It happens all the time. You go to the grocery store to load up on vegetables only to find when you cut into them, that they are rotten. Do you wanna know how to avoid that from happening again? Follow these simple tips when buying vegetables.
Asparagus is best purchased in the spring. The tips should be closed and compact. The stems should go be green.
Beets are one of the vegetables that you can get all year around. Good beets would be rich in red color and be firm and round.
Brussel Sprouts are best between October and December, but you can still find good ones 10 months out of the year. Good ones won’t have any bruising or blemishing, be firm, and rich in green color.
Carrots are available all year long. A firm carrot will be smooth and well formed. The tops should be green in color.
Celery is available all year long. A glossy surface and green leaflets are tell-tale signs of healthy celery.
Corn is available all year long with the best time for corn is May-September. Green husks and plump kernels are the best way to tell if your corn is going to be good.
There are no bad times to buy lettuce, mushrooms, or onions. But in order to get the cream of the crop you have to look out for healthy and vibrant leaves on lettuce, Caps should be white or brown consistently throughout the mushroom, and onions should be firm with dry necks.
Next time you are at the grocery store, you’ll know what to look for when purchasing your favorite vegetables.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Source: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-15388/how-to-pick-out-perfect-vegetables-infographic.html?utm_campaign=recommendation&utm_medium=popular&utm_source=feature
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Are you looking for something to do and a way to break out of your comfort zone? Look no further than Specialized Aviation.
Specialized Aviation offers a multitude of tours that you can choose from including wine tasting tours, coastal tours, and air charters. Take a look:
Coastal Tours
Leaving from Watsonville Airport this charter offers four tours to choose from. Head up the Santa Cruz coast line. Want to venture further out? You can also choose from the Big Sur Coast, Carmel Coast, or an airplane charter. Pricing ranges from $99/per person to $299/per person and runs from 20-60 minutes. You will enjoy breathtaking views that you normally would not be able to see anywhere else.
Wine Tasting Tours
This tour is like no other. Head up in the helicopter and enjoy. The wineries that we tour include Wrath Winery, Talbott Winery, Heller estate tour, or the Scheid Vineyard. Pricing ranges from $350/per person-$475/per person.
Air charters can range from $700-$995/per hour and can host up to 4 passengers.
The next time you are looking for something fun to do and you are ready to do something unexpected, contact Specialized Aviation.
Specialized Aviation also offers training on helicopters and airplanes. Go on and live life!
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Source: http://www.specializedheli.com/
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Now that you know what damage not cleaning your gutter can do to your home, we wanted to share some tips with you on cleaning that gutter out.
Keep that ladder out and clean out all the debris that has been left in the gutter. One way to do that is to use a pressure washer. Keep that debris though, it could be used for mulch.
- Check all your spikes and make sure that the spikes are properly placed throughout the gutter. You may need to consider getting some new ones, if warranted.
- Use bead silicon sealing to close up any leaks your gutter may have. This sealant will be proven effective against rain, snow, and ice.
- Inspect all the rivets that need to go into your gutter also. It may be time to replace them. Any local hardware store will have the rivets and a rivet gun for you to purchase.
- Before using the pressure washer, make sure your gutter is securely fastened with all the new rivets and spikes.
- If your gutters are rusted out, you may want to consider replacing them with aluminum or vinyl gutters.
Now that your gutters are all taken care of, let’s move onto the next in our home improvement series, chimney repair.
Scurich Insurance Services can help you with all of your homeowners’ insurance needs. Give them a call today.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Source: http://www.diynetwork.com/remodeling/tips-for-cleaning-and-repairing-gutters/index.html
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In an earlier article, we discussed tips to get your home ready for the fall season. These tips are important, so there could be no potential denial of coverage should you need to file a claim.
In this article, we want you to know what happens when you don’t clean out your gutter and the potential damage it could cause.
Leaking gutters. On the extreme side leaky gutters can also cause leaky roofs, mold, and it can rot away at the surroundings.
- Leaky roofs. If your gutter is filled with debris, any rain, snow, or ice, won’t be able to go anywhere, causing a leaky (and expensive repair) roof.
- Basement leaks. Gutters usually end up at the foundation of the house. If there is any damage to the run off, then the water can wind up in your basement.
- Rotted Wood. Some houses and/or foundations are made of wood. If the gutter is not properly taken care of, the build-up will cause wood to rot.
- Cracks in foundation. Same principle as above. Any debris left can create cracks in the foundation.
This fall, don’t let your gutter get the best of you. Stay tuned for Scurich’s tips to clean out your gutter.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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The leaves are changing colors and Starbuck’s famous Pumpkin Spice Latte has made its official appearance for the fall season. Everyone is getting ready for fall, so should you.
A major stipulation of your homeowner’s insurance policy is maintenance of your home. It is not uncommon for carriers to deny payment of a claim for any damage to your home, if it has been found that your home has not received the proper maintenance. Here at Scurich Insurance Services, we don’t want to see that happen, so here is your fall checklist of home improvements.
- Grab a ladder and clean out the gutters. Yes, those fall leaves are pretty but if your gutters are clogged with them, any rain or snow could create a bigger problem in the future.
- Get your caulk gun out and start sealing up all the cracks you see around the windows and doors.
- Winterize your pipes. This is the perfect time to do it, before it gets too cold.
- Repair your drive before the winter comes. This is actually a better spring project, but if you didn’t get around to doing it before now, do it now.
- Call the chimney guy. Fall means the start of colder weather. You need to make sure your chimney is clean before lighting your first fire.
- Replace or clean your furnace filters.
For more information about your homeowner’s policy, contact Scurich Insurance Services today.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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The modern world prides itself on advances in technology and progress. Two impactful transformations are the automobile and mobile phones – the cellular phone appeared decades after the first vehicle. Today, those two inventions cross paths as the demand for constant communication leads to cellphones being utilized in the car for speaking, texting, social updates, email and more. The question worth exploring is are these uses a necessity or a driving distraction?
Fully grasping this question, it’s worth agreeing that driving requires attention for optimum safety. That being said, even without technological devices accidents still occurred. The fact that attention is diverted is not a valid reason for labeling phones a distraction. On the flip side, many raise that mobile communication while driving is a business necessity and the benefits outweigh those accidents caused by phones. This also cannot be entirely relied upon, because there are many who use phones on the road without any real importance. A different perspective can shed light on this topic.
Clearly, each point on both sides can be countered. That being said, the stronger more emotional pitch is that phones are distractive and the driver’s shift of attention is the direct cause of accidents, outweighing any business necessity. Looking at this issue differently reveals a similar result for a different reason. It’s that mobile phones are a necessity and driving can be distractive to important communications that demand full attention. Drivers should take into account the obvious, that phones distract attention from driving, but the business addict arguing necessity should recognize that one cannot fully focus on the conference call, email, or text when the brain is balancing the coordination and attention to the road. The balance can be having the access to phones while adhering to local laws and bowing to the fact that necessary communications and driving are both derailed by the combination of mobile phones and cars – just not a winning pair.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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