How to Save Money on Your Homeowners Insurance in Florida & Beyond: How to Lower Your Homeowners Premiums & How I Saved Over $1,000
If you are one of many homeowners who felt a near-electric shock when opening your most recent insurance renewal, you are not alone. Insurance rates are skyrocketing, especially in states like Florida where premiums are rising at double and even triple rates. And no, "triple" is not a typo now that exorbitant insurance rate hikes have become the "new normal." Adding fuel to this fire, many homeowners are finding themselves suddenly uninsured after being dropped by their insurer -- often without ever having filed a single claim. Even if you are one of the lucky ones who has not yet been "ghosted" by your carrier, your latest policy renewal might…
How to Make A Bromeliad Kokedama Hanging Moss Ball for A Beautiful Vertical Garden
If you have a bromeliad and are looking for a fun, creative way to display your epiphyte plant in the "open air" as nature intended, let me introduce you to Kokedama. In simple terms, Kokedama is the Japanese art of growing plants suspended in a ball of moss. Kokedama lets you turn your air plants, including bromeliads, into eye-level works of art by growing them in what is essentially a hanging vertical garden. Visually captivating yet easy for both the experienced and novice gardener alike, the resulting garden is beautifully tropical yet low-maintenance -- provided you have the right plants and conditions. Since Kokedama is not for every plant or…
How to Make Beautiful Hanging Flower Baskets Like Disney Using Coconut Coir Liners: 11 Tricks for Amazing Flower Baskets
If you have ever been to Disney, you may have noticed hanging flower baskets that are basically big, gorgeous orbs of flowers with no visible baskets in sight. Full and lush, such bountiful blooms are similar to the stunning flowers that grace balconies in Bavaria. Either way, the look may seem impossible to achieve at home unless you are a professional gardener. Believe it or not, there are simple pro tricks to help you recreate such stunning hanging flower baskets in your own yard. One of which is that underneath those mammoth flowers, there is often a coconut coir fiber liner supporting them. This is just one of the secrets…
How to Attach A Phalaenopsis Orchid to A Tree
Phalaenopsis orchids are one of the most popular orchids around. Beautiful and tropical, these orchids grow naturally on trees in tropical and semi-tropical places. As epiphytes, Phalaenopsis orchids love living on tree bark in warm climates that mimic their native wild habitat. Just take a look at the photos on this page of lush, thriving orchids with long, robust root tips grabbing onto tree bark, and it is quickly apparent just how much orchids love growing on trees. Would you like to try growing your Phalaenopsis orchid in this rustic, natural style that promotes orchid growth and vitality? If so, keep on reading to learn how easy it is to…
How Much Cold Can A Phalaenopsis Orchid Tolerate? Orchids & Cold Weather
As an arctic blast prepares to sweep all the way to the Florida Keys, a question on many orchid growers' minds is, "How cold is too cold for my orchid?" Well, it's on the minds of many of my neighbors, most of whom have a Phalaenopsis, Vanda, Cattleya or other orchid growing on trees or in baskets. As a matter of fact, in January, blossoms tumble from branches and baskets brightening each yard with flashes of color each more eye-catching than the next. It's like springtime in winter... that is until a Canadian cold front is forecast to blast frigid artic air our way. Which begs the question, "How cold…
How To Get Your Phalaenopsis to Bloom in Winter
A blooming Phalaenopsis is a beautiful sight indeed... especially when those first buds appear on your Phalaenopsis in the chill of mid-winter. Of all orchid types, Phalaenopsis is actually one of the easiest orchids to rebloom. There are, however, a number of factors at play when it comes to blooming a Phalaenopsis, or "moth orchid," in winter. Believe it or not, some of these factors are actually within your control. Among these, surprisingly, is the "internal clock" within a Phalaenopsis that lets the orchid know the time has come to prepare to bloom. How exactly can you influence this? Well, read on because if your "Phael" is struggling to rebloom…
Can You Write Your Own Will? Plus, Why You Need A Will Even If You Think You Don’t
A last will and testament may be the least desirable conversation topic, but the fact is that a will determines what happens to all your earthly possessions and even your body upon your death. In recent chats with middle-aged friends, I learned that not one of them has a will-- despite having plenty of assets. As it turns out, their situation is quite common. A recent Gallup poll finds that slightly less than half of U.S. adults, 46%, have a will to express how they want their money and estate to be handled after their death. Whether the potential cost is prohibitive or just sheer procrastination, the fact is that…
Unique Christmas Gift Ideas 2021: Inspiration For Last Minute Shoppers
While Christmas and the holiday season are about so much more than presents, it is undeniable that many of us express our affection by searching for that one-of-a-kind gift for that special someone. With Christmas 2021 nearly upon us, the clock is beginning to run down on finding that perfect unique gift for all the special people on your list. Feeling your frustration, and to make the quest for the perfect gift that much less stressful, I have compiled a list of some unique Christmas gift ideas for 2021: inspiration for last minute shoppers. Hopefully, something here sparks a last-minute gift idea to surprise and delight those who made your…
How To Get A Christmas Cactus To Bloom
Ahhh, the Christmas cactus or, as my friend's mother-in-law calls it, the Hanukkah plant. Also known as the crab cactus or Thanksgiving cactus, no matter what you call it, you have likely acquired at least one of these lushly flowering winter perennials through the years. No surprise there... With vibrant red, hot pink, purple-burgundy, and even orange blooms, the Christmas cactus is perfectly timed to brighten up the dark dreariness of the winter season. While all is merry and bright while your Christmas cactus is in bloom, what do you do when your plant turns into a drooping, flower-less vision of sadness? Fear not. Instead, keep reading to learn exactly…
How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To USB Flash Drive & Free Up Space On Your Phone – No Cloud Necessary
If you don't rely on "cloud" storage, this scenario has likely happened to you. You go to capture that once in a lifetime photo or maybe just your cat being extra cute. Suddenly, instead of capturing the fleeting, magical moment, you are greeted with the message, "iPhone storage is full." Even worse, if you don't have "cloud" storage, your phone is no longer updating. Without updates, your apps no longer work, and you may even find that you are not receiving some text messages. Yes, that seems to be another unfortunate consequence of not updating your iPhone. Now that your state-of-the-art smart phone has been rendered about as useful as…