All too often in world of fashion, new styles enter the scene with a bang. Its not before a quick dressing room session and purchase that a silent prayer for comfort is made – since you know you’ll be wearing the non-stretchy skinny jeans or platform wedges regardless. With furniture, trends that range from hard and modern to thick and plush go in and out of style just as quickly as in fashion. This season, we welcome patio deep seating to the mix as one of the hottest – and thankfully, one of the most comfortable  styles of the season.

One of the coolest parts about the outdoor deep seating collections hitting the scene this spring is their ability to match a wide range of outdoor furniture you may already have. Take for instance the chic style of a Mission Sofa with cushions.  The outdoor sofa has cushions that come in so many different colors that it will find a way to match your pre-existing collections or outdoor themes.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, take a deeply set outdoor wicker chaise lounge or even a treated wood swingbed. The porch swing swingbed uses the same design as a classic porch swing, but boasts a deep and wide seat.  The deep seat lets loungers lay down and spread out, as if they were swinging on an outdoor porch bed.

Find yourself falling into one of the best pieces of patio furniture fashion with the deep seating collections for your outdoor living area. The robust surface area will prove itself as one of the best, most spacious alternatives to ordinary seating.

Of course, there are many indicators of how far we are into autumn; and we all have specific ones that are of particular significance to us.  Some are things that occur in nature, while others may be yearly events that we host, or attend.  For me, it’s the big, annual fall blowout on my patio, which happens to be going on at this very moment.

If it seems strange that a huge party is taking place in the middle of the week, lemme ‘splain you that it’s not just a one-day affair.  No-o!  This is so enormous that it will go on indefinitely; and, I must admit, it can get majorly crazy.  There’s an endless buffet, with several different kinds of food; and the guests are pigging out uncontrollably, as if they haven’t had anything to eat in weeks.  In fact, even though there’s more than enough for everyone, a few of them are actually fighting over it!

I’m not kidding!  Right now, some of them are chasing others around the picnic table, and one is actually hiding underneath a picnic table bench.  Over in the corner, three of them are on my outdoor sofa, arguing so loudly that others, in nearby patio chairs, are chattering at the tops of their lungs, trying to drown them out.  There are so many of them out there that they’re even sitting on my outdoor accent tables and ottomans – and each other!

I know, they’re a little short on manners; in fact, they’re acting like wild animals, which, as I’m sure you know, they are.  Yep.  For me, and, I’m certain, for other “birders,” when the birds start acting extra-nutty, and ultra-ravenous, it’s a definite sign that the cold weather is on its way.  To make things even more official, today, the slate-colored juncos have returned as well.

Although they’re in the region all year, visiting my patio daily throughout the fall and winter, they always disappear from the vicinity of my birdfeeders sometime in the late spring.  I guess they must have an ample source of another type of food in the summertime, which has now, apparently, run out; so things are getting serious.  Of course, there are many other birds that will be looking for new food supplies now, too, as they start their winter diets.

So, if you haven’t been feeding the birds this year, now is the time to start.  Besides those that will become your regular guests, you’ll also be seeing a lot of birds that will be stopping by to fuel up for the long trips to their winter destinations.

The best way to attract the widest variety of birds is to get an assortment of food, along with several styles of birdfeeders, such as hopper, platform, hanging, tube, and post-mounted.  You can get them in an array of designs that include gazebos, lighthouses, pagodas, and log cabins, which will enhance your outdoor décor.  While you’re at it, get some birdhouses, too.

The best part is that you’ll benefit as much from feeding the birds as they will.  I assure you that it’s one of the most entertaining, fun, and rewarding things that you can do.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, my guests seem to have torn right through that huge block of suet, so I have to go and put out another one.  I’m totally serious.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Labor Day has come and gone; and, in its wake, it has left millions of people shaking their heads – as they do every year – and wondering how summer managed to slip away so quickly.  In many regions, there are also those who are mourning the passing of the season, as it means that they’ll soon be moving patio furniture, picnic tables, and grills into their sheds until next spring.

Naturally, these items won’t have to be tucked away under outdoor furniture covers just yet, as there’s still plenty of fair weather left, even in areas where the winters are harsh.  Moreover, those who live where it’s always warm can use their outdoor furniture all year long, as can people who have enclosed porches, patios, gazebos, and sunrooms.  Truly, the latter group is growing larger every year, as folks are becoming increasingly unwilling to give up outdoor living.

Of course, they want to be able to decorate these living spaces as meticulously and fashionably as their other indoor rooms.  That’s why today’s outdoor furniture comes in materials, styles, and colors that will complement any motif; and why it’s also as versatile and comfortable as indoor furniture.  In fact, when you’re furnishing your indoor/outdoor living room – or kitchen, or bedroom – you may even find that patio furniture offers more choices.

Take, for example, the basic chair.  Sure, there was a time when the patio chair bore little resemblance to the one in the living room.  Often made with a flimsy aluminum frame, and stiff, woven plastic strips, it barely had the strength to last for more than one season.  Modern porch chairs, on the other hand, are solidly constructed from a variety of materials, including cedar, pine, oak, cypress, teak, cherry, vinyl, aluminum, cast iron, synthetic wicker, and polywood.  They are also available in dozens of colors and styles, and can be topped with outdoor furniture cushions in scores of colors and patterns.

When you’re trying to find the equivalent of a couch, the outdoor sofa actually comes out ahead of its indoor counterpart.   After all, besides a stationary outdoor sofa, you have the option of selecting a garden bench, porch swing, glider, face-to-face glider, or outdoor settee, which also come in a wide range of materials and colors.  This goes for outdoor loveseats, too.

Certainly, you’ll also want a rocker; inside or out, it’s a universal favorite.  As a matter of fact, most people have rockers that they have cherished for years; and, in many cases, these rocking chairs have been in their families for generations.  Fortunately, contemporary outdoor rocking chairs are not only as comfortable – and comforting – as the old-fashioned ones, but they are durable enough to become heirlooms as well.  What’s more, if you’re not satisfied with an outdoor rocker for one, you can get an outdoor rocking bench.

Of course, no room, of any description, is completely furnished until it has a place where you can rest your feet.  That’s no problem, either, because, these days, you can find ottomans in materials, styles, and colors, to match any piece of outdoor furniture.

Hmm.  I wonder if I’m alone in feeling that the plural of ottoman should be ottomen.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

When creating your hummingbird garden, remember that you’re building a complete habitat for hummingbirds.  While other birds will eat at your birdfeeders, and nest in nearby birdhouses, they’ll still spend most of their time scavenging in the wild.  Hummingbirds, on the other hand, if conditions are right, may come to think of your backyard as their home, and even rely on your hospitality.

Putting yourself in that mindset will help you to choose all of the proper elements for your garden.  For example, when selecting the flowers, besides making sure that they are brightly-colored, mainly tubular or trumpet-shaped, and heavy on nectar, you should also try to get varieties that bloom at different times of the year, so the hummingbirds will always have something to eat.

By the way, because they need protein as much as they need nectar, hummingbirds also eat small, soft bugs, such as gnats, spiders, mosquitoes, aphids, and caterpillars, along with insect eggs.  In fact, the resourceful hummingbird will eat all of the bugs, including the spider, out of a web, then use the web in building its nest.

Therefore, one of the important points to keep in mind about your hummingbird garden – and it’s a very favorable one – is that it is low-maintenance.  Not only do you not have to worry about killing bugs, as the birds will do that for you, but you absolutely must not even think about using any pesticides, because that will kill the birds.  Hummingbirds also help with the upkeep by pollinating the flowers as they make their rounds.

Even though there will be all of those delicious flowers and delectable bugs around, you should still have some hummingbird feeders in your garden.  This is advisable because, for one thing, no matter how carefully you try to coordinate the blooming times of your flowers, it is likely that there will be a dearth of nectar during certain periods.  Furthermore, some hummingbirds are aggressive and territorial, and will take ownership of a flower, not letting any other birds go near it.

To keep these selfish birds (which should be ashamed of themselves) from monopolizing the feeders, you can either place them about 30 feet apart (the feeders, not the birds), or put a bunch of them together.  Of course, hummingbirds do need some room to maneuver (that’s what gives them their ‘hum’), so even flowers should have some space between them.  If you run lines between the feeders, you will also give the birds a place to perch.

Another good way to let the hummingbirds spread their wings is to have flowers in planters, and on trellises, arbors, pergolas, and gazebos.  You can also put some in places that are slightly removed from the area of concentration, and even make a kind of flower trail that will lead them to feed a bit closer to your patio or porch.  That way, you can enjoy their antics while eating at your picnic table, or sitting on your porch glider, outdoor sofa, or garden bench.

Creating a hummingbird garden is well worth the time and effort – especially since it doesn’t take a lot of time and effort, once it’s established.  Moreover, it will also attract tons of butterflies, and, if you put regular birdfeeders in the vicinity, many other types of birds.

That way, when one bird sings a beautiful song, a hummingbird can hum along.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

We’re having an uncommon winter, here, in Western Pennsylvania!  Normally, we just get a few inches of snow, here and there, now and then.  In fact, I rarely even store my outdoor furniture for the season, because I often use it on milder days (I love the cold weather!).  I simply throw some furniture covers on my picnic table, porch swing, outdoor sofa, and Adirondack chairs.

This winter, however, is the real deal.  Along with a good portion of the East, we just got slammed with about two feet of snow (some areas got more), with another foot coming later.  As I mentioned, shoveling snow can be dangerous for those who aren’t used to strenuous physical activity.  So, here are some tips for doing it safely (of course, you know I’m not a doctor, and these are just common-sense measures, not medical advice).

First of all, anyone who has heart trouble, or other high-risk factors, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, should probably avoid shoveling altogether; and those who smoke, lead sedentary lives, or are truly out of shape, should use extreme caution.

Even if you’re completely healthy, and get regular exercise, one false move can strain your back, or something else.  So, warm up first, by walking for a few minutes, or marching in place, then doing some stretches; your muscles will work more efficiently, which will lessen the chance of injury.  You should also dress in layers.

Start slowly, so there’s not a sudden demand on your heart, and take frequent breaks.  Avoid stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine, which can increase your heart rate, and cause blood vessels to constrict, placing extra strain on your heart.  Instead, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Keep in mind that shovels with smaller blades will prevent loads from becoming too heavy, and plastic shovels will be lighter, and less likely to allow snow to build up on them.

Remember, if you do it correctly, shoveling can be a great workout; and you may get one very soon, if you’re about to be dumped on again, as we are!  Or, you can just slip the kid next door a few bucks to clear your driveway, then sit back and enjoy a hot toddy by the fireplace.

And, hey, if you don’t even feel up to building a fire, that’s okay – with a hot toddy, the fire is optional

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy