Posts Tagged ‘Summer’
Into the Ocean by Blue October
This catchy, post grunge song will have you humming and swaying along as you load your hot dog with mounds of mustard and onions.
Duality by Bayside
Bayside had been coined as an emo band, but I like to think of them as an indie rock band. I’m positive you’ll concur when you here this tune.
Sun’s Gonna Rise by Citizen Cope
This song is definitely upbeat, and combines a hip-hop style with a bit of island flavor with a twist of some soulful blues. You’ll feel like your sitting on a beach in sunny California listening to this song.
Anytime by Eve 6
Now we heat up the mix with a bit of punk-pop. Eve 6 might be yesterday’s news, but their late 90′s hits are still relevant today. You can find this track on the Out Cold album.
Three Days Later by FM Static
This is the perfect summer hit, full of romance and high school confusion. FM Static’s lyrics and pop-punk beats will have you hitting the repeat button, more than once.
C’mon by Go Betty Go
It’s time to give the boys a break and bring in a punk-pop all-girl band. Go Betty Go is a slower paced and less hard hitting band with soothing yet fun lyrics and melodies.
The Queen and I by Gym Class Heroes
Turn up the barbecue a notch with this hip-hop, diversion track. There’s no doubt that everyone will enjoy this well-played broadcasting tune.
California by Hawk Nelson
This catchy tune will have you wishing you were in California.
Here in Your Arms by HelloGoodbye
Here’s a catchy techno-ish diversion song that will keep your toes tapping while you catch up with old friends.
She’s Got to Go by Hotspur
If you’ve heard of this band it has probably been on The Hills. This song has dark and sexy undertones but upbeat enough to keep the crowd from falling asleep.
Tell Me What Are We Gonna Do Now by Joss Stone
This summery, soulful love song will have all the couples in the room holding hands and slow diversion in apiece others arms.
Lips Like Morphine by Kill Hannah
This emo-punk-electro band is uncommon at best, but their songs are surprisingly catchy. Check this one out and if you feel adventurous check out their song Kennedy as well.
Mr. Brightside by The Killers
One of my favorite sing-a-long songs and I’m sure you’re guests will concur when they hear this peppy, glam track.
She Moves In Her Own Way by The Kooks
It’s time to slow it down a bit with this clever, witty song from the pop-rock band, The Kooks. You can’t help but have a smile on your grappling with this song playing in the background.
Ready Aim Misfire by New Years Day
Its rare when a genuinely good girl band comes along, so thank goodness for New Years Day. We’ll give the boys a rest for the second time on the CD and give this upbeat, heartbreaking song a listen.
Here It Goes Again by Ok Go
No, it’s not time to get your Guitar Hero on. It’s time to kick back and listen to a great hit and reminisce about playing this song on Guitar Hero.
Must Have Done Something Right by Relient K
This Christian band knows how to make good music. Their lyrics are stunning and their upbeat melodies always call for that feel good vibe.
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Trends in outdoor furniture are toward practical yet very decorative compared to the past. The goal of buying outdoor furniture is no longer simply to find furniture that is weather resistant and comfortable but make a creative statement and follow a theme for outdoor summer living. Some of the trends such as out d door tables with tempered glass will call for a bit more money to be spent when you are replacing outdoor furnishing, but there are changing in many of the materials that make these new products weather resistant for years and not just a few seasons.
The old stand by’s are still out there in many outdoor furniture choices. Wicker, aluminum, and timber are still the most used materials for outdoor décor. Changes have been prefabricated to these base materials; to make them truly outdoors friendly and low maintenance.
There are more choices now in outdoor furniture design from rustic to urban sophisticate. The color choice ranges from stunning vibrant summer colors to more neutral tones.
The Asian timber Teak is enjoying a comeback for outdoor furnishing. It is a very sturdy brownish yellow wood. It was commonly used on boats in the past and can simple be treated to with stand areas that have high summer humidity. When teak ages it takes on a natural metallic gray look and does not require much maintain summer to summer. It is a material that could be considered for an outdoor look emphasizing a classic Asian bent.
You can obtain a more modern and inviting look with teak when it is combined with aluminum frames. This makes furniture that is durable and easily moved for storage or entertainment purposes. Tan cast Aluminum is a good choice for this type of furniture because it is rust proof.
Wicker has traditionally been used on screened in porches and in areas that do not have unpredictable weather. The downside of wicker is that it is not naturally weather resistant and requires lot of care to last from season to season. The trend towards wicker this day is to mix it with a resin material that makes it more moisture resistant and functional in more weather exposed settings. A collection by Derwent is a combination of this new weather resistant wick and aluminum and is a good choice for people who wish to have a wicker look with the durability that will withstand unpredictable spring and summer weather.
The ideal choice for artifact coverings on outdoor furniture is acrylic fabrics. Though acrylic fabrics have been around for years current innovations make them appear more like organic materials, and they are far more comfortable to sit on in the humid summer heat. These upgrades in acrylic fabrics still are drop resistant and dry swiftly without having that plastic feel.
Wrought iron furniture has in the past required frequent maintenance and painting to prevent rust and other weather related wear and tear. This day wrought iron furniture is weather resistance and lower maintenance than ever. You can get a classic garden look, that is comfortable to sit on with you combine your new wrought iron furniture with homey cushions covered with the new acrylic fabric.
Brightly colored outdoor lamps makes your outdoor space more inviting for late evening summer entertainment. These outdoor lamps have shades that are more resistant to rain and sun exposure than ever.
Lastly there are some wonderful resin prefabricated porch swings and Adirondack chairs that look like painted wood but are so drop and water resistance that even when left exposed to winter weather .They look great summer to summer. This outdoor furniture is a great choice for people who have limited seasonal storage space for their outdoor pieces. Clean up is simply done with a garden hose at the beginning of the season on these durable outdoor furnishings.
Sources:
http://www.alfresia.co.uk/wickergardenfurniture.html :
Information on resin wicker for all types of climates.
http://www.oxfordgarden.com/
: Information on a Teak related wood product that is now acquirable called Shorea, it is maintained like Teak.
http://www.outdoorlivingdesign.com/resin_patio_furniture.htm:
Information on a massive selection of weather resistant designer outdoor furniture including resin.
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How to Build a Summer Compost Bin
A compost bin is an essential part of any great gardening project
If you have a small yard, I am sure you build up some green waste over the summer months.
Rather than having your gardener dispose of this wonderful compost, why not build a easy compost bin so that you have a wonderful soil amendment for your garden come next spring?
Want to get in real good with that gardener and perhaps get a discount on your lawn mowing and yard maintanence charges???
Ask him to bring his gardening trims over to your compost bin until it is full??? Get great compost for free!
Want a larger bin? You can have him leave his green waste for a couple of months and probally save even more!
Things You’ll Need:
3 wooden pallets
4 metal corner braces
wood screws
cordless screwdriver
Check around with your local garden centers, construction companies and other businesses to see if any have used pallets that you can get for free or a reduced rate and save even more!
Add more bins to your set up as apiece additional bin only uses 2 more pallets. That’s right, just line them up side by side and attach apiece to the other to for an E shape and you now have 2 compost bins.
Continue adding more to make an HHHH as you go along and soon you can be selling completed compost to your neighbors! As long as you have the room that is.
Figure out where you wish to place your first compost bin.
Lay all 3 pallets on the ground where you intend on placing your bin.
Assemble all items you need to build your bin and grab an assistant or two, to help you.
Lay your first pallet on it’s grappling with the side with the most boards on the bottom.
Using your cordless drill/screwdriver you can attach a Corner brace to the top and bottom of the right and left sides of the pallet.
Now you can stand this pallet up on one end leaving your corner braces on apiece side. Have an assistant hold this pallet up.
Take the second pallet and line it up against the side of your first one. Be sure that the corners are flush with one another to make a nice L shape. You might need a second assistant to hold up this second pallet or the first assistant could possibly hold both at the corner.
Now using your cordless drill/screwdriver you will attach the 2 pallets together at the corner braces.
Do the same for the other side and your first compost bin is complete.
If you wish to add a second one to the first you can do it at this time to form the letter E or H depending on the configuration you wish to use. You can continue to add as many bins as you wish using this method.
You are now ready to begin adding green waste to your compost bin. Remember to turn your pile each couple of weeks and water it down well to keep the internal temperature up high enough for your compost to “cook”. This will kill weed seeds and keep the beneficial microbes happy to properly process your green waste into useable completed compost your garden will love!
Tips & Warnings
You can add garden or composting worms if you like but this is not necessary. Even if you have “dead dirt” instead of soil the worms will find their way to your compost bins.
Shred all your junk mail and newspapers and add them to your pile
You can lay down sheets of cardboard at the bottom of your pile to aid in inviting the beneficial microbes to your bin that you will need. Nothing attracts worms and beneficial microbes like cardboard does!
Do not add grease or meat to your bin, it only attracts ants and other insects that you do not want to colonize your bins.
Use a good garden fork or shovel and turn your pile to mix things up a bit at least once a month
Bins steam during warmer weather if you keep them wet enough, if not they smoke…Smoke is NOT a good thing, Steam is
Make sure to soak down the bins from time to time. Composting material can get VERY HOT which can begin a fire if you do not keep the bins wet enough! I had this happen one year so I know this is true and not an urban legend
Summer is time for outdoor fun with your children. However, sometimes the days are long and your ideas are short. Here are some ideas to help you make sure your active ones are busy and getting lots of fresh air this summer.
Flat You
Lay on the sidewalk and take turns outlining apiece other. Decorate your flat selves by drawing clothing and funny faces. To make this project educational, you can read the book “Flat Stanley” as well.
Garden
Your child will learn science, responsibility and have fun by planting a garden and maintaining it. In fact, if you have the time or inclination, you can make the entire landscape edible. How fun would it be to wander around the yard snacking? Blueberry bushes, strawberries, herbs, and fruit trees are all simple to maintain. Some vegetables, like tomatoes require nothing but a lot of water and sunshine to grow like weeds. Begin small and see what happens.
Hoola Hoops
Has your child ever tried to hoola-hoop? Show him how. Then, take hoola hoops and make a pretend circus in the yard or try to get your dog to jump through one. You are only limited by your imagination.
Hopscotch
Instruct your kids how to play hopscotch. Let them draw their own hopscotch patterns. If they are like I was as a kid, they’ll make hundreds of squares and hop around all day.
Bubbles
Bubbles are always a favorite. Take turns chasing and popping them. Blow bubbles with various bubble wands to see how their shapes and sizes differ.
Turn on the Sprinklers
There’s no need to purchase a pool when the old-fashioned sprinklers are just as much fun. There is definitely something special about running around in the front yard through the sprinklers, especially when the neighbor kids see you having fun and join in.
Be sure to print out this list and keep it handy for the next time your kids state “MOMMMMMM — we’re bored!”
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Has your late summer garden seen superior days? If your outdoor paradise is getting a tiny ragged, and you would like some simple and cheap gardening tips to get it back into shape in time for fall, keep reading!
Most gardens, no matter how well they are designed will have periods without a lot of bloom. But a late summer garden is more than just demand of bloom; it’s overgrown plants, ratty leaves, spindly annuals and brown spots in the lawn. Here’s how to fix these garden problems.
Cut back your blooming perennials by half. This will stimulate new growth, and create need for another flush of flowers in the begin for many varieties. It will also clean up the overgrown look of your flower beds.
If you still have brown foliage from spring bulbs showing, it is innocuous to cut them to the ground now. They have already stored all the energy they need for spring bloom, and the dead plant matter isn’t doing anything for the look of your garden.
If you have a pest problem, you should be addressing it. You can use commercially acquirable Sevin dust for many of the most common predators, or seek out an organic alternative. One good way to refer what is intake your plants is place a piece of white paper under the leaves of the plant being attached and give the plant a good tap or shake. Whatever pest is the culprit should begin onto the paper for simple identification. If you’re stumped, pop it in a blow and take it to your local nursery for finding and advice on how to eradicate it while doing the least alteration to beneficial bugs. Remember, we need those bees! Don’t’ poison them.
If you have annuals planted in containers or beds that have seen superior days, cut them back hard. Apply a good dose of water soluble fertilizer and they will bounce back and begin re-blooming for you. Petunias, alyssum and geraniums all need a good rejuvenation this time of year, but will bloom well into begin if you try this trick.
If your lawn has developed some dry spots, try raking in an organic compost or fine bark to protect the soil and hold in moisture. Water frequently during the day for a week or two until you begin to see new green growth. Cut back on the watering gradually, but be consistent until the lawn is once again green in the spot.
A late summer garden might seem to have gone to sleep, but its pretty simple to throw a huge basket of water on it and wake it back up. (Both literally, and figuratively!) Use these simple and cheap gardening tips to renew your garden, and have a beautiful spot to spend those quiet autumn afternoons.
Want free gardening tips and ideas? Kathy Wilson is a home and garden writer, author and consultant and is the home decorating expert for LifetimeTV. com. Visit her for more home and garden ideas at http://www. TheGardenGlove. com and http://www. TheBudgetDecorator. com . Also visit her at http://www. Women-on-the-Net. com where any woman can learn to make money on the internet!