Blue-Butterfly Day Poem By Robert Frost

Blue - Butterfly Day

            - By Robert Frost

It is a blue-butterfly day here in spring,

And with these sky-flakes down in flurry on flurry

There is more unmixed color on the wing

Than flowers will show for days unless they hurry.

But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:

And now from having ridden out desire

They lie closed over in the wind and cling

Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire.

Children Learn What They Live - Poem By Dorothy Law Nolte

'Children Learn What They Live' is a poem written by Dorothy Law Nolte. Dorothy Law Nolte was a famous American writer who had been a lifelong teacher and a family counselor. She believed in parenting by instilling values old fashioned way. In 1954 she wrote a wise poem which is not only inspirational but helps us look into parenting with a total new aspect. This poem always works as a guide for parents who find it difficult to take parenting decisions. If we try to understand what she wants to say with her poem, we would understand what true parenting is.

Here is this beautiful poem which helps us to understand more about children and parenting.

Children Learn What They Live

   

                 - by Dorothy Law Nolte

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

15 Best New Year's Resolutions List

Another fresh new year is here...

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt and fear,

To love and laugh and give!...

.... I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a tree,

And sing more joyful songs!

                    -  William Arthur Ward

A resolution is one way to improve yourself in someway or be beneficial for someone or even an opportunity to do wrongs right. With the onset of New Year it is very important to give a thought to each and every little decisions that would affect your life. New Year Resolution is also about -


- Fulfilling an unfulfilled promise.

- To complete an incomplete goal

- To remember a forgotten path.

While bidding goodbye to the year that is slipping from our hands, we can welcome the coming year making resolutions that reflect the change - not just around us but within us too! Name it a trend or even a tradition, but New Year Resolutions should be part of your celebration list. New Year Resolution is all about walking an extra mile or taking that extra step towards a Happy New Beginning.

Thus to add a fun quotient to your existing dull life or even to pledge new goals for a better life; here is a New Year's Resolution List that could help you consider some tricky, funny or on a serious note; aspiring goals for a promising year ahead.

15 Best New Year's Resolutions List

1. Lose Weight

This most common new year resolution sounds easy but is way too practically difficult. No wonder this resolution is started with much enthusiasm which dies out in just a couple of days. If you plan to look upon failed resolutions from the past, you may find this one resolution topping the list. A little encouragement from family and friends as well as a little determination can help you achieve this goal.

2. Forgive and Forget

Let bygones be bygones! And this is the resolution you may wish to be part of your list. This resolution may sound preachy but if followed can make your life a bit easy and stress-free. This resolutions helps you in nurturing emotions and fostering relationships. It helps to level down your stress levels and forget all the bad things that could bring sourness in healthy relationships.

3. Get Organized

Oops... It is applicable to most of us! This resolution is more of your mom's hearty wish rather than a resolution. But getting organized or even taking one step towards it would have a great imapct on your everyday routine. By being organized one would actually save lot of time, energy and be stress-free.

4. Learn Something New

This new year, try to learn something new! This could be anything - any skill, a language, a sport or just a new approach. Learn anything new that you always wanted to or wished to learn. Trying something that you failed in past at with a new perspective would also help. This resolution could be worth trying.

5. Remember Important Dates

Make life easy for you and special for people around you by making it a point to remember important dates like birthdays, anniversaries, get-together etc. Keep tab on your brain functions or get yourself organized with Google Calendar which helps you to remember all those important dates.

6. Be Thankful

This should be a resolution  for life! 'Thank you' is such simple words which could make other's life magical in their own way. Yet for many these words are difficult to express. Saying thanks and being nice to someone out of the blue should top your resolution list.

7. Make New Friends

It is possible that you may have loads and loads of friends on social networking sites, but this new year maybe it is time to make some new, real and genuine friends. Consider this as a task that would make you much merrier. And instead of going for a pretentious virtual makeover for you online avatar, maybe you would enjoy a dressy evening with bunch of real friends with whom you can share some great time and real feelings.

8. Spending More Time With Family

Spending time is an absolute luxury which not all of are fortunate of. With busy work schedules, we have very little time to spend with our family and loved ones. Nowadays family time is more often treated as an occasional get together. But that should not be it! Spending time with family should be one of our top most priorities and we should try to enjoy it as part of an everyday routine.

9. Read More

Rote-learning has become a major stigma to education. It does not offer real insight in learning as compared to reading. Reading provides us with insight and understanding into various important subjects. Hence instead of mugging up those lessons, it is time to read more and get a thorough perception of a subject. Also with reading you get wiser, knowledgeable and informative. If you are out of practice with reading, it is better to start slow and steady.

10. More of Yoga and Meditation

Adding a daily dosage of yoga and meditation in your daily schedule is the best way to relax your mind. Add yoga and meditation in your resolution list and enjoy the benefits. Yoga energizes your body and meditation plays its part of refreshing your mind. A combination of both yoga and meditation in your New Year resolution list would allow you to live your life in 'peace' rather than 'pieces'!

11. Contributing For a Cause

Taking up an issue or playing a major role towards a cause could help you play the part of a wonderful human. Starting this year, try and contribute towards any cause you feel closer to and feel better about yourself. One can always be charitable and make a difference without contributing financially. Just taking up social causes such as helping the society or nature in your own special way.

Learn more about How to make a difference by contributing to a cause

12. Appreciating Others

Appreciating other's efforts may sound to be an easy task, yet it could be daunting to others. It gets quite sticky when it comes to praising someone for their efforts. This emotion of appreciating others can be difficult for human beings as it clashes with their egos. But if a person takes a little time to express a heart-felt appreciation towards someone it would really boost that person's passion and purpose towards the efforts. So this new year, get going with the effort to recognize and enjoy a person's value and goodness.

13. Work Towards Punctuality

Punctuality is one of the entrant of the resolution list which is added and then forgotten. Punctuality is one such task we all unable to keep up with. Though being punctual could actually help us to achieve more, yet it is something we fight hard at. So this year make it a resolution to work towards making a right entry and be punctual for our own benefit and success.

14. Care to Share

Sharing with others brings such happiness to one's life. The ability to share is more like giving a gift to not just others but to oneself. If you can share something with people and make them smile then why not! One of the best things that one can share with others is happiness and empathy. Even sharing some time with people who need it the most helps.

15. Quitting a Bad Habit

Every one of us has some bad habit or other. It could be anything from smoking, drinking, stealing, nail-biting, shopping etc. We know a habit is bad when it starts to bother or affect us negatively. And we also realize that it is high time we quit it but we can't. This new year let us take that one step forward towards quitting whatever bad habit we have. Lets work towards trying to do it less and less and thus bringing it to an end. Let us make a resolution which makes us proud when we finish it and tick off out of our list. 

Key To Make Successful New Year Resolutions

New year is all about new beginnings. The month of January brings with it new hope and optimism for all of us. It presents us an opportunity to assess our life and to reflect on how the year has passed. The new sense of optimism that builds kicks some renewal energy within us, which keeps us going with new vigour and strength. This vigour and optimism leads us to create New Year Resolutions which make a grand appearance but weaken just in a few days to follow. Resolution is defined as a firm decision about to do or not to do something. And hence New Year Resolutions are planned by most of us to make such firm resolve over certain things only after a deep think over. Resolutions are planned only when one is convinced about four things -

1. The belief of bringing a change for oneself.

2. The determination of not making excuses.

3. Complete focus on the results.

4. The reasons for making such resolutions for oneself.

Purpose of New Year Resolutions

Resolutions are planned and implemented because they can bring in change. Resolutions can help you lead to self development. They could work as new beginnings and could give a complete new goal for your life. Resolutions can help you achieve success by helping you in improving your situations. They could help you think over on how you wish to see yourself in the near future. This self assessment can help you come up with a plan that can work positively on achieving goals you are determined to achieve.

Key To Make Successful New Year Resolutions

Let the Resolutions Be Realistic

The first and foremost key to make resolutions is that they are realistic. You cannot make plans that are miraculous. Making resolutions that are far way from being realistic can work in a destructing way. You cannot plan on something that is just not real. The resolutions that you plan on should be achievable for you. Hence before making resolutions give a reality check.

Let the Resolutions Be Motivating

When you make New Year Resolutions, make sure that they motivate you. Do not let your resolutions frighten you. The resolutions you make should not be daunting at all. If you are frightened by the task placed ahead of you, there is very little chance that you would try to attain it.

Work Towards Your Resolutions

Dreaming and planning resolutions is easy; but the most important task lays ahead. Your resolutions are successful only when you make them work. Being firm on your decisions and working towards the goals you set are the only way you could bring success in your resolutions.

Learn from Your Past Resolutions

This is not the first time that you are planning on making resolutions. You have done this earlier many times whenever a new year headed. But you failed most of them. So the best way to make your resolution work is to figure our what went wrong with your previous resolutions. Once you realize your drawbacks and reason for failures, you could make things work with your current resolutions.

Maturity Helps Bring Success in Your Resolutions

When we look upon ourselves from past we laugh at times on our foolishness and about all the crazy mistakes we did earlier. We realize how each passing year has made us more mature and responsible. This realization helps us to work in a better manner towards attaining our goals and to exploit the changes around us. This maturity helps us enhance as a better individual that we were in the past.

Trying New Things at the Beginning of the Year

Though a person can stay motivated and implement on finishing his goals throughout the year, yet beginning of a year is the time when we are actually enthusiastic about the whole idea. It is the special atmosphere that gives momentum to the whole idea of making resolutions and making it happen. Hence trying out new things or gaining new experiences at the beginning of the year could be a total spiritual experience in it's own.

Self Examination Can Help Bring Success in Your Resolutions

One of the best ways of making this new year resolution work better than your last year's resolution is through self examination. Self examination is a process where you review your past year and question yourself on your abilities and capabilities. This is how you can help yourself in becoming a better person in future. Question yourself and learn where exactly you stand in terms of realizing your dreams and goals.

Set New Resolution Goals For Yourself

As you realize that the beginning of a year is the perfect time to set new challenges and goals!  This is the time when you are full of optimism and positivity which can help you attain those set goals. Setting goals that are new to you can bring a little challenge to your resolution plans. Such goals can actually breathe oxygen in your New Year Resolution. Such goals that give you strength to continue along your plan in spite of many difficulties and challenges could be worth it.

A New Perspective on Old Failures

Sometimes the only difference between a success and a failure is the one chance to try it out again. Some resolutions that you failed to achieve in the past could be worth giving one more shot this year. Looking at your failures with a new perspective could prove out to be a turning point in converting your failure into success. 

How to Make Your Own Terrarium

With few simple steps one can easily make a beautiful terrarium right at home. Making your own terrarium can be perfect DIY activity to be carried out with kids or for school projects. Terrarium both open as well as closed can be perfect decor to lighten up your house as well as office. It is all about selecting the plants for Terrarium, the right terrarium container, getting the right materials and planning some landscaping around it. Once you have all the materials you need to make the terrarium, then the steps to follow are pretty easy. You needs to find a glass jar or a glass bowl or even a wine glass as a desired terrarium container in which you wish to make your own terrarium.

DIY Terrarium kits are nowadays easily available online which can help out novices to make their own terrarium. These DIY Terrarium kits come out handy when you are not sure about the right material to use as well as selecting the right terrarium plants. For the first timers who wish to learn making their own terrarium, DIY Terrarium Kits are really useful. These DIY Terrarium kit comes with either one or two succulents, gravel, a terrarium container, some decorative items, sand and charcoal. The kit comes with easy step by step instruction manual which helps you to make your own terrarium. But for those enthusiasts who do not wish to buy a terrarium kit online, can definitely give it a try by just gathering some simple materials and make their own terrarium garden. These materials can be easily made available from a plant nursery. Terrarium Containers can be selected as per your own wish. People who are in the habit of collecting pebbles and decorative materials can use their imagination and make a beautiful terrarium garden of their own. Follow these simple steps and learn how to make your own terrarium garden.

Materials to Make Your Own Terrarium

Terrarium Container - 1, any of your choice
Spoon - Preferably with a long handle, depending on your terrarium container
Plant - 1 or 2 succulents or any other small, slow growing plants of your choice
Gravel - preferably small pea gravel of any color you prefer
Activated Charcoal
Moss - Some sphagnum moss (optional)
Potting Soil
Vermi-compost
Sand
Decorative pebbles or rocks
Small toys or clay items

Method to Make Your Own Terrarium

1

Let us start with a clean, clear open top glass bowl. I have used a fish bowl for my open terrarium. Make sure that the terrarium container you are using is clean and dry.

Clean and dry terrarium container

2

Depending on the length and opening of your terrarium container either with the help of a spoon or with your hands start placing gravel at the bottom of the terrarium. Add gravel at least 1 to 2 inch layer. This gravel layer works as a drainage for your terrarium. The small rocks that you add in your terrarium container collect the water drainage.

Adding gravel as the first layer

3

Add a thin layer of activated charcoal on the top of the rocks. This activated charcoal layer should be at least 1 to 1/2 inch placed evenly on the gravel. The activated charcoal layer is an important part of any terrarium both open or closed, as it prevents bacteria to develop in the terrarium and also prevents bad odour. Learn more about How to take care of your terrarium

Adding activated charcoal to the terrarium container

4

Once the activated charcoal layer is evenly placed, add a layer of potting soil with help of the spoon. Mix a potting soil with vermicompost and start adding it over the top of the charcoal layer. Make sure that you do not add too much of vermicompost, as you do not want the plants to grow fast. The soil layer should be at least 3 to 4 inches, depending upon the size of your terrarium container. Before adding the potting soil make sure that the soil is evenly moisten but not soggy.

If you are planning to plant moss in your terrarium to prevent the soil from mixing into the gravel then place the moss over the activated charcoal before adding the potting soil.

Adding potting soil to your terrarium container

5

With the help of the spoon stem, make a hole within the soil and place your first plant. The hole made should be big enough for the plant to root into the soil. Remove the plant from its pot, gently tap the plant to remove the excess soil and then gently nestle the plant inside the hole you made and tap lightly on the soil for the plant to hold up firmly in the place where it is planted.

Planting succulent in your terrarium container

6

If you are planning to plant more than one plant inside the terrarium, start doing so. Continue planting the plants that you have chosen to plant within the terrarium container. These terrarium plants could either be succulents or any other  terrarium plants of your choice which grow slow. You can also opt for flowering plants. It is advisable to start planting at the back of the terrarium container and then move your way forward. Or you can plant sideways depending on the size of the terrarium container. If you are planting tall plants in the sides, you can use extra layer of the potting soil for tall plants.

You can place more than one plant in a terrarium

7

Once all the plants are been potted and arranged, place one layer of sand over the potting soil. This layer should at least be 1/4th inch in thickness.

Adding a sand layer

8

Once you have done planting, you can start decorating the terrarium by adding accessories that you have collecting for your terrarium garden.  This could include a moss carpet, toys, glass beads, buttons, pebbles, sea shells, shiny objects, etc. Use your own imagination and finish the landscaping. This landscaping will complete the look. You can always change the landscaping afterwards and replace the decorative items.

Decorate the terrarium with pebbles and sea shells

Your terrarium garden is ready!


Learn more about Open Terrarium Care

How to Take Care of a Terrarium

Terrariums are pretty easy to make. With little imagination and material you can create as many terrariums as you wish. But if proper care is not taken, terrariums can fall apart. Since they don't require much watering, terrariums are often ignored and carelessly handled. This can lead to complete destruction of your beautifully created terrarium. And hence one has to take proper care of their terrarium - both open terrarium and closed terrarium. Though there is not much to look after as these plants need less care but yet few things should be taken care of if you wish your terrarium to thrive for a longer time. Here are few tips that would help you to maintain your terrarium successfully for a long time.

How to take Care of your Terrarium Plants

Care of Succulents

Succulents need less care

Succulents with thick leaves and stems store water and are comfortable with less watering activity around them. Most important part about succulents is that they thrive in extreme conditions and do not require lot of space to grow. Most of the succulent species grow right within the space they are planted and do not overgrow. Hence they do not need to be transplanted. They require at least 2 to 3 hours of direct sunlight every day. If the edges of the cacti are turning yellow, it means that the soil in which the cacti is planted does not meet to it's expectation. It is time to remove and repot the cactus.

Enough Potting Soil

While planting a plant in the terrarium, ensure that the potting soil should be deep enough for the plants to root to. Potting soil should always be mixed with vermicompost before placing in the terrarium container.

Perfect Spot

Before making a terrarium and selecting plants for it, select a good spot and check for the light that would fall on it. Then select the plants accordingly. Do not place the container facing direct sunlight.

Watering Your Terrarium

Water only once a week and that to by merely sprinkling on the required quantity that would moisten the soil enough. Over-watering would destroy the plants especially succulents. The roots of succulents may rot if too much watering is done. Never water on the leaves of the plant. Using a tall spoon or a water dropper or even a syringe, water at the base of the plants to moisten the soil. With syringes and water dropper you have an advantage of adding water in little batches.

Placing Moss

If moss is been placed or planted in a terrariun then ensure that the container is closed. In an open terrarium make sure that the moss is pressed firmly between the plant layers.

Growth of the Plant

If you notice too much growth in the height of the plant, cut of the newest growth to the desired height. This also ensures that the plant starts growing from sides, thus giving it a shrubby look. Plants selected for terrarium usually are known to grow slow and reach very little height. But there are times when plants could outgrow the environment of the terrarium and in such cases it is ideal to replace the plant.

Rotten Plants

Rotten plants should be immediately removed from the terrarium both closed as well as open. The mildew or mould should be carefully removed along with some portions of soil touching the mould. Only after doing this new plant should be potted in it's place.

Planting Terrarium Plants

How many plants one should plant in a terrarium is something that cannot be answered. In a large terrarium one can place as many plants as he wishes. The number of plants to be potted in a terrarium container varies with space and individual.

Planting in Large Terrarium Container

While planting in large terrarium container such as fish tank, make sure that you gather and plant all the succulents together and plant the tropical plants together. Same applies to wide varieties of ferns. The watering and soiling requirement for each of these plants such as succulents, tropical plants and ferns are different. Hence once they are planted in groups in different sections of the container, individual attention can be provided to their needs.

How to Take Care of Your Terrarium Garden

Charcoal is an essential element

1. Always read the instructions carefully while making a terrarium. Do not miss out on the steps 

2. Charcoal is an essential element of the terrarium garden. It is important to add a layer of charcoal on the gravel before placing the soil layer. Charcoal prevents the formation of bacteria towards the drainage level of the soil, thus further preventing the roots of the plants from rotting.

3. It is important to understand and study the pattern of how much time it takes for the soil in your terrarium to dry. Once you learn the pattern it gets easy for you to understand how often and how much you should water. This pattern totally depends on how close the terrarium is placed near the window and how much sunlight it gets. 

4. While preparing the potting soil mix vermicompost to ensure a healthy soil for your plants. 

5. Never add direct tap water to the soil. Ensure that the water added is either bottled or left out for 24 hours for the chlorine to evaporate. You can also use distilled water.

6. To maintain the health of your terrarium garden remove dried leaves or flowers if any.

7. Do not forget to clean the glass of your terrarium container inside out with a lint-free cloth or newspaper sheet to remove smudges, finger prints or dirt if any. This way your terrarium garden would always look beautiful and clean.

Open Terrarium Care

1. Ensure that the open terrarium gets frequent light.

2. Never place an open terrarium right in front of direct sunlight.

Enough moisten soil but never soaking wet

3. Add water once in 7 to 14 days and do so with the help of a syringe or a water dropper. While watering do not add too much water but just enough to moisten the soil.

4. Soil in the open terrarium should always be moist but never soaking wet. 

5. It is not necessary to add fertilizer to the open terrarium regularly. Regular fertilizing ensures good and fast growth which is one thing we don't want to happen in our terrarium. 

6. Any leaf or stem that touches the glass should be cut off. 

7. Regular pruning is essential for healthy and shrubby growth of plants.

Closed Terrarium Care

A closed terrarium need little bit of an extra care as compared to an open care, though taking care of the closed terrarium could be complicated at times. A closed terrarium acts as an self-sustaining universe in itself. Hence the most important care that one can take is mostly during the time you built it up. 

1. If you notice that too much water is collected at the base of the terrarium, remove the lid and keep the terrarium open for at least 1 to 2 days. This way the water would evaporate. Always check for condensation rate in the closed terrariums. Large water droplets should be taken care off by keeping the lid open for a while. 

Always check for condensation rate in closed terrariums

2. If you frequently find signs of dry leaves or rotten leaves, it would be a good idea to take off that lid of the enclosed terrarium for a while.

3. Do not fertilize regularly. Closed terrarium should be fertilized only if you notice any signs of undernourishment in the plants.

4. Regular pruning is essential for healthy and shrubby growth of plants.

5. At times it is ideal to replace a plant with another.

6. It is not necessary to add fertilizer to the closed terrarium regularly. Regular fertilizing ensures good and fast growth which is one thing we don't want to happen in our terrarium. 

7.  Any leaf or stem that touches the glass should be cut off.

Learn more about How to Make Your Own Terrarium

Terrarium Containers - 15 Top Terrarium Containers Ideas

A terrarium can be created in varied containers which offer a beautiful display. All one requires is some imagination and look around oneself. If you plan to make your own terrarium then be creative with things around you. With little creativity you may be able to use containers right out of your kitchen or living area. And who knows the idea of creating a terrarium may just turn out to be an recycled DIY project which you would be proud of! Some terrarium containers that can be ideal for planting include containers made from glass, ceramic, plastic, wood or even metal.

Wine Glass Terrarium

15 Top Terrarium Containers Ideas

1. A wine glass 

Wine glasses of any size and shape can be ideal for making a terrarium. These are ideal for planting small succulents with little amount of gravel and sand.

2. Fish bowl

Clear glass fish bowls which are usually round or oblong in shape and no more in use can be a perfect choice for a terrarium.

3. Glass vase 

Big and deep clear glass flower vase can be used up to make a single plant terrarium.

Fish Bowl Terrarium

4. Fish tank 

 Fish tank is an ideal choice for making a large terrarium. It allows you to plant more than one plants in different size and shapes to create a big indoor terrarium garden. One also gets great opportunity with decorating options for such terrarium.

5. Glass container 

Any glass container  or a clear glass salad bowl which catches your imagination for a terrarium can be a perfect choice for an small open terrarium.

6. Glass jars with lids 

 Glass jars with lids are perfect option for a closed terrarium. These glass jars can be of any size and shape. One that are no more in use in the kitchen storage such as the big pickle jars, can work as an excellent option. Use of plants such as moss or ferns and some decoration will make these plain glass jars into something beautiful.

Bell Jar Terrarium

7. Bell jars 

Clear glass Bell jars can work excellent cover for a indoor, closed terrarium.

8. Hanging glass planters 

Hanging glass planters can be a perfect idea for a terrarium which uses hanging plants such as the swedish ivy plant or even an air plant.

9. Deep glass dish 

 A deep glass dish which is no more in use can be used as a terrarium container for planting small succulents.

10. Birdhouse 

Birdhouse can be an excellent choice for making you own terrarium. Various tall or hanging plants can be planted along the openings or the birdhouse.

Learn more about How to Make Your Own Terrarium

11. Birdcage 

 A birdcage which is no more in use can work as an option for a terrarium. Many hanging varieties could be planted along the rims and edges along with flowreing moss in the center of the cage.

12. Mud pots 

Small mud pots can be used as an excellent decorative planter within a large terrarium.

Birdcage Terrarium

13. Tea cups 

 Tea cups, either glass or ceramics can be used for planting succulents to make an small and open terrarium with little decoration.

14. Tea pot 

A clear glass tea-pot could be used as a terrarium container. It is indeed all about imagination and creativity!

15. Ceramic dish 

 A deep ceramic dish or a bowl or even a ceramic deep tray could be used as a terrarium container.

Birdcage Terrarium