In the winter months animals living in the wild may have a hard time finding an abundance of food and water. Feeding the wildlife during the winter can be extremely rewarding and entertaining for all members of the family. Before you begin feeding the outdoor creatures it’s important to learn about some of their basic dietary needs as well as the main do’s and don’ts of supplementing their natural diet.

Bird Feeding Tips:
In the winter many birds fly south. However some are left to endure the cold of winter, when they need extra calories in order keep warm. Birds naturally eat insects, worms and seeds. Cold outdoor temperatures make it hard for them to find these foods.

Feed:
- Unsalted peanuts
- Suet – from the local butcher
- The classic – peanut butter in a pine cone
- Fruit – apples, oranges, coconut, grapes…
- Seed blends including oiled sunflower
- Grains – barley, oats, cracked corn….
- Provide clean water – be sure to break the ice daily

Squirrel Feeding Tips:
We have an array of squirrels visiting our yard every day in the winter. If you’d like to keep them out of your bird feeders be sure to set out some extra food for them as well. They bury food in the fall but they always appreciate a little extra.

Feed:
- Unsalted nuts
- Apples
- Green vegetables – kale, carrots, beans….

Many times people make some key mistakes when feeding the wildlife. These mistakes can lead to serious illness or even death. Following is a list of things to be conscious of.

DO NOT:
- Feed inappropriate food (junk food) – this disturbs their digestive tract. Milk bread and other processed foods can have a very negative effect on birds.
- Stop feeding mid winter – the animals begin to count on you and it can be extremely hard on them if you stop before spring.
- Put food on the ground – this makes birds vulnerable to predators and harsh.

-Use pesticides or weed killer – this kills insects which are a main source of protein.

For those of you who just can’t resist feeding the critters just remember there are a few things that you can do to ensure the safety and health of the birds over the winter.

DO:
- Plant seed and berry producing plants – these provide a natural source of food and shelter.
- Keep equipment clean – mold can make the animals ill.

It is always a pleasure to watch the birds with their vibrant multicolored feathers dashing and darting & the squirrels playing tag in the high branches of the trees. It is nice to be able to help them supplement with quality food during the harsh winter months.

During this whole process I have found myself starting to care about what other people will like or what other people will want. I sometimes have to take a step back and reboot. It’s way more stressful that I thought it would be for someone like me; someone who didn’t envisioned her wedding as a little girl. I thought it would be pretty easy to just throw a few things together, but the details have blown my mind.

It’s amazing the items on a wedding planning checklist – I would have never thought about some of these things on my own, but they’re actually important little details (a basket for all the cards, kids menu options, how much liquor, times for the shuttle to run, cake topper, cake knife and server, welcome bags for hotel guests, etc).

I am lucky to have a friend in the business of wedding flowers, bouquets and centerpieces; a cousin who manages a bakery locally; a bridesmaid who knows several photographers in Michigan; and Mikes Aunt, a graphic designer. These parts of my wedding planning have had little to no stress involved.

The most stress (since my venue search) has come from caterers and registering for gifts.

CATERERS:

• Dusty’s Cellar Catering: A bit more expensive than I was looking for, but I have hear only good things about their food.
• Amy’s Catering: I honestly do not remember if they never emailed me back, or weren’t available the weekend of my wedding. The website is not super impressive, but it seems like a small business. (I love the idea of using a small business who will focus on my event because it would be their only client that day).
• Special A’Fare Catering: They were in my top choices, but the reviews were so good for another caterer we went with them.
• Charlar Place: The have very mixed reviews online, good menu options, good prices, friendly via email and they have options for a bar. The bar was a concern of mine in the beginning – I did not want to have to get all the alcohol myself and hoped to find someone to do it for me. But their reviews were so different, I was afraid to trust the good ones.
• Cherry Tree Catering: This one fell out of sight when I was still searching for a caterer that would also have bar services.
• Morton’s Fine Catering: Wonderful reviews, great menu options, good prices and very friendly via email. They were recommended by my cousin and are the caterer I ended up choosing in the end. They offer bartender options with bar amenities and clean up, all we have to do is bring the booze.

REGISTRY:

Not only are there a million things you can register for, there are dozens of stores you can register at. Early on Mike and I decided to follow in the footsteps on my cousin who met with a travel agent and registered her honeymoon. I got information from 2 travel agents and chose the one who I felt like working with. This was the easy part.

How does one choose the stores to register at? I decided to narrow it down by finding a dishware pattern we wanted and registering at that store (which happened to be Macy’s). I did the same thing for other items and found great options at Target over other stores, so that became registry #2. I spent weeks researching items, measuring things in our apartment and checking reviews. Finally we made plans to visit the stores and register for some items in person….this was hell.

There are so many items in a store, with dozens of options and people everywhere! It takes much longer than you think it will, and that is with several items already on the lost before we entered the store.

BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING:

*A side note: As I was hunting for the perfect bridesmaids dress, my sister and Matron of Honor, called and told me that she had to resign from her position and duties. She is pregnant and due the week of my wedding. It took me just a few hours to figure out how I was going to even the wedding party out, but over a week to make the official phone calls.

Everyone said I should have been a “Bridezilla” and made her feel bad about it, but I am so thrilled to have another niece or nephew, I could never do that. Now I just have to mentally prepare for her to not be able to attend the wedding at all. But on a happy  note, I did choose the bridesmaids dress and everyone loves it.

NIGHTMARES: 

The more you plan, the more your wedding will be on your mind, the more nightmares you will have. I had a dream that the reception was ending and I asked Mikes mom where we were going on our honeymoon. She didn’t respond in the dream, but I realized that I was supposed to book everything for the honeymoon, and Mike didn’t have a passport. I frantically started trying to book a flight somewhere warm in the U.S. when I woke up. The very next day I emailed the travel agent and booked the hotel.

VENUE UPDATE: 

My last blog said we were going with The Old Temple Club. That changed big time. It was nearly one year until our wedding and they still hadn’t been approved for a loan – which means they had not yet started any renovation. We had to look elsewhere and found a great loft in Grand Ledge. It’s not exactly Old Town Lansing, but we think the Grand Loft is a great choice for us.

We did get an email a few weeks ago from The Old Temple Club saying they got their loan and were starting renovations. With less than 9 months to my wedding, I was happy I had already selected another venue.

NEXT OBSTACLES:

Dress Alterations, Shoes, Wedding Bands and Wedding Invites.

Wish me luck!

This is the first time a social media command center has been built for an event of this magnitude. Raidious, an interactive marketing company local to Indianapolis was behind the management of the massive Social Media HQ. Having already outgrown their second office in 18 months, Raidious plans to continue working out of the command center even after the conclusion of the Super Bowl. The command center required over 150 miles of ethernet cable and 150 square feet of networked screen space to run the massive undertaking.

The team working 15-hours a day was comprised of Raidious’s 16 employees and students from local universities. Approximately 20 people were working in the command center at any given time tweeting helpful tips to fans and visitors like where to find parking, local attractions to check out and safety information in the event of an emergency. The social media command center used keyword monitoring as its strategy to assist visitors, so someone could simply tweet, “I hate parking” and it would be picked up by a worker in the command center.

Researchers from Ball State University’s Center for Media Design were studying the operation and analyzing its strengths and weaknesses. They intend to make their collected data accessible to other cities that are slated to host major events in the future. Imagine this possibilities in using this level of social media connection for every event from major awards shows to the Olympics.  “Social media is just how people interact now,” noted Raidious’s CEO Taulbee Jackson. “We felt it was critical to have some horsepower behind that aspect of the Super Bowl here, versus what you might have seen from other Super Bowls.”

Check out this illustration from Google Think Insights that draws upon role social media played in the Super Bowl XLVI. Way to go G Men.

1. Eat Organic: Organics are produced in a way that respects the environment and protects the workers from harmful chemicals. Be sure to look for the USDA Certified Organic label. When at the farmers market, ask the farmers if their farm is certified organic. Many farms are not certified due to the costly and lengthy process but they may still use organic farming practices.
2.  Buy Fair Trade: This certification ensures fair wages and working conditions for the people harvesting the produce. Transfair is the only fair trade certifier in the U.S. Their environmental protection standards are extremely strict, second only to the USDA organic certification.
3. Reduce your Meat Consumption: Producing meat is very resource intensive. One pound of beef requires 12,000 gallons of water not to mention grain, land, medical care & man hours. Consider starting small by reducing a couple of servings of meat a week. This one choice will have the biggest impact on the environment.
4. Buy Local/Eat Local: On average, food travels 1500 miles to your table. Buying local reduces the emissions produced by transportation. Local food tends to have less packaging, more nutritional value and come in many varieties. Look for restaurants that buy local or grow their own food at www.eatwellguide.org
5. Eat Raw: The benefits of eating raw are undeniable. Preparing raw food uses almost no energy and it’s easy to take your fresh snacks on the go.
6. Cook More Often: Cook at home more often and in larger quantities. You’ll not only avoid much of the packaging and preservatives in processed foods but also be able to save the leftovers for the next day.
7. Eat Wild Caught Fish: Wild caught are purer in flavor, sustainable to the environment and don’t have the added pigments and antibiotics of its farm raised counterparts. It is also higher in the healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.
8. Buy in Bulk: Whether you’re shopping at the local food co-op or the grocery store be sure to check out the bulk foods section. They are free of packaging and minimally processed. There are typically many dry goods available including nuts, granolas, beans and peas. This is also a nice way to try a small amount of something new.
9. Buy a Side of Grass Fed Beef: Corn based diets make cows sick, therefore needing antibiotics. Ordering grass fed beef from local farmers gets cows out of the feed lots and gives the local farmers a vested interest in caring for their land. We have the option of having the meat processed in whichever cuts we like best and the transportation impact is almost zero.
10. Pack a Lunch: Invest in a lunch box and pack it with a wide variety of nutritious foods. You’ll reduce the waste from takeout and be consuming fewer preservatives.
11. Grow Your Own: Having fresh veggies readily available is so nice. Consider planting heirloom seeds. They are not hybrid and not genetically modified either. Over 1000 varieties are available at www.heirloomseeds.com
12. Love Your Veggies: Veggies produce no green house gasses, and use minimal water and energy to grow compared to meat. Increasing your vegetable intake will make you feel great and be easier on the environment.
13. Pick Your Own: You can find local farms to pick your favorite fruits and vegetables from or you can forage around town. Every spring and summer I find plenty of asparagus along the roadside, morel mushrooms in the woods and fresh black & red raspberries in local parks. Be sure you know which to pick and which to leave as they are not all edible and some can be very poisonous.
14. Eat Sustainable Seafood: American seafood tends to me more sustainable than seafood from other countries which are fed questionable feed and given antibiotics. Some fish and seafood is over fished and should be avoided. Check out www.seafoodwatch.org for the latest updates.
15. Join a CSA: Community Supported Agriculture is a group people who join together in purchasing weekly shares of fresh produce with the option of eggs, meat or flowers from a local farmer. It’s a great way to stay connected to your community and eat healthier.

Eating is an important act that we engage in daily and it has a huge impact on our health and the environment. Including these tips into your daily routine will make your footprint a little smaller, your taste buds more excited and leave you feeling nourished.

Enjoy!

1. The Cake

Everyone knows a great wedding begins with the cake. For the best in dog-friendly cakes, I highly recommend The Barkery. The Barkery specializes in dog birthday cakes, but they also make special Valentine’s Day themed treats that would be the perfect centerpiece for a puptial. Like The Barkery on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

2. The Cake Toppers

You didn’t think I was going to let you put humans on top of your “I Woof You” wedding cake, did you? For the finest in ceramic dog wedding cake toppers (available in a variety of breeds) I think Madame Pomm’s are the finest.

3. The Dress & The Tux

For a great selection of dog formal wear for the big day, look no further than Doggie Clothesline. They offer tuxes, white dresses, and accessories in all different sizes to fit your puptial needs. Don’t forget out about outfitting your ring bearer and bridesmaids, the Doggie Clothesline offers options for your whole wedding party.

4. Floral Centerpieces

I’ll admit it, I like a good DIY project here and there. One of my favorite pet blogs, Pawesome, has a lovely way to make your own dog inspired floral centerpieces. They’re perfect for your guests to take home and enjoy after the puptials. Follow Pawesome on Twitter or like them on Facebook.

5. The Petographer

Of course you will need someone to capture the special moments of your big day. Why chose a regular old photographer when you can chose a petographer? As a maven of social media I combed Facebook for a remarkable petographer and came across Scruffy Dog Photography. Their main website comes complete with a blog of recent images. Scruffy Dog Photography is located in Canada, but even if you can’t cross country lines for their work, you can use it as inspiration to find local petography talent in your hometown.

6. The Wedding Planner

Don’t have time to plan your own puptial? No problem. Check out Auntie Jen specializing in Puptials & Bow Wow Vows. This kind of service gives you plenty of time to relax and play with rocks while someone does all the planning for you. Lucky dog!

7. The DJ

Everyone knows a good DJ can make or break your wedding, I mean how many times do you have to hear The Funky Chicken, am I right? For those truly wanting to make a hip statement at their puptials, check out YouTube breakout star DJ Mama the French Bulldog. Mama’s a personal friend, so please, contact me with booking info….ok, well Mama’s not a friend yet per say, but soon!

8. Gift Registry

Create a gift registry for your puptuals at Paw Place Online, the one stop shop for pampered pooches. While you’re browsing their selection and setting up your registry for friends and family, go ahead and friend them on Facebook too!

9. An Alternate Gift Idea….

If you and your fiance already have more then you can fit into your crates and doggy beds, why not ask guests to donate to a local organization that helps dogs in need? Petside.com has a list of 10 pet charities that would happily benefit from your donations. That’s one way to start your puptuals off on the right foot.

10. JUST MARRIED!

As you and your beloved head off onto your honeymoon, or more likely the dog park, announce your marriage to the world while wearing on of these Just Married doggie t-shirts from Zazzle.com.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

- Baxter “Be Mine <3″ Freemont

I remember as a child getting the popcorn popped, grabbing a bag of chips and a few beverages, and coming together with my family the night award show aired. We would watch it from start to finish (at the time it was actually on), chat about the red carpet outfits, the hosts jokes, the presenters and who we hoped would win in each category. It was a family night of sorts.

What makes award shows interesting now? To many people, it’s not usually the acceptance speeches, or the red carpet, or even the presenters, but the new addition of social media. With Twitter, you can tweet your thoughts on the show, winners, outfits, etc., and see what others are tweeting about. All you need to do is add a hashtag to your tweet. For example, “I love #RickyGervais! He is rocking the #GoldenGlobes!”

You can see what other people are saying about The Globes, or Ricky Gervais by simply searching for them on Twitter. This has become the new way to watch an award show.

You can also link directly with the award show Twitter accounts:

@goldenglobes

@redcarpet/goldenglobes

@CriticsChoice

@PeoplesChoice

@redcarpet

The list goes on and on. There will be a Twitter account for each of the upcoming award shows, and they will mention it sometime during the show.

Mashable created a great infographic on popular Twitter trends during the evening of the Golden Globes. It even mentions which celebrity’s Golden Globe tweets were most popular!

It’s sometimes more exciting to tweet and read tweets about the award shows, than to actually watch the award show!

What award shows are next?

January 2012
21 – Producers Guild Awards
28 – Directors Guild Awards
29 – Screen Actors Guild Awards

February 2012
12 – BAFTA Awards
18 – ACE Eddie Awards
19 – WGA Awards
25 – Cesar Awards
25 – Golden Raspberry Awards
25 – Independent Spirit Awards
26 – Academy Awards

Happy tweeting this award season!

During our last company Skype meeting we started compiling a list of ideas for 2012′s social media, so I decided to do a little research myself and share my top 11:

1.   Social media will be incorporated into corporate websites

Many businesses have added social media links and information to their websites that consumers now look for these links. Visiting a companies Facebook page or Twitter profile has become as important as reading reviews on the business, and corporate websites have noticed this. 2012 will be their time to join the fun.

2.  An increase in social media usage on mobile devices

CNet.com reported that, “In April, research firm Gartner reported that over 296 million smartphones shipped worldwide last year. This year, the research firm expects that figure to jump to 468 million. Next year, smartphone shipments could jump to over 630 million, the company said. But all those figures pale in comparison to Gartner’s expected 2015 shipments. The research firm said that by then, 1.1 billion smartphones will ship worldwide.”

3.   An increase in personal support

In 2011, individuals began reaching out to others through social media websites. Their problems, issues and causes were spread through outlets like Facebook communities; this has become an accepted outlet to share experiences, find others who support the same causes or have the same problems as you. This type of viral support will only increase in the years to come.

4.   Social media budgets will grow

Now that businesses have seen how social media has effected the world, they realize how important their own social media presence is. Websites like, Facebook and Twitter, are such a large part of everyday life for so many people that it’s hard to picture life without this social connection.

5.   Social media advertizing will grow

With so many people skipping TV commercials, businesses will look to take their advertizing where the people actually are: social media websites. Some companies will create in-house positions and others will outsource to get their information to the public (via blogs, reviews, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other outlets relevant to their business.)

6.   Social gaming will grow

A serious increase in gaming was noticed when social media sites added game options to their website. For example: Farmville, Family Feud and Bejeweled on Facebook. People started playing games with their friends on their smartphones, like the popular game, ‘Words with Friends’.

Plus Manatank.com reported yesterday that the Xbox 360 dashboard has included new social media features:

“There’s also new social network integration and the idea of leaving ‘beacons’ for your friends so they know you want to play a certain title. At the touch of a few buttons, gestures or voice command its now easier than ever to post to Facebook and Twitter, improving the social aspects of the Xbox 360.  Microsoft is also planning to roll out newer apps over time including Youtube.”

7.   News will be increasingly social

Many people get their news on social media sites, so a large number of news outlets have Facebook and Twitter Accounts to keep people updated. Most of the these news accounts allow readers to comment, ‘like’, retweet and discuss news stories with others. This will only increase in 2012 and more people will want to voice their opinion.

8.   Creating websites that are compatible with mobile devices

With the increase in smartphone owners, iPads, Tablets, Nooks and so on, companies will have to make sure their website can be accessed through these devices. People often access their favorite websites from their smartphone or tablet while at work, in the airport, waiting at the doctors office, etc. If they can’t access your businesses information, your businesses loses out.

9.   Election campaigns + social media

It all started around the time of President Obama’s Presidential Campaign – an increase in Facebook pages geared toward the election and candidates popped up everywhere. These days it seems as if every public figure has their own Facebook account to keep the people informed – including our President.

10. Your social media footprint will grow

With the recent addition of Facebook’s Timeline, people can now look back through your Facebook “life”. Not only that, but your gaming profiles, Yelp! profiles, Twitter, Flicker, Myspace, Linkedin, YouTube,  etc. all increase your footprint. The more social media sites that are introduced and you create an account for will continue to increase your social media footprint.

11.  Facebook will surpass 1 Billion people

“Where does that more than 1 billion Facebook users come from? The countries with more than 20 million people and Facebook penetration below 20% will add most of this growth in 2012. Add the potential growth of other countries and you get to a cool billion or 1.1 billion even. And that does not include China.” -Dreamgrow

Techi.com shared a great infographic to show what trended in 2011.

Is there something you think, or hope will happen with social media in 2012?

Happy New Year!

Alternative holiday gifting helps the environment in a variety of ways:

• Generally you will spend much less time in the car driving from store to store.
• Repurposing items that you already own is a great way to get started on craft projects for the holidays.
• When you make gifts yourself there is much less waste from commercial packaging.

It all began over Thanksgiving weekend when we noticed that my Grandma’s bird feeder was in disrepair. I mentioned that we should get her a new one and my husband said “why not build her a new one?” Knowing that Grandma loves that bird feeder, he designed and built a similar model. He used the extra wood from the bird feeder for one of my gifts and was able to make what he calls the squirrel lunch box.

For our other Grandparents I tried my hand at baked goods which tend to go over well with almost everyone. Baked goods always make a great addition to any gift, especially if you’re trying to give multiple gifts to one person while staying on a budget. A couple of our friends turned their holiday gift ideas into a business last year, making fleece gloves, hats and scarves. I personally enjoy making knotty fleece blankets. They are easy to do with some scissors, measuring tape and a few knots & can be made for almost any occasion.

Over the years I have found myself relying on gift certificates more and more.  I find myself buying them as a last minute purchase for the “hard to shop for” and the “they already have everything” people on my list. Instead of buying gift certificates from a department store, think about what you could do to help the people on your list. Make a simple Gift Certificate stating a service that you can provide such as babysitting, washing dishes or yard work. This works really great for people in the trades or service industry. If you’re a house keeper, hairstylist, massage therapist or handyman you could offer to do a free service as a gift for your friends or family.

Don’t forget when it comes to decorations and ornaments there are plenty of DIY ideas online.  It’s always fun to go to your local hobby shop or fabric store and let your inner artist run wild. Most of the larger stores have incredible coupon specials and clearance items on a regular basis. Don’t forget to look around your house for items that may be re-purposed towards your projects.

Getting the whole family involved with making gifts and decorations is a great way to spend time together while staying on budget and remembering what the holidays are all about. Also encouraging kids to design and make their own gifts & ornaments is great for their imagination, and helps build motor skills.  Many of our parents are still hanging up the decorations we made as kids or are keeping their favorite homemade gifts on display. My father-in-law has his “World’s Greatest Dad” plaque up year round!! I think that just goes to show that when time is spent & the gifts are from the heart that those are the gifts we cherish the most.

East Last Minute Gifts

Easy Homemade Holiday Food Gifts

Happy Holidays,

Here’s the gist…

Say Hello to Your Cover Photo.

Think of this as an album cover — it’s one large photo at the top of your page that best represents you.  This will be the largest photo, and the first thing that people see when they visit your page.

See You Later Sidebar.

The three-column layout is ancient history.  directly below your Cover Photo, visitors will be able to see your job, school, current city, who your married to and graphic links to your friends, photos, likes and a map of where you’ve been.

Tell a Story. 

With the new timeline format, users can select their most memorable posts to help tell the story of their life.

Your Apps. 

Social Apps like Netflix (movies), Kobo (books), Spotify (music), and Nike (GPS) all Facebook users to display the activities they can’t get enough of – favorite song, movie quotes, 5k runs, and more.

Timeline!!

Based on my years in the social media biz, it seems like most Facebook users are mainly addicted to logging in for the photos.  To these users, I say, you’re going to love timeline. Notice a little timeline on the side of your screen that allows you to click back in time on a year to see photos and events that happened that year.

For even more information:

Introducing Facebook Timeline [Video]

Vintage Camera Pro is the newest addition to the recent swarm of vintage inspired photography apps available for iPhone and iPod touch. Released this week, the Vintage Cam app is a useful resource for professional photographers and hobbyists alike. If you enjoy the ever popular Instagram or the 8mm Vintage Camera, one of our previously blogged about favorites, the Vintage Camera Pro app will be right up your alley. Priced at an economically friendly 99 cents, it’s worth the money just to try it out. The app scores highly on ease of use, just download it and it’s ready to go. There are no prompts to set up a profile or link to social media platforms, just open up the app and get to shooting.

Vintage Camera Pro vs. Instagram

As I mess around with both apps, I’m trying to find what makes each unique. Off the bat I can say Instagram clearly wins on two issues – cost (it’s free) and cult following. Vintage Cam and Instagram both have about a dozen filters you can use on your photos to give them a retro feel. I am partial to Vintage Cam’s quirky filter names including Theme Park, Creme Brulee, Pirate, and Watermelon. Interestingly, both apps have a filter named Toaster, so I decided to investigate how the Toaster filters compare. I used a completely boring subject, my living room, and took pictures with both apps using the Toaster filter.

Vintage Cam's Toaster filter vs. Instagram's Toaster filter

Both Toaster filters give my living room a fun retro feel, which is the whole point of using either of these apps. Vintage Cam’s filter had a really colorful result, but whichever one you fancy is all just a matter of personal preference.

Images taken with Vintage Cam are saved to a gallery that looks like a film strip, a clever nostalgic detail. Vintage Cam gives the user the option of sharing photographs via email or through social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Instagram wins on social media capabilities as it can post to not only Facebook and Twitter, but Tumblr, Flickr, and Foursquare as well. Instagram users also have the option to share their photos with the Instagram community and comment on other user’s images, an option not yet available to Vintage Cam users.

Sharing capabilities aside, if you’re just interested in taking some cool looking photos for your own enjoyment then Vintage Cam is a great addition to any retro photo toolbox.