Awesome Solar Lights set the Mood Beautifully - A Product Review

Summertime and the Living is Easy!

During the warm months of the year, it's really nice to be able to spend as much of that time as possible outdoors.  The lovely evenings are just so nice with warm breezes blowing and all the lovely scents and sounds of summer filling the air.  With a little bit of planning, you can make your backyard into an evening wonderland.  The addition of Fairy Lights in the trees, around the fence and over a pergola will allow you to enjoy that outdoors for hours after the sun goes down.

If you have taken the time to really make your space beautiful and useful, I'm sure that you would have added some fairy lights to your space.  My niece loves her fairy lights and has made their pool area and the kids play area like a magical place to be.  There is enough light to keep the kids swimming well after the sun has gone down.  With this summer of 2020 being one of the hottest so far, the kids are enjoying the added time they have in the water.

Wonderful, Beautiful and Economical Solar Lights

Years ago we would never have thought to add this kind of lighting anywhere. You would have to have a power source installed.  And then it was just too expensive to plug all those lights in.  Just think of the added costs when Christmas rolls around and the decorations are all up, the difference in the Hydro bills was sometimes staggering.  

Well, that is not a problem anymore.  Solar technology has come a long way in making outdoor lighting not only beautiful and functional, but it is affordable too.  LED lights make them bright and most important, they are waterproof.  So it doesn't matter if they get wet!   The initial cost is in purchasing the lights.  Once you have them, there is no further cost involved anymore.  The only thing you have to think about is placing the solar panel somewhere where the sun will shine on it for at least 6 to 8 hours a day.  The longer the sunshines on the solar panel, the longer the lights will glow into the night.  Mine usually turn on about 8:45 in the evening and they are still lit at 4:30 in the morning.  

You don't even have to buy all your lights at the same time.

If you are on a budget, then buy one or two strings of these solar lights at a time.  Whatever you can afford, and then the following year purchase another couple of sets.  Depending on how much light you want in your yard, you may stop with just one string.  If you are truly an outdoorsy type in the summer, you may opt for many more.  My niece and her family, spend all their evening outdoors, so they have outfitted their area with lights so that the kids can go swimming right into the wee hours.  After all it is summer and school is out!  

As you can see from these pictures, her home is done with all white fairy lights, but they also come in colors. The colored lights have programs attached so that they can fade, or twinkle on and off, or run like a billboard.  You choose how you want the lights to act.    

Fairy lights can even make the garden path glow!  You can take a walk through the grass and check for nightlife in the flower beds. Moths love the fairy lights, coming out and enjoying them as well.   Pets sure don't mind having their yard lit up!  You might even appreciate that you can check where your dogs or cats are and if there are any unwanted critters about!  Having your yard lit up can save you the trouble of giving Fido a Skunk bath!  Skunks are nocturnal, so beware.  Fairy lights on the Patio are wonderful when you have company.  No more trying to see each other in the dark.  You can still bring out some candles for ambiance if you wish, but the fairy lights themselves would be enough.

Let your imagination run wild and stir up some interest in the great outdoors!  Even after the kids have gone to bed, it's nice to take a glass of wine, some cheese and crackers and just wind down under the magic of the fairy lights and the stars.  It's a great way to relax your mind and body!

For myself personally, the only other thing I would add to my enchanting backyard, would be a nice wireless speaker playing some soft music. You can use your playlist from your phone, tablet, Amazon Music and so much more on them.   Tracey from ReviewThisReviews.com had a great wireless speaker featured you can read her review here: OontZ Angle 3 Bluetooth Speaker.

Don't let the summer months go by without enjoying them fully.  Evenings outdoors are wonderful and relaxing for mind, body and spirit.  Everyone I know can really use this relaxation these days.

All the pictures in this post are from my niece's home (Tara Hocaliuk)  shared with her permission.

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.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Easy Wall Decor Ideas

Easy Wall Decor Ideas Reviewed

We decided to downsize a few years back. With the kids all grown up, we didn't need a large two-story house just for the two of us. So, we found a nice one-story house with 2.5 baths and, as luck would have it, a fully finished basement.

We furnished our new finished basement with the living room furniture from our old house, so now we had to go out and buy new furniture for the living room or live in our new basement. By the way, our finished basement is a perfect place for our grandchildren to play when they visit.

Our previous home had two built-in wall shelves between a window in the living room. This allowed us to display pictures, knick-knacks, and books.

We don't have any built-in shelves in the new house. We had to look for inexpensive ideas to add wall accents besides just picture frames.

Easy Wall Decor Ideas: 

The picture above shows a simple wall shelf and candle holder we had in storage. We added this to our dining area. I looked online and found 48 inches as a recommended height from the floor. That seemed way too low, so I set it at 65 inches from the top of the shelf to the floor. It is perfect to display our tea set. So far, zero dollars spent.

This shelf is another one we had in storage. This one we added to the living room, but Fran didn't like the color, so I painted it to match the walls. This is a perfect shelf for some candle holders and a small picture. Once again, zero dollars spent.

Now, the wall at the end of the hallway that leads to the bedrooms was blank. This photo memory quilt filled that space quite nicely. With pockets for small photos, this is a great way to display some fun memories.

Simple wall shelves are a great, inexpensive way to add accents to your walls and display your collectibles and photos. Some other ideas for wall decor include pictures, wall clocks, and many choices of peel-and-stick vinyl wall decor.

Here are some inexpensive ideas for wall shelves

BAYKA Wall Mounted Floating Shelves, Wood Floating Wall Shelf for Books & Decor, Small Space-Saving Display & Organizer（Black，Set of 4）Buy NowForbena Floating Shelves 36 Inches Long 8 in Deep Set of 3, Large Wall Shelf for Bedroom Books, Heavy Duty Wide Wall Shelving for Living Room Office Kitchen Closet Organizers and Storage (Black)Buy Now

 

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.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Travel: Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife Drive

This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. We spent our time on the Wildlife Drive. Despite the heatwave and oppressive humidity, it was a wonderful experience. I am writing this review because I highly recommend this destination for birdwatchers, wildlife lovers, bicyclists, hikers, photographers, travelers, and anyone who appreciates being immersed in nature.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Cambridge, Maryland

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is located in south eastern Maryland - the region commonly known as the eastern shore. The refuge is over 30,000 acres of tidal marsh, forests (hardwood and loblolly), managed freshwater wetlands, and croplands.  It was established in 1933 as a refuge for migratory birds.

The Wildlife Drive

With 30,000 acres of refuge, Wildlife Drive was a manageable chunk of area for a brief visit. We paid our nominal fee and entered that portion of the refuge. 

The drive includes a paved road (approximately 4 miles in length) with a few branches of unpaved - but wide - walking trails. Due to the heat and our limited time, we remained on the roadway.  

Our first stop was the observation deck and viewing area. Had we more time, I could have remained in that area for hours.  A raised wooden walkway and deck were positioned in the middle of the marsh. Two benches were available as were two free/permanent binoculars.

We observed fish swimming in the clear sections, a large number of Red-winged Blackbirds and dragonflies, and in the distance we easily spotted what appeared to be a Bald Eagle nest and two eagles perched in nearby trees.

As we left that area, I spotted what I believe to be a Green Heron in a tree (I am a beginning bird-watcher so please do not use my guesses of species as factual). I was so excited! I believe this is only the second time I've spotted a Green Heron since I've begun to list birds I've spotted.

In the distance, I saw a little marsh "Shack". Of course I was intrigued. If you know me, you know that I have my very own Shack.  This shack turned out to be a permanent viewing blind!

Along the road, we pulled over at various spots to observe turtles, ducks, Great Blue Herons, Osprey nests, and a Great White Egret (again, I'm only sure of the identification of the Great Blue Heron and Osprey).

Wildlife and Marsh Seasons

The pamphlets that were available at the entry gate included quite a bit of helpful information. Including a general "Wildlife Calendar".  From January to December, the refuge is a living and changing community of wildlife.  As we there in July, the time frame (depending on weather) generally includes swallows, kingbirds, and flycatchers feasting on the huge amounts of insects. Hibiscus begins to bloom near the end of the month and the Osprey babies begin to leave the nests. We were fortunate to find that the Ospreys were easy to spot on their nesting platforms.

If you are a bird watcher, you may want to refer to the migration information to increase your chances of seeing the species you'd like to see. For example, I believe we saw Teal. Whether they are "blue-winged" or "green-winged" I'm not sure. I'm not even fully confident they are Teal. But Teal is listed as a species that is traveling through the area during this time on their migration from North to South. 

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is definitely worth a visit for any outdoors person or birder. And the Wildlife Drive is a scenic and comfortable front seat for Mother Nature's show.

Related Links:

Eastern shore, Maryland has many great places to visit and things to see. Assateague Island (home of wild ponies) is my favorite place in that region. For more travel information check out VisitMaryland.org.

I recently read Chesapeake by James Michener. During my entire time at Blackwater National Refuge I thought of the people depicted in that historical fiction. From the Native American peoples, to the slaves and the slave owners, to the pirates, and those who worked hard to survive in the marshes of the Eastern Shore... they were all on my mind as I wandered the refuge. Read my review of that epic novel here.

Harriet Tubman lived in this area. I have seen the home that she was born in (from a distance and during a tropical storm). I have also visited the Harriet Tubman underground railroad state park. For more information about additional Harriet Tubman sites in the Dorchester County (Cambridge, MD) area, click here. 

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.”

FOLLOW US ON:

One of My Best Decisions Ever Was Switching to This Webhosting Company

Five Stars for This Hosting Company - Which One? Read More

Towards the end of 2019, I finally took the leap to switch my Webhosting company for my then two websites. I've since created another site, and now have three websites in total hosted with this new excellent firm.

This new hosting company is SiteGround and based on my own personal experience, I highly recommend them.

BEST Biz Decision I Made!

I'm not a website techy guru, and for that reason, I was always reluctant to begin the process of switching to a new WebHost. Honestly, it scared me!

I was worried that the new company would be worse than the previous firm I had been using - and I had been using them for nearly two decades!

I'm not going to name my previous hosting company, because mama always said: "if you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all." I can't say anything nice, so my lips are sealed.

The fear of transferring my sites was what held me back. I needed to find a company that would be completely dependable, helpful, answer dumb questions, fix dumb problems, fix WordPress related issues, and fix significant problems if they arose.

Mostly I wanted a company to do the transfer for me and not charge a ridiculous price! And reassure me that everything would be fine.

I Started Researching Possible New Companies in Early 2019

I had so many problems with my previous host that frustrated me that I decided it was time to look into switching companies. I knew I wouldn't be able to jump into using a new company without feeling comfortable, so I started reading reviews and checking out options.

The reviews for SiteGround were excellent, so I researched them in more detail. By the fall of 2019, I knew I was going to make the switch.

Around December 2019, I took the plunge with SiteGround.

Summary of My Experience to Date

1) I used their "Professional Migration Services" - guess what, that service only cost an additional $30 per site. It's still only $30 as of this date - (prices can change, just saying)

2) I'm such a nervous nelly, I contacted them via online chat first to confirm what they offer - explained the problems I had with my previous hosting company, and why I was transferring. I think I called them on the phone too - I've spoken to them on the phone a few times since and their service is incredible. They assured me the transfer would go smoothly and that I wouldn't have the problems I had been having ... and I haven't had them since.

3) I get a lot more Server space for my websites now, for less money! I took the 'Grow Big Plan.'  The current set price is $9.99/mth, and it includes: Unlimited websites, 20GB of webspace, 25000 visitors monthly, unmetered traffic, free SSL, daily back-up, free CDN, free email, managed WordPress, unlimited databases, 100 percent renewable energy match (not sure what this is? - but I have it, lol), 30 days money-back guarantee, on-demand back-up copies, speed-boosting caching, staging, add collaborators.

4) They offer two other plans, "Start-Up" (lower price) and "Go-Geek" (higher price).

5) They are quick to respond and resolve service tickets - and I haven't had many.

6) They never say "That's a WordPress issue, we don't handle that, you'll have to resolve that yourself" - My previous hosting company was notorious for that - it was so maddening!

7) They never try to use a problem as an excuse to upsell you! My previous host was well-known for that! SiteGround finds the problem and fixes it for you - at least that's what they've always done for me - not that I've had many issues.

8) The website panels are super-easy to understand and go through compared to my previous hosting company. SiteGround's website is not confusing: quite the opposite, I'd say it's dummy-proof lol.

9) One of my favorite features is that I get 20GB of space for less money compared to my previous host, which was 2GB. My sites were down several times a day with my last hosting company. That hosting company kept telling me it was a WordPress issue, and I had to hire someone to resolve it, or pay them more money for further investigation - yah right!

10) The SiteGround staff is knowledgeable, skilled, and helpful. They explain things in simple terms for the average user to understand. They aren't about trying to impress you or themselves with their techy brains. I love that about their staff.

11) If I'm not confident about changing something or doing anything on my site(s) that is above my low-grade-tech-ability, I contact them, and they're always helpful, and willing to take care of the matter for me.

Here's a link to SiteGround so you can do your own due diligence. Just a side-note, I get a few months of free hosting added to my account for anyone I refer.

I'm genuinely doing this review to help those who are still in the nightmare situation I used to be in with my previous hosting company. I feel confident in recommending them.

The best thing I ever did was switch to SiteGround Hosting!

My hopes for SiteGround in the future: That they never sell to a big, useless company - because they are genuinely awesome to deal with, and I wouldn't want that to change.

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.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Review of Long-Handle Swivel Grass Shears

These long-handle grass shears by Fiskars save you back strain from bending and sore knees from kneeling to trim the grass around flower beds, trees and sidewalks. 

In my collection of gardening/lawn care tools, I already owned a pair of hand-held grass shears. 

These shears are very handy for trimming bushes. But bending over trying to tidy-up the grass growing around the mailbox at the curb, or any trimming along the driveway or flower beds is hard on my back. 

Photos  by Ryan Austin

Then I discovered the existence of a set of grass shears with a long handle. Perfect! No more bending, no more back strain or sore knees from kneeling down to reach those annoying grasses which insist on growing around the gutter extensions and against the fence which no lawn mower can reach. 

Fiskars Long-Handle Swivel Grass Shears

Swivel blades for easy trimming
 (c) Ryan Austin

The Fiskars grass shears have a 36 inch long shaft with blades that swivel 180 degrees for easy trimming at any angle.  Can be used horizontally for trimming and vertically for edging.  

The 4-1/2 inch blades cut all the way to the tip and hold grass up for clean cuts. It is easy to edge and trim around borders and obstacles with precision straight snips. 

More Features of the Fiskars Long-Handle Swivel Grass Shears

Available on Amazon

These long-handle grass shears are of steel construction which stay sharp even through heavy use.  They have an ergonomically designed handle which provides a comfortable grip.  The smooth-cutting mechanism makes each snip easy. The easy-open lock protects the blades during transport and storage. 

A definite improvement to my line of lawn tools. Even though my sweet teenage grandson does most of my lawn mowing, I am in charge of keeping the trimming done. It is a weekly chore as the grass grows so fast this time of year! The Fiskar long-handle grass shears have certainly made my lawn-care life easier.

Fiskars Long-handle grass shears review written by Wednesday Elf (c) 7/18/2020

More Lawn Care Tools and Tips on ReviewThisReviews

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.”

FOLLOW US ON: