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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2012-05-03, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012. One Product... One Focus! Look for us at your local building supply dealer! CONSTRUCTION CUSTOM NEW HOMES...AND EVERYTHING ELSE 519.523.4757 www.buildwithcmb.com NORTH HURON CARPENTRY SERVICES 38728 Moncrieff Rd., RR #3 Blyth, ON ~ Kaycan high performance vinyl siding - superbly crafted unsurpassed strength and durability ~ Kaycan windows are designed to accent your home and provide comfort and security and add architectural flair. ~ Kaycan windows have an extensive array of styles and features and our custom built windows have striking designs. For all your exterior home renovation needs - siding, soffit, fascia, ornaments, etc. ~ Delivered or installed ~ Call for a free estimate Your home is a reflection of your unique style and taste... Make a lasting impression with Kaycan siding and accessories. David Werkema Ph.: 519-526-7634 Email: northhuroncarpentry@sympatico.ca DALE PUMP & FARM SERVICE LTD. Water Pumps ~ Conditioners Heaters ~ Water Installations ~ Backhoe ServiceFor all your water needs Hydraulic hoses & fittings 269 Ontario Street, Clinton, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 519-482-3274 Fax 519-482-9540 Safety while working in the garden prevents injuriesMS –Gardening is oftendescribed as a relaxing andbeneficial hobby regardless of aperson’s age. While time outdoors inthe garden can prove calming andenjoyable, there is a dark side togardening as well. Namely theinjuries that may result from variousactivities.Doctors from the British Collegeof Osteopathic Medicine have alsowarned that pruning, mowing and weeding can be dangerous – even comparable to competitive sports. People don’t often associate a garden with danger, but this line of thinking can be dangerous in itself. • Hand injuries:Cuts and even finger amputations may result from unfamiliarity with pruning tools, such as hedge clippers or handheld pruners. The design of these tools is so they’ll be able to cut through small to moderately sized branches, which means it would not be too difficult for a pruner to snap through a finger bone. Injuries with these tools often occur when the gardener is distracted or the tool slips duringuse.Pruners may also exacerbateconditions of carpal tunnelsyndrome, usually caused byrepetitive hand movements, such astyping or repetitious work.Prolonged, habitual motions, such asweeding or pruning, can cause skin,tendon or nerve irritation. Rotatetasks every 15 minutes to givecertain areas of the body a break. The use of battery-powered and ergonomically designed hand tools can alleviate pain and may prevent some injuries. Power tools require less effort for cutting, which may reduce tool slippage or misuse. • Bites and bruises: Infection is another injury that people may not associate with gardening. Gardeners often come in contact with many different types of organic matter when gardening. Bacteria, fungi and insects, as well as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, may be found in soil. Failing to protect hands, especially those with a smallabrasion or cut in the skin, enablesthese substances to potentially enterthe body and bloodstream, andinfections or rashes may result.Contact with poisonous insects isanother concern. Some ants haveirritating bites. There are many typesof spiders that can be poisonous orinflict a painful bite. Scorpions indry climates can sting whenuncovered in burrows. Wearing gloves, particularly leather ones, can offer protection against thorny objects, insect bites, chemicals, and other skin irritants found in the soil. • Sun damage: Spending time outdoors subjects a person to UV exposure each and every time. Gardening unprotected can mean a bad case of sunburn and the potential to develop skin cancer at a later time. Whenever spending time outdoors pruning or just admiring the landscape, gardeners should apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat. Try to do the majority of yard work in the early morning or early evening when the sun's rays are the least harmful. • Additional injuries:Many gardeners fail to ease back into garden activities after the winter respite. Should a gardener dive rightinto strenuous gardening tasks,injuries may ensue. Many hospitalssee an influx of back-relatedinjuries, heart attacks, musclestrains, and lacerations come thefirst stretch of warm weather.Just like an athlete wouldn’t startthe new season off right in aprofessional game, so shouldn't agardener start strenuous activitieswithout gradually warming up to them. Gardening can be quite an enjoyable activity but not if a person is sidelined by an injury. Use caution and common sense wheneverlandscaping. SCOTT TOWNSENDSCOTT TOWNSEND • FURNACES • CENTRAL AIR • FIREPLACES • GAS WATER HEATERS • IN-FLOOR HEAT • BOILERS PLUMBING & HEATING Serving Your Area 519-482-3744 PLUMBING & HEATING INC. Continued from page 14 upholstery and brush attachments to further clean blinds and drapes. • Tidy up the bed: You likely wash your bed linens regardless of the season. When spring cleaning, toss these linens into the washing machine and don’t forget to wash the mattress pads and bed skirting as well. While those items are in the wash, flip all the mattresses in your household. • Don’t forget the kitchen: The kitchen is not immune to clutter, and it’s especially easy for items to overstay their welcome in the refrigerator and the kitchen cabinets. Look for old takeout containers in the refrigerator that have managed to stick around, and throw these out as well as any items that have passed their expiration dates. While items in the kitchen cabinets might not have an expiration date, it helps to remove them from the pantry and then dust and wipe down the shelves. When doing so, discard any items that no longer seem appetizing. • Beat the rugs: Area rugs have no doubt collected dirt and dust over the last several months. Though vacuuming these area rugs might be enough during the year, take advantage of the pleasant weather and take the rugs outside to beat them and rid them of dust and any other particles the vacuum might have missed over the last few months. • Empty and clean the bookshelves: Bookshelves are one the biggest collectors of dust in many homes. Open the windows in the home and then remove books from the shelves. Once the books have been removed, dust the shelves and wipe them down with a damp cloth. And don’t forget to dust the books and reorganize titles before returning them to their newly cleaned shelves. Spring cleaning is something all homeowners must do to keep their homes healthy and clean. Spring cleaning is annual event at many households, and a few simple strategies can make it go much more smoothly Bed, rugs, bookshelves need spring cleaning Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger’sGardening column on the Huron Home andGarden Guide section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca