Outdoor Entertaining, Portable Fun

Portable Grills Go Everywhere — Even Your Own Back Yard

1 Comment

Picnic With a Portable Grill

Fall is on our doorstep, so it’s time to hit the road for some serious tailgating.  What is a football game, college or pro, without a parking lot party beforehand?  Juicy burgers and monster bratwurst are on the menu, along with grilled veggies and some ice cold beverages.  No tailgating party can be complete without a portable grill to cook all of that delicious food.  You’ll make fast friends with everyone within range of the tempting aromas your grill creates.

Whether you prefer cooking on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or infrared grill, portable grills rival any full sized grill in cooking quality, plus you can take them just about anywhere you go.  If tailgating parties aren’t your cup of java, then you can bring your portable grill on your next camping or boating trip and nourish your family and friends with a hearty breakfast of pancakes and bacon as the sun rises over the horizon.  Or, you may prefer to travel only as far as your own balcony or back patio.  Apartment dwellers and homeowners with small patios appreciate portable grills for their ability to save precious space while allowing the residents to enjoy the same delicious outdoor delicacies that only a grill can produce.

Outdoor Living Spaces

Easy Way to Cover Outdoor Furniture

2 Comments

Outdoor Patio Furniture Cover

As much as I may want to enjoy my backyard patio, deck, and garden year round, sometimes the weather just gets too cold, or too hot, for comfort. Last year when it was finally time to head for the indoors, I pushed and pulled my patio furniture under my porch and some into my garage.  I can hardly make room for my car so I don’t know what I’m thinking trying to store furniture in the garage too.  There is really no great place for me to store bulky furniture and so each year I watch the rain and snow age it a little more.  By the time I have to buy new furniture because the other is worn out I could have protected it with a cover and saved money in the long run.    Your patio furniture may be weather resistant and able to withstand tough elements like ice, snow, and torrential rains, but you can extend the life of your outdoor furniture by covering each piece with a high quality, durable Outdoor Furniture Cover.  Make sure to buy Protective Covers and  NOT slip covers.  Protective covers are meant to help protect your outdoor furniture and accessories from harsh winter weather. I also found out that these covers are not meant to be form fitting.

In the long run I believe outdoor furniture covers will cover alot more than just my furniture.  They will cover my wallet too because I won’t be shopping for more patio furniture!

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining

Safe Backyard Campfires Increase Family Fun

Comment

Fire Ring

One of the most attractive parts of camping in the woods is enjoying a blazing campfire and all that it inspires…campfire songs, roasted marshmallows, and family togetherness.  Packing up the car with tents, food, sleeping bags, and all the other accoutrements of camping can be time consuming, though, and it’s not always worth it to do all that work for just a night or two of camping out in the woods.

If the campfire is what you love most about camping, then consider camping out in the backyard.  Set up the tents and sleeping bags behind your house, and create your own safe backyard campfire with a fire bowl, fire pit, or fire ring.  All of these choices do the job of containing a fire and make it easy to extinguish the fire once it’s time to pack it in for the night.  Most fire bowls, fire pits, and fire rings are portable, so you can still take them on a traditional camping trip in the woods or to a bonfire on the beach.  S’mores, anyone?

Innovative Solutions, Outdoor Entertaining

Outdoor Televisions: TV Watchers Return to Nature

Comment

My husband’s dream…to sit out on the patio or by the pool, cool drink in hand, hot wings by his side, watching his favorite football team.  No, his favorite team won’t be stopping by to scrimmage in the yard; he’ll be able to watch them on an all-weather outdoor television.  Oh, yes.  What could be better as summer winds down than to enjoy the cooler days outdoors while watching a favorite team or favorite show?  You could even enjoy a romantic evening under the stars watching Casablanca or When Harry Met Sally.

An outdoor all-weather television is not your standard variety TV.  It is specially made to be installed and used in an outdoor living space, whether on the patio or pool side.   All-weather TVs are a natural choice for outdoor restaurants and cafes, and they liven up any backyard barbecue or pool party.  Some all-weather TVs even come with watertight, floating remote controls so you can enjoy a swim while surfing the channels.

What happens when the rain falls or when exuberant swimmers splash the television?  Nothing.  All-weather and watertight enclosures protect the Outdoor TV’s components from elements such as rain, dirt, insects, scratches, sun, and extreme temperatures.   Additionally, the TV’s screen is much brighter than a standard TV screen to overcome outdoor glare.

Get the popcorn popping and the root beer flowing…we’re going outside for some quality outdoor TV time!

2300-Backyard

Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

Time Stands Still With Outdoor Fireplace

Comment

Outdoor Fireplace

I want more time in my life to be still, quiet and spent with my family.  “Time” is so precious and unless I consistently review my priorities it can slip away just like that.  I can talk about priorities all day long but until I take action they are just words.

Certain environments create more of an opportunity for reflection and quiet conversation.  An easy one for me has been to purchase an outdoor fireplace.  They come in a variety of styles and sizes so finding the perfect one for our home was easy.

Sometimes after dinner as the sun sets we will gather around the fire and talk about our day.  My kids usually ask if we have all the makings for smores.  And if we don’t they are happy to roast marshmallows or just sit back and watch the fire.

What a challenge to make time with my family a priority and when I do the reward is always instantaneous.