Cold Weather Getting To You? Try A Fire Pit!
As the thermostat continues to drop over the winter season, it may seem difficult to imagine a great Outdoor Living Experience for you and your family. Yes, you can head to the mountains for a day of skiing or snowshoeing, but what happens when you get home again? Where's the après ski experience? Why not continue your fun with a family gathering around your own fire pit in the back yard? According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are among the most popular outdoor additions with a 97% rating in popularity for 2013. [...]
Fried Turkey Safety Tips
Turkey. It's as American as—well—eating turkey on Thanksgiving. This patriotic bird, once promoted by Ben Franklin to be our national symbol, is the centerpiece for many holiday festivities. Question is, how do you cook such a large bird? There are the traditionalists who enjoy it roasted, of course, and those who will grill it, but a growing number of people seem to enjoy the added flavor and fun of a deep-fried turkey. The challenge to deep-frying a turkey is the bird's large size. With the average weight of a turkey being about 28 pounds, this is not a project[...]
Saving the Sights & Smells of Autumn
With the cold weather upon us, you may think that its time to be inside for the next few months. But now is a great season to take a walk out with the kids, the dog, or just on your own. Enjoy the colors and scents of autumn, and then bring them home with you. Bring them home? Yes. A walk, even in your back yard at this time of year can bring you a treasure trove of natural beauty that you can use to make your own potpourri. This ancient craft originated with the Pharaohs. The French coined[...]
It’s a Fall Wrap Up
With the first frosts behind us, and the holiday season fast approaching, November offers one last set of golden days in which to clean up the back yard and make ready for the winter months ahead. Recently, we spoke to experts in the Outdoor Living experience to help target some great clean up and winter preparation projects you may want to tackle while the weather is still reasonably warm. Adam Guilford, client services representative from DeckTec had these pieces of advice for taking good care of your deck: After putting your furniture away, this is a good time to[...]
Birds Out The Back Door
The sign on the store shelf read: "Warning! Watching television gives emotional distress—Watch birds instead." What a great idea for people of all ages. And you can watch birds right out your back door. The hobby is easy, low-cost, and ever-changing. And simply by sitting on your deck for a while, you can enjoy Outdoor Living at its finest. "You don't have to know birds, to enjoy watching them," said Scott Menough, co-owner of Lakewood's Wild Birds Unlimited, himself an enthusiast for over twenty-five years. Here in Colorado, birding is especially rewarding as we sit in the midst of[...]