Category: Enviroment

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Two Rainbows Tonight

double rainbow photo

After the thunderstorm passed by, the air seemed a weird grayish color. It was not yet time for the sun to set, but it was definitely getting dark. I looked outside to make sure the storm was over and why the air looked funny.

The last few rays of sun caught the raindrops still in the air and created this beautiful double rainbow over our house. We hardly ever see a rainbow around here and a double rainbow is very rare. I wish it had happened an hour earlier, as the sun went down soon after and the rainbows faded quickly. But we all enjoyed Mother Nature’s show while it lasted.

I took this photo with my cellphone. I think it turned out great for not being a fancy Nikon type of camera setup. The cool thing about spontaneous photo opportunities is that now we almost always have our cell phone with us, so it is easy to tap on the camera app and grab a quick shot.

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Where has time gone?

Well it’s hard to imagine that another year is on it’s way out.  I mean, I have been so busy trying to get some things fixed, up graded and just generally looking better that I just realized it’s already November.  The leaves are mostly down which means more yard work than I have done all summer unfortunately.

But you know, leaves are great to add into the soil if you have a garden.  All you have to do is spread out the leaves and till or plow them in if your garden is big enough and you have a tractor that is.  That not only adds much needed nutrients to the soil, but it also helps when you go through those darn dry periods too.  My parents did it every year!

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What happened?

Here it is almost Halloween and it’s supposed to be 80 degrees for the next couple of days.  To top it off, it’s gonna be 77 degrees Friday.  But now here’s the fun part.  This weekend, the highs are only going to be in the mid to upper 60’s.  Sounds like perfect pneumonia weather if you ask me.

If I’m not mistaken, the mid 60’s is normal around here this time of year.  Oh and then to top it off, there’s a tropical storm that might head up the coast this weekend.  Strange weather we are having!  Strange weather indeed!  Hey, one good thing, that tropical storm might blow the leaves out of my yard.  It could happen!!!

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Arizona homes

Have you ever been to Arizona?  Man is it beautiful out there or what?  I have some family out there and always look forward to going for a visit every so often.  Not often enough in all reality but at least I do get to visit.  One of my cousins lives in Scottsdale and another in Phoenix.  I would have a heck of a time choosing between both areas should I decide to move out there.

My cousin that lives in Phoenix is thinking about building a new home for themselves or maybe even remodeling their existing home.  The house they live in is kinda small and with their children getting older, they really need some more room.  They asked a lot of people in their area if they could or would recommend any Phoenix new home builders .  Seems there were a lot of people that had a lot of opinions but one came up for than all of the rest.

It’s nice when you can get first hand recommendations from people that have used a particular company or builder as it is in this case.  You can’t always trust advertisements but you can trust word of mouth.  That’s the same thing my cousin in Scottsdale did.   They definitely want to do some remodeling.

The first thing they did is looked online for Scottsdale home builders.  They sent me the link because they knew I was doing some remodeling of my own.  Trust me, I’m not even in their class.  Talk about some beautiful jobs, they are amazing.

They finally made their choice of a Scottsdale home builder and I can’t wait to visit next summer to see what they came up with.  I’m sure it’s going to be impressive.  Might make me want to move out there even more.  I just love the designs of the homes out there since they seem to blend in so well with the environment.

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I thought this was fall

Well here it is close to the end of September and it’s about 80 degrees outside.  I thought this was fall.  Well it sure doesn’t feel like it to me.  I can’t remember when fall officially starts but with these temperatures, I don’t think it matters.

Last winter was warmer than usual too but the winter before, I don’t think we have ever had so much snow.  I guess the global warming thing everyone was talking about took a break.  I don’t know about you but I’m ready for fall.  This summer wasn’t as hot as usual but I’ve had enough of yard work for now.  Well that is until the leaves start falling.

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Fishing anyone?

I can’t think of anything more relaxing than fishing.  I know a lot of people think it’s a waste of time to sit on the bank of a river or lake and drown some worms as I have heard it put but I can’t think of anything better than spending the day enjoying nature.

There’s just something about being around water that calms my soul.  I guess it could have something to do with the fact that some of my favorite memories involve my grandfather or my father and fishing.  Not to mention, on a good day, you know what’s for dinner.

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Hey, it works

Well I just wanted to let all of you know that the distilled vinegar on weeds actually works.  I sprayed the weeds every other day for a week and was pleasantly surprised to find that the weeds were dying after the third time I sprayed them.  Just gave them an extra day of spraying for good measure.

Nothing like getting rid of the weeds and saving money and even time too.  Well, it also saved my back from bending over pulling the weeds.  Yeah I have a hoe but I like to try and get the roots so I pull them instead of chopping them with a hoe.

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Weeds are taking over

The season of yard work is now in full bloom. Mowing isn’t that bad and neither is weed eating the yard but the weeds are taking over. We only have a few flower beds around our yard and I hate the thought of using weed killer. It’s not only full of chemicals, but you run the risk of damaging your flowers should the wind blow.

A friend of mine told me about using white or distilled vinegar to kill weeds.  They told me that I might have to spray the weeds a few times before they die but the vinegar is biodegradable and won’t hurt the environment. I’m all for that.  Not to mention, it’s a lot cheaper than weed killers.  Guess I’ll give it a try and keep you guys posted of how effective it is.

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Green business

There are many areas of the economy that are not performing all that well. We all know that. The good news is that some areas of the economy are doing very well. Those who are smart and who get in on the ground floor of these businesses will have a bright future. That’s why I made a suggestion to my next door neighbors son Charlie that he should think about getting some training and starting his own business.

One area of business that is really taking off is green technology in homes. People want lower heating and air bills and are willing to pay for it. The government provides many tax incentives in many cases and it’s good for our environment. Many people are now looking to starting a home energy audit franchise. This is a golden opportunity for those who are willing to learn about it.

The internet will be the backbone of these new businesses and there are people who can help you get started. You can find training as well as marketing home improvement business plans. They can provide the knowledge and experience needed for contractors websites marketing. I think Charlie will be glad I mentioned this to him and I wish him the best in his new career.

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From the garden

With the summer months coming on, we have been doing a lot of planning for our garden. I have the grounds laid out and tilled and we are deciding what plants will go where. It’s a fun project for my wife and I and I think the kids will be glad to help out now and then as well. We have some great plans for this year’s harvest.

One idea I am interested in is called rain harvesting. That’s when you harvest the rain that runs off your roof into what is called a rain barrel. The water is stored there until you need to use it. I thought it would be the perfect way to save on our water bill. Instead of paying for water from the tap to water the plants, we can use the water that is captured in the barrels.

I went online in order to investigate the situation and I found a great site where they have rain barrels for sale. Although there is an initial investment, it will save me in the long run as well as being environmentally friendly. I believe we will have on heck of a garden this year and I am very excited about that. We will be able to put our own produce on our dinner table. Now that’s a good feeling.