Lessons learned about wealth

On the drive back home after the weekend on the farm, the father asked his son what lessons he learned.

He was speechless when the boy replied that the time on the farm showed him how incredibly poor they were. “What are you talking about?” asked the father.

The teenager replied, “Well, dad, we have one dog — they have five.”

“We have a swimming pool — they have a river.”

“We buy our supplies at Whole Foods — they grow their own.”

“We have a massive Flat Screen TV — they enjoy each other’s company around the dinner table.”

“We have the city lights — they have the spectacular moon and the stars.”

“We have the world — they have God.”

In a nutshell

The teenager taught his father a few essential lessons. After that weekend, the father realized that he had it all wrong.

Money does not bring wealth.

Instead, relationships with family, friends and God bring true wealth.

True wealth is not of the pocket but of the heart and of the mind. – Kevin Gates

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Singapore’s solution for burial space

The Singapore government introduced Columbariums after using force to demolish family tombs. People place the urns holding the ashes of cremated loved ones in the Columbariums. Families who prefer traditional burials have the graves for only 15 years. After that, they dig the remains up for cremation to make space for other burials.

Hong Kong burial sites are expensive

The Hong Kong government uses celebrities and pop stars in marketing campaigns to convince people to choose cremation over the traditional grave burials. Reportedly, burial site prices in Hong Kong are the highest per square foot compared to any other real estate.

Japan changed traditional burial rituals

Japanese officials recognized the clash between religious rituals and environmental needs as far back as the 1970s. After experimenting with several innovative solutions, some temples settled on tree burials around 1999. Instead of the vast traditional cemeteries with massive tombstones and stone markers, they made peace with environmentalists in an unorthodox way.

When their loved ones die, people have them cremated and then bury the ashes during a tree burial ceremony. In the new ritual, they plant a tree over the buried ashes to mark the gravesite. Instead of a large cemetery, they do this in small parks that already have some trees. Although Buddhism is the religion of the majority in Japan, many others also adopted the tree burial ceremonies.

The people of Japan were not ready to scatter the ashes of their loved ones and have no way to visit them afterward. Now, there is a particular tree where people can perform their religious rituals the same way they did at gravesites for centuries.

Variations of the tree burials in Japan include temples choosing a single large tree under which they allocate individual spaces to bury ashes. Similarly, others have established Columbariums around single trees where people can place the ashes of their loved ones. Tree burials are growing in popularity in Japan.

How will American cities deal with the lack of cemetery space?

An increasing number of U.S. people and other countries with similar religious institutions are doubtful of the traditional funeral encumbrances and rituals. They are starting to question the embalmed bodies put on display. Furthermore, people spend thousands of dollars on caskets and tombstones to reflect the deceased’s social status.

In a nutshell

Adapting burial rituals does not mean a move away from religion. Instead, it underscores the versatility of traditional spiritual practices and religious rituals to include social and environmental factors without losing the fundamental anchors of religions.

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Let’s look at the American Society for Nutrition information about some of the science behind superfoods.

What makes spices superfoods?

Research proved that spices do much more than improving food flavors. You could maintain a healthy blood pressure level by including spices and herbs in your diet. Researchers from Texas Tech University and Penn State University studied how incorporating mixed spices and herbs affects the risks of Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs). These diseases are prevalent in people with unhealthy lifestyles that include unhealthy diets, smoking and physical inactivity.

For the study, 71 people participated in a four-week program with controlled measures of herbs and spices included in their diets. The first week’s diet had 6.6 grams per day, 3.3 grams in the second week and 0.5 grams per day in the third week. Analyzing the cholesterol and blood sugar tests on those diets showed no differences when compared to pre-study tests. However, the diet of the fourth week included approximately 1.5 teaspoons of herbs and spices per day. It was considerably more than the first three weeks. The result clearly indicated that the spiciest diet produced significantly improved blood pressure levels when compared to previous tests.

Cholesterol benefits of superfoods like spices

Turmeric, cinnamon and ginger have long been praised as superfoods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their specific health effects on diseases like cardiovascular and diabetes are still the subject of research. Researchers at Clemson University found that these spices, along with curcuminoid and curcumin, affect the cholesterol levels of patients who have type 2 diabetes. The terms curcuminoid and curcumin might not be names you are familiar with. They are some of the color pigments in turmeric.

The researchers used 28 studies involving 1049 control patients and 1035 unhealthy patients with high cholesterol levels and type 2 diabetes. Their diets included capsuled supplements of spices for between one and three months. An average outcome of all the studies indicated improved lipid profiles. The profiles include cholesterol and triglycerides, in participants with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the conclusion was that cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, curcuminoid, and curcumin pigments could potentially benefit type 2 diabetes patients and those with cholesterol at unhealthy high levels. However, to gain more specific knowledge, more research is necessary.

Honey was already a superfood in ancient times

Although people have benefited from honey’s medicinal qualities for centuries, its biochemistry is still a research subject. (Now, this is where it gets a bit too sciency for me to understand fully, but I get the picture, and I hope you do too.) A research team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found minuscule nano-scale particles in honey. Each particle is a structure enclosed in a membrane. Please note that although I’m sharing this information, it does not mean I approve of experiments done on animals.

Researchers started by inducing liver injuries in mice. Experimental treatment of the mice with the nanoparticles obtained from honey significantly reduced the inflammation. That led them to believe honey could potentially restrict inflammation activation.

Snack on Mangoes instead of cookies

Mangoes are rich in unique micronutrients, various vitamins, fiber and minerals. In a quest to get a better understanding of this tropical fruit’s health benefits, researchers from San Diego State University initiated a study. The 12-week study involved 27 adults who were obese or overweight. Some of them consumed low-fat cookies with a total of 100 calories per day, and the other group had fresh mangoes with 100 calories each day. When analyzing the results, researchers found that those who had mangoes benefited most. Their risks of certain chronic diseases typically associated with overweight and obesity were significantly lower than those who consumed the cookies. However, they determined that the mangoes proved not to affect body weight and cholesterol levels.

To wrap it up

While I don’t even pretend to understand all the intricate scientific detail, I am comfortable with the fact that at least these four superfoods deserve to be regarded as super. I’m also curious about what further research will discover about these and other so-called superfoods.

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Virginia Rose with her horse Charley in 1973, the same year she broke her back in a riding accident

Before and after discovering the magic of birds and nature

After going to college, Virginia became a teacher and lived her life as fully as she expected. When she reached her forties, she retired, and that was when she realized that there was an emptiness in her life up to then. Her younger sister suggested Virginia share her bird-watching hobby. The day she headed outside, armed with binoculars, changed her life. For the first time since her accident, she realized that her paralysis need not keep her indoors.

With her manual wheelchair, her explorations brought empowerment, and nothing could stop her. As she explored parks of which she was unaware, she scored peace of mind and exercise. Nature brought self-discovery and fueled her to use online apps and guidebooks to identify the countless birds and their songs. She realized then that she was wrong to search for fulfilment in other people all these years. She now knew that she had finally discovered the great healer, Nature, who prescribed bird watching sessions of three to four hours at a time.

Taking classes to learn more about birds and nature

A regular, run-of-the-mill birdwatcher was not  what Virginia wished for herself. No, she wanted it all, and the Austin, Texas lass joined the Audubon Society in Travis County. The Audubon Society is a nonprofit environmental organization with branches nationwide. With members dedicated to birds, they promote the conservation of their habitat. She started by taking birding classes and then joined the group outings. The fact that she was the only person in a wheelchair set her mind racing about getting more people with mobility problems to discover the magic of birds and nature.

After learning all about bird identification, conservation and ecology, she completed the course to become a master birder, ready to lead outings as a team leader. Her research indicated that she was only one of approximately 30 million adults across the country with mobility challenges severe enough to exclude them from most life activities. That was when she set her mind on finding a way to give as many of those people as possible access to the empowerment and joy she discovered.

Navigation challenges when exploring birds and nature

Virginia, who has managed to get outside and explore nature for many years now, explains the challenges. It is just about impossible to navigate a manual wheelchair over uneven terrain, sand and gravel. Birdwatchers negotiate trails with grades and slopes that challenge walking people, but nothing will stop her.

A quest to identify accessible trails

Starting in 2015, Virginia worked with Travis Audubon in identifying trails that are entirely or partly accessible for people with mobility problems. She attended a convention of the National Audubon Society and used the opportunity to present her findings. That led to her collaboration with mapmakers to develop an interactive map of trails for all bird watchers. The access information includes bathrooms, parking, gates, slopes, ground cover, and detailed information about each trail. The available considerations and information on the maps now include the deaf and hard of hearing, the blind, and those with limited vision. Furthermore, as Virginia explains, they even include those whose “grumpy knees” keep them indoors.

And then came ‘Birdability’

After playing with the idea of “Birdability” in her mind for a long time, Virginia Rose founded a nonprofit group to carry that name. She aims to help every person with access and mobility limitations enjoy birding. To date, Birdability has identified and mapped more than 500 sites for birding, each with accessibility scores. Even more impressive is that some of the mapped birding sites are international. Finally, Virginia Rose has reached her goal and became part of a vital community. Included are 40 Birdability captains and countless members. Many of whom might have been, like Virginia, looking in the wrong places for something to fill the emptiness.

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Considerations when shopping for a home in extreme weather areas

More people relocate to the western coastal areas each year, and they may be wise not to lose sight of potential disasters when they shop for homes in areas at risk of storms. While safe neighborhoods, close to parks and schools, walk-in closets, and granite countertops might top their “want” lists, they might want to consider safety first. Consider things like the age of the house, how well it was constructed, and the quality of building materials used. Furthermore, the roof’s condition and shape are important, and the building codes in place at the time of construction.

By the same token, they should ask about the flood risks in the area and whether extreme weather events caused structural damage in the past. Check the presence of retrofitted wind-resistant features. Residents along the Gulf and Atlantic coast should make hurricane preparedness their way of life. Knowing whether their home is in an evacuation zone is crucial.

Weather forecasting

NOAA’s National Weather Service is forever adding new, more efficient forecasting tools. What’s more, they now link the forecasts to emergency managers, government officials and first responders. In like manner, the public and businesses receive warnings to allow timely lifesaving decisions in extreme weather events. Unfortunately, complacency and apathy put many lives in danger. The lack of public response can make the world’s best forecasts useless.

Extreme weather and wildfires

Safety authorities in the Western United States expect a wildfire season as severe as in 2020. Last year, August thunderstorms in Washington, Oregon and California ignited many wildfires. Then, in September, more ignitions occurred throughout the West Coast. The Emergency Management Office of Oregon urged residents to be proactive and have their bags packed for emergency evacuations.

Flooding can occur across the country

Hazardous flooding conditions can occur in any state, and life-threatening risks can develop quickly. As recently as mid-May this year, flash floods occurred in Louisiana that left many cars completely submerged. It followed more than 12 inches of rain in one day. NOAA urges people to avoid driving and walking when floods occur and take heed of the “Turn Around Don’t Drown” safety campaign.

Tornado readiness is crucial

Summer has barely started, and lives have already been lost in 2021 twisters in North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and Texas. Safety authorities say people should identify the safest room, typically on the lowest floor and without windows. Moreover, people should tune in to the NOAA Weather Radio for the latest information about severe weather.

Severe weather and electricity

The deep freeze that hit Texas in February this year is a perfect example of the vulnerability of electricity services in severe weather events. Having access to flashlights (and batteries) is crucial. When extended power outages occur, portable generators can be a great help. However, running them indoors could cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

On a final note, always keep an eye over neighbors who might be elderly or in poor health and unable to help themselves. You might want to support local churches or nonprofits that help with needy community members’ transportation or financial needs.

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Not everybody recognizes the importance of working dogs and the roles they play in making our world safer. So today, I want to list some of the essential jobs working dogs do.

Working dogs on the farm

What is a farm without a dog? Farm dogs are rugged and hard working. They are essential on farms with livestock. Farm dogs herd and guard sheep and cattle and protect goats, chickens, and other farm animals from predators. Furthermore, they keep the feed storage sheds and barns free of rodents and join the farmers on daily missions.

The breeds most suited for farm work include Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs, Corgis, Jack Russell Terriers and Great Pyrenees dogs.

Working dogs that guard property

Also called watchdogs, their primary duties are to guard property against unexpected or unwanted intruders — both humans and animals. Guard dogs could be vicious when they encounter intruders but insightful enough not to threaten or attack those they guard.

Although instinct lets most dogs guard their owners, breeds known for excellence in guarding are Bullmastiffs, Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Giant Schnauzers.

Some Police Force members are working dogs

There’s no question that only particular types of people make good law enforcement officers. The same goes for police dogs. Typically, the most impressive skills in dogs are genetic and specifically bred and passed down from one generation to the next. They perform complicated tasks that not any dog can do. Therefore, specific breeds of dogs make the best K9 officers. They are German Shepherd Dogs, Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and Bloodhounds. However, these are not the only breeds to work in law enforcement.

Sniffers are working dogs that use their senses

Sniffer dogs, or detection dogs, receive training to use their senses to detect an endless list of substances. However, each dog specializes in certain substances. Across the range, they sniff out illegal drugs, explosives, currency, wildlife scat, blood and even illicit mobile phones and other contraband electronics. Customs officers at borders and airports use sniffer dogs to detect illegal exporting or importing exotic plants and animals.

While many detection dogs serve in law enforcement settings, some work with wildlife biologists and researchers.

Sniffer dogs in California detect and discover harmful and invasive quagga mussels. Another field in which detection dogs excel is wildlife scat detection. Their task is to find feces of caribou, killer whales, black-footed ferrets, Oregon spotted frogs and other wildlife.

That is not the end! The medical industry makes more and more use of the detection skills of sniffer dogs. Studies indicated that canines’ exceptional sense of smell enables them to detect the odors of many medical conditions, one of which is cancer.

Dogs known for their detection capabilities include English Springer Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd dogs, Border Collies and the Belgian Malinois.

Working dogs with hunting skills make good cadaver dogs

Cadaver dogs detect human remains of those who died in accidents, disasters, suicides and murder. They work on land and water. German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers have the necessary skills to become cadaver dogs. However, most handlers say the breed is not what allows them to excel. Any confident dog with a drive to hunt and strong nerves can learn to work as a cadaver dog.

Trackers are highly skilled working dogs

Tracking dogs undergo extensive training to follow a person’s scent after sniffing a clothing item or something used by the person whose trail they must follow. Law enforcement use tracking dogs to locate missing people, collect evidence and assist with search and rescue missions. Their skills also serve to track wildlife poachers.

Successful tracking dogs need superior senses of smell, like Bloodhounds and German Shepherds.

Military dogs must be trainable and intelligent

Dogs used in wars are not as common as before, although they still provide some services in modern warfare. In ancient times, trained combat dogs served as sentries, scouts, trackers, messengers and mercy dogs. They participate in patrols, carry messages, detect mines and carry medical supplies to injured soldiers.

From ancient times, dogs that excelled in warfare included German Shepherd Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois, Airedale Terriers, Giant Schnauzers and Boxers.

Working dogs in the search and rescue service are called SAR dogs

I am always in awe of the many skills of SAR dogs. They find people under snow, underwater and among the rubble of collapsed buildings. Furthermore, they accompany search and rescue teams after mudslides, avalanches and earthquakes. In many cases, the participation of SAR dogs is responsible for victims rescued and not deceased and recovered. In Italy, SAR dogs wearing flotation devices on their front legs rescue swimmers in trouble and help them back to the shore.

Some SAR dogs learn air scenting techniques. Instead of following a track with their noses close to the ground, air scent dogs track scents in the air and disregard ground smells. They smell the wind to catch the hot scents of people. Reportedly, this technique is ideal and produces excellent results when search areas are large.

Breeds favored for training as SAR dogs include all those mentioned for law enforcement services. However, here’s a surprise — Poodles and Mixed Breed Huskies have also made the grade.

Guide dogs for the blind

Blind people and those with impaired vision can do a whole lot more with the help of guide dogs. For example, they make it possible for those in their care to use public transport, find doors and seats. Furthermore, they help their handlers navigate shopping malls and other buildings and help them find the buttons at pedestrian crossings.

Most importantly, they provide companionship and also promote social inclusion. People with guide dogs find it easier to make friends. Characteristics of guide dogs typically include intelligence, and they are thoughtful, quiet companions.

The most frequently trained guide dogs include purebred German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Labradors.

Hearing dogs are the ears of those with compromised hearing

Hearing dogs improve the lives of deaf people or those with limited hearing by alerting them to sounds that they cannot hear. For example, sounds like the alarm clock, text messages, the doorbell, and danger signals like the fire alarm and car horns. Their canine companions save their lives multiple times each day.

The dogs that make the lives of deaf people easier include Cocker Spaniels, Labradors, mixed breed Cockapoos and Miniature Poodles.

Therapy dogs provide comfort and affection

Someone said, “The Best Therapist has fur and four legs.”

How true. Therapy dogs are working dogs that spread their affection in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes, hospices, disaster areas and similar settings. Assistance dogs assist patients who can’t take care of day-to-day physical needs. In contrast, therapy dogs do not work with one needy individual. For instance, they interact with ill, injured, handicapped and lonely elderly people in medical settings and institutions. Their loving, gentle and loyal natures bring hope and feelings of well-being.

The following dogs own those characteristics: American Staffordshire Terriers, Labrador Retriever, Corgis, Yorkshire Terriers and Golden Retrievers.

However, some dogs just love their owners, and all they ask is to be loved in return.

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As shown in the cover image, you’re not restricted to herbs. You can use your planter for any small flowering plants or even succulents.

The average shoe organizer has 16 pockets, perfectly spaced compartments to hold all the herbs you choose to plant.

Here’s what you’ll need for this DIY planter:

• A shoe organizer — preferably one made of cloth rather than plastic
• Hooks or a rod for hanging the planter
• Compost or potting soil
• Seeds or herb plants

Be sure to protect the wall from water damage. Hanging a plastic sheet between the wall and the planter will do. Alternatively, attach a 2×2 inch piece of wood to the wall to create a space and hold the planter away from the wall.

Choose the ideal spot to hang the planter

If you live in an apartment, your only option might be the balcony. Herbs like a bit of sun, but not too much. However, if you live in a house, you could hang it on a fence, a garage or a shed wall. Essentially, you could install hooks or rods in different locations to make it easier if you want to move it into the sun or the shade.

Most importantly, don’t overlook that the lightweight shoe organizer will be heavy once you add soil, water and plants. Therefore, make sure your fittings are stable and appropriate for the weight of the planter. Use strong metal utensil or saucepan hanging hooks.

Drainage requirements

As mentioned, a cloth shoe organizer is best because proper drainage is crucial. However, you still need to check how well it drains by pouring water into the pockets before adding soil. If the water doesn’t drain but pool in the pouches instead, you’ll have to poke several small holes at the base of each pocket. Furthermore, you could place a trough or unused rain gutter with plants to catch up the water that drains from the hanging planter.

Add soil and seeds to the planter

Add compost or soil to each pocket but do not overfill them. Fill the pouches up to about one inch from the top. Now you can add your seeds or seedlings and you’re good to go! Before long, you will enjoy the abundance of herbs in your food and for health purposes. You will have at least 16 types of herbs without taking up any space in your garden. You can go here for a post about herbs to grow for health instead of using synthetic drugs.

Suggested seeds to plant

Your planter is suitable for more then herbs. You can plant mixed leaf salad or spinach, minibel tomatoes and even petit pois peas, of which even the tendrils and leaflets are edible. Essentially, one you have your vertical planter ready, you can experiment and learn what else you can grow in the pouches. Make two and double your harvest.

“Gardening is a medicine that does not need a prescription and has no limit on dosage” — Unknown

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Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are similar weather phenomena with different regional names. However, tornadoes are entirely different. Nevertheless, both produce powerful rotating winds with the potential to cause catastrophic damage.

Interesting hurricane facts

Hurricanes in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere spin in opposite directions. They spin clockwise in the south and counterclockwise in the north. (And no, the same is not true for toilets, regardless of what you’ve been told))

Hurricanes are massive — with centers between 2 and 200 miles. That is 3km and 321km.

Massive hurricanes could have widths of up to 500 miles (800km)

Tornadoes spin faster than hurricanes, but they pass much quicker.

Hurricanes spin at an average speed of about 160mph, which is 260km/h.

At that speed, in a single day, a hurricane can unleash over 9 trillion gallons of rain. (I’m not going to convert that to liters because I’m sure you get the picture)

Looking past the destruction they cause, the real mature ones could generate electric energy equal to one-half of electricity generated globally.

The distances hurricanes travel are much longer than those of tornadoes.

In 1994, weather services recorded the longest distance traveled by a hurricane. It only died down after traveling almost 11,500 kilometers (7,145 miles)

The deadliest hurricane, or cyclone as it is known in Asia, occurred in Bangladesh in 1970. Cyclone Bhola caused the death of between 300,000 and 500,000 people.

Differences between Hurricanes and tornadoes

In comparison, tornadoes are more commonplace than hurricanes. Although they can cause a significant amount of damage, they do not linger and are not considered as dangerous as hurricanes.

Hurricanes form over tropical oceans with warmer water, and tornadoes form over land.

Jet streams play a role in both; tornadoes form close to them, and hurricanes develop great distances away from them.

The width of tornadoes seldom exceeds one-quarter mile. In contrast, hurricanes can easily reach widths of hundreds of miles.

The average of one hour that tornadoes last is insignificant compared to hurricanes, which can destruct and devastate for about three weeks.

Although several categories of hurricanes exist, their winds are seldom faster than 180mph (289km/h). However, tornadoes can cause winds of about 300mph (482km/h) if they are severe. Just as well, they pass quickly.

Of the two storms, tornadoes are most common. Compared to the seven to 10 hurricanes developing in the Atlantic Ocean each year, the U.S. gets between 800 to 1,000 tornadoes per year.

Fortunately, weather services can predict the formation of hurricanes pretty accurately, and in most cases, people have several days to prepare for approaching storms. In comparison, there is seldom more than about 30 minutes of notice before tornadoes strike.

With all that said, hurricanes and their siblings, typhoons in the Pacific and cyclones in the Indian Ocean are certainly the Big Bad Wolves of storms. Can you guess what the Australians call tropical storms?

Willy-willies!

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Add an ice cube when reheating rice

Do you avoid reheating leftover rice in the microwave because it goes dry? Here’s the cure. After putting the rice in a microwavable container, prop an ice cube on the rice. The microwaves will melt the ice, providing just enough moisture to make the rice fluffy and moist again.

One ice cube can save a curdling sauce

Have you ever tried to impress visitors with your perfect eggs Benedict for brunch, only to find the hollandaise sauce a perfect mess? As you mixed the egg yolks and butter, the whole lot curdled, causing embarrassment instead of pride. Never let that happen again; the solution is adding an ice cube to the sauce in the pan and stand back to watch the magic. Your sauce comes together perfectly, as silky as you intended.

An ice cube can elevate your salad dressing

Have you always wished you could get your own salad dressing as creamy and smooth as those you buy in bottles? Here’s how a single ice cube could elevate your homemade salad dressing to compete with the best. Use a jar with a lid and add the ingredients for your dressing. Pop in a single ice cube, seal the jar and do some vigorous shaking. Remove the ice cube and spoon out your smooth and creamy salad dressing. Have your answer ready because you are sure to have guests asking the brand of the salad dressing you buy.

Too much fat in your stew or soup?

There is a quick solution to this problem. You’ll need a metal soup ladle for this one. Fill it with ice cubes and slowly skim the surface of the soup or stew with the bottom of the cold soup spoon. By the time you’re done, the fat would have solidified to the bottom of the ladle.

An ice cube can make the medicine go down

Mary Poppins said a spoon full of sugar will make the medicine go down. That might be true, but here’s another option. Give your child an ice cube to suck on while you get the medicine and spoon ready. The coldness will numb the child’s taste buds just long enough to mask the awful taste of the medicine.

Ease the task of removing splinters

How many times have you tried to remove a splinter from a child’s hand, just to have them pull away every time you get the needle close to the splinter? Make the process painless by numbing the area with an ice cube before trying to get to the splinter.

Stop a burn from causing a blister

We have all accidentally touched a hot surface in the kitchen. Many remedies exist, but simply applying a piece of ice and holding it on the burn for a while will prevent a blister from forming.

Ice cube remedy for a wrinkled shirt

No time to re-wash a shirt to get rid of wrinkles? Try this hack. Warm up the iron and use an ice cube wrapped in a soft cloth to rub over the crease, follow with the hot iron immediately and abracadabra, no more wrinkles!

Have ice ready when you rearrange furniture

Rearranging furniture usually leaves dents in the carpet when you move heavier pieces. A simple solution is to put an ice cube on each indentation and let it melt. Brush up the dents before they dry. When you’re done, carefully put the rest of the ice cubes in a glass, and add your choice of refreshment, sit back and enjoy!

How do you water hanging plants?

Instead of balancing on a step stool to water hard-to-reach plants, toss a handful of ice cubes into the pot. The slow melting of the ice will water the plant without the typical downpour through the drain hole when you pour water into the pot.

Planning DIY in the bathroom?

Do you also get frustrated when you caulk the seems around the basin or bathtub, and the sticky compound adheres to your finger as you attempt to smooth the surface? If you use an ice cube instead of your finger to run over the caulk line, the seam will be perfectly smooth and professional.

If you go here, you’ll  find some handy hacks for using ice trays.

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Pet owners name their pets

Of all the survey participants, both cat and dog owners, seven in 10 said they named their pets. Furthermore, many people indicated that their pets also have nicknames — some have as many as five nicknames. Most often, nicknames are variations of the pets’ given names. Some say cherished cats and dogs just beg for endearing nicknames.

Whom do pet owners greet first?

Who is first to welcome you home after work or even after running a quick errand that took no more than 10 minutes? Don’t feel guilty if you greet your pets before your family members. Obviously, if your family comes running up to you like your dog or hugs you in the way your cat rubs its body against your leg the moment you get out of the car, they would be the first ones you greet, right? Almost 70% of both cat and dog owners greet their pets before the rest of their families.

Pet owners sacrifice their sofas and beds

More than 61% of cat and dog owners admitted to allowing their pets to take over their sofa or bed. Most of the participants also indicated that they spoil their pets, and forcing them off is tough. Moreover, even the fact that the furniture is covered with hair is acceptable. After all, we knew about the hair problem when we first got our cats or dogs.

Do you sing to your pets?

Cat owners seem to be more likely to sing to their pets. According to the survey, 70% of cat owners serenade their pets. However, dog owners are not far behind, with 63%. Essentially, a pet audience will never judge your ability to stay on key or frown when you get the lyrics wrong. Some pet owners even make up their own unique songs to share with their cats or dogs.

Cuddle time is essential

This one showed the same results for both cat and dog owners, with most survey participants indicating they spend between one and two hours cuddling their pets each day. Essentially, spending time snuggling up to pets is more than enjoyable. Studies have shown that it brings happy feelings to both pet and owner. Indications are that such interaction causes the bodies of both to release oxytocin. It is a hormone linked with trust, affiliative feelings and other positive social behavior.

Bottom line, regardless of whether you prefer canine or feline pets, you are not much different from the other side. Regardless of your preference, as long as you always have the lint roller at arms length, you’ll be good to go.

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