Articles

Harvesting and Storing Garden Vegetables

September 20, 2018 by Kathryn 7 Comments

I love so many things about planting a garden. Seeing that first green shoot pushing up through the soil, watching the first flowers and vegetables appear on each plant…even clearing out weeds is fun when I see my little garden thrive!

But my very favourite thing about planting a garden is harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs that I’ve planted when they’re finally ready each fall!

If you’re new to planting a vegetable garden, you may be wondering when the best time is to harvest those vegetables, and how to preserve carrots, potatoes and other produce you have in abundance.

If so, grab your Dig It gardening gloves and follow these tips for harvesting and storing six popular varieties of garden produce!

Picking and Ripening Tomatoes

Tomatoes are such a wonderful taste of summer and with a little planning, it’s a taste you can enjoy right into the holidays and beyond! Harvest tomatoes off the vine when ripe but pick all of them, including green ones, before the first heavy frost. Wash and dry green tomatoes well and then store them indoors to ripen. [Read more…]

Five Fun and Family-Friendly Things To Do in the Fall

September 13, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Summer is drawing to a close and you’ve had a blast. The kids have been entertained all summer long and you’ve made memories that they’ll keep with them forever.

Days at the beach and the lake, holidays to a new part of the country (or even a new continent), BBQs, outdoor adventures and long days filled with sunshine. It’s no wonder that so many of us feel deflated when the leaves begin to fall!

But don’t worry; just because autumn is coming doesn’t mean that the fun has to stop! Check out these five things to do in the fall for a fun-filled family autumn and you can carry on making memories to last a lifetime.

Bring in the Harvest

Autumn is a time for harvesting, and that includes you too – not just the farmers! Why not take a trip to a local orchard or fruit farm, and spend the day picking apples, berries, plums or the perfect pie pumpkin? Or if you have apple or peach trees in your garden, dedicate an afternoon to picking the fruit and turning it into pies, jellies and other deliciously warming treats. The kids will love being able to pick fruit and then help turn it into tasty treats. And eating freshly harvested fruit is always fun too! [Read more…]

Best Flowers to Plant in a Cutting Garden

August 7, 2018 by Kathryn 27 Comments

I love gardening, but until I moved onto our current property, I only ever planted practical plants like berries and vegetables. As much as I love the fresh produce, I decided that this year I wanted some long lasting cut flowers as well.

And since we often buy bouquets for the dining room table, I thought I’d save money and beautify our house and yard by planning a cutting garden! The term is given to a garden that’s planted mainly so the flowers can be cut and arranged into bouquets.

If you want to plant your own cutting garden, these are some of the best long lasting cut flowers for bouquets. Choose flowers in a variety of colours and decide if you’d prefer complimentary hues or a more varied mix of different shades for your garden.

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Top 5 Emergency Telephone Hotlines To Keep on File

August 6, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

We’re lucky to live in a society that has emergency hotlines to help those in sudden need. But it is very important to have those hotlines on file in case a crisis arises. It’s not always an easy step to pick up the phone and ask for help, but it can be necessary when you’re in a situation where you cannot help yourself or the person in need.

A hotline enables you to communicate with trained personnel who know how to handle your current situation, and offer you the assistance that you need. Several organizations offer immediate help. From sexual assault to substance abuse to domestic violence, you can get help 24 hours a day.

Of course, calling a hotline might not mean calling every time a problem arises. Some issues, especially those to do with mental health, will be far more effective if a person seeks further assistance from a medical practitioner after dealing with the immediate crisis. [Read more…]

How To Plant a Tree Using Black Plastic Mulch

June 21, 2018 by Kathryn 28 Comments

When I bought my first house, it was the same one that I’d lived in as a child. And even though the house itself needed quite a bit of work, the yard had the same stately trees and beautiful bushes that I’d known for years.

That meant that when my husband and I moved into our newly built home and realized we had six acres to landscape (and just how big six acres was), I found myself feeling pretty overwhelmed! It’s been a lot of trial and error as we work on our yard, but it’s slowly starting to come together.

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5 Tips to Buying Good Mountain Bike Lighting

June 13, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Mountain bike riding is a fun and involved activity. Whether you plan to do cross-country riding, dirt jumping, freeride, trail riding, classic mountain biking or even downhill riding, you need to have the right gear and equipment. Mountain bike lights are part and parcel of these vital necessities, unless you don’t mind potentially dangerous rides when mountain biking at night.

Mountain bike lights come in a wide range of varieties, depending on the place that you wish to go riding and the spot you want lighting mounted. When buying lights, you also need to keep in mind that you need people behind and ahead to see you. Also, proper mountain bike lighting allows you to efficiently maneuver those high-incline climbs. It’s important to assess your needs before you make your purchase. To make your shopping experience a breeze, here are 5 tips to buying good mountain bike lighting.

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My Favourite Mom Essentials for Children’s Summer Sports

June 7, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

In our house, May and June is sports season. And I have to say that it’s one of my favourite times of the year! Even though the month is incredibly busy, there’s something so energizing about watching my boys play their favourite warm-weather sports as the baby plays on a blanket in front of me.

But to make sure the whole family has a good time during our various sports activities, being prepared is a must! As soon as Zackary’s baseball games and Benjamin’s flag football season kick off, I prepare a bag of essentials to help ensure that we’re ready for anything during a game.

Have kids in summer sports too? These are the items that I love to have at every game!

Refillable Water Bottles

While it goes without saying that I make sure my sports-playing boys have a water bottle filled and ready to go, I also pack two extra bottles just in case. Sometimes, the day is so hot that I need a little refreshment too! And sometimes, my boys will play an especially hard game and finish off their own bottles early on. No matter what the reason, I’m always happier having extra water available.

Pocket First Aid Kit

My boys don’t get many bumps or scrapes, but I still want to be prepared if they (or other kids on the team) need a bandage or an ice pack. As soon as sports season starts, I take my travel first aid kit and move it into the back of my car so that it’s ready if anyone on my boys’ teams need it. It’s amazing how much a simple bandage can help a child feel better and get back in the game.

Insect Repellant

While I love the warmer weather, I don’t love the insects that make their appearance when the snow is gone! Mosquitos are the main annoyance here in Saskatchewan, and they’re already plentiful this year. Keeping my favourite insect repellant in my sports bag ensures that I can watch a game in comfort, and my boys can play without distraction.

And for times when I’m a little too slow applying insect repellant, I keep a Benadryl Itch Stick ready in my bag. This convenient stick contains a topical antihistamine/analgesic and a skin protectant to help relieve itching due to bug bites and stings. It’s a quick and easy way to soothe any bites so my boys can focus on their game, and I can focus on cheering them on!

Children’s Benadryl Allergy Medication

Both my boys suffer from mild to moderate seasonal allergies. And since I have the same issue, I know how distracting it can be trying to focus on even a simple task while battling itchy eyes, a stuffy nose and sneezing. That’s why I always make sure that I pop a box of Children’s Benadryl Chewables into my bag, just in case one of them starts to show the signs of a reaction.

I recently learned that everyone has a limit in the amount of allergy triggers their body can handle. Too much pollen, dust, animal dander and other allergens can surpass a person’s natural threshold and cause a reaction. That explained to me why there seems to be no rhyme or reason to my boys’ reactions. But by keeping Benadryl ready in my bag, I’m prepared for that sudden “crossing of the threshold,” even if it only happens once or twice a sports season!

Blankets

The weather in May and June is notoriously unpredictable in Saskatchewan and sometimes the nicest day can turn frigid by the time the sun starts to go down. That means that I’ve been caught shivering in shorts and a t-shirt more times than I care to remember!

So now, I always keep a couple of blankets ready to pull out when needed, whether I’m laying one out for the baby to sit or wrapping up in one to stay warm after a sudden drop in temperature. I also fold up an extra sweater for everyone in the family and leave them all in the car just in case we need even more warmth.

Wet Wipes

From cleaning up dirty hands after a big play, to letting me freshen up after discovering a port-a-potty is out of toilet paper, a travel pack of wet wipes is a multi-use workhorse that always comes in handy. I choose a variety for sensitive skin, so that everyone from my husband to my baby can use them when needed. (And at nine months old, my baby needs them pretty often!)

Next week, my oldest son has his first baseball tournament, which means we’ll be spending most of the weekend at the ball diamond. I’ll be doing a double-check of my sports bag to help ensure I have everything I need for a fun-filled sporting event and replenishing any items that are running low.

Since Zackary is one of the starting pitchers this year, Children’s Benadryl Chewables are especially important for me to have ready. I know he would be so upset if he wasn’t able to pitch properly because he was dealing with an unexpected allergic reaction.

There are plenty of other items that I find come in handy as well, from snacks for my baby to extra money for the concession to camping chairs that let us avoid uncomfortable bleachers. But these six items are the ones that I find myself using again and again.

If you have kids in organized sports, check out your own bag of essentials and see if you might want to add a few of these. When it comes to kids, I usually find that you can never pack too much, or be too prepared!

5 Tips to Deciphering the Validity of a Trusted Review

June 5, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Today, more and more people are turning to online stores for their shopping and other purchases. Instead of visiting department stores and merchandise outlets, shoppers now choose to just browse and scroll from the comfort of their own homes. I love being able to shop in my pajamas!

And with everything from clothes, appliances, televisions and furniture, up to more luxurious purchases like car accessories, gadgets and smartphones available online, shopping has never been easier. Aside from the convenience online shopping provides, the prices are also often cheaper compared to a physical store’s price. Best of all, the selection is almost always better as well, since the items available don’t have to be physically stocked in-store!

But the one thing that online shopping doesn’t offer is the ability to actually check out a product firsthand. When it comes to expensive items, being able to see, feel, touch and sometimes hear the product can make all the difference when it comes to taking the plunge on a big-ticket item. The best online deal can still cause hesitation if a shopper is worried about product quality. [Read more…]