from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

If you’re a keen gardener when spring arrives, you’re probably aware just how easy it is to spend a lot on new plants, possibly way more than what you’d bargained for. Yet, if you do a lot of the work yourself, getting ready for a spring garden can be a wonderful weekly activity from planting to blooming, and is a pleasant way to welcome in the new season without having to spend a fortune.

Steps

1. Start with a budget. If you know what your budget allowance for the garden is from the very beginning, you will have something to stick to and if there is anything left over, you can reward yourself with something extra. If you don’t have a budget, you will probably overspend, so don’t skip this essential step.
2. Use your own seed. Keep seeds back from the previous season from flowers and vegetables that grew in your garden. Allow the seeds to dry (to prevent mildew over winter) and place in separate bags, well labeled. Store somewhere that is warm and dry over winter. As spring gets closer, plant the seeds in seedling trays and keep indoors near a window that gets a lot of sunshine. Water and tend to them regularly and you will get a head start on the new season’s plantings.
   • If you haven’t managed to do this from last season, ask your neighbors or family members who garden for spare seeds that they saved from their gardens.
   • Look for discount days at your local garden center or hardware store to get seeds at a very good price.
3. Strike cuttings. If you fancy the plants that are growing in someone else’s garden, ask if you can take cuttings from them to strike your own. Many gardeners are very pleased to be asked this and will let you collect a few cuttings.
   • Botanical gardens often have mid-winter to early spring pruning clear outs in rose gardens, etc. Phone up to ask when this happening and to see whether members of the public can get cuttings from these tidy-ups (just avoid picking out anything that is diseased or rotten).
   • Read How to grow cuttings from established plants for more details.
4. Wait until frost season has cleared. Once the likelihood of frost has cleared, take the seedlings outdoors and continue watering them in their trays. Do this for a week or two, to help them transition from the indoor environment to the outdoor one.
   • The budget-conscious gardener won’t rush this step, otherwise you’ll have to find more seedlings to replace the ones you’ve lost.
   • Read How to grow seedlings, How to thin out seedlings and How to keep birds off your seedlings for more ideas.
5. Create a garden plan on paper. In the same way that a shopping list helps you to curtail overspending in the store, a garden plan helps you to avoid over-purchasing of whims when you go to the garden center. Draw in the flowers, the vegetables, the ornamentals, the decorations, etc. that you’d like in your garden this year, in their exact places. This plan will guide you on buying “just enough” and no more. And don’t forget to take account of plants that you’re already growing yourself.
6. Keep an eye on garden sales in catalogs. When the sales are on, this is an excellent time to buy the garden sale items in bulk. Naturally, only buy what you will use but have an eye for a good bargain, including for updating/replacing, and so forth of new garden tools, hoses, netting, and other essentials.
   • Only buy in bulk if it will be used and is a good price.
   • Don’t go overboard on gimmicky things like plastic garden decorations. They clutter the garden and may not be made from very good materials. Put your money toward plants and gardening tools you really need instead.
7. Buy plants that have been reduced due to lack of adequate attention or overstocking. In some garden centers, there will be a section of plants that haven’t been adequately cared for, or that have not been selling as well as the store owner would like, going for a song. If you’ve a green thumb and you can identify the likelihood of successfully salvaging any of the poorer plants back to health, these finds can make incredible bargains.
   • Be sure to tend to the weaker plants from the moment you arrive home. Give them better soil, keep them away from wind and heat to begin with, give them a tidy up and a nutritious feed. Remember to water them regularly until they start to thrive again.
8. Make your own garden decorations. Rather than buying decorative items for the garden, recycle and reuse household items to create new and amazing garden sculptures, feature pieces, water features, etc. Be as imaginative as you’d like and rope the kids in to help too. They can have great fun making a dinosaur garden with their toys, a fairy garden with their fairies, an animal garden for their pets, etc.
   • Make a bird feeder
   • Make a mini Zen garden
   • Make a rhododendron decoration
   • Make a faerie garden.
9. Keep it simple. A budget conscious garden is a simple one that is pretty, effective, useful, and pleasant all at once. If you can’t afford a greenhouse to keep tropical flowers, don’t aim for that. Visit the local gardens instead and see theirs and think about how much extra work is involved anyway! And there is nothing more appealing than a well-weeded, well tended garden, whatever your budget.

Video

This video describes how to make a cheap and easy sprouts greenhouse for someone with a tight budget.

click here for: spring garden on budget – video

Tips

• Note that some plants are best placed direct into the soil that they will grow in; research each plant’s needs first.

Warnings

• Be careful of cheap garden items, from tools to decorations. They may seem like a bargain but if they break they need replacing and they can also become hazards if they break when working with them. Also, cheap decorations may contain hazardous parts for pets and infants, and they might be made from toxic paint or other dangerous components that your family and your garden can do without being exposed to.
• Wait for the soil temperature to be right. If you plant too early, the seeds and/or seedlings won’t succeed and you’ll have wasted your money.

Things You’ll Need

• Budget
• Own seed
• Garden space readied for planting
• Garden tools
• Affordable plants
• Homemade decorative elements
• Springtime

Relateds

• How to Create a Household Budget
• How to Set up an Inexpensive Irrigation System
• How to Make a Bottle Watering Can
• How to Build a Greenhouse out of Old Storm Windows
• How to Choose the Best Time for Watering the Garden
• Turn Clay Into Growing Soil

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prepare a Spring Garden on a Budget. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

That’s when a rough cut mower can come in extremely handy and a serious time saver.

But before you run down to your local equipment rental center in town, take a moment to read this post we found for you over at the Wiki!

How to Use a Rough Cut Mower

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

For those who live in an agricultural or rural area where wide open spaces abound, keeping the weeds, brush, and high-growing grasses under control can become too large of a task for an ordinary mower. Many who live in this type area will eventually invest in a small farm tractor and rotary mower (also known as a brush hog or "bushhog" - although the latter is actually a brand name). There is also a type of rough mower called a "flail mower". This type uses many very short blades on a horizontal drum. Strongly consider a flail mower if there are rocks or you may encounter debris. The short knives avoid throwing projectiles, which when thrown from a rotary mower could kill those within a great distance. Here are some steps and tips in understanding how to operate one safely and efficiently.

Steps

1. Make sure your tractor is in good operating condition. Since rough mowing may require going into brushy or bushy areas, you may want to modify the tractor to protect the front end components, such as the steering linkages and radiator screen to protect these from limbs or other hazards.
2. Use a mower that is the correct size and configuration for your tractor. The manufacturers of rough cut mowers build and rate them according to two criteria, explained here:
   • Gearbox Horsepower(torque). A 50 horsepower tractor will likely damage a 25 horsepower mower gearbox under heavy load, and a 30 horsepower tractor cannot operate a large mower equipped with a 90 horsepower gearbox. A good fit is no more than 10% difference in tractor/mower horsepower rating.
   • Cutting width. Smaller tractors, obviously, will handle only smaller sized mowers. For a typical 25 horsepower tractor, a 5 foot mower is recommended, where a 40 horesepower tractor should be able to handle a 6 foot mower, and larger tractors can handle proportionally larger mowers.
3. Adjust the sway chains/implement stabilizers so the mower cannot swing too far when turning corners. A mower deck can swing far enough, in certain cornering situations, to hit the rear tires of the tractor, possibly ruining it.
4. Check the condition of your mower. Making sure the mower is in good condition will decrease the chance of a breakdown while you are mowing. Some things that may need attention are these:
   • Gearbox lubrication. Typical gear boxes have two pipe thread type plugs built into their housing. One, at the top, is the fill hole, another, on the side, is the fill level. Remove both plugs, and pour oil in the upper hole until it begins to trickle out the lower one, then replace both plugs.
   • Ground wheel condition. The ground wheel supports the rear of the mower to keep it from digging into the dirt if the mower is operated in unlevel conditions. It should swivel easily so the mower follows when the tractor turns, and the wheel should turn freely on its axle. Lubricate the grease fittings on this assembly, and make sure no debris is tangled around the wheel hub or axle.
   • Power take-off connector. Usually, this is a splined connection with a pin or spring-loaded locking mechanism to hold it in place. There are several sizes of PTO shafts, if you have the correct tractor/mower combination, you will be able to slide the mower drive shaft onto the tractor PTO shaft without trouble. Lubricating the splines on this assembly will keep it easy to slide on and off when changing out equipment.
   • Universal joints. These are similar to the u-joints on a car or truck, and allow the drive shaft to travel without bending while it is rotating. Make sure the universal joints are tight, and grease them if they are equipped with grease fittings.
   • Top-link connection. The top link on a rough cut mower is not a fixed length, as are most other farm implements. This is because the ground wheel can raise and lower the rear of the mower to follow ground contours, and the top link would bind in this situation. Make sure the top link adaptor on your mower allows several inches of free travel, while still allowing the mower to be lifted clear of the ground while turning.
   • Mower blades. A 5 foot rough cut mower is usually equipped with two 24 inch blades, attached to the blade mounting plate under the mower deck. These should be balanced and sharp for good, clean, and vibration free service.
   • The blade mounting plate. Make sure the bolts or studs that attach the blades are tight. This should also be equipped with a stump jumper, to lift the bottom of the gearbox/blade assembly clear of stumps or other obstacles.
5. Hook up your mower and connect the PTO shaft. Make sure the shaft locking mechanism engages, to prevent the shaft from vibrating loose while operating. Check any shaft guards to be sure they are in safe operating condition.
6. Crank your tractor, engage the clutch fully (tractors usually have two stage clutches, so the clutch must be fully depressed to disengage the PTO), and engage your PTO. Make sure your engine is at minimum RPMs, then let out the clutch. The mower blades should begin turning, but if there is any problem, disengage the PTO immediately.
7. Use the three point hitch hydraulics to raise the mower to the desired cutting height, and select a gear appropriate for the cutting job you are doing. For light weeds/grass, you may choose to operate in a gear that gives a groundspeed of about 7 MPH. In the tractor in the photos, this would be 6th gear. For heavy weeds, brush, or mowing crops after they are finished, a 4 MPH speed may give better results, so 5th gear may be used.
8. Begin mowing. Keep the wheel aligned with the direction you want to travel. This may seem obvious, but in a large field with no rows or other features to guide a tractor operator, the machine may drift.
9. Select your mowing route in the field or area you are mowing, and follow it either in return row or circular configuration, which ever is more efficient. Since return row mowing requires stopping at each end, raising the mower deck, and turning around, a circular mowing path is usually more efficient.
10. Listen to the tractor engine, and observe the exhaust, if your tractor has a diesel engine. Black smoke may mean you are overloading the engine, as will a reduction in RPMs. You should not exceed the limits of your tractor when mowing, doing so can cause premature failure of drive train components. If the tractor is lugging, losing power, or otherwise struggling with its load, either reduce the mower cut by raising the mower, or drop to a lower gear to reduce the tractor speed.
11. Watch for obstacles in the vegetation you are mowing. Stumps, holes, or large rocks can ruin a mower, and hitting a large hole with a tractor wheel can cause the driver to be thrown from the machine. Each pass gives you an opportunity to look at the next cutting path as you pass it.
12. Keep an eye on the gauges. Watch the engine temperature, oil pressure, and fuel gauges to ensure these stay in their appropriate ranges. Mowing large vegetation can put a considerable strain on a tractor's cooling system, and debris falling from the vegetation can stop up the radiator screen.
13. Keep the mower deck ground rails from plowing, or digging into the earth. Even when properly adjusted for level ground, occasionally, a skid plate will dig into the soil when crossing a small contour, and earth and vegetation can accumulate at the corner of the mower deck. These accumulations can quickly snowball into huge masses, and cause a mess. Glancing back at the mower deck frequently will allow you to observe this before it becomes a real problem.
14. Use care if mowing under tree limbs or other overhead hazards. Not only can these obstructions break off a muffler or bend the sheet metal of your tractor, you can actually be swept off the machine. Slow down when approaching any obstacle, and be prepared to stop.
15. Understand the limits of what your mower can cut effectively. Because people refer to rough cut mowers as Brush Hogs, they often assume the mower is capable of cutting bushes. To some extent, this is true, but if you are inexperienced or doubt the tractor/mower's ability to handle large, thick bushes, avoid them.
16. Keep an eye out for insects. When mowing under trees, it is common to find yourself wrapped up in spider webs, and not too unusual to find a spider stuck on your hat or glasses. Ground bees (yellow jackets), wasps, and hornets are other hazards, and tractors are not the fastest escape vehicles for avoiding these painful pests if your encounter them. In the unusual event you have to leave your tractor suddenly to avoid these pests, make sure you pause long enough to pull the kill switch or at least take it out of gear.
17. Enjoy your mowing job. Nothing beats the smell of fresh mowed grass under a clear blue sky. Remember, some jobs are hustle and bustle, but that is not the tradition of agricultural life.

Video

How-To-Use-A-Rough-Cut-Mower

Tips

• Keep your mower blades sharp. Sharp blades wear much more slowly than dull ones.
• Don't try to mow a field early in the mornings or after a rain. The added moisture will cause your exhaust to clump up and the results will be less than you want.
• If you are mowing to reduce small-fuel fire hazard, rather than for lawn-like appearance, do mow when it is cool and damp. This will reduce the chance of sparks caused by the blades against rocks starting a fire. Some jurisdictions prohibit mowing after noon.
• Mow only at a speed you are comfortable with. Many tractors have no operator restraint devices or roll-over protection.
• Avoid scalping while mowing. If your mower blades hit the dirt, they are likely to become dull very quickly.
• For irregular shaped lots, you will find it more efficient to first mow the border of the area you wish to mow, once you have circled the entire area with the mower, square up your work by fixing your vision on a distant object that you can mow towards. Then go back over the irregular shape you have created to square up your work and mow all of area before you proceed to mowing the large square you have defined. Then as you mow the large square or rectangle you have created, be sure to have the discharge of the mower deck to the outside of your work, or with each pass you will find the tractor and mower working harder and harder.
• Mowing with the tractor wheels at their narrowest setting will allow you to mow much closer to obstacles.

Warnings

• Never operate a tractor or other equipment if you are not in good condition, alert, and well-rested. Fatigue or the influence of medications, alcohol, or drugs may impair your ability to do so safely.
• Avoid drop-offs, embankments, or other obstacles when mowing.
• Be especially careful of obstacles when backing the tractor with the mower attached.
• Observe all warnings posted on the mower.
• There are times to use an iPod and times not to. Mowing with a tractor is not one of the times. Even with the expensive noise canceling ear phones because in order to hear your music, you'll have to turn the volume up so loud you will damage your ears. You won't notice the damage until it is too late.
• Check the fuel and be sure you have enough to complete the job. Running out of fuel may require you to go through a painful and time consuming priming process.
• Wear a bandanna or some sort of protection for your nose and lungs. A simple bandanna around your neck can be effective, when your mowing kicks up the dust, pull up the bandanna to cover your nose and mouth just like Roudy Yates did on Rawhide.
• Wear the proper clothing. A long sleeve shirt, jeans, and a cap can protect you from critters you disturb mowing, like ground wasps. Their stingers won't penetrate jeans, caps or thick cotton shirts, so if you do get attacked, you can avoid most of the stings. And, don't jump off the tractor if you do get stung, it wont help things. If you are sensitive to stings, keep a bottle of Benadryl or other over-the-counter antihistamine in your tool box. It might save your life. Furthermore, a good pair of sunglasses will protect the health of your eyes; you may want to ask for the kind of sunglasses that have a dual-purpose function as safety glasses, they will come in handy for many outdoor projects.
• Don't mow a large area with your cell phone in a case clipped to your belt. The movements you make and the constant bumping around and jostling can dislodge your phone. So, either leave your phone in the house or at least put in in your pocket.
• Understand that a rough cut mower can discharge debris at a high speed anywhere around the mower deck while it is cutting. A stone or limb can quickly become a dangerous projectile.

Things You'll Need

• Tractor
• Mower
• Personal protective equipment, including gloves and safety glasses

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use a Rough Cut Mower. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

From this point on…

Why not give a gift that will keep on giving?

The Baby Jade

This succulent bonsai, also known as the ““Elephant Bush”", is native to South Africa and has pale green leaves that are almost round and about one-third the size of the common Jade plant. The fleshy trunk, branches and leaves are used to store water. An excellent indoor bonsai tree, great for home or office.  Makes a GREAT GIFT! Order this one or choose from a large selection HERE!

With outdoor patio furniture, there are the positives and some drawbacks to every decision. A lot of people getting their first garden furniture go this route:

They buy buy cheap stuff. They usually get durable plastic outdoor furniture. The great thing about plastic furniture is that it is inexpensive, fairly comfortable, and very replaceable. If a wind storm come along blows it down the street and breaks it, it is no big deal. You can also easily move it around by hand without having anyone help you. You can realize the placement and size and get a feel for the layout. Cheap outdoor furniture is easy to experiment with.

Once you are a little bit more settled and have your garden designs really down, you might want to invest in something a little bit nicer. When you are designing your garden, it is nice to have furniture that you can experiment with and replace if necessary, but it is amazing how much nicer cast iron furniture is than the plastic stuff. I have always loved cast iron benches and tables. They are very durable, but they are also quite beautiful. The only problem is that they are extremely heavy, and they can sink into the ground If they are not correctly placed.

A really popular option where I live is outdoor teak furniture. This is an expensive wood and it can be a little bit difficult to find, but it is worth it. It has this rich, deep color that is out of this world, and it weathers very well. You need to have it properly varnished and finished, of course, or else it won’t hold up to the seasons. If you do that, it will last you forever.

Consider this when you are picking out your garden furniture, don’t just think about what you like. Think about things like: What plants you will be including in your backyard oasis, the environment outdoors, and things like that. After all, when you see garden furniture that is really well matched to its surroundings, you can tell. It creates this harmonious effect that is quite breathtaking. Every plant, every creative stone arrangement, the secret footpath to a secluded area, and that special piece of outdoor furniture are in their place, and it feels as if the world is at peace with itself when you are sitting among all that beauty in your special place.

HHealth

Here’s my story, review and over-all appreciation of their existence!

You see,

I’m self-employed and can’t afford to stop working even during vacations.  When my eleven year old approached me with his grand idea of a father son adventure, so he could impress me with his newly learned cub scout skills… I thought it might be a once in a lifetime chance for us to have our first important bonding of sorts.

I just couldn’t say no to him and decided to dust off the old tent and have a go at a real-live, weeklong camping fest! The only problem is that like it or not, I have to drag along my lap top, my cell phone, digital camera and of course my i-pod..to mention a few electronic devices I’m addicted to! But how was I going to stay plugged-in to the World if I was to be thrown into the wild?

I knew the first challenge would be to find a spot at or near the campground with wi-fi capabilities. That’s actually not too difficult these days. A bigger problem, however, was keeping all of my gadgets charged throughout the week without being able to plug them into the car-charger. So I did a little homework and discovered that there are solar battery chargers out there for all kinds of gadgets and devices, some of which I didn’t even know existed!

Did you know…


…A tiny fraction of the energy emitted by the sun is enough to power your needs many times over.

That’s right. Only a small amount of power is needed to power your favorite electronic devices from cell phones to iPods to GPS systems.

When chosing a Solar Battery Charger, I was looking for the following features:

I was looking for one that provides an emergency power source when away from power outlets.

One that would work with multiple gadgets, including mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, smartphones/PDAs, MP3 players, portable gaming devices, digital cameras, GPS and more.

It had to be convenient compact and lightweight. It’s design had to be perfect for travel or emergency use.

Being made from reusable and recyclable materials would be a plus. Greens the thing!

So I took my requirments and I did a good bit of research on the subject at hand. What I came up with was an unbelievable amount of info. Almost an overwhelmong amount!

I was on a quest to get my answers and find the best product for my wants and needs.

What I found was the Solio Portable Solar Charger…


Here’s how it works:

Solio uses photovoltaic cells (PVs). PVs convert sunlight into electricity that can be used immediately. The process is clean, fast, noiseless, and—thanks to Solio—easily portable.

Learn more on how it works here:

You may be wondering how efficienct these are.

First thing I found was that it takes Solio’s internal battery around 8-10 hours of direct sunlight to fully charge but using the included wall adapter, solio will fully charged it in approximately 4 hours.
Something to note: A fully charged Solio will completely charge an average cell phone at least twice.

Something else that’s COOL to note: Solio can store energy for up to one year!

We tried charging a cell phone directly from the sun, 60 minutes later it provided approximately 25 minutes of talk time and ten hours of standby time.

My iPod, charged directly from the sun was charged in one hour with enough sunlight to provide about one hour of play time.

For my purposes, I was excited to find a nifty little product on the Internet called the Solio. For hand-held electronics, it’s the mother of all solar battery chargers. It can provide a charge for everything in my briefcase: my cell phone, iPod, PDA –- even the GPS unit that’s going to keep us from getting lost as we explore Rocky mountains on our camping trip.

Solar battery chargers aren’t just limited to small electronics

Recharging batteries of all shapes and sizes, like AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, and even the tiny ones for hearing aids is a snap!

There’s even a charger available for the lithium-ion batteries that are widely used in digital cameras. This will be great because we plan on taking about a million pictures while we’re out there and didn’twant to lug around extra batteries.

Of course they even make solar battery chargers for cars and RVs, as well as weatherproof, collapsible marine panels for boats, which I’m sure will come in handy for lots of folks out there.

I’ll look into these and report back on what I discover in a later issue on The Home and Garden Guide Online.

I plan to invest in solar power option every chance I get from now on. Battery chargers for all of my hand-helds and for the car as well are on my “to-do” list and now I have a GREAT source for the best ones I could find for the money.

In Summary,

purchasing my Solar Battery Chargers was the answer I was looking for. Doing so truly helped make my vacation worry-free, since I knew I’d be able to stay connected and keep pace with the demands of my business no matter how far off the beaten path we traveled!

We absolutely fell in love with the portable yet powerful Solio Solar Charger. Why wouldn’t we use the always available renewable resource of the sun to power our electronic devices?

Plus, it’s said that Solio Solar Chargers are the most convenient and eco-conscious charger on the market. And remember, they also use the free and clean power of the sun, making them a friend to the environment as well as a friend to all of us at www.homeandgardenguideonline.com

Thank you for reading and please let us know if this was helpful info.

The Editor

Lighting is the key to making a big splash in your neighborhood. Well chosen decorative light bulbs are the most important aspect of your Christmas lights house decorating plan. There are many different types of bulbs to consider. Some people like to stick to the traditional look while others want something hip and new.

Your Christmas lights on your house can be adorned with large, traditional bulbs that are reminiscent of large eggs. These holiday lighting items are available in many different colors. You can stick with an all white décor, a cool blue effect or a warm red tone.

Other great products include newer designs that are really popular right now. Solar-powered decorating lights – no outlet needed! They make a lovely presentations that offers both the twinkling sparkle as well as the Solar-powered luxury – no outlet needed! 

Now decorate anywhere without dangerous extension cords or need for an outlet. Sun charges string of 60 lights by day, turn on automatically at dusk and run for about eight hours! No energy cost! Great near road, around mailbox or lampost – now you’re not limited to nearby outlet. 26′ length. Click Here for the multi-colored light set.

The Editor

Oodles of Christmas Decorating For The Home!!

How are you planning to deck out your house this year?

Have you noticed that many of your neighbors go all out when it comes to Christmas Decorating for the home?

Has that finally bothered you enough to finally…this year…find out the secrets that allow them to pull this off effortlessly year after year?

Are you ready for the hectic and chaotic holiday season? This annual event can come at you fast if you’re not paying attention.

I do firmly believe in dazzling Christmas Decorating for the home, I don’t care to compete with anyone, just have fun at it without any major expense. 

I believe as long as you remember never to lose sight of what really matters, everything will be just fabulous. Okay, I’ll try to never sound “Hallmark – ish” here!

Regardless, it’s prudent to remember that the holidays aren’t just about Christmas decorating for the home…

But… if you’re really getting the bug as I have and continue having each year, here’s a quick tip.

Go into it easy, one piece at a time especially on the large outdoor Christmas decorations such as the air-blown and animated variety.  Before long you’ll have quite an impressive collection.

I’ve come up with a few new ideas this year concerning outdoor christmas decorating.

Although I try not to go about it in a competitive manor with other families, I do want to express some Christmas cheer and spirit. It’s a wonderful feeling to step out on your lawn and stare up at a magnificently decorated home. I should know; I do it every year along with several of my neighbor’s.

If you’ve made it this far in this essay and are seriously considering some air-blown Christmas decoration or some animated outdoor christmas decorations, I’ve found a link to some really neat ones.  They are high quality at a discount price range for what you can get.

Check these out, you can usually get them within a day or so.

Hey, that’s about it for now.

Don’t forget to check back with Home and Garden Online Guide.com/Christmas Decorating For The Home for countless new & old ideas.  They’re added regularly and if you book mark the link they’ll be right at your fingertips.

Merry Christmas!

From the Staff

The Editor

Owning your own home seems to be a huge part of the American dream.

People want to feel that they have a place that is theirs. Saving for a home and keeping your home maintained takes up a great deal of our time. There always seems to be something to do or another thing that you want to buy to improve your living situation.

Owning a home is a great thing when everything is working properly.

It can be a real drag when things break down that you have not budgeted for. I have been saving up to buy a new dining room set. The one we have was purchased at a second hand store when we first had a home with a formal dining room.

It is functional, but I have always wanted a new set. I was getting close to having enough money for the one I wanted when our hot water heater quit working. We called a plumber and he suggested going with a Tankless Water Heaters by Low Energy Systems which would give us INSTANT hot water.


He told us that we would notice a big difference in our electric bill because the TANKLESS hot water heater that he was installing was much more energy efficient than the old one.

Here’s what he had to say about it:

He said the Paloma PH24M is the largest tankless water heater of its type in the world!

Superb for commercial and industrial use as well as large residential homes. Just one Paloma PH24M supplies all the hot water you need in your home for shower, bath, dishwasher, laundry, etc. Click here

Turn on your hot water faucet and water is heated instantly as it flows through the heating coils. Paloma’s burners shut off automatically as soon as you turn off the faucet. The Paloma modulating control automatically adjusts the flame to the water flow you select. Paloma tankless water heaters produce hot water only when and as much as you need. That’s why you can save energy and money.

You see, Storage-type hot water heaters lose heat all day long (and all night too!). They consume more energy than any other job in the home except space heating. Paloma tankless gas water heaters heat only the water you need as you’re using it. You never store hot water again.

I knew that this was something that we needed, but a hot water heater was not as fun as getting new dining room furniture.

We had him install the Tankless Water Heaters by Low Energy Systems and I resumed saving money for the dining room table and chairs.

The great thing was that we did notice a great savings in our gas bill. We had no idea that our old water heater was using so much gas.

All of the appliances that are in our home are getting older. They came with the house when we bought it and they were not new at the time.

We realized that we would be better off replacing them so we could cut down on our monthly bills. The dining room table would not help us reduce our living expenses.

Many of the new appliances are much more energy efficient than they were in the past. Washers are now designed to use less water and dryers are equipped with multiple settings so you are not wasting energy. We have agreed that the money that we save in our gas and electric bills will go towards the dining room table fund. It will take a while to purchase it, but in the mean time we are consuming less energy with our new Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless Water Heaters by Low Energy Systems.

The Editor