Shooting Photos this Holiday Season
As the holidays approach, everyone likes to run for their cameras. Grandma's hugs need to be captured along with the little ones' joy over gifts and holiday lights. The outdoor sights glisten with snow, and promises of winter adventure. Why not make this year's photos, both indoor and out, look better than ever before? We recently spoke with Lakewood photographer Ben D'Andrea to see how he comes up with his best shots. "Good photography always boils down to composition and light," said Ben. "This lesson is easy to understand, but is an ongoing process of learning the entire time[...]
Fried Turkey Safety Tips
Turkey. It's as American as—well—eating turkey on Thanksgiving. This patriotic bird, once promoted by Ben Franklin to be our national symbol, is the centerpiece for many holiday festivities. Question is, how do you cook such a large bird? There are the traditionalists who enjoy it roasted, of course, and those who will grill it, but a growing number of people seem to enjoy the added flavor and fun of a deep-fried turkey. The challenge to deep-frying a turkey is the bird's large size. With the average weight of a turkey being about 28 pounds, this is not a project[...]
Developing a Grateful Attitude at Holiday Time
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with it marks the beginning of another major holiday season. Turkey Day melds into Black Friday sales, holiday rush, parties, and a hoopla of wonderful activities. But the holiday season is also rife with stress and anxiety, which can lead to depression and other nasty side effects. What can you do to ward off these unpleasant events? Develop an attitude of gratitude. That's right. According to Linda Osterlund Ph.D., LMFT, president of the Colorado Counseling Association and associate dean and associate professor at Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions, things like shorter days, colder[...]
It’s a Fall Wrap Up
With the first frosts behind us, and the holiday season fast approaching, November offers one last set of golden days in which to clean up the back yard and make ready for the winter months ahead. Recently, we spoke to experts in the Outdoor Living experience to help target some great clean up and winter preparation projects you may want to tackle while the weather is still reasonably warm. Adam Guilford, client services representative from DeckTec had these pieces of advice for taking good care of your deck: After putting your furniture away, this is a good time to[...]
Joy of the Pigskin
Along with crisp autumn air, turning leaf colors, and kids heading back to school, the season reminds us of that great American sport, football. The game, started in the United States in the mid 1800s as a variation of rugby and soccer, has grown to become a popular sport worldwide. While we in the States call it "football" our friends around the world may refer to it as "Gridiron" to keep the sport separate from soccer. Do you want in on the game? Dash outside this fall with the ol' pigskin and enjoy some of the following trivia: The name[...]
