Yard and Garden: Rabbit Control Tips

Do you feel like Mr. McGregor? Is Peter Cottontail tearing up your yard, garden, or flowerbeds? Despite the fact that bunny rabbits are cute and furry, they can become frustrating when they destroy your hard work. Here are some ideas for controlling rabbits without causing physical harm to them. 1. You can start by fencing areas and plants that you wish to protect. You will need chicken wire or the type of mesh you see in rabbit hutches. The openings must be very small. Be sure the fencing is snug to the ground. You may also want to reinforce the … Continue reading →

A Warning About Mulch

It wasn’t until my brother’s best friend’s house burned to the ground (the fire investigator said the fire was sparked by lint buildup in the dryer) that I began completing regular maintenance on my dryer. I’m ashamed to admit that it took someone else’s tragedy to raise awareness in my own home. Now it’s happened again. We have been experiencing unusually mild weather (actually, record breaking temperatures in the 80s) in our neck of the woods, which has enticed many homeowners to get a jump start on spring planting and other yard work. Unfortunately, for one local homeowner his efforts … Continue reading →

Outdoor Living Spaces: Simple or Extravagant?

Does the area you enjoy outside your home have to look like your living room or appear to have been created by a designer to be considered an outdoor living space? I don’t think so. If it’s an area you use often or “live in” such as a patio, deck, or even just part of your yard or garden, I think it qualifies. I don’t have anything fancy, as our land is still a work in progress, but I prefer to stay outside more often than not when the weather is right. I enjoy barbecuing instead of cooking in the … Continue reading →

Yard Work is Hard Work

After doing something strenuous, I’ve heard people say, “I found muscles I never knew I had.” I’m here to tell you that yard work gives that statement a whole new perspective. Ouch! I’ve been working in my yard and garden for the past several days, and I’m starting to feel my age! I have never ended up this stiff and sore from yard work or gardening in my life. Of course, my husband and I have turned into Mr. and Mrs. Super Gardener, so it’s true that we’re doing more than usual, but still… Wow! I’m sure it will be … Continue reading →

Update on Yard Work

I was all set to spend part of one morning this week writing an update about all the yard work I had planned to get done over the weekend. Well, even though the temperature wasn’t too bad, it did end up raining most of the weekend, so I didn’t get much accomplished. I now also have standing water and some very soft areas. The driveway seems to be holding up okay for now, but I hope we don’t get much more rain before I can get some work done! I did get a small bit of cleaning done, but it … Continue reading →

Driveways: In a Rut?

This may not be a problem for many homeowners, but for those of us that live in the country, driveways can become big issues. Even if you live in the city or suburbs, and you have recently built a home, you may experience similar problems. Recently cleared land means all sorts of fun stuff you might not have expected. If your drive isn’t paved, you may be finding that as the weather warms and the ground begins to thaw your driveway is becoming soft. This can soon lead to quite a mess. If at all possible, try to park elsewhere … Continue reading →

Are You Ready to Work on Your Yard?

I know I’m ready! It seems like every weekend so far, I have found an excuse not to do it. Some of them were pretty good excuses too. There were some issues with weather, and then mud from all the rain we’ve had, but it’s starting to be milder now. I hope it stays this way. It was sunny and in the sixties yesterday. Despite some wind, it was a beautiful day. It’s still early this morning, but it already looks like it’s going to a nice day. If it stays like this through the weekend, I will definitely be … Continue reading →

Digging Out

I confess; I have used this blog to complain about having to shovel my driveway and sidewalk after Mother Nature sent several inches our way—but no more. My whines have been silenced and I am completely humbled by what people living in parts of central New York along the eastern shore of Lake Ontario are dealing with. Can you imagine having your home buried under 110 inches of snow? Or, how about navigating through 9-feet of snow to get to your mailbox? I don’t think many homeowners can fathom dealing with that much snow in such a limited time frame. … Continue reading →

A Warning To Homeowners—Guard Your Fences

There was a time when egg tossing, mailbox smashing, and the occasional TP-ing were the only high school hi-jinks homeowners had to worry about. Not so anymore. It turns out teens living in the suburbs of Detroit, New York and Chicago have devised a new way to vandalize area homes, and it’s proving costly for both the vandals and their victims. The new craze is called “fence plowing” or “fence popping,” and it’s a way for bored teens to get their kicks at someone else’s expense. The premise is simple… the teens choose one member of their group to be … Continue reading →

Fences—-Tricky Propositions: Finding A Solution

In my previous blog I discussed the topic of fences and how the installation and maintenance of them could be tricky propositions, especially if you inherit one from a pervious homeowner. For instance, if a fence separates your yard from your neighbors’ whose responsibility is it to care for the fence? What if you don’t like your neighbors’ style of fencing? What do you do if your neighbor put up a fence years ago and now it’s falling apart? To find the answers you may simply have to consult with your community association. More often than not they have written … Continue reading →