We all know the benefits of mulch - it beautifies, reduces erosion and compaction, discourages weeds, insulates roots, and conserves soil moisture. And we all know not to pile wood mulch up against tree trunks (this causes pest problems) or let it get more than 3 inches deep (this robs the soil of nitrogen and does bad things to plants). But what are the pros and cons of the various mulches available today?

There is a wide selection of mulches available. Whether you are considering adding mulch for organic or aesthetic purposes, or both, we recommend you choose mulch based on cost, ease of acquisition and personal taste:

Shredded tree/shrub trimmings - often available through your municipality, very inexpensive (sometimes free!), extremely effective in providing organic material, but needs frequent replenishing and can harbour weed seeds, insects, disease, etc.
Wood chips - functional and effective, a great organic choice, lasts longer than shredded trimmings, but tends to fade over time, can become home to vermin and needs replenishing every few years.
Shredded bark compost - pre-composted plant material, exceptional organic addition, great for the soil, but has relatively short lifespan and is sometimes scarce.
Straw - temporary ‘winter’ mulch for young perennials and shrubs, but 1 year lifespan, can attract vermin and contain unwanted seeds.
Pine needles – an extremely effective soil acidifier - a must if you want to grow azaleas and rhododendrons.
Coloured bark – can add an unparalleled overall look, available in a wide range of textures and colours, but does need replenishing and costs are high.
River or Coloured stone - low maintenance, ideal for more modern landscaping, lasts forever, but expensive and may need periodic cleaning to keep colour.

It's THAT time of year! Visitors lost! Animals running around! Kids playing! Hot weather! Roads under construction!

More Canadians die on the road during the summer months than at any other time of year, including the winter holiday season. Alcohol, fatigue and aggressive driving are often implicated in these tragedies. But the Canada Safety Council estimates that 85% of collisions are preventable, and urges all Canadians to put safety first when they set out on their summer travels.

• The number one passenger safety precaution is to make sure everyone is properly buckled up.
• Fatigue is a form of impairment, so don't give in to that temptation to push on. Rest stops are important. A break keeps the driver alert by promoting blood circulation, makes the trip more pleasant for passengers and lets the vehicle cool down.
• Young children need regular stops. Bring plenty of items to keep them occupied. Special travel games and songs also help.
• It is never safe to leave a child, a vulnerable person or a pet alone in a vehicle. Even on seemingly mild days, the passenger compartment can turn into an oven in 20 minutes or less, with potentially deadly consequences.
• Before leaving on vacation, have your vehicle checked to make sure it's safe. Repair or replace worn parts, check all tires for pressure general wear, including the spare.
• Replace your windshield wiper blades if they are worn or cracked.
• Make sure all lights work, including signal lights.
• Carry a flashlight, flares and first-aid kit, where they can be reached easily in case of an emergency.
• Sunglasses, road maps, a notebook, and a pencil or pen will all come in handy.
• If you use a cell phone, avoid unnecessary calls and make the driving task your top priority.
• Always drive defensively.
• Absolutely never drink and drive.

It seems as though every adult Canadian is fixated on the weather these days. El Nino. Global warming. The seasons just aren’t the same anymore. But at least we get some kind of summer. Not like the summer of 1816!

As a result of a volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia on April 10, 1815, the summer of 1816 brought unexpected climate changes in the Northern Hemisphere resulting in devastating famine and epidemic outbreaks: 

Switzerland – The government issued information on how to distinguish poisonous plants from edible ones, as people were eating any plant they could find. For some, moss became a staple.

France - Many grapes in wine and champagne districts froze in the cold summer and never ripened. The 1816 grape harvest of France was practically non-existent.

Ireland - Persistent cold rain for 142 of the 153 summer days left moist conditions that were later blamed for the European typhus epidemic of 1816-1819. The cold weather also destroyed the wheat, oat and potato crops.

Germany - The famine-inflated grain prices forced development of horseless transportation, thereby saving on the cost of oats to feed the animals. Karl Drais invented the draisine, a predecessor of the bicycle.

Switzerland – While holidaying in Lake Geneva, the miserable weather inspired English author Mary Shelley to write the classic Frankenstein, while John Polidori penned The Vampyre, which later inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Hungary - In the spring of 1816, Hungary and parts of Italy were greeted with brown and yellow snow. The snow’s unusual colour was the result of volcanic dust from Mount Tambora.

Britain - In response to the food shortage caused by the “Year without Summer”, the British government abolished income taxes in 1816.

Germany - Starving Germans baked straw and sawdust to eat as “bread” in the “Year without Summer”.

China - The cold weather killed trees, rice crops and even water buffalo, especially in Northern China. Floods destroyed any remaining crops.

India - The cooler climate delayed India’s summer monsoon, causing a cholera epidemic. Famine further weakened people’s resistance, making them more susceptible to disease.

Britain - Sulphur aerosols from the eruption scattered the red wavelengths of sunlight. English artist J.M.W. Turner, “the painter of light”, was inspired by brilliant red sunrises and sunsets in the autumn.

Massachusetts, USA - Extreme temperature swings within the span of hours in Salem saw a day that started hot with a temperature of 32ºC (90ºF), faced thunderous showers in the afternoon and ended 27ºC (81ºF) lower than it had begun.

Manitoba, Canada - A food shortage aggravated a trade dispute over pemmican, a concentrate of meat, berries and fat, between Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company. This triggered the 1816 Battle of Seven Oaks in which 24 people died.

Lightning Facts:

• On a yearly basis, the earth hosts over 16 million storms and 3 billion lightning strikes.
• There are about 1,800 thunderstorms around the world at any given time.
• In the summer months, lightning flashes occur about once every three seconds in Canada.
• Lightning ignites 4,000 forest fires on average each year in Canada, burning more than two million hectares (an area larger than Lake Ontario).
• Lightning travels upwards and downwards and horizontally – traveling as much as 70 Kilometers (44 miles) prior to turning downward to the ground.
• A flash can be six to eight miles long.
• Once the connection to the ground is made, a flash constricts to the thickness of your little finger.
• Lightning can heat up to 33,000 °C (60,000 °F) - about 5 times the temperature of the sun.
• Lightning carries 1 billion volts and 10,000 to 20,000 amperes of current.
• In Canada, half a dozen people are killed each year and 60 to 70 are seriously injured by lightning strikes. 
• On average, lightning kills more people in the US than hurricanes and tornadoes combined.

‘In the doldrums’
 
Meaning - to be depressed or unmotivated.
Example – She hasn’t said much all day. I think she’s feeling in the doldrums.
Origin - Doldrums is the name of the place in the ocean near the equator characterized by unstable trade winds. A sailing ship caught in the Doldrums can be stranded due to lack of wind.

Plan on doing some surfing this summer? Not waves. The net! With kids off school and parents taking holidays, the internet is a wonderful resource for both entertainment and information during the lazy days of summer. Improve your ‘net’ experience with these 12 Faster Browsing Tips:

1. ALT + D highlights the current address in the address bar so you can type over it.
2. Use the [space bar] on your keyboard to quickly scroll down a Web page.
3. ALT + LEFT ARROW takes you back a Web Page.
4. ALT + RIGHT ARROW takes you forward a Web Page.
5. Click on the "little down arrows" next to the BACK or FORWARD buttons on your browser to see a list of live links to previously viewed Web pages.
6. CTRL + F opens the FIND box, allowing you to find a specific word(s) on that web page.
7. CTRL + E opens the SEARCH assistant.
8. CTRL + I opens your FAVORITES bar.
9. CTRL + H opens your HISTORY bar.
10. F11 is used to switch to full screen view - and back again. (Great for maximizing smaller screens.) 
11. Found a useful site . . . want to quickly find other related sites, go to TOOLS -> SHOW RELATED LINKS.
12. Hold down the "shift" key when you click on a link, and it will open in a new window. (Great way to check out a ‘search’ list of links, yet keep the list on the screen while you do so.)

Cool Sites

Canadian Geographic Games – Samantha, age 12, says, “I like reading about Canadian Geography and I know a lot about it. This site has all sorts of crosswords puzzles, quizzes and word jumbles on different geographic features of Canada.”

Pool Games – Stuart, age 8, says, “My friend Eddie and I play some fun games in the pool that Mom found at this website. There are lots of them. I like ‘Looking for Gold, but Eddie likes the Soccer game the best. He’s nuts for soccer.”

Bunny Battle – Katie, age 8, says, “I love playing this game. You have to make sure you don’t throw the eggs too far and high enough to get the other bunny. My Dad and I play and I always beat him.”

Camping Checklist – Roman, age 13, says, “Dad’s taking my little brother and I camping. But Mom said she’s been camping with Dad before and that I am in charge of making sure we don’t forget anything. And this checklist is great.”

As Canadians, we are blessed with a wide range of places to fish for the many types of fish in our lakes and streams. To make the most of your next fishing foray, be on the lookout for the fishing hot spots!

Fish tend to congregate in certain areas in the water. And if there are lots of fish, your chances of hooking that lunker improves.  Here are some examples of particularly popular gathering places to watch for:

WEED BEDS - Weeds filter impurities from the water, add oxygen for the fish to breathe, provide protection and food; home to minnows, crayfish, frogs, and shrimp that the larger fish feed on. Bass, bluegills, walleye, pike and muskies all love weeds.
WOOD AND ROCKS – Rocks and sunken trees, stumps, dock pilings, etc. are a common site in most lakes and streams.  Fish use these types of cover for shelter and for ambushing prey.  Plus, the slimy alga that grows on this cover attracts minnows and smaller fish. 
MOUTH OF A RIVER - The area where a river or creek flows into a larger body of water can be ideal for fishing.  The flowing water carries the food to the waiting fish.  For many fish species, the river acts as their spawning grounds.  Fish will hold in this area in the Spring until the time is right to move upstream.
DROP-OFF/SUDDEN CHANGE IN DEPTH - These areas provide fish with a simple way to move from deep water to shallow water, or vice versa.  This area can be a good place to find pike, muskies, and bass.

Now go find your own ‘Honey Hole’, and reel in a big one!

Great Big Dustpan - It’s too hot to be working indoors. So get out and get some fresh air. But before you do, clean up the shop with this handy tip…

If your broom is too wide for a dustpan or you simply have a lot to sweep-up, tape the long edge of a piece of newspaper to the floor and sweep dust and shavings over the taped edge. When you're done, pull up the tape, wad up the paper and toss the whole thing. You won't have to bend over to hold the dustpan while you sweep up the pile. Works well as kindling, too.

“Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps.” ~ Emo Philips

“If your parents never had children, chances are you won't either.” ~ Dick Cavett

“Did you ever walk in a room and forget why you walked in? I think that's how dogs spend their lives.” ~
Sue Murphy

“Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.”  ~ Colin Sautar