Coastline Treasures

The hammock has been around for approximately 1,000 years and was created in Central America by the Mayan Indians using a web-like design which is still in use today.  It is considered to be the most comfortable of all hammocks.  The earliest hammocks were made from the bark of the Hamak tree and woven together.  Due to extensive trade routes, hammocks became a mainstay throughout Central and South America with hammocks evolving into cloth, fabric, cords and rope.

Hammocks have been used for in the military, prisons, beaches and inside homes for comfort, portability and for their space saving abilities.  It wasn’t until the 1880’s that hammocks became popular in North America with millions being sold.  Over 100 million people worldwide; Africa, China, Philippines, Central and South America, and many more countries use hammocks everyday for beds and furniture.  It wasn’t until the last 50 years or so that the cotton hammock became popular!  Be sure to try one out, you may be hooked.

There are many ways to transform a garden into a warm, inviting outdoor living space. A garden must have its own personality. This can be created by choosing the plants and flowers you want to grow. The décor and garden furniture must be chosen carefully as well.

A hammock can be perfect for that lazy afternoon retreat. An arbor, the most common of which are cedar arbors, can bring magic to the garden. Flowering vines can complete an arbor’s look. A bench can be attached to the harbor for it to be a cozy place to read a book or meditate.

One can easily take the humdrum yard and make it exhilarating.  Take a few minutes and examine your yard.  When entering your yard, what do you see first?  What’s next?  Do you have any accent items such as stepping stones, benches, birdhouses?  Do they make an impact?  Are they too small or too big where they are placed?  These are just a few questions you should ask while exploring your yard.  Once you take inventory you can create a plan to make changes.

Sometimes it is best to remove the items that you have and start over or you may choose a few items to keep and discard the rest.  Be sure that where ever you place your items, they can be seen and make an impact on the area. Things to consider are; their size in relationship to the plants, competition with other decorative items such as stones, water elements, pots and so on.  Groupings will make an impact as long as they have elements in common such as texture or color.  A favorite item to include is metal yard art as its texture lends a nice contrast to plants.  Whether you like shiny metal or rustic aged metal; both will look spectacular when transforming your yard.

While on a trip to Tybee Island in Georgia, we went on a boat trip taking us through the bay and up the river.  The waters were clear and the sun made each wave sparkle in its light.  We could see many birds; I was especially delighted by the pelicans.  They were fun to watch as they circled then drove to catch their prey.  We could see the occasional fish jumping up into the air and the dolphins playing in the wake of the boat.

What was the most surprising to me where the numerous lighthouses, day beacon and buoys.  At every turn there they were marking the path keeping us safe and leading the way.  I was intrigued by the different lighthouse figurines; some were on the shoreline and some were in the waters.  I was told that the tides make the travel treacherous without their guidance.  What I did not realize was that the lighthouses in water were on dry land at low tide.  I was glad to know that these sea markers were there to safely guide our way.

Here is a week-end project that will be fun for the entire family; making a beach birdhouse.  Start by getting a plain wooden birdhouse; you can build one or buy one at your local home building supply store.  Next, go to your local craft store and search the isles for miniature beach scene items.  It can be a beach ball, surf board, beach chair, life rings, crabs or anything else you desire.  Pick up sky blue, ocean blue, sand and white craft paint.  You won’t need much; the small 4-6 ounce bottles will do the trick.

Be sure to prime the wood of the birdhouse before beginning.  Once dry, paint the roof sky blue and the house sand color allowing time for it to dry before adding clouds to the sky and ocean blue along the base of the house.  Using a hot glue gun, add your miniatures along the house creating your beach scene.  Once done, hang it in your yard and watch your feathered friends enjoy a day at the beach!

Dolphin art and statuary have been memorialized throughout history.  The Triton Fountain of Rome, Italy by the greatest sculpture of the Baroque period, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is one example.  Built in 1642 of travertine, this fountain was the first of its kind for the reception of public waters.  Built to provide water from the Acqua Felice aqueduct for public water use as well as a decorative fountain, all previous fountains were passive basins.

The Triton fountain features a muscular Triton, a merman, who in ancient Greco-Roman legend is a minor sea god.  Kneeling on an open scallop and with a conch shell to his lips creates the venue for the fountain’s water.  At the base of the fountain are four dolphins with their mouths open and tails entwined holding the scallop.  This dolphin décor fountain is just one example of history and art using dolphins.

When we think of wall plaques we often think of awards; photos with a plaque labeling the event, trophies, and other accomplishments.  But decorative wall plaques can be much different than these that are well suited for the office.  In 1848, the French used the word plaque as a definition for an ornamental pate or tablet.  Since then, the definition has expanded tremendously; today there are gamut’s of definitions.

Today’s decorative wall plaques come in all shapes, sizes, and materials.  They can be used inside or outside depending on the materials used, metal, woods, or stone.  They can be incorporated into wall groupings of photos or stand alone to make a statement.  Outside they create a decorative element to add to the décor.  When choosing a wall plaque, choose one that will fit into your present décor; classical, contemporary, chic.  Wall plaques add style and dimension to an otherwise flat arena.

If you have a few hours and some basic tools, you can build a decorative birdhouse for your yard.  This is a great project to include children.  While working together you can teach about birds, building and safety with tools.  First you need to gather the necessary tools; saw, hammer, screwdriver, goggles, paint brush and a tape measure.  Now gather the supplies; plywood, wooden dowel, screws, wood glue, nails, sandpaper, and exterior paint.  Once you have everything, you are ready to get started.

Cut two rectangles cutting the tops so it forms a peak for the roof.  This will be the front and back walls. Drill a ½” diameter hole in one of the rectangles for the bird’s entrance.  Pre-drill a ¼” hole for the wooden dowel to create a perch.  Cut two rectangles for the side walls and 2 for the roof as well as one piece for the floor.  Glue the sides and roof together letting it dry.  Once dry enough nail it all together.  Turn the birdhouse over and screw the floor in place, no gluing.  During the off season, you can remove the floor of the decorative birdhouse and clean it out.  Go ahead and sand and paint creating the look you want.  Be sure not to paint the inside as bird will not nest if painted.  Have fun and get creative.

Birds are fun to watch and who doesn’t like the chipping sounds that they bring to your yard?  You have hung your decorative birdhouses and now are waiting for visitors.  To get our feathered friends to pay us a visit be sure to have fresh water available at all times.  A simple bird bath with two inches of water is needed.  If the bath is brightly colored it can actually confuse the birds and they won’t stick around.  Next, be sure to have food close by where predators cannot get to it.  Birds will not come if they feel threatened or their food is gone!  Try to make the area as safe as possible.

Once you have done all these things, sit back, relax and watch to see who comes for a visit and maybe will even stay for awhile.

The Sandpiper is abundant in North America with their population in the millions.  These small birds are a familiar scene running along the seashore and in mudflats.  These wading birds have long legs with slender bills to forge their food in the sand or mud.  They mainly eat insects, small crustaceans and mollusks.  These migratory birds fly to both North America and South America in large flocks.

These birds are so common upon our shores; a trip to the beach would be incomplete without them.  I love watching these small birds as they run around looking for food.  If you are lucky you can see them as they nest in local vegetation as they incubate their eggs and eventually care for their young.  Bring home a memory of these special birds with pictures, souvenirs or metal yard art, to name a few.