Beer’s to You This St. Patrick’s Day
Time to get your green on. Denver will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day from today on, with parades, music, corned beef, and—beer. The Denver St. Patrick's Day parade starts at 20th and Wewatta streets this Saturday, March 15, at 9:30 am. Its festivities are free, but be aware that downtown parking spots are not. If you're more of a traditionalist, the actual holiday is Monday, March 17. And if you're looking for a fun way to celebrate, you may want to go in search of green beer. This "traditional" drink of leprechauns is a great way to celebrate the coming of spring, and is easy to make at home. Simply put a few drops of green food coloring in the bottom of your mug and add in some of the lighter colored beers available on the market—Coors light, Budweiser, or one of the Millers. Just don't ask for green beer at any of the numerous microbreweries around town. Green beer to these folks is a "sacrilege" according to Jules Hoekstra, part owner and Brew Ambassador Extraordinaire[...]
Seeding Your Vision
As the last vestiges of winter cling about our yards, tiny rays of hope for a bright spring emerge. Crocuses have begun to dot the landscape, and buds are starting to show when you step close to trees and bushes. It feels as though gardeners are beginning to line up at the starting gate in a race for plantings to begin. Why not put your enthusiasm on a fast track by indulging in a trip to your local garden center and splurging on a few packets of seeds? Although we are still early in the planting season, believe it or not, now is the time to plan your garden, especially if you want to grow vegetables and flowers from seed. We talked to Chris Ibsen of O'Toole's Garden Center for some great tips on working with seeds. Chris is part of O'Toole's University, a set of classes for gardeners of all experience and knowledge levels that run on Saturdays through the end of March. Chris said that there are four kinds of seeds for gardeners[...]
Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Time
Welcome to springtime in the Rockies. It won't be long before we'll be enjoying longer days and outdoor temperatures that entice us out back door to enjoy our yards and decks to the fullest. Crocuses will jump out of the soil with cheerful sparkles of purple and white and soon after, our neighborhoods will be a riot of color. But springtime is also the time for maintenance of our homes and yards. And one of the best first maintenance projects of the season is to take a walk. A walk? Really? Walking is a chore on the to-do list? Absolutely. Walking and looking around your home and yard is one of the best first tasks of spring. As Vince Stover of DeckTec put it, "Would you really neglect a room of your home for four months, then suddenly hold a party in it without checking the area for safety and beauty?" Vince said it is not uncommon for people to plan their first barbeques of the year without a thorough once over of their deck. [...]
Honk if you love Canada Geese
They're big and beautiful or they're obnoxiously present. They are loud and contentious or they are pleasant and only nest protective. Whether positive or negative, it seems that just about everyone has strong feelings for the Canada goose. So we asked a couple of local bird experts to let us in on some interesting information about a bird once threatened, yet now prolific across North America. Scott Menough of Wild Birds Unlimited spoke about a specific Canada goose pair that chose to nest immediately outside the radio station where he does his Saturday morning radio show, BirdTalk. "They put up crime tape to protect the birds," said Scott on a chuckle. "Imagine. The same people who cussed on the golf course about them, watched in fascination as the goslings grew." And that pretty much sums up the problem. Canada geese are delightful to watch as their flocks fly across the sky in vee formations, or as they waddle around our lives, but the feces they leave at their favorite places make problems for people. Research has[...]
Springing Into Action with the Colorado Home & Garden Show
Yes, it's been a very cold, very snowy winter this year. And the weather reporters are not likely to give warmer reports for some time to come. But at DeckTec, spring is just around the corner. How do we know this? The Colorado Home and Garden Show starts this week and kicks off the building season for DeckTec's community. Are you ready? Will you come to the show? The Colorado Home and Garden Show runs today through February 23 and will help inspire your home improvement and garden plans for this spring. With over 1,400 booths and an acre of gardens, there's something for everyone. Here's what we mean: First, representatives from the DeckTec community will have booths to visit. Be sure to check out great fireplaces and fire pits from Colorado Comfort and our friend, Dave Hall. They have booth #314 and will be happy to help answer your questions on the best in outdoor fireplaces. Then stroll over to booth #716 where you'll talk with Peter Stuart of the California Redwood Company. He'll be[...]
The Hidden Health Benefits of Winter Outside
As temperatures dance around the bottom of our thermometers this winter, you may want nothing more than to crawl inside under a blanket and forget about going outdoors. You may want to wait until the crocuses pop up once more in springtime before venturing out. No one can blame you for this, but try to think things over again. Enjoying the great outdoors, even in your back yard, offer opportunities to enjoy a healthier winter this year. First, consider air quality. We spoke with Dr. Jennifer DenBlyker of Fluid Chiropractic who said that breathing in outdoor air is better for you than working with the recycled air of homes and offices. "It may be uncomfortable to breathe cold air," said Dr. Jen. "This is because air needs to be filtered and warm. Try to breathe in through your nose at all times, as this will heat the air properly for your lungs." She also recommended pulling a scarf around your face and nose in the coldest weather. "That way you have another layer of heat and[...]
Winter Care for the Denver Garden
On one day, temperatures skyrocket into the sixties, and the next, they plummet to zero. The sun blazes away for weeks, and then suddenly hides behind a wall of grey clouds. Welcome to a Denver winter season. And with climate change, no stable temperatures or weather conditions are likely for some time to come. What's a gardener to do with this situation? Are there ways to ensure that your yard survives the roller coaster of temperatures and precipitation? Recently, we had a chance to check in with local landscape designer, Annie Houston, of Columbine Design, Inc., a sister company to Birdsall & Co. She helped level out what good gardeners should do to keep a healthy yard and garden throughout the winter. "The most important thing to remember," said Annie, "is that gardeners need to trust their own green thumbs, and then, of course, to water even in the winter." She said that the amount of snow we receive in this part of the country is not enough to feed the roots of any new[...]
What Is The Best Grade Of Wood For My Deck?
Wood. We knock on it for luck. We walk on it for support. We make furniture, boxes, and all sorts of useful items from this readily available commodity. There is a timeless beauty to wood, even in the age of technology. So why would anyone consider using any other material to build the centerpiece of their back yard—the backyard deck? Recently, we had the chance to talk with Marketing Manager, Kelly Lusa, of the California Redwood Company (CRC) to go over why a wood deck still makes great sense for the beauty and value of your home. "You can't go wrong with redwood for a deck," said Kelly. She explained that of all the options available for people wanting to build a deck, this is one of the best. "Redwood's a product known for its beauty and sustainability. It's also easy to work with, and if installed by someone who knows what they're doing, a redwood deck can last for decades." Kelly mentioned other kinds of wood a homeowner could invest in, such as Ipe,[...]
Keep your ideas organized
There's no doubt that when you're in the process of planning your new outdoor living space that you'll be doing quite a bit of research. It may involve perusing the Internet or making a Saturday afternoon outing to a variety of home and garden material stores. Here are some handy apps and web sites we think will help you capture and organize your ideas: 1. Pinterest. Are you pinning? This web site is the modern day equivalent of clipping all those dreamy photos out of home & garden magazines. Organize your boards by features, styles, concepts or anything else you can think of. 2. Evernote. This app is great because it integrates with both your smart phone and your desktop computer, allowing you to take notes on the go and access the files when you get home. One of the most handy features is the ability to tag both notes and images so you can keep them organized by type. Download the app: Apple | Android 3. QR Code readers. Everyone's beginning to use these funky[...]
7 tips to make the most of your home show visit
It's home show time! Are you ready? We are very excited about participating in the annual Colorado Home and Garden Show for the 24th consecutive year. It kicks off this weekend at the Colorado Convention Center and we'll be there looking for YOU! Whether you're a seasoned home show veteran or this is new territory to you, here are some tips on how to get the most out of your home show experience: Have a reason. Whether you're attending for inspiration or you have a specific project in mind, know why you are spending time at the show in the first place. With almost 700 exhibitors, there is surely something for everyone. Make a plan. Now that you know why you're going, grab a floor plan and a cup of coffee and plan out your time at the show. Have an idea of which exhibitors (or which types of vendors) you want to visit and find out where they are located on the show floor. From there, you can formulate a plan of attack. Be sure[...]
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