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3 Yard Work Cheats / Short Cuts

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If you are fortunate enough to have a house with a yard, you know that it can be both a blessing and a “curse.” The effort it takes to beautify and maintain your property can be strenuous, but it is also rewarding. Whether, it is general maintenance or beautification, it can be time consuming to keep your yard looking wonderful. Here are a few yard work short cuts/cheats that will help make your yard work more manageable each year.

Make a List

First off, it helps to get everything down on paper. When you see the list of chores on paper, it doesn’t seem as difficult a task. You can then take each chore and divide them up over the weekend. So take a bit of time walking your yard to detail the chores that need to be done. This includes everything from leaf removal to trimming hedges and bushes to spraying your trees. Writing the items down will ensure that your precious time is not wasted and help you envision the process of completing each task.

Hire the Neighborhood Teens

In years past, it was commonplace for homeowners to hire neighborhood kids to help them with yard tasks. Chances are that you have at least one trustworthy, hard working teen in your area who would love to earn some extra cash on the weekend. Not only will it make your yard work easier to manage, it can also be beneficial to your relationships with neighbors. Cordially speak to the parents of the teens you may want to hire to negotiate a fair rate. $20 for a few hours of work is usually considered fair for a young person. With your written list in hand, ask your teen helper to do all of the bending, stooping, kneeling and heavy lifting that is required to complete the job.  For your privacy and continued safety, have all of the materials and tools on the outside of your house, ready to be used.  For a job well done, a tip may be in order. Keep relations friendly so that you have a good rapport with neighbors and teens for future years.

The Water Timer

As a yard owner, you realize that there are specific times that your lawn and garden needs water in order to thrive. Invest in an outdoor water timer that is easily attached to your water spout to make your yard tasks easier. Most modern timers allow you to set a start time, an end time and even have the water turn on at multiple times during the day. Human error can cause a yard to dry up when you forget to turn on the water — a timer is your safest bet. A quick note: some homeowners make the mistake of watering their lawns at the hottest time of day.  All that does is cost you money because the water evaporates when the sun is at its peak, so you do not give your lawn the proper nourishment and hydration needed to keep it looking green and healthy. The best time to water your lawn is at sun up +\or sundown.

Use these yard work shortcuts/cheats are not difficult to accomplish.  With a plan and a bit of effort, you will soon be entertaining more in your backyard instead of working!!
Posted by Eve

3 Must-Have Gardening Tools that Make Your Yard Work Easier

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The sunny and warm weather always prompts me to dust off my gardening tools and start planning this years placement for my vegetable plants and flowers.  When each new grow season begins, I like to keep up to date with the latest innovative gardening tools and accessories, to help better manage my time (I like to barbecue and have fun on Saturdays and Sundays after all).  Each season I also challenge myself to accomplish more in a day than I did the prior season. Listed below are three products that I believe are worthwhile to add to my gardening collection this year.

 

Green Giant Spiked Aerator Shoes

I LOVE flowers. They’re so fragrant and beautiful. I plan to use these spiked aerator shoes to help me break up the hard soil around my flower beds, to better assist my perennial flowers in breaking through the dirt to start their growing process sooner. By using these shoes, I will no longer have to strain my back to break up the soil.   They also have a lot of other uses around my yard, such as aerating the grass and breaking up large pieces of dirt in my vegetable garden.

 

 

Plant Cages (Pea Tunnels)

If you like to plant vine vegetables, this product will be helpful. Plant cages allow you to plant your vine vegetables in a more neat and tidy row in your garden.  This tool will allow you to grow a lot more vine vegetables this year because you’re using “vertical” space.

 
Horticultural Fruit Picker — Apple Pear Peach Picking Tools

Every season I have to climb a ladder to remove fruit from the top of my pear and apple trees.  I use to simply let them fall to the ground, but by that time they were ravaged by insects. What a waste of good fruit.  That also brought an assortment of bees along with other undesirable insects.  No more will I have to worry about that with this innovative gardening tool that picks apples, pears and peaches from high places.  Just attach it to a pole and pick the desired fruit that you want.

As you can see, having these must-have gardening tools in your garage or backyard will make working out in your hard much easier and more productive this year. Have fun working in nature!

Posted by Lorraine

3 Barbecue Grilling Must-Haves

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When spring is approaching, and 70 or 80 degree weather starts to become the norm, it triggers my desire to bring the barbecue grill out.   I don’t like using propane, so instead I use charcoal and sometimes I even use lava rocks.  What I do not enjoy is having to clean the grill after every use.  I also become frustrated when I overcook  or under cook certain meats.  That has been extremely costly in the past.  I found a few products that help rectify these issues, and they’re pretty affordable too.

BBQ Grill & Baking Mats

My first amazing find was an “As Seen on TV” product called a grill mat. It will help save me from spending countless hours in the backyard cleaning my grill grates.  They’re non-stick plates that go on top of your grill and create an easy to clean cooking surface. It’s advertised as free from harmful chemicals like PFOA. I like how it can be used indoors as well.

Barbecue Meat Thermometer

This barbecue meat thermometer solves the problem of under or overcooked meats on your barbecue grill. Use it to prepare your meats to the precise temperature you want every time.  Just stick it in your steak or burger and go on enjoying your family and the outdoors.  There’s a clear digital reading that tells you exactly when the meat is cooked to your desired temperature — you don’t have to cut the meat to check if its ready. There’s also an auto-off feature that saves energy.

Charcoal Lighter (No More Lighter Fluid)

I have always used lighter fluid in the past to light my charcoals.  The down side is that at times I have over doused the charcoal and no matter what I cooked it always tasted a bit like that fuel.  Not any more, thanks to this Rapidfire Chimney Starter. With this product I can safely and accurately light my charcoals in the canister and have an even distribution of heat throughout the grill.  Awesome!

If you’re gearing up for outdoor BBQ grilling this spring or summer, check out these three barbecue must-haves. They will allow you to enjoy your family more as well as better tasting food from the grill.

Posted by Lorraine

Easy Bake Chicken Dinner Recipe for Two

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This easy bake chicken dinner recipe is super easy to make.  

Like many people, my schedule is quite hectic.  I don’t like the idea of resorting to fast food for dinner. So I sat down one day and wrote down a list of quick and easy recipes that are healthier than fast food but yet very easy to prepare. This chicken dinner’s ingredients are basic (you probably already have them in your fridge or cabinets) and the preparation is simple. Just add the vegetables and chicken parts that you like best (we like drumsticks at our house), mix everything up with a spoon or your fingers, and bake.

Ingredients

4 Chicken Drumsticks, Thighs or Wings
1 Large Potato
5-7 Baby Carrots (or chopped if you prefer)
1 Stalk Of Celery
1/2 Teaspoon Of Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Of Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Of Salt (to taste)
1/2 Cup Of Water

Instructions

Preheat oven 350*

Clean chicken to remove excess fat.
Peel and cut your vegetables.
Place chicken and vegetables in a Dutch oven or casserole dish that has a lid.
Sprinkle seasonings on top.

Add water.
Cover and cook 45 minutes with lid on.
For the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove lid to allow the skin to get crisp on top.

Chicken and Potatoes

* If you’d like you can also add a bit of citrus flavor to your chicken by squeezing in a bit of lemon.

Serve with a side of rice and/or salad. And there’s your Easy Bake Chicken Dinner for two — enjoy!

Posted by Eve

Photo credit: Flickr/sintages

 

 

Spring Cleaning Made Easy: 3 Must-Have Items

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I am also open to cleaning products that will make my spring cleaning much easier.  I found some cool new products that were affordable and will help me keep my home smelling good and clean.  For the first time, I am looking for eco-friendly products and cleaning products that would not require a lot of effort to complete the job.

Rotating Spin Twist Hurricane Spinning and Shout Mop

Rotating Spin Twist Hurricane SpinningWith each passing year, it seems more difficult to clean my floors on my hands and knees.  I am thankful that there are floor cleaning systems like this Rotating Spin Twist Mop that I can use, that don’t require me to clean like I’m living in the 1800s!  Instead of manually cleaning the mop with your hands, you just put it in the tub and press the pedal to spin away the dirty water and start again. This spinning mop will cut your spring cleaning time in half.

Slipper Genie Microfiber Cleaning Slippers

Slipper GenieI really like the idea of this micro fiber cleaning slipper.  When I just want to tidy up my bathroom floor in a hurry, I’ll put a few Lysol wipes on the floor and use my own slippers to clean the floor instead of bending over. It works like a charm. These Slipper Genie Cleaning Slippers pretty much have the same idea in mind. They’re also useful for corners that your broom or mop are unable to reach. They are machine washable and come in a variety of attractive colors.

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner, Lavender

Lavender CleanerThis lavender all-purpose cleaner is great for cleaning your entire house.  The scent of lavender has always been known to be a soothing scent — it fills your rooms and gives you a sense of peace during and after cleaning.  This product is eco-friendly and sold in a concentrated form.  Just add about a 1/4 cup to a gallon of warm water or a few capfuls to a water bottle. Amazon offers a better price if you purchase a set of two bottles — that should last you all season.
If you want your spring cleaning made easy this year, check out these three great products. They’re sure to make your cleaning experience quicker and more pleasant.

5 Ways Audiobooks Can Improve Your Life (and the World)

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As early as the 1920s, people were using seminars and books on tape to learn more and better themselves. Great minds of the 20th century like Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie and Earl Nightingale recorded their speeches and talks — they’ve been heard by millions of people since then. Millions of people have been helped by their timeless words.

Today books on tape have largely been replaced with audiobooks, like the ones offered at Audible. You can now play your book of choice on your cellphone, iPad, tablet or laptop. Audible also offers audiobooks for free to new users who have an Amazon account. Here are five reasons why I think this new technology is such a great tool for the 21st century. I believe modern audiobooks will help millions more people succeed and have better lives in this and future generations.

 

  1. Audiobooks help people who aren’t the best readers.

It’s estimated that approximately 32 million adults in the United States have trouble reading or never learned how. Audiobooks allow this group of people to absorb information and get motivation by simply listening to a speaking voice. It’s almost like sitting in a lecture hall listening to a professor teach (but at a very tiny fraction of the tuition cost of course).

 

  1. Audiobooks give your eyes a much-needed rest.

550501_96602627 (Small)In the course of an average day, how often are your eyes looking at a computer screen or straining to read small printed words? eBooks can be the most tiring on the eyes because of the bright light from your e-reader’s screen. Audiobooks give your eyes a break — instead of scanning a page, you can close your eyes and allow the message or story to enter your mind.

 

  1. Listening to an audiobook allows you to multitask.

One of my favorite things about audiobooks is that I can multitask while “reading.” Whenever it’s time to vacuum my home or go on a long drive, I have my Audible audiobook queued up and ready to go. Since it’s on my cellphone, I can just plug it into my car with an auxiliary cord and press play.

 

  1. Audiobooks are good for the environment.

As much as I love the feeling of having a physical book in my hand at times and turning the pages, I can’t deny how much printed books use up paper and ink resources. My office is full of books that I’ve read and probably will never read again. With an audiobook you can consume a book once if you want, then close it and it’s stored in digital memory. If you ever want to tidy up your “library” you can just delete old books from your accounts digital storage when you want. The more people who opt for online audiobooks, the less demand for paper, which will eventually lead to more trees saved each year. If you are passionate about the Green movement or need a new initiative for your group, encourage audiobooks as an alternative way to read.

 

  1. Audiobooks are a source of relaxation and inspiration.

There are some audiobooks that I love to play over and over again simply because of the narrator’s voice. The voice of an audiobook narrator can soothe you to sleep (for me, that’s Louise Hay and Rhonda Byrne) or inspire you to action (Les Brown and Earl Nightingale). You just sit or lay back, put your headphones on and enjoy. I like to listen to a good audiobook first thing when I get up in the morning — that way I start off the day with a positive or relaxed mindset.

 

These reasons and more are why I’m passionate about spreading the word about the benefits of reading audio books. I use Audible because they’re an Amazon company and I can login using my Amazon account. They also have a convenient app for my Android phone and gave me a free audiobook when I first signed up for the service.

 

If you have trouble reading books or finding the time and motivation to read, try an audiobook today. Reading a new online audio book each month can educate, entertain, motivate and inspire you to get to a better place in your life, as it has done for me.

 

Posted by Lynn

Lynn is a guest blogger on LOH and the author of a popular motivational audiobook for women entitled Why Doesn’t He Love Me?