Reducing Your Heating Bill

Rising energy costs, combined with the current economic situation, have caused many people to look for alternative ways of heating their homes. One of the most popular options is using a wood-burning stove or fireplace. These heating options use the natural warmth of fire to keep you home nice and toasty, and do not require propane or electricity to do so.
If you have started using this method to lower your heating costs, or if you are thinking of doing so, it is essential that you invest in a firewood rack. Firewood racks keep the wood you will burn in your stove or fireplace stacked in neat, orderly piles, so that when you need to stoke your fire, it is completely ready to go.
Order is not the only benefit of a firewood rack. If you just pile your wood on the ground, it is almost like sending out written invitations to insects and animals to come live in the pile, infest your yard, and possibly attack your children or pets. Even if you don’t have small children or pets, you certainly don’t want snakes and other possibly dangerous animals so close to your home. Wood also attracts termites, which, once they eat through your firewood pile, could easily move on to your home, especially if your wood pile is near to your house.
These are just a few reasons why it’s so important to invest in purchasing a firewood rack. You started using your wood-burning stove or fireplace to save money; don’t let a disorderly wood pile cost you more.

Outdoor Bench Options

If you are looking to add a bench to your backyard décor, there are many choices you will have to make. Not only will you have to decide what style you want and what material from which you would like your bench to be made, you will also have the option of buying a backless bench or a bench with a back.
If you choose to buy a bench that features an attached back, it will provide more support for your back while sitting. This quality will allow you to sit in your bench for a longer period of time with more comfort than a backless bench would permit. The back of the bench also provides another surface for additional adornment, allowing benches with backs to be more ornate than the simpler, backless variety.
The advantages of the wood backless bench, on the other hand, are its simplicity and its mobility. If you just want to add seating to your yard without distracting from its natural beauty, a backless bench will surely do the trick. These benches are the perfect seating choice if you are looking to create a spot from which to view a pond, waterfall, or other water feature. Wooden backless benches are also much lighter in weight than their backed counterparts, so it is much easier to transport them if you want to move your sitting area to a different spot.

Give Your Outdoor Cat a Place to Sleep

Most people have heard of a dog house. Almost anyone who has an outdoor dog knows the importance of having a place for them to call home and to shelter them from the sometimes harsh forces of the weather. However, a lot of people don’t give the same treatment to their beloved family cat.

If you own an outdoor cat, then you really should consider investing in an outdoor cat house for your pet. This house not only gives your cat a place to belong, but it also will protect him or her from the rain, snow, wind, and cold. If you have multiple cats, you can find cat houses that have room for as many cats as for which you can care. They also come in a wide variety of styles, shapes, and sizes, so you can find the perfect cat house for your backyard.

A cat is just as an important part of your family as your dog, so why shouldn’t it receive equal treatment and housing? Providing shelter for your cat is just as essential as lodging your dog, so why shouldn’t your cats have a home of their own? Take your time in shopping, and you are sure to pick out a cat house that both you and your pets can adore.

Making the Most of Your Sundial

A garden sundial is a wonderful choice to place in your yard because they will add an element of quaint charm to your decorating. However, sundials are not just decorative. They are an ancient method of keeping time, which you can still use today to determine the time.
Simply reading your sundial will give you a fairly close approximation of the actual clock time. However, if you want a more accurate reading, you’ll have to make a few adjustments.
First, you will have to alter your reading to compensate for your location within your time zone. Sundials on the eastern edge of the time zone will be about thirty minutes fast, while western edge sundials will be thirty minutes slow.

The general rules you should follow when adjusting your sundial reading as follows.
1. For every degree of longitude east of the center of the time zone you are, subtract four minutes from the time you read on your sundial.
2. For every degree of longitude west of the center of the time zone you are add four minutes to the time you read on your sundial.
3. Don’t forget about daylight savings time! During the summer, you need to add one hour to the time you read on your sundial in order to find the actual clock time.
Follow these simple rules, and your garden sundial will transform from a simple backyard decoration into an attractive timepiece!

Safe and Fun Bonfires

Spring and summer are the perfect time to gather your family together to enjoy your backyard, as well as each other’s company. One fun way to bring your family together is through a bonfire on a cool summer night, or even a chilly autumn one! Bonfires provide the perfect venue for telling stories, singing songs, and roasting marshmallows or hot dogs.
However, if you live in the city, a free-burning bonfire is out of the question. Most city and suburb codes forbid simply starting up a fire in your backyard, and with good reasons. Since suburban and urban houses and trees are so close together, your backyard bonfire could easily turn into a raging neighborhood fire. However, if you purchase an enclosed fire pit and install it in your backyard, you can enjoy night after night of safe, bonfire fun.
Fire pits come in all shapes and sizes, and are made of many different materials as well. Typically, the simpler the design, the less expensive the fire pit. If you shop around a little, you are sure to find the perfect size and style for your backyard. Don’t worry, you can have a bonfire, be safe and stay within the confines of law all at the same time; as long as you purchase a fire pit, that is!

Take a Beachside Stay-cation

Financially, times are really tough right now. I know I’ve had to start pinches my pennies more than I would like to do. However, everyone still deserves a vacation; or at least an escape from the everyday. That’s why I recommend putting a themed nautical bar in your backyard.
Start by putting any outdoor bar in your yard or on your patio. Styles that will particularly go with this theme is a tiki bar or a Hawaiian bar, but what will really drive your nautical theme home are resin nautical bar chairs.
These chairs are very reminiscent of a lifeguard chair. They feature long legs and a curved back and cradle. They are tall enough to sit at any bar, or even just at a higher table. They are made of recycled plastic, so they are good for the environment too.
Finally, be sure to top your design off with some nautical decorations and accessories. These little details will put a finishing touch on your seaside theme, and help your backyard feel more like a vacation than ever.
A nautical themed bar set will transform your yard or patio from boring to beachside. Even if you can’t afford that beach vacation this year, go ahead and take a stay-cation in your own backyard! Serve up some cocktails, kick back, and relax!

Swing or Glider?

If you are trying to decide whether to buy a classic glider swing or a suspended swing for your porch, here are a few things to take into consideration.
• Do you have a stable surface? If you want to enjoy a rocking swing in your backyard, you may want to invest in a hanging swing instead of a glider, especially if the terrain in your yard gets muddy or is uneven.
• How much room do you have? A glider takes up less space than a suspended swing, especially if the swing is hung from a stand.
• How long do you want your swing to last? Suspended swings tend to last a little longer than gliders do, because they contain fewer parts to get damaged or break down.
• Which look do you prefer? The purely aesthetic aspects of swings and gliders are just as important as any other consideration. You want a swing that you like to look at and enjoy.
These are a just a few important questions to ask yourself before you go shopping for your new porch swing. Keep these things in mind when you are trying to pick out what swing you want.