Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

Well, I hope everyone survived April Fools’ Day yesterday. Although I haven’t pulled a prank on anyone in years, when I was a kid, I played tricks on everyone.  Nothing mean-spirited, mind you; my jokes were always harmless.

For example, because my older siblings would always beat me to the most desirable cereal every morning, I would often get stuck with wheat shreds or something.  So, after everyone went to bed on March 31^st, I’d get up, sneak into the kitchen, and switch the bags of cereal from one box to another.

Ha!  It was so much fun watching them grab their favorite boxes, only to have some twig-like, high-fiber cereal come out, as I poured my delicious chocolate puffs from an oat bran box.  I got away with it several times, too, probably because they were still half-asleep, and had not yet realized that it was April Fools’ Day.  Even though I had this triumph only a handful of times, it still felt good.  Er, I mean, GR-R-R-EAT!!!!

Anyway, a few of my siblings and I were recently sitting around my picnic table, remembering some of the tricks we pulled as a group.  For instance, we, and a bunch of other kids on the block, once crept into our cranky neighbor’s yard and replaced all of the Easter decorations that were hanging on the porch, mailbox, trellises, arbors, and pergolas, with Christmas decorations.

There were also things that backfired, like the time that we decided to get back at the neighborhood prankster by having him sit in a backyard patio chair that we had just covered with a fresh coat of clear sealer.  Unfortunately for us, as we sat on our porch swing, waiting for him to show up, our Dad decided to take his book outside to read, and, well, I won’t go into the rest!

Certainly, it all seems so childish and silly now; but then, I realize that there are millions of adults who still engage in these kinds of antics every year.  So, where and how did all of this absurdity originate?  Well, naturally, there’s no clear answer.

One theory holds that it began in 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar, and January 1^st became New Year’s Day.  Until then, people had followed the Julian Calendar, on which it had been celebrated on April 1^st.  It is believed that some people, who either did not know about, or refused to accept, the change, went on celebrating New Year’s on April 1^st, and were therefore teased, invited to non-existent parties, sent on “fools’ errands,” and given gag gifts.

Of course, as with every explanation of something ancient, there are contradictions and rough edges.  Some say that this can’t be true, because the Gregorian Calendar, although adopted in France in 1582, was not observed in England until 1752, by which time April Fools’ Day was already well-established throughout Europe.

Oh, well – we’ll probably never know how this day came to be what it is, and why it gives us a license for lunacy.  But right now, I’m not concerned with that.  After studying about all of the changes in the calendar over the centuries, I’m seriously wondering what the heck the date really is!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: Arbors, mailbox, patio chair, Pergolas, picnic table, porch swing, trellises

Here we go again.  Another winter storm is coming, and the snow, which has been getting heavier all day, is predicted to accumulate to about four inches.  Now, I truly enjoy the snow, and, being from Buffalo, I consider this to be a mere dusting.

Here, in my adopted hometown of Pittsburgh, however, people are rushing to grocery stores and stocking up on milk, bread, certain paper goods, and other necessities, as if they’re going to be snowed in for a week.  Naturally, they’ll be out and about as usual tomorrow; but, no doubt, they’ll be dreaming of the day when they can take the outdoor furniture from their storage sheds, eat at their picnic tables, nap in their hammocks, and relax on their porch swings.

That’s too bad, because there’s a lot to love about snow, including its ability to help us to burn some of those holiday calories.  I look forward to heavy snows, because I can replace some indoor workouts with snow-shoveling sessions.  These can go on for hours, too, because, the more I do, the less I notice the cold.  As long as you don’t have any health problems, shoveling snow can be a great activity.

If you don’t want to do anything that strenuous, get a broom and sweep the snow off your car, porch, gazebo, mailbox, doghouse, birdfeeder, birdhouse, and anything else that’s covered.

Of course, you don’t have to be doing chores to get some exercise in the snow.  No-o!  In fact, just walking through it gives you a workout that’s much better than you get when you’re on a smooth surface, because snow can provide the same kind of resistance that you feel when walking in sand or water.

Playing in it is beneficial as well.  You can work off a lot of calories by building a snowperson or a fort, having a snowball battle, or making angels in the snow.

So, if you’re lucky enough to live in a place that gets a considerable amount of snow, use it to your advantage.  Go out and have some fun in it.  You may as well.  After all, ‘snow’ use in complaining!  (Yeah, I know!)

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: bird feeder, bird house, doghouse, Gazebos, Hammocks, mailbox, Outdoor Furniture, picnic tables, porch swings, snow, storage sheds

The only thing that’s more amazing than the number of ways that we have to communicate these days, is the fact that there’s always someone trying to invent something even faster.  Heck, I was satisfied with the telephone and the mail – well, okay, e-mail, too, because I wouldn’t be able to work from home without it.  But that’s it.

Oh, yeah – as long as I’m on the subject of mail, I may as well get something cleared up that’s been bugging me for a long time now.  It’s a term that bothered me the first time I heard it, and continues to irk me, as its usage has increased to the point where it seems to have become a standard reference.  I’m talking about calling the good old U.S. Mail “snail mail.”  It is not snail mail; it is THE mail.  That’s right.  That’s what it is, and what it has always been. 

It doesn’t matter that the newer forms of communication are much faster; that has nothing to do with it.  It is simply that it has been established as “the mail” for centuries, and needs no further qualification or distinction.  Only the newcomers, such as e-mail, g-mail, i-mail, or a-to-z mail, all of which are sure to come along eventually, need designations – and that’s what those preceding letters are.  So, when you’re sending a card or letter to someone through the Postal Service, you’re sending it by mail.  Period. 

Okay.  Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system (‘til the next time I hear someone say it!), I’d like to point out that, even though some people say that regular mail delivery will someday disappear, it’s not going to happen anytime soon.  In fact, ironically enough, the mailbox still happens to be an important part of your outdoor décor.  It’s one element, among many others, that is crucial to creating a good first impression, and it plays a huge role in your home’s curb appeal.

You can choose an attractive mailbox to complement the dominant colors or motif of your house or garden, or select one that reflects your personality, hobby, or favorite recreation.  Among its gigantic assortment of outdoor chairs, porch and patio furniture, and other home accents, CedarStore.com has a collection of fun, decorative mailboxes, in designs that include lighthouses, log cabins, windmills, mail trucks, trains, and more.  Every one of these eye-catching creations is crafted from the finest, decay-resistant woods, and approved by the U.S. Postal Service.  We also offer mail posts that are equally durable, so you can be sure that your mailbox will be outstanding in your yard for years to come.   

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: mailbox, Mailboxes