Winter Dressing Requirements Include Layering Up! A Product Review

Winter in many parts of the world means cold, wet, and less than "perfect" weather.

I have spent many a winter in some places you would consider to be warm all year long  and even there the winter months can be less than perfect. I lived in Israel for three months and let me tell you it was cool at night and damp, so layering was the only way to stay comfortable.   Even Florida in December to February can be cool sometimes.    Layering your clothing is one way to beat that cold and chill you feel in those dark and wintery months.  Layering has become a way of life for me, especially at my age (peri-menopausal and menopausal).  If you haven't reached that age yet, get ready, it will happen to you too!

You start off the morning feeling just right, get dressed and then feel too cold, so you add a layer!  An hour or two later you are so hot that you need to remove a layer.  And so your day goes, one moment cool, the next moment hot!  You just can't seem to win at any stage of the day.  

Well my answer to all of this is to layer and layer well.  It's easy to remove  a layer without having to start dressing all over again.  

I love a Company called Cents of Style!  Why?  Well let's just say that they are:

1. Stylish
2. Comfortable
3. Cost Effective
4. Available in Many Sizes and Colors

These Oversized Sweaters are just the thing you need when you are thinking about layering!  Not only are they pretty, but they are comfortable!  With an oversized sweater, you can easily have another T-shirt or light blouse underneath.

So when your internal thermometer starts acting up, you can do your thing (removing or adding) as you need to!  

Not only are they comfortable and trendy, they come in over 10 different colors so you can choose the one that suits you best.  Available in sizes Small right up to 3 XL!  There is no reason not to have a couple of these in your wardrobe.  

I'm sure that this layering will help you get through any cold and dreary weather that the winter of 2022 can bring us!  

Keep warm and beautiful!  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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10 Wonderful Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress! From the Heart

The Big Holiday many people have been waiting for is just around the corner. 

It's literally just days away and many people are feeling the stress building! Oh don't get me wrong, I'm sure everyone loves this holiday, but when the stress becomes so all encompassing, it's hard to enjoy it!

What can you do to make this time of year the joyful and wonderful time it's supposed to be?  Well in my experience, I know I had put a lot of the pressure on myself and got caught up in all the things that could go wrong.  I needed help to see that my focus was in the wrong place!  Instead of focusing on the negative, I needed to focus on something positive and different.

So here are some of the things I do to help relieve that pressure:

1. Wrapping things up can make me crazy.  I have two left hands but  I still want my packages to look nice!  Now I still do that, but I use gift bags to make the packing that much easier.  Dollar Stores are great help for this!  Inside each package goes a personalized note to the recipient, letting them know how much they mean to me! (It doesn't have to be long, just meaningful)
2. Take lots of breaks,  drop everything and go for a 10 minute walk around the neighborhood.  When you get back you'll get twice as much done because you are  more relaxed.
3. Take your phone with you and grab some festive pictures while out in the "hood".  Focus on Christmas decor, Dogs in their Christmas sweaters, People willing to smile at you, etc.
4. Get physical and do someone a favor while you are out!  Do you have a neighbor that could use a little help?   Offer to do something for them (go to the store, shovel their walk, walk their dog, or ask them to join you for a cup of tea or coffee)  The gift of your time is priceless!
5. Head out to a local church and just take a few steps inside the doors.  Go to a church/temple that you may never have been to before. (Check the internet for times, most places of worship will have some kind of schedule and extended hours)
6. Take an hour or two and head to your local library.  Browse the shelves for something you might enjoy reading over the holidays.
7. Turn up the music (not necessarily Christmas music, but something that you enjoy!  ABBA, the Beatles, Rolling Stones (am I dating myself?))
8. Browse You Tube to learn a new dance.  Moving and getting your blood flowing are great ways to relief some stress.  Plus you could learn a few new moves along the way and share those with your family and friends (Even if it's just to laugh at yourself).  
9. Sit back and watch a movie!  Again it doesn't need to be a Christmas movie, but one that you enjoy!
10. If all this fails, then you can always take a nap!  Sometimes just resting your eyes can do wonders for your nerves and your anxiety. Close those eyes and say a little prayer so your focus is on something supernatural and divine.

When your stress  drops to a manageable level, you can restart what you were doing and probably accomplish more than if you had stayed with it.  Taking a break is a game changer for many people. Believe me, the holidays will come one way or the other, but if you are relaxed, they will be more enjoyable!

Learn to laugh and smile, what you share out in the world will come right back to you!

My hope for you is that you truly enjoy this Holiday Season to it's fullest!  May you have a lovely Christmas with your family and friends and may your New Year be Blessed with lots of Joy!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Hooray, Today is National Brownie Day and Time to Celebrate!- A Recipe Review

Come celebrate with me!  

Today is National Brownie Day and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to get out the mixer and fix my family up with some ooey, gooey, good BROWNIES!

I think the thing I like the most about BROWNIES, is that they can be a very plain (but still delicious) dessert, or you can dress them up in so many different ways to make them look picture perfect for any company you may have.

Did you know that the first brownies recipes were published around the turn of the century about 1904.  They were part of regional cookbooks and often found in newspapers.  That is a pretty long history if you ask me.  And they are still favorites all around the country.  Chocolate brownies are number one with "Blondie" Brownies coming a close second.  

What's a Blondie?   Let's set the record straight, it has nothing to do with Hair!  Blondies are cousins to Brownies, just made without the chocolate, hence the lighter color and name!  

Did you know that there are several myths about where Brownies first came into being?  One myth has a baker accidentally mixing liquid chocolate in a biscuit recipe.  Oh happy accident if that is the way it happened.  Another myth is that someone making a chocolate cake forgot to add the flour to the recipe and then there's the one of the housewife who ran out of baking powder and decided to serve her guests "flattened cake".   This last one is my personal favorite because I have been known to do without certain ingredients and adding others in their stead, when making a recipe.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it is a disaster.

But let's get back to the good stuff.  Brownies are a favorite in most families and I know from past experience that they are wonderful sellers at any "Bake Sale." Simple brownies are just made in the pan and cut up.  Dressing your brownies up with frosting and sprinkles or nuts can give the lowly brownie a very dressed up, decadent appearance suitable for any company!

You can also find many recipes for Brownies and some of the best are the ones that have been shared in regional cookbooks and simple cookbooks put together for School or Church fundraisers.  You know you are getting tried and true recipes from these sources.  It's a matter of pride for the bakers who attach their name to the recipe!

So no further stalling, here is a great recipe that I have used and loved!  

Originally found on Ricardocuisine,com:

 

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped 
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• optional ingredients can include chopped walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, broken pieces of candy canes, mini marshmallows (either the plain or fruit flavoured)  

 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Oven rack should be in the middle part of the oven pre-heated to 350 F.
2. Butter or spray with non-stick spray the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.  Use parchment paper and let the excess hang over the sides of your baking dish. 
3. Using a bowl, over a pan of boiling water, or alternately in the microwave oven, melt chocolate and butter. Let cool. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar and salt with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add chocolate/butter mixture and flour and stir until smooth. Pour this all into the prepared pan. 
5. Baking time about 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out just a little bit moist (If it is dry you will have very dry brownies and should use icing to get some moisture back into the mix)
6. Let cool in the pan and place the pan on a rack.  It will take about 1.5 hours. Remove from pan and cut into squares.  Or if you want to get really artistic, you can cut them into any desired shape and eat the extra pieces from between!   Serve warm or cold.

These are plain brownies with great taste and nice presentation. But, and this is a big BUT, you can add other ingredients to this basic brownie recipe to make something even more special! Add chopped nuts, or marshmallows (the little mini ones), crushed peppermints are a great add too,  or leave the recipe as is and make an icing for them.  The combinations are endless and each will have a slightly different flavor when you are done.  

All I know is that your family will enjoy this treat and you just might find yourself making them more than once in a while.

These days I make these brownies for the family, but, I myself will not indulge.  I will make the recipe that our own Margaret Schindel has finessed to fit with my Keto Lifestyle!  So I still get to have some Brownie fun without all the carbs!  You can find her recipe right here: and a whole lot more.

Now I'm going to make another suggestion for all of you!  If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and/or nephews, invite them over to share all these wonderful Brownies you've made and then spend the afternoon writing letters to SANTA!  

Did you know that you could write to SANTA, send your letter in the mail and get a response from him and all it will cost you is the time to write the letters?

Canada Post and all their "ELVES" make sure that letters addressed to Santa, get to him!  His address is very simple:

SANTA CLAUS

NORTH POLE 

CANADA 

and don't forget the postal code:

HOHOHO

No Postage necessary, the elves will get the letters to Santa, but be sure to send a return address!

Now everyone's tummy is full of goodness and the letters have been written, so it's time to settle in and wait for that wonderful holiday that is just on the horizon!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Winter Time and Birds, Some Good Advice Regarding Pigeons! A DIY Project!

Every Winter the Birds Come Calling! 

I guess that's because we (my other half and I) love to see and feed the birds during the coldest months of the year.  There is something wonderful in seeing even the plain little sparrows munching on suet cakes that we have made or bought. The winter months can be tough on little birds as they need a lot of energy just to keep their tiny bodies warm.

Image by Kurt Bouda from Pixabay

There is one bird though, that I do not want on my balcony!  I do NOT want pigeons!

Why?  Pigeons are very dirty birds.  They like to make their homes in high spaces!  If they can find a spot out of the wind and elements, they will call that spot home!  They will also chase away any of the smaller birds that I really do like having around my balcony in the winter months.  So what can I do?

Well, I was checking out ways to keep the pigeons from even wanting to come onto my balcony, but the availability of food for the smaller birds is what is attracting them.  So if there is no food there will be no birds and I will miss out on some really fun times watching these little critters. I need to do something else that will make the pigeons look for other lodgings.

Pigeons are spooked easily,  so one method of deterring them is to hang windchimes and balloons so that there is always movement and sound happening.  Hopefully they will find a quieter place to call home!

While thinking about this problem and the solutions I had an idea that would do the trick. I came across a whole stack of old CD disks that we no longer needed or wanted.  Old operating systems on CD's were taking up space and were really not necessary for our computer operations.  One side of the disk has a label on it and the other side has beautiful rainbow colors!   So I took a dozen or so of these disks and set to work.

I drilled a hole in the disk about an inch inside the outer rim!   Then just thread some wire or garden twine through the hole and leave enough string/rope to make a loop big enough to pass the disk through it. You can hang them all at the same level or vary the lengths as you please.   Then take all of your strung CD's outside and hang them with the loop around a cord or light string.  .  

At our home we have a string of lights on our balcony because we love to sit out there evenings during the summer months!  This string of lights is now lit for the holidays and it looks amazing with my hanging CD's!  Just check out the short video I took!  You can see the effect it has in the daytime and at night!  

The sunlight plays on the discs sending light all around the balcony!  It does not take much wind to make them spin and when they are spinning light beams are playing all around the balcony.  I am so pleased with the outcome.  They are quite pretty with their rainbow colors and they themselves are not at all noisy!  Even in the windiest of days if the CD's bang around, you just hear a little clicking sound.  

Evenings on the balcony are so pretty with rainbow hues being seen from all corners.  I have a mirror on the one side and my lights and the disks are nicely reflected in it.  It makes it seem like I have twice as many lights and CD's on the balcony!  I personally love the look!

What do you need to accomplish this for yourself?  A DREMEL TOOL is great for drilling the holes or you can use a regular drill with a fairly small bit (depending on the size of your cord).   If you don't have lights to hang these from, you can make a line with any kind of twine and fasten it with some hooks to where ever you want these hanging. .You can also use Christmas hooks to hang these from an eaves-trough.  Vary the lengths of the cords or keep them all the same, that is up to you entirely.  

What I have found in just the short time that these have been up, is that the little birds are not scared of the light show, but the pigeons are not coming to roost anymore.  Hopefully this will keep them away. 

I checked into other methods of keeping pigeons off the balcony, but they involve either hurting the birds or making the railings uncomfortable not just for the birds but for us as well.  I don't want to hurt anything, but don't want to encourage those pigeons to roost on my balcony.  

I will let you know how it works, but, for right now it seems to be doing the trick!  No pigeons were harmed during this trial and I suspect they won't be hurt or harmed in any other way while these are on my balcony!

  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Mirror Mirror on the Wall - A Gift Suggestion

How many times have you stood in front of the mirror first thing in the morning and thought, "What words of wisdom do you have for me today?"

There are many times in my life where I have been overwhelmed, upset, depressed, down in the dumps or excited about something that will be happening.  All of these feelings sometimes just grab hold of me and I stare at my reflection hoping that some wisdom will come me and help me over whatever hurdle seems to be in my path.

Now I've been thinking a lot about my grandchildren who have just gone through two years of hardship and stress.  I know that they have missed out on so much with all the restrictions put in their path.  I also know that kids are resilient little beings and that they will bounce back.  In the meantime, I have been thinking about ways to help them cross those barriers and climb over their disappointments so that they can look at themselves through my eyes and smile.

Little words of encouragement are always needed by everyone and our children and grandchildren are no exception to the rule.  So because we aren't physically close to them, we can still be an encouragement for them from afar.

How?  Well, this year, I'm making sure that my Grandchildren know what they mean to me daily! And this is how I'm going to do it. 

We are buying each one of the Grandchildren  a mirror to be hung on their wall in their rooms.  Hung at a height that will make it possible for them to check out how they look and at the same time have a message that will either make them smile, or pause and think, or just laugh!  

So how are we going to get a message on their mirror?  Easy peasey when you have a set of  Liquid Chalk Markers!  

These markers write on glass easily and are erasable too.  So when you need a new message on your mirror just clean off the old with a damp cloth and add the new.

Everyday you can change up the message, or leave one there as a reminder of your Grandparent's thoughts for you! 

Everyone loves a little encouragement and there are lots of ways to add that spark to your mirror with Words to Live By !  Checking out Pinterest is another great source for Quotes for all kinds.  

My Grandson's are going to love that their mirror will say "You make me smile!" and "You are the kindest boy I know!"

My Granddaughters are going to love theirs too!  One will say, "You are poetry in motion!"  While the other one will say, "Your imagination just makes me happy!"  

Can you just imagine what seeing these words on their mirrors everyday will do to their spirits?  I imagine and hope that it will give them a positive outlook that will carry them over any hurdles they happen to be facing.  

When they need a little pick me up, grab the Liquid Chalk and write a note to them or let them write a note to themselves.  

I'm looking forward to seeing their reactions and when they are finished with needing some positive reinforcement, they will always have a nice mirror to see themselves in!

I know they will see a wonderful person who has empathy and joy in their lives, that is for sure!

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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October A Month of Many "Awareness" Days! Learn Something New Today!

October is the month that most people know is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness, but it is NOT the only disorder we should be aware of.

 

Every year beginning on the First of October, you will start to see ads and lots of references on Social Media about Breast Cancer and getting your mammograms done.  For the women out there who have not done so yet, there is still time to book your screening before the end of the month.  Prevention starts with getting that mammogram done.

 

 

I have several friends that over the years have had Breast Cancer or are still dealing with this cancer.  Some,  unfortunately,  have also died from this disease!  Do whatever you can to help prevent Breast Cancer from invading your life or that of someone you love.  Encourage your gal pals to get their screening done every year!  We have enough statistics already and no one wants their friends or family to join that long list.  

October is also  SUDEP Action Month.  SUDEP is the acronym for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy.  Most unexplained deaths are subject to autopsy and when someone presents with this type of death, no other reason can be found for their demise, it is called SUDEP.  Epilepsy affects 50 million people around the world.  I have a young nephew who has been diagnosed with epilepsy.  With medication he is living a life that is normal in most ways.  He loves everything, plays sports, swims and hikes just like any other child!  

Awareness and action are needed to make this neurological disorder better understood and you can also learn how to reduce your risks.  If you want to know more about this here is the official website dedicated to teach everyone about this disorder!

 And while we are at it, October is for SUDEP  and November which is just around the corner is the official month to make people aware of Epilepsy as this disorder continues to affect many people young and old.

 

 

More October Awareness Days

October is also the month where DOMESTIC VIOLENCE is brought to the forefront.  There are so many people that are suffering from violence within the home.  Some is physical, while other forms of this violence might not be as noticeable.  I'm talking about the mental and verbal abuse that can happen within a family.

 

I'm sure that there are many of us that can say we personally know someone who is in this situation.  We need to encourage those who find themselves in the cycle of abuse to come out and find the help they need.  Quite often friends and family of someone in a domestic abuse situation will try to help, but find themselves hitting the proverbial brick wall.  When you try to help, the couple all of a sudden stand together in trying to make people believe there is no problem.  Worse yet, if you step into that situation, you yourself could become the target of the violence. 

Most often Domestic Abuse has the wife/mother as the recipient of the abuse, but there are also signs that Men can be abused as well.  Domestic Violence in either form is not acceptable.

 

Domestic Abuse, especially if it involves children, cannot be tolerated, and our efforts should go to finding safe places for moms and children to be.  There are websites that strive to help anyone who finds themselves in a position where violence seems to be the answer to every problem.  Children as especially vulnerable to the ravages of domestic violence and there are places to get help for them too.

 

https://ncadv.org/2021DVAM is a great place to start your search for yourself or someone you love or know needs help.   Many hospitals will have information for you as well.  Don't wait to get help, it is there if you need it.  In Canada you can visit the website : https://endingviolencecanada.org/about-us/

During this month of October, let us become more involved in a cause that can help so many people.  If you cannot help this month, maybe making a Christmas donation to one of these causes would be something you could do.  If everyone helps we can move mountains!

May you enjoy the rest of October and remember those fighting Epilepsy in November too!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Nice Fingernails Don't Have To Be Difficult to Achieve! A Product Review

Have you ever just finished polishing your nails and then got an itch somewhere?  What happens?  You scratch and ruin all the hard work you just did trying to get your nails looking pretty!  There is a certain amount of "drying time" needed to keep that polish you just applied, looking as good as it should. 

 

Then to add to your misery, you have to remove all that polish that you just mucked up without messing the other hand that you didn't scratch with!  Unless you have three arms, you know that this is just about impossible to do! 

No wonder so many women  have given up on having nice looking nails, or they pay the price to go to a nail salon and have someone do their nails for them.

Now personally I have done that too!  Paying someone to do your nails for you is pricey!  You have to be careful that the nail salon you go to is clean, sanitized and not spreading diseases (fungus especially).  I have had more than one friend end up with an infection in their fingernails because of less than perfect sanitary conditions in a salon they used.  That is truly adding insult to injury!  

Color Street Nail Strips to the rescue!

When you are the master of your own manicures, you don't have to worry about the conditions of the salon!  If you follow ReviewThisReviews.com, I know you have seen Margaret Schindel's write ups on good nail health and the best tools to keep your nails looking good (https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2021/05/14-secrets-grow-strong-healthy-beautiful-nails.html) (https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2021/05/best-manicure-tools-strong-healthy-nails.html).  These are very important and if you have daughters, it's a great way to teach them how to take care of their hands and nails.  Good health involves taking care of all your body parts!  It's also a great way to have some fun and spend some quality time with your girls!  Make it a Saturday or Sunday night date to have those hands and nails looking lovely for the whole week to come!

Color Street Nail Strips are relatively new on the market.  They are NOT artificial nails that you paste on your own fingers, but rather they are fully cured nail polish strips that you place right on your own fingernails.  What makes these nail polish strips so nice is that they are dry immediately after application.  No time is needed to dry the polish before you can scratch your nose or ears or any other parts that could itch.  So no way to muck up the freshly applied color.

I have put these nail strips on my own fingers and after a few minutes, washed and dried dishes and then  gone for a swim!   Amazingly these nail strips stayed put, and lasted on my fingers for over two weeks without peeling, cracking or chipping.  They are incredibly strong and beautiful!

Margaret also does some amazing manicures using Color Street Nail Strips either in one set or sometimes mixing different sets to make something truly unique and lovely.  Just take a look at this manicure she did:

I love the combination of these three different sets of  nail strips.  

Let me explain a little more about these strips:

• each set contains 16 real nail polish strips  (sized for the average nail beds)
• each set comes with an alcohol pad to make sure your nails are oil free pre application
• a small emery board to help with removing the excess nail strip

This is what they look like when you receive them:

And this is what is inside each package:

When you open the package right up, you will find easy to follow instructions on how to apply these strips to your own nails.

You can see for yourself that there are only 5 easy steps to applying these nail strips to your fingernails.  Once they are on, you don't have to wait for anything to dry.  You literally can get up and go!  

I know that this is one of the things my other half likes the best, no waiting 10 to 15 minutes for nail polish to dry before you can do anything else.  Those critical minutes when all of your efforts can go up in smoke!  It just doesn't happen with Color Street!

The other part I love is that there are so many choices.  I happen to love glitter and Color Street offers 17 different glitter strips and 4 Prism FX strips (holographic glitter).  There is even a "Glitter Dipped" overlay that makes your nails look like they are dripping with shiny sparks of color.  

But for my more tame days, I can choose from 30 different solid colors too!  Or two different French Manicures.  

Special occasions, no problem, there are 14 different nail art designs (it makes your nails look like someone did some fantastic paintings right there on your fingers).

That is a lot of choices!  Can you just imagine how many bottles of polish you would need to have in order to have all these choices?  

A friend of mine loves mermaids, so there is even an overlay for her and 5 other overlays that change up a plain color to something amazing. The combinations are endless.  Use your imagination and creativity to create something special that is yours and yours alone.

If you want to know more about Color Street, please feel free to leave me a message in the comments!  You can also see the whole catalogue of colors and styles available on my website www.colorstreet.com/olivia72!  I'd be pleased to be of any assistance to you!  Color Street is available through the website in the USA and Canada without any problems!

Here's to lovely hands and even prettier nails!  Believe it or not, little things like nice hands can make a difference in how you feel about yourself and how others perceive you!  It's a little thing, but, it is important to give that totally polished (no pun intended)  and put together look.

Thank you Margaret Schindel for your permission to use your lovely manicure picture!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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September, the Month to Prepare for Traveling Birds! A Hobby Review!

September is a month that is generally full of all kinds of changes.  Notably, children are going back to school and the days are quickly getting shorter and cooler.

Autumn is definitely in the air and I know I have already been witness to the geese starting to gather and fly in their typical V-formation.  

Birds that have spent the better part of the summer in the north are preparing themselves for the long trek back to their southern winter spots.  But, and here's the important part, it is a long way for them to go and they need our help.

Typically we are all familiar with the Geese that make their way to the south, but there are a host of other birds that also migrate.  According to Cornell Labs there are about 650 species of birds in North American and about half of those are migratory.

Why do they migrate?  Most of these birds leave their resting places to move north to their breeding grounds.  This is hard work for the birds, but instincts make them do this perilous journey at least twice a year. 

Many of us wait eagerly for those pretty little hummingbirds that make their way to the north and we do fill our feeders with sugar water to satisfy their hunger.  But in September, you might just notice that those feeders are being visited more often.  Even though there are plenty of flowers for them to feed on, they know they will be making a long trek soon.  They are filling up their reserves for that journey.  So please don't stop filling your hummingbird feeders just yet.

Most North American songbirds are migratory.  Yet there are other bigger birds that also move from the north to the south in the cooler autumn months.

Let's concern ourselves with the smaller birds for now.  How can you help them?

• Keep your feeders full of good nutritious seeds is the first way to help. 
•  Make sure there is a good clean source of water for them too.  All that flying around is hard work.  
• Gardeners, please leave your seed heads in place! Don't clean up your garden just yet!  Migratory birds love sunflowers, but will also eat seeds from other plants as well.  A natural garden will attract those little birds quite nicely.  

These are just a few little things you can do to help them on their way.  

Learning about these migratory birds and what their needs are will make them happy to stop at your yard for some refreshment and food.

Bird migration happens twice a year, yet we never seem to get tired of seeing our favorite birds making their way to us in spring time and then leaving us again come autumn.  Let's help them as much as we can by being a safe and bird friendly place for them to stop and refuel.  It doesn't take much effort, and you will enjoy the beauty of those little creatures as they make their way south!

If you want to know more there is plenty of information available on the Internet.  There are many bird watching clubs in several states and provinces.  If you are really keen on bird watching, I would recommend you join a group of like minded people.  A camera is a must as well.  You will want to start keeping a diary of all the different birds you have seen over the years.

Birdwatching is a hobby that you will keep at for years and years.  Start small and see how much enjoyment you get from seeing with your own eyes, the birds that make these treks across miles and miles.  Start your list and add to it as you become accustomed to finding these little winged creatures.

Helping our birds make their way is just one small pleasure we can have and it isn't hard to do either.

Once you have seen and admired the strength and determination of those little birds, you will have a new appreciation for hard work they put into surviving and thriving.  There are many life lessons here for all of us too!

May you enjoy September, October and November as the skies become magnets for our little bird friends and we become their helpers on the way!

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The Best Back to School Memories Last for Years! A Product Review

September is a month that is full of lots of activities, usually focused around going back to school. 

Parents are busy making sure that the clothes and shoes fit.  If they don't you know there will be a shopping trip on the horizon.  First days back to school are so much fun because the students have been missing some of their friends and maybe, just maybe, there will be a new friend or two to be made.

This year most of the students and parents are especially happy that their children will be returning to a "more normal" way of learning.  No more "home schooling" unless that is the choice you have made for your children.  

For the kids going back, it will seem even more special!  Their old classrooms have been empty for almost 2 years.  Who knows what changes have taken place while they were all being home schooled.

I love seeing everyone's pictures of their kids all dressed up and ready to jump on the School Bus!  All their backpacks and gear labelled and ready to use.

Personally, the memory I love the best was getting that new pencil case and the pencils, pens, crayons or colored pencils that I would use almost daily!

There is something really special about getting that brand new pack of Crayola Pencil Crayons and sitting with a brand new sharpener.  While patiently sharpening each crayon, I would daydream about how this year was going to be the best year ever!  It was almost like a child's meditation on life!  

For younger children it might be a whole new set of Crayola Crayons and some new pencils.  A Pink Eraser that hadn't yet been used was also a MUST HAVE  for the new school year.

I don't know why, but around this time of year I love going shopping for school supplies, just nowadays we call them office supplies.  It still makes my heart go pitter patter when I see those Colored Pencils and Markers of all kinds.

My guess is that most children will be looking forward to school this year for many reasons.  The parents are looking forward to this as well.  Running Zoom meetings with teachers is not the same as being in the classroom.  Getting back together with their friends and socializing would be the first reason many are looking forward to Back to School.  And I'm sure the second reason is to pull out those brand new pencils, pencil crayons and markers to do the first of many assignments.  

Keeping them all together and neat is another fun part of this Back to School task and pencil cases have come a long way from the plain black top zipped pouch!  Now you can make a statement with how you carry your personal writing implements.  I happen to love this red one and it has a 5 star rating as well.  The others colors are also really neat!

  

Back to School is an adventure for the parents as well as the kids.  New gear is part of the fun.  Making and seeing new friends and old ones will always be a part of the Memories that our children will cherish!

If the kids come home from school a little stressed, make sure you have a color by numbers book for them, after all it is supposed to relieve stress!  You might want one for yourself too!  

                        Happy Back to School Days Everyone!

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Can You Feel It? Summer Is On It's Way Out! A Fashion Product Review

In Mid-August we usually start thinking about the Canadian National Exhibition!  It seems that it also heralds the beginning of the AUTUMN SEASON!  Now this year there is no Exhibition, but I can tell you that I already feel the changes in the air!

Most of the time the problem with this climate change is that it's hot through the day and it can be quite chilly at night.  If you are sleeping, that is no problem, but if you are still outdoors enjoying the last bits of summer, it can become quite uncomfortable in shorts and a T-shirt!

So what can you do to make that transition easier?  Well, I for one, have found that "HOODIES" seem to be the answer in many instances.  

Who would have thought that a Grandmother of 4 would be wearing a HOODIE?  

Well I'm here to let you know that they are (in my humble opinion) a Fashion Must Have!

Hoodies are usually fabricated out of materials similar to Sweatpants, or a Fleecy type fabric.  They are either pullover style or front zipped.  Pullover styles usually have one large pocket (commonly referred to as a Kangaroo Pocket) in the center front shared by both hands, where the zipped style usually has two individual pockets.  All "Hoodies" have the aforementioned hood too to keep your head warm!

When the evenings turn cool, a nice warm Hoodie is the answer to the changing seasons. 

Amazon has Hoodies Galore!  You can start by checking them out right here! I mean lots and lots of styles and sizes, so that everyone in the family can spend those extra hours outdoors without feeling the chill in the air.

There are many other places to get Hoodies too!  Hoodies can run from $10.00 to over $100.00!  What a price range that is!  Why?  Well many people, kids and adults like to make a statement with what they wear.  Hoodies with bright copyrighted logos are very popular among the "In Crowd". 

Shein  has hoodies for the whole family and prices are affordable or not!  The choice is yours!  Let's just say that if you want to make a fashion statement, it might cost you more than if you just want a Hoodie to keep you warm without the fuss of a distinct design.

What your "Hoodie" says about you is entirely up to you!  There are just so many choices and all of them are sure to keep you nice and warm when that weather changes.

You might even find that you love that "Kangaroo Pocket", it's a great place to keep your phone, keys and a couple of dollars too, just in case the Ice Cream Truck rolls by!

 

                                                       Image by Susan McAleer from Pixabay

Here's hoping that you enjoy these last weeks of the summer and are ready for the changing of the seasons!  It will be happening sooner than you think!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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What's Bugging You in August? A Product Review

August is the month that many people look forward to!  Why?  Well, it's the month that lots of fresh produce becomes available right across the country!

Every year my sweetie and I look forward to those open air "Farmer's Markets".  We love to let our farmer friends know how much we appreciate their work and the produce that is available is so fresh!  You know it was just picked! 

 

Image by Innviertlerin from Pixabay

Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peaches, cherries, and all manner of produce is there for your enjoyment.

The only problem that we have ever had with all this fresh produce around is those nasty Fruit Flies!  They seem to develop overnight, find my nice fresh fruit and drive me crazy!

Washing and drying the produce does not seem to help in keeping those nasty little flies away.  After a day or two,  the fruit flies seem to have invaded my kitchen and I'm hard pressed to get a handle on them.  Now it doesn't help much that I love making home-made tomato sauce and the fruit flies seem to love cut tomatoes more than anything else!  I just start making my sauce and it seems like there are fruit flies everywhere.  

 

What can you do to solve this problem?

Well, I have been researching ways to get rid of these pests!  I don't want to use "Raid" or other chemicals in my kitchen, after all, those sprays end up on everything.  Plus they are not very effective unless you get the sprays right on the bugs.  I don't want to be breathing or eating anything that has been sprayed.  So that leaves me with looking for some natural ways to get rid these pests.  

Natural traps consist of something that will ultimately bring the bugs to you.  If you check out You Tube they will show you how to make traps using a glass with vinegar and some liquid soap in the bottom.  Cover the glass with plastic wrap.  Then poke a few holes in the plastic wrap with a toothpick.  The vinegar will attract the fruit flies and they will crawl into the little holes.  Once they are in, it's hard for them to find the holes to get back out.  Most will drown in the liquid in the bottom of the glass.  You can check out the how to right here if you want to go that route!  Home Made Fruit Fly Traps

Personally, I have tried this method and while it works for some fruit fly removal, I find that I have more flies that are not at all attracted to it.  And it seems that they multiply exponentially making the problem just that much worse.

Now I have found another way to get rid of these pests and not just fruit flies, but also mosquitos and fungus gnats as well.

There is nothing more annoying than heading off to sleep when you hear that buzzzzz of an errant mosquito that found it's way into your home.  Don't they always seem to follow you right into the bedroom?  Well, the method I'm employing in my home will take care of that pest too!

Fungus gnats in my houseplants should also be a problem solved with my newfound method of pest removal.  So the fact that this product will take care of them as well, just makes this product even better.  I do love my houseplants, and yes, I have had a problem with fungus gnats in the past.  

Now I'm sure you are interested in knowing what this method is and so I'm going to share it with you!

KATCHY is an indoor electronic bug zapper!  It sits on your kitchen counter (or bedroom or livingroom) and goes to work when you are sleeping.  It emits a blue light that these bugs find attractive and once they are close enough, a powerful fan draws them into the core of this gadget.  They are funneled down to the bottom and get themselves stuck on the glue board.  Once in, they will never fly out again.   

 

I love that it comes in either black or white and it's affordable!  There are  No Chemicals  used with this product either so no fumes to worry about, no smells and no residual films on home surfaces!

While I was looking for something that would work during the summer months, I'm sure that this will work all year long ridding my home of those other pests that live throughout the year. Katchy is the Number one rated home pest control traps on Amazon with lots of people giving it a big thumbs up!

It's a winner in my books for more than just ridding myself of those nasty fruit flies, but also the mosquitos, fungus gnats and moths.  

I hope this helps you have a much better summer with all the fresh produce you can eat!  Without the bugs to bug you!  Happy Summer everyone!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Happiness at the Cottage, National Hammock Day July 22

Nothing says Summer better than lying in a Hammock during these lazy, hazy and long summer days and evenings.  A Product Review!

Image by Svetlana Chernyshkova from Pixabay
There is something that is so relaxing and wonderful about being able to plunk yourself down in a hammock!  July 22nd is National Hammock Day!  Sunnydaze Decor has hammocks that will make your eyes pop open and your family drool.  To make things even better Sunnydaze Decor is having a "One Day Sale" on National Hammock Day, July 22nd.  You can save 10% on Hammocks and accessories with the code RELAX10!

Your cottage or backyard is just waiting for a nice relaxing and inviting place!  Hammocks are wonderful in that they can be set up easily between two trees or on a hammock stand.  If you choose the Hammock Stand, you have more options! These stands are wonderful in that you can choose where you want the hammock to be.  Do you like the sun, then just move the stand into a clear area so that sunshine can be an added bonus.  If you are not a sunshine lover, then move the hammock into a shady area.  With the hammock stand, you are not limited to placement

Tethering them between two trees makes the hammock a fixed relaxation spot! And that is not necessarily a bad thing either.

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Hammocks make a great place to rest on your own or with a friend. Your other half, one of the children (grandchildren) or the family pet will find a nice comfortable spot where they can be with you and relax at the same time. All you need is a favorite book and a little bit of time to read!  What could be better?   A little bit of a breeze will rock you gently and you might even find yourself in dreamland for a bit! Who doesn't like the idea of an afternoon nap?

 

Typically hammocks come in two styles.  Both styles have two point anchoring spots (one on either end).  The hammock that you hang from the anchoring spots,  comes in two styles as well.  There are hammocks that have spreader bars (spreader bars can be straight or curved) on either end, that makes the fabric of the hammock lie flatter.  This makes it easy to get into the hammock and get out of it too!  The other style without the spreader bars is more like a cocoon that wraps itself around you and whoever you are sharing the space with.  Each one is comfortable so there is no problem there.  It really is a personal choice!  

I like the colorfulness of the Mayan Rope Hammock for my own personal use, but I can also see using the fabric ones if you have pets and children.  The rope hammocks can let little fingers get between the cords or paws for that matter!  We don't want accidents, so these are just a few things to think about before you buy one of these amazing outdoor beds! 

 

Hammocks work both at the cottage or at home!  Where ever you decide to place this, I know from experience that there will be many friends and family just itching to let themselves be rocked by the breezes and relax while enjoying the great outdoors.

If you don't want a Hammock bed, they also make Hammock Chairs as well.  Check them out on the Sunnydaze Decor website!  

If you are in the market for a hammock, I hope you can take advantage of the Sunnydaze Decor sale tomorrow July 22nd!  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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