stop! hammock time
Maybe it’s the humid weather that has me thinking of cool breezes, but I’ve been daydreaming about spending an afternoon in a hammock for the last few days. Even though I don’t have a place to hang one, I spent a few minutes researching a hammock purchase, and thought I would share my finds. For beauty, I’d go with the Large Brazilian Cocoon Hammock from Hammock Hutch. (I can picture myself swinging between palm trees as I type!) If I were looking for a classic, I’d probably purchase the well-known rope variety — I found a good price on one at Target. Finally, if I thought I might want to share my daydream with others, I’d opt for the family size mayan-style hammock from Key West Hammocks, and pack a few friends in there with me! –Erica P.
More hammock love: hammocks that last, Fatboy hammock, seat belt hammock.
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need a bee fix? check out birdchick.com
With Chad and Angela’s hives suspended for the season, a friend sent us a link to Birdchick.com, where they’re obviously enthusiastic about the birds and the bees — so much so, their bees just got a blue ribbon at their local county fair. See all the winged action (and fantastic photos) here.
fiber cement siding: what it is and why i want it
We’ve been noticing large-plank fiber cement siding on houses around our neighborhood and we just love it. It’s modern looking and, according to our sources, it will last forever. Sounds like quite a step up from what we have now: painted wooden boards that were allowed to blister and flake before we bought our house, greatly reducing their longevity. A friend snapped the photo of a house in progress above, which resembles the shape of our house somewhat. I realize the above might be a bit too industrial for some, but with plantings completed I think the look is rather cool. We can’t afford to make any big changes to our house right now, so for the time being we’ll just keep slapping paint on it. In the meantime, though, I asked two friends — Steve, an architect, and Bo, an interior designer — to tell me more. Here’s what they had to say. –Mary T.
PS I also want the metal roofing, but that’s a different post.
Click to get info from experts on fiber cement siding! (more…)
post off: what’s your dream garden?
If I had endless time, money, and an embarrassingly enormous estate instead of a tiny urban apartment, I would have a knot garden. My dream garden would be a glamorous work of art constructed of precise hedges dipping in and out of each other. I’d wander through the gorgeous garden down the elegantly laid paths of crushed oyster shells feeling so-oh-regal. Anyone else have a fantasy garden they daydream about tending to daily? Perhaps a lush rose patch (complete with gazebo), aromatic herb garden, or maybe even a hotdog tree just like in Big Top Pee-wee? –Katie D.
Photo of Sudeley Castle Knot Garden by Flickr user dublintimmy
fixing my fruit fly problem
I admit it: I had a fruit fly problem. Fruit flies seem to go hand in hand with summertime, delicious ripe fruit, and a busy kitchen. This summer, though, I’ve taken control, and my fruit fly problem is now more like a minor annoyance. The first step is to remove the source of food. This means, for me, keeping my ripening nectarines and tomatoes wrapped securely in plastic bags until I’m ready to use them. My onions (apparently, they love onions) are now being stored in the fridge. Second step: sanitation. I clean my drains daily with baking soda and white vinegar — those pesky little buggers like to lay their eggs in the goop that resides in drains (barf). The third step — and this one’s the most rewarding — is to build a trap. I’ve tried funnels and plastic wrap over jars of overripe fruit, but I’ve found the best trap is plain old apple cider vinegar in a dish with a few drops of liquid dish soap. The soap apparently breaks the surface tension of the vinegar, causing the fruit flies to fall in and drown rather than sip and fly away. After a few days of changing the traps, you’ll notice the numbers dwindling. Does anyone else have more fruit fly solutions? — Megan B.
