Happy First Day of Fall: So Why Today Rather Than Any Other Day?

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015

It’s my favorite time of year once again — the aroma of Pumpkin Spice Lattes fills your nasal passages and the feel of warm and cozy hoodies rubbed up against your skin. The intense humidity (at least in Maryland) finally eases up, and there is a slight chill in the air. So one question remains…why does today mark the official beginning of Fall? Well, it happens to be the autumnal equinox. *Shakes head with a puzzled look*

What exactly does an equinox mean? According to the National Weather Service, “ there are only two times of the year when the Earth’s axis is tilted neither towards nor away from the sun, resulting in a “nearly” equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes.” This event is referred to as an equinox. The days become a little longer, because it takes the sun longer to rise and set. Aha — I always wondered why it gets darker, earlier on in the day as fall goes on. It all makes sense now. So to celebrate the start of the season, grab your Pumpkin Spice Latte and pull up a chair outside to watch the lunar eclipse — aka Blood Moon that is occurring this Sunday night.

This is no ordinary lunar eclipse because it will coincide with a Supermoon, meaning that the moon will appear much larger in the sky. Pretty cool, right? No need for binoculars or a telescope. Make sure to mark your calendar because this won’t occur again for another 18 years. That’s right, not until 2033 — a time when robots will be most likely bringing you your treasured Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Fall is also known as the season of balance. So, let TalkLocal help you restore the balance in your own life by taking care of minuscule things you have to get done inside and outside the house before the cold months ahead.

Tags: fall, first day of fall
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Weed Control Tips: Making Dead Weeds Stay Dead

Monday, September 21st, 2015

Even after a neighbor sent a picture teasing Brian and Amber about their unruly lawn while mockingly suggesting that she (the neighbor) was embarrassed to merely walk her dog pass the home let alone live next door, it was weeks before the new homeowner’s found time to finally start that long overdue garden weed control project.

“While weeding, I found nesting birds, mating crickets, and a praying mantis living in the thriving new ecosystem my negligence had created”

– Amber from Pennsylvania (via email)

What’s worse: they soon realized that their tactics simply weren’t the best way to control weeds. In other words, their time, effort, countless little pin pricks, and allergic reactions had been all but wasted as their garden quickly succumbed to out of control weeds.

“The weeds are coming back with a vengeance. It’s as if our work had only paved the way to an era more wild than the last. We feel overwhelmed,” wrote Amber.

Well, Amber, the phrase “grow like weeds” is a truism for a reason. So, if you want to reduce the resilience of your weeds to something you can keep up with and manage, then follow these weed control tips:

Nip It In The Bud: Don’t have time for a major weeding session? Amber and Brian would have fewer weeds to deal with if they had simply removed the flower heads every week using gardening scissors or hedges. Flowers lay down new seeds and help spark rebirth.

Don’t Neglect the Roots: Of course, if you neglect the root network, then our weed problem will only grow more entrenched over time. Dig deep when weeding and pull the weeds from as close to the root as possible. In addition, find and dispose of lone root fragments because they actually may flower.

Break Up The Soil: To make uprooting less labor intensive, ensure that the ground is moist from either your sprinklers or a recent rain shower. Then, use a shovel to break up the soil in areas where the roots may be especially deep.

Apply Herbicide at the Right Time: Aerating the lawn after applying weed control could render the herbicide inefficient. That is why you must aerate the lawn prior to applying the herbicide.

Get the Right Herbicide: Furthermore, when you choose your herbicide, don’t forget to carefully read the instructions on the label to make sure that you choose the right one for the weeds in your yard.

Repeat: Excessive rain or lack of it can neutralize the effect of herbicide, and weeds will start germinating. This is why you might need to apply pre-emergent herbicide repeatedly.

Ground Cover: Sunlight-starved seeds and root networks will have a harder time growing in uncovered ground. Landscape fabric, mulch, or mulch alternative layered to about two inches in thickness should be strategically placed to allow sunlight where plant growth is desired.

Brian and Amber have a lot of work ahead of them despite their efforts. Fortunately, with these weed removal tips in mind, they have the knowledge to produce lasting results in their lawn. However, if you don’t have the time to go through these steps and need someone to take care of those pesky weeds for you, TalkLocal will connect you with a local pro who will make those pesky weeds history.

Tags: killing weeds, landscape, lawn care, weeds
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TECHtify: Meal Planning and Recipe Apps Edition!

Tuesday, September 15th, 2015

Meal planning can save money, reduce waste, and prevent impulse buying. Plus, winging it at the last minute can leave spouses and parents feeling as if dinner time is D-Day. However, meal planning still takes a lot of preparation and effort that in turn causes people to rush impulsively through the grocery store aisles rather than shop strategically, making healthier and more affordable decisions.

But, guess what?! Technology is here to the rescue…AGAIN!

Here are three really awesome Android and iPhone apps for life’s most important question: What’s for dinner?

Whole Foods Market Recipes

This app features more than 3,000 recipes — all categorized by cuisine, dietary preferences (eg. vegetarian, gluten free) and more. In addition to a budgeting and shopping list creation tool, it’s also a great social platform. Users can add photos and recipes of their own, and comment on their favorite recipes added by other users.

Pro: If you frequent Whole Foods, this is a great tool for finding a sale.

Con: The shopping list function is right above the ‘copy and paste’ function. If an ingredient is in two recipes, it will be listed on your list twice.

AllRecipes.com DinnerSpinner

This app makes it almost too easy to make your dream dinners off of your cooking wishlist. You have the same categorized recipes and information as the website. In addition, with the DinnerSpinner Pro app (about $3), you have the convenience of transferring those recipes into a separate grocery list that you can access on the go. You can even scan grocery items to find recipes that incorporates them. Feeling spontaneous? Just shake your device for a random recipe on any day of the week!

Pro: It’s already your favorite website and its crowdsourcing feature means the recipes are great for everyday foodies like yourself.

Con: You have to pay for certain features including the most essential one: the shopping list function. The free version is also rife with ads.

Yummly Recipes and Grocery Shopping List

This app is probably our favorite. Not only can you search through all your favorite recipes from your top cooking and lifestyle sites across the web, you can also have ingredients delivered right to your doorstep. All you have to do is add ingredients to your Yummly shopping list, then tap them to shop from Instacart. Wala! Ingredients delivered straight to your door, without the hassle of running to the grocery store.

Pro: If you don’t have an ingredient from a recipe you find, you can have it delivered right to your doorstep.

Con: It does not have a meal planner calendar, so you might forget the names of the recipes you planned and shopped for.

Have fun playing with whatever app is right for you. Now, you can skip all the mental gymnastics of planning meals ahead of time and start moving in the kitchen instead. Maybe you’ll save so much money that you can skip clean up afterwards and let TalkLocal find someone to do that for you!

Tags: meal planning
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How To Prevent Bathroom Mold: Fight Bathroom Tyranny

Monday, September 14th, 2015

We would all face complete social isolation if our friends knew how disgusting we truly are – naturally, we devote a good deal of time to keeping our bathrooms clean. Nasty bathroom stuff, as I understand, is the current politically correct term, comes in a variety of smells and textures; the most stubborn of which is mold. The longer it’s left alone, the more of your wall it’ll seize; this can damage your air quality and even get you sick. We here at TalkLocal care about your friendships and your lungs, so we’ve collected a few tips on how to prevent and tackle bathroom mold.

Fun fact: adults with one or more friends spend 80% more money. Luckily, compared to split restaurant checks and snacks for hosting, the cost of welcoming people into your home without triggering a gag reflex is rather inexpensive.

Here are 5 tips to prevent bathroom mold:

That Fan Exists for a Reason

You know that annoying, loud fan you sometimes switch on instead of the lights? It’s actually your first line of defense against mold – nasty organic stuff like fungi require damp conditions to grow, and good use of your fan can evaporate a good portion of the water on your walls. It’ll also clear out humid air. To be especially careful, make sure your fan is equal to or above 70 CFM, and make sure it runs for at least a half hour after a bath or shower.

Restrict Access

Mold loves to stick itself between bathroom tiles. You will not love the smell this produces, nor the weird sensation of walking with wet feet on moldy tile. Restrict the mold’s access to your tile by sealing your grout lines annually. Even if you’re not concerned about mold, this will waterproof your tile, which is wise considering everything you do in the bathroom involves water.

Take Matters into Your Own Hands

If you’re the type of brute who hears “fruit flies” and wonders where you put the flyswatter (I am such a brute), you might prefer something hands-on, like drying your walls off with a towel or squeegee after showering or bathing. This is the most effective method but, efficiency-wise, is next to washing your clothes with a laundry board. It might be necessary, though, if you have an already-existing mold problem.

If You’re Past Prevention…

No worries. Everyone, at some point, deals with a mold-infested wall. All you need is a brush, detergent or bleach, and a towel. Mix detergent with water half and half or use a 10% bleach and 90% water solution, dip in the brush and scrub away the tyranny. Reclaim your freedom like a true American.

When All Else Fails

You know what’s also pretty American? Paying a qualified professional to do take out the bathroom tyrant for you. Like any true American, you’re busy, or sometimes have unmanageable mold problems, like black mold (in this case, seriously, get a professional).You’re also a conscious consumer, so you love free things. TalkLocal is free and will take care of finding a bathroom cleaner for you.

Get started today and reclaim what is rightfully yours so you can invite friends over without distress.

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9/11: A Day to Remember and A Call For Peace

Thursday, September 10th, 2015

This past year, our country has seen a lot of darkness. Violence has plagued the nation now more than ever before, causing us to forget how united we all once were. 9/11 is a day of remembrance — so let’s remember the victims and heroes, but let’s also remember how we were all able to bring light in place of darkness, and come together as one united front.

Some of you may be thinking: what can I do? That is the most important question anyone could possibly ask and the answer will be highly personal. It could be volunteering at a soup kitchen or shelter, or even doing a simple act of kindness. Most people tend to forget that one small act of kindness can make a large difference in someone else’s life. So, the only wrong answer to this question is: nothing.

So, what do you say? TalkLocal shares in your remembrance and calls on everyone to do one act of kindness – today and every day. We can become united once again.

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Happy Grandparents Day: Five Fun Ways To Celebrate

Wednesday, September 9th, 2015

Everyone’s always celebrating the parents (as you should, they gave birth to us and all that jazz), but what about the people who indirectly helped give birth to us? Celebrate the people who watched over us when our parents needed to go out somewhere — and we loved them for it because we were allowed to eat junk food and stay up late to watch TV.

That’s right, we’re talking about grandparents and September 13th is their special day. They’ve done so much for us, so how do you celebrate with them? Well, here are five great ways:

Treat them to dinner/brunch: You’re older than you used to be, so you may not go to Grandmother’s house every weekend. However, this Sunday, take them out to a nice restaurant for brunch or dinner. Just this once you can spend quality time with them without them having to do the actual cooking. Maybe they could give the chef a quick lesson!

Take them somewhere fun: There’s probably a bunch of fun places around your area. Take them to the movies or even a museum. Check your town’s events page for concert listings, if you’re feeling really enthusiastic!

Make a scrapbook: Grandparents love photos of us and knowing what we’ve been doing. Perhaps you can make a scrapbook for them with pictures, pretty colors and your achievements – something they can show off to all their friends during Bingo night!

Invite the rest of the family: Just because you’re the grandchild doesn’t mean you have to hog them all to yourself. If you have extra time, gather as much of your family as you can and set up a fun family reunion for everyone to enjoy. Intergenerational family time (for the win)!

Help them out around the house: Even if your grandparents are active, there are simple tasks that might be difficult for them to do. Offer to help them with something that needs to be done around their house. My grandparents are a tad technologically challenged, so whenever I show up, I always ask if their computers are doing okay.

No matter what you plan on doing, just remember to have fun with it. After all, what grandparents love most is spending time with their grandchildren. So, pick an activity or two and go forth!

But. what if you’re in way over your head? The computer actually was plugged in and restarting didn’t help either, then helping around the house turned into an episode of Hoarders. Well, have no fear. In 90 seconds, TalkLocal can find a computer repair pro or maid service who already knows your problem and wants to help on your schedule.

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Prepare Your Vegetable Garden Before Winter Arrives

Friday, September 4th, 2015

An unprepared vegetable garden is no match for even a slight frost…so to make next year’s work easier, your garden must be protected. That’s why now is the time to prepare your vegetable garden. Winter is coming — and, unlike in Game of Thrones, it won’t take seven years to arrive. Follow these four easy steps to protect your garden from the harsh weather conditions.

1. Clear out old plants. This will prevent growth of undesired mold or disease and take a step out of your way next year. Rotting plants can pollute the soil and ruin subsequent crops, so be sure to get up all of the roots. This debris can be used for composting.

2. Setting aside an area for composting will give you great soil come next year. Dig trenches in your garden and fill them with organic debris. The heat from the trenches will facilitate the decomposition process, helping create extremely fertile soil.

3. If you have immature vegetables that might die during the winter, you can preserve them for the next season by digging them up (get up all of the roots without harming them) and burying them headfirst with the roots sticking out of the ground. As strange as it may sound, the relative warmth of the soil will keep the vegetable from dying in the frost.

4. Cover the soil with a tarp to protect it from direct exposure to frost. Frost can damage the soil, making it less suitable for rearing plants in subsequent years.

Whenever dealing with gardens, the best possible option is to seek the assistance of a professional landscaper. With TalkLocal’s assistance, you can find one with the right experience and schedule you need – for free. Don’t wait for the winter to draw any closer; head over to TalkLocal and let us show you how easy it is to find a local landscaper before Jack Frost comes knocking on your door.

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Labor Day Is Just Around The Corner

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015

Not only is Labor Day another holiday where one can relax from the typical stress of a work day, it also gives you an excuse to have a cookout with your family and friends. We all know cookout = great food.

We handpicked some of our favorite dishes to save you from having to play “pick a card any card” with your recipe box this weekend.

Here are our two favorites:

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad (aka the Greatest Potato Salad Ever), Courtesy of The Recipe Critic

INGREDIENTS

– 2 pounds potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
– 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
– 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
– 1¼ cups cooked bacon, crumbled
– 1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
– 2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat add the potatoes and reduce the heat to medium high and boil for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream and ranch packet until blended.
3. In a large bowl, add potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions.
4. Stir in the sour cream ranch mixture until blended and coated well.
5. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Credit

Southern Creamed Corn, Courtesy of Patrick and Gina Neely (so you already know it’s good)

INGREDIENTS

-8 ears corn, husked
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1 cup heavy cream
-1/2 cup cold water
-2 tablespoons bacon grease
-1 tablespoons butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, cut the tip off cob. Cut the kernels from cob with a small paring knife. Using the back of the blade, scrape against the cob to press out the milky liquid.
2. Whisk together sugar, flour, and salt and pepper, to taste. Combine with corn. Add the heavy cream and water. Mix.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat bacon grease. Add corn mixture and turn heat down to medium-low, stirring until it becomes creamy, about 30 minutes.
4. Add the butter right before serving.

Credit

Both recipes take no more than an hour to cook, which means more time for you to relax. You can also check out our Pinterest board for more quick and delicious recipes.

Since Labor Day is a day of rest, let us here at TalkLocal take care of things for you. Need to clean your house before your cookout? We can find you a maid service while you kick back and relax.

Enjoy your holiday!

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National Preparedness Month: Preparing For The Worst

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015

Do you ever worry? Of course you do, you have cable news blaring in your head 24 hours a day trying to get you worked up about everything — Ebola, El Nino, and ~~eggplants~~. Even so, it’s hard enough to remember to check the weather and take an umbrella in the morning, let alone set up a bomb shelter, stock up on years’ worth of rations, and repopulate a planet rocked by nuclear Armageddon. Luckily, there are simple things that you can do to prepare for common emergencies and protect your family on the off chance that disaster does strike. As part of National Preparedness Month, we’re joining Ready.gov in highlighting best practices for staying safe during floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and power outages.

So, do you have what it takes to survive a disaster? No, but really, do you have what it takes? Go ahead and check your basement and pantry for your emergency supplies.

Here’s what you need:

Flashlights for each family member
First aid kit
Portable radio
Gallons of fresh water (Three days worth)
Non-perishable food (Three days worth)
Hand sanitizer
Batteries
Can opener
Cash
Personal hygiene products
Feminine hygiene products
Formula and diapers
Pet supplies
Blankets
Printed pics of family members in case anyone is separated

Of course, having what it takes to make your family safe doesn’t make you Bear Grylls or Rambo. It’s important to create an emergency plan and practice it until the whole family (especially any children) understands. Even then, we can’t stress enough the importance of listening to officials, staying informed via radio, evacuating as needed, and avoiding high risk behaviors (like traveling in the midst of dangerous weather conditions). Don’t be that guy who causes the brave first responders to endanger their own lives in order to save yours.

Nevertheless, if you find yourself in a tough spot, here are a few tips about dealing with potential emergencies:

Flood: If traveling, do your best to avoid any flooded streets as people and can be swept away with enough water. Try to locate a high-rise location and once found, keep all members of your family (including pets) inside. In addition, turn off all of your utilities if possible.

Wildfire: Keep family and pets indoors and ensure that your doors and windows are closed to maintain air quality inside. After your area has been cleared, note any damage done to your home before disposing of anything affected by smoke or soot. Also, keep an eye out for stray embers and extinguish accordingly.

Hurricane: Ensure that all the trees and shrubbery around your home are properly trimmed. Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, garbage cans and anything else in your yard that is not tied down. Find a place on a lower level to take shelter. Keep away from your windows.

Power Outage: Keep your refrigerator closed and consume any food left to avoid spoilage. If the outage continues for more than a day, place your perishables in a cooler. Turn off or disconnect any electronics that were in use when the power went out. Keep one light switch on, so you will know when your power has returned.

National PrepareAthon! Day is September 30th, so make that the deadline for building your supply kit and practice your emergency plan with your family. Most importantly, don’t forget to spread the word all month long to all of your loved ones.

Now that we’ve helped prepare you for the big disasters, what about the small ones? Even a small nuisance like a basement flood can feel like the end of the world when you can’t find the help you need. This is why TalkLocal connects people to the right local pro in over 50 service categories in about 90 seconds.

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Essential DIY Tools for Your Toolbox

Monday, August 31st, 2015

There are more useless money-suckers than good products these days; this is especially visible in the market for household maintenance tools. You search for cool DIY tools, expecting something at the crossroads of utilitarian and innovative, but all you seem to find are Allan keys with vice grips, PSI gauges, and sextants attached.

Here at TalkLocal, we think a sextant sounds like something nobody is interested in, so we’ve compiled a list of DIY tools to help you declare independence from your contractor and feed your increasingly addictive DIY hobby.

Essential DIY Tools

These should be in any toolbox:

– Adjustable wrench
– Screwdriver set
– Tape measure
– Electric drill (worth the price, trust us)
– Level
– Hammer
– Nailset
– Pliers
– Utility knife
– Flashlight
– Sandpaper and sanding block (whenever dealing with wood)
– Safety goggles and gloves
– Super glue
– Duct tape and WD-40 (seriously)

Useful Extras (Your pipes won’t burst without them but they’re not superfluous):

– Crowbar
– Staple gun
– Rubber mallet (good for tapping together laminate)
– Dremel
– Hot glue gun
– Automatic nailer and circular saw (useful for woodworking projects)
– Jigsaw (another useful woodworker’s tool)
– Multi-tool (those Swiss Army knife-things with a million tools – if you think they look unwieldy and useless, consider that these are essentially whole toolboxes you can fit in your pocket!)

Gather these together over time; they’re too expensive to buy all at once, and you might not end up needing all of them. Instead, get the ones that seem necessary for the project at hand, and make sure it’s a project you actually can tackle yourself so you don’t waste money

For all of those tasks too big, too onerous, or too time-consuming for a mere mortal with a toolbox, let us handle it. Go onto TalkLocal and our unique search system will put an end to that obnoxious research-call-repeat headache.

Tags: DIY, toolbox, tools
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