Deterrents For Raccoons Reviewed

When Raccoons Get On Your Last Nerve

Raccoon Image From Pixabay.com

Let's review some deterrents for raccoons, today. Shall we? One might look at the image to the left and think that a raccoon is such a cute little critter. Well, I guess there is a cuteness about that face but there is a reason they have that little bandit mask over those eyes! As cute as they might be, you do want to discourage them from visiting your yard and garden as much as possible. 

Currently, my husband and I have been battling with a mother raccoon and her ingenuous ways of finding food to eat in our backyard. It isn't the first year but we are hoping that it will be the last. I understand that she probably has young ones to feed but she needs to find her meals somewhere else. It was one thing when she or one of her friends came and robbed the bird feeders of the seeds. It is totally another thing when she discovered my hummingbird feeders and figured out how to shimmy up the skinny little pole and tip the feeder over for the sweet drink inside. What a mess! Not to mention she leaves nothing for the hummingbirds to drink. The ants love her antics because they can come swarm the sugar water that spilled on the ground. Enough, I say, enough!

In the past, I tried an ammonia deterrent. It was simple but honestly not that effective. The premise for it is that you soak a rag in ammonia, place it in a coffee can that you have punched holes in and sit it where you want to keep the raccoons away. It worked for about 2 days and then no matter how often I replaced the ammonia soaked rag; Ms. Raccoon was up to her antics again. 

I have read that raccoons do not like hot peppers. So, I have considered leaving some hot pepper suet at the base of my hummingbird feeder. I worry that this deterrent might harm other creatures that may visit the yard, though. It isn't supposed to harm birds but what about cats or dogs who might get into it? 

I also saw that they make raccoon baffles that sort of work like a squirrel deterrent. That might work except those darn raccoons are pretty smart and I worry that they might figure out how to get around the baffle by jumping above it. 

Raccoon Deterrent

The premise of the baffle for raccoons is that it fits at the base of your feeder. I don't know if it works or not. I can see it would be difficult to get onto my pole but maybe not all poles. It would certainly be worth a try for many people.

So, you may be wondering what is my plan for this year? It turned out to be pretty simple, actually. Each evening around dusk I plan to just bring my feeder into the house. Ms. Raccoon can't get into it if it is inside the house. Her babies won't bother it nor will any of her friends. Raccoons are pretty clever but there isn't any way that they can figure out how to open a locked door and I seriously doubt that they would break the glass so I think I have come up with the best deterrent of all. If there is nothing out there for her to get into, she will finally decide to move on to the next victims.

I wish Ms. Raccoon, her babies and her friends no harm. I just do not want her or any of them coming to my yard to drink the sweet nectar left for the hummingbirds or anything else for that matter. Since I am pretty sure that Ms. Raccoon can't read, instead of a sign saying that she is not welcome; I just will not put out anything that she can feed on at night. A silent message, if you will, to go away.

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

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I Am Heath Ledger Documentary

I saw some exciting news on the television today!  Kate Ledger appeared on a morning show announcing the upcoming release of I Am Heath Ledger. I immediately opened Amazon and pre-ordered my copy of this documentary. This is not a movie review as I have not yet viewed the documentary, rather, it is an attempt at spreading this exciting news to other fans who enjoy Heath Ledger movies.

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger was a handsome  Australian actor who made my heart flutter when I saw him in 10 Things I Hate About You.  His twinkling eyes and face-splitting smile caused my second "star crush" (second only to Elvis, of course). Unfortunately, Heath passed away in January 2008 from an accidental overdose. He was gone far too soon and far too young.

I  never bothered to watch any of the unauthorized biographies. I never really felt like seeing what other people had to say about him. But this morning, Heath's sister Kate was announcing the upcoming release of I Am Heath Ledger (DVD release date May 23, 2017).  

This documentary is a feature length film created with many of Heath's personal and private film clips. That is what made me excited about this movie. I want to see the movies and clips he had made of himself over the years.

It is described as:

"... a feature length documentary celebrating the life of Heath Ledger: actor, artist, and icon. The documentary provides an intimate look at Heath Ledger through the lens of his own camera as he films and often performs in his own personal journey"  - Amazon 

19 Films with Heath Ledger

Believe it or not, I have not yet seen Heath Ledger's two most popular - and award winning - movies: Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight.  I guess it is because those two movies came out during very busy times in my life. There is no other reason I've not seen those two movies.

But three of his other movies I have not only seen, but have viewed many times over. These three very different movies are: 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, and A Knight's Tale. I adored him in each role for reasons as different as the roles. 

Heath Ledger's complete movie list includes:

• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
• The Patriot (2000)
• A Knight's Tale (2001)
• Monster's Ball (2001) 
• Ned Kelly (2003) 
• The Brother's Grimm (2005)
• Lords of Dogtown (2005)
• Brokeback Mountain (2005)
• Casanova (2005)
• Candy (2006)
• I'm Not There (2007)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

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

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Three Ways to Hide Clutter

Van Gogh Room Divider

Featured on Funkthishouse

Yep. It's that Time of the Year ... We Look at all our 'Stuff' and Think, "It's Time for a Tidy"

Of course, half the battle is admitting there's a problem! After that it's twenty five percent action and twenty five percent organizational and creative storage solutions.

Even though our clutter is organized, most of the time we're just sick of seeing the neatly stacked piles of life that take away from the overall look of our room.

The solution is equal to the mess you're dealing with: Simple mess, simple solutions, horrendous gut wrenching disaster ... major project.

If you're dealing with a relatively simple mess, here are three ways you can hide clutter:

DECORATIVE ROOM DIVIDERS

Today's room dividers are inventive and artistic. They not only give you a practical way to hide clutter, they also double as art.

When you check out the choices of room dividers available you'll notice the wide range of art scenes featured on them. They come in designs from landscapes to cartoon characters, making them ideal for any room in the home or office.

These are particularly useful in a bedroom that doesn't have a closet. As an example, if you're using a standing hanging rod to hold clothes, put it behind a room divider and it doubles as a place to privately change clothes and it hides the clutter.

A STORAGE BENCH

Storage Bench Featured on Funkthishouse

If your clutter problem is more about the miscellaneous items that never seem to find a home, use a bench as the main gathering place for them.

Whether it's shoes, school books, extra blankets and pillows, seasonal clothing, or photograph albums, a storage bench is a magnificent piece to tuck them away into.

Not only is it a place to hide the mess it's also an extra spot to sit. There are many places you can use a storage bench; the master suite, a child's bedroom, the front foyer, the family room, in your home office or even in the garage.

There are numerous storage bench designs to choose from, so be sure to check them out. You'll find additional styles when you visit the page featuring the above storage bench.

Hidden Door Bookshelf & Others

Featured on Funkthishouse.com

A SECRET PASSAGEWAY BOOKCASE

What? Yes, that's right, they really do exist. Of course this solution is certainly more involved and will require at least intermediate DIY skills, or you'll have to have someone put it in for you ... BUT it's worth it, they're super cool!

They really are as described, an actual bookcase that either swings inwards or outwards leading to a secret room or other space in the home.

If you have a small office in the corner of room and would like to hide important or private papers from prying eyes, then put one of these James Bond creations in .... I mean how many people do you know that have one?

There are a number of designs to choose from. They vary in style, color, features, size and type of wood. You'll see more bookshelf doors when you visit the above featured Hidden Door Bookshelf.

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

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Best Gifts for Tea Lovers

Let's review some of the best gifts for tea lovers, I've been given a few of these gifts myself as one of my aunts affectionately calls me 'an old tea bag'!

I've been drinking and enjoying tea for many decades and even though I enjoy my coffee if I have to make a choice tea is still hands down my favorite.

What to give a tea lover?   Well there's lots of great options available from a selection of teas to strainers, mugs, tea pots and much, much more.

Let's have a look at a few things that I'd like to see gift wrapped for me!

Cute, Fun, Unique, Retro & Anything BUT Boring Tea Infusers!

There are so many different tea infusers available to purchase from cute tea infusers, to fun ones, cool retro tea infusers and more - one thing these tea infusers have in common is that they're unique and are perfect gift ideas.

I have been in love with the Sloth tea infuser for a while, but that didn't stop me absolutely falling head over heels in love with the manatee inspired infuser I received one year.  Check out my fun tea infuser reviews below -

• The Manatea Infuser
• Rubber Ducky Tea Infuser

These tea infusers are a couple of my favorite tea inspired gifts that I've received and they put a smile on my face every time I use them.

I may only have a couple at the moment, but that doesn't stop me looking at others all of the time - here are some of my favorite ones -

Click the image to be taken to a great range of fun tea infusers that you'll love

Tea Pots & Tea Pot Gift Sets

Of course you can't go past a tea pot as a gift idea for a tea drinker and there's an awesome selection available.  The great thing about a tea pot is that you can use it with tea bags or loose tea so it doesn't matter what their preference is.

I love the stackable tea pot sets that you can get that combine a tea pot and cup (some of them even have a saucer as well) .  If you're buying for a cat loving couple who enjoy tea then this set is sure to bring a smile to their faces -

 Tea For Two Porcelain Teapot and 2 Tea Cups Set - Cat by Shinzi Katoh

Isn't it adorable?  Even a dog owner like myself would still fall in love with the black cat's face!

In my household both my hubby and I enjoy drinking tea, but I do like to experiment with different teas whereas he sticks with his standard cuppa.

In cases where people are single, or the sole tea drinker in the house, or likes to try different teas then a stackable tea for one tea set is an awesome gift idea.

 Grace Teaware Porcelain 4-Piece Tea For One (Pastel Purple Daffodil)

If you're not a fan of the pastel purple daffodil design you can check out a whole range by clicking on the image below -

Click the image to go to Lou16's gorgeous collection of tea for one gift sets

You may just want to get a straight tea pot, after all lots of people prefer to drink from mugs instead of cups these days and I do have a few for you to look at right here -

 Blue Floral Cast Iron Teapot, 34-Ounce, Blue Floral Certified International 22457 Tunisian Sunset Teapot, 40 oz, Multicolor Porcelain Butterfly & Dragonfly Teapot Trimmed In Gold

As you can see teapots can be found in a range of different styles, personally I like what I think of as a traditional teapot (The Pioneer Woman one featured below), but I know that a lot of people associate teapots and tea parties with the style of the porcelain butterfly & dragonfly teapot style above.

With more and more people being inspired by different teas and infusions the blue floral teapot featured makes me think of an Asian influence, perfect for a Japanese tea ceremony.

I deliberately haven't included any clear, glass teapots in this selection even though they do appear to be quite a popular choice these days.   If you're a tea drinker you'll be aware of how much the tannin in tea can stain your cup/mug/pot which is why I'm not sure how long the glass ones will stay looking as nice as they do.  

Despite this I was given a clear tea pot as a gift so I will be trying it out for myself and will report back with a review at a later date.  If the clear pots can be kept looking nice then there are a couple of different gifts that feature them including teapots that dispense the tea from the bottom and 'flowering' tea pots.   Stay tuned for more on these after I've investigated more! 

 The Pioneer Woman Country Garden Teapot Gracie China Shabby Rose Porcelain 4-1/2-Cup Teapot, Shabby Rose Teal FORLIFE Stump 18-Ounce Teapot with SLS Lid and Infuser, Turquoise

Tea Inspired Jewelry

Along with tea I do love jewelry and combining the two makes a unique gift idea for a tea drinker in your life.  Just check out some of these favorite pieces of mine -

Click the image to go to a selection of tea jewelry & find the perfect gift for your tea lover

As I've said other options can include a selection of teas or a mug.  When it comes to mugs there are some great personalized mugs available.  An alternative to a personalized mug is the mugs that come complete with a strainer that sits inside them and a lid - I received one of these from a work colleague a few years ago and it's fantastic!

I hope I've given you a few gift ideas for the tea lover in your life & maybe even a few things you'd like for yourself.

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

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The Age Of Adaline Movie Review

Like the fantasy romance movie genre? I didn't know that I did until I recently watched The Age Of Adaline. And then I watched it again. I was mesmerized by the characters and totally spellbound by the story. The movie grabbed my attention from the first frame and didn't let go. But that's what a fantasy movie, or any good movie, should do, right?

The Story

The movie tells the story of Adaline Bowman (played by actress Blake Lively), born in 1908, who at the age of 29 suffers an accident that renders her "immune to the ravaging of time. She will never age another day." While the thought of never growing older may be appealing, the realities of the situation create circumstances that require Adaline to make major adjustments in her life as the decades pass.

Keeping her secret isn't easy. During her lifetime, Adaline must pass up many close relationships, including the opportunity for true love.

The most important relationship of her life, though, is with her daughter, Flemming (played by Ellen Burstyn). I loved the interaction between the two where the younger actress took on the mothering role to the older actress. The relationship was absolutely convincing and very touching.

Without giving away too much of the story (the trailer gives away much more), I'll just say that during the course of this amazing movie lightning strikes and love prevails.

Who Should Watch This Movie?

If you like romance movies, choose The Age Of Adaline. I wouldn't call it a chick flick, though. In fact, while my husband didn't start out watching with me, he was drawn in by the drama (and Harrison Ford's voice) and enjoyed what he saw.

If you like good drama, a fascinating story, and beautiful actors who bring complex characters to life, give this movie a try. If you're not sure about the fantasy element, give it a chance anyway. Like me, you might be surprised.

The Age Of Adaline is rated PG-13. Nearly 25,000 Amazon reviewers rate the movie 4.4 out of 5 stars. It gets five from me.

~Susan

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Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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

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