July 4th Table Decorations with 8 inch Tapered Luminara Candles

July 4th Table Decorations: Candles and Bandanas

My July 4th table decorations are simple and inexpensive. This year we are having a simple cook out for our July 4th celebration. But I decided to elevate the occasion with some decorating fun. If you have dishes that are red or white, you can easily use them for July 4th table decorations. Just add a few other inexpensive decorative elements you already have around the house.

It’s no secret, I love Luminara candles.  I also love baked beans and hotdogs, which is on the menu for today. The temperature is in the 90’s here today in Henry County, Tennessee. The humidity is way up there also. While you can use regular tapered candles for your July 4th table decorations, I think when the heat gets this high it’s best to stick with a battery powered tapered candle instead like the Luminara.

July 4th Table Decorations: Re-purpose What You Have

July 4th Table Decorations: Candles and Bandanas
July 4th Dinner for two

The trick is to think outside the box and to incorporate items you have in your color palette that can be easily re-purposed.

I thought a little candle light, and a few patriotic bandanas seem appropriate for July 4th table decorations.  To do this, I am using my 8 inch tapered Luminara candles and my bandana print scarves.  It’s a simple and inexpensive way to decorate my little dinner for two table without spending money on expensive place mats or a table runner that I’ll only use a couple times a year.

I have an insatiable love of these Luminara candles, because they look realistic and they are quality made and did I say they also have timers.  A hot summer day on the porch is a perfect time and place to use them, because a wax candle would soften and melt in a very messy way in this heat before the Ambrosia salad is served.  Unfortunately photos do not do the realism of the candle flicker justice, but they are remarkably realistic.

The Luminara candles also come in different sizes and shapes. Like the ones I am using today, the tapers are perfect, not just for July 4th table decorations but for every other holiday occasion.  At Christmas I have used them for window candles and the safety factor is not an issue. The fact that they have timers that go on and off automatically is fabulous, you just set them once and watch them go on and off.  For roving cats and swishing dog tails, these can be knocked over and there are no burned tails, or noses, or the messy clean-up of melted wax spilled on carpets and tables.

I hope you all have a safe 4th of July and happy fun celebrations.

Dog Anxiety Issues Thankfully solved with Thundershirt

My dog Riley, a miniature schnauzer uses Thundershirt for dog anxiety issues

My dog Riley, a miniature schnauzer uses Thundershirt for dog anxiety issues We have dog anxiety issues in our house. Our two-year old miniature schnauzer has struggled with dog anxiety issues since we adopted her as an eight week old puppy. She’s a small dog for her breed only ten pounds.

She is calm when it’s just us in the house, and when there isn’t someone coming to the door or walking past the house.

But she always seemed to have a problem with taking car rides and meeting new people. Our dog’s anxiety would kick up with a lot of barking, trembling, and panting.

Most people recognize these common symptoms of dog anxiety, but there are other ones that are less well known. I’ll share them in case you are wondering if your dog has an anxiety issue.

Common Symptoms of Dog Anxiety:

  • incessant scratching
  • chewing on paws
  • barking and retreating
  • hiding behind a person or object
  • when the tail is low and only the end is wagging
  • dog licks it’s chops even though it is not eating
  • when a house broken dog  goes into another room and urinates or deficates
  • when a dog cocks its ears back

She started to behave the same way when we had thunderstorms. We saw our dog struggle with restlessness, panting, and trembling. We knew we had to do something to help her calm down.

Dog Anxiety Issues Solved with Thundershirt

I had seen a demonstration for the Thundershirt for dogs and thought it looked too good to be true. The idea that a simple shirt could calm our dog down seemed too easy to be effective. But after our last thunderstorm, I decided to give it a try.

The Thundershirt is a lightweight material coat that Velcros around the dog’s belly and around her chest.  She seems to tolerate the coat very well. We’ve survived our first storm since purchasing the Thundershirt. The difference it has made in her storm anxiety is reassuring us that we have made the right decision. I really believe the Thundershirt is helping her with this problem.  The panting and the pacing was not happening, and she was comfortable enough to just lay down.

The next test will be the fourth of July. This year we will have her Thundershirt on and ready for the all day fireworks displays.  I feel confident that she will make it through the day without any problems and we won’t have to resort to drugs to calm her down.

If you are having the same difficulty with your dog, I recommend you give Thundershirt a try. Be sure to measure the dog’s chest diameter when ordering so that it is a good fit and you have picked the right size.  There is a video on Youtube showing how to measure for fit.  Not tight, but reassuring to the dog like a gentle hug.

How to Fit a Thundershirt for Dog Anxiety Symptoms

On a Kindle Fire Seniors will Feel Right at Home Reading Books

On a Kindle Fire Seniors will Feel Right at Home Reading Books

On a Kindle Fire Seniors will Feel Right at Home Reading BooksKindle Fire: seniors will love reading again. I know I do. I have always enjoyed reading for pleasure and the used bookstore was one of my weekly stops to refill my new reading adventures passion.  Before I retired I was reading medical records for 8 hours a day, so I had slowed down a bit on my free-time reading.

Now that I am retired and time is all I have, I am back to reading in a big way.  The only thing that has changed is I no longer read the actual physical book since my daughter gifted me with a Kindle Fire.  I am aware that a lot of people still love the actual books, but I got tired of my hands cramping with some of the hardcover books or the really fat paperbacks.  Here are some of the reasons I love my Kindle, and why I believe Kindle Fire for seniors is a better alternative than using books.

On a Kindle Fire Seniors will Enjoy Several Features:

  1. On a Kindle Fire seniors can adjust the font size and type of the print to a comfortable reading experience.  I could almost read without glasses if I adjust it to a larger font.
  2. On a Kindle Fire seniors will enjoy the backlit display that can be changed to your preferences. The Kindle Fire has sepia tone, black background with white letters or white background with black letters.
  3. On a Kindle Fire seniors can enjoy ease of handling, I can prop it on my lap and be hands free, except for swiping it to change the page.
  4. I can get all my books free from my local online library in my town. They have thousands of books in every imaginable genre that can be downloaded to my Kindle Fire.  I use the “Overdrive” online library site that is managed with my local library card. I also use “Bookbud” which has low-cost and free books.  If a book is not available on Overdrive you can go on a wait list and your library will email you when it is in.
  5. Amazon also has books online that Kindle Fire owners can purchase. The options are great, and you can read reviews from readers on book you may be interested in. If your are an Amazon Prime member, you will also be allowed to get one free book per month in their Kindle lending library right on the device.
  6. On a Kindle Fire seniors will also enjoy the history feature. With this feature the Kindle keeps track of the books and author you have read.  Which helps if you keep accidentally choosing a book you have read in the past, which I have done a few times, especially if it is my favorite author.
  7. Books are only one feature seniors can enjoy on a Kindle Fire. I can play games on the Kindle, go on Facebook, see ideas on Pinterest, shop online, read newspapers and magazines. You can even listen to music and watch videos, visit the web, check and send emails.  It is truly a very handy item.
  8. The size and weight are also a plus, I can slip it into most average size purses and carry it around without shoulder and arm pain.  It is nice to use  while waiting for doctor appointments , oil changes, or any other situation you my run into. It holds a charge for quite a long time.
  9. Another feature I love about the Kindle Fire is it’s ability to save pictures. I have several of my favorite pictures of my grandchildren on the Kindle. If I have it in my purse I can share them with my friends.
  10. On a Kindle Fire seniors can enjoy easy online shopping through Amazon Prime, if they are members. Amazon Prime is set up on my device and through it I am able to order all kinds of things with just a few clicks. The best part is free shipping and delivery in 2 days. I love the ability to use shopping lists on Amazon and to save them to purchase later if I desire. Amazon will even notify me if the items have a future price change.

Kindle Fire: an Improved Retirement Reading Experience

The Kindle Fire is easy to learn how to use. I have had this Kindle for the past 5 years and although I am not very computer savvy, I have been able to operate this without any frustrating problems, and it has become my favorite tool for reading.

Residents of Henry County Tennessee

To check out free ebooks for your Kindle, iPad, or Nook visit Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. Regional Ebook and Audiobook Download System. You must have a library card to check out free ebooks. You can also visit their Facebook Page: Tennessee Reads.