Beach Accessories, Healthy Ideas, Outdoor Safety Tips, Shade Solutions

Today is Don’t Fry Day! Make Sure That Your Skin is Protected.

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Beach Umbrellas

Today (May 27th, 2011) is Don’t Fry Day hosted by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. With summer officially beginning, this is a perfect day to remind everyone to take precious care of their skin during the blazing summer months. Approximately 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 65 percent of melanomas are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun. Following these easy tips and guidelines will drastically lower your chances of developing skin cancer, and, as an added bonus, keep your skin looking beautiful for a lifetime.

  • Avoid sunburns and intentional tanning. This includes exposure to the sun as well as tanning beds.
  • Use sunscreen liberally and often when spending time outside. You should use a sunscreen with a minimum of 15 SPF when outside. People with fair skin and children should select a higher SPF. Choose a sunscreen that is broad spectrum and protects against both UVB and UVA radiation. Always reapply after swimming or excessive sweating, and follow the guidelines on the bottle to reapply every few hours even without activity. (Source: American Melanoma Foundation)
  • Wear protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses. Traditional clothing (including bathing suits) offers less than 8 SPF when wet. Unlike sunscreen, protective clothing does not wash off. Sunscreen should still be applied to exposed areas of skin. Wide-brimmed hats will offer an additional layer or shad protection to your face, and sunglasses will protect your eyes from harmful rays.
  • Protect your children! The AMF reports that 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. Childhood sunburns can definitely develop cancer-related damage into adult hood. In fact, 80% of  lifetime damage occurs during childhood. Always keep your children protected. SPF 30-50 is ideal for kids and should not be reserved exclusively for the beach. Make sure that your kids are protected during sporting events, outside play time, and even recess.
  • Utilize the shade whenever possible. Staying out of direct sun light can aid in preventing damaging sun burns. Trees offer a shade solution while camping or hiking. Beach umbrellas make a great option while spending time at the beach. Some umbrella materials offer more than shade. Sunbrella®, for example, offers umbrella canopies that offer 98% UV protection. This offers an outstanding level of protection that, when used with the options above, ensures that you can spend time in the sun without risking lasting skin damage.
Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

What George Washington Didn’t Know About 21st Century Civility

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George Washington

George Washington.  The founder of our country, first president, and man whom we admire even today for his bravery and courage was also a stickler for polite manners.  In his Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation, he instructed readers not to sleep while someone is talking to you, touch yourself in public, or blow your nose at the dinner table.  All good rules of civility that still apply today.  Some of George’s ideas about behaviors to avoid are thankfully out of date, though.  Here are just a few:

  • George wrote: “Spit not in the Fire, nor Stoop low before it neither Put your Hands into the Flames to warm them, nor Set your Feet upon the Fire especially if there be meat before it.” 

I agree that spitting in the fire is gross, and you shouldn’t prop your feet up near a fire where people’s food is cooking, but thank goodness he’s wrong about putting your hands near the flames to warm them.  What else would one do on a cool evening when gathered with friends or family around the Outdoor Fireplace?  When hands are cold, and there is a deliciously warm fire nearby, the natural instinct is to put the two together.  Warm your hands, George!  No one will think less of you for doing so.

  • George wrote: “When you Sit down, Keep your Feet firm and Even, without putting one on the other or Crossing them.” 

Clearly, George did not own an ottoman or a lounge chair of any kind on which he could prop up his feet after a busy day running the country.  In fact, keeping one’s feet firm and even doesn’t even sound comfortable.  Perhaps a rule of this sort still survives in fancy living rooms and sitting rooms.  In outdoor living areas, though, kicking back and lounging around on comfortable Patio Furniture is the only acceptable behavior, even in company.

  • George wrote: “Make no Shew of taking great Delight in your Victuals.” 

Sorry, George.  Food is one of the greatest pleasures we have, which is why cooking shows and food channels are so popular.  To not delight in one’s food, especially when that food has been carefully and lovingly prepared by friends or family, would be rude.   When we can enjoy our meals cooked outdoors on a Gas or Charcoal Grill, the delicious food combined with the fresh air makes for an even more pleasurable eating experience.  If he could experience it himself, even George would agree that a few oohs, ahhs, and yums would be acceptable.

Sure, times change, and so do ideas about appropriate behavior.  It’s fun to read George’s long list of 17th century manners and discover what is still relevant.  Not surprisingly, much of what he has to say about personal comfort and how to behave with friends has changed dramatically.  Perhaps he’d be appalled if he could see us today.  Or, perhaps he would feel a renewed sense of freedom.  Go ahead, George, kick back, enjoy your meal, and be sure to warm your tootsies by the fire.

Outdoor Fireplace / Firehouse Cosabella 3 pc. Club Chair Chat Group Electric Grills and Smokers

Garden Tools & Tips, Indoor Living Spaces, Innovative Solutions, Shade Solutions

TV and Film Technology of the Past Brought to Life!

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It’s amazing how technology grows. Gadgets and gizmos that were once used in movies and television shows to thrust views into a high-tech and unimaginable future are now, only a few decades later, a reality. Many products around your home would have seemed like science fiction to your parents and grandparents generations. Below is a fun list of products that have gone from futuristic to must-haves!

  • Back to The Future – Many products in the BTTF franchise have been produced and some are even common in today’s society. TV video phones and conferences were featured, as were holographic tvs. Companies around the world regularly use video conferencing and Skype is quickly catching on with people around the world. IMAX and 3D movies are common and available in most areas. Even Marty’s self-lacing sneakers are now being produced (Nike Hyperdunks)!
  • The Jetsons – The Jetsons are one of the best examples of tv foreshadowing modern technology. The Jetson’s home of the future is quickly becoming the home of today. Fake tanning was introduced on the show almost a decade before the first tanning bed was invented. A wealthy business man tans in his luxurious bed with artificial sun options that include “Miami, Honolulu, and Riviera”.  Robotic vacuum cleaners were frequently featured on the show and are now widely available as hands-free options to traditional house work. Other once futuristic fantasies around the home, such as motorized window shades that rise and lower at the touch of a button and robotic lawn mowers that take the work out of lawn maintenance, are Jetson-esque.
  • Jet Packs – Featured in The Jetson’s, The Rocketeer, and several other movies and tv programs, a jet pack that allows a person to fly through the air is slowly becoming a reality. Several companies and individuals around the world are working to produce an efficient jet pack. While the technology is still in its infancy, it is happening and jet packs are working around the world.

What products or technologies have you seen in recent film and television that you look forward to seeing in the future?

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining, Portable Fun

Celebrate BBQ Month with Grill Tips and a Delish Recipe

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Outdoor Grill

Did you know that May is National Barbecue Month?  What better way to celebrate it than by cooking dinner out on the back patio or deck?  Thanks to the generally pleasant weather experienced by much of the country in May, you can celebrate National Barbecue Month just about every night.

What type of Outdoor Grill do you prefer to use?  Gas Grills and Charcoal Grills are perhaps the most popular grills found in backyards across the country, but Electric Grills, Brick Ovens, and even Portable Grills make cooking out with family and friends a delicious affair, too.   If you don’t already own a grill, or if you’re in the market for a new one, make sure to consider the following questions when you go to buy:

  1. How much space do you have for storing and using a grill?  Know where you want to put a grill and measure that space so you know what size limitations you’re working with.
  2. How do you want to power your grill?  For example, some people prefer to use charcoal grills because of the flavor it adds to the food, while others like to have optimum control over the temperature of the flame and choose gas.
  3. How much cooking surface will you need?  Larger families require a larger cooking surface so that everyone’s food can fit on the grill at the same time.  Small families, on the other hand, may not require as much cooking surface.
  4. What kind of features are most important to you?  A grill that is easy to clean?  Easy to move around? One with a warming rack above the main grill surface? Or with additional work space and grilling tool hooks?  Knowing what features you require will help you narrow the field of choices.

With a grill at the ready, you can celebrate National Barbecue Month this month as well as all summer long.  While you’re at it, you can easily celebrate National Hamburger Month, too, which is also in May.  Here’s a delicious hamburger recipe to get you motivated:

Teriyaki Hamburgers

  • 1-1/2 pounds of lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • 2 slices of white bread, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons of sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Blend well.  Shape mixture into 6 patties.  Grill for 10-15 minutes about 5 inches from the flame, turning once.  Serves 6.  Enjoy!

Backyard Fun

Upgrade Swing Sets for Summer

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Back to Back Glider Swing Trapeze Bar Super Tube Spiral Slide Sandbox Kit
You probably already know that wooden swing sets are a great way to provide fun and exercise to your children without leaving your home. If fact, many of you probably own one of these versatile sets. If you do, summer is the perfect time to consider upgrading and adding new and exciting accessories. Children often get bored easily and look for more challenging or entertaining activities. These swing set accessories will re-engage your children and add fun new elements to your set.

  • Exciting Belt Swing Alternatives: Do regular belt swings seem boring to your kids? Surprise them with a back to back glider swing or trapeze bar to instantly change their swinging dynamic.
  • Super Slides: Is your regular slide worn? Just looking for something more interesting? A tube spiral slide is perfect for sets with a deck height of at least 7 ft. and with a 275 lb. weight limit, parents might even sneak in a slide!
  • Detached Sand Box: Looking for a way to add outdoor fun for younger siblings? With a wooden sand box kit, you can build a sand box to match your swing set, complete with matching canopy top. It will blend beautifully with your set and provide an extra level of fun.
  • Rock Walls, Rope Ladders, and Monkey Bars: Create an interesting way to climb on your set. Rock walls are easy to build and come in sets with 5-20 handles to create a custom climbing experience and varying degrees of difficulty. A rope ladder is perfect for upper arm and leg strength development. It is also perfect for pretend play (think pirates and castle walls). Monkey bars are also a classic, but exciting, way to introduce new skilled play elements.
  • On Set Games: A Tic-Tac-Toe Spinner panel will create park-quality play time for your little ones. They are easy to install and will create hours of game time for kids of all ages.

Add one or more of these exciting accessories to create additional fun and family time for the children in your life!
Rock Wall Kit Rope Ladder Monkey Bar Kits Tic Tac Toe Spinner Kit