Swiroset.com

Arizona is an incredibly beautiful and wildly diverse state with topography ranging from low-level desert landscapes to towering mountain peaks and alpine forest ranges. However, more than any other geological feature, Arizona is widely known for its beautiful and remote rocky canyons, deep gorges, waterfalls, and ponds that are scattered throughout the state. What I find even more amazing, though, is that many of these wild canyons are accessible via “non-technical” hiking trails that don’t require ropes and are literally within a day’s drive of Phoenix or Tucson. For a great day trip and hike from late summer to early fall, if you’re up for a more exciting challenge and an extraordinary and scenic day hike, then take a canyoning and mountain sliding hiking adventure to Seven Cataracts, and explore Willow Canyon, Tucson, Arizona.

It was the Labor Day holiday and early on Sunday morning I left Phoenix, around 6 am, left the city on I-10 East and arrived in Tucson at 7:30 am at the Ina exit. Road, I exited the freeway and turned left, heading east 8 miles, and met the TLC Hiking Group, led and organized by Eric Kinneman, at the Westin La Paloma Resort and arrived at 8am. Because parking was said to be limited at the trailhead for this hike, we shared it together and left for the hike and day trip east on Sunrise Blvd. at 8:25am

The beautiful drive up Sunrise Blvd through the northern reaches of Tucson and through the rolling foothills of the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains has always been one of my favorites. The Santa Catalina Mountains are the highest mountain range in Tucson, reaching up to 9,157 feet at their summit, Mount Lemmon. To get there and to the trailhead for our hike, we switchbacks through Tucson, drive east on Sunrise Blvd to Swan Road, turn right (south), onto River Road, turn left (east), and then we turned right onto Sabino Canyon Road, left onto Tanque Verde Road, and headed east on Tanque Verde Road until we hit Catalina Highway, also known as “Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway,” and then left again .

It was about 4 miles past the left turn on the Catalina Highway that enters the Coronado National Forest and begins the winding ascent into the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains. Although it has been a long time since I was last there, I was still in awe of how beautiful and wonderful this trip really is. Immediately as you go in elevation starting at 3000ft the views are absolutely stunning with every hairpin turn offering either a new amazing rock formation or a beautiful view of the canyon in the distance. If you like to stop and take lots of pictures, as I always like to do, you have plenty of opportunities to do so because this tour offers a number of viewpoints to enjoy along the way. However, at about mile marker 5, just past the Molino Canyon Overlook, there is a pay station where you must purchase a $5 Coronado National Forest Day Use Recreational Pass if you plan on stopping anywhere further down the road. path. We bought the day use passes, one for each vehicle, and traveled three more miles until we reached Seven Cataracts Vista Point, just past Thimble Peak Vista and about mile 8 and about 1/3 of the way to Mount Lemon.

We stopped at Seven Cataracts Vista Point, and our trailhead, parked, and started our hiking and canyoning adventure for the day at 9am The view looking down Willow Canyon below was absolutely beautiful, but also incredibly steep! Right off the bat, the drop into Willow Canyon on this “day use” trail was intense, to say the least. Estimated to be about a 1000-1300 foot descent down with a 60% grade on all loose dirt, gravel and rocks, each of us had to literally drop to the ground on our “butts” and from a section to another, slide it down for about a total of ¼ mile until we’ve hit the bottom. What a site it was to see too, really exciting and great fun! However, this “unofficial” trail, used mostly by experienced canyoneers, is considered very difficult, some even say treacherous or dangerous, so I would not recommend doing this hike on your own unless you are an experienced canyoneer. or have a canyon hiking guide with you.

Once we all slid safely down and reached the bottom and after a quick group photo, Eric began leading our group on our canyoneering exploration further down Willow Canyon, scrambling, rock hopping, and climbing class 3 to through partially open waterfalls. Really beautiful and spectacular scenery too! We continued for about ¼ of a mile where we had reached some really nice falls and enjoyed the opportunity to cool off, rest and enjoy the peaceful tranquility and beauty of this remote and lesser known canyon. Meanwhile, Eric, along with several other adventuring members, traveled for another 1/3 to ¼ of a mile, and after more scrambling, rock hopping, and class 3-4 climbing, they reached a beautiful 100-foot waterfall. and a bigger hole to swim deep enough. he said that even with a 10-foot cliff jump, they couldn’t hit bottom! Amazing!

After about an hour of rest, we decided it was time to start heading back. Now it was time for the most challenging part of our canyoning adventure: getting back! So we started our hike back through Willow Canyon the same way we came, scrambling, skipping rocks, wading through pools, and then back up through the waterfall. However, it only took a little while and within minutes we had all safely returned to the base of the hillside we had originally “slid” on earlier. It was here that we settled back in with Eric and then split into two groups. You could decide to do the ascent in the same place you came down with a 60% incline on all loose dirt and gravel, where Eric said it was for every 3 steps up, a slide of one or two back. Or my friend Dan decided that it seemed that if he climbed it a little more to the left, he could more easily climb it over the rocks and cliff to the top. So I, along with several other members, followed Dan’s example and hand over foot, slowly and carefully climbing it, section by section until we safely reached the top. Wow, for me and someone who is afraid of heights, and has no rock climbing experience, it was challenging, but great fun and awesome training too!

Once back at the top and in the Seven Cataracts Vista parking lot, we waited for the final members to return safely, then at 12:15pm we headed back to our cars to drive the rest of the way to Mount Lemmon for lunch. at the Puerta de Hierro Restaurant. The views along the way were again spectacular as you make your way from an elevation of 5,000 feet to the Mount Lemmon Sky Valley, an elevation of about 8,200 feet. Although the signs of the devastating Aspen fire in 2003 were noticeable, it was still very beautiful and the temperatures at this time of day, in the low mid 80’s, were very cool and refreshing.

However, with the 2.5 hour wait at the restaurant, due to it being a weekend and also a holiday, we decided it was best to turn around and head back.

We got back to Tucson around 2 p.m. , headed back to Phoenix from there to return home around 6 p.m.

Overall, it was truly an extraordinary canyoneering exploration and waterfall hiking adventure with TLC Hiking Group, carefully researched, well planned, and thought of down to the last detail by Eric Kinneman himself. He really had it all, incredibly beautiful, exciting, but also very challenging. I think this hike is best summed up in Eric Kinneman’s own words, in which he quotes: “The Seven Falls Waterfall Adventure Hike is an amazing hike that I highly recommend to people. It will test your fears, will give an amazing workout and take you through magnificent canyons, a 100 foot waterfall and a swimming hole rarely seen by anyone. What more could you ask for!”

Over many years as an interior designer, what would be the top 3 changes in consumer preferences during that time?

One thing that immediately comes to mind is the switch from stain cabinets to paint cabinets. White kitchens are back! Customers are leaning more towards lighter and brighter shades than the red/orange shades of the last decade. Flooring has changed quite a bit with more customers opting for LVP (Luxury Vinyl Sheet) throughout their home. LVP has come this far and is now super durable, easy to maintain and looks amazingly real. Third, quartz countertops are becoming the standard. I rarely specify granite anymore. Quartz is so easy to maintain compared to granite and the colors and patterns that are now available mimic everything from natural marble to exotic granites.

What are some future ideas and predictions? Any new trends that may take place in 2018/19 and beyond?

Natural woods are very popular right now: hand-scraped wide-plank barn flooring, as well as openly distressed furniture. What is also starting to emerge in design is more of a traditional style again. Details throughout and the use of rich jewel tones are all the rage right now along with warm metal tones (yes, bronze is back, but in an updated way!).

What are some of the challenges to face in helping clients realize their dream renovation?

Many clients are afraid to trust their style intuition. They often fight between their hearts and their brains for what they want. They often try to force themselves to change the color palettes or styles of their last home and sometimes push themselves out of their comfort zone. I always tell clients to listen to their instincts. Their home is their sanctuary and they need to feel comfortable, relaxed and love being home.

Are there certain types of renovations that tend to add the most value to a home’s selling price?

Kitchens, bathrooms and basic developments are always the spaces that are used the most, therefore, they increase the value of your home. Those rooms are the ones that potential home buyers predominantly look for because they know those are the areas where they will be spending the most time.

How do you get ideas or inspiration to help guide you as you consider renovation options?

I often suggest that clients send me photos of houses, rooms, styles, products that they find on home decor sites. Customers often don’t know what their style is, so if they can show me pictures of things they like, I can usually understand them better. Visiting show houses is also a great way to find inspiration and new ideas.

SEO is an abbreviation for search engine optimization and is considered as a process or method of optimizing a website to rank high in search engines for search engine positioning and ranking.

SEO are of two types:

1. Inorganic SEO

2. Organic SEO

PPC is an abbreviation for Pay Per Click Campaigns, which is considered a form of advertising that pays the sender per click. It has a prominent place in the search engine industry. It is used to increase the traffic of a website very quickly and by running PPC campaigns for a website they get targeted traffic and good search engine placements. PPC campaigns have a better conversion rate than any other marketing strategy. This method has been used for a long time and is even carried out by large companies. PPC campaigns are a very expensive marketing method and must have a high budget and this is the reason why webmasters running small websites or business cannot opt ​​for PPC campaigns as a result the need for a method arises. that can replace this. Now how we can use different methods that can replace PPC campaigns. Organic SEO has gained a lot of popularity nowadays which is very profitable and can get almost same results.

Organic Seo is cost effective and has the same performance with proven results. Organic Seo is one where professionals study search engine algorithms and placement techniques and based on which search engine optimization is done. It is a time consuming but result oriented process, while doing Organic Seo we have to follow the search engine guidelines otherwise the websites will be permanently excluded from the search results. At Organic Seo, professionals focus on the onsite and offsite factors of a website to gain higher rankings and SE positioning.

On-site optimization includes:

1. Content development

2. Meta tagging

3. Internal SEO

External optimization includes:

1. Link Popularity

2. Links directed to keywords.

If you are looking for high profitable search engine placements then you should go for Organic Seo which almost produces the same results as compared to PPC campaigns.

As a parent, you may be wondering when your baby will sleep through the night. Getting up every couple of hours to feed your baby is very tiring even though the baby often sleeps. Newborns tend to sleep a lot, but not when you want them to. They need to feed every three to four hours and when they are hungry they will let you know.

All babies have different sleep cycles, so even if you have other children, their sleep patterns may be different. Newborns sleep about 16 hours a day. Babies sleep a lot, but they are very staggered dreams. The baby will wake up every few hours because she is hungry, even sooner if he is breastfed because babies digest breast milk more easily. Your baby needs about eight to 12 feeds a day.

As the baby gets older, the sleep cycle changes a bit. They will sleep a little less, but only for a few hours, and in large amounts. The baby will sleep all night, which will make the parents’ night easier. However, around six months of age, the baby may start waking up at night again. This will happen due to separation anxiety. Once they realize they are alone and transitioning to a nursery, they will start crying in the middle of the night or when you are putting them down to sleep. Both situations make any type of rest pointless. Once your child is comfortable again, she will begin to sleep through the night.

Around age two, your child will cut back on sleep for a few hours. His daytime sleep will be shorter, but your child will need a nap, possibly two short naps, during the day. The nap will probably last about two hours. She tries not to let him spend any more time. If they sleep too much during the day, it will be difficult for them to go back to sleep at night. Your child needs a nap to get through the day. You probably want your child to take this nap because a cranky baby is not fun to deal with. Try not to take these naps too late either. This could disrupt the child’s sleep pattern and they could have difficulty falling asleep at night.

Remember, all children are different. If one child liked to nap around 2 pm, but the other likes to go to sleep at noon, don’t fight it. Let the child sleep when he wants. Just watch them to make sure they don’t sleep too much during the day to help you both get a restful night’s sleep. However, if you notice severe disruptions in sleep patterns or inconsistent patterns, talk to your doctor.

Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese production process. Whey is a “complete protein,” meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids needed for bone, organ, and muscle repair. Whey comes with many benefits including:

weightloss

Decreased triglycerides

Help in the treatment of cancer

It plays a vital role in increasing muscle mass.

Increase your power in sports

Increase the functioning of the immune system.

Decreased recovery and symptoms associated with overtraining

Lower total cholesterol levels while increasing good cholesterol levels

Reduce symptoms of HIV

When to use serum

You should use protein when looking to reap the benefits that come with it. You can use it as a snack at work or when you exercise. By eating it as a snack you should slow down its digestion so that you can feel full for a long time. You can do this by taking it as a smoothie where you combine it with some nuts or fish oil. When taken while exercising, it should be taken 30-60 minutes after exercising.

How to use serum

How you use the serum depends on what you are looking to achieve. If you are looking to lose weight you must make a great smoothie. Here you should mix the protein powder, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and a mixture that can be milk or water. You can also take the nutrients before and after you exercise. When you take nutrients before you exercise, you should drink them 30 minutes before you start exercising.

According to experts, when you take protein before you start exercising, you prevent your muscles from breaking down. It is also recommended to eat them after exercising so that your body can recover easily. Experts have also shown that consuming the nutrients immediately after training increases protein synthesis and, in the process, strengthens muscles.

For ideal results when using protein, you need to consider the type of protein you are using. There are mainly three types of these nutrients on the market that you can choose from: there are isolated, native and hydrolyzed. Isolate protein is usually processed to remove lactose and fat. Because of this, protein contains bioactive compounds that improve health. The protein content by weight is usually 90% or higher.

Hydrolyzed protein, on the other hand, is usually predigested and partially hydrolyzed. This makes it easier for your body to digest it. Native protein is the purest form as it is extracted directly from skimmed milk, not obtained as a by-product of the cheese making process. The protein is characterized by being low in fat, bioactive compounds and lactose.

Whey protein is great, but you have to be careful when using it. Studies show that it often leads to digestive problems like fatigue, headaches, cramps, gas, and bloating. You should avoid taking too much protein as you risk damaging your kidneys.

If you are the victim or received notice that you are the defendant in a domestic violence or repeat violence petition, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced criminal defense or family law attorney who is familiar with domestic violence or court orders of repeated violence.

As a criminal defense and family law attorney in Fort Lauderdale, I often receive questions about how a person would seek to obtain a court order for protection against domestic or repeated violence. I created this “cheat sheet” for my clients to understand the requirements necessary to obtain such injunctions.

To obtain a court order, a person (with or without the help of a criminal defense or family law attorney) must first complete a detailed petition that cites the reasons for seeking a court order. The petition can often be found online through the website of the local clerk of courts. The person requesting the precautionary measure is the PETITIONER. The person who allegedly committed the act of violence is the RESPONDENT. The petitioner may also receive the petition in the county courthouse. As long as the petitioner is not in immediate danger, he would encourage the petitioner to collect her thoughts and create a detailed summary of any acts of violence committed by the respondent during their relationship before filing the petition. Keep in mind that the petitioner can always modify her petition at a later time. Court staff are always available to help the petitioner write her petition. Most courts will provide interpreters, if needed.

The Judge on Duty (Judge on duty) will review the petition and determine if it has sufficient legal basis (“solid and clear evidence”) to issue an ex parte Order issuing an injunction against the respondent. The Judge on duty will base his decision on the criteria listed below. Whenever the judge issues a temporary court order, the local sheriff’s office will attempt to serve the defendant with such notice. Upon receipt of the Temporary Court Order, the Respondent will not be permitted to have direct or indirect contact with the Petitioner unless the Court modifies (or removes) the Order. Indirect contact includes contact by third parties and correspondence via email and text messages. The court order provides the petitioner with “protection” against the defendant until the next court hearing, usually within 14 days of the order being issued. At that time, the respondent may choose to defend against the charges in the petition and ask the Court to remove the Order. Both parties may try to retain a criminal defense or family law attorney to represent their interests at such hearings.

At the Court hearing, a judge will determine whether to modify or remove the temporary order after hearing testimony from the Petitioner, Respondent, and relevant witnesses. The Court may choose to amend the Order from a temporary injunction to a permanent injunction depending on the seriousness of the facts.

In Florida, a petitioner is entitled to obtain a court order for protection against violence if they fit into one of the following four categories:

Florida Statute 741.30 – Domestic Violence

“Domestic Violence” means any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, sexual assault, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death to a family member or household member for another. family or household member.

The family or household member includes: a spouse; a former spouse; a relative by blood or marriage who currently lives with the petitioner or who lived with the petitioner in the past; anyone who lives with the petitioner in the same home as a family unit; or anyone with whom the petitioner has a child, regardless of whether the petitioner lives with the respondent.

The petitioner must show by substantial competent evidence that he or she was a victim of domestic violence OR has reason to believe that he or she is in imminent danger or is becoming a victim of domestic violence.

Florida Statute 784.046 – Repeated Violence

Petitioner shall demonstrate by substantial competent evidence that they were the victim of: ONE (1) incident of stalking or TWO (2) incidents of assault, battery, or sexual assault, one of which must have occurred within the last six months. Anyone may be eligible to obtain an injunction against repeated violence.

Florida Statute 784.046 – Dating Violence

“Dating Violence” means any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, sexual assault, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death.

Dating violence means violence between people who have, or have had, an ongoing and significant romantic or intimate relationship. The relationship must have existed within the past six months, be characterized by the expectation of affection or sexual involvement, and the frequency (amount) and type of interaction must have included people being involved over time and on an ongoing basis during the course of the relationship. It is not considered “dating violence” in cases where the contact between the two people was “casual” or “ordinary.”

The petitioner will have to show by substantial competent evidence that he/she was a victim of dating violence AND has reason to believe that he/she is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of another act of dating violence OR the petition has reason to believe that he/she/she is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of dating violence.

Florida Statute 784.046 – Sexual Violence

Sexual violence means ANY incident of sexual assault; a lascivious and lascivious act, committed on or in the presence of a person under 16 years of age; lure or seduce a child; sexual performance of a child; Or any other felony forcible offense in which a sexual act is committed or attempted, regardless of whether the State’s Attorney filed, reduced, or dismissed criminal charges based on the incident.

The petitioner will need to show that he/she is a person who is a victim of sexual violence or the parent and local guardian of a minor child living in the home who is a victim of sexual violence AND has reported the incident to the police. And she is cooperating in any criminal proceedings against the defendant. Alternatively, the Petitioner may show that the Respondent who committed the sexual violence against him or her minor child was sentenced to a term of imprisonment in a state prison for the sexual violence AND the Respondent’s term of imprisonment has expired OR will expire within the 90 days.
If you are the victim (petitioner) or received notice that you are charged with domestic violence or repeated violence (respondent), you should immediately contact an experienced criminal or family law attorney to review your case.

The information on this article site was developed by Lyons, Snyder & Collin, PA for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Transmission and receipt of information in this article does not form or constitute an attorney-client relationship with Lyons, Snyder & Collin. Persons receiving the information in this article should not act on the information provided without seeking professional legal advice.

the narration of hypothyroidism in Ayurveda it is the same as in modern medicines. The condition caused by the underactive thyroid gland that produces small amounts of the thyroid hormone and this can be caused by an iodine deficiency or a failure of the thyroid gland due to the malfunction of the pituitary gland.

The disease is often overlooked for a long time as the symptoms present in patients are not that dangerous and can be ignored by anyone. Depressions, tiredness, hair loss, dry and cold skin few are often ignored by the patient.

Hypothyroidism in Ayurveda is well described by the great physician named ‘Charaka’. He said that it does not attack those who consume adequate amounts of milk, old rice, barley, green gram, Bengal gram, cane juice, cucumber and other dairy products. These are the recommended foods in current cases as well. Ayurveda says that one should not consume acidic substances as they can aggravate the disease condition.

There are many Ayurvedic herbs prescribed for hypothyroidism. They regulate the thyroid hormone and restore its functionality. These herbs are under investigation and many of them have been shown to be very beneficial for treatment of thyroid conditions.

Ayurvedic herbs are generally well tolerated and free from side effects and this is the reason why Ayurveda is now one of the most famous health sciences that have caught everyone’s attention. These herbs can also be considered as daily health supplements. Many of the herbs that we can find in the kitchen and the rest are easily available in the herbal/ayurvedic store in various forms such as pills, tablets, capsules, decoctions, powders, extracts and natural juices.

Some of the herbs still practiced as Ayurvedic treatment are described below;

Kaanchanara (Bauhinia veriegata) – This is known as purple mountain ebony and is probably the most powerful drug in the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia to treat any type of thyroid problem. This herb is available in pill or tablet form.

guggulu (Commiphora mukul) – This is the drug that is widely used in Ayurvedic practice today. This is well known for its calorie burning properties and is therefore used extensively to reduce weight i.e. obesity. Hypothyroidism is closely related to obesity and therefore this herb is extremely helpful in treating the condition. This is available in the form of tablets, pills and capsules.

Punarnava (boerhaavia diffusa Linn) – This herb falls into the diuretic category. This is an excellent remedy for treating swelling or inflammation throughout the body. Since hypothyroidism has one of the symptoms of swelling and numbness throughout the body, Punarnava can be very beneficial in treating such conditions. This is a very good tonic and can also be used for general health.

There are many formulas available to treat hypothyroidism. Ayurveda always suggests the patients to take internal medicines by following a strict diet as prescribed and advised by the Ayurvedic doctor. Any of the diseases shakes the three bodily humors called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Ayurvedic medicines and diet will restore these three humors and thus eliminate the disease.

Related article:

Hypothyroidism: Nature’s Breadth Can Help You

Different ways hypothyroidism can be treated

Reportedly, there were three roads to Paradise in early Christianity: the Camino de Santiago through northern Spain, the route from Rome to Jerusalem, and the Via Francigena (Frankish Route). Originally, the Via Francigena (VF) extended as a series of footpaths from Canterbury, England, to Rome. Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury, who returned by the route in AD 990. C., documented it for the first time in a diary. However, some say it existed much earlier as an important trail across the continent for kings, merchants, artists, and invading armies. Today, after centuries of neglect, this historic road has risen from the ashes of historical obscurity.

As the first American to complete the 1,155-mile backpacking journey from Val d’Aosta, Italy, just south of the Swiss border, to Rome in 2000, and in 2002 from Switzerland to Canterbury, believe me when I say this is a trip you will take with you all your life. If you are in fairly good physical condition, with perseverance and a relatively easy pace, you should be able to do the entire route in 65-80 days. But then again, who’s worried about speed?

Unlike the hectic itinerary typical of other types of modern travel, this is not a race. It is a one step at a time path to calm your mind and open your heart.

Everyone walks at their own pace, either alone or in a group. By following infrequent signs and up-to-date guidance from the VF Association, you can walk 12 to 20 miles a day. It all depends on the weather, your physical condition and attitude. Equally important is the location of the towns and whether they have lodgings or pilgrim or pilgrimage parishes.

When I walked it, for some locals, the Pellegrino concept was more foreign than the Euro. I got more than a few weird looks as this tired, weather-beaten backpacker crawled into town. On one occasion, a lady nervously grabbed her brooch when my friend and I passed her on the sidewalk. On another day, in pouring rain, we were forced to present our credentials (with a flourish) to surprised polizia officers.

Before you leave, be sure to contact the helpful Via Francigena Association in Rome to apply for the credenziali del pellegrino Romeo, similar to a passport. Arriving in each town at night, take your credentials to the church, cathedral or duomo and have them stamped by the priest or even an unassuming archbishop, like the one who stamped mine in Viterbo, Italy.

On the road, this passport serves more practical purposes. It’s a great conversation starter, a source of local amazement, and can even open the door for you to sleep in for minimal cost at the local parish, monastery, or nunnery. This is an experience not to be missed. Sure, you could sleep in some of the best hotels, bed and breakfasts, or spas in the region. But for me, it was important to stay true to the concept and more memorable to collapse in these historic lodges. The opportunity to “break bread” and share Chianti with Franciscan, Augustinian or Capuchin monks was preferable to any homogeneous and nondescript hotel. (Also, traveling light with only a small backpack, hanging out at the local clubs was never an option for me. I had nothing to wear.)

By carrying your own backpack, you quickly realize what is most important on the trail and perhaps in your life. The added weight is equated with more sore muscles and bigger blisters. So what you don’t need, definitely leave it at home. Pack like you’re going on a weekend hike in the mountains. A stove and a tent are unnecessary. Food supplies are plentiful and exceptional. Take a light sleeping bag, as many towns still don’t have extra beds, let alone bedding. This, again, is where the Via Francigena Association guides shine, especially with their accommodation suggestions.

The best time to go is from May to September, but come prepared for hot weather, rain, or even snow at the top of the Great St. Bernard Pass as you enter Italy. If you only have time to walk part of the VF, Geneva is very accessible to Lausanne, about halfway, or Milan for points further south.

As you can imagine, anyone who follows this path today is a “pioneer”. Although village priests are generally curious and supportive, many are still unprepared to deal with overnight guests. Sometimes the most opulent cathedrals and the richest parishes are less welcoming than the smaller churches in the ruined towns.

There is nothing more daunting on the road than, after walking for eight hours in the often brutal heat, arriving at an imposing church, presenting your credenziali to a smiling priest for a stamp, and then being told “there is no room in the Hostal”. Happens. He is not surprised when he is told that the city of “so-and-so” is only ten kilometers away. Little do they realize that means several more hours of walking in the dark. But this is the exception.

My best memories of the trip were the nights spent practicing weird hand gestures and broken Italian with the curious villagers. There was universal awe that someone would walk all the way to Rome, a wide-eyed fascination and a genuine warmth not found among jaded locals in major tourist destinations.

From the simple street fruit vendor who didn’t accept payment for his apple, to the cafe owner who treated me to a steaming espresso in the morning, to the small town priest, his housekeeper and his mother who treated me and my friend like royalty and cried when we left, to the local mayor who allowed me to use the only internet connection in town to check my email, to the Sisters of St Guistiniana who took me in during night and fed me when I couldn’t walk anymore, to the kind WWII paratrooper who had served with the American allies who bought me a glass of wine to toast his comrades, these folks were some of the unexpected treasures along of the VF.

So who walks the Via Francigena today? Over four weeks on the road, I met a total of six others: a Frenchman cycling to Jerusalem and five German cyclists en route to Rome.

What is it that attracts today’s pilgrims to the VF?

It is still a great odyssey. It’s an opportunity to shut out the distractions of a busy world. Opportunities for such peaceful reflection should improve over time, as the trail moves away from often dangerous paths. The Association is working on it. However, be careful. Italians push their Fiats to the limit. Some sections of the road will test your bravery, devotion and sanity.

But the country roads of France and the well-marked footpaths of Switzerland and the South East of England are a sheer delight. This is the way to immerse yourself in the local culture and travel through time.

The Via Francigena presents many opportunities to discover precious art and architecture, such as the magnificent marble Duomo of Siena or the neighboring living museums in Lucca and San Gimignano. It is an opportunity to stroll along the ancient Roman roads. Explore castles, elaborate fountains, frescoes, sculptures, and holy relics sequestered in small chapels along the way. Experience local festivals such as the sauerkraut celebration and local harvest celebrations.

Explore traditional Italian delicacies, from the Pontremoli specialty, wonderful fungo (mushroom) bites to Rome’s melt-in-your-mouth buffalo mozzarella. All the delights of your favorite cooking show are there: from savory chestnuts at your feet just for the gathering to tangy Gorgonzola pizzas and gooey fondue from alpine northern Italy.

Of course, no stay would be complete without sampling the most incredible variety of wines. Sip rare local champagnes straight from their caves, savor deliciously chilled white wine in street corner cafes from Aosta to the Ligurian Sea. Then continue your gourmet quest south with hearty Tuscan rossos, Chianti and refreshing Brunello de Montalcino, as you make your way to serene Lake Bolseno.

In Rome, an interesting way to end your trip is to attend the public audience of the Pope that takes place every week. Even for me, a non-Catholic, it was an emotional rush. It is a striking contrast to walk alone among shepherds and their flocks in one minute and emerge in St. Peter’s Square in one hour. People had come from all over the world, but perhaps I was the only Pellegrino who had walked there.

While in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, visit the Via Francigena Association representative at the Vatican Post Office. There, you will receive a warm welcome and a postcard from the Vatican stamped with your day of arrival. Later, you may be eligible to receive a certificate in recognition of your trip.

Finally, allow yourself to be open to the “magic” of experience, inspiration, your silent companion along the way. In addition to heirlooms, relaxation, food, and fresh air, you’ll return to your everyday life with an even more treasured memory. You will change. Life will never be the same. And maybe you have found the answers you are really looking for.

Good trip! As the Italians say, “Sempre diretto!”

In this age of independence and fend for yourself mentality, it is inevitable that a property owner will think they will do just fine on their own. Sure, you have tenants who at first pay on time until gradually they don’t, some break the contract and terms of the lease, then they cause problems with neighbors and other tenants, then you will slowly notice that you are losing money and when you decide to evict the tenant Next thing you know, you have a lawsuit on your doorstep.

The reality is that if you use the services of a professional property management company, you not only have peace of mind, but your investment is protected and the steady cash flow you receive through rentals can help you purchase additional investment properties.

That’s why you need the assistance of a property management company, but before that, we’ll determine the pointers on why it’s important to hire one.

Determine the value of your property

The problem with inexperienced homeowners is that they sometimes get overwhelmed by the way they price their property in the market: oversell and you’ll have to deal with the high vacancy rate with no profit, subsell and you’ll find you’re losing profits slowly. This is where a property management company comes in, they will help you determine a balanced meal where you win renters and continue to make a profit.

A property management company is also well versed in marketing your property and placing advertisements where it will attract tenants. They will answer any queries and know what appeals to a prospective tenant, therefore they will help you point out some cosmetic improvements to make tenants feel that renting your property is worth their money.

Avoid major problems with tenants

Tenant screening would no longer be one of your problems because the property management company will take care of it. They know very well how to check the background of interested tenants, their criminal records, their relationship with previous landlords and if they have ever caused any problems before. Think of it as helping to weed out the bad guys for a healthy, bountiful harvest.

Rent collection is the most common problem when renting your property. When you leave it to your own devices, getting your tenants to pay you on time will become a doddle of hide and seek between them and you as the property owner, certainly some tenants will strike a chord with you and win your sympathy with the hope that you get away with it. However, a property management company will become the middleman who will make sure tenants abide by the terms of the lease and they need to understand that they are just doing your job for you, keeping your cash flow steady.

Maintenance

When a tenant has reached the end of the lease, the grueling turnover process will usually keep you busy as a landlord, but with a property management company by your side, that’s another load of stress to deal with. Any deductions from the security deposit will be made and returned to the tenant, and the restoration process of repairing damage, repainting, changing locks, and cleaning the property will be done without getting your hands dirty.

As a property management company, expect them to know the right people to contact should tenants experience problems with leaks, wiring and plumbing and their dilemmas will be addressed immediately.

Save of time and money

A successful businessman knows that delegating tasks is key to running a successful business so that one can have more time to take care of other business ventures. With almost everything under control, it seems that the only thing left to do is visit your property in a certain time interval and continue to earn profits while you have more time to spend with your family, social life, other priorities, and investments.

IN CONCLUSION

Hiring a property management company takes care of the burden for you, especially if you know full well that marketing, confronting tenants with late payments, and handling maintenance are not your strong suits, especially if managing your property It’s not the only priority you have in your busy life. Therefore, delegating this task to a reliable property management company may be one of the best decisions you have ever made.

The challenge of managing the many aspects of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in our workplaces can sometimes seem overwhelming. There are many legal, moral and financial reasons for us to pay attention to our OHS obligations. With all of these challenges, we need to make sure we’re not wasting our time, money, and efforts doing things that just don’t work. Here is a list of the Ten Most Common Mistakes We Can Make When Handling OHS Issues That Hopefully We Can All Avoid. It’s okay if you start humming the theme song to one of those popular late-night talk shows while reading this list.

(1) Celebrate the lack of injury and not the existence of safety.

It’s a big mistake to focus on the lack of injuries as the measure that we’ve been safe. Every person I’ve ever met can tell me about a situation where they’ve taken a terrible risk to their well-being and gotten away with it. Of course we should be happy when we’ve gone a period of time without anyone being hurt, but that doesn’t mean we’re “safe.” Safety cannot be defined as the absence of injuries. Safety is created by what we do, not what we avoid.

Too many companies reward the “lucky ones” who didn’t get hurt while unsafe and the “liars” who don’t report injuries to avoid being the employee who breaks the safety record. We need more focus on making our workplaces safe by doing the security activities necessary to create safety. Safety celebrations should be shared with those who have helped keep our workplaces safe and not those who have just gotten lucky.

(2) Make security for our employees and not with them.

Rules imposed by others often do not gain the buy-in needed to actually change behavior. Involving employees in the process of establishing safe behaviors and rules that apply to their workplaces makes it much more likely that those rules of behavior will be followed. Challenging employee groups to set and review performance standards engages them in the essentials of safety.

(3) Make security for the government.

Companies that are in the early stages of developing their safety cultures often make the mistake of being “reluctant compliant.” They are doing security because the government is forcing them to do so. The value of managing security is really beneficial for the productivity and performance of a company. The sooner a company starts doing security for the added value of its performance, the sooner it will start performing! Safety is about getting everyone home every night. Of course, the way we do this must comply with applicable laws related to OSH. Do not make security for the government, make your work safe and legal… your company will prosper financially thanks to it.

(4) Ignore the importance of proper tools, equipment, materials, and work space.

The historical myth that unsafe behavior causes 88% of the incidents we experience is simply NOT true. Unsafe behaviors are involved in EVERY incident we experience. The other part of the formula that is often ignored in believing this myth is that unsafe conditions are also always present. We need to focus our efforts on both safe behaviors and safe conditions (tools, equipment, materials, and work environment). If we only provide broken tools to humans, we shouldn’t be surprised when they get hurt. If we don’t provide an easily accessible lifting machine for employees to use, we shouldn’t be surprised when they get hurt from lifting too much. Good tools and equipment increase the chances that workers will do their jobs by not taking unnecessary risks.

(5) Ignore the culture of unsafe behavior.

Not having safe personal behavior and not holding each other accountable for making it safe at work is a big mistake. Allowing our co-workers to continue unsafe behavior is often disastrous. We are our guardian brothers and sisters. Just like when we play team sports games, we should take the opportunity to coach our co-workers who don’t have the safe behaviors they need to come home safe every night.

(6) Miscalculating the power of groups that actively care about each other.

Inviting co-workers to give us feedback and guidance when they see us doing something unsafe is a wonderful way to increase the team’s focus on safety. Unless invited, our co-workers may be reluctant to bring our mistakes to our attention for fear of a bad reaction. We’re in this together, so why not open up the discussion and invite each other to help us overcome the challenges of behaving safely?

(7) Deliver Safety Programs to passive employees.

I’m not sure what happened historically to make us believe that we could provide employee security like a pizza. The sooner we hold everyone accountable for safe production and not just production with added safety, the better off we’ll all be. Challenging employees to find ways to make their jobs safe is well documented as a sure way to increase their safety performance.

(8) Measure the results and not the activities that generate security.

Companies that define security activities for all staff in their organizations (including the CEO) are safer than those that do not. Requiring that the measure of doing a great job include performing safety tasks such as: investigations, hazard assessments, inspections, and attendance at meetings, gets what needs to be done, actually done. Failure to do this ensures that security activities are always relegated to production.

(9) Manage OHS differently from the way we manage the other parts of our business.

Why would a successful, profitable company with a clear track record of management success implement a “safety program” that doesn’t replicate EXACTLY why they are successful in the first place? Manage security exactly as you manage your business and you’ll get similar results. Too many companies manage security differently from your business, jeopardizing your security bottom line.

If you know how motivated your employees and management are to give you production, why would you settle for doing anything different to get safety results?

Too often, companies take a very positive and proactive approach to motivating productivity activities, yet do the exact opposite when it comes to security, providing only negative reinforcement for security. Security is a condition of employment is a commonly used threat. Of course it is, and so is showing up on time and getting the job done. Too many companies in their orientation focus on making negative consequences the key messages during orientation instead of telling employees that we need your help to make it safe here and that we are counting on you to help us with safe production. Of course, you can’t ignore unsafe behavior any more than you would ignore behavior that doesn’t meet your productivity systems. Stop making security feel like a negative. There is nothing negative about doing our work with a focus on safe production.

(10) Hold safety meetings that everyone wants to avoid.

I’ve talked to tens of thousands of employees in my career about the functionality of the “safety meetings” they attend. Most people tell me that they don’t really like what goes on in these meetings. The natural question is “Why do we go to a meeting and we don’t like what’s going on?” Just fix it! At your next meeting, get up and tell people you’d like to discuss how to improve these meetings. Let’s all set ourselves the goal of not sitting quietly in a meeting that doesn’t address our needs. Just say NO to failed safety meetings!

Well, there you have it. I hope you have some ideas to think about to improve your safety culture. Own the security process, participate in its creation, stand up and be counted. We need to do this together and stop doing things that we know are wrong. Let’s be successful together…it’s very important to you and the people you work with!

Why do I now feel like I should be throwing a 3X5 cue card through a fake window while listening to the sound of glass breaking like David Letterman would? I’m certainly not the only one missing Dave! Dude?