Archive for category Book & Product Reviews
Seed Starting: The First Step to Gardening
Posted by jlsgrant in Book & Product Reviews on March 2, 2013
Last year, we relocated to a new house, with a BIG yard….five acres to be exact. Not having this kind of space before, we treaded very lightly on the ground, not really sure what to do with all of this. We began thinking about a garden, talking about a garden, but have not yet put a shovel to the dirt. After all, what do we know about gardening?
So when the opportunity arose to review this book, I thought it would be a perfect first step! Just like the title, Seed Starting: The First Step to Gardening.
For a gardening novice like myself, and the rest of my family, I am approaching my five acres with a little fear and trepidation! What am I afraid of? Mostly weeds, but then there is the daily commitment to watering and the “pests”, like deer, rabbits and insects to name a few. I actually love the deer that visit daily! I even am prone to admiring the caterpillar, knowing its future as a butterfly. So can I manage a garden and keep the “pests” I love at bay?
I am not usually a big reader of nonfiction books. Funny, really, because that is all I used to read. But I was quickly impressed by the easy flow of the book. The author, Gary Emmett, walks you through all the basics of getting your plants started. The chapters are as follows:
Chapter 1: Planning your Garden
Chapter 2: All about Seeds
Chapter 3: Potting Soils
Chapter 4: Growing Equipment
Chapter 5: Do you have enough light?
Chapter 6: Other Growing Needs
Chapter 7: Ready to Transplant
Previous to reading the book, I figured I would just run to my local garden store, pick out some already established plants, and plunk them in the ground. But starting your own seeds opens up the exciting possibility of varieties not available at your local store. The e-book even provides hot links to seed companies, so that you can research and order your seeds. Not sure when to start growing your seeds? No problem. There is a section for that too.
After reading Seed Starting: The First Step to Gardening, I feel confident that I am ready to get started with a garden. The book has given me the confidence I need to get started this spring. The very first chapter will assist me in finding the best location in our new yard and the rest of the book will continue to be a resource for years to come as we begin our adventure in family gardening.
I will be looking forward, with hopeful expection, to future books from this author. (Though this is purely speculation! :-)) Maybe something like, Managing the Garden: The Second Step to Gardening….and how about a third, Harvesting Your Garden: Before the Deer and Rabbits Get There.
Information about the author, Gary Emmett
Purchase this E-Book online at Amazon.com
Several other team members chose to review this informative book too. So head on over to Mosaic Reviews to read their opinions.
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation of any kind has been received. Not even a pack of seeds!
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Yearly Blog Planner from Homeschool Creations
Posted by jlsgrant in Book & Product Reviews on February 22, 2013
It is a great thing to get organized BEFORE you start something! That’s why I was so excited that our first assignment for Mosaic Reviews was to choose and review a blog planner.
There were several to choose from; everything from the all-inclusive, oh-my-I’ll-never-fill-all-of-that-out type planner, to the basic, one page, simple planner to keep you focused. This free blog planner, by Homeschool Creations, fell somewhere in between. I thought it would be perfect for someone like me….I am not an everyday blogger, but the planner includes specially designed pages to keep track of reviews and their deadlines and that’s what first caught my attention.
The Homeschool Creations Yearly Blog Planner includes:
- Blank Monthly Calendar pages
- Two week at a glance pages
- Review/Giveaway tracking pages, and
- Additional Planning Helps
The Additional Planning Helps section includes pages for keeping track of other bloggy type things like website analytics, usernames and passwords, affiliate programs, twitter hashtags, link-ups, and notes & ideas.
Honestly, it has taken me a few weeks to get back into the planner habit and I probably shouldn’t call it a “habit” quite yet! But with deadlines for reviews seemingly around every corner, I know I need to get more organized to prevent things from falling through the cracks.
In the past, I have tried to use technology to manage my to-do list. This includes the simple calendar in Outlook and on the opposite extreme, an expensive on-line homeschool planner. But none has really worked for me at this point. Maybe it’s because I am a tactile person. I grew up with paper and pencils in hand and I think that works best for me!
After a few weeks working with the Homeschool Creations Yearly Blog Planner, here are the parts I like best:
The Weekly Pages….when items are assigned for review I schedule all dates relating to final post. From setting up a draft on the blog, to adding images and links, adding specific product information, and finally adding my personal opinions. (I note the deadlines in red ink to make sure I don’t miss them!) For me, this page alone is probably sufficient 🙂
The Blank Calendar Pages…so I can customize and use the same planner next year, instead of needing to buy a new one every year. Each monthly template has a “Focus of the Month” section at the bottom. This is a great place for brainstorming upcoming post ideas.
The Flexibility of an unbound planner…being able to move pages around until I find a system that works best for me.
The Review/Giveaway pages are perfect if you like to record all the important product info on paper. As for me, I generally set up all that information in my draft post on the blog, so I didn’t end up using them.
In the Additional Planning Helps section, my favorite is probably the page for Website & Blog usernames and passwords. I am forever needing to request passwords for websites I haven’t visited in awhile, so this will be a great resource.
Bottom line… I really enjoy using this planner and will continue to use it in the upcoming months.
Ready to get your free copy? You’re just a click away! Just click the FREE Printable Blog Planner image to download yours. When you get to the website, there are tips for setting up and using this planner and links to some of the other planners available.
Be sure to visit other areas of the website for great resources for homeschooling families.
Other members of the Mosaic Reviews team have also reviewed this product. Please feel free to visit their blogs by clicking the Mosaic Reviews button.
Disclaimer: This product was given to members of Mosaic Reviews team in exchange for their honest review. No other compensation of any kind has been received.
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