While many people use electric and gas grills, there’s no question that charcoal grills are the most traditional.  Undoubtedly, it would be difficult to find anyone who doesn’t have childhood reminiscences of family gatherings, where the smell of charcoal-grilled burgers – and lighter fluid – hung heavily in the air.

Of course, memories continue to pile up as the years go by; and charcoal, which is much easier to light these days, is still the favorite of purists, who savor the flavor that it adds to all types of meat and fish, and even fruit and vegetables.  Furthermore, the mouth-watering aroma of succulent burgers, hot dogs, chicken, or steaks, sizzling on a charcoal grill, makes the anticipation almost as delicious as the food itself.

Another significant aspect of the cookout experience is sitting around the picnic table, on the porch swing or glider, or in an Adirondack chair, chatting pleasantly with your family and friends.  Besides being a big part of the memories-in-the-making, this also helps to take everybody’s minds off their hunger pangs; and the more stimulating the subject, the more effectively it distracts from growling stomachs, as it gives everyone something to, uh, chew on.

So, the next time you’re gathered around an outdoor dining table with other ravenous revelers, you can give them a morsel that’s more than a mouthful, by telling them that the father of the automobile, Henry Ford, is also the founder of their feast – in a way.  Indeed, the grills on his cars were not the only ones that concerned him.

In the early 1920’s, as scrap wood from components of his Model T was piling up, then being discarded, Ford set out to find an efficient use for it.  Consequently, he and E.G. Kingsford, who was a relative, a lumberman, and an owner of one of his first dealerships, set up a charcoal manufacturing plant next to the assembly line.  There, the charcoal was ground, combined with starch, formed into briquettes, and sold, under Ford’s name, in his dealerships, where it was touted as “the perfected fuel with a hundred uses.”  In 1950, the charcoal was renamed for Kingsford; and you may even be able to turn around and point to a bag of it as the perfect wrap-up to your tale.

However, if, after you bring this juicy tidbit to the table, your fellow picnickers are still starving for stories, you can give them a bonus bite, by telling them that Ford’s charcoal assembly plant was designed by his good buddy, Thomas Alva Edison.  You know, it actually seems quite appropriate that Ford would become friends with Edison, because, with all of his great ideas, he must have had light bulbs going on over his head all the time.

But that only leads me to wonder what went on over people’s heads before the light bulb was invented.  A candle?  I don’t know; somehow, that just wouldn’t have the same effect – unless, of course, the idea isn’t particularly bright.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Okay, so now you know how easy it can be to fix a loose rung on a patio chair, garden bench, or picnic table.  It’s always a good feeling to be able to restore a favorite piece of outdoor furniture to its former glory – or, at least, a semblance thereof – without the help of a professional.  Of course, there are times when a beloved old porch swing, Adirondack chair, glider, or outdoor dining table is in need of repair, but only because of a few scratches.

In many instances, you can hide these flaws, using items that you may already have on hand.  If, for example, there’s a scratch in your wood porch chair, a nut may come to the rescue (as is the case so many times in life).  Rub a pecan, or any nut that has a high oil content, over the scratch, and watch it disappear.  Even a bit of peanut butter may do the trick.  The only trouble there is that the aroma may be so strong that you’ll find yourself craving a peanut butter sandwich every time you sit down.  To avoid this temptation, use olive or vegetable oil instead; simply rub it in with your finger, and polish it with a soft rag.

Another solution, which many people find to be a real eye-opener, is coffee.  Just mix one teaspoon of the instant variety with one tablespoon of vegetable oil or water, and work it in gently with a soft rag.  Although this is great for covering scratches on dark wood patio furniture, it is not recommended for use on shellac, or antiques.

Fortunately, there are many other household items that are not nearly as appetizing, which can diminish the appearance of scratches on wood porch furniture; but these should be tested on inconspicuous areas first.  Iodine, for instance, works well on reddish finishes, such as mahogany; and liquid and paste shoe polishes, available in a wide range of shades, can easily be matched to most wood tones.  Felt-tipped markers and softened crayons can be used, too, and you can mix their colors to get the perfect match for the wood.

So, there you have several easy fixes for scratches in your wood outdoor furniture; but, as I said, your options may be limited if the smell of peanut butter is going to drive you nuts. Furthermore, if you’re trying to cut down on caffeine, the coffee suggestion may be out as well.  However, if you can resist the urge to have a cup every time you get a whiff of it, you can have your “coffee fix” and still get to sleep at night!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

As I was saying, in March, your gardening opportunities will depend upon where you live.  While some people can do a lot of planting now, others are still dealing with frozen soil; but either way, it’s okay, because winter is simply running out of time.  Indeed, this is a month of drastic changes, wherein many cooler regions commonly experience significant spikes in temperatures, sometimes, to the point where they become unseasonably warm.

So, even if your world looks all white and brown and gray today, by the time April arrives, it may be verdant, and bursting with color.  Heck, a few weeks from now, you may even be complaining about weeds, rather than snow.  Yep, March could come in like a lion, and go out like a dandelion (or, thousands of them!).  Furthermore, instead of seeing it through closed windows (that may be covered with plastic), you may be taking in the scenery from your porch swing or glider, or your favorite lounge chair.

Therefore, now is the time to plan your garden.  Decide on a design, look through seed catalogs, and visit some nurseries.  Perhaps, by the time you’re finished, the temperatures will have risen sufficiently, the danger of frost will have passed, the ground will be thawed, and, well, you can dig it!

Of course, the planning stage is important, no matter what kind of garden you have, or where you live.  Still, many people skip it, and end up disappointed with the results.  To avoid this, first of all, make sure that you know the dimensions of your garden.  Write them down and take them to the nursery, along with a picture of the area that you’re shopping for, and let a professional help you to select the ideal number of plants, in the right sizes and colors.

When choosing flowers, it’s easy to get excited about how gorgeous they’re going to be when they’re blossoming; but consider how they’ll appear for the rest of the year.  Pick some with spectacular foliage, or add some ornamental grasses, to keep the beds looking great throughout the seasons.  Oh, and don’t buy plants that are already in full bloom.  Get ones with healthy leaves and plump buds, and let them peak in your garden.

It’s also crucial to establish a color scheme.  While virtually all of the flowers that you’ll see at the nursery will be lovely, they won’t necessarily look stunning together, so organize an ensemble that adheres to your scheme.  After all, your garden is no place for making strange bedfellows, right?  If you see some irresistible flowers in non-complementary colors, use them as striking accents for your porch, gazebo, yard, or walkway, in planters, planter wheelbarrows, planter trellises, planter tubs, or planter boxes.

That way, your theme will be intact, and there won’t be much ado about hue (I suppose that would be called a “hue-ha-ha”).

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Now that Christmas is over, we have one more huge celebration facing us, before we can finally relax. Most of us also have to deal with the chore of taking down the decorations; and, as is the case when putting them up, everyone has a different idea of the proper time for this task.

Just as some people deck the halls – and much more – even before Thanksgiving, there are those who can’t wait to get rid of all signs of Christmas. Some will have everything, including their trees, gone by the 26th; but most people will wait, at least, until New Year’s Day, unless they observe Christmas on a later date. Then, there are those who hate to see the holidays end, and leave everything up for weeks – or even months – after Christmas, which is a bit (okay, more than a bit) strange.

On the other hand, if you, like millions of others, have put a tree in your gazebo as part of an outdoor display, by all means, keep it there. Just take everything off, except the lights; and leave any other lights that you’ve put on the gazebo in place as well.

After all, if your gazebo is not enclosed with windows, doors, or screens, you won’t have your patio chairs, porch swing, picnic table, glider, or hammock in it now, so why let it stand there looking dark and forlorn? With everything else so drab and dull in the winter, nothing brightens the landscape like a charming gazebo sparkling with lights. To make things even cheerier, leave the lights on your pergolas, trellises, and arbors, too.

Naturally, a real tree may not last the entire season; but, at least, you can easily sweep away the needles that it sheds. If it’s an artificial tree, you can leave it up for a few months, and decorate it for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter.

Now, there are those who do leave their trees up permanently, and decorate them for every holiday, major and minor, throughout the year; but I think that would take the novelty out of it for the Christmas season. Like having fireworks every weekend, or turkey every Thursday, or champagne every day, it just wouldn’t be anything special.

Of course, that champagne thing might not be too unbearable!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy