All Posts in "Month: October 2017"

Help your houseplants make a smooth transition from their outdoor summer home back inside for winter. The lower light and humidity indoors along with any insects that hitched a ride indoors make it difficult to keep these plants looking their best.

Give them a shower before they move indoors.  A gentle blast of water washes dust and dirt off the leaves and dislodges aphids and mites that might be feeding on the plants.                                  

Gradually prepare the plants for the lower light conditions indoor.  Start by placing plants in the sunniest south- or west-facing window available or grow them under artificial lights. Leave them here for several weeks if the final destination receives less light.

Next move them to an east-facing or well-lit north facing window. Again, leave them here for several weeks. Gradually decrease the amount of light the plants receive until they reach their final location. This gradual acclimation helps the plants develop more shade tolerant leaves. Foregoing this process results in yellow leaves and massive leaf drop. This is stressful on the plant and its caretaker.

Skip this step, reduce the stress on your plants and keep them looking their best throughout the winter by growing them under artificial lights. Using a combination of natural and artificial light helps plants better tolerate the less-than-ideal indoor growing environment.

Isolate these plants from your indoor houseplant collection until you are sure no insects tagged along.  Check under the leaves and along the stems for aphids, mites, scale and white flies. Use an eco-friendly product like Summit Year-Round Spray Oil (SummitResponsibleSolutions.com) to prevent these pests from moving onto the rest of your indoor garden. This highly refined mineral oil suffocates the insects, doesn’t poison them, and is approved for organic gardening.

Continue monitoring for pests over the next few weeks. Reapply the organic insecticide every two weeks as needed. Always read and follow label directions when using any organic, natural or synthetic chemical.

Increase the humidity by grouping plants together. As one plant loses moisture from its leaves, or transpires, it increases the humidity around its neighboring plants.

Further increase the humidity and decrease your workload by placing the plants on a gravel tray. Place pebbles in the bottom of the saucer or other shallow container. Set the pot on top of the pebbles. Allow excess water to collect in the pebbles below the pot. As this water evaporates, it increases the humidity around the plants.

You’ll also eliminate the amount of time spent and mess made when pouring off the excess water that collects in the saucer.  Plus, you’ll avoid root rot and other diseases caused by plants sitting in a water-filled saucer.

Give your plants a bit of TLC as you tuck them into their winter lodgings. Your efforts will be rewarded with healthier, pest-free and better-looking plants to enjoy all winter long.

Gardening expert Melinda Myers, who wrote this article, is the author of 20 gardening books and has appeared on television and radio. Her website is www.melindamyers.com.

Contributing Author by — October 10, 2017 in Lifestyles

The building permits for Wesley Homes Bradley Park have been approved by the City of Puyallup, allowing the retirement community’s construction to begin.

“We’re grateful to the city for working with us to approve the permits, and we’re looking forward to providing residents in east Pierce County a new option for senior living with a full continuum of care on one campus,” said Kevin Anderson, Wesley Homes’ president.

Absher Construction started work on the site in March this year when Wesley received the civil permit for site work. Before building could begin, the site had to be cleared and graded, retention ponds had to be dug out and water, and sewer and power utilities had to be installed.

“We received the building permit for the 32-unit Brownstone in July, which allowed us to get started on that part of the campus,” said Anderson. “The construction team was ready to go when we received the permit for the lodge and were pouring concrete the same day.”

With construction underway, walls went up for the Brownstone’s underground garage.

For safety and security, no one is allowed on the site except members of the construction crew. But the public can follow the progress on Wesley’s Facebook page, a Wesley Homes spokeswoman said.

The first phase of construction includes the Brownstone and Lodge apartments, as well as catered living and assisted-living memory care. Plans for the second phase include another Brownstone and a care center with private rooms offering skilled nursing and rehabilitation.

When the Bradley Park development “is completed, we’ll have the full continuum of care for seniors that East Pierce County needs,” Anderson said. “It will also bring almost 100 full-time and part-time jobs to the Puyallup area.”

As construction continues, the first residents are selecting their new Brownstone apartments. Customizations include options in flooring, countertops, paint and more. The deadline for customizations in the Brownstone is Oct. 31, Wesley Homes officials said.

The Bradley Park site is Wesley Homes’ first retirement community in Pierce County.

Established in 1944, Wesley Homes is a not-for-profit organization. Wesley Homes operates two retirement communities — Wesley Homes Des Moines and Wesley Homes Lea Hill in Auburn. In addition, Wesley Homes Home Health provides Medicare and Medicaid-certified services, in-home care and hospice services to clients in King and Pierce counties.

A crane moves material into place for construction workers at the site of Wesley Homes’ new retirement community in Puyallup.
srmedia by — October 10, 2017 in Personal Finance/Consumers

Dixie’s Home Cookin’, which has been doing business in Sumner for at least 13 years, is named after the proprietor’s father, a firefighter from Indiana who loved good food in generous portions. It is open for breakfast and lunch, serving everything from a build-your-own omelette at $7.99 to “Dad’s Big Breakfast,” which includes four eggs, four meats, pancakes, and sides for $17.99.

This friendly spot has a cozy atmosphere and a selection for everyone.  The menu had 34 types of breakfasts, including loaded potato pancakes at $6.99, 17 kinds of burgers, 23 sandwiches, 17 salads, and meals ranging from meatloaf to fish and fries. Selections came with soup, salad, fries, or tater tots.

Stopping in for a meal, we  decided to try the Pot Roast Dip at $12.99, a hoagie roll loaded with  big chunks of boneless beef short rib, Swiss cheese and grilled onions, served with au jus, and we had a bowl of wild rice vegetable soup which came loaded with carrots and other garden vegetables. We also had the Cuban sandwich ($12.99), a combination of pulled pork, ham and swiss cheese, pickles and dark ale mustard on a whole grain ciabatta roll. A side salad came with this.

We also ordered Fried Chicken Salad ($11.99), crisp sliced fried chicken, iceberg lettuce, (my favorite green,)  sliced eggs, chopped tomato and ranch dressing. 

The portions at Dixie’s are very large. As an example, I ordered my ranch dressing on the side and it came in a soup bowl!

Everyone really enjoyed their food, and we had plenty to take home for another meal. Our lunch was enjoyable, and we are looking forward to a return visit.

The next time I go, I will order the carrot cake, which looked delicious.

Dixies is located in a strip mall near the center of Summer. Parking is limited by the number of businesses in the mall, but there is plenty of seating at tables and booths. Service is friendly and prompt. The prices are in keeping with the size of the meals. No reservations necessary.

 

Carolyn Augustine is a freelance restaurant writer from Lakewood.

 

IF YOU GO

Dixie’s Home Cookin’

15717 Main St. E., Sumner. From State Route 410, drive to the East Main exit and drive east back through town until you see the big windmill at Windmill Garden Center. Look on the left side for the restaurant. No reservations necessary.

Open Monday throuigh Saturday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

253-863-0111

A German Sausage breakfast sandwich on a hoagie, served with potatoes, is among the big variety of breakfasts served at Dixie’s Home Cookin’.
Carolyn Augustine by — October 10, 2017 in Food, People

Do you blame “getting older” for your leg pain or difficulty walking? Do you just accept it and do the best you can? You could actually be suffering from a condition called peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD now affects more than 8.5 million American adults, according to the American Heart Association, and if left untreated, can increase your risk of losing a portion of your toes, feet and legs to amputation. The good news is that PAD can be managed when diagnosed early.

PAD is a vascular disease that mainly affects the arteries that carry blood to the legs and feet. It is primarily caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, called atherosclerosis. This buildup reduces blood flow through the arteries and can lead to pain and lack of mobility. Those at the highest risk of PAD are over the age of 50, with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. PAD is also caused by eating high-fat foods, lack of exercise, smoking, stress or excess weight. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances are of developing PAD.

One of the classic symptoms of PAD is a dull, cramping pain in the legs, hips, or buttocks during exercise, such as walking. This pain stops at rest, which is why many people mistake the symptoms of PAD as a normal sign of aging. Other symptoms can include: weakness in legs, skin wounds or sores on your legs, feet, or toes that are slow to heal or foot or toe pain that often disturbs your sleep. While these are classic signs and symptoms, up to 40 percent of individuals with PAD have no leg pain, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which is why routine check-ups with your doctor are important.

“The primary goal is to restore and preserve adequate blood flow to the extremities,” said Dr. Jihad Mustapha, director of cardiovascular research at Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “When the pain is frequent and the ability to move is affected, this indicates that the disease is progressing. At that point, it may be necessary to treat significantly blocked arteries with a medical procedure, which range from less invasive catheter-based treatments to more invasive surgical options.”

Talk to your doctor to find out if you should be screened for PAD and what you can do to lower your risk. Some key questions to ask your doctor include:

  • Does my medical history raise my risk for PAD?
  • Which screening tests or exams are right for me?
  • What is my blood pressure? Do I need to manage these numbers?
  • What are my cholesterol numbers? Do I need to do anything about them?

To learn more about PAD and available treatment options, visit www.bostonscientific.com/PADMonth, a patient resource from Boston Scientific.

Source: StatePoint Media

Contributing Author by — October 3, 2017 in Health & Fitness