Tag Archives: anything and everything

May5

Smart Tips To Help Manage Your Cat’s Weight

Posted on by
Standard
Smart Tips To Help Manage Your Cat’s Weight

Part of keeping your cat healthy is ensuring that they stay at a healthy weight. We might all like to laugh at and coo over a fat cat, but the reality is that cats shouldn’t be carrying lots of excess weight. They need to be at a healthy weight so that they can remain active and so that there is no extra strain put on their bodies. Managing your cat’s weight can be difficult, though, especially if you have an indoor cat that might be less active. If you’re looking for some tips to help manage your cat’s weight, take a look at the advice below:

Speak to Your Vet:

Your vet can give you plenty of helpful advice about your cat’s diet and weight. They can let you know if your cat is overweight or even underweight, and make recommendations to help keep them healthy. They might recommend a specific food, especially if your cat might benefit from a special diet to improve their health. Your vet can recommend portion sizes and feeding times and generally offer more personalized advice compared to what you would get from a packet of cat food.

Make Measuring Food Easy:

It can be tricky to get your cat’s food right, especially concerning how much to feed them and when to feed them. Measuring out the right amount and sticking to a schedule is an important part of giving your cat the right diet. Many cat owners let their cats snack on dry food throughout the day, but this can lead to them eating too much. An automatic cat feeder can help you to measure out the right amount of dry food. Some even have cameras so that you can watch your cat when you’re out of the house. If you feed both wet and dry food, you need to make sure that the combined calories don’t exceed your cat’s recommended amount.

catt1

ANGEL!

Keep Your Cat Active:

Exercise is another important part of managing your cat’s weight, particularly if you have an indoor cat. Indoor cats can be less active than outdoor cats, who will often go roaming for large parts of the day. Playing with your cat can encourage them to be more active, which helps to manage their weight. Make sure to adjust their diet to match their levels of activity too. More active cats may need to eat more.

Be Restrained with Treats:

Giving your cat treats can be a great way to pamper them and even teach them a few tricks. However, too many treats could mean that your cat is eating too much. While a few treats aren’t a bad thing, it’s important not to go overboard. It’s also important to give your cat special cat treats, which you include in your cat’s daily calorie allowance, and not human food.

Keep your cat healthy by managing their weight. Food and exercise play important roles in cat weight management.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

May5

Friendly Reminder!

Posted on by
Standard
Friendly Reminder!

Hello! In Ohio, our stay at home order is still pretty well in place. Other than grocery stores and gas stations, the only things that have since opened up are doctors offices. But, in the meantime, that doesn’t mean that you still can’t support all of your favorite local businesses and artists. That’s right, we’re talking gift cards.

When the nonessential businesses closed, I reached out to all of my favorite hang outs of the tattoo shop and the hair and nail salon. It was important to me to try and help out all of the people who keep me beautiful as much as I can and if that meant paying early for the services I planned on getting anyway, I was happy to do it.

Unfortunately, in my area of Ohio, there are far more chain stores than anything locally owned. But, if that weren’t the case, trust and believe I would be getting gift cards to all of the cute boutiques too! Anything helps and if you are in a position to give a little more, then now is the time to do it. Believe me, the heartfelt thank yous make it two hundred fifty percent worth it! ❤

How have you been supporting the local businesses in your area? What have you been doing to help serve your community? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr28

Making The Most Of Spring When You’re Stuck Indoors

Posted on by
Standard
Making The Most Of Spring When You’re Stuck Indoors

Hello! In an effort to keep everyone occupied, I have offered guest blogging opportunities on lifewithlilred during the lock down. Not only is it interesting and fun to hear from people all around the world but it also is a huge favor to me to keep content coming when there’s not much to write about!

In today’s post, you can find plenty of great tips to get you in touch with nature from your home from my friend, Helen, at The Feminist Gadabout. Her page is a wonderful treasure trove of cool content so do be sure to give it some love. Now, let’s get to it:

Making The Most Of Spring When You’re Stuck Indoors

With many of us around the world stuck indoors, the usually cheerful season of spring has taken on a frustrating note as we are unable to get outside and enjoy it. It is vitally important that we follow government advice about physical distancing, and do our best to avoid unnecessary contact with other people. But that doesn’t mean that we have to completely miss out on the joys of the season! Here are just a few ideas for how to make the most of spring, without having to leave your house:

Nature webcams:

Now is a time to take advantage of everything modern technology has to offer. From HouseParty to Zoom, we’re all even more reliant on our devices, and internet speed, than we were before. If you feel you’re missing out on your usual dose of nature because of the lock down, webcams are here to help! There are hundreds of different nature webcams to choose from all over the world. Yellowstone National Park, for instance, has its own full set of webcams, offering views of the Old Faithful Geyser, Mount Washburn, and Yellowstone Lake.

These are a great way to watch spring emerging in one of the US’s most stunning natural locations. For a close look at wildlife you can head over to the Explore website, where you can see everything from eagle chicks growing up in Iowa to a hummingbird nest in California. These cute little birds make remarkable parents! Watching nature go about its day is a nice way to feel in touch with the wild, even if you can’t get out in it.

jt-ray-wCmmOL6K_Qk-unsplash

Grow Something:

Spring is the season of sprouting shoots and new leaves. Even if you don’t have access to a garden, you can still get in on the action. All you need is a bit of soil and a few dishes.  You can even use old toilet paper rolls or egg boxes to make pots! Growing plants from seeds is hugely therapeutic. It is a wonderfully positive reminder of the steady progress of life and the seasons when you see your first baby plants poking up through the compost. There are thousands of plants to choose from, but herbs like basil and cilantro are fun (and edible!) places to start. If you’re looking to add a little color to your indoor life, go for miniature sunflowers or sweet peas. Watching your little pants grow is enormously satisfying, and will provide you with interest for months to come.

jen-theodore-Tys0QOcdbBA-unsplash

Nature Diary:

Lots of wildlife charities host annual animal and bird counts. All you have to do is note down what birds, animals, and sometimes butterflies and moths, you see in your local area in a given period. Having year-on-year information is really helpful for scientists and organizations tracking wildlife populations and the impact of human activity. You may think you’ll be left out of this is you live in an urban area, but it can be just as useful to know what creatures are thriving in our cities as in our countryside.

Sit out in the garden or at your window and take some time to chill out and watch the world – and all of its creatures – go by.  This is a great one to do with kids, as it offers a chance to teach them as you go. My grandfather used to tell me about the names and habits of all of the different birds, and gave me knowledge that I still cherish to this day.  So take a look at what your local groups are offering, and get involved! You may be surprised by the biodiversity of your area, and with spring progressing you’re sure to spot some cute baby birds and critters.

niklas_hamann-6L6OI2Zeb2Q-unsplash

Celebrate your personal growth:

Spring is all about renewal and rebirth. You don’t just have to turn to nature to get into this spirit. Spring offers an opportunity to look back and appreciate how far we’ve come, and think about where we want to go next. Why not try something as simple as taking a selfie of your lock down hairstyle, grow-out and all? Think about all you’ve managed to achieve, and thank yourself for your fortitude and perseverance. This is going to be a tough year for all of us, so why not indulge in a little springtime self-love, and take a moment to appreciate and celebrate yourself. We all deserve to be kind to ourselves, now more than ever.

Get Crafting:

Spring is a singularly creative season. The world is bursting with newness, all waiting to inspire you. Whether you craft all the time or rarely pick up a paintbrush, spring is a season for starting projects, and having a go at something new. There are lots of simple crafts, from origami and painting to crochet, which are easy to learn and require minimal equipment. The satisfaction of creating something new that you can proudly display in your home is its own reward, and you’ll also have mastered a new skill!

merylove-crafts-zWWDco7uCu0-unsplash

What are you doing to keep busy and happy during these indoors spring days? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Helen runs The Feminist Gadabout, a culture, lifestyle, and travel blog that looks at the world through the lens of social awareness. It covers everything from product, film and book reviews, to social justice long-reads and travel recommendations. With the new indoor life tag there’s also plenty of material to help you stay healthy and happy indoors during lock down.

Thanks again to Helen of The Feminist Gadabout! If you are interested in guest posting on lifewithlilred, please email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com !

Apr26

Hanging In There?

Posted on by
Standard
Hanging In There?

Hi! I just wanted to do a check in to see how everyone is doing because I think we are all getting to the stir crazy point of our stay at home orders. Things are difficult right now and I want to remind all of you that it is okay to be upset! We have all literally never dealt with anything like this before and there is no right or wrong way to feel so hang in there, as our inspirational kitten meme says.

When all of this started, I thought that I would be fine if I just didn’t let myself get frustrated. This was a huge mistake and, as we learned from my mental breakdown when my nails weren’t successful, just the smallest straw can break the camel’s back when you are bottling everything inside. So let it out!

Blogging has been a huge help to me during this crazy time and I really view it as my online journal right now, especially when I can’t frequent TJMaxx and show you all what’s good! Find your medium that helps you express yourself and dive in. Write in your diary, paint a picture, or whip up a delicious dessert. Immerse yourself in something that makes you feel good and watch your mood improve vastly.

Still looking for a project? As always, I invite all of you to guest blog on my page and you can email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com if you would like to be featured as lifewithlilred’s once daily post. You can also friend me on Facebook at: Sarah Mushenheim for all of the best memes and the random thoughts that don’t make it to my blog. See you there!

What has been your go to hobby in self-isolation? What is something that makes you feel better? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Medium

Apr25

Paranormal Activity Pt. 4

Posted on by
Standard
Paranormal Activity Pt. 4

Hello! For those of you who don’t know, I have experienced paranormal activity in my apartment ever since moving in last April. The last occurrence happened in January and, since then, it has been quiet. That is, until my ghostie friend popped by to make his presence known a few days ago.

For Easter, my boyfriend, Johnny, and I received a gift card to Wicked Good Cupcakes from his mom and dad. We ordered our treats online and they arrived packaged in mason jars with plastic silver spoons for each of us. I set the mason jars side by side on my kitchen counter and placed the spoons on top and there they remained until Johnny and I enjoyed them together.

Now, before I tell you what happened, just know that the two plastic spoons had ample space on top of the mason jars, making it impossible for them to fall off. And, the mason jars were placed over half a foot away from the edge of the counter. This sets the stage for a weekend afternoon when:

Johnny and I were watching Community and he got up to get something to drink from the fridge. I was sitting on the couch and facing where he was standing to continue our conversation. Once Johnny got his can of pop, he walked into the entry way where the kitchen meets the living room and stood there to open it.

The entry way Johnny paused in is parallel to my kitchen counter and as he was about to start walking back to the couch, the spoons on top of the cupcake jars fell all the way to the floor. Johnny saw it happen from his peripheral and I saw it happen full on. It literally looked like someone just swept their hand over top of the jars to knock the spoons over… Except there was no one there.

Johnny has heard my “ghost stories” before but never witnessed anything happen himself and I think he was just as shocked, if not more, than I was. I mean, there really is no way that those spoons could have magically been swept off themselves. I don’t know what was more startling – seeing them fall or hearing them clatter loudly once they hit the floor.

For some reason when I was at work, my client and I were talking about ghosts and spirits and I told him about my “haunted” apartment. Then, four to five days later, my ghostie stopped by to remind myself and now my boyfriend that he is always still there. He’s probably so annoyed that Johnny and I are at home constantly because of the stay at home order, lol!!

Have you ever experienced paranormal activity? What are some of your phobias? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr24

Tips For The Best Ways To Feed Your Horse

Posted on by
Standard
Tips For The Best Ways To Feed Your Horse

If you’re a new horse owner or you simply want to become a better one, one of the things you’ll need to think about is how you feed your horse. It’s one of the most important things you have to consider when you own a horse and there are many decisions to make. We’re going to discuss all of that and cover the most important issues around feeding your horse correctly, so read on to learn more:

Stick to Trickle Feeding:

Trickle feeding is the process of giving horses small amounts of food at a time. This way of feeding horses is used because it’s how horses naturally eat and it suits the size of their stomach, which is relatively small. Because they’re being fed small amounts, they can be fed more often. Horses 400kg and above should only be fed around 2kg of food per meal.

Feed Plenty of Forage:

You can still feed horses plenty of forage, though, as this is essential for their digestive health and they’ll graze on it throughout the day. As well as helping their digestive health, it also makes it easier for horses to absorb vital nutrients from other sources, aiding their health and fitness generally. You should give them more than 1.5% of their body weight per day in forage.

Ensure Fresh and Clean Water is Always Available:

It’s essential that your horse always has easy access to fresh and clear water at all times. Without this, they’re only going to get dehydrated and it’ll eventually have a massively detrimental effect on their general health and well being. Don’t underestimate the importance of the water and replacing it with fresh, clean water at regular intervals.

Get the Logistics Right:

It’s also important to choose the right food and to ensure you always have a reliable supply of it heading your way. Places like https://www.naturafeed.com/production-distribution/ can help with the distribution of horse feed, and it’s a good idea to select an option that offers those provisions. Once you have a feed, you want to keep it consistent and always have it in stock. It’s best for your horse if you’re not making changes all of the time and swapping their feed.

Keep Feeding Times Consistent:

Horses like routines and form strong habits. That’s why it’s so important for their general happiness that you keep their feeding times as consistent as possible from day to day. You should also offer the amount of food that matches up to the amount of work that’s been done by the horse that day so their energy reserves are adequately replenished.

Feeding your horse correctly is a vital part of being a horse owner. Nothing should be left to chance and you should put real time and thought into working out how much feed your horse needs and what kind it needs. These variables will differ depending on your horse.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Apr23

Learning Something New

Posted on by
Standard
Learning Something New

Hello! As many of you know, I am extremely passionate about learning new languages. It is one of my favorite hobbies and I currently practice French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Czech on Duolingo. This past week, however, I added a sixth language to my arsenal: American Sign Language.

Maybe you remember a few years ago when I was teaching myself ASL through different books. It proved to be a lot harder than I thought and I eventually fell out of it, promising myself I’d take a class at the soonest opportunity. That never happened, either. Until the fateful day I saw an article on Facebook about a Doctor Jennifer Delora teaching ASL for free on Zoom during the stay at home order.

I was instantly intrigued and saved the article for later use and was so happy I did after watching the first Zoom class with Doctor Jen. In the first lesson, we went over the alphabet, numbers one through ten, greetings, pronouns, and other simple signs. It was a thorough lesson and I finished it feeling proud of what I had learned and eager to do the next one.

Not only is Doctor Jen hilarious but she is absolutely brilliant and teaches ASL in a way that anyone of any skill level could learn. She’s down to earth, amazing at what she does, and I felt like I absorbed everything she said like a sponge. You can find Doctor Jen’s videos on YouTube and I highly recommend giving them a try. Heck, even if you just learn the alphabet, that’s a wonderful first step. Catch you all at the next class!

Which languages do you know? Are you learning any new languages? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

Are Your Drains Healthy? Here Are The Signs They’re Not!

Posted on by
Standard
Are Your Drains Healthy? Here Are The Signs They’re Not!

If there is one thing that can cause upset for your property, it’s drain issues. There are a lot of jobs around the house that you can do yourself, from fixing a busted fuse to changing a light bulb. However, there are just some jobs that require a little help from the professionals.

Plumbing and drain issues are some of the worst for a house. They cause a level of disruption that you can’t fathom until it happens to you! It’s hard enough to figure out what the problem might be, but fixing it? That’s a whole other ball game! If you need sewer line repair, you need to call the professionals. If you need to replace the drains, that’s another job you can’t do alone.

So, you need to know the signs of the drains being unhealthy, and we’ve got a list of the most common signs for you below:

Stinky Pipes:

Everyone notices the smell of a dead drain. The food rot, the rotting plants – they don’t smell great! Dirty water that stagnates has a foul odor, and you will notice it right away. The worst thing is that the smell will make its way through the house – not what you want! This is where you want to have your drains snaked and thoroughly cleaned by an expert right away. You can click now to schedule an appointment with a drain engineer for some advice or professional help if you feel that one of drains needs it. It’s also so important to dispose of the grease and fat from your pans properly. Don’t throw old grease down the drain – it’ll stink!

Slow Toilet Drainage:

We’ve all been there at least once: we flush the toilet, and we watch the water rise up before it drains. Except for this time, the water level isn’t changing, and nothing is flushing…oops! The worst is when this happens in someone else’s house! However, a plunger should work here, and that will help the waste to drain correctly. If you’re still having issues, then that’s when you call your Plumber!

Gurgling Drains:

Your drains should never be singing to you. Pipes and fixtures are designed to be silent, so you need to think about what could be causing the bubbles. Dirt and grease build-up is one reason, but you really need the water to drain down slowly. Clean drains don’t speak, and you need to ask the professionals at Ansell Drainage (or a similar company in your local area) to use a long wire to let go of all the built-up muck.

Dreadful Damp:

A drain or pipe that has collapsed or cracked can cause damp within your property. The damage that the drain causes will disrupt the flowing water, causing damp in the walls of the home. So, you need to avoid penetrating wet rot and learn to spot the damp signs in the house. When you notice it, try to figure out the source of the wet and call in the professionals to help. The last thing that you want is to deal with substantial damp patches all over the house.

Drains are supposed to be quiet, clean, and smell nice. If yours are playing up, call in the right professionals, and don’t wait around!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr6

Fun & Fresh Gift Ideas For Men

Posted on by
Standard
Fun & Fresh Gift Ideas For Men

It’s not always easy to buy gifts for men. In fact, it can be really difficult and even more so now that we are unable to go shopping for gifts. So if you want to buy some unique and interesting gifts this year, take a little look at this mini guide to see what could work for your next birthday purchase for a special guy in your life:

Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets:

Most men love gadgets and at any time of the year too! A lot of companies launch new products at this time of year and there are usually special offers at certain times of the year. There are so many different types of gadget on offer, and this can make it tough to decide what to buy. You can buy everything from virtual reality gaming headsets to self-stirring mugs. Think about what your partner or your brother has already got and what kinds of gadgets would entertain them or make their life easier. You could go for something practical if they like specific things to do with DIY or art for example or if they just love playing with toy cars and helicopters!

Clothing and accessories:

Buying clothing isn’t a necessity at the moment but it will be again at some point and although this doesn’t sound like the most original idea, it can have a twist put on it. Why not add a personal touch to one of their fashion accessories? Nowadays, you can customize everything from trainers and football boots to caps and this may really impress some of the men in your family. If this idea sounds appealing, do some research online. You could add their name or a special date, for example to remember their anniversary or other occasion.

Sporting gifts:

If you live with a sports fan, the options are endless. Indulge their passion with a stadium tour, match tickets, or a private lesson. Buy books, DVDs, or novelty golf balls as stocking fillers. Research signed shirts or retro football online. If you’re married to a gym bunny, read up on the best wearable gadgets or order a personalized gym bag. There are gifts out there to suit every budget and for lovers of every sport – you could certainly look at tested paddles too so when the time comes to enjoy some Pickleball, they’re prepared!

Manly hampers? Sounds fun enough!

If you’re searching for unique presents for him, look no further than a bespoke manly hamper. You can order a hamper online or buy your basket and fill it with ingredients yourself, depending on what they like. Maybe they love Thai food, so you could make a Thai themed hamper! This is a great idea for friends and relatives who love to eat and drink.

Popular items include alcohol miniatures, chocolates, cheese, nuts, and more. If you make your own, you can put all of your loved one’s favorite things inside which will impress them and show that you know them too. You can add shower and shave gel, candles, soap, and beard oil if you don’t want to go down the food route. The options are really endless and it’s time to start thinking outside the box!

Use the ideas above to help get you inspired for gifting the guy in your life with the best present ever!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Apr2

Be My Friend!

Posted on by
Standard
Be My Friend!

Hello! With the stay in order in Ohio still going strong, I definitely have been spending more than the average amount of time on social media. So, I figured it was a great time to remind all of you that you are more than welcome to friend me on Facebook at: Sarah Mushenheim. Just send me a message so I know who you are and I’ll accept your friend request so you can see all of the dope memes I’ve been sharing. 😉

And, in case you don’t know what I look like, this is my profile picture:

fb

Catch ya on The Book! 💃