Roof leaking? Rain drops keep falling on
your head?
Look at your roof as a hat for your house.
If it is not keeping out the weather,
water, wind, sun and snow, several things
are going to happen, and none of them
are "a good thing." Just like when your
head gets wet, and you catch a cold, most
likely you are going to get sick. Same
thing with your house. Everything under
that roof subjected to the elements stands
a good chance of getting sick.
The first thing affected is the membrane
itself - the shingles, tiles, wood shakes,
and even slate. Damaged roofing itself
perpetuates the problem, infecting the
rest of the roof. Then of course the wood
supporting the roof, the insulation below
that, and on and on.
What can you do to avoid a very costly
project? Have your roof inspected, ask
for a certification, (this gives you an
idea of how many years are left before
you have to replace the roof).
Things to look for that indicate damage
to your roof - gutters full of particles
off the shingles, pieces of shingles in
the shrubs or around the perimeter of
the house. Visibly check the roof from
the ground, see any obvious damage, broken
tiles or slate, shingles missing. If your
roof is too high to see with the naked
eye, use binoculars, or a telescope. This
should drive the neighbors nuts trying
to figure out what you are looking at.
Just don't point. I can see the six o'clock
news, UFOs spotted in Smalltown, USA.
Other indications you have a problem can
be found inside the house. Look around
in the attic, look for any water marks,
check the insulation. Is it damp or matted?
Pay particular attention to areas that
would be flashed such as a chimney, skylight
or plumbing vents. Sometimes the flashing
drys out or becomes damaged and can be
the start of a potential problem.
What to do to keep your roof healthy?
Make sure the roof is vented properly,
either ridge vent or a fan. Check insulation
installation to avoid condensation build
up, this destroys from the inside. Trim
or prune any overhanging branches that
rub against the roof, clean out gutters
each season. Have a licensed contractor
do any repairs or new installation, and
be sure you have a certificate of insurance
in your hands before they start work.
Roof
maintenance products
Quick Links...
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Happy
Spring, green is good, not just in your
wallet, but in your yard too!
 This is my very favorite season. Every time
this year my mother used to say, "Just
when you think winter will never end,
along comes a daffodil popping its
head up through the snow." It is such
a joy to see the transformation from
dormant winter, when all is sleeping,
to the bursts of color as spring commences.
Sit quietly and listen to the birds
all jockey for living space or food.
Let the warmth of the sun burrow into
your skin, close your eyes and travel
to a spring from your past. Maybe
the one where you first fell in love,
or the one where you grew up and lost
your innocence. Maybe the birth of
a child is the one you remember the
most.
This spring is a very special one
for us, along with the transition
from the dreary winter months to the
anticipation of warmer days, we will
have a new sprout on our family tree.
What could be more wonderful than
that? We have it all going on in 2005
- a new arrival, a new planting season,
and a new year to accomplish things.
Spring is a busy and happy time for
folks, so let's get started with some
maintenance tips, gardening advice,
recipes and more good news.
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What's that smell? |
Have you ever seen the ads
for air purifiers on TV? Four
easy payments of $39.95 and
it's yours. So now you have
another contraption that blends
in with your motif like a turd
in a punch bowl. Now of course
you will have to clean the filter
every so often, and it does
use electricity. Or visit the
local grocery store and load
up on "Can o' smell." You pick
the flavor... lime, evergreen
or eucalyptus. All it takes
is a glance around and any visitor
will be able to tell you don't
have a lime, evergreen, or eucalyptus
tree sprouting out of any pot
in your house. Who are you fooling?
You, Stevie Wonder, and maybe
the dog.
Let's consider another option;
houseplants, hello, they take
in carbon dioxide and give off
oxygen. They look good, require
minimum work from us, and clean
the air. Some plants are aromatic
and make the place smell good.
Some suggestions for locating
house plants are kitchen, bathroom,
and sleeping rooms. Until summer
rolls around and we can open
the windows with abandon, plants
are a good option.
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Wow, I didn't know we still had
that! |
Spring cleaning can be just
a little dusting around here
and there, or can mean a complete
"root canal." That's where you
get everything out in the light
and kiss some treasures bye-bye.
Here is the hard part; if they
are your treasures of course
they are priceless, irreplaceable,
or promised to a next of kin
to be handed down to following
generations. Get a grip, things
have got to go - now! I read
an interesting anecdote that
sums this situation up very
succinctly. Henry David Thoreau
tells a story of a local farmer
passing on to his great reward.
An auction was arranged to sell
off his lifetime possessions
that had been gathering dust
in the old barn, so folks could
take purchased items back to
their barn to collect dust until
they died.
So what to do, have you noticed
my hesitation to proceed? As
soon as I tell everyone how
to eliminate the clutter in
the garage, attic, basement
or trunk of the car, guess what,
I will be hounded to do as I
have said. So let's take the
plunge together, like a twelve
step program to free us of our
addiction. I am going to do
this, take everything out of
the garage and spread it out
on the driveway. If any offers
above a dollar come from any
passerby for any item I forgot
I still had, it goes. Anything
I can't remember why I am keeping,
goes. Anything they do not have
a category for on Ebay, goes.
Duplicate tools, unused sporting
goods, items that are alike
but not identical twins, goes.
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Pumpkin Cake / Recipe by Zina
Dimirkow |
This is a traditional recipe
from Zina Dimirkow. She has
contributed to a cookbook being
published through St. Andrews
Orthodox Church. For more information
on the purchase of one of these
great cookbooks contact Marilyn
Nunnally at 410-442-1647.
Pumpkin Cake
Beat together:
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine first and then add:
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
Mix well and add 2 cups of pumpkin
(1 small can)
1 cup of chopped pecans
Pour into a greased 13x9 inch
pan and bake at 350 degrees
for approx. 45 to 60 minutes,
and let cool.
If the spirit moves you add
this topping:
1 stick of margarine or butter
(softened)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 box of confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Beat at high speed, then smear
over the cake. There are several
recipes in the book, anyone
with Russian or Slavic roots
would enjoy cooking what their
ancestors enjoyed several years
ago.
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