Swine flu, Vitamin C, Linus Pauling

With all of the talk about swine flu -- our wanderings and "readings" took us to this book. Some of Linus Pauling's beliefs are controversial -- but we wouldn't argue with a two-time Nobel Prize winner (and one of the great scientists of the 20th century!). Perhaps some of the reasons his research is controversial can be traced back to "big industry..??"

In any case, Pauling believed that Vitamin C was VERY good for you; almost on the order of a miracle drug that could cure and prevent many illnesses. Humans are one of the few animals that do not produce their own Vitamin C. Read this book and see what you think.

Lawn Care: Cordless Lawnmowers

Is your old gas lawnmower giving you a hard time starting up? Many people are trading in their loud, finicky, gas lawnmowers for cordless mowers. Cordless mowers are great for a lot of reasons:

• Little or no maintenance compared to gas mowers that need oil changes, air filters, spark plugs, etc.
• Electric power (inexpensive battery recharges) compared to $3/gallon.
• Less noise.

Features to look for:

• Removable battery. The batteries won't hold the charge as well over time. Most lawnmowers have this feature, but you should check to be sure.
• Mulcher. Particularly good when it comes to autumn (leaves all over the place!). Also, it's good to mulch your grass and help feed your lawn.
• No cord. Electic mowers need you to be attached to a power outlet. Cordless mowers help you to avoid the tangle of long wires in your lawn.

Currently, we like two models. Both are highly-rated by Amazon users and can be sent to you via free shipping. Prices vary -- but mid-$300's are OK prices, low $300's or lower are great prices for these models.

• Earthwise (normally around $333) - 20 inch, 24 volt
• Black and Decker (normally around $369) - 19-inch, 24 volt

Lawn Care Basics: Mowing (First mow of season!) and Watering

Taxes are done... so we have time for another chore: the lawn! I look at the lawn as a challenge. Get it looking nice, neat, and green -- and you get a good sense of satisfaction. And you get some good exercise! Here are some basics. We talked about liming your lawn and fertilizer in a previous post.

• Mowing: Depending on the weather (temperatures, amount of rain, etc.) -- try to mow at least once a week. Cutting often (and not too short: rule of thumb is less than 1/3 of the blades of grass) leads to healthier grass.
• First mowing of the season: this first cut of the season should be on the short side. The shorter mowing will encourage the roots and grass to wake up and start growing.
• Water: only as needed. Again, this depends on your location and climate. If you need to water: water deeply and only once week or so (if there's no rain). Infrequent, but deep waterings will promote deeper roots and stronger/healthier grass (as opposed to frequent/shallow watering). Some people measure the water (putting out cans to see how much water the sprinkler is putting out) and aim for 1 inch per week. The best time to water is early in the day (avoids heat/evaporation).