some fishing lines. You may be able to pull up some amazing deep-sea fish to give your vacation a delicious boost. Before you book, take the time to think about how long you will go for and what your needs will be while out on the water, you won’t want to turn back to shore before you are done. No matter where you go, be responsible, wear a mask and have an amazing time.