Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

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Plan an Affordable Vacation

In hard times such as this we have to get more creative. All of us need time away from work. All of us need to have some fun time in a stressful world. This is where our imagination can really help us. Plan a vacation at home.

Vacationing at home sometimes is as much as much fun as going away for a week or so. Vacationing at home can vary from setting up a portable pool in the backyard for yourself and the kids pretending you're at the beach to taking day trips enjoying local sites.

For those who don't have children at home (or if you do, hire a babysitter), take a tour at a vineyard in the area and don't forget the tasting afterwards! A bottle of wine, some cheeses, fresh fruit and sweet nibbles have the makings of a perfect picnic. In planning your home vacation, do the same things you would plan before any other get away such as clean the house, do the laundry, mow the lawn, etc. The computer and cell phones should have a break, too. Let the answering machine or voice mail catch those people who don't know you're on vacation. It's a getaway time, no work!

Here are other fun things perfect for a home vacation:

- Schedule a massage or facial
- Eat out or order delivery
- Hire a sitter for the kids and have a date night
- One day have a DVD marathon (especially good if it is a rainy day)
- Create a theme by renting DVD's set in specific areas
- Extended family cookout
- Read a book 
- Keep coffee, juice, water and snacks on hand
- Visit a nearby museum or zoo
- Go for a drive and eat out
- Visit stores/shops that you don't usually visit
- Check out your area to see if there are any community activities going on-such as free concerts,      openings, and don't forget to check out the library for story time
- Check to see if your area offers any outdoor activities or dramas
- Take a cooking class and show off your new skills at home by preparing those dishes

 Do it now... take the time... do yourself and loved ones a favor

Growing Japanese Red Maples from Seeds

Growing Japanese Red Maples from Seeds

Given the fact that Japanese maples are incredibly expensive, It is not surprising that, like me, you may have an interest in propagating them yourself. Unfortunately while it looks like growing trees from seed (given proper stratification) and getting them as seedlings from the base of trees is not too difficult, there is a problem with the cultivars breeding true. I probably have 50 or so of these trees that were grown from seed and all of them are beautiful. I love them all whether seedling or grafted variety. They are all strikingly beautiful.

 If your Japanese Red Maple seeds arrive to you with the wing still attached to the seed and you live between Zones 4-9, then your seeds are ready for planting.  It is suggested that you plant the seeds outside shortly after they arrive.  If you cannot plant them right a way, then keep them in the Ziploc bag they were shipped in and store them in the refrigerator.  It is essential that you plant the seeds outside as soon as possible.  This will allow Mother Nature to stratify your seeds naturally. Prepare a seed bed outside using any ordinary store bought potting soil or good garden soil.  Even if the ground is frozen or you have snow on the ground, your seeds will be fine.  Plant the seeds no deeper than twice the diameter of the seed.  Don’t over crowd the seed because if planted too close, they may “damp-off” (the principle killer of young seedlings).  Once the springtime comes and the soil thaws out, you will need to keep the seedbed moist.  A plastic tent covering on the seedbed is always beneficial because it is very important to keep the humidity high.  After the seeds have germinated for a couple of weeks, remove the plastic covering.  The seedlings can now be cared for in the same way as all adult Japanese Maple Trees.  These deciduous trees are hardy between Zones 4-9.

If your Japanese Red Maple seeds are shipped to you de-winged or you live between Zones 8-9, then do the following:  The seeds should be placed in warm water as soon as they arrive.  Heat 1 –2 cups of water to approximately 120 - 150 degrees F, but not boiling.  Pour the water into a thermos or a cooler or anything that will keep the heat in.  Place the seeds into the water and allow them to soak for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, use a strainer to drain the water and separate the seeds.  Place seeds in a cup with household peroxide for 2 hours. Rinse. The seeds should now be placed into a Ziploc bag containing a handful of peat moss or potting soil.  Mix the seeds with the peat moss or soil.  The seeds in the Ziploc should be damp, but not wet.  Place the Ziploc into your refrigerator.  The seed should be kept in the refrigerator for 90-150 days.  This is called moist stratification.  When it is convenient, take the seeds out of the refrigerator and plant them either indoors or outdoors.  Plant the seeds no deeper than twice the diameter of the seed.  Don’t over crowd the seed because if planted too close, they may “damp-off” (the principle killer of young seedlings).  Whether indoors or outdoors, the soil to be used should be kept damp but not soaking wet.  A plastic tent covering on the seedbed is always beneficial because it is very important to keep the humidity high.  After the seeds have germinated for a couple of weeks, remove the plastic covering.  The seedlings can now be cared for in the same way as all adult Japanese Maple Trees. 

Go out there and get started now.

Loving the Japanese Red Maple

I spend a great deal of my free time loving the Japanese Red Maple.

Few trees provide such an extraordinary range of ornamental interest as the Japanese maples. In Spring, their exquisitely toothed leaves emerge in shades of rose, cream, orange or red, then turn green or bronze-red in Summer, and then blaze away in Fall in showy yellow, gold, purple, orange and/or scarlet. When the leaves fall, the tree form and bark are revealed, and they etched in grace when dusted with snow. Although relatively small in stature, the variety range is vast, with heights from 2ft to as high as 30ft, and leaf shapes from classic maple-like to lacy or spidery. They may look fragile and delicate, but Japanese maples are pest-resistant and durable. They deserve a place of honor in your garden. They have that place of honor in mine. 

Japanese maples lend themselves beautifully to container growing. Dwarf types in ornamental pot & urns are well suited to patios and small gardens. Where larger containers can be utilized, the choice of form, color, leaf texture and branching offer greater variety. Full size trees grow well in tubs and permanent containers. Care is minimal, although it has to be constant since plants in containers will dry out more quickly than the same plant in the ground. The Japanese Maple is an excellent specimen for the Art of Bonsai. The occasional root & top pruning with proper attention to water and fertilizer create this art form.

Japanese maple trees can be classified in various ways. I’ll focus on a couple of classification criteria: fall foliage color and leaf type. For while Japanese maples with red fall foliage are better known, some varieties have golden fall foliage (e.g.,Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum'). Meanwhile, particular Japanese maple tree varieties are prized for their lacy or “dissected” leaf type. The name given for these Japanese maples will often include the term "dissectum."

There are few, if any, trees that can compare to the beauty and splendor of the Japanese Maple. I have been a passionate admirer of this tree since I was a child. I propagate the seeds, grow seedlings, graft them and just love them. They are a very large player in my free time. 

In upcoming posts I’ll share some of my secrets for propagating and growing these magnificent trees.

Just Another Blog About Free Time Loves

This blog is just to talk about things we love to do with free time. Anyone is free to contribute to this blog on whatever they love to do outside of work. This is a place to free up the stress we all suffer from and how we go about doing that. So relax and think about all the things you love to do when you can.