Home, Auto, & Hobbies Articles

Article / Updated 03-24-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio No matter what you’ve heard, brewing loose tea is easy. It requires only a few pieces of equipment that you likely already own, and then you simply brew your leaves. With our tips, you can brew any tea and get terrific results. Of course, you’ll want to experiment a bit for your personal preference, but that’s part of the fun! Basic equipment This is all you need to brew tea: Something to heat water A cup or mug A brew basket or strainer of some sort That’s it! But here’s a closer look at each of these, along with a few suggestions: Ways to heat water Some pretty fancy water kettles are out there these days. Even we are drawn toward the ones with all the buttons, temperature controls, automations, and stellar designs. At our tea shop, TeaHaus, we have three water dispensers that offer a constant supply of filtered water, each set at a specific temperature. However, at home, I have a simple glass electric kettle. If you’d rather not have an electric kettle that takes up space on your countertop, you can easily heat water in a pan on your stove (keep reading to learn how to visually gauge water temperature), although a whistling kettle is nice. A whistling kettle lets you know when your water is boiling and reminds you to turn the stove off, a good safety feature. Any style of whistling kettle will do but stay away from cheap aluminum or thin stainless steel. It is worth the few extra dollars to get a sturdier kettle. We recommend that you never use a microwave oven to heat your water. The water heats unevenly, you can’t control the temperature with any accuracy, and you can easily burn yourself with superheated water. Cup or mug Much debate is ongoing about whether a cup should be glass, or porcelain, or clay, or some other material. Although the array of cup choices adds to the drinking experience, in this article, we’re keeping it simple, so go with a cup or mug of your choosing. I prefer white porcelain or glass because I like to see the color of my tea, but everyone has that favorite mug or cup. Strainer If we are making a cup of tea for ourselves, we like to use a tea brewing basket that we can set directly into a mug or cup. However, a small kitchen strainer will also get the job done. We don’t recommend the classic tea balls for most loose-leaf teas because the leaves need room to expand. For example, the bottom photo in the figure below shows how oolong tea leaves unfurl into intact leaves and leaf sets that would be too tightly packed into a tea ball. However, these balls are often adequate for small-leaf teas or cut-tear-curl (CTC) teas, like a classic English breakfast. In the top photo below, you can also see that the English breakfast tea leaves expanded only a little bit during brewing. Making a cup of hot tea When you have your basic brewing equipment, all you need are tea leaves and water. Here’s an easy guide to making a terrific cup of tea: Measuring your tea leaves Most teabags are perfectly portioned for an 8- to 12-ounce cuppa, but it gets a bit tricky with loose-leaf tea. Many directions say you should use a teaspoon or a heaping teaspoon of tea leaves, but this isn’t always the best form of measurement for the perfect cup. The problem is that tea leaves vary from tea to tea, sometimes dramatically. Therefore, measuring tea by weight is more accurate than measuring tea using a teaspoon. You generally need about three grams of tea for an 8- to 12-ounce cup. So, when we train new employees to brew tea at TeaHaus, we have them use a gram scale for the first few weeks. After they get a feel for what 3 grams of various teas look like, they can start to use an eyeball estimate, along with a teaspoon, when brewing tea for customers. If a customer likes a stronger or weaker tea, we don’t adjust the brew time or the recommended temperature. Instead, we adjust the amount of tea used. If you don’t have a gram scale, start by using a teaspoon, but remember that you’ll need to adjust for the tea. The photo below shows an example of how 3 grams of tea can look drastically different. Three grams of CTC tea (left side of photo) are easily measured by a teaspoon. However, some whole-leaf teas, especially those that are very fluffy, like the tea on the right side of the photo, require more tea by volume. For these teas, if your directions say to use a “heaping teaspoon,” you may find that the leaves are so difficult to measure with a teaspoon (they are large, unwieldy, and don’t stay nicely on the spoon!) that realistically you may need a mega-heaping teaspoon or two heaping teaspoons. Keep in mind that no exact science dictates how much tea to use, and personal preference should help you decide how strong you like your tea, and therefore, how much tea to use. Heating your water Whether you have a stove top kettle or a simple electric one, we have a few recommendations. At home, we really like an electric kettle. We especially like the glass ones because we can see the bubbles form, which indicates the approximate temperature of the water. You can easily teach yourself how to visually gauge the water temperature (this also works well if you’re heating your water in a pan on the stove): Shrimp eyes. When tiny bubbles (shrimp eyes) start to form on the bottom of the kettle, the water is approximately 155 to 160 degrees F. Crab eyes. When the water starts to produce steam and the bubbles are bigger (crab eyes) but are still on the bottom, the temperature is around 175 degrees F. Fish eyes. When the bubbles (fish eyes) begin to release from the bottom, the temperature is around 180 to 185 degrees F. Pearl strands. When the bubbles are more like a strand of pearls than eyes, the water is between 190 and 205 degrees F. Boil. Soon after, you have a rolling bubble, which is 212 degrees F. Note that if you live in an area with good water or if you are using filtered water, there is no reason to bring your water to a boil and then cool it to the correct brewing temperature. If your kettle isn’t transparent and you can’t see the bubbles, you can listen for the sound. You’ll know when you’re at the pearl stage because you will hear the low rumble of the pot as the bubbles begin to release. This is, of course, all made easier with a thermometer or a temperature-control kettle. Brewing hot tea At TeaHaus, we give our customers a little guide to brewing. The front of the postcard illustrates the brewing steps (see the figures below), and the back provides a simple guide for brewing time and temperature. You’ll see that most teas have a range of water temperatures, but less-oxidized green tea is always brewed at lower temperatures than fully oxidized black tea. White tea, the most delicate and minimally processed of leaves, must always be brewed at relatively low temperatures or else you damage the leaves, and your tea won’t taste very good. Note, too, that if you brew tea for too long a time, it will become bitter. Herbal teas (this includes rooibos and fruit teas), on the other hand, can never be over-brewed. Keep in mind that these recommendations are just starting points; you should always adjust the parameters to best fit your own preference. Steps to a perfect cup To brew one cup of tea at a time using a cup-sized brewing basket, follow these steps: Place the basket into your cup. Add about 3 grams of tea into the basket. (See the “Measuring your tea leaves” section above.) Pour hot water over the leaves and set a timer. At TeaHaus, we put our recommended brewing time and temperature on the package for each tea, but when in doubt, brewing for 2–5 minutes is going to be okay for most teas, depending on the tea and your tolerance for bitterness. When the timer goes off, remove the basket, and your tea is ready to drink. Shake out the leaves into your compost bin or trash and rinse out the remaining leaves — unless it’s a tea that you want to rebrew later in the day. In that case, you can just let the leaves stay in the basket (no need to refrigerate). Step 5 is where teabags are easier to use — even we will admit that. However, you can make your own teabags ahead of time. Just purchase paper filters or teabags for loose tea and spend a few minutes filling enough for the week, for example. Keep in mind, though, that the bag, much like the tea ball, will constrict some unfurling of the leaves, so larger-leaf teas are still best when brewed using a strainer or basket. Here is an alternate way to make either a cup or a pot of tea. This method allows the leaves to really unfurl and move around freely, which gives you a better cup of tea (see the photo below). Follow these steps: Measure your tea leaves into any vessel that can withstand heat. (We recommend a glass vessel, such as a glass measuring cup.) Pour your hot water over the leaves and set your timer. When the timer goes off, strain the leaves through a brewing basket (or even a small kitchen strainer) into your teacup or tempered teapot. If you plan to rebrew the tea, shake the leaves back into the brewing vessel; otherwise, shake them into your compost bin or trash. People ask all the time if they can rebrew their leaves. With a brewing basket, it is quite simple. Just place the basket back in your cup and pour more water over it. If you’ve brewed your leaves loose in another vessel, simply add water again. There are some teas that rebrew well and others that don’t. We always recommend that people just try it. There is no real answer. Larger leaves often brew better the second time around since they unfurl more during the second brew, but, again, this is up to personal preference.

Article / Updated 03-24-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio Although you may hear that green tea is better for you because the catechins (the most common flavanol — a tannin and antioxidant) haven’t been converted into more complex forms, don’t immediately throw out the black tea that you love and switch to green tea! Both green and black tea have antioxidant properties. Let’s take a look. The benefits of green tea The catechin epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that’s found in green tea is often called a “natural drug” and is the golden child of current research. Laboratory studies suggest that this strong antioxidant may, indeed, be helpful to treat or prevent many chronic diseases, including those that damage the brain. Intriguingly, EGCG also may have some of the same advantages that theanine offers. Preliminary research suggests that EGCG may promote alpha, theta, and beta wave activity in the brain, helping us calm down and focus. However, even though it’s delicious, and even if you drink copious amounts of it, green tea is not guaranteed to give you all the benefits of EGCG that have been demonstrated in the lab. The tea may be loaded with polyphenols, but there may not be enough to have a measurable effect, or your body may be unable to access them. The upshot? If you like green tea, drink it. Green tea has lots of polyphenols. The benefits of black tea Like catechins, the theaflavins and thearubigins (types of tannins) found in black tea are antioxidants. The conversion from simple to complex polyphenols does not appear to change their antioxidant properties in any substantial way. Although numerous studies focus on the catechin EGCG found in green tea, plenty of work also supports the similar antioxidant capacity of theaflavins and thearubigins. Moreover, many of the health benefits suggested by studies of green tea are also supported by research on black tea, including possible protection against dementia, cancer, viruses, and bacteria. Note, however, that whole leaf teas appear to contain more robust antioxidants than cut-tear-curl (CTC) processed teas. (For more about this, check out our book Tea For Dummies.) But, as mentioned in the previous section, consuming polyphenols isn’t a promise that health effects are tangible. In a nutshell? If you like black tea, drink it. Black tea has lots of polyphenols. Does it matter which tea you drink? So many teas! And so many voices out there telling you to drink this or that tea. But tea shouldn’t be this difficult. Instead, you should drink tea only because you like it, and you should drink only those teas that you like. Because it really doesn’t matter which tea you drink. All tea contains polyphenols, and all tea polyphenols are antioxidants. It doesn’t matter whether you’re drinking tea that contains mostly catechins (green tea) or mostly theaflavins (black tea). This is a win-win situation for tea drinkers! Note also that if you want to drink the tea that contains the most polyphenols, just drink the tea that you love. (Bonus: You’ll end up drinking more of it because you enjoy it.) Calculating the number of polyphenols in any given tea is futile, just like figuring out caffeine levels. Every individual tea must be tested in a lab, and generalizations are challenging. For example, some studies have demonstrated that white tea contains more polyphenols than green, whereas other studies have shown the opposite. Levels vary widely even within a type of tea. As with caffeine, polyphenol quantity depends on a plethora of factors including: Type of tea plant Geographic location Growing conditions and stress on the plant Time of harvest Which leaves are harvested How the tea is produced How you brew your leaves Why green tea held the spotlight for a while Green tea was originally thought to be healthier than black tea for numerous reasons: Early studies came out of primarily green tea-drinking countries such as China and Japan. Green tea-drinking countries were ideal for studies involving large groups of people. Researchers could find communities in which most people were drinking the same tea — grown and produced from the same tea garden and brewed and consumed in a similar manner. EGCG is undeniably a potent antioxidant, and, to our knowledge, green tea contains more EGCG than anything else we ingest (remember, though, that polyphenol quantity doesn’t always translate into concrete health benefits). Extensive studies of black tea began relatively recently; therefore, a larger body of work exists for green tea. However, as research continues, we’re learning how much more we need to learn. Although thearubigins aren’t well understood and EGCG continues to reveal surprises, results for all types of tea continue to be promising. In the end, all tea contains polyphenols, and all polyphenols contribute to your health. Drink the tea that makes you happy!

Article / Updated 03-24-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio Tea. It’s as simple as boiling water, pouring it over leaves, taking a couple minutes to relax, and straining out the leaves. One cup of the perfect tea can hook you for a lifetime. But if you are trying to get into tea, you’ll probably want to hold off on some teas. Lapsang souchong, Japanese green teas like sencha or matcha, and white teas may not be what you are expecting. You may want to ease into these types after you’re more accustomed to tea and its various flavors. So then, where do you begin? For many people, their journey into the world of tea starts with something more familiar, like earl grey or a teabag from a box. Although teabags have gotten better throughout the years, they will never be what tea is meant to be. In this article (and in my book, Tea For Dummies) we focus on loose-leaf tea. Great teas to start with At our store, we have seven different versions of loose-leaf earl grey, one of which is our number-one-selling tea. In fact, three of our best-selling teas come from our earl grey collection, and they generally rank within the top ten teas every year, which speaks to their enduring popularity. Once you have a cup of high-quality loose-leaf earl grey, you will never teabag again. Another commonly known tea is chai. This spiced and often sweetened tea is a popular starting point in coffee shops and cafes. Fruity flavored teas are another great entry tea, especially iced. Even as a tea sommelier, I never judge if someone’s favorite is a pineapple-mango tea or a sweetened caramel tea. I like to look at these as gateway teas. You should always drink what you enjoy the most and then branch out every so often. You might find a new favorite. How to choose a black tea Things to consider when picking a black tea is how strong and bold you want it, how much astringency (that dry feeling in your mouth) you want, whether you prefer a tea that is simply strong versus something that has layers of flavor, and whether you like earthy or smoky notes. For a less intense black tea, there are plenty of options. Ceylon teas are full-bodied and brisk, but not overly so, and they have just the right amount of astringency. They are what many people think of when they envision black tea. Ceylon is great iced and works well with lemon, sugar, milk, and so on. Assam teas pair particularly well with food, so they can be nice with a snack or meal, and they hold up to a little cream and sugar. If, however, you want a strong tea, breakfast teas are a good match — and you have a lot to choose from: Irish, Scottish, English, Russian, and East Frisian blends, among others. Every tea blender will use a different ratio of teas, so you may find that you prefer some breakfast blends over others. Yet, all of them are robust enough to stand up to milk and sugar. Just take care in brewing these teas so that they don’t become bitter. For coffee lovers who are used to deep and complex flavors, consider an Assam from India or the many pu-erh and Yunnan teas from China. Some wild-grown teas would also make this list. Although these aren’t in-your-face bold like the breakfast blends, they are intriguingly full-bodied and multilayered in flavor. Note that teas that have been processed by the cut-tear-curl (CTC) process (these teas are in tiny bits) will release caffeine more quickly than teas composed of intact or largely intact leaves, especially if those leaves have been tightly rolled. However, this isn’t to say that you will get more caffeine overall. Going green To start your green tea journey, Chinese green teas are more common and recognizable, so they are often our first recommendation. Japanese teas tend to be grassier or “seaweed”-like in flavor, so, for some, it takes a bit getting used to. Often, people’s first experience with green tea is with a sweet matcha latte in a coffee shop or the tea served at their favorite Asian restaurant. Green tea is as nuanced as black tea, but it may take a bit more time to find your favorite. Oolong, pu-erh, some white teas, and other tea types can also be great first-time teas, but we often recommend starting with the basics when first steeping into the world of tea. Herbal tea choices abound If you aren’t sure you’re ready for tea, but want a healthy or caffeine-free beverage, we suggest you start with some of the many herbal teas available. Fruit teas, which consist of fruit and other herbals, are a terrific substitute for high-calorie juice. You can find just about any fruit you want, and they are usually fantastic iced. Low in sugar but filled with flavor, these are wonderful for everyone in the family. Kids generally love fruit teas! Rooibos and honeybush blends are also both kid- and adult-friendly options. You can readily find fruity, floral, earthy, or other blends, so you’re sure to find something you enjoy, and they are naturally caffeine free. Where to buy tea When shopping for tea, it's important to know how and where a store sources its teas. You needn’t know the exact gardens or time of day your tea was harvested, but it is important to know that the tea store sources teas from gardens that go above and beyond to ensure the highest quality. This is not to say that grabbing a teabag tea in the hotel lobby is a no-no, but buying quality loose tea is worth the extra penny. Plus, not all high-quality loose-leaf teas are expensive. A very high-quality loose-leaf breakfast blend may not cost much more per gram than a box of teabags at the grocery store. Single-estate, handpicked, and rare teas from small gardens may seem a bit pricey, but keep in mind that a 50-gram bag of tea can make 15 to 20 cups, and some teas can be brewed several times. A $30 bag of tea that can yield 20 cups makes the per-cup price only about $1.50, which is well under the cost of a hot drink at most cafes or restaurants. How much tea to buy Tea may be sold by the ounce or gram. Most teas require about 3 grams (0.1 ounce) of leaves to make an 8-ounce cup, giving you the following general guidelines: 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of leaves yields 15 to 20 cups of tea 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of leaves yields 30 to 40 cups of tea 200 grams (7 ounces) of leaves yields 60 to 80 cups of tea 500 grams (17.6 ounces) of leaves yields 150 to 200 cups of tea Many types of tea leaves can be brewed a second time (or more), which doubles the number of cups you get! Storing your tea leaves It's important that your tea is stored in an area free of moisture, strong odors, and light. For this reason, we recommend you avoid glass jars. Although it's so tempting to stock up on teas when you go to a beautiful tea and spice store that has rows and rows of jars filled with teas and spices, remember that the teas (or spices) probably won’t be of great quality because of how they were stored and displayed. Metal tins are good if they have a tight seal, but be aware that tins will absorb aroma so keep similar teas in each tin (for instance, if you’ve stored a smoky tea in a tin, keep that tin for smoky teas, or if you have an earl grey tin, keep it an earl grey tin).

Article / Updated 03-22-2023

Knowing how to care for an orchid can sometimes seem difficult. Orchids may look very delicate, but in reality, they are not that difficult to grow or keep alive. According to the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families there are approximately 26,570 accepted orchid species. Even though there are so many different types of orchids, like all plants, they require these three things to survive: Growing medium Sunlight Water In addition to the basic needs, there are a few more things you might need to know to help your orchid thrive. What are basic care instructions for an orchid? On a basic level, most orchids need the following to survive: A well-draining growing medium At least six hours of indirect sunlight (bright shade) a day Moist, but not waterlogged, soil Once-a-month fertilizer feedings (quarter strength) A humid environment Pruning, as needed Keep in mind, some of the more delicate species of orchids require more light, less water, lots of humidity, and so on. If you’re growing orchids for the first time, you may want to start with a common species that doesn’t require special conditions. You can use any plant food or fertilizer to care for your orchid, but you should only use one fourth of the amount directed on the package. You can provide extra humidity to the area around the orchid by either spritzing only the leaves with a mist of water a few times or by setting the plant on top of a dish filled with moist or wet gravel. Do not nest the orchid down in the gravel as it might soak up the moisture into the growing medium and waterlog the root structure. Also, do not mist the flowers. This may cause them to mold. What growing medium do you use for an orchid? The growing medium is subject to your preferences. Typically, most growers will use either moss or ground-up tree bark. And special orchid potting mixes can be purchased. Do not use regular potting soil for your orchid. It will suffocate the roots and kill the plant. If you want to be creative, you can mix mediums or you could even grow an orchid in a wad of wet paper towel. (With the paper towel method, the plant would need watered and fed fertilizer constantly. It is not recommended.) How much sunlight does an orchid need? In nature, orchids like partially shaded areas. When growing an orchid indoors, it is recommended that it receive six hours of indirect sunlight a day to stay healthy. East-facing windows provide morning sunlight and the orchid will not overheat or dry out directly in the sun. South-facing windows provide sun exposure all day, but the heat is too intense for an orchid to stay healthy. With this kind of light, the plant will usually dry out and die. West-facing widows provide evening sun and, similar to south-facing windows, are too hot for an orchid to sit directly in the sun. North-facing windows do not provide enough light to keep the plant healthy. The plant will likely become droopy and will die. If the plant starts to look like its drying out and getting too much sun, try filtering the sun with a sheer curtain or moving the orchid further away from the window. If the plant starts to look droopy and over-watered but the growing medium isn’t wet or soggy, try moving the plant to a room with better sun exposure or rotating the plant from indoors to outdoors. How much water is too much water for an orchid? Watering an orchid is as easy as watering any other plant. You can tell an orchid is getting too much water if the leaves start turning yellow. There is no recommended schedule for watering an orchid. If you take a regimented approach, you will likely end up with a dead plant. The water requirements for orchids can vary based on the environment the plant is living in, its size, and the time of year. When watering the orchid, make sure to water the soil and not the plant directly. If water goes down between the leaves, it can cause crown rot. When crown rot occurs, the leaves fall off and eventually the whole plant will die. Instead of creating a water schedule, try checking the orchid to evaluate whether it needs water. Stick your finger in the growing medium or soil, and if it feels dry, water the plant. If the soil feels wet, then wait and check again in a day or two. Always water the plant just before it goes completely dry. How do you get an orchid to flower? Orchids only produce flowers once a year and the flowers bloom continuously for about a month. Some varieties bloom in winter and some in spring, but the bloom period for most orchids is around August or September. Towards the end of the bloom period you can trick the plant into blooming again by pruning the flower portion of the plant away at the node just below the first flower. If you take note of the light and water conditions and duplicate the environment, you can actually keep trimming the node to keep the plant blooming all year. What does it mean if an orchid goes dormant? If your orchid drops all of its flowers, do not be alarmed. It will bloom again in one year. If it does not bloom again, it means the plant has gone dormant. Likely, the roots are stifled and the orchid needs new growing medium. Dead roots and stems need pruned before you pot the plant. This process usually needs to be done every two or three years. The orchid should send out a new stem and flower again during blooming season. You can speed up the new growth by feeding the plant a quarter strength of fertilizer with every watering. Once the orchid is back to normal, you can cut back to regular feedings.

Article / Updated 03-22-2023

Tornado, earthquake, hurricane, fire, flood — if you were faced with any of these and had to leave your home, would you know how to help your bird? Disaster-planning experts advise you to take your pets with you when told to evacuate, but that plan isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sandwiched between the idea of taking your pets with you and the reality of accomplishing a safe evacuation is a lot of thought and planning. To help you prepare for all sorts of unplanned events, this article walks you through the process of being ready for the worst — and hoping for the best. The good news: When it comes to disasters and pets, consideration for preparedness has changed a great deal in recent years — all for the better. Once left to their own survival instincts in times of calamity, animals today are the focus of a lot of planning, with organizations in place to complement those caring for human victims. In fact, a model program started by the California Veterinary Medical Association positions a veterinarian in each county to help coordinate animal relief efforts. Other states are starting to see the light, too, with veterinarians, shelter groups, and specially trained disaster teams from the Sacramento, California–based United Animal Nations Emergency Animal Response Service prepared to do for animals what the Red Cross does for people — on an international basis! These positive developments are the result of a growing realization that animals need help, too, and that some people choose to put their lives in danger rather than abandon their pets. Despite all of this progress, your bird’s chances of surviving any kind of crisis still depend mostly on you. Don’t put off preparing for the unexpected. No one likes to think about the possibility of catastrophe, but your pets are counting on you. Consider the possibilities Disaster preparedness starts with a simple question: What if? Ask yourself that question, and then consider not only the kind of crisis you’re most likely to face, but also special challenges such as your being away from home when disaster strikes. People need to rely on each other during emergencies, and this fact is just as true when it comes to your pets. Get to know your neighbors and talk about how you might help each other out. Find out from local shelters and veterinary organizations what their emergency response plans are. Veterinary connections can be tricky for bird owners. Because you need someone experienced in avian care, your veterinarian may not be located anywhere near you. Brian’s clients, in fact, come to him from all over Northern California, and some drive for hours to bring their birds to him. In a disaster, you may not have the luxury of relying on a veterinarian who’s nearby. Make sure you’re familiar with nearby veterinary hospitals, especially those offering round-the-clock and emergency care. Keep a current list of local veterinarians willing and able to provide care or board your birds in an emergency situation. Know who’s agreeable to consulting with your regular veterinarian by telephone or online, if needed, to coordinate and possibly enhance the level of care your birds receive. Make note, too, of shops with a special interest in or focus on birds, particularly those that board birds. A crisis isn’t always a community-wide event. When considering your options, think about what would happen if you were suddenly injured or hospitalized from a car accident, say, or a heart attack or stroke. Make a contact list All you really need is a sheet of paper or two, slipped into a plastic page protector you can pick up at any office-supply store. Handwrite the info or print it out from your home computer. (If you keep the master list on your computer, you can update it easily and print out a current version every so often. Beats cross-outs and erasures!) Your wisest move is to have a list of emergency contacts to cover everything for you and your family, including your pet bird(s). List the name, location, and phone number of your regular veterinarian, and then the same information for nearby backup hospitals and emergency clinics. Same goes for local humane societies and animal-control shelters, animal groups, and bird shops. Include friends and neighbors, as well as your local office of emergency services. The final step: Put the list where you know you can find it (attach it to the refrigerator with a magnet, for instance). Better yet, make a few copies — one for the house, one for the car, one for work, and so on. You can also keep this information on your phone, but having a hard copy is wise in case your battery dies. Make sure your bird carries ID Many birds survive disasters, but too many will never see their families again unless there’s a way to determine their identity and family connections. Although you may be lucky enough to avoid being separated from your bird, you need to be ready for that possibility. One way to contribute to a continued connection is to ensure your bird has identification. Your bird may have a leg band already. If so, be sure to note the identifying letters and numbers. Whether your bird is banded or not, we highly recommend you have your bird microchipped. This simple procedure provides permanent identification for your beloved companion. Make and trade bird-care files Prepare a couple of files with up-to-date veterinary records, your bird’s microchip or leg band numbers, your veterinarian’s phone number and address, feeding and medication instructions, recent pictures of your bird, and written descriptions noting any unique markings or other physical details. Talk to other animal-loving friends, ask them to do the same for their pets, and then trade files. The more people who know about your bird and how to care for him, the better. Collect food and supplies At the top of the list of disaster gear is a travel cage or carrier for any bird whose regular lodgings aren’t portable — anything bigger than a finch or budgie, in most cases. You probably already make use of a travel cage or carrier for trips to your veterinarian or for any other travel outside the home. The key, in a time of crisis, is to make sure you know where the cage is and how you can get to it easily — an emergency isn’t the time to look for a ladder or dig through junk in the basement or attic. Before an emergency strikes, make sure you can get your bird to enter the cage without a great deal of effort on your part or trauma to your bird. Also keep a few days’ supply of food on hand, along with bottled water. Our recommendation for a pelleted diet lends itself well to feeding your bird on the run. Pack some of your bird’s favorite dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, too. Don’t forget to rotate disaster supplies on a regular basis, so they’re always fresh. Include any medication your bird takes regularly. Get an extra supply of maintenance medication and put it in rotation — use it after your current medication runs out, and put the refill in the disaster kit. That way, your “disaster” medicine is always current. And finally: Toys! Your bird will need to take out her stress on something, and better it be toys than you or her own body. Keep a first-aid kit fully stocked Every bird-lover needs basic first-aid supplies packed into a neat, portable kit. Make sure the kit includes scissors, cloth towels, and paper towels. Don’t forget styptic powder for cauterizing bleeding nails or beak tips, if needed. If your kit doesn’t have a first-aid booklet, tuck one inside. Consider keeping two kits — one for home, and one for the car. It’s also a good idea to take a pet first-aid course so you’ll feel confident in the event of an emergency. One of the problems with first-aid kits is that you’re always picking at them in everyday life — a little ointment here, some gauze there, and where did the scissors go? Be sure to promptly replace any supplies you use. Otherwise, when you really need your kit, the cupboard may be bare. Plan, plan, plan, and practice With your research done and your supplies assembled, the next logical step is a real plan for what to do “in case.” Design strategies for what to do if you’re home, or if you’re at work, and make sure everyone in the family knows about them — children included! Rehearsals are a great idea. If you’ve been through something once or twice, the act has a better chance of becoming second nature — get the travel cage, get the bird, get the supplies, get everything in the car, and let’s go! A dry run can also point out any problems with your plan, which you can then remedy. Keep your bird secure — and separate Disasters can bring out the best in people and pets — but they can also bring out the worst. Your bird is bound to be scared, stressed, and disoriented, and he’s likely to feed off your uncertainty as well. Keep your bird secure in his travel cage, and keep handling to a minimum. Be alert to your bird’s body language — even sweet-natured pets may strike out in fear. Try to maintain as regular a schedule as possible, feeding at normal times if you can. To help your bird maintain his good health, keep him away from other pets if at all possible, especially other birds who may be carrying heaven-knows-what diseases. Keep a “lost bird” kit ready The onset or aftermath of a disaster isn’t the best time to get flyers printed up, so make up some generic ones and keep them with your emergency supplies. In the biggest type size you can manage, center the words LOST BIRD, along with a clear picture of your feathered friend. Beneath that, include a description of your bird, including identifying marks or colors, and a space to add the phone number where you can be reached, as well as backup contacts, friends, relatives, neighbors, or your veterinarian. Print up a hundred copies and keep them in a safe, dry, and accessible place. A staple gun enables you to post your notices; keep one loaded and tucked in with a supply of thumbtacks and electrical tape. If your bird becomes lost, post flyers in your neighborhood and beyond, as well as distributing them at veterinary hospitals and shelters. Relying on the kindness of strangers is nice, but offering a reward may inspire some folks to be just a little bit kinder. Be prepared to help others You may survive a disaster nearly untouched, but others in your community may not be so fortunate. Contact your local humane society and veterinary organization now to train as a volunteer so you can help out in an emergency. Disaster-relief workers do everything from distributing food to stranded animals to helping reunite pets with their families — and helping find new homes for those who need them. Not only is volunteering a good thing to do, but it’s also the right thing for anyone who cares about animals and people.

Article / Updated 03-09-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio March Madness is the nickname for the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division I basketball tournament, one of the most exciting championship events in women’s sports. Happening alongside the men’s March Madness, the tournament always begins in mid-March. And like the men’s contest, it involves 68 teams (of the approximately 350 Division I women’s teams). Thirty-two teams are automatically entered into March Madness; the remaining 34 are selected by the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, which bases its selection on how the teams performed during the regular season. The committee also seeds the teams, meaning they rank the teams and decide where to “plant” them within the tournament bracket. These rankings are announced on Selection Sunday. Four of these 68 teams are eliminated during the opening round of the tournament, called the First Four. The basketball committee then divides the remaining 64 teams into four regions of 16 teams each, and they are ranked 1 through 16. Each team’s rank is referred to as their seed. Where the games are played At the beginning of the tournament, the games are played on campus sites. The 2023 regional rounds — Sweet 16, Elite 8, and Final Four — will be played at two sites: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. The championship game will be at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Here is the 2023 schedule, for the women’s March Madness: Selection Sunday: March 12 First Four games: March 15-16 First round: March 17-18 Second round: March 19-20 Sweet 16: March 24-25 Elite 8: March 26-27 Final Four: March 31 National championship game: April 2 You can watch games on ESPN and Sling TV. Also, in 2023, for the first time ever, ABC will broadcast the title game. The 2023 top seeds The heavy favorite of the 2023 tournament is the top-ranked University of South Carolina, which beat Stanford for the 2022 title. The other number-one seeds, in order of best season records, are: Indiana University Stanford University University of Utah The number-two seeds are: Louisiana State University University of Maryland University of Connecticut University of Iowa There are many outstanding players in women's college basketball; here's a list of just ten who are considered some of the best today: Aliyah Boston, University of South Carolina Caitlin Clark, University of Iowa Haley Jones, Stanford University Ashley Joens, Iowa State University Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech Cameron Brink, Stanford University Angel Reese, Louisiana State University Olivia Miles, University of Notre Dame Hailey Van Lith, University of Louisville Rori Harmon, University of Texas Origin of the women's NCAA March Madness tournament Although the NCAA Division I basketball tournament has been around since 1939, the women were not included until 1982. Women had a long fight with the NCAA before that, even after Title IX was passed in 1972, to realize this big change. Strangely enough, that first NCAA women’s contest in 1982 coincided with another championship tournament put on by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). (Incidentally, Rutgers beat Texas to win the AIAW championship, and Louisiana Tech beat Cheyney State to win the NCAA tournament.) Why were there two tournaments? Because up until the 1981-1982 school year, the NCAA was not interested in women’s sports championships. Those had been under the purview of the women-led AIAW, which had been governing women’s collegiate sports since 1971. Of the many ways it supported women’s sports, the AIAW played a role in the passage of Title IX in 1972, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs or activities that receive federal funding. However, in 1981, when the all-male-led-NCAA added women’s sports to its championship program for the first time, it created an uneven playing field in the battle with the AIAW for the governance of women’s collegiate sports. That fight lasted for about a year, but ultimately, the power and money of the NCAA won out. The AIAW folded in 1982. Inequities within March Madness Unfortunately, the NCAA hasn’t valued women’s sports as much as men’s sports throughout most of its existence. However, that is beginning to change, and one of the most conspicuous examples came with the 2022 NCAA women’s basketball tournament. An outcry on social media during the 2021 March Madness tournament pointed out the stark inequities between the men’s and women’s practice facilities and amenities. This led the NCAA to hire a law firm to conduct a review of gender equity related to the tournaments in general. The resulting report uncovered many examples of inequities related to spending on marketing and promotion, players’ meals and services, event staffing, and more. The report led the NCAA to try to level the field in 2022. It expanded the number of women’s teams from 64 to 68, the same as the men, and used the “March Madness” phrase for the women’s tournament for the first time. The organization also provided the same gifts to the men’s and women’s teams in 2022, staged similar fan events, and paid the game officials the same. However, there still remained a large gap between the NCAA’s spending on promotion, TV coverage, and more. In a March 11, 2022, Washington Post article, Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball, wouldn’t comment on the gap in spending between the men’s and women’s tournaments. However, he did say, “The work is not done. There is more to do, and we look forward to doing more after this year’s championship.”

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-08-2023

When things go wrong while exploring the great outdoors, some basic wilderness knowledge and tools can radically improve your chances of surviving.

Article / Updated 03-01-2023

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hosts a basketball tournament every year that begins the week of March 15. The tournament includes 68 men’s teams and 68 women’s teams. (The NCAA expanded the women's field from 64 to 68 in 2022.) The men’s tournament is televised on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV network affiliate stations; the women’s tournament will be available on ESPN, the ESPN app, ABC (for the title game), and Sling TV. The schedule for the 2023 men’s NCAA March Madness tournament is as follows: Selection Sunday: March 12 (brackets, seeds, and team selections) First four: March 14-15 First round: March 16-17 Second round: March 18-19 Sweet 16: March 23-24 Elite Eight: March 25-26 Final Four: April 1 National Championship: April 3 The schedule for the 2023 women’s NCAA March Madness tournament is as follows: Selection Sunday: March 12 (brackets, seeds, and team selections) First four: March 15-16 First round: March 17-18 Second round: March 19-20 Sweet 16: March 24-25 Elite Eight: March 26-27 Final Four: March 31 National Championship: April 2 Selection Sunday Each year on Selection Sunday, 32 teams gain automatic entry into the tournament due to winning their conference’s championships. The remaining teams rely on a selection committee to be granted entry into the tournament. This process takes place on the Sunday before the March Madness Tournament begins and, therefore, is appropriately named Selection Sunday. It is also the day when the brackets and seeds are released to the public. Brackets are the format in which the tournament runs. For example, on the day of the First Four games, there will be four brackets and eight teams playing; the four losing teams will then be removed from the tournament and the four winning teams will move to their new brackets and prepare for the next round of games. After the First Four, the regular tournament begins with 64 brackets including the winning teams that played in the First Four. The winner from each bracket will move on to the next set of brackets until eventually all teams have been “weeded” out and only two remain to play for the championship game. Seeds are essentially committee rankings. The teams in each division are ranked in descending order, with the strongest team (or team most likely to win) ranked in the number-one spot and the weakest team in that division is ranked number 16. The brackets are split up accordingly so the tournament's powerhouse teams are evenly distributed within the 64 brackets. The First Four round The First Four refers to the number of matches/brackets played — not number of teams. The First Four includes the eight lowest ranking teams in the men's division that play against each other, and the four losing teams are removed from the tournament. This part of the tournament is also known as “First Four Out” since four of the teams will lose out of the tournament before it even has really begun. The First Four Out was designed to get the 68 men's teams down to 64 so that the number of teams is the same as in the women's divisions. The brackets and dates, therefore, can be the same for both the men and women divisions. This part of the tournament applies only to the men's teams. In the First Round, those 64 teams play against each other to move on to the Second Round. Second round In the Second Round, the remaining 32 teams play in 16 brackets, and the winners of each bracket then move on to the regional semi-finals (Sweet 16 round); the losers again are removed from the tournament. Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds The regional semi-finals, also known as the Sweet Sixteen, is where the final sixteen teams are set up in matches against other teams within their regional divisions. The divisions are broken up into geographical areas and listed as follows: East West South Midwest The winners of the regional semi-finals are then moved to the regional finals where only eight teams remain, known as the Elite Eight. These eight teams play head-to-head to determine the winners, and the remaining four teams from all regions are matched up in the national semi-finals. The Final Four After regional finals, the remaining four teams from all regions are eligible to play in the national semi-finals. These remaining four teams are known as “The Final Four,” and this is where many people start watching the tournament. The final four teams then play, and the two winners from the national semi-finals move on to the national finals. Championship game The national finals or championship game is where the final two teams play to determine the winner of the current year's March Madness tournament. The NCAA has changed the format of the game several times in its history, as well as the name. In recent years the name of the tournament has been simply “NCAA Division 1 Tournament,” but the more popular March Madness title will always remain.

Article / Updated 02-24-2023

Making your own pizza like the people in the Mediterranean do has never been easier and more fun. Although pizza is loved throughout many countries, it’s one of those food items that can become very unhealthy quickly, but the pizza on the Mediterranean Diet is a far cry from the 5-meat, stuffed crust, deep-dish, extra cheese variety. The classic Italian pizza isn’t the fat, calorie, and sodium bomb that many American versions are; Italians use just a whisper of sauce or oil, a small sprinkling of cheese, and only one layer of meat (if any at all). The bread, not the toppings, is the highlight of Mediterranean pizzas. Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/ivanmateev, 2010 Pizza Dough Prep time: 25 minutes Yield: 1 pizza, 10 servings One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast 2 teaspoons honey 1-1/4 cups warm water (about 110 to 120 degrees) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 3 cups flour Combine the yeast, honey, and warm water in a large mixer or food processor with a dough attachment. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to be sure that the yeast is alive (look for bubbles on the surface). Add the olive oil and salt and blend for 30 seconds. Begin to slowly add 3 cups of the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing for 2 minutes between additions. Allow the mixture to knead in the mixer for 10 minutes, sprinkling with flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking to the bowl, until elastic and smooth. Remove the dough from the bowl and allow it to rest for 15 minutes under a warm, moist towel. Follow the pizza recipe for baking instructions. Per serving: Calories 167 (From Fat 28); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 234mg; Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 4g. You can freeze this pizza dough for 1 month. Form the dough into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap before placing it into a freezer-safe container. Margherita Pizza Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 10 servings 1 batch Pizza Dough 1/4 cup flour as needed for rolling 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup crushed canned tomatoes 3 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 6 ounces fresh or block mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thick, dusting the pizza dough with flour as needed. Poke holes in the pizza dough with a fork (to prevent crust bubbling) and bake it on a baking sheet or pizza stone for 5 minutes. Remove the pan and drizzle the crust with the olive oil and crushed tomatoes. Top the pizza with the tomato slices and season with the salt. Blot the mozzarella slices dry with a paper towel and lay them on top of the pizza in no exact pattern. Top the pizza with the basil. Bake the pizza for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. To brown the cheese, place the pizza under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes if desired. Allow the pizza to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Per serving: Calories 251 (From Fat 76); Fat 8g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 11mg; Sodium 474mg; Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 9g.

Article / Updated 02-22-2023

Many Beagles are waiting patiently for new homes in breed rescue programs. Adopting a Beagle from a rescue organization is a great way to find a lovable companion if you don't mind getting an adult dog. Many of these dogs are wonderful, devoted, well-trained family members who just got the short end of the bone for one reason or another and no longer have a place to go. Beagle breed rescue is a multifaceted enterprise that aims to place homeless Beagles into permanent adoptive homes. Beagle rescuers — all of whom are volunteers — look for Beagles who need help at shelters and from individuals who can no longer keep them. And all too often, Beagle rescuers take in dogs that have been cruelly treated or otherwise neglected. After the Beagle enters rescue, the group assigns the dog to a temporary home, or what rescuers call a foster home. While there, the dog receives any necessary medical care and is observed, so that any deficiencies or behavioral problems can be identified. The rescue group then takes steps to deal with those issues. As the Beagle's rehabilitation progresses, the foster-care provider — with the help of other volunteers — begins to look for a permanent home for the dog. The group's aim is to find a happy ending for each rescued Beagle: placement in a loving forever home. If you're interested in adopting an older Beagle, consider contacting one of the following organizations: National Beagle Club of America: The club's Web site includes a page of links to Beagle rescue groups from all over the United States. Beagle Rescue Foundation of America: This organization raises money to assist Beagle rescue groups throughout the country. This site also contains a page of links to local rescue groups, some of which aren't listed on the National Beagle Club of America's Web site. Petfinder: This national online database of pets that need homes lists Beagle and other breed rescue groups from coast to coast. The Petfinder Web site also allows you to search directly for a Beagle by zip code — although most of the hits you'll get will be Beagle mixes. Like adopting through a shelter, expect to fill out a detailed application and answer a lot of personal questions. Remember rescue workers want to ensure that the dogs are going to be going to a great home. They may even want to come to your home to make sure that is suitable for a Beagle. No rescue Beagles nearby? Not to worry. Some rescue groups can help you find a dog that lives outside your local area and arrange to have the animal transported to you. If you're interested in this possibility, ask the rescue coordinator about whether the group operates a "Canine Underground Railroad," or whether she can help you find out more about rescue dogs who live beyond your local area.