Best Plumbers To Call

Before Henry Ford began to mass produce the farm tractor there was a reign of natural horse power that was a breakthrough in breeding. You have to go back to a visionary horse breeder who realized that the industrialization of Europe would require stronger horses to pull much larger machinery. The breeder's name was Remi Vander Schueren from a tiny village in Belgium name Vollezele. Schureren started to experiment with interbreeding 3 types of draft horses that already existed in Belgium. The end results was one breed that he called the Belgian draft horse. This breed was very powerfully built at 16 to 17 hands at maturity.  They were able to pull up to 4,000 lbs.  The most amazing paradox of this beast bred for strength was it's very gentle nature.   They had no issues being attached to wagons or machinery. This magical combination of traits enabled them to be highly sought after in industries that required heavy pulling tasks critical to their success. Ex...

Nothing inspires the soul more than spring. Enjoy these favorites to ignite your passion for a new beginning this spring! You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming. Pablo Neruda The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. Harriet Ann Jacobs I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen. Anne Lamott The little windflower, whose just opened eye is blue as the spring heaven it gazes at. William C. Bryant No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. Mark Twain Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' Robin Williams I had always planned to make a large painting of the...

"Amish society emphasizes informal learning- through doing, a life of goodness, rather than a life of intellect; wisdom, rather than technical knowledge; community welfare, rather than competition; and separation, rather than integration with contemporary worldly society."  -Chief Justice Warren Burger. It's hard to believe this astute observation came from the highest court in the land. In 1972 they ruled that the Amish and related groups could limit formal education to the 8th grade. How could the dominating  society the Amish lived under emphasizing high technology have any chance to survive? Well, 45 years later pretty well thank you very much. Spurning the obsession American farmer have with the latest technology at any cost Amish farms still make money. This is even more amazing considering they don't participate in any government subsidies other than the market prices that are sometimes supported overall. The reason?  The Amish refuse to receive and ...

Being a Pennsylvania native I never thought twice about safety concerns crossing the Maryland-PA border.  Go back to colonial times and it was a very different story. In the 1730's a major boundary dispute broke out.  Land grants were dispensed by the King of England, King George II, to the wealthy ruling class of the day.  These land grants became the colonies that eventually grew into the states we know of today. For Maryland they believed their grant went to the 40th parallel.  That's a line that is just below Lancaster and above Philadelphia.  That meant Philadelphia, Maryland was a distinct part of the Maryland  colony founder's vision. As new settlers began to settle in this southern border region of PA they had to cross the Susquehanna River.  Wright's Ferry was established (present day Columbia).  The head of Maryland was Lord Baltimore. He wanted income from his lands he believed was part of his grant.  The situation...

Animals, birds and insects have amazing coping mechanisms hard wired to survive long harsh winters. Consider hibernation where some mammals almost completely shut down their internal systems.  How about birds that migrate huge distances that rival today's long service jets? Besides restoring their physical reserves through ravenous appetites for the spring menu board nature richly provides them. While a majority of larger mammals tend to mate in the fall and deliver their young in the spring there are a select number that run on a different cycle. Let's take a closer look at these atypical creatures who have an extra incentive for the long winter to end. One of my personal favorites was the sighting of the red breasted robin when I was a kid. You just KNEW it meant spring was finally here.  What kid didn't get excited when mother robin decided to make a nest in your favorite climbing tree or bush?   I remember  checking daily on those beautiful sky ...

The outside world's view of the Amish is one of separation from the modern ways and "The English". In a wonderful tradition that started in the 1960's the Amish and The English come together  with a series of mostly spring time auction sales that support local volunteer firehouses that benefit both communities. Where did the name "Mud Sale" come from?  For anyone who has lived in the northeast there's a hopeful sign of earth's warming when the snow cover melts under the sun's rays. There's a several week period where there seems to be nothing but mud everywhere. This isn't just a slogan. If you want to participate in these local Lancaster PA area sales held on farms and empty lots  you better bring your boots. Throw in several thousand people in attendance throughout the day and you can imagine one giant muddy mess that people of all walks of life are drawn to. So what is exactly available at a Mud Sale that helps create su...

Spring is such an inspirational time of year.  Have you wondered what all the astronomical fuss is about? The first day of spring, the vernal equinox, has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The term vernal is Latin for “spring” and equinox is Latin for “equal night“. Turns out Spring starts with all about your location on this magical spinning globe. At this moment of Spring , Earth's axis is tilted neither away from nor towards the Sun, but is rather perpendicular to the Sun's rays, The reason the equinoxes and solstices don’t always come on the same day is that Earth doesn’t circle the sun in exactly 365 days. The first day of spring, the vernal equinox, has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.  The term vernal is Latin for “spring” and equinox is Latin for “equal night“. In spring, the Earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun, inc...

One of the biggest secrets of nature's most impressive wonders is how these stone cathedrals were formed. Consider the caverns and caves that dot our landscape.  Stretching hundreds of feet into the earth and some even several miles long the intricate sculpting of these majestic beauties is awe inspiring. Here are some of the more famous caverns in the U.S.A.: Carlsbad Caverns - NM Called the "Grand Canyon with a roof on it," Carlsbad Caverns in the Chihuahuan Desert are one of the world’s deepest, biggest and most decorated caverns ever found. Mammoth Cave - KY The  aptly named Mammoth Cave is the world's longest-known cave system with over 285 miles of surveyed cave passageways.  Caverns of Sonora TX This cavern -- formed in 100 million-year-old limestone –is best known for the hundreds of pink and rose-colored stalagmites and stalactites that make it one of the world’s most beautiful caves.  Luray Caverns VA Situated in the Shenando...

Mother Nature sure has cycles figured out. Most  wild herbivores  (plant eaters) like deer have babies in the early spring giving them the best chance for survival before winter. While the world oohs and ahhs over the beautiful spring flowers, hungry wild animals coming out of winter in survival mode can't wait to feast on the new life of spring. Ever wonder what spring plants are on the menu for these survival artists? Cool-season legume perennials (plants that live over two years)  - These are protein packed plants that deer love.  Clover for example is a plant deer can digest easily.    Alfalfa can last for over five years.    Chicory is a hardy plant with deep roots.  It's a unique plant that tolerates acidic soils, crowds out weeds and withstand drought. What’s more, it packs up to 30 percent protein in its leaves that deer need to build up both muscle and fat reserves for the winter. How about the ...

When you see a paddle boat riverboat what emotions do you feel?  For most people there's a twinge of romance and history that combine within their souls.  Why is that? Just the sight of a large boat on an American rivers as early as the late 1700's sparked excitement.  What most people don't realize is this type of transport ship was invented as early as the 4th and 5th century by the Romans.  Initially using human (slave) power to turn the enormous side paddle wheels, they wisely moved to powerful oxen below the deck to power these bulky and intimidating warships. For the U.S. era it was the combination of the invention of the steam engine to adapt to various paddle boat designs that heralded a completely new era.  Paddle boats typically only have a quarter of their paddles below the water at once time.  Their low depth allows much more travel reach in shallow waters. For the first time it mean heavy bulky commodity products like flour, wheat and ...

If you feel like jumping for joy when you see the first signs of Spring imagine how other cultures celebrate the amazing changes one vernal equinox can bring! Bangladesh people enjoy newly reaped paddies. Australians gather for thoroughbred horse racing events.  The main event is known as the race that stops a nation. Even Bermudians, who enjoy moderate temperatures year round, only take their first official swim on Queen Victoria's birthday every spring. The main Jewish holiday Passover is also known as The Spring Holiday.  There are even 3 more significant Jewish national holidays celebrated during the Spring. In India the colors come out, literally. Holi, the festival of colors features people throwing water and apply colored powders on one another. An old Romanian tradition has a symbolic red and white string from which a small decoration is tied and offered by people on the first day of March.  It is interesting that this same symbol is of women and fert...

A lot of people know how popular video continues to be in helping small business owners communicate with their audience. People on their smart phones alone are a large and growing audience. Businesses know that more people think more highly of them and buy more from them using video than any other platform. But how you do your video is often very confusing for busy business owners. Most successful sales people know that most prospects  buy on emotion and use logic to rationalize their decision.  So how could you use video to create more of an emotional connection with  interested viewers? Turns out that with all the focus on technology, pixels and camera specs the most important thing is to create a more human connection.  One powerful way to do that is through the use of spokespersons. The premise of a spokesperson is actually quite simple.  It's basically a real live person talking about your business.  Sure, the owner of the business ca...

Charles Dickens wrote the classic line in A Tale of Two Cities, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."  Reminds me too often of home improvement projects. Nothing can be more exciting than finally going after a much awaited improvement project. Nothing can be more frustrating than home improvement projects. Here's three of the top tips to keep the joy in your project outcomes. Devote Upfront Time For Proper Planning - Depending on the scope of your project be sure to include a design plan.  If extensive bring in an architect that can ensure your home's layout will both make sense and comply with local building codes. After having your plan together it's time to get the professionals involved.  Sometimes patchwork improvements looks easy to do but the underlying main systems that safely make your house function can get overlooked. Electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling needs to be well c...

Spring is a great time for bringing new life outside and in. Maybe it's time for a new perspective on your interior design? Before you think about busting out walls or putting in a new window get a new perspective on your color scheme. Avoid the temptation to jump right to your favorite colors and stick with them like glue. Instead step back and consider the space you are trying to refresh. ·          Is this a work area where creativity is the desired environment? ·          How about your main gathering places like family rooms and kitchens.  Is it warm and inviting or dark? ·          Are there areas in your home you would like to feel larger? ·          How about more comfortable and relaxing? If so you would serve yourself well getting up to speed on the secrets the top interior designers use. Fir...