Photo: Jackie Tsang (Unsplash)

Pretty much everything about moving is tough and annoying, and makes you swear you’ll never move again. However, moving a large collection (or even a few) of houseplants is even more difficult. You want to make sure that they survive the trip, that their pots don’t break, and that the soil doesn’t spill all over the place and the rest of your belongings get dirty.

Fortunately in an article for mindbodygreenProfessional plant stylist, Hilton Carter, shares some tips on how to successfully move your indoor plants while keeping them intact. Here’s what to know.

Before moving

Taking a few steps before you start your move – and even pack – can save you a lot of hassle on the day of the big move. Here are two of Carter’s suggestions::

Make sure the soil is dry

Yes, plants need water to live, but it is also more difficult to move plants with recently watered soil as they are harder to move. Here’s Carter’s tip:

So if you plan to move in a week it is best to let the soil dry out so the plant and pot will be a lot lighter and easier to move … if you are dealing with a plant that needs to watering more often , try sticking a water skewer in the ground and placing a bottle filled with water on it. This will keep your soil moist without it becoming too wet or too heavy.

Use the kindergarten pots

According to Carter, leaving your plant in the plastic pot it came in is perfectly fine as long as the roots don’t grow out of the ground. Transporting them in their kindergarten pots – separate from their heavy planters or pots – could make the work a little easier.

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How to package your plants

Now that it’s time to pack up, taking a little extra time to do it carefully can save you a lot of time (and hassle) when you get to your new location.

Cover the pot and the plant

If your plant lives in a fragile pot (with no planter), Carter recommends using packing materials to wrap it to keep it safe during shipping. Now it is time for the upper part of the plant. Per Carter:

Take a plastic bag or sheet and wrap it tightly around the top of the pot. Tape it down to make sure no dirt runs out. Just make sure you don’t cover the drainage holes. You want to make sure the roots can still breathe.

Tie the branches of larger plants together

To make it easier to get on and off moving trucks and doors, Carter suggests tying branches of your larger works together:

The best way not to break off any of your limbs is to gently pull them inward. To do this, use a hook and loop fastener or string to slowly bring the twigs or stems together and tie them. This will force the branches and stems to go up more than out.

Wrap the plant

Finally, Carter says it’s best to wrap the top of the plant to protect it during the move:

Using kraft paper, peel off a piece long enough to wrap around your plant. When you have it all around the foliage, secure it with tape. This also helps when you move around in the colder months of the year. It helps protect the foliage from frostbite.

Apparently there are special moving services too, but that sounds expensive and isn’t exactly a hack.

I am what most people would call a “good cook,” but I am by no means a good griller. I had never grilled anything other than a gas grill until two weeks ago, and frankly, I wasn’t very skilled at it either. As you probably know, cooking with charcoal is a bit of a learning curve, but after a few weeks of experimenting, I’m still amazed at how complicated the combination of fuel, fire, and airflow can get.

I’ve always been careful about barbecuing because there seem to be a lot of men who shout for the “right” way. But men like to scream about anything and deny me the thrill of coal-cooked food because I’m reluctant to avoid conflict is stupid. (Another factor is that this is the first time I have a garden in a while and that having an outside area for the grill to live is a must.)

Ideally, I could master the cooking method overnight and pass on my wisdom to all of you, but that’s not how expertise works. In the coming months I therefore invite you to take me on a learning journey as I develop from a grill kid to a (hopefully) #grillboss. This column is primarily intended for grill babies like me, but I welcome BBQ dads and avid grillers to share their favorite tips, tricks, and recipes with us so we can all learn.

These are the first things that owning and operating my 22-inch Weber kettle taught me in no particular order.

You need a charcoal fireplace

In contrast to my ex-husband’s gas grill, there is no “on” switch on my Weber kettle. You need to light a fire under or otherwise near the charcoal and hope that it will get hot enough for the coals to be nice and “ashed”. There are many ways to do this and it didn’t take me long to identify my favorite.

It is not a lighter liquid. While ideally it burns off before your food hits the grids, most people pour their coals a little too generously, and any leftover liquid can flavor your food. Plus, when you get it, you just don’t need it a chimneywhich is much cheaper, consistently effective, and something you should definitely buy. If you’ve never seen one before, a chimney is basically a metal pipe with a handle on the side and a cone-shaped grille near the bottom with lots of holes for airflow. (Airflow – also known as access to oxygen – is a very important aspect of keeping this combustion reaction going.)

To use a charcoal fireplace, fill it with charcoal, then place it on the charcoal grids (the lower grids that are closer to the bottom of the grill) over something flammable. You can use newspapers, but I, a millennial, never have any of them, so I bought these little ones lighter cubesand i am very happy with them. Once everyone is found, simply set the flammable thing on fire with a long match or barbecue lighter and let the chimney do its thing. Depending on how much charcoal you have there, your coals should be hot and only start to ash after about 15 minutes.

Absolutely pathetic. Photo: Claire Lower

Drop the charcoal on the charcoal grid and move it around to form an even layer on one side of the grill. (There are many other charcoal arrangements and configurations available, but a two-zone setup with charcoal on one side is a good place to start.) Once about 2/3 of your coals are white and you’ve quit smoking, you’re “ready “Proceed with your prescription.

Chimneys come in different sizes!

Honestly who knew? After reading many tutorials telling me that a “whole chimney” would be “plenty” of charcoal for a whole meal, I filled my friend’s picnic grill size chimney with charcoal, lit, tossed and then I got confused as to why the grill wasn’t going to get hot enough to cook my steak.

I am very vulnerable to sharing this embarrassing photo with you, but just look at how silly that flank steak (which obviously was never seared properly) looks over that tiny pile of sad coals.

This was a problem that was easily fixed. I just had to buy a full-size chimney. (And cook a new flank steak to set myself free; it was what I talked about on this blog Board sauces.)

The airflow is very important

As I mentioned earlier, there are no switches or handy temperature controls on a charcoal grill. Instead, you have vents. My Weber kettle has two ventilation slots – one under the grill and one on the lid. When you open the vents fully, most of the air flows through the grill, which provides oxygen and makes your coals super hot. Closing it denies the combustion reaction the oxygen it craves, which cools things down. Setting it anywhere between open and closed gives you control over how hot it gets there.

Placing the top vent on the side opposite your pile of coal in terms of positioning will ensure that hot air actually flows to that side to create a zone of indirect heat. If you’ve ever cooked a steak or a thick piece of pork With the “reverse sear” method, this is the zone that takes up the space of your oven when grilling.

The thermometer on top of your barbecue dome is rubbish

Most grills come with a small thermometer on top that supposedly shows the ambient temperature inside your grill. In reality, they are not that accurate. These little guys sit at the top of your grill and can be affected by the temperature of the air in your yard. I have not yet used a recipe where I knew the exact internal temperature of my grill, but I have already bought a recipe digital thermometer with two probes – one to measure the temperature of the food and one to measure the (exact) temperature of the grill.

You don’t need fancy charcoal

To be able to grill well, you have to agree with grilling. When you change your charcoal every time you grill, you introduce a whole host of new variables. Briquettes and charcoal burners burn differently, and there are even differences between brands within each category. AmazingRibs.com has a great, detailed explanation about the differences between briquettes, lump charcoal, and even fancy boy burners like Dan Barber’s animal bone charcoal, but the result is that base briquettes are most consistently made and shaped, which is a huge perk if this is your first time trying to figure out Learn how to control your temperature with the airflow. (If the promise of “better taste” that comes with charcoal, just throw some wood chips and toss them on the briquettes; that way you can precisely control the heat and the amount of flavor.)

There are many different ways you can arrange your charcoal

The most common charcoal grill setup consists of a series of hot coals on one side of your grill and nothing on the other. This two-zone configuration creates an area with direct radiant heat (for searing) and an area with indirect, convection-like, oven-like heat (for gentler cooking). This is the only setup I’ve played around with so far. It worked well for burgers and flank steak, and I plan to use it later in the evening to cook some chicken legs. If you are just starting out, I recommend familiarizing yourself with this arrangement before proceeding with “the snake,” “the vortex,” or anything that includes baskets or extra pieces of metal. (I’ll probably invest in one though Slow ‘N Sear very soon as it promises to “turn my kettle into a smoker and a glowing hot sear machine – ALL WITH ONE DEVICE!” Damn it.)

Clean before cooking, not after

If you’re used to cooking in a kitchen, you’re probably used to tidying up after you’ve finished cooking too, but the best time to clean your grill is just before your next meal, when the grids are nice and hot and the last night burger bits are carbonized. There are many different tools out there, but I used one of them Safe scrape wooden paddleAs I’ve heard and read, the metal bristles of traditional grill brushes can break off and potentially get stuck in your food, which would be bad. (I also watched one of these, but I’m pretty happy with my paddle.)

What else do i need?

In addition to the Slow ‘N Sear, there are a few items I would like to buy soon to make my grill setup a little safer and more enjoyable. Heat-resistant grill gloves are at the top of this list, as I’ve just used a regular cloth glove and covered my arms with the (flammable) sleeves of an old hunting sweatshirt. I would also like a small side table to prepare and something to hang my tools on. Speaking of tools, I just used the pliers and spatulas I already had, although I think I need a spatula with a longer handle. If you have any other suggestions or judgments, please add them in the comments. I’m very baby after all (but only when it comes to barbecuing).

Photo: alexfan32 (Shutterstock)

Who of us didn’t have to live in close proximity to a loud, inconsiderate, rude, or even violent neighbor? I’ve shared many walls in my life (even now, I live in a duplex), and on the other side of those walls were a number of characters.

There was the family who liked to leave sacks on garbage bags outside for weeks or months (on a shared porch in the stifling Arizona heat). We suspected pretty heavy drug use there too, and apparently the guy accidentally shot himself in the hand once. After them we were delighted to have the cute old lady who let her dog shit right on our doorstep, followed by the young man who played video games all hours of the night (with a subwoofer because it wasn’t enough to keep that up hear – we had to feel it too). And now we have the couple who get into the occasional but epic fights.

To a certain extent, much of it is exactly what has to do with the territory of the near life. But sometimes the music gets too loud for too long or the argument gets so heated that you start to think it’s time to intervene. And hey, that’s what the police are for, right? Enforce laws and regulations and protect community members? Unfortunately, we know all too well how a well-meaning phone call to the police about a minor problem can quickly escalate and lead to unnecessary injury or even death.

However, there are situations when you need to call the police. However, before you pick up the phone, there are a few things to keep in mind and tips to offer when you are facing some of the most common reasons we call the police on our neighbors.

Minor nuisances and eyesores

Weeds and grass as big as your children; the rusted old car that has been parked in the same spot on the street for years; Trees so overgrown that they block the view of the traffic; Outside of “storage” which is really just a pile of junk – all of these things can feel like minor nuisances at first and eventually lead you to a full tantrum. But as frustrating as they are, these matters are not police matters.

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Your first step, however awkward, is to talk to your neighbor. Don’t do it on a day when you feel particularly angry about the problem. Have a cup of tea, meditate a little, and then walk over with your calmest, friendliest demeanor.

First, offer help. Is it your responsibility to mow another homeowner’s grass, take away their old trash, or cut their trees? No of course not. But it could be that the reason they don’t is because they don’t have the right equipment, that they are overwhelmed with work, or that they have an old back injury that flares up every time they try to tackle them. Using the unruly grass example, if you need a mower but can’t afford a new one, you can offer to borrow yours after you’ve mowed your own grass, or help them find a used one that someone will sell locally .

If they can’t physically do the job and you’re not willing to hold on to it, maybe you can help them find a neighborhood teen they can pay to mow once a week. Setting them up on a schedule will automate the work for them and solve the problem. Whatever the hassle, assume they need help.

If you’ve tried this and made it clear to them that they don’t want your help, your next step is to unite your homeowners (if you have one). A HOA has rules and regulations that every homeowner must follow. If they break these rules, the association may issue notices instructing them to resolve the problem within a specified period of time or to face a fine.

If they don’t want your help and you don’t have an HOA, the next stop (if you want to pursue this further) may be to investigate if you have access to it Community mediation in your area and whether it makes sense for your situation. In community mediation, a neutral third party can work with individuals to find a peaceful solution.

When you’ve exhausted all other options, contact the government officials in your city or county to enforce their local laws and regulations.

noise

At some point in our lives (I’m looking at you college) we might have been the people who messed up the neighborhood with our late night parties and silly loud music. But now we’re old and need every minute of sleep we can get, and who the hell is up at this hour?

We wrote about it how to deal with noisy neighbors in the past, but here’s a quick rundown of the steps you should take:

• Talk to them: Chances are they may not even realize that they are too loud or that it is affecting your life in some way, such as by making a noise. B. by disturbing your child’s sleep.
• Propose a plan or a compromise: If the noise is a persistent problem (such as “tape practice” in the garage late at night), you may be able to agree to a shutdown time.
• Think about possible solutions: There may be ways to reduce the noise in your house (wireless headphones, anyone?). If you have any ideas, now is the time to propose them.
• Give them at least one warning before you escalate: If none of this worked and you report the noise to your landlord, management company, HOA, or – in extreme cases – the police, one final heads-up could be what makes them take it seriously.
• Talk to your landlord, your management company or your HOA: If the warning didn’t work, it’s probably time to speak to someone about it. Prepare with a list of specific examples, including the dates and times when the noise was particularly bothersome.
• As a last resort, contact the police: Show that you have tried several ways to resolve this problem yourself and report it by calling your department’s phone number, which is not an emergency call – not 911.

((Read more about each of these steps here.)

Arguments and Domestic Violence

Okay, this is the big one and the one that you probably feel conflicted about the most. When you hear an escalating argument, and especially when you hear other noises, such as For example, screaming, hitting, crashing, or the sound of things breaking, every instinct within you may want to call for help. But as Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, says HuffPostIf you don’t believe someone’s life is in danger, dialing 911 can do more harm than good.

Even if your intentions are good, it is impossible to know without further information whether the victim wants police intervention or whether the police could do further harm, she said.

Many survivors choose not to involve the police for a number of reasons: They may be undocumented or fear that the police will harm or even kill their partner – especially if they are black or brown. You may be concerned about being arrested yourself. You can rely on your partner’s income. They may worry about being evicted due to harassment laws that punish victims for crimes committed in their homes. They may not want to separate their family. And so on.

If you hear any suspicious or annoying noises, speak to the potential domestic violence survivor in person the next day (when alone). Tell them what you heard, ask them if they are okay, and ask what to do if it happens again – without guilt or judgment.

At the moment, if you are unsure whether or not to call the police, you can call online, send a text message or chat with a police representative first National hotline for domestic violencethat provides 24/7 support and advice to help you decide what to do next.

If there is an incident involving a child and you fear for their immediate safety, the police should be called. Otherwise, if you suspect physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect (as defined here), Your local child protection service is the agency you can call.

Screenshot: Promising features for young women / focus

For a while, the biggest movie history of 2020 was what movies didn’t make out as the pandemic closed theaters and kicked off the release dates for some of the biggest potential blockbusters of the year (see you later, Black Widow and No Time to Die, hopefully) and liveliest prize lure (or is there another reason Spielberg directed a remake of West Side Story?). But not anymore, because it turned out that there were still many good films released in the past year – and many of them were nominated for Academy Awards.

Yes, Hollywood’s annual celebration of mutual admiration is still going on, even if things are a little different this year. The award ceremony will finally take place on Sunday, April 25th last point of year for an Academy Awards since 1932. Some films that were not released until 2021 are still eligible for academy The permissions window has been moved and restrictions that require a theatrical release have been removed.

But the biggest difference between this Oscar year and any other is that you can now easily (if not necessarily cheaply) see most of the nominees without leaving your home. You no longer have to wait for this Kunsthaus release to hit the bigger city near you, or for your favorite director’s next masterpiece to hit HBO – thanks to COVID, almost everything that’s up for grabs this year will be streamed digitally somewhere at the moment although you may have to pay a premium for it Heck, the most honored movie of the year, Mank (10 nominations), even premiered on Netflix.

Here you can stream the nominees for the main categories of the Academy Awards 2021.