Author: Sara May

Holidays & Gift Ideas, Outdoor Entertaining

Give Thanks for Your Handy Grill Master

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Grilling Gift Basket

Grill Masters everywhere are already plotting and planning what divine delicacies to grill up for family and friends on Thanksgiving day.  Whether your resident grill master likes to experiment or prefers to stick to tried and true recipes, you can show your appreciation this season with a festive gift basket filled with grilling tools, marinades, spice rubs, and other grill accessories.

No matter what the occasion, it is hard to go wrong with gift baskets because they can be customized to match the tastes and preferences of the recipient. Many gift baskets already made exclusively for grilling enthusiasts contain a fun combination of practical and exotic items that would appeal to most outdoor chefs, so taking the time to put a gift basket together on your own would not be necessary.

Surprising the grill master in your life with a basket of new grilling toys will surely put a smile on the face and some delicious food on the table for everyone to enjoy.

Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

A Unique and Practical Outdoor Focal Point

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Outdoor Chiminea Fireplace

Looking for a unique but practical focal point for your outdoor living space?  Outdoor fireplaces are practical, but not always unique.  Unless you choose a chiminea, that is.

Chimineas are a different kind of outdoor fireplace. Chimineas were originally developed in Mexico as a means for heating the home and cooking food. The design of chimineas, which is reminiscent of the pot belly stove with a round, mostly enclosed firebox and tall stack, allows fires to light quickly and burn longer than in a traditional outdoor fireplace, which has an open firebox. Additionally, the design of chimineas prevents rain from extinguishing the fire.

Chimineas were traditionally constructed of clay or terra cotta and worked well in warmer, drier Mexican climates, but for superior durability and performance in colder climates, the preferred material for backyard chimineas is heavy duty metal, such as cast iron or cast aluminum. In cold temperatures and harsh weather conditions, clay or terra cotta chimineas tend to flake, crack, or crumble. Metal chimineas are beautifully designed and easily become the decorative focal point in any elegant outdoor living space. Chimineas are outdoor fireplaces with real character and style.

Environmentally Friendly Ideas, Garden Tools & Tips

Don’t Let Autumn Leaves Go to Waste

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Did you know that upwards of 60 percent of the waste generated by the average U.S. household could be recycled or composted? Unfortunately, only 8 percent of American waste is composted, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Did you also know that yard waste, such as fallen autumn leaves, makes up nearly 20% of all garbage created every year? When put into landfills, organic matter like food, leaves, and grass trimmings take up a significant amount of space and play a large role in the creation of methane gas, a greenhouse gas that “remains in the atmosphere for approximately 9-15 years…and is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

Compost BinComposting food and yard wastes is easy, especially when using a purchased compost bin. Building a compost pile on your own is certainly an option, but compost bins on the market come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and often make the process of composting much simpler. No matter how you choose to compost your organic wastes, the advantages of composting are undeniable. Composting helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gases and other air pollutants that would be generated as a result of simply throwing organic wastes into the local landfill or incinerator. Composting also saves money by providing you with free fertilizer for your garden. Finally, compost puts nutrients back into the soil, making your garden soil richer and plants healthier.

Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

A Hot Idea for Increasing Restaurant Traffic this Season

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Commercial Patio Heater

Restaurant owners and managers would agree that the struggling economy isn’t helping to increase business in their establishments.  Now that colder weather is on the way, restaurants and cafes that rely at least partially on patios and other outdoor spaces for serving hungry customers may see an even more dramatic decrease in business.

Preventing this double whammy to the bottom lines of restaurants all over the country can be as simple as ensuring that outdoor dining spaces remain comfortable for patrons, even when temperatures plummet.  Setting up commercial patio heaters throughout patio dining areas is one easy solution for providing comfortable warmth on frigid days.  By taking this step, restaurant owners and managers can increase the likelihood that patrons who might normally stay home to dine on cold days will decide instead to enjoy their dinner al fresco thanks to the warm glow of a commercial patio heater.

Insect Control, Storage Solutions

Tips for Storing Seasoned Firewood

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Firewood Rack

Storing your seasoned firewood properly is an important consideration, and there are any number of options available. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when deciding how and where to store your seasoned firewood.

Convenience and Insect Deterrence

Seasoned firewood that you plan to use for the upcoming winter should be easy to access, but storing logs against an outside wall of your home is not recommended. Firewood can attract insects, and if logs are stored next to the house, pests can enter your home or cause damage to your home’s exterior. Some of the best, most convenient places to keep seasoned firewood are next to a fence or next to the shed or other outdoor storage building. If you suspect that your firewood may be crawling with critters, do not give into the temptation to spray the firewood with pesticides because burning these logs will create harmful toxic vapors.

Protection From Moisture

So that your firewood burns efficiently, it should stay dry while outdoors. If there is enough room available inside your outdoor shed or storage building, then firewood can be stored easily there. Alternatively, a simple tarp can be used to cover your firewood to prevent it from taking in moisture from rain or snow. Tarps are inexpensive and can be tied down easily to prevent them from blowing away. If your stack of firewood is stored in a place on your property that is not visible to passersby, then choosing to cover the stack with a tarp will not negatively affect your home’s “curb appeal.”

Elevation and Air Circulation

If stored directly on the ground, firewood can soak up moisture and attract insects. Storing your firewood in a sturdy Firewood Rack will keep your logs elevated, promote air circulation, and deter pests and wood rot. A Firewood Rack can be hand made from wood, but a rugged tubular steel-framed Firewood Rack is rot-proof and rust-proof, easy to assemble, and comes in multiple sizes, so you should be able to find one that fits the space in which you plan to store your firewood.

Properly storing your seasoned firewood will ensure that you have easy access to it when it’s needed without also sending an invitation to pests to invade your home. Proper storage will also keep your firewood dry while at the same time encouraging air circulation. By following these simple tips, you will be sure to enjoy long-burning, low emission fires throughout the winter season.