Coastline Treasures

When I was a little girl, and even still today, I would love swinging.  I always felt so liberated when I was swinging.  The feeling of sailing swiftly towards the clouds, and then falling back and doing it again is almost beyond words.  It was the closest I could get to flying.

It never mattered what time of swing I was on.  It could be a traditional swing, a garden swing, or even a cotton hammock.  The feeling of endless possibility was always the same.  To this day, swinging is a great way to just escape.

When a bird is trying to find a birdhouse, he is looking less for the nautical birdhouse, though we want these for aesthetic purposes, but for the same things we look for in a home, protection.  It is essential for the bird that the house will keep it, and it’s family, safe from predators as well as give easy access to food and water.  Keep in mind the types of common predators the birds need protection from.

Birds have many different predators, even in a safe backyard.  Dogs may get young birds during nesting season, and cats are always a threat.  Squirrels may try to eat the eggs; protective sheet metal will help prevent this.  Other wild animals, such as snakes and raccoons, are also threats.  To cut down on the possibility of predator attacks, mount your birdhouse to a metal pole instead of to a tree or hanging from a branch.

The patio in your backyard is a great place to entertain guests or just relax.  But unless you enjoy sitting on cement, garden furniture is a must.  Unfortunately, patio furniture can be very expensive.  Building your own furniture is a great and easy way to save money.  With a quick trip to your local home improvement store, you can build yourself a great patio set.

A table with benches is a great simple piece of furniture for your yard.  And all you need to build your own is the wood, basic tools like a hammer and a drill, clamps.  Once you have your materials, its time to begin building.  Start by building the table.  Cut each piece to the size you want it.  Then build the base.  Once the base is constructed, secure the table top.  Now move on to the benches, the basic idea is the same.  Make sure everything is securely fastened to avoid breaking. 

While building your own furniture may take more time than just purchasing it, you will be saving a significant amount of money.  Also, the endeavor is a great family project.

It’s all too easy to forget that birdhouses can offer a multifaceted appeal. They are obviously appreciated by birds because of the valuable shelter they provide. Birdhouses allow birds to lay their eggs and tend to them without interference from predators or the elements. And of course they act as a safe haven during a storm. But birdhouses can also be appreciated for entirely different reasons.

Birds don’t much care about a birdhouse’s aesthetic appeal, but people certainly do. The best birdhouses fit in with the exterior décor of a home. If you live in a seaside bungalow, for instance, a beach birdhouse offers an excellent complement. Likewise, a lakeside cottage retreat is accentuated perfectly with a fishing cabin birdhouse.

You just bought a lighthouse birdhouse to add a little decoration to your garden, but where is the most functional place to put it?  Well, that is up to the birds really.  When trying to find the best place in your backyard for the bird house consider, of course, what type of bird you are trying to attract.  Then, pay attention to the natural patterns of this type of bird and try to recreate it.  If you notice the bird likes a certain type of tree or bush, putting the house next to these would be appropriate. 

There are other things to consider when placing your birdhouse as well.  Birds generally like a direct flight path, so keeping the entrance easily accessible is important.  Also, keep the entrance away from direct, hot sunlight.  A little morning sun is okay.  Finally, if you can, keep the entrance away from prevailing winds so rain doesn’t fly in.  By following these ideas, you have a better chance of having your birdhouse occupied.

Have you ever noticed that there are thousands of different options for garden décor?  It comes in all different shapes, styles, colors, and mediums so anyone can find something.  Some types of garden décor are even particular to where you live.  If you live in a heavily forested area, or an area with lots of wild animals, it is common to put statues of these animals in your garden.  If farm life is your way of living, add windmills, farm signs, and animal statues.  If you live near the water, a nautical or marine type décor may be more suitable.

When deciding on a style for your garden décor, determine what suits you and your home the best.  If you have a traditionally decorated home, matching your garden will give a nice uniformed look.  Using simple furniture and accents will give your garden a homey and relaxing feeling.  If you have a more modern style, try using metals in your backyard to give your garden a contemporary feeling as well.  Your décor will always be unique, and you will always be able to find just what is right for you.

A welcome sign is the first friendly gesture a person gets when arriving somewhere.  But not all are actual signs; different cultures have ways of welcoming people and saying hello.  Here in America, the common greeting is a handshake.  A firm handshake is a sign of respect.  But in other countries, a handshake is impersonal, or even unknown.

The way other cultures greet a person, whether it be a total stranger or someone very familiar to them, is very interesting.  In Polynesia, the customary greeting is a warm embrace followed by a few hardy pats on the back.  In France, people greet each other by kissing each other on the cheek.  In Chile, it is extremely important to make direct eye contact with a person.  In Japan, a bow is customary.  Also, in many other cultures, it is customary to stand very close to a person, unlike here where personal boundaries are respected.

A nice greeting is always a great way to make a new friend and make someone feel welcomed.  So, whether it is with a sign, or a gesture, make sure you are always welcoming.

There is nothing more relaxing than spending a calming afternoon outdoors.  Hammock chairs are a great way to sit, swing, and take in the pleasures of your garden.  They have the comfort of a hammock, but allow you to sit up and enjoy the sights in your garden.  Hammock chairs hang beautifully from an awning on the patio or from a study tree.  They are a great way to add tropical bliss to your backyard.

If you don’t have a place to hang a chair in your backyard, but you still want a hammock chair, there is still a way.  The chairs have a special hook that you drive into the awning to allow it to hang.  This same hook can be put in the ceiling of a room and you can enjoy the comforts of the hammock right in your home.  Adding a hammock chair to a beach-themed bedroom is a great way to accent the room in a creative and fun new way.

Decorative wall plaques come in many different styles with many different purposes and can be used in the home or in the garden.  Common outdoor plaques include ones with a family crest, surname, or address.  Putting your street number on a plaque is a great way to make your address noticeable and add flair to the front of your home.  Plaques with a crest or surname add a touch of elegance and class to your outdoor décor.

Indoor plaques also add a touch of beauty and elegance to the home.  Indoor plaques can also display a crest or surname, or any other personal touch.  They can also be purchased to add accent to any décor. 

Both indoor and outdoor plaques can be hand created, purchased at any décor store, or specially ordered to add the right touch to your home.

Decorative birdhouses have a much more practical use than just adding flair to your garden.  There are over fifty North American species of birds that will reside in birdhouses.  Birdhouses also help to add refuge to birds that have lost their natural habitats.  Particularly in more suburban regions, birdhouses are particularly essential because development destroys much of the natural nesting areas.

But birdhouses are not one size fits all.  Because different species of birds have different behavioral and physical characteristics, one birdhouse style of birdhouse may not be suitable for the birds in your region.  A bird will only nest in a birdhouse if the habitat is conducive to them.  Also, because of size variations, try adding many different sizes of birdhouses to your yard as to attract more feathered friends to your garden.