Search Results for: blog what to know before you light that first fire of the season

Fourth of July Pet Safety

On Friday one of the DJ’s for my local radio station mentioned upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, and she warned dog owners about fireworks. She said that she sees more fliers go up for missing dogs on July 5 than just about any other day of the year, all because of the fireworks noise. It’s something that never occurred to me, but it makes a lot of sense. Depending on where you live and how loud noise from fireworks might be in your yard, Independence Day, while fun for us humans, could prove frightening for our pets. If you keep … Continue reading →

Air, Fire, Water: Understanding the Elements on Your Property

It’s the season of the elements. Winter is a time when the weather looms large in our consciousness, making us worry about the perennials and plan for the annuals that will soon come. Here, a mild winter fades into spring, another season of blustery wind and weather. You can fight against the weather, but in the long run, the weather tends to win. That’s why it’s best to work with the weather and create a garden that works well with your local weather conditions. That way, you’ll have fewer winter worries and more time to enjoy the delights of the … Continue reading →

Selena Gomez to Star in New Prank Show?

This spring is full of news about the Disney Channel. Coming off both the return of the Disney Channel Games and the announcement of a new television series, Hollywood Life published rumors of a new show for the channel starring Selena Gomez. ‘Wait,’ you might say. ‘Isn’t this the sort of thing Disney Channel execs should avoid?’ Sure, they always try to milk their stars for all they’re worth, but the network is already under fire for overworking Demi Lovato. Why would they go and make the same mistake with Gomez? First off, “Wizards of Waverley Place” wraps up its … Continue reading →

Holiday Escape

How much are you willing to spend NOT to have to attend your family’s annual holiday get-togethers… and deal with the piles of dirty laundry, mountains of filthy dishes and rooms of punctured air mattresses? I know a lot of people who would rather grab their spouse and kids and skip the whole fa-la-la-la extended family gatherings. If you have the guts to breakout on your own this holiday season there are many, many resorts around the world that are more than happy to host you and your immediate family, including: Stratton Mountain Resort: This popular Vermont travel destination allows … Continue reading →

Responsible Firewood

Monday was the start back to school here in Pennsylvania, and the date seemed to bring with it the first signs of fall. Only the week before, the temperature and the humidity was high enough conditioning and shorts. Today I am dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans and had to close the windows because our heat-adapted bodies aren’t used to temperatures in the low 70s. The temperatures remind me that it won’t be long now before we will be firing up the wood burning fireplace. We’ll have to split and put up some wood for the winter to ensure that … Continue reading →

Home Blog Month in Review: October

As I sit here looking out my window at the backyard, the birds are hovering in the pine tree against a strong wind and steady rain. The temperature is chilly today, and the calendar reminds me that we have left October behind. October 1st Buy a Home for $1.75 It seems that the housing crisis has made some interesting news lately. Home Month in Review: September 2008 Has the weather turned cooler now that September has passed? Pretty soon, it will be time to get that heat turned back on! Meanwhile, check out all of the articles that were posted … Continue reading →

Wildfire Evacuation Plan: When the Order is Urgent!

It’s fire season again! In fact, it seems things are heating up and burning earlier this year and wildfires are impacting parts of the country normally considered to be a lower risk. As we enter the height of the 2007 fire season it‘s looking like more people will need to consider ways to protect their homes, mitigate their risk exposures and evacuate their properties. Evacuations are ordered by local government officials when disaster threatens an area. Local radio and television stations generally issue reports when a disaster threatens an area. When local officials ask you to evacuate, you need to … Continue reading →

How NOT To Heat Your Home

Our local Dairy Queen was closed today. Not because it ran out of soft-serve. Rather, the electronic sign outside the establishment scrolled: “CLOSED due to EXTREME COLD!” Not something you see everyday. Then again, our below zero temperatures (way below—windchills here have been around 45 below zero) are not something you experience every day either. Less than two weeks ago my daughter and I were in Hawaii baking in 84 degree tropical weather. This morning we woke up in Wisconsin where the temperature was –10. (A difference of nearly 95 degrees… but who’s counting). The Dairy Queen, the YWCA, the … Continue reading →

How To Have a Claim Free Holiday Season

I just love the holiday season, I love cooking, baking, making gifts, entertaining and everything about being stressed-out with the joy of giving my family and friends the best I have to share. It’s the time of the year I enjoy giving others something they wouldn’t ordinarily give to themselves. We always have a huge party and invite everyone, It’s my turn to show off and give them the taste of my cooking. We all (hopefully) invest in a Homeowner or Renters insurance policy for a reason. The fact is that every year the holidays bring multiple opportunities for families … Continue reading →

Home: Week in Review, November 5-11

Here is your week at a glance, covering all the articles posted in Home this week. This time, they appear in descending order, starting with Saturday, November 11 (Veterans Day) and working back to the start of the week. Marjorie, Michele, and I have been busy discussing lots of different issues. Marjorie is keeping all of us on our toes with more great tips for entertaining. She’s even tackled the tough issues, like getting ready for guests, in “The Guest Bathroom: Scary Stuff!” and then discussed how guests might be tempted to overstay their welcome in “Don’t Be TOO Nice … Continue reading →