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One of the many benefits of having a backyard is to enjoy the small glimpses of Mother Nature at her finest. Whether that’s with a blooming garden or by inviting in some friendly winged friends you’re sure to get hours of relaxing time in an atmosphere like that. Attracting birds is easy when you have the right “invitation” set out for them. The first item on the agenda should be a birdbath. There are so many varieties of birdbaths that it will be hard to choose just one. What you want to keep in mind is that the bath should be easily accessible for your garden hose to allow for a quick cleanup and refilling. The birdbath should also be placed in a cool, shady spot as opposed to the direct sunlight. If you’ve never had a birdbath set up in your yard before it might surprise you at how popular it will become. No need to put out a sign; the birds will find it fast enough!
Building a birdhouse is another wonderful way to invite the winged creatures into your yard. Once again, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to DIY kits. The thing to keep in mind is that you can weatherproof and decorate the outside of the birdhouse to your heart’s content but leave the inside “raw.” The size of the hole of your birdhouse will also determine how big a bird you might end up attracting. If you want to go the extra mile and provide feed for the birds you won’t have a problem getting a birdhouse with a feeder attachment. If you’re lucky enough to have a family of bird take up residence then watch from a distance. You don’t want to get too close especially if momma bird is looking out for her little chickadees.
Setting up a small bird sanctuary is just one feature you can add to your backyard garden. You might want to make good use of that space by planting a veggie or herb garden. To accomplish that you’ll probably be digging up a patch of land and creating a pile of dirt. Don’t throw that dirt out; hire Junk King Hudson Valley to come by and pick it up for a proper disposal.
Although their title might imply that junk is their specialty, Junk King is equally adept at removing all kinds of yard waste both natural and manmade. The natural would be clomps of sod, fallen tree limbs, shrubs or any other chunk of growth that you want gone. On the manmade side would be all those things we bring into the yard that take up space but have lived out their usefulness. Things like an old basketball hoop, a kiddie pool, a swing set or even an abandoned tree fort. All of that can be cleared out with one appointment with the Junk King Hudson Valley. Make your garden grow by getting rid of the junk.
Dumpster diving has developed into a kind of organized urban outing. There are those unfortunate souls who depend on sorting through dumpsters in the back of restaurants or grocery stores for food. That has lead to several non-profit groups to join in on the “diving” to point out just how much food is wasted. A typical dumpster diving excursion can uncover perfectly edible food that can feed plenty of folks. Now, a nonprofit group called Community Solidarity Inc. is turning to dumpster diving in a way of finding school supplies for families in need.
How are your Freon levels? We’re not talking about the Freon in your car but in your major household appliances like an air conditioner or refrigerator. As the city of Westchester is helpful to remind its residents, the “U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations prohibit the intentional release of coolants, such as Freon, into the atmosphere. Such coolants are found in refrigerators, dehumidifiers, freezers and air conditioners.”
Collectors come in all shapes and sizes which pretty much corresponds to what that collect: all shapes and sizes! Believe it or not there is actually a very active group of collectors who focus on vintage television sets. These sets were way before cable. In fact, many of them probably wouldn’t be able to broadcast a signal because that can receive a digital feed. But that doesn’t make them any less valuable in the eyes of collectors.
There are some folks who are taking backyard gardening to a whole new level in NY’s Hudson Valley and that’s with the addition of livestock; namely chickens. Having an egg producing hen or two in your backyard means you’ll have the freshest eggs on the block. You’ll also be amazed at how much fun these cluckers can be for the family. And they are extremely low maintenance. You don’t have to take a chicken for a walk, unless of course you want to show them off! What they really need is a coop for overnight protection and that doesn’t require a lot of space at all.
Question: what is the oldest appliance in your house? By “old” we’re talking at least ten years. In the lifetime of a home, that’s a mere blink of an eye! Most folks can rightly claim that their big appliances like the refrigerator, stove or washers win the prize for the oldest. If you’ve got appliances like that that are creeping beyond ten years then you’re also probably noticing the wear and tear on them. It just stands to reason that a mechanical device that you bought back in the 90s is going to start to break down. Could that be your fridge? Buying a replacement model shouldn’t scare you. In fact, it could be an extremely smart investment.
Just because we live in an area that almost always gets snow in the winter doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a good late night soak in a hot tub. Yes, during the winter it might be a little chilly getting to and from the house and into the backyard hot tub but once you slip into those warm waters you’ll know instantly that it has all been worth the wait. This might be the reason why the home you bought has a hot tub in the backyard. But just because that tub isn’t being used doesn’t mean it should be forgotten. There can only be two reasons: 1) the tub is broken or 2) you just can’t be bothered.
“Get some rest.” That is one of the most common pieces of advice offered by any doctor for any ailment. Medical researchers have proven that the body needs rest in order to rejuvenate itself. Without that rest, cells can’t repair themselves and the brain can’t “reboot.” All you need is a good night’s sleep. Easier said than done, right? A person who can’t get to sleep can blame stress and anxious thoughts. They can also blame some health issues like back pain or a random flu. What they shouldn’t blame is their mattress. Unfortunately, too many people are sleeping on the wrong mattress for them and in many cases don’t even know it. How old is your mattress? If you can’t remember or know it’s over five years then you should get serious about buying a new mattress.
Recently, the second annual Westchester Green Business Challenge was proud to share the achievements of all the local businesses that took up the this friendly competition which event planners described as providing businesses with the motivation and resources to “move down a path toward environmental sustainability while saving money.” Every business who signed up for the challenge was given a scorecard that provided them with dozens of ways for them to reduce their carbon footprint. Everything from cutting back on water use to printing documents on double sided paper was on the table. The goal is that when businesses take the lead in recycling and eco-friendly policies everyone in the community will get into the act. It can’t just be done by one group. All of this begs the question, how are you with recycling? Would you merit an award?
When it comes to furniture design there is no limit to what a piece of furniture can be made of and how it can look. A recent show put on by the Jellio Sweet Shop down in Manhattan showed off just what could be created in the name of whimsical furniture design. Here’s what they put on display and offered for sale: “rubber-molded cupcake seats ($900), foam-and-velvet benches shaped like ice-cream sandwiches ($900), and four-foot-tall plastic gummy bears ($1,600).” While it might seem like an extravagance to buy a four-foot-tall plastic gummy bear you still might be ready for a few new pieces of furniture.