Author Archives: DCG

It’s a snow day! Time to play in the snow…

Posted on February 17, 2021 | 7 comments

It’s a snow day for us here in Oklahoma!

Though I’ll most likely be shoveling snow rather than playing in it, enjoy this video of some furry guys enjoying their time in the snow!

DCG

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Remain Calm: Tips for driving in winter storms

Posted on February 16, 2021 | 11 comments

The winter storm Uri is hitting many states which means snow and ice. There’s a lot of drivers in hard-hit states who are not very familiar with driving in winter conditions (Texas and Oklahoma, for example).

I grew up in the Seattle area where many are not prepared to drive in the snow. Also, Seattle has a lot of hills so it can be a little more complicated. Here’s what driving in a typical Seattle snow storm looks like:

It’s really not complicated to drive in the snow and one should be prepared to do so in case you have an emergency and need to drive to the hospital or get supplies. Here’s some guidance from Les Schwab on how to drive in winter conditions. This brief video also offers some basics:

The biggest mistake I’ve seen drivers make in both Seattle and Oklahoma is slamming on their brakes. That’s a big no-no! Drivers also tend to drive too fast, tailgate and pull out suddenly in front of a driver.

While many prefer to stay home during winter conditions, it’s really a good time to practice driving. There are less cars on the roads and you can familiarize yourself (a big empty parking lot is a good place to go) with how your car – and you – react to winter driving conditions.

Mostly importantly, remain calm. If you know how best to react, you will feel secure in the fact that you’ll get to your destination without a fender bender.

Safe driving!

DCG

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Posted in Nature

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Peace of Mind: Be Prepared for an Emergency

Posted on February 14, 2021 | 10 comments

If last year’s pandemic taught us anything, it’s that you need to be prepared. Whether it be a natural disaster, pandemic or some other catastrophic event, having emergency supplies on hand provides peace of mind for you and your family.

Today the winter storm “Uri” is blowing through much of the south and heading through the midwest to the northeast. We woke up in Oklahoma to a “balmy” seven degrees with windchills well below zero. Althought we don’t have much snow (it has been accumulating since this AM and coming down harder now), with the Oklahoma winds it’s way too cold to venture outside if we don’t have to!

View from our front door this morning:

Fortunately we were able to make it to the grocery store on Friday (along with the masses) and snag the last loaf of bread and package of hamburger buns on the shelf. It was like another pandemic starting all over again!

Minus some perishables we’ll also need to purchase, we are always prepared for some kind of emergency (tornado, earthquake, etc.) and keep supplies on hand. It is much less stressful to gradually accumulate emergency supplies than trying to run out (if you even can access roads/stores) and purchase items at the last minute.

You can find lots of resources on the web for what kind of supplies to keep on hand. Here’s a suggested list from the American Red Cross. Our list includes the following:

  • Batteries, flashlights, candles, matches
  • Old school AM radio
  • Canned foods (rotate your inventory to avoid expiration) and MREs
  • Pet food
  • TP and paper towels
  • Toiletries (soap, saline solution, etc.)
  • Medical emergency supplies
  • Plastic garbage bags
  • Water
  • Cleaning supplies (in particular bleach)

We also have this product: DB Power Portable Car Jump Starter.

This jump starter also serves as a flashlight, emergency light, compass, and  cell phone/laptop charger. Every couple months I check the charge on this and it holds a charge pretty well.

While not everyone can afford to acquire and keep an extensive amount of emergency supplies on hand, anything you can start to accumulate will provide you peace of mind in case of emergency.

If you have any great ideas to add to an emergency kit, please share with us. And if you’re stuck in this storm, hope you stay safe and warm!

DCG

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Posted in Nature

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An important resource for bird wildlife and the soul: Set out a bird bath

Posted on February 12, 2021 | 18 comments

For several years we set up a bird bath in our backyard. In Oklahoma we have a variety of birds including Cardinals, Doves, Bluejays, Chickadees, etc. It was so peaceful to watch the birds bathing and drinking. They especially enjoyed cooling off on a hot Oklahoma summer day!

Alas, we adopted two abandoned neighborhood cats who are excellent hunters so no more bird bath (or feeders) in our yard.

Yet if you have the means and an opportunity to do so, I would highly recommend including a bird bath in your yard. You can enjoy the bird sightings (and sounds) from your patio,  and interact with wildlife while providing a much needed water resource for birds!

There are many resources available on the web on how to set up a bird bath. Some basics:

The lower a bird bath is to the ground, the more likely birds are to use it. Keep the bird bath in some shade, if possible, so water stays cool during sunny days. Birds also like to to hop up to a tree branch so they can “preen” and clean after a bath.

Water in the bird bath should be shallow (around two inches) so they can splash around safely and wade in it. Most important: Keep the bath water clean and fresh by changing the water every day or two.

Here’s a few other tips:

Happy bird watching!

DCG

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Pain in the neck? A natural pain relief product that works for me

Posted on February 10, 2021 | 11 comments

A couple months ago I started having some serious neck pain. This was due to (in part) my work station and being unable to set it up to be ergonomically correct.

I already see a chiropractor yet it wasn’t enough to rid me of my neck pain. So I started getting a massage every two weeks. That was helping (and oh so relaxing!) yet wasn’t completely eradicating my neck pain.

Thanks to a co-worker I’ve discovered a natural pain relief gel that has worked wonders for me!

The product is Sombra Warm Therapy pain relieving gel. Manufactured by Sombra USA, the warm therapy gel (topical analgesic) contains ingredients such as aloe leaf juice, green tea leaf extract, orange peel oil, grapefruit seed extract, and witch hazel leaft extract. A full list of ingredients can be found here: Warm Therapy – Sombra USA.

I immediately felt pain relief upon applying this product. All it takes is just a little bit of product every night and my pain has consistently decreased after a stressful day at work (on my neck). So much so that since I’ve been using this product I’ve cut down my visits to both the chiropractor and masseuse.

The 8 ounce jar cost less than $20 and will probably last me six months. Not a bad price for pain relief!

Bonus: Their products are made in the USA in Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Visit Home – Sombra USA to learn about all their products.

NOTE: I am not a paid representative for this company. It’s just a product that has worked wonders for me.

Let us know if you have tried this product or found another that has brought you relief from aches and pains!

DCG

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