Flora and fauna for all seasons is challenging but beautiful.

Flowering gardens are a beauty to behold and bring enormous satisfaction to those who plant them. Doing ones’ own landscaping has many rewards. Gardens that grow and bloom during all seasons can be a challenge, but in many gardening zones,  a little planning and the right mix of flora makes this possible.

Blooms Burst In Winter
Crocus often thrust tiny, delicate blooms through the snow in winter, making them a must have for your garden. They rarely get taller than four inches, so place them around the edges of your beds, or scatter throughout for ground-hugging beauty. Some hybrid varieties bloom as early as November. Plant Pansies in coordinating colors. Evergreen shrubs may compliment your winter landscape, especially when sparkling with ice. Ornamentation in the garden is more visible at this time of year; add benches, statues and seasonal decorations.

Spring Blossoms
Narcissus, Daffodils and Jonquils present an early spring show and are great for naturalizing. Hybrids offer an abundance of shapes and colors and require little care. These multiply yearly. If you have enough space,consider forms of Pussy Willow and Witch Hazel, also early bloomers. Pansies and Violas work well with these combinations.

Spring flowering bulbs are a must for a beautiful landscape. Asiatic Lilies come in a variety of colors and bloom early in spring. Tulips make an early showing as well. Corms and tubers,such as Dahlias, Daylilies, and Iris blooms follow and add to your display. Azaleas offer a bushy option, as does the March Bell bush.

Planting seeds instead of buying the actual plant can be a money-saving option. Start seeds indoors and replant outside for earlier bloom, or plant outside after danger of frost has passed in your area. Variety allows you to display your personality through your blossoms. Using seeds provides an unlimited selection.

Look though catalogs and plan your color scheme. Daisies, Marigolds and Calendulas are hardy choices for the beginning and accomplished gardener. Cosmos, with its’ frilly foliage, makes a great blossom for the back of your area. These hardy annuals can reach six feet and may bloom until frost.

Summer Showings
Ready-to-flower plants can be intermingled with seeds. Gaillardias and Gerber Daisies are popular and require little more than feeding, watering, and deadheading. Evening Primroses add fragrance as well as beauty.
Summer flowering bulbs, such as Gladiolus and Snow Drops should be planted in early spring for summer bloom. Cannas and Calla lilies have dramatic foliage and beautiful flowers. The many shapes and shades of Coleus allows your landscape to make a striking statement. Plant flowers and bulbs in waves instead of rows for a more dramatic effect.

Crisp Autumn Beauty
Autumn flowering plants are more of a challenge, particularly in the higher zones. Colchicums and Cyclamens will bloom in late August through November. If your area experiences early freezes, cover the plants for protection. Make sure to uncover before the sun can burn them.

The hardy Mum is a fall garden classic. Colors and varieties allow dramatic combinations. Asters, Pansies and the edible Viola add texture and contrast.

Experiment with different plants and flowers until you find your perfect combinations. These methods allow you to find what works best in your garden. Be sure to check sun requirements for different varieties and always start with a rich, well-drained soil for best results. Enjoy the satisfaction of nature’s beauty under your design.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Fall Yard Maintenance

Clean out beds and mulch: Remove dead growth, leaves and weeds that have cropped up. If your perennials have become overcrowded, divide them up so they can thrive next year. To allow nutrients to seep back into the soil, turn over the dirt with a hoe. After beds are nice and clean, mulching will seal in moisture, keep the ground soft, and, well, it just looks nice. There are many different varieties to choose from, and while it may be tempting to simply dump it on your beds, carefully place it around plants so as to not damage them.
Plant! It may seem strange to suggest this now, but fall is great for a second round of veggies, transplanting trees/shrubs, adding perennials or putting in bulbs for spring.
Fertilize: Most areas across the country should plan on fertilizing their lawns, but when and what kind of fertilizer (nitrogen and/or phosphorous) will depend on your temperatures and native grasses. Check in with your local landscaper for more information.
Pruning: Do NOT over prune in the fall. Pruning stimulates growth and if it gets cold where you live, the only kind of trimming you want to do is to remove dead branches or limbs.
Decorate: Summer isn’t the only time to enjoy your backyard. Think about adding a few strings of light, tiki torches or even a fire pit to brighten things up as the days grow shorter.

If you spend a little extra time taking care of the upkeep in the fall, the pleasure you receive from a beautiful landscape all year ’round will be worth the effort!

Swimming pools need care even in the winter.

An above ground swimming pool can bring us years of enjoyment as long as we take care of it in a responsible manner. The frigid, freezing temperatures of winter are the most ruthless adversaries to the pool and it’s equipment, so winterizing your above ground pool is essential if you have plans to use it again next summer.

The first, and perhaps most important step before you put your pool to bed, is to make sure the chemical balance of your water is correct. If it isn’t, corrosion or scale buildup might occur while the pool is shut down.

There are four basic water content levels that need to be checked:

• The pH should be between 7.2 – 7.6.

• Alkalinity should be 80 – 120 parts per million.

• The chlorine content should be 1 – 3 parts per million.

• The calcium hardness should be 175 – 250 parts per million.

All of these tests can be performed by purchasing a good test kits from your local pool supply store. Just follow the instructions and adjust the content accordingly.

The sides and floor of the pool need to be brushed down and vacuumed. If any kind of dirt or other foreign matter is left in the pool, stains might penetrate their way into the pool lining.  While you’re at it, don’t forget to add winterizing chemicals in the deep end. This will protect the water quality.

Your skimmer, filter and pump basket should be cleaned along with the cartridge filter elements and Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) filter grids. Any sand filter you may have needs to be back-washed. Take your chlorinator and remove any remaining tablets from it. If these tablets are left in it, they could end up staining or bleaching your pool liner over the winter months, especially if the floater winds up resting against the side of the pool wall.

Check your filter tank, pump and other critical equipment for drain plugs. If you find them, go ahead and remove them to drain them of water. One additional thing you need to do after this is turn the pump on for just a few seconds so the impeller will blow any remaining water out of it. This will help protect your pump from being damaged when the water freezes. Place your drain plugs with your other stored equipment.

Depending on your personal preference, either drain the pool until the water level is below the water jets and skimmer, or insert a pool skimmer guard into the skimmer itself to protect it from damage when the water freezes. Freezing water will expand and damage or burst any piping that’s associated with your pool.

Place an air pillow in the center of the pool and tie it to the pool walls with a strong string. If the water freezes, it will expand toward the pillow rather than toward the pool walls. Were the water to expand toward the pool walls, the resulting pressure could end up bursting the side walls, and you’d end up with a real mess, not to mention a hefty repair tag to go along with it.

Cover the pool with a winter cover and secure it tightly so it won’t come off.

By following these procedures your pool should survive even the most brutal winter mother nature can throw at it. Be sure to double check the documentation of all your pool devices to be sure you’ve stored everything properly per their instructions.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Natural Disaster

“Homeowners who found themselves in the sights of Hurricane Irene may soon be targeted by scammers looking to profit from their pain.

As attention turns to repair and rebuilding, residents in affected areas should be aware that disasters often attract unscrupulous contractors who will prey on those trying to put their lives back together.

The National Consumer Law Center reported in late 2008 that complaints about contractor fraud to the Louisiana Attorney General’s office leaped to 6,000 in the two years after Hurricane Katrina, from about 150 a year prior to the storm. The counterpart in Mississippi received more than 800 reports of fraud.

One common scheme is for scam artists to ask for an up-front payment and never show up to do the work. A survey by Louisiana State University found that was the case for 61 percent of respondents who had been victims of contractor fraud in the three years after Katrina.

Another big concern is contractors who use poor-quality materials and cut corners, pocketing the price difference from what it would cost to make proper repairs.

And the scams don’t come cheap: 15 percent of respondents to the LSU survey said they lost between $10,000 and $30,000.

The most common problems come when homeowners hire unlicensed contractors who hang signs advertising low-cost work or head to an affected area after a disaster.

“We call them storm chasers,” said Cheryl Reed, director of communications for the consumer website Angie’s List. “Those are people trying to make a buck off of somebody else’s misfortune.”

One common tactic is for contractors to go door-to-door and offer to help. “It’s easy when people are upset and they want to get this started,” said Loretta Worters, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute. “You’re so distraught that you don’t really think about the implications.”

Although homeowners may feel pressured to find someone to make the essential repairs, a sense of urgency can make them more vulnerable. Slowing down and taking the time to check a contractor’s credentials and references can save time and money in the long run.

Here are some tips to help ensure you hire a contractor who will do the job properly:

1. Be suspicious of any contractor who tries to rush you to make a decision, especially on non-emergency or temporary repairs.

2. Send away quickly any contractor who claims to be backed by the government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency does not endorse individual contractors or loan companies.

3. Ask to see the primary contractor’s driver’s license and write down the number and the license plate number of his or her vehicle. Also ask to see the contractor’s proof of liability and worker compensation insurance. Make sure anyone you hire is licensed and bonded, or you could be at additional risk for liability, should the contractor have an accident on the job.

4. Never let a contractor discourage you from contacting your insurance company.

5. Beware of contractors who encourage you to spend a large sum on temporary repairs. Payments for such repairs are covered as part of the total insurance settlement. If you run up a big expense for temporary fixes, you may not have enough money for the necessary permanent repairs. Discuss what’s needed with your insurance agent or claims adjuster. And remember to keep receipts.

6. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations or get a list of reputable contractors from your insurance agent or company representative. Check out candidates on online forums, and with the Better Business Bureau, your local home builders association, consumer affairs department and your state attorney general’s office before signing a contract. Never give anyone a deposit until after you have researched their background.

7. Don’t pay for work up front. Most contractors will require a down payment, but that should just be a portion of the total bill. And don’t pay anything until you have a written contract. Never sign a contract with blank spaces, which a crooked contractor can alter after you’ve signed the document.

8. Beware of price gouging. While prices often rise as demand increases, you should report exorbitant hikes to local authorities. Get all terms in writing; that includes prices for labor and materials, a precise description of the work to be done, time schedules, guarantees, payment schedules and estimated start and finish dates.

9. Don’t pay with cash and don’t sign over an insurance settlement check to the contractor. Using checks or credit cards creates a record of your payments, which will be helpful if there’s a dispute.

10. Never pay a contractor in full or sign a completion certificate until the work is finished and you are sure the work satisfies current building codes.

11. Report suspected fraud to local authorities. Also, report anyone who encourages you to fabricate an insurance claim to your insurance company, the local police, the state insurance department or the National Insurance Crime Bureau hotline at 1-800-TEL-NICB”

Staycation is your backyard oasis.

Some time in the middle of recession from the recent financial crisis, the concept of staycation came about. Staycation is a shortened version of stay-at-home vacation. The term can now be found in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. When going somewhere for a vacation is already expensive, the wise move is to make your home a vacation haven.

The idea of going on a vacation is to relax and unwind. When you think about it, the backyard is a nice place to do such an activity. A relaxing vacation can be achieved in your backyard with few creative touches.

The Lounge Area

Find a reclining chair in your living room. Move it to a shady area in your backyard so you have a place to relax, sip drinks, and read books. Have a picnic in your backyard if you have a nice lawn area. All you need are pillows and a blanket. The soft grass can act as a cushion. If your kids have outgrown their single beds, those will be ideal lounging furniture. Choose brightly-covered pillows and you’ll easily transport yourself to some vacation paradise.

The Dining Area

Your staycation will even feel like an island vacation if you eat outside. An inviting table setting can easily make any simple meal sumptuous. Use practical and casual dinnerware. You do not want to use your fine china in this one. Light snacks during the day under the cool breeze are filling and relaxing. Light up some candles when it gets dark and you’ll have a romantic candlelit dinner. Open a bottle of wine and play good music and you will never feel you are just vacationing at home.

The Backyard Barbecue

Invite friends over when you’re done fixing up the place. Grilled veggies and meat during the hot summer afternoon paired with cool, refreshing drinks are a wonderful way to gather with friends. Do not sweat the details. Use plates, dishes and utensils you can easily slip into the dishwasher. Just prepare paper towels and spray bottles filled with water and detergent for easy cleanup.

Camping Out

Skies are clear during summer time. It is ideal for stargazing. Kids will learn constellations and astronomy. Camping out in your own backyard eliminates the troubles in having to prepare for a trip away from home. You can still enjoy the outdoors without the rigors associated with setting up camp in unfamiliar territories. You still need to protect everyone from bugs so those anti-repellent lotions still come in handy. Set up a fire and roast hotdogs and marshmallows. Tell stories and play games with your kids.

Staycation is not a bad idea. If your know how to create a relaxing and fun place in your own backyard, you do not need to travel for a vacation.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Outdoor Oasis for relaxation and peace of mind.

There are so many ways that you can create a garden, so. ultimately it comes down to personal preference. There are a few basic garden styles that you can follow. Make sure when you choose a style that you consider the architecture of your home. A formal garden will not necessarily be the best choice for a cottage style home. Also, consider the color of the items in your yard, the fence, any outbuildings. The color of your home and it’s trim are also important factors. There are five general garden styles.

Formal
The formal garden has a long history. French or Italianate gardens feature strong symmetry. Asian or Islamic gardens have strong geometric patterns. A formal design will have strong defined lines and edges. Paving and paths are central and will lead the eye to some kind of specimen plant or other garden element, such as a statue.

Hedges and shrubs are prevalent. They should be trimmed into symmetrical shapes such as pyramids, balls and boxes. Formal gardens are frequently monochromatic in color. Often they will be one single color, like white.

Informal/Casual
The goal of the informal garden is to soften the boundaries between the home and the garden. An informal garden will have winding paths, and mounded groups of plants. The casual garden will include more potted plants and beds with mixed flowers. Large shrubs should be used as a backdrop for plants. The casual garden should have a relaxed and inviting feeling.

Contemporary
Contemporary gardens use shapes that include circles, ovals and triangles. Geometric beds can be used, but the plantings should appear to have a bit of organized chaos. Often architectural features of a home, (I.E. oval windows), will be copied into the garden. House trim color is also copied with the flower color.

Also present are living walls covered with climbing vines, container groupings that mirror bed shapes, and newly introduced plants. The contemporary garden is also a great place for espalier’s and topiary’s. The topiary’s should be trimmed into free-form triangles and ball shapes. Of most importance is that this style remain fluid. A contemporary garden is a “blend of traditional style with modern design principles.” (Flower Gardening; Julie Bawden-Davis; 2004)

Natural
The ultimate goal for a natural garden is to replicate nature. Major features include groupings of odd numbered plants, plantings in layers and levels, and native flowering plants. A natural garden should also include plants that attract wildlife, like birds and bee’s. Keep in mind when creating a natural garden that room should be left for a compost pile or bin. A natural garden should also be free of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Combination
The combination style of gardening is perhaps the most difficult to do successfully. This type of garden requires experience. A successful combination garden will have many aspects of different styles woven together. The best way to approach this design is either to plan it right from the start, or experiment as you go. Begin by choosing one of the classic styles that works for you. Transition this style slowly into a combination garden.

The above garden styles will add flair to your garden. By choosing a style that you enjoy you will add cohesion to your garden, inviting people in to experience it’s pleasures.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

The layout of a Floating Floor.

A floating floor is a floor that is laid over an existing sub-floor and is neatly clipped together, though at no point attached to the floor beneath it.  These are cleverly engineered floors made of a variety of materials bonded together, and offering a home owner a quick solution to brightening up their home.

Floating floors have the ability to stay in place because of gravity, although in the early days, the clips that held these together caused creaking, which has been overcome with modern models and research, giving the home owner the possibility to construct the floor without any expertise, just by following basic guidelines of placing it onto an even floor and leaving an air gap around the skirting area so that the floor can expand and contract without causing the floor to lift in places.

THE RANGE

The range of floating floors available on the market means that consumers have the choice of lush wooden finishings ranging through from tropical woods to the more traditional woods of Maple, Oak and Cherry without the expense of having to have major works done within the home by qualified carpenters. For a more unique look, the ranges available from specialists that stock laminate flooring include such finishes as natural Bamboo, Teak and Walnut.

FIXINGS

The floating floor has built in fixings which come in the form of tongues and grooves, although the tongues are at a different angle from traditional tongues, and click into their slot easily gripping the corresponding plank with a more secure linking than is possible with a fixed wooden flooring.

UNDERLAY

Floating floors can be purchased with an underlay already on them although this is rare. Normally a membrane is laid between the sub-floor and the floating floor, and this serves two purposes, one to be sound insulating and one to add extra insulation to floors and overcome the condensation that can be caused when putting a cold surface against a warm one.

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of floating flooring is that it is almost instant and can be performed with little skill. The color range gives great flexibility of choice and the surface is easily washable with a damp mop or cloth.

DISADVANTAGES

The disadvantages of this type of flooring is that they are less hard-wearing than traditional wooden floors. In areas where the home is susceptible to water ingress such as in bathroom and mud room environments, the floor should be glued within the tongue and groove to prevent water passing through the layers of laminate and swelling the product causing breakdown of the floor solidity.

It should also receive a coating to protect it. If buying cheap quality laminate flooring, the flooring can be damaged easily, and is not repairable like standard wood, because of the surface being photo finish, rather than wood. If buying cheaply, and using without glue, it’s a good idea to buy extra because planks can be re-laid, replacing damaged planks, at the next major decoration.

GRADES

One of the important factors to take into consideration with laminate flooring is quality. Many stores offer seconds or defective flooring at discounted prices, and while this may suit the householder’s needs, the wear factor does come into play and the consumer would need to buy extra packs to allow for defects in the planking.

The high quality grades of floating floors are used successfully in high traffic commercial premises and will withstand heavy use, and are certainly worthy of consideration when choosing the type for your home.

FINISH

Different quality finishes make the world of difference to floating floors, and while many contain very little wood and are made from compressed material with a back-boarding, finished with a photo finish wood effect, what should be taken into account when buying is the guarantee given by manufacturers, since this says a lot more about quality and expected lifetime of the flooring.

Floating floors are becoming more and more popular as an option in the modern home, and new finishes are coming out all the time, now giving stone and ceramic effects as well as the wooden ones mentioned above. As a concept it is successful and ever evolving, and can make your home look clean and inviting, make it easier to keep clean, and be enhanced with the beauty of your furnishings or rugs for a complete and original designer look.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

DIY Home Improvements

A few months ago, my husband wanted to research raised bed gardens. In the past, he would have headed for the bookstore or library for books on the subject. This time, he turned to YouTube where he found many how-to videos. Some were helpful and presented the exact information he wanted.

DIY Network, affiliated with the television HGTV channel calls itself the “go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement.” Its 2857 subscribers and millions of visitors must agree. The site shares tips, an archive of HGTV shows, experts and hosts, a video library and hundreds of home improvement ideas from the basics to more complex projects. DIY Network is one of the largest and fastest-growing digital networks and leader in ratings for home improvement.

DIY Network is user-friendly, easy to navigate and you can find exactly what you need for your project. The only downside is remembering the instructions, and following step-by-step if your project is not near your computer. At DIY Network, you can find more than 20,000 projects with detailed instructions.

Expert Village is another highly visited and popular YouTube channel presenting a wide variety of videos and answers to household dilemmas. Expert Village claims to have had 19 million visitors to its site.

Calling itself the “World’s Largest How-to Site on How to Do Just About Everything,” eHow.com offers 100,000 how-to tips and ideas on every subject. The disadvantage is not knowing if the person posting the how-to is an expert. At DIY Network, you can put more trust in the knowledge base of the hosts.

Finally, Helium.com has opened a zone for how-to articles, some featuring YouTube videos. Growing in popularity, this site provides how-to guides on many different topics, some of them related to home improvement.

Whatever you choice for instructions, use the video and information to supplement what you have found in other resources. There is no substitute for having thorough written instructions and photos that you can take with you to the site of your home improvement. Depending on having a computer present and running might not be possible. And always choose video instructions with an eye toward safety. If the “expert” isn’t wearing goggles when using power tools, or giving safety instructions along with the step-by-step directions, seek a different video.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Paint Brushes

If you need to pause the job, but have not completely finished, then wrapping your brush or roller in a clean plastic bag is a professional trick to remember. This prevents the paint on the brush or roller from drying out and damaging the equipment. You should remove as much excess paint as possible before you place your brush or roller into the bag, and secure the plastic around the handle with an elastic band.

Once your painting job is finished however, cleaning your equipment is essential to prolong their useful life. If you are using a water-based paint, then water is the only liquid you should use to clean your equipment. Fill a bucket with cold water and use that to begin to work the paint out of the brush or roller fibers. Many people hold their equipment directly under a running tap straight away, but this uses a huge amount of water. Filling a bucket helps you remove a lot of residual paint without wasting too much water. Use your fingers to rub through the brush or roller fibers, paying attention to the ends of the bristles closest to the handle.

Disposing of the dirty water can be a problem if you are doing a lot of regular painting. If your DIY job is an occasional one however, you can safely pour the dirty water onto your garden, away from any food crops. Then you can either refill the bucket and repeat the process, or you can hold the equipment under a running cold-water tap and continue to work at the bristles or roller until the water runs clear. Squeeze the excess water from the equipment, and then leave to dry in the open air. Many brushes have a hold in the handle to enable you to suspend them from a hook while drying, to prevent the bristles from becoming misshaped.

If you are using an oil-based paint, then you will need a chemical cleaning fluid for your equipment some newspaper and some old rags. Again, remove as much excess paint from the brush as possible (an old piece of wood is useful for this). In an old jam jar, half fill with turpentine and gently start to work the bristles against the side of the jar to release the paint. This can take some time, and may require the brush to be suspended in the turpentine overnight so that the paint settles on the bottom of the jar. To do this, choose a jar that is taller than the brush is long, and use a stick or piece of dowel through the hole in the brush handle to suspend it in the turpentine without the bristles touching the bottom of the jar.

The following day, carefully remove the brush from the jar. Decant the turpentine from the paint sediment, and repeat the process. When you first remove the brush from the turpentine and paint solution, squeeze the bristles with the old rags to remove more of the paint residue. When you cannot get any more paint out of the bristles, which will probably take 2 or 3 sessions with the turpentine, you can wash the brush with warm soapy water. Then rinse thoroughly and dry suspended in the open air.

For more articles by author, go to Helium.

Kitchen Garbage Disposal

The first step is to check to see what the problem is. If you turn on the disposal and it makes a noise, then most likely it is just jammed. If it doesn’t make a noise, then there is a possibility that the circuit breaker has been tripped. Check your electrical panel, and reset the circuit breaker. Now look under the unit, and you’ll see a small red reset switch. Press this button or flick the switch and it will turn the unit back on. Turn on the disposal again and it should either hum to designate that it is jammed or it should work properly. If it still doesn’t turn on, then you have a much bigger issue and should contact a professional in order to remedy the issue.

The first step when doing anything with the disposal is to ensure that the power is shutoff to this area of the house. This means that you are going to wait to turn off the circuit breaker, located in the electrical control panel. Once this is in the off position, flip your disposal to on to release any remaining power in the line. You’ll hear you disposal slightly engage, hum, then nothing. This is a sign that it is completely off and that all the power is purged from the line.

After doing this, I generally turn off the water as well. You really don’t need to do this, but as a common practice, I have just gotten used to doing it. This prevents you from accidentally turning on the water in the process and creating a mess to go with your problem.

After you have done both of these steps, take a long handle, like a broom handle or something similar and place into the disposal. NEVER USE YOUR HANDS! While placing it in there, gently try to rotate the blades. If you can easily rotate the blades and don’t feel anything in the way, there is something bigger wrong with your disposal and you should call a professional. If you notice blockage, then you have an obviously jammed disposal.

To clear the jam, take an allen wrench and attempt to clear the jam manually by inserting it into the bottom of the disposal spinning the blades until they come free and can rotate completely. Now again take the broomstick handle and jab at the jam downwards to make sure you clear it from the blades. After you have done this, you can reach down inside the disposal with a set of long nose pliers and pull out whatever is causing the blockage. I generally wear nose plugs because I often get sick by the smell and sight of what comes out. It can be pretty disgusting at times.

Now, turn the water back on and turn on the cold water. By doing this, you will harden any grease inside the disposal, which will allow the disposal to break it up, which it can’t do when the grease is loose and warm.

Turn on the electric, test it out and it should work. If it doesn’t work, then repeat the process ensuring that you have indeed removed all of the blockage. If the problem persists it is a sign of a much bigger issue and will require a professional for assistance.

WARNING : Never use chemicals to clean out your disposal, this could cause a variety of issue within the system.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.