her gardening blog

We have talked a lot about our plans for our outdoor area, but perhaps one of the best investments we could make for our outdoor patio would be a butcher block countertop kitchen cart. These things are a gem. First of all it is something we will use all the time outside chopping melons or vegetables for kabobs or even prepping our meat for the grill. They are also one of the few items we purchase for our outside dining experience that will find itself hijacked and used in the house just as much or more then it is used inside.

Butcher Block Countertops are the most amazing food preparation area you could ask for. The perfect cutting surface for anything you want to cut. Butcher Block is also easy to clean and lasts a long time even with having someone take knife to it everyday. Butcher Block Countertops come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are portable ones, like a cutting board on steroids, to permanently installed countertops. Perhaps though the one I like the best is the Butcher Block Kitchen Cart. On wheels so it can go where you need it, you can wheel your butcher block right up next to the stove or the grill, or you can wheel it next to the table for cutting fresh bread or melons while you are eating. Imagine wheeling your butcher block kitchen cart right up to the table and serving you guest a watermelon cut right before their eyes this summer. Makes you wish it was summer already doesn’t it.

When making our plans for our patio don’t forget to include the gem of your deck the butcher block countertop.

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As I sit here staring at my gas fireplace, my thoughts go to an outdoor gas logs firepit. I love being outside. I love being in the hot tub on a crisp day. I tend to use my hot tub long after most people have shut theirs down for the season. What I have always wanted was a glassed in room overlooking the garden with a hot tub and a nice gas fireplace. Now don’t get me wrong wood burning fireplaces are great but once you have had a gas fireplace it is really hard to go go back to wood. With a wood fireplace you have to want to buy wood or pellets for them constantly. You have to keep adding wood or pellets to them while they are running to keep them working. Not to mention having to clean ash out of them and so on. It is so wonderful when you can just flip the switch and have a nice, warm fire in minutes. Gas logs are SO much easier to use and much more convenient.

So lets talk about what we will need to have a gas logs fireplace. First we need to determine what is the area our fireplace is going to be like; Is it indoors or is it outdoors? Can we use a ventless gas log or do we need a vent? Then, of course, we need to know what company would make us a great deal on all our gas log needs? One company I know of is Hansen Wholesale. Hansen is an exclusive dealer for R. H. Peterson Real Fyre Gas Logs. They guarantee the lowest price, which is a tough claim to make these days on the internet, but they make it. Hansen Wholesale has been making this guarantee since they opening in 1994. Perhaps the best news of all is that Hansen Wholesale is currently running a $75 additional discount AND no sales tax AND FREE shipping!!! – Now how is THAT for a heck of a deal.

The shocking part of the whole gas logs fireplace decision isn’t the price, it is how many different types, styles, and options there is to choose from. That is why I love the Gas Log FAQ which helps you determine not only what there is available, but what you are looking for, how things work, why they work that way and what will work best for you.

So why not; let’s have a gas logs firepit in our backyard or screen porch area and enjoy the outdoors even more. Think of how much longer (maybe even all year long) we can enjoy the outdoors if we have a nice, blazing fire to cuddle up to while we watch the sunset.

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What is the brightest flower in our garden?

The only thing more beautiful in our garden then our favorite plant is seeing our daughter in pretty new dress smelling the flowers and beginning to develop a love for gardening like we have.

I am sure that like so many of us, when you take pictures of your children, especially one of those beautiful new girls dresses your daughter just got, you love to pose them in your garden. Though sun and rain may make our garden grow, though we may have spent countless unnoticed hours weeding, trimming, pruning and even designing and planning there is nothing that makes the flowers in our garden bloom like that bright smiling face standing next to our prize rose bush. It is as if the rose bush itself feels more alive just having the shine bright energy next to it.

I know make you want go shopping then make all the rain and/or snow stop so you can run those little cherubs outside and take a thousand pictures of them to post on Facebook. And of course if we take just a little pride in how nice our garden looks, well that’s just a personal bonus.

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The beauty of our garden always makes us happy, but if our roof is leaking or we can’t sit under the gazebo during a nice warm summer rain and enjoy watching our plants then we have a problem. In Austin Texas there is a simple solution Austin Roofing Repair.

If you are looking for Roof Repair in Austin, TX then look no further. As experts in roofing since 1999 Austin Roof Repair is there to meet your roofing needs. Whether you need to fix the roof in on your garden gazebo or your whole house need a new roof Austin Roofing Repair is the name to trust in Austin Texas for Roofing Contractors.

To enjoy your garden you must feel comfortable and enjoy your home. Don’t let a small leak become a big problem choose a company who believes in long term quality and high value in every project they take on. No matter the roofing problem in Austin Texas the solution, Austin Roofing Contractor.

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One of my favorite quotes from TV come from “Bones” where the psychiatrist Gordon Gordon tells Booth he wants to partake of that most American of traditions “preparing meat in the garden”. I don’t know about you, but I love to grill. I think there is nothing better then fresh barbequed steak or chicken. Now is the perfect time to be thinking about and purchasing your grill, and well all of your outdoor accessories. Prices are great (usually on sale). There is plenty of time to order online. Your grill has plenty of time to arrive and even be assembled or installed before grilling season starts. Whether you are looking for a high end permanently installed grill or a portable charcoal grill to take camping here is a great guide to help decide which grill to buy.

And while you are thinking about your grill you should also be thinking about those barbeque utensils and tools that make grilling outdoors so much easier. There are of course tongs and a spatula, but what about other utensils? Do you need a fork or a long handled knife to cut with? Does your grill have a working thermometer? There are so many other things you can choose from:
- Grill baskets
- Skewers
- Wood chips to add that nice, rich, smoky flavor
- A light for your grill so you can better see how things are cooking
- Pots and pans for your grill
- And so much more
After choosing all of that don’t forget things like grill covers and a grill brush to keep your grill nice and clean.

Once you are all set with the perfect grill and the utensils to cook all of your favorite foods outside, what about your outdoor furniture. How many people will be eating? Do you replace the patio furniture annually or are you looking for something that will last for a few seasons? What kind of weather does the furniture need to endure? All of these questions and so many more can be answered so that you truly get the outdoor furniture you are looking for.

Take some time now while you can to make a plan for your outdoor dining experience. Make this years outdoor cooking something you will remember for years to come.

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Whether you live in an apartment or a house, whether you have a huge backyard or your yard is the sidewalk out front window boxes can allow you to have the garden you crave. Let your inner gardener out all year long with these wonderful little gardens in a box. Now is the perfect time of year to not only think about what type of window box you might want, but also to get started planting and growing your little garden in a box indoors.

Garden Window Boxes are a fantastic way for you to have a garden in your house or just outside you window. Simple to use, flexible for any space, and the best part there are planters for any size window and even window box planter stands that you can use indoors or out.

There are, of course, the standard wooden window boxes which can be painted to match the trim or color of you house, but there are so many more options. Vinyl window boxes that go with your vinyl siding and have the same durable qualities that the siding on your house has. Most people have seen the basket style indoor or patio window box and even the window plant boxes at ground level decorating walkways, decks and sidewalks. But did you know you can also get window plant boxes in a number of different types of metal as well? There are aluminum window boxes, copper window boxes, steel, wrought iron and so on to compliment your home and garden and give it that extra special flair you are looking for this year.

All too often we find ourselves discovering a beautiful plant or flower that would go perfect with our house in the middle of summer and are saddened by the short amount of time we get enjoy them before the season is over and winter hits again. This year lets resolve to be prepared. Find your window box planters now and enjoy them all year long.

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With 2010 behind us and January rapidly slipping away now is the time to shop and prep our planters for spring. Today we would like to take a look at some planters that are not only a wonderful addition to the inside of your house, but could also transition outdoors in the spring to make your deck or patio blossom with color.

There are a number of counter top planters to choose from. There is an assortment of gorgeous traditional terracotta planters ranging from the basic to the ornate. Then of course there is the widely popular basket planter which is flexible and works with so many different decors. As well as so many new and modern types of counter top planters that include stainless steel, artistic and even a planter that has the look of brushed chrome. These counter top planters can of course go outside but they are so beautiful they may just find a permanent place in both your heart and your home.

You may find you lean more toward a more ornate decorative planter and if so you are in luck. You can find decorative planters in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are so many types to choose from:
- Ornate bowls
- Urns from small to large, basic to fancy
- Hanging baskets
- Square decorative planters
- Free Standing Window Box style planters
And SO much more

One thing for sure NOW is the time to buy while the selection is HOT and the inventory is high. Don’t let this season spring up on you. Get the jump on your planter planning now.

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People who own garden sheds or garden furniture should be looking to treat their products as the winter months could potentially cause a lot of damage.

Simple products like Ronseal have a positive impact on the length of time a wooden product lasts, so a lick of ronseal on your Garden Shed will have a positive impact.

A lick of Ronseal will also make your garden shed look good too.

This article has been supplied by garden shed company Lidget http://www.lidget.co.uk

 

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Springtime, perfect for having picnics, wearing shorts and admiring the Cherry Blossom in DC. The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an two-week (per annum) event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan.

DC Attractions include multiple festivals, museums, monuments, and more. The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization that coordinates, produces, and supports creative and diverse activities promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty and the environment, and community spirit and youth education. It’s also begins peak season for an influx of tourists to Washington, also brought in by the thousands of historical landmarks, museums, and other buildings, The National Museum of Crime & Punishment, located in Washington, D.C. is one of those such buildings, with excellent depictions of historically famous crime scenes along detailed information concerning past wars, forensics, organized crime, and more.

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Welcome to the December 24, 2008 edition of a gardening carnival.

Erika Collin presents Back to Nature: Top 100 Herbal Medicine Blogs posted at NursingDegree.net.

flowers

makingthishome presents Shopping for Locally Grown Poinsettias posted at Making This Home, saying, “Thank you for hosting. Hope you enjoy our greenhouse discovery.”

gardening

Susan Morris presents Bonsai – An Exercise In Patience posted at Bonsai Tree, saying, “Some tips for people caring for their plant.”

Giorgina Devereaux presents Garden Party Decorations posted at Home Decor Blog.

Sarah presents How to Properly Mow Your Lawn | Winter Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Many people mow their lawn too short and effectively kill it in the process.”

Susan Morris presents A Quick Introduction To The World Of Grow Lights posted at Bonsai Tree, saying, “An intro to hydroponics for our bonsai trees”

M.D. Creekmore presents Tire Garden posted at Survivalist Blog.

organic gardening

Julian Pollock presents Compost to Reduce Trash Bill and Turn Garbage into Garden Soil | Organic Family Circle posted at Organic Family Circle, saying, “Here’s an other view on organic recycling and composting to share and perhaps inspire new methods and techniques.”

Tomato Lady presents Fall Garden Tour posted at Little House in the Suburbs.

vegetables

Hortois presents Grow Early Potatoes posted at The Compost Heap.

Nora Dunn presents Gardening Down Under posted at The Professional Hobo, saying, “learning to Garden in another country always presents some challenges and opportunities. Here is a personal and humorous recount of my own (foreign) veggie garden.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form.

The next issue will be hosted at my new gardening blog, My Gardening Patch, on January 28, 2009.

Technorati tags: a gardening carnival, blog carnival.

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