E-bay Auctions: Sell Better, Spend Less Tip #1

By Joe Regan
Just about everyone alive today has heard of eBay.com, but most people donÂ’t realize the sheer size and complexity of this Auction beast. Do you have something to sell? Then read on for the single most important tip to Selling better and Spending less.

79 million searches are done on E bay each day. Yes that is a very large number of searches, large enough to contain very valuable selling potential, but there are also around 19 million items on eBay.com alone on any given day. After you have time to take this in please continue reading this article.

How can I sell more effectively? How can I lower the cost of my auctions? These are good questions with many answers, but I will cover in my opinion, the most important and effective e Bay tip of all.

More Pictures!!!

It is a proven fact that the more pictures taken of an item, the better it will sell. Not only will you get more bids, but you will get a higher final price.

The Problem.

You will never list as many pictures as you should because eBay by default charges per picture. This causes you to ask yourself, do I really need another picture? This kind of thinking is bad for business. You should instead be asking yourself, how many different pictures can I take of this item? This brings us to the problem.eBayy charges you for every picture they host. So more pictures = more expensive auction.

The Solution

The single best thing you can do as a seller is to look into paying for an Unlimited Picture Hosting Service. These services will host an unlimited number of pictures for you and some are very easy to use. Let me show you an example. My favorite is FoamTemplates.com.

FoamTemplates.com give you unlimited uploads and they are very easy to use. And even more importantly, they donÂ’t restrict how many times your picture can be seen! This is very important. It is very annoying to view an auction and see that Bandwidth exceeded message. Foam Premium costs around $8 a month and includes a really nice template maker that allows you to design your whole auction on the FoamTemplateweb pagege. It even gives you the option to thumbnail your pictures if you have very many so your viewers donÂ’t have to scroll 3 miles down to see your payment information.

If you see any other services that come close to this, please contact me and let me know and I will compare them. Hope this tip will save you as much money as it has me!

Joe Regan is a freelance writer for various websites.

More FOAM Information:

Free ebay.com Auction Image Hosting for your Auction Picture Hosting Needs. FOAMTemplates is compatible with ebay and other online Auctions. Free eBay.com Auction Template Maker allows you to design custom auction templates for auction sites including but not limited to eBay. Any Html auction service will work. We also offer a members only section with enhanced features such as unlimited picture uploading, and auto thumbnailing. Thank you for your interest. - FOAM Team

Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Regan

Download XBOX 360 Wholesale List For Auction Sellers

By Eng Chin Wah

If you have been following news lately, XBOX 360 MicrosoftÂ’s next generation console went on sale at midnight on 22nd November. Many people queued up to make sure they can get hold of the console and experience the hype that has been brewing as times goes by before the official launched. Many people too went home empty handed and disappointed as stores were allocated that small amount of consoles. It doesnÂ’t help that now the XBOX 360 is facing some shortage due to the overwhelming response. Try Amazon, Wal-Mart or Best Buy websites they are listed as sold out or at best limited stock.

In the first few days of sales at auction website EBay, the price even sky rocket to over US$1000 per unit. Key in XBOX 360 and search for it in EBay and you can see that the prices now average for about over US$700, still many times mark-up of the original retail price of US$399. Auction sellers in EBay have been smiling all the way to the bank as they have cashed in on the vacuum that the retail stores have failed to provide.

I have been wondering how those geniuses able to get hold of the consoles and resell it for quick profits. So I was searching and digging the internet for information and finally I was able to come out with a list of company that provides the consoles at wholesale price.

What so great about this, you might think! Well if you look at EBay again, those auction sellers are selling this information at hundred dollars! These are highly sought after information in EBay. Believe it or not, some of these companies are selling the consoles at US$275 in bulk and they are going fast. XBOX 360 is scheduled to be launch in Europe and Japan in early December. Imagine the frenzy is going to start all over again with Christmas season drawing near.

Be it you are a stay at hommomsms or doing home business part time, I believe you donÂ’t mind getting this extra information that can help you grow your own home business. Mind you they are not only dealing with one product, they do carry other brands like Apple iPod nano, Canon, Sony Playstation2 or Canon digital cameras all you need is to ask.

Anyway I have placed the information in www.monaky.com, it is free for you to download. I spent one whole week just to search and compile it into a list and you are free to pass it to anybody who might be interested.

Also thanks to those who have responded to me about the misspelled auction article previously, I have now incorporated the search program in http://www.monaky.com.

Have fun !!

Admin@monaky.com
http://www.monaky.com

Written By Eng
http://www.monaky.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eng_Chin_Wah

Download XBOX 360 Wholesale List For Auction Sellers

By Eng Chin Wah

If you have been following news lately, XBOX 360 MicrosoftÂ’s next generation console went on sale at midnight on 22nd November. Many people queued up to make sure they can get hold of the console and experience the hype that has been brewing as times goes by before the official launched. Many people too went home empty handed and disappointed as stores were allocated that small amount of consoles. It doesnÂ’t help that now the XBOX 360 is facing some shortage due to the overwhelming response. Try Amazon, Wal-Mart or Best Buy websites they are listed as sold out or at best limited stock.

In the first few days of sales at auction website EBay, the price even sky rocket to over US$1000 per unit. Key in XBOX 360 and search for it in EBay and you can see that the prices now average for about over US$700, still many times mark-up of the original retail price of US$399. Auction sellers in EBay have been smiling all the way to the bank as they have cashed in on the vacuum that the retail stores have failed to provide.

I have been wondering how those geniuses able to get hold of the consoles and resell it for quick profits. So I was searching and digging the internet for information and finally I was able to come out with a list of company that provides the consoles at wholesale price.

What so great about this, you might think! Well if you look at EBay again, those auction sellers are selling this information at hundred dollars! These are highly sought after information in EBay. Believe it or not, some of these companies are selling the consoles at US$275 in bulk and they are going fast. XBOX 360 is scheduled to be launch in Europe and Japan in early December. Imagine the frenzy is going to start all over again with Christmas season drawing near.

Be it you are a stay at hommomsms or doing home business part time, I believe you donÂ’t mind getting this extra information that can help you grow your own home business. Mind you they are not only dealing with one product, they do carry other brands like Apple iPod nano, Canon, Sony Playstation2 or Canon digital cameras all you need is to ask.

Anyway I have placed the information in www.monaky.com, it is free for you to download. I spent one whole week just to search and compile it into a list and you are free to pass it to anybody who might be interested.

Also thanks to those who have responded to me about the misspelled auction article previously, I have now incorporated the search program in http://www.monaky.com.

Have fun !!

Admin@monaky.com
http://www.monaky.com

Written By Eng
http://www.monaky.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eng_Chin_Wah

eBay Auction Seller's Guide to Finding Hot Money Making Products

By Leroy Chan

Picking the right items to sell on eBay is one of the most important steps to take if you ever hope to make your living from auctions. After you finish reading this article you'll have the information you need to find out exactly what people want and will buy on eBay.

You might be one of the thousands of individuals who open a trading account with eBay and dream about making auction selling a full-time home-based business.

However, before that dream can become a reality, you need to do many important things while running an auction business.

One of these important things to do is to pick the right products to sell. The right products to sell are the ones that people on eBay want or will buy.

eBay tells you what people actually want and what people actually will buy in four areas of its website.

"In Demand"

One of these four areas on eBay's site is the "In Demand" section. There is an "In Demand" link for each of the main categories on eBay. Listed in these areas are the previous month's top ten products that people wanted and the top ten searches for each subcategory. To see the data in these areas follow the link below and when you reach the page, scroll down and click on the link "In Demand" under any of the categories shown.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/sellbycategory.html

"Hot Categories Report"

The next area containing information on finding what to sell on eBay is the "Hot Categories Report." This report lists the "fastest growing" categories on eBay for the previous month. The explanation for what eBay considers "hot" can be hard to understand on your first reading. Nevertheless, the important thing to know is that the categories listed are the ones were buyer demand for the items under those categories are growing faster than the seller supply. This report is a PDF file so you will need Adobe® Reader® to open it. Here is the link:

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/hotitems.pdf

"eBay Pulse"

"eBay Pulse" is another area where you can figure out what people are looking for on "The World's Online Marketplace®." It contains a category's daily snapshot of the ten most popular searches and the stores with the most active listings. A subsection on "eBay Pulse," known as "Most Watched Items," reveals the ten auctions that are getting the most attention. Visit this page and select a category to study from the drop-down menu.

http://pulse.ebay.com

"Merchandising Calendar"

The last area with information on what to sell on eBay is the "Merchandising Calendar." Here, eBay shows you the categories they will promote on their homepage each month. This is where eBay "tells" you what to sell. You can ignore their calendar and sell anything you choose, but wouldn't it be easier to make sales if you took advantage of eBay's promotional influence? Look at this page and use the calendar as a guide in planning your inventory and listings.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/calendar.html

Last Thoughts

Now that you have the links to data that tells you what people will buy on eBay, you can look forward to listing these items and making sales. The next step is finding the wholesale or drop-ship sources that carry those items that are "In Demand." That is when you will be one-step closer to achieving your goal of making a living from eBay.

(c) Leroy Chan - All Rights reserved

Discover the "Insider Tricks" to making money on eBay. Visit Leroy Chan's site, eBay Auction Seller Money Making Reports to receive a free 12-part auction selling course.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leroy_Chan

How to Cook Bok Choy

By Sarah Sandori

Long familiar to Chinese cooks, and to those who love Chinese food, bok choy is showing up in a wide variety of other types of dishes. You might find it spelled as "bak choi" or even "paak choi". Packing a nutritional wallop, it is also readily available the year around and is easy to prepare and cook. Here are some tips for eating it raw, zapping in the microwave as a side dish, and using it in a delicious stir fry.

Bok choy is a leafy vegetable belonging to the cabbage family. Long familiar to Chinese cooks, and to those who love Chinese food, it is showing up in a wide variety of other types of dishes. In fact, in any recipe in which you would normally use cabbage, you can probably use bok choy.

Nowadays bok choy can be found in most local supermarkets the year around. You might find it spelled as "bak choi" or even "paak choi," but "bok choy" seems to have become the preferred form in North America. Less commonly, it will go under a different name altogether; Chinese mustard cabbage, for example.

Just as with other green leafy vegetables, you should look for plants that are free of brown spots and that have firm stalks. The stalks themselves will be white in color; the leaves a darkish green. Bok choy is wonderfully nutritious. It is low in calories--about a dozen in the usual serving. It is also bursting with vitamins A and C. In fact, you could get nearly all of your recommended daily allowance of the latter in one serving of bok choy, and about a third of your RDA of the former.

Bok choy is an easy plant to prepare. Just give it a good rinsing first and you can munch it raw for a healthy afternoon snack, or chop it up and add it to a salad.

Need a quick side dish to a main meal? French-cut the stems into pieces and place them, with the leaves, in a casserole dish. Add a little water, cover the dish, and zap in the microwave for 2 minutes. Remove just the leaves from the dish and zap the stems for 3 more minutes. Season both the leaves and the stems with butter, salt and pepper and serve it all together.

The most common way to cook bok choy is to stir fry it, in a wok or a regular frying pan. Tear or cut the leaves and stems and place in the pan, add three tablespoons of water, and begin heating (use a medium setting) as you stir. Add some cooking oil into which you have strained some fresh garlic. Remove the leaves at the two-minute mark and continue stir frying the stalks for three additional minutes. After cooking, but before serving, drizzle a little soy sauce or sesame oil over the bok choy.

You can also include bok choy in a more robust stir fry, one that contains shrimp or chicken perhaps, along with bean sprouts, snow peas and other Chinese-restaurant type ingredients.

My main suggestion for bok choy? Experiment! Really, it's hard to go wrong with this versatile vegetable in the kitchen.

Sarah Sandori is the food and entertaining columnist for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? Check out Sarah's article where she reveals her secret source for the most mouth-watering restaurant recipes in America: http://www.solid-gold.info/most-wanted-recipes.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Sandori

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a Garden Bonus

By John Lenaghan

Are you growing pumpkins in your garden? Don't waste one of the best parts of the pumpkins when you harvest them - the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty and nutritious snack - find out how to prepare them quickly and easily

The reward of gardening is enjoying the fruits and vegetables of your labor. You may be overlooking a delicious and nutritious crop that right under your hoe - roast pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkins have been a popular part of vegetable gardens for centuries. The word comes from the Greek word "pompon," which means large melon. Native Americans ate roasted pumpkin and wove dried strips into mats. Today, we include pumpkins in our vegetable gardening mainly for their decorating and pie value. We often throw the seeds away.

Next time you carve a jack-'o-lantern or cook a pumpkin for pie filling, save those seeds. They make nutty-flavored snacks that are a good source of protein, fiber, iron and phosphorous.

Below is an easy, fun recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds. The whole family will enjoy making and eating this new treat from the garden. Some people like to wash the seeds before roasting. Others leave any pumpkin particles for added flavor and nutrition.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds
1 Quart Water
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter or Vegetable Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees

2. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 8 to 10 minutes

3. Drain the seeds in a colander and spread them on a paper towel to dry.

4. Melt the butter. Put the dry seeds and butter in a large bowl and toss until the seeds are evenly coated.

5. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until they reach a light, golden brown color. Stir seeds every 10 minutes during cooking.

7. Cool the seeds completely before eating.

You can remove the hulls from the seeds after roasting or eat the seeds hull and all. Keep roasted seeds in airtight containers.

Gardening Tip: Set a few seeds aside before roasting. These free seeds will start next year’s pumpkin patch.

John Lenaghan writes about vegetable gardening for

http://www.vegetable-gardening-4u.com where he provides valuable tips and advice about seed companies, garden accessories, container gardening and other vegetable gardening topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Lenaghan

TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL: DOUBLE AGENT

Product Description:

Sam Fisher and the other characters of Tom Clancy’s popular Splinter Cell universe return with Ubisoft’s TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL: DOUBLE AGENT for the Xbox 360. This time around, players get to experience life as a double agent as they help Sam infiltrate and destroy a terrorist cell from within. Veteran agent Sam Fisher has been on many dangerous missions, but none as dangerous as posing as a double agent within a terrorist organization. Sam has no contact with his NSA superiors and agents, leaving him to complete his mission of stopping the terrorist cell alone. Even worse, to keep his cover, Sam may have to perform acts of treason himself. Keeping Sam’s cover is at the heart of Double Agent. At many points in the game, players will have to choose to stop the terrorists and expose Sam as an NSA agent or actually work with them, sometimes against other agents, to keep Sam in their good graces. The storyline branches at many different points depending on players’ actions, and there are multiple endings to the game. It’s up to the player to decide if Sam kills a man in cold blood, helps plant or defuse bombs, and other actions that can either hurt or help his standing with the terrorists. Gamers who love the Splinter Cell universe will love TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL: DOUBLE AGENT. The branching storyline makes for a very exciting adventure that gamers will want to replay over and over.


Special Features

Dual objectives to fulfill: NSA government agents and terrorists will each want you to accomplish opposing tasks at the same time.

Discover the tension of being a double agent: Use actual tactics employed by today’s real-life double agents to sabotage the terrorists’ plans.

Explore a branching storyline with multiple endings: Your choices have an impact on how the story and game play unfolds.

A world of international espionage: Missions from all over the world, from Asia to Africa to the heart of the US. Experience extreme situations: underwater or in a sandstorm, hiding behind the dust or smoke – and even skydiving.

New authentic gadgets: Master the latest weapons and gadgets used by NSA government agents in addition to black-market terrorist weapons.

Innovative online play: The critically acclaimed multiplayer action of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is back with entirely new innovations for each platform., Branching storyline; respect level with both terrorists and NSA agents that can turn other characters into friends or foes; missions take place all over the world; Xbox 360 version includes two extra single-player missions, nine versus and co-op maps, and underwater and sandstorm battles.


Warnings
Blood, Language, Mild Language, Realistic Blood, Realistic Violence, Violence


Details
Players: 1-2 Players
Controller: Gamepad, Joystick
Memory Card: No

Click here ~ Find it New on eBay!

World of Warcraft Power Leveling Guide

By Steven Golden

This is the method the power levelers have used since closed beta and I finally got one of them to give it up. It is by no means the way to go if you want to maximize your experience in the game as this method will bypass almost all the content in the game and essentially ignore many of the fun, unique aspects of WoW. This is not recommended for new players and is meant for players who already have experienced the content and just want to level up an alt to play with their level 60 friends (i.e. your level 60 instance group needs a priest and there are no priests to be had). As a benchmark to how successful you are with this, download cosmos (Cosmos) and use the clock feature to measure your xp/hour. At level 50 you should be getting about 40,000+/hour.

1-20: Newbie lands, stick to the friendly zones (not contested). Just grind. The quests are a waste of time up to level 20 if you are focusing on maxing out xp per hour. 20-26: Wetlands quests and raptors/slime/orcs for grinding. Redridge mountain Lakeshire quests.

26-30: Duskwood quests and undead for grinding. Hillsbrad critter roamers for grinding.

30-35: Did these all in a day on Daggerspines in Hillsbrad right next to Southshore along the coast. Huge spawn, very fast respawn rate, easy mobs to kill. Purgation isle (island in the very far Southwest water area of Hillsbrad) also a nice secluded place you can grind on undead.

36-40: Hillsbrad southshore quests. Desolace quests and kodo grinding for 36-38, then Undead Ravagers in the southeast for 38-40. Cresting exiles at the circle of outer binding in Arathi also for 37-41; extremely easy mobs with a fast respawn. Alterac ogres from 35-40 for grinding. Drywhisker kobolds in Arathi east of Hammerfall for 36-39 for grinding.

41-45: Hinterlands trolls, owl beasts, and wolves for grinding and quests. Badlands ogres, gnolls, and quests.

45-48: Tanaris quests and pirates on the eastern peninsula for grinding. Stranglethorn vale quests (only if you need rewards imo). Badlands greater elementals for grinding.

48-52: Felwood deadwood gnolls for grinding and quests from the sanctuary in the south. Blasted lands dreadmauls for grinding. Un'goro crater (best started at 50) for primarily quests and grinding off the plants and tar elementals. Azshara undead highbornes and thunderhead hyppogriffs for grinding.

52-55: Azshara blood elves for grinding. Burning steppes dreadmaul rock ogre caves firegut ogres (very low AC) for grinding. Felwood irontree woods and cave for grinding (great spot). Western plaguelands questing for argent dawn and grinding on undead throughout the various camps.

55-58: Eastern plaguelands quests from the sanctuary, grinding on undead at the ruined towns. Winterspring grinding at winterfall village or Lake Kel'Theril undead highbornes (my personal favorite camp. Blackrock Stronghold in Burning Steppes for grinding.

58-60: "The" yeti cave in Winterspring, due Southeast of Everlook (very nice place). Grosh Gok compound ogres in Deadwind pass (great spot, no one knows about it). Eastern plaguelands Fungal Vale undead grinding and argent dawn token farming. Moonowls in northeast winterspring for grinding.

Copyright 2006 Steven Golden

Steven Golden has conducted research into online game for several years. He is currently a part time researcher for some game sites such as http://www.gameusd.com/ , http://www.world-of-warcraft-gold.us/ & http://www.bankofwow.com/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Golden

Lobster Recipes

By Steve Valentino

Lobsters are a seafood delicacy and are considered quite easy to cook. While they can be boiled or grilled, they are also delicious when just broiled or steamed. For cooking them, you need to get hold of a large stockpot and some good recipes to turn out exotic lobster dishes!

First you must ensure that you get a good quality lobster, preferably live. Then cook within prescribed time limits according to the weight of the lobster. For example, if boiling a lobster, it is recommended to boil it for 10 minutes for the first pound weight and 3 minutes each for subsequent pounds. So a 2-pound lobster needs to be boiled for 13 minutes. Cooking a lobster longer than the recommended times can make the meat too tough to eat. But when properly cooked, lobster meat is a creamy white and shells are bright red. There are many ways to prepare and garnish this seafood and one can get easily confused as to which recipe to pick up first. It is better to start with an easy recipe first and slowly go on to try a little complicated lobster dishes.

There is a lot of variety that can be churned out using lobsters, like lobster bisque, sauce, bakes, rolls, salads and stews. They can be made in American, Italian or Chinese flavors, depending on your taste. Some of the well known recipes of lobsters include chopped vegetable and lobster salad, grilled lobster with barbecue mayonnaise, lobster club sandwich, lobster pizza, lobster and white bean salad, lobster tails with Thai curry, hot and sour soup with lobster dumplings, lobster with coconut, corn and lemongrass. Whatever recipe you select, you can surely get succulent and delicious dish of lobsters.

It is very important to present the prepared lobster dish properly since the lobster is not the Adonis of the ocean. So its appearance should be made attractive and appealing enough to relish the dish and get the praise it deserves. To prepare lobster, you can get hold of a good lobster recipe book or search on the Internet to find numerous savoring recipes of lobsters!

Lobster provides detailed information on Lobster, Lobster Tails, Lobster Recipes, Maine Lobster and more. Lobster is affiliated with Salmon Fishing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Valentino

Tulips and Their Role in Different Cultures

By William Berg

Tulips have been, and are still, being admired by people in many different regions and cultures. Wild Tulips are found in Europe, Africa and Asia. Their native area stretches from southern Europe to northern Africa, and proceeds eastward into Asia from Anatolia and Iran. The most prominent Tulip habitats are found on the steppes of Kazakhstan and among the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains, but wild Tulips can be found all the way into the very eastern parts of China and Japan.

The Tulip has always been held in high esteem by the Middle East cultures and the European name “Tulip” is actually derived from the Persian word for turban. Some etymologists claim that the name was selected since a budding Tulip resembles a traditional turban, while other etymologists suggests that the term is instead the result of a misunderstanding – Tulip flowers were commonly used to decorate the folds of the turban. If you study traditional folk art from Persia and Turkey you will see.

Today, the Tulip is the national flower of Iran as well as of Turkey and the tulip is even suggested on the Iran flag. If you look at traditional Persian and Turkish folk art you will clearly see how important the Tulip motif is and has been.

The Netherlands in Europe is another country strongly linked to the Tulip. The Netherlands will, for instance, send Tulips to the Canadian capital, Ottawa, each year. During World War II, Canada aided in liberating the Netherlands from the German invasion and also served as a refuge for the Dutch Crown Princess who was later to become Queen Juliana.

In Europe, as well as in the Ottoman Empire, episodes of so called “Tulip Mania” when tulips have been used for speculation have occurred. Historians still debate exactly how severe these waves of speculation were and how damaging the Tulip booms and subsequent crashes were to the respective economies. Some even claim that Tulip Mania strongly contributed to the final financial decline of the Ottoman Empire.

Historians do not now exactly when and how the Tulip was introduced to Western Europe for the first time. Perhaps Tulips were brought to this part of the world several times before the flower really became appreciated and famous.

One story claims that ambassador Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq brought Tulips to German attention as early as 1554. Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq had been sent from Ferdinand I of Germany to Suleyman the Magnificent and in one of his letters he write about seeing "an abundance of flowers everywhere; narcissus, hyacinths, and those which the Turks call tulipam, much to our astonishment, because it was almost midwinter, a season unfriendly to flowers". Botanists are however askepticeptic to this letter, since Tulips do not bloom in midwinter, not even in the warm Middle East. Perhaps Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq confused the winter journey with an expedition that he participated in during a warmer part of the year of 1558. We know that Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq wrote and dated all his letters after his journeys, not while he was actutravelinglling.

Tulips are just one of many flowers that have an important cultural significance in numerous religions. Others include the cherry tree and the Bamboo plant.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Berg

Garden Photography

By TJ Tierney

As the seasons change the colour of your garden will change with it. Most gardens are a rich source of great colours, patterns and vivid textures and can make for a perfect setting to practice all different kinds of photography - especially close-up nature photography.

Your garden can be one of the most wonderful places to take images of flowers, insects and a variety of small birds - and if you are lucky, occasionally other types of wildlife might wander into your garden.

You don’t need great sunshine to go out into the garden - overcast days are always great days to get into the garden and capture the majestic colours of flowers.

Flower photography can be challenging, but when done right is most rewarding. The key to getting good flower pictures is pretty straightforward - get in close. You don’t need to buy a macro lens to achieve this, a good telephoto lens on a tripod should do.

Use a large aperture (low f/number) to isolate your flower. This will get rid of any unwanted background, which sometimes focus attention away from your flower portrait.

Don’t be afraid to use your flash - even on a bright day. This will get rid of any unwanted blur and help make your flower picture sharp.

These are simple tips to follow and should help to make your garden images better.

Photographing insects in many ways is similar to taking pictures of flowers. You need to get in close; your focusing has to be perfect and you also must minimize motion. If you are having trouble photographing insects try the following:

Pick a single flower on which you focus. Place a light fabric around any other flowers to isolate your shot. Now its time to place the bait - perfume is ideal to attract bees, butterflies and other insects into your outdoor studio. Use your strobe unit to freeze any motion with fast moving insects. This should be used in the brightest conditions and will stop any movement in your nature portrait. Now it is time to sit and wait until your bait attracts your prey.

Your garden is also full of all kinds of other creatures. Garden birds will make an attractive image; they will be up and out at an early hour so it’s best to join them. Try building a hide in the garden and get up before sunrise - you will be surprised what creatures will wander in front of you at an early hour. Lay some bait around the garden to attract them in.

Use the elements of the weather to create more impact in your garden images. Early morning mist will leave droplets of water on leaves and flower petals. Use garden statues and other garden objects to create attractive silhouette images at dusk.

One of the biggest attributes of nature, wildlife and garden photography is patience. Even though you are at home great patience is required to get the best results from your garden photography…happy shooting.

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. He frequently writes for the Art site www.Goldprints.com and the Gift ideas site www.shop-4us.com . To view or buy some of his images visit his on-line gallery of - Pictures of Ireland and flower pictures.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TJ_Tierney

Chinese Hot-and-Sour Soup

An authentic recipe both delicious and healthy. Combined here are healing and health-enhancing mushrooms and lily buds in an enticing broth.

5 oz boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms* (available in Asian markets)
12 small dried tree ear mushrooms*
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 dried lily buds* (sometimes called golden needles)
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots*, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips (from an 8-oz can)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce*
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 to 4 oz firm tofu (about a quarter of a block), rinsed and drained, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil*
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tablespoons fresh whole cilantro leaves

Toss pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl until pork is well coated.

Soak black and tree ear mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushrooms), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. (Tree ears will expand significantly.)

Cut out and discard stems from black mushrooms, then squeeze excess liquid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove tree ears from bowl, reserving liquid, and trim off any hard nubs. If large, cut tree ears into bite-size pieces.

Stir together 1/4 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder) with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, soak lily buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain. Trim off tough tips of lily buds. Cut lily buds in half crosswise, then tear each half lengthwise into 2 or 3 shreds.

Cover bamboo shoots with cold water by 2 inches in a small saucepan, then bring just to a boil (to remove bitterness) and drain in a sieve.

Stir together vinegars, light soy sauce, sugar, and salt in another small bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add pork and stir-fry until meat just changes color, about 1 minute, then add black mushrooms, tree ears, lily buds and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.

Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu.

Return to a boil and add vinegar mixture.

Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring. (Liquid will thicken.)

Reduce heat to moderate and simmer 1 minute.

Beat eggs with a fork and add a few drops of sesame oil. Add eggs to soup in a thin stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon.

Stir in white pepper, then drizzle in remaining sesame oil and divide among 6 to 8 bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro before serving.

*Available at Asian food markets

Makes 6 to 8 first-course servings.

Wok this Way! (Part 1 of 5)

By Helen Fan

Introduction

Woks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence of Chinese cuisine. They have been used for some 3000 years in China for a variety of cooking methods, including stir frying, boiling, and steaming. A wok is a large, thin-walled, round-bottomed, metal cooking pan, and shaped like a shallow bowl with handles. The addition of a wooden rack and cover transforms the wok into a steamer. Although woks come in sizes ranging from 10 to 32 inches in diameter, a wok that's 11 to 14 inches should suffice for use in a household kitchen.

With the increasing popularity of Chinese cuisine, there are now many “Westernized” versions of the wok. There is the addition of a metal ring, which is set on top of a gas or electric stove to hold the wok to prevent tipping. Some have a small flat bottom instead of the traditional round bottom, for the same reason. The new versions will get the job done, but thetraditionalal" large round-bottomed woks are still, by far, the preferred wok of choice.

Since the essence of Chinese cuisine is to achieve food tenderness through quick cooking to retain the natural taste, flavor, and color of the ingredients, the wok's ingenious unique design makes it a perfect fit in Chinese cooking.

Its bottom concentrates heat to achieve 2 objectives: 1) to direct the heat at the food, while sealing in the flavors and allowing food to be cooked evenly, and 2) to allow cooking food quickly with very little oil. The stir fry cooking technique shifts food around the wok quickly, coating it with oil during cooking, as opposed to using a flat frying pan where a lot more oil is required. Consequently, cooking with a wok is essential for a healthy diet. It also has curved sides to keep in food that is being tossed and flipped during stir frying. Food, when cooked, may be moved up the sloping side of the wok to stay warm without cooking further, while other food is cooked at the bottom. It is also ideal for deep frying as it requires less oil than any other kitchen cookware to do the job.

Next, in Part 2 of Wok this way!, we'll go over selecting a wok.

Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Fan

An Introduction To Indoor And Outdoor Bonsai Trees

By Lee Dobbins

Bonsai, literally “tree planted in a tray”, are miniature versions of larger trees. Depending on the type of bonsai tree under consideration, their height can range from a few inches to a few feet. Like regular trees, bonsai trees can also bear flowers and fruits.

There are two types of bonsai trees: indoor and outdoor. While most bonsai are outdoor plants, certain varieties are adapted well enough to survive in an indoor setting. These would be the tropical or subtropical varieties. If you plan on raising these, be sure to put them in a spot where they can get some sunlight in the mornings and shade in the afternoon. Avoid exposing them to too much sunlight – many varieties of bonsai do not bear up well under intense heat. Indoor varieties of bonsai include the ficus, baby jade, sago palms, serissa, fukien tea, pachira, gardenia, and some elm varieties.

Outdoor bonsai are further divided into two groups. The first group consists of the evergreen trees, which include the pine, the juniper, and the azalea. As the name evergreen suggests, these trees retain their foliage no matter what the season is. They usually undergo a dormancy period during winter, which creates a yellow tinge around their leaves.

Deciduous trees include elms and maples. These trees shed their leaves during the fall and re-bud at springtime. Most elm species fall into this category, as does the apricot, hornbeam, and gingko. Like evergreen bonsai, deciduous bonsai also go through a dormancy stage at winter. Deciduous bonsai are not well suited to being grown indoors – the levels of light and humidity are too different from those in their natural habitat.

There are many types of bonsai trees, but they do have one thing in common. All bonsai trees, with few exceptions, need specific care if they are to thrive. You will need to protect them from both excessive cold and heat, depending on the climate in your area. Also, levels of humidity have to be monitored, and as much as possible you should provide the specific humidity level that your bonsai needs to grow. As long as you know what you are doing, however, it shouldn’t be a problem for you.

Taking care of a bonsai tree is not a task for amateurs. Bonsai trees are unusual trees and they require unusual care. Most types of bonsai are not particularly hardy, especially when compared to other types of plants. If you are considering acquiring your own bonsai tree, or if you already have one, you need to know what to do to increase your plant’s chances of survival.

Taking care of a bonsai tree requires specialized knowledge. If you are serious about growing your own bonsai plants, you need to take time to conduct a little research. But a few books and read up on the subject. If you know anyone who has had experience in raising bonsai, you should try to discuss the matter with him or her as well. Taking care of a bonsai is hard enough; being ignorant certainly isn’t going to help you.

Be sure to find a local bonsai nursery. Avoid the bonsai trees sold in department stores and malls. Although they may seem to be in good condition and sell for less, they are often close to death and will not survive in your home for long. Retailers, after all, are interested only in selling the plant, not maintaining it. It would be far better for you to find a nursery that sells seedlings or small bonsai plants. This will allow you to experience the joy (and hardship!) of raising your own plant. Additionally, you will be able to shape the tree the way you want to, which is not always an option with the more mature plants.

Don’t skimp on the tools that you need. For most people, raising a bonsai is more of a hobby than anything else. This does not mean, however, that you should skimp on the tools that you will need to raise your plants well. One example of bonsai tool is a concave cutter. A concave cutter is a tool designed to prune the plant without leaving a stub. Shears, pliers, and branch bending jacks are common as well. For shaping the tree, you will need aluminum and copper wires.

Taking care of a bonsai tree involves a continuous learning process. While this article is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to bonsai care, it should give you the idea that there is much to be learned in order to be successful. However, don’t be discouraged. If you truly love bonsai trees, learning will not be difficult for you at all! And once you’ve mastered the art of raising a bonsai, you can look forward to many beautiful days with your miniature tree.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.bonsai.garden-corner.com/ where you can learn more about types of bonsai trees and their care.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Patio Design - Expanding Your Home Outdoors

By Nicholas Webb

A patio can be just like another room in your house. Effective patio design can mean that your increase the floor space of your home, by adding an outside room that allows you to entertain like never before. A patio can just be a rectangular slab of concrete with some plastic chairs and griller, but it can also be so much more.

What comes to mind when you think of a patio?

Patio design gives you the opportunity to create an outside living area – an extension of your home – for entertaining and relaxing all year round. For instance, people who like to entertain may want to consider a patio with an undercover kitchen and dining area. By adding a barbecue grill, a built in fridge and some quality outdoor furniture, the patio can, in itself, become a feature of your home.

When commencing a new patio design, it is important to remember that your new outdoor entertaining area does not need to be expensive. There are a variety of different patio surfaces to fit a particular style or budget, including concrete pavers, natural clay stones and bricks. There is no need to stick to one type of paving or surface - experiment. Pebbles, gravels, bricks and tiles, can all be incorporated. A contrasting brick edge can also be effective. Similarly, patio shades need not be extensive, just enough to cover the main cooking and eating areas; after all, why block out the view of your gorgeous garden in the midday sun or the stars in the sky on a clear night.

Consider textures, colors, and materials before starting

One of the most important considerations of patio design is landscaping. Plants help to soften the hard surface of a patio floor by providing color, texture and fragrance and they set the mood for an outdoor living space. Further, you might also like to consider the use of a water feature and some soft low voltage lighting or candles, to create a stunning patio setting for night time entertaining.

Finally,

Selecting the Right Furniture is the key to the perfect patio design. There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on the right setting; more importantly you want to select items that are durable, basic in color and rich in style and sophistication. Consider resin coated wicker or rattan pieces that can be dressed up with different cushions and throw rugs. These items can be changed regularly to cater for a themed party or more simply, to match the changes in your flourishing flower beds.

A patio design can be as elaborate or as straightforward as you want it to be. Patios can be arranged in any shape and size and can be refreshed regularly just like the interior of your home. Outdoor entertaining is an increasing pastime – enjoy it with family and friends!

Nicholas webb is the owner of http://www.allabout-patio.com A site that provides user-friendly patio furniture, patio accessories, consumer tips and buying advice for the outdoor lover. Check it out before parting with your money.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicholas_Webb

Incorporate A Water Feature In Your Landscaping

By Bill Prudehome

A water feature placed strategically in a landscape or garden provides a dynamic element to what is usually a static design. Water elements provide tranquility and a sense of calm. The sound and visual effects provided by flowing water are known for their soothing and stress relieving qualities. As a side benefit water features have been known to increase property values by as much as 10%.

Water features can be as simplistic as a statue acting as a fountain to highly complex designs that mimic natural features with multiple terraces and water cascading over a rock bed. Water flow can be slow or swift, with the feature used as a background or as the predominant design element. Only your imagination and budget control the final appearance.

Attract wildlife, from an abundance of birds to squirrels and chipmunks and depending on the location of your property larger animals such as deer. Depending on your climate adding fish to ponds and streams enhances the overall water feature.
The addition of a water feature allows you to dramatically expand the types of plants and flora that can be incorporated into your landscaping.

Many individuals hesitate when considering adding a water feature because of they feel that they are complex to install and require a great deal of maintenance. The complexity of the installation is relative to how dramatic the water feature is and the level of maintenance is relative to the initial investment in the quality of the pumping, aeration and filtration equipment installed.

In the past it was necessary to buy numerous components for your water feature and hope that all the different pieces of equipment were compatible with one another. Now many manufactures are supplying complete kits that contain all of the necessary pumps, filters, aerators, piping and connectors to ensure that all of the pieces of hardware work in conjunction with one another.

Once you have determined that you are going to install a water feature within your landscaping check with your municipal building department for any special requirements and if a permit is required. Remember that water features are difficult to relocate and usually expensive to modify. Planning is the key to success.

For additional information on landscaping your home or other renovation projects, visit Renovation Headquarters.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Prudehome

Deck Patios in Your Dwellings Can Be Made to Look Unique

By Allan Wilson

Deck and patio awnings:

The roof like structure often made of canvas or plastic that serves as a shelter, as over a storefront, window, door, or deck. Take satisfaction in the instant dimness and add style and extra living space to your home, with a simple turn of the crank, you get safe pleasure of your deck, patio or terrace. You will get retractable patios for your houses and swimming pools. Mostly people get retractable awnings because they can use it in summers evening they can sit out and relax. Nowadays we get cheap awnings also in the market. The awnings are for people who like to sit in the backyard and keep jazzing. They can put up awnings in the backyard for the shelter from the sun’s rays. The ideal for patios awnings, deck awnings, terrace awnings, balcony awnings, and poolside awnings or over the grande retractable awning series features our largest awnings, which are often used in commercial awnings applications or for homes where a large expanse or projection is required. And our Mirage series retractable awning is great for smaller windows and doors.

Retractable awning:

The four level of retractable awning with various options giving you a wide selection which will provide shade on your deck or patio. The retractable awnings are given much extra importance and even used as a furnishing to enhance the look of a place. So they are not limited to roof covering and shelters. Instead of a customary shape and a dark hue they are given special cuts so that they look better. Mostly scallops are used for the edge designing. But in fashionable times more and more different cuts are made available. So that you have an exceptional look. Retractable awnings have automation in them so they rise and close at the push of a button. At the same time they can be manually installed. Sometimes awnings are even vertically hanged from a door. All you have to do is roll it up when you are through with the day or roll it down.

Deck Patio Ideas-Is your Home “Decked”-Up?

To make homes look interesting, different and unique there are several things which can be done. Architects, interior-decorators and common people are now trying to devise innovative ideas to spice-up homes. People are making even the most obscure corners of their homes look attractive with the help of various means. Thus one such area of homes which can be made to look strikingly wonderful is the deck patio.

How can the Deck Patio in your home look Beautiful?

The deck patios in your dwellings can be made to look unique by implementing the following ideas and means:

1) Deck patios can be made to look interesting by making decks out of different types of woods. The different types of woods which can be used for making attractive decks are redwood, Alaskan yellow cedar, white cedar, treated wood, iron wood, foreign wood, water-repellent wood, wood tiles and other exterior wood.

2) Deck patios can be made to look great by using vintage woodwork and rhino decks.

3) Decks can also be made of wooden composite decks and products like EZDeck, Trimax plastic lumber and timber deck can be used.

4) Beautiful patio decks can also be made of vinyl. Thus individuals can have vinyl decks, plastic lumber yard, rhino deck and new life decks.

5) Deck patios can look beautiful with brick work and brick tiles.

6) It is necessary that deck patios are made by taking the help of professional contractors who specialize in decks. They can offer many options, including integrating your deck with stone patios. They can also install electrical wiring for lights and heaters and can even run a gas line through the deck to an outdoor grill and/or piping to a portable kitchen.

7) It is also possible to outfit the patio with a barbecue grill.

Conclusion:

Deck patios must be built with strong and long-lasting materials even if they are expensive. A patio is the perfect place to unwind after a hard day’s work. It is also a great place to entertain guests. Deck patios are often overlooked part of the home. Thus they can be customized with furniture, plants, and decorative accents to become a restful haven. Irrespective of the style of homes, a patio will increase its value and would definitely be rewarding in many ways!

You now have your beautiful new deck but have you thought about deck furniture? If not pay a visit to:http://www.deckingfurniture.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allan_Wilson

Chinese Food - Anhui Cuisine

By Ada Cao

Auhui province is located in east China. Anhui cuisine, one of the eight major cuisines in China, features the local culinary arts of Huizhou, a city close to Huangshan Mountain, which is not only the most beautiful mountain in china, but also provides abundant products for dish cooking. The major ingredients in Anhui cuisine, such as stone frog, mushroom, bayberry, tea leaves, bamboo shoot, dates, pangolin, etc., are from mountain area.

One distinctive characteristic of Anhui cuisine is the elaborate choices of cooking materials. The chef uses fresh and high quality material to prepare dishes. Anhui dishes preserve most of the original taste and nutrition of the materials. Some of the Anhui dishes actually are also medicine cuisine, which it good to health. For example, Chukka has tender flesh and a sweet taste. It can be boiled in clear soup or braised in soy sauce. The dishes help relieve internal fever and build up vital energy. Huangshan bamboo shoots are tender and delicious; it can be made into very delicious food. Shitake is also very tasty, and it helps prevent cancer.

Anhui Cuisine chef were trained to master the art of the strict control of the temperature and the cooking process, which is the key to good taste and color of dishes.

Anhui Cuisine chefs are good at braising and stewing. They are experts especially in cooking delicacies from mountains and sea. Generally the food here is slightly spicy and salty. Some master dishes are usually stewed in brown sauce with stress on heavy oil and sauce. Chinese Ham is often added to improve the taste and sugar candy added to gain freshness.

My favorite Anhui dish is the Taros with Honey Juice, and it is really easy to make. Here is the recipe:

Materials:
1,000g red taros
200g honey
125g crystal sugar

1. Choose some orange-colored taros which have "sweated", wash, peel, chop into pieces which have two pointed ends.

2. Put a bamboo steamer in a casserole, add water and crystal sugar, when the sugar melts, put in the taros and honey and simmer for one hour.

3. When the juice has boiled down, transfer the taros to a plate and pour on the juice.

Ada Cao is the editor of http://www.orientalshoppingmall.com/, the portal for the best Asian and oriental goods such as Asian Food grocery, oriental rugs, oriental furnishing, and many other Asian style home decor items. She also writes articles for http://www.jewelrywise.com/, a website that helps consumers to save money on jewelry.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ada_Cao

Chinese New Year - A Great Idea For A Dinner Party

By Indra Books

What a great theme for a party with not a lot of expense. DonÂ’t be deterred by the fact that Chinese New Year is not always on a weekend. I know it is hard to believe but people actually socialize Sunday through Thursday nights too. A party doesnÂ’t have to be on a weekend. Just keep it light and inviting.

What do you need? Friends, Food & Drink, Chinese Dishes, Chopsticks, Lanterns or Luminaries and Party Favors.

How to execute? (Remember our basic entertaining rule – always plan and have a list):

Guests: Make your guest list. We recommend that you keep the gathering small. 10 close friends who arenÂ’t intimidated by a Wenesdayd night social event work well. However, when you have a small gathering, it is important that every person attend so it doesnÂ’t look like you have no-shows. Make sure you get RSVP's. If your friends are reliable email users, use http://www.evite.com/ and select the Chinese New Year themed invitation. If not, send out paper invitations 3 weeks in advance and follow up with a phone call.

Food: Find a local dim sum restaurant. Do not attempt this cooking yourself. If there isnÂ’t one, use your local Chinese restaurant and order appetizers. Call ahead and ask them to fax you a menu or drop by and get one. While you are chatting, find out how far in advance they need the order and inquire about pickup vs delivery. Allow extra time if you are having it delivered.

Small Group (10-12 people): Choose 4-5 items and make sure you order enough pieces for each guest. Large Group: Choose 6-8 items and order ½ the number of pieces as you have guests.

Order one or two sweet pastries using the same rule for number of pieces.

Beverage: If you are concerned about it being a “school night” even though we told you to get over that, serve Chinese tea. If not, serve Chinese beer or select one Asian-influenced mixed drink. This is not the occasion to stock the full bar.

Supplies and Decorations: Take a trip to Chinatown and pick up chopsticks, dishes, cups, lanterns or luminaries and little party gifts for your guests. DonÂ’t want to go to Chinatown? Shop from the comfort of your computer (or call us of course). Pearl River Mart in NYC has everything you will need and you can shop via internet if you aren't in NYC. HOWEVER, make a list first. It is easy to get carried away and buy things you donÂ’t need.

Lanterns range in price from $3 each up to $20. Make sure you have a place to hang them without starting a construction project. An alternative is a string of lights that have paper lantern globes on them. Luminaries are also great. Whatever you decide, you want candle or mood lighting for your party. Be creative but use Asian influences.

Chopsticks: Again, donÂ’t get carried away. If you are not a regular chopstick user then donÂ’t buy $5/pair sticks. You can get them in packs of 10 for $2.50 and they come in all different colors and shapes.>br?
Tableware: If you are picking up the dim sum or appetizers right before the party, then you can serve them on platters/dishes or if the restaurant provided nice containers serve from the containers with chopsticks although we donÂ’t recommend this method. If you are purchasing earlier in the day, you might want to invest in one or two tiered bamboo steamers. They run about $7 each. Otherwise, get some nice Chinese/Asian serving plates (square or oval).

Then you need dishes for your guests. This is very basic. Plates, tea cups if serving tea and dishes for sauces. Pearl River Mart has several different designs that come in melamine (approx $4/person for a whole set), which looks nice, doesnÂ’t break and is dishwasher safe. It is less expensive than buying china or ceramic. However, if you eat a lot of Chinese food in a structured setting (take out on Sat night does not count) then you might want to invest in the real thing.

Favors for your Guests: This is Chinese New Year and not a regular dinner party, so party favors are appropriate. Again, check out your local Asian stores for inexpensive trinkets. Again, it is CNY so ticky tacky gifts are OK. This is fun, not a gift to the visiting Ambassador from China. Put them in Asian style mini-gift bags or take away containers. Pearl River Mart has a whole section of CNY paraphernalia. I found a ton of Asian-themed items for $1 each at Target a few months ago. You just never know where your party favors will be. Keep your eyes open.

The budget (112-195 if starting from scratch):
Decorations: $10-30
Tableware: $30-50
Beverage: $2-20
Food: $50-75
Gifts: $20

If you donÂ’t want to spend that much on a party, here are some ways to cut the budget:

Find a paper store that sells square small plates in paper. Select a pattern that is plain red or black or select some other style. Use Asian style. Use Christmas lights instead of buying luminaries. Maked luminaries. Make gifts. Noni paper gifts. Non-alcoholic beverages are always cheaper than alcohol.

And now it is time to celebrate!(This article is not intended to be a how to for an actual Chinese New Year celebration. It is just a fun party idea for those who are bored with the traditional sit down dinner or cocktail party.)

Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The companyÂ’s creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE Go 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net/
© 2004 Indra A Books, ON THE GO 4 U.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Indra_Books

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

by Hugh Harris-Evans

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.

When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make a plan. The biggest mistake that people make when planning a pond waterfall is to err on the large side. For a pond measuring 12 ft x 14 ft you should think in terms of a fall of 18-24 inches. The width of the waterfall should be in proportion to the size of your pond. The important point is to make sure that the scale of your construction fits in with the surrounding features and does not spoil the balance of your overall garden design.

The next question that has to be answered is the type of construction you wish to use. There are two basic choices. You can either use a liner and place rocks to form the fall or you can save yourself the trouble and buy a Fiberglas unit. Either way you will still have to use your shovel to form the site of the waterfall.

The other requirement is a pump which will be sited in the pool to transport the water to the top of your waterfall. The size of pump that you will need depends on the height and width of the waterfall and also the length of pipe from the pump to the top of the fall. Once you have finalized your plans, consult your dealer and he will be able to supply you with the correct pump.

To maintain a healthy pond environment with crystal clear water usually involves installing a biological filter. Again your dealer will be able to advise you as to the correct type and size. The filter should be placed at the top of the waterfall so that the water is cleaned before issuing out on to the fall.

Once you have assembled all the equipment it is time to get out your shovel. If your site is level and the soil from excavation of your pond is nearby this can be used as the mound on which to place the waterfall. If you are using a liner you first dig out the channel and then fit the liner. Next place the rocks so that the water can flow over them. It is helpful if you observe a natural waterfall to give you some ideas as to how the rocks can be placed for the greatest effect. Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, use black waterfall foam to seal the rocks to ensure that the water flows over and around them and not underneath. If you have chosen to use a Fiberglas pre-formed model, you will avoid the problem of placing the rocks and will just have to dig out sufficient soil to allow you to fit the unit.

To complete the installation fit the pump, filter and hose and connect to the electricity supply. Providing all is working to your satisfaction, now is the time to relax and enjoy your handiwork.

If you have read this far and are wondering whether it would be just too much like hard work, then consider this. Water soothes and relaxes, inspires reflection, and is a source of beauty. A cascading, bubbling stream adds interest and serenity to the garden, while a waterfall can create a dramatic centerpiece. Building a pond waterfall really is worth the effort.

Hugh Harris-Evans is the owner of The Garden Supplies Advisor where you will find further articles, gardening tips and product reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hugh_Harris-Evans

Flower Garden in Urban Environment

By Kenneth Elliott

Small Flower Garden planning in a urban environment involves planning in a scarce environment. That is why it's important to know what to look for in that nook, niche, or corner. When creating that secret flower garden there are a few things to keep in mind.

First thing to consider in creating a flower garden is the choice of earth on which to begin your task. The Flower garden will have to be simply a suitable plot with suitable conditional. When you don't have much room at all the basic choice becomes no presence of earths bounty or a neatly organized small plot on which to produce the flowers and food you desire.

What kind of spot are you looking for for your flower garden? In the higher order of wants and needs, sun needs to be your deciding factor of spots. You don't want to maintain a north plot, unless it were absolutely forced to you. Why? Because of too much sun light. Now a northern exposure might be okay for certain strong strains of flowers in your flower garden or perhaps ferns, they are really not much use as spots for a domestic flower garden.

Now, the right conditions would be a plot with southern exposure, if you can get it. Here the sun lies cozy all day. Once you've identified the plot and begin to plan out how it will be planted, your rows of vegetables and flowers should run north and south. Planting your flower garden this way will allow your plants to bask in the loving warmth of the sun all morning on the eastern part and all the afternoon on the western side. Enjoy your new flower garden!

Kenneth Elliott is the owner of Flower Garden, Japanese Garden and Designer Handbags websites. Discover your gardening skills today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_Elliott

Chinese Cooking Technique: Thicken

By Helen Fan

“Thicken”, or “Thickening” is a very common technique used in both Chinese restaurants and household kitchens. It is very easy to prepare, but if not used properly, can really mess up the presentation. Below is a brief description of “Thickening”. You can learn more about other Chinese cooking techniques in the Techniques section of our website.

Technique: Thicken

Thicken, or thickening, refers to the use of cornstarch as a part of the process of preparing a Chinese dish. Cornstarch is a very commonly used condiment in Chinese cooking. When used properly, it can really make your presentation stand out. Below are two important pointers:

Follow the recipe as given. Too much cornstarch can make the dish too pasty. Too little would make it too thin. After cooking a particular dish the first time, you can use the original recipe as a guide to increase or decrease the amount of cornstarch to add to your dish to your liking the next time (even though we are confident that you’ll love the recipes we have on our website :).
Watch the timing and stir appropriately. Do not add cornstarch (and water) until the dish is cooked. You must also stir gently and quickly once it is added to the dish, as it tends lump up if not stirred immediately.

Pretty simple, right? Now, you can check out our recipes section and find a recipe to practice it on (wink).

Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/
You can learn more about other Chinese cooking techniques at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/techniques/techniques.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Fan

A Beginners Guide to Chinese Cookery

By Liz Canham

Introduction

When I first ate Chinese food in the UK in the 1970's, it was really quite unappealing. Everything came in a gloopy sauce and seemed to taste the same, due to the overuse of monosodium glutamate, supposedly a flavour enhancer but in reality, nothing of the kind. Then in the 1980's a new breed of Chinese restaurant arrived (at least it took that long to reach the provinces) which provided lighter, tastier Chinese cooking demonstrating regional differences. There was one drawback, however, which was that this new type of restaurant was much more expensive than the original cheap tasteless ones. Consequently, I thought how nice it would be to cook Chinese food at home but I had no idea where to start until BBC TV came to my rescue in the shape of Ken Hom, the USA-born chef of Cantonese parents.

Ken presented Chinese cuisine in such an easily-understandable way, demonstrating techniques and suggesting alternative ingredients should the originals not be available in your local supermarket. The book which accompanied the series, Ken HomÂ’s Chinese Cookery became my bible and I still have my copy, pages stained with oil drips and smears of sauce.

To help you on your way to cooking Chinese food at home, IÂ’m going to briefly describe the basic equipment, ingredients and techniques which you need to know so that you can produce some simple and tasty dishes. I hope you enjoy the article and that it inspires you to get cooking!

Equipment

Although there are many implements and pieces of equipment you can buy, to start on the road to cooking your own Chinese food, you really only need a good knife or two and a wok. Woks come in all shapes and sizes, they can be non-stick, flat-bottomed, they can even be electric these days but I still prefer my old carbon steel wok with its rounded bottom and one wooden handle. This is a Pau wok. These are readily available in Chinese supermarkets and are much less expensive than other varieties. There is one important task though, before you will be ready to cook with such a wok and that is to season it. You will need to scrub it with a cream cleaner to remove any residues of machine oil and dry it carefully. Put the wok on the hob over a low heat. Rub the inside of the wok with two tablespoons of cooking oil using kitchen towel. Let the wok heat slowly for 10 to 15 minutes then wipe the inside with more kitchen towel. The paper will come away black. Carry on coating, heating and cleaning off until the kitchen towel comes away clean. Your wok is now ready to use. After use, wash only in water without detergent and dry thoroughly over a low heat. You may also apply a little oil if you wish. This should prevent the wok from rusting but if it does develop rust, just scrub and season again.

As well as the wok, you will need a wok stand, particularly if you have an electric hob. This keeps the wok stable if you are using it for braising or deep frying.

You will also need something to stir with – any spatula, slice or slotted spoon will do – metal for a metal wok and plastic or wooden for a non-stick wok.

Ingredients
Before you rush out and buy up the whole Chinese section at the supermarket, bear in mind that some ingredients donÂ’t keep well if left unused. Just select something simple from your chosen cookery book and buy the things that you need for that then you can expand your selection as you progress through different dishes.

Some common store-cupboard ingredients that you will almost certainly need are dark and light soy sauce, some sort of cooking oil and sesame oil, cornflour and rice wine or sherry. For more information, see my article Chinese Cooking - Ingredients and Equipment.

Techniques

Stir-Frying

The most well known Chinese cooking technique is stir-frying. This is where your wok comes into its own as itÂ’s shape and size (at least 14 inches diameter with deep sides) is ideal for quick cooking. The secret to successful stir-frying is to have all your ingredients ready in advance.

Meat should be cut according to the recipe but normally in thin strips. Vegetables likewise but in any event should be of similar shapes and sizes to ensure even cooking. Long thin vegetables such as spring onions, carrots or asparagus are often cut on the diagonal so that more surface area is exposed for quicker cooking. Measure out sauce ingredients - check the recipe - if they are all added to the dish at the same time, you can put them all in one small bowl. If cornflour is included, donÂ’t forget to give it a good stir before adding to the other food.

Once you have everything prepared, heat your wok until it is very hot then add oil and using your chosen stirring implement ensure that the oil is evenly distributed over the surface of the wok. Before you add your ingredients. the wok should be so hot that it is almost smoking - this will prevent the food from being greasy. The exception to this is if you are flavouring your oil with chili, chilli, spring onions, ginger or salt - these will burn if the oil is too hot.

Now add your other ingredients in the order stated in the recipe and toss them over the surface of the wok ensuring that nothing rests in one place for too long and moving the food from the centre of the wok to the sides. I suggest that you wear an apron or other protective clothing for this operation as the food often spits due to the high temperature it is cooked at.

Deep Frying
You can use your wok for deep frying but be very careful that it is safely balanced on its stand. Under no circumstances leave it unattended. Deep frying in a wok uses less oil than a deep fryer or saucepan but you may find these safer and easier to use.

When deep frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough before adding ingredients or the food will end up very greasy. Test it by dropping in a small piece of prepared food or a cube of bread. If the oil bubbles up around what you dropped in then itÂ’s hot enough.

Make sure that food to be deep fried is dried thoroughly on kitchen paper or drained of its marinade before cooking otherwise it will spit.

Shallow Frying
This is the same as the Western technique. Fry food on one side, then the other and drain off any excess oil before adding sauce ingredients. A normal frying pan is fine for this.

Steaming
Steaming is widely used in Chinese cookery. You can use a bamboo steamer in a wok, a heat-proof plate placed on a rack in a wok or other large pan or you can use a normal European steamer.

If using a bamboo steamer or plate in a wok, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Put your rack into the wok (if the bamboo steamer is big enough and will sit on the sides of the wok without being in the water, you donÂ’t need a rack) and balance your plate or steamer of food on it. Put the lid on your steamer or wok and check occasionally to see if the water needs topping up (use water which is already hot).

Whichever method you use, make sure that the food is above the water level and isnÂ’t getting wet.

Braising
As with Western cooking, braising is used for tougher cuts of meat and involves gentle cooking of meat and/or vegetables in flavoured stock. Red-braising is the technique where food is braised in a dark liquid such as soy sauce which gives the food a red/brown colour. This type of braising sauce can be frozen and re-used.

Liz Canham

As well as a love of Asian cooking and travel as you can see in her Asian Food and Cookery http://www.lizebiz.com/asian-food
and TravellersÂ’ Tales http://www.travellers-tales.lizebiz.com websites, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz.com website http://www.lizebiz.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Canham

8 Chinese New Year Food Symbols for Happiness, Prosperity and

by Liow Kah Joon

"Lucky" Chinese New Year symbols are an important part of celebrating the Spring Festival. Afterall, it is the start of spring -- a perfect time to have your New Year wishes come true! And what better way to usher in happiness, prosperity and health than to enjoy "auspicious food" with family and friends?

Here are the Top 8 auspicious food symbols for Chinese New Year.

These delicious dishes are served during the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's eve with family members.

For a comphrensive list and description of more Chinese New Year dishes and delicacies, visit:

http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-new-year-symbols.html.

And if you'll like to do some cooking yourself, here are some Chinese New Year recipes:

http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-new-year-recipes.html

Top 8 Auspicious Food Symbols for Chinese New Year

1. Hot Pot

A steaming hot pot (or chinese fondue) with meat, seafood and vegetables) is a must. Huo3 in hot pot huo3 guo3 火锅 is the same word as Huo3 in hong2 huo3 红火 "prosperous and booming".

2. Fish

Another must-have dish if you want to experience abundance in the new year. Fish yu2 鱼 is the most popular dish served during Chinese New Year. In Chinese fish has the same sound as "surplus" and "abundance" 余. A whole fish is served on Chinese New Year's eve for the reunion dinner. Usually the fish is steamed. It is a good omen to leave the bones and head and tail intact. This symbolizes surplus/abundance and a good beginning and end in the new year. Best served whole.

3. Shrimp

Shrimp xia1 虾 in Mandarin and ha in Cantonese sounds like someone laughing. Eat shrimp for happiness and well-being.

4. Boiled dumplings

A Chinese New Year tradition is eating boiled dumplings. These are shaped like gold ingots. Dumplings jiao3 zi 饺子 sounds like jiao1 zi3 交子which means the hour of transition into the New Year. Hence, in northern China, dumplings filled with meat are eaten on Chinese New Year's eve to usher in good luck and wealth in the New Year. Sometimes a coin is placed in one of the dumplings. Whoever bites on it will have plenty of wealth in the new year. When dumplings and yellow noodles are cooked together they mean "golden threads through gold ingots". In the eastern cities of China, like Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou, egg dumplings are eaten as they look like gold ingots.

5. Oyster

Hao2 sounds like hao3 shi4 好事 which means "good things". In southern China, it is served with thin rice noodles.

6. Green vegetables

For close family ties, serve some greens. Qing1 cai4 青菜 sounds like qing1 亲 as in qin1 re 亲热 mea ning "close/intimate"

7. Sticky rice cake

Nian2 gao1 年糕. Nian2 means year and cake gao1 sounds the same as high gao1 高. So eating this steamed cake made of rice flour and topped with red dates has the meaning of attaining greater prosperity and rank in the new year.

8. Noodles

Known as chang2 shou4 mian4 长寿面 meaning "longevity noodles".

A wish for good fortune -- Good Luck, Prosperity, Longevity, Happiness and Abundance -- is central to the Chinese way of life.

Even more so during Chinese New Year!

For a guide to auspicious Chinese symbols and the culture of

http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com. It's guaranteed to expand your world, enhance your lifestyle and enable you to speak better Chinese!

Soyabean Curd Recipe - TooFu Fa

by Edwin Lim

Every morning, I would get out of my bed and gear myself up with jogging equipment to a nearby preserved hill for a morning jog with my girlfriend. After jogging around the hill and coming down from it (which take me aout 45 minutes) at this time there'll be a truck (mobile hawker) selling soyabean curd - TooFu Fa - along the driveway up the hill. I love the texture of smoothness of TooFu Fa with the sweetness of palm sugar syrup. It's delicious and light, great for breakfast or supper. This got me thinking, how about making my own TooFu Fa? That'll be nice. So I beg my heart out to get the below recipe from a friend who owns a Chinese restaurant.

Ingredients to prepare:

3 cups soyabeans, soak for at least 6 hours
a bunch pandan leaves
3 tbsp tapioca/corn flour
1 tbsp gymsum powder (calcium sulphate)

Syrup:
300 g palm sugar
a bunch pandan leaves

instruction to make TooFu Fa:

Separate soaked soyabean into 3 batches, add equal amount of water and grind till fine. Squeeze out all liquid with a piece of muslin cloth into a measuring jar, mix in more water to the paste if necessary to make total 2 liters milk. To make soyabean milk the exact amount of water added is not so important. Put the milk in a large pot filling just about 1/3, add some pandan leaves. Remove foam when necessary and bring to boil for just a few minutes. It tends to foam and overflow, so make sure the fire is low and you're there watching the cooking process! The milk is not ready. (proceed to making syrup, serve hot with syrup or leave in fridge to cool).

To make soyabean curd. Put starch and gypsum powder into a measuring jar and mix with a cup of water, pour in 1-1/2 liters of hot soyabean milk and let stand for 10 minutes to set. Set the remaining milk aside.

To make syrup, simply melt palm sugar with a little water. a bunch of pandan leaves, and filter into a bowl. To serve, simply scoop bean curd into a bowl, add a little syrup (you could add a little soyabean milk in it too). Best eaten hot.

About the author: Edwin Lim is a freelance copywriter and writer who lives in Malaysia. He writes on tips and articles at http://webblogerz.com. Go read.

Sauted Eggs with Pork (Mu Xu Rou)

by Jacklyn Chen

Mu Xu Pork is a kind of dish served by rolling it into very thin pancakes (Mu Xu pancakes) after frying eggs, pork and other Chinese vegetables. This is a very tasty Northern dish in China and favored by most families. It tastes the best when served with pancakes along with the special sweet seafood sauce (known as Hoysing (Cantonese) sauce in America, though it really should be called Hai Xian sauce you meant to say it in Chinese); it is also favored by many people as a side dish when eating with rice or congee. It is full of unique fragrance. Adding enough chopped raw scallions when you eat can bring out the best flavor. Of course, depending on your preference, you may replace the pork with other meats like shrimps, chicken, beef, etc., or cook it without any meat to make it a vegetable Mu Xu. But traditionally when we talk about Mu Xu Rou in China, pork is always the king.

Ingredients:

a). For step 1:
120g (4 oz.) pork
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cooking wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 stalk green onion
2 dried mushrooms (soaked)
6 cloud ears
1 slice ginger
1 bamboo shoot
1/3 bunch spinach

b). For step 2:
3 eggs
dash of salt
3 tablespoons oil

c). For step 3:
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
dash of monosodium glutamate

Method:

1. Shred meat, marinate and mix with cornstarch. Shred mushrooms and bamboo shoot. Cut spinach in 4 cm (2") pieces. Slice green onion. Soak cloud ears in water.

2. Fry eggs - Beat eggs slightly, add salt. Heat oil until hot and quickly scramble eggs. Set aside.

3. Heat oil. Add and fry in order: green onion, ginger, meat, bamboo shoot, mushroom, cloud ears, and spinach. Blend in seasoning. Pour in scrambled eggs, mix quickly and serve hot.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Nutritional information:
Each serving provides:
Calories: 301
Protein: 13.2 g

About the author:Jacklyn Chen - Webmaster of news-blogs.com'>http://www.news-blogs.com">news-blogs.com. She is a full-time mom who works very hard to make living with multiple web sites. For gifts and shopping, visit holidays.news-blogs.com'>http://holidays.news-blogs.comholidays.news-blogs.com

An Autumn Garden for Halloween

by Nikki Phipps

There's no better time to enjoy the spectacular beauty that nature has to offer than during the autumn season. This is an ideal occasion for entertaining friends and family, especially around Halloween. Why not take advantage of all the vibrant colors and stimulating textures that autumn provides by creating a garden themed around this exciting holiday.

Halloween parties provide a great opportunity to bring the bountiful harvest from the garden indoors; or better yet, invite guests out into the garden instead. Bathe the garden or patio with soft lights. Set autumn or Halloween-colored votive candles inside small jars or glasses and place them on terra cotta saucers adorned with colorful leaves. These charming, little lanterns can be used as attractive centerpieces for tables or scattered throughout the garden.

Pumpkins are an absolute must for decorating a Halloween garden. Create a variety of Jack-O'-Lanterns and spread them throughout the surrounding landscape. Light them up with candles. You could also choose to hollow out varieties of pumpkin, gourd, and even squash to use as festive containers for cut-flower arrangements. Fill them with various mums, Chinese lanterns, stems having berries attached, sunflowers, dried peppers, twigs, etc. Wicker harvest baskets also make lovely containers. Gather a few bales of hay or straw, add some corn stalks and pumpkins, and accent with Indian corn and small decorative gourds. For additional interest, you could cover tables with old burlap sacks. Create cozy seating around these tables; or perhaps, self-contained, rock fire pits.

Autumn-themed gardens are generally rich with colors such as crimson, gold, dark green, and burnt orange. These beautiful colors result from a variety of flowers, foliage, berries and seed heads. In keeping with a traditional Halloween theme, there are several ways to accomplish a spook-tacular garden. If you desire, your focus can be centered on orange and black. However, too much dark color can result in making the garden dull and unappealing. Your goal is to achieve an inviting atmosphere. Good choices for adding orange color might include zinnias, marigolds, tiger lilies, Gerber daisies, poppies, and butterfly weed. Near-black beauties could include a variety of tulips and irises. Don't forget to throw in some orange and black-colored pansies as well.

Keep in mind, however, that a Halloween theme does not need to be limited to just these colors. Flowers that are deep maroon can also help set off your Halloween effect. Look for these shades in favorite varieties of cosmos, bachelor buttons, or snapdragons. Complimentary colors such as orange mums and purple asters can add additional interest. Mix in some gray or blue grasses.

Likewise, try implementing some dark maroon roses in the garden; allow them to climb along an old iron trellis. Place stone benches in various areas for seating, allowing different views, and maybe a nearby water basin to wash away troubles. Additionally, you might want to include plants that have creepy names such as devil's tongue, blood lily, spider orchid, bat plant, bleeding heart, bloodroot, etc.

Did you know that at one time having certain plants within your garden made you guilty of being a witch? Many types of herbs, weeds, and flowers were once considered to be used solely by witches for making up magical potions and spells. Some of these included Hellebores, lavender, poppies, dandelions, and even ferns. Foxglove, known also as witches thimbles, and yarrow, referred to as devil's nettle, are also commonly grown plants in many gardens today that have a ghoulish connection with witchcraft.

Just for fun you might consider designing a witch's garden filled with various herbs. These gardens are generally circular in shape as it was once believed a sacred symbol by witches. Plant rows of red beauties around the perimeter of the garden. Red blooms were said to keep out evil doers. Try geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, red spider lilies, or firecracker flowers.

On the other hand, if you're wishing to ward off a witch, try a order filled with vibrant yellows and rich greens. There are many varieties of flowers such as marigolds, sunflowers, green zinnias, etc. and foliage plants such as hostas, ornamental grasses, or evergreens that will achieve this effect easily. Within the witch's garden you may find an array of native plants.

Add further interest and drama by incorporating ornamental plants as well. Enhance your theme with various features such as gargoyles, toadstool ornaments, roomsticks, and small cauldrons. Allow these objects to crawl out from beneath or behind plants to create an air of mystery.

An autumn garden can easily be designed to fit a Halloween theme. With only a dash of imagination and a few Halloween-related props, you can create an autumn garden that will amaze your family, friends, and neighbors. Happy Halloween.


About the author:
This article was written by Nikki Phipps and was sponsored by DareToScare.com .

Where Orchids Originally Came From

by Orchid Geeks

Where did orchids originate? One may as well ask where man originated, for like man, the ubiquitous orchid is found on nearly every continent in nearly every climate. Also like man, the orchid has a myriad varieties and forms - so many that one botanist has stated, "There is no such thing as a typical orchid."

There are over 30,000 varieties of orchid not including man-made hybrids. Most people think of orchids as tropical plants, but there are mentions of orchids in Chinese writings as early as 500 B.C. In the Western world, the Greek botanist Theophrastus mentioned Orchis in manuscripts around 300 B.C. An Aztec herbal dating from the 1600's mentions vanilla, a type of orchid. From
Egypt to the Americas, from the South Seas to the mountains of Switzerland, there are native varieties of orchids that grow in the woods, the rain forests, the mountains and even the seashore.

The modern day history of orchid cultivation, however, begins in the 1880's when William Cattley of England received a shipment of ornamental plants from the Brazilian jungles. The plants were packed in bulbs of another plant for protection, and out of curiosity, Cattley placed one of those plants into his glass house (what we now call a green house). That plant was the Cattleya labiata orchid - the plant that most people think of as the 'orchid'.

Some of the most enchanting members of the orchid family are far less showy. The delicate lady slipper and brightly colored Calypso fairy slipper are found in the Northern woods from New England through Canada, and the Thai spider (bulbophyllum medusae) with its mane of 'hair' grows in the lowlands of Thailand. To learn more about orchids and other plants please visit www.orchidgeeks.com

About the author:
OrchidGeeks.com is a leading authority in orchid information, http://www.orchidgeeks.com Join a community of fellow orchid enthusiasts today!