| |
| |
| Home Improvement Information | |
|
Spring Home Projects in Northern New England
As I sit on a plane in route from Chicago to Boston this evening, I realize I have been staring out into the dark abyss contemplating the arrival of spring. Spring is a time of anticipation and renewed life. A time when the snow finally abates and the Robins return to rebuild their nests. And a time when Tulips and Daffodils emerge from the ground and bloom, if ever so briefly. It is also a time for the voracious Black Fly that we northern dwellers know only too well. For me, however, it is a time to shift into a higher gear; there are outdoor projects that have accumulated over the winter months and there is traditional spring tasks that every homeowner is compelled to do. There are two main questions I debate as I compile my spring "To-Do" list: What to do and when to do it? As always with a non-vinyl sided house, there is painting. Over the years, I have come to the conclusion it is best to paint a portion of the house each year; one year the clapboards, another year the trim, and maybe in the third year the shutters. I am sure the professional painter would beg to differ with my advice, but hey, not all of us can justify the professional painter every 3-5 years, nor can we dedicate an entire week or two of our spring painting the whole house. I have found it best to do the spring painting as soon as the whether gets above 50 degrees. Any sooner, it is too cold for the paint. Any later, and one has to contend with the other flying insect, the hornet. Another important job, but not so large in effort, is preparing the lawn for the spring rains. First there is the raking. Then there is the application of the first stage of the four-stage fertilizer process, you know, the one that halts the Crab grass in July and August. Usually every other year there is the additional task of spreading the pest control to prevent grubs and moles. Based on product recommendations and when I actually have time, I do these tasks in mid May. For those of us with bountiful winter snowfalls, many of us have the unique task of fixing or replacing our mailboxes for hopefully the last time, or at least for the next 12 months. This is particularly an aggravating task as we spend much of the time doing it, cussing under our breath the snow plow operator that we know had pleasure wiping out our mailbox. Then there is the garden. I am not sure why I still bother. Maybe it is due to a memory of my youth, when I spent two summers working on a farm. It may also be some innate desire to see something grow from nothing, that I had a part in. I think it is the latter, but regardless, every April I go out and till, fertilizer and lime the soil, while I sacrifice my body to the Black flies. By May I begin to plant the Peas, Carrots and Onions. By June I plant the Tomatoes, Peppers and Squash. And by July, I am at war with the local Wood Chuck. Finally, there is the changing of the machine guards; storing the snow blower away and preparing the lawn mower, or in my case lawn mowers. I have the sit-down one for the main course, and a push one for the dessert. As my father-in-law always insists, sharpen the blades before the start of the cutting season and then a couple of more times throughout the summer. Well, being non-retired, I am satisfied sharpening them once before the cutting season begins and I have yet to see any ill side effects. I see the lights of Boston approaching in the distance. My flight is almost over; however my spring list is nearly complete. I am sure I have missed a few items, but my wife will surely remind me. I look forward to the warmth of spring, but as I look down at my list, I think, I'll just sit back and savor the final weeks of winter. Mark J. Donovan
MORE RESOURCES:
Electrical |
General |
Heat & AC
| Pool / Spa
| Plumbing
| Roofing
| Solar
| LP Gas Landscape | Contact Us | Links | Home Improvement | Home Home Improvement Information Site Map
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
If You Want to Bring Your Bathroom Up to Date, Consider Fitting a Shower Stall Modern shower stalls look sleek and stylish. If you have the space, adding a shower stall in addition to your bathtub can be a great way to improve your bathroom. Portable Air Conditioners Ensure Economy And Convenience Small is beautiful and convenient and so is the portable air conditioner as it can be shifted from one place to the other very easily. Read on to find out all the other advantages. Acting As Your Own General Contractor When Building Your Dream Home This article is intended for the DIY (Do It Yourself) home builder; however, it is very useful information for the new home buyer to understand what processes you can monitor even if you are not acting as the general contractor and hiring a general contractor. For the inexperienced DIY home builder, acting as a general contractor is one of the most stressful things anyone can undertake. Would You Steel Your Household Appliances Would you steel your appliances? That is a question many consumers are now asking themselves.The "in" style -----------------------Stainless steel household appliances are the "in" style right now. Kitchen Cabinets are The Soul of Your Kitchen Kitchen cabinets reflect the heart and soul of the homeowner. The cabinets you have in your kitchen have the greatest impact on a kitchen's look. Security in Todays World There are many things in life that are worth protecting. Our children, our valuables, our resources and of course, ourselves. Which Lamp Should I Choose? With all the lighting choices out there, you may want to reconsider just purchasing a lamp for your lighting needs. Whether you are looking for interior lighting or outdoor lighting, you can find many options pretty easily. Things to Consider when Buying a Hot Tub or Jacuzzi Tub We recently purchased a new Hot Tub and Gazebo from Cal Spas in Minnesota. The purchase was not something we planned, just something that caught our eye when visiting the Minnesota State Fair. The Four Major Types of Air Filters Hygienic air is essential to human life, and in this modern age, that requires air cleaners. There are a few different methods of air cleaning, like Filtration, Electro-static Precipitation and Ion Generation. Useful Home Products Will Help Your House Sale Profits Even if you've never been involved in the sale of house before and yours is about to go on the market, you probably know enough about the process to be able to repeat, like a litany: clean it; paint it; fix it. But do you find yourself asking: How clean does the house have to be and how do I tackle the job? Do I really have to paint? What are the best colors to choose? What do I need to repair? When considering these questions, it's good to remember that most prospective home buyers are an unimaginative lot. Feng Shui, Design Psychology and Bed Placement I love Feng Shui! Whether you believe this ancient Asian design method is based on ancient wisdom or superstition, Feng Shui includes some valuable principles and is simply fun! Consider these Feng Shui rules:- Don't sleep with your feet facing the bedroom door.- Place head of bed so that you can see the doorway. Mexican Artisans Promote the Use of Recycled Copper in the Fabrication of Their World Famous Copper For many years copper has been the main raw material used by the Mexican artisans of Santa Clara del Cobre for the fabrication of their beautiful artisan items. Originally artisans relied on the natural supply of copper of their lands for the fabrication of their items. Log Homes - Is a Log Home In Your Future? Many people dream about a log home in their future but never get around to making their dream come true. Here's how to get past the hurdles and start living your dream. Planning Your Replacement Windows Installation Windows are the eyes of a home. From inside, you see the outside world through them. Ladder Décor - the Possibilities Are Endless With a little bit of creativity and some imagination you can take something as simple as a plain wooden ladder and transform it into a beautiful piece of home décor. The thought may not have even crossed your mind - after all it's a ladder, but the possibilities are endless!After we discovered that you can take a plain, old regular ladder and transform it into a decorative piece of home décor we did some research to find out some specific ideas and uses. Is a Hot Tub for You? Top 5 Questions You Need to Answer As a way of relaxing, more and more people are adding a hot tub to their home. Not only are hot tubs relaxing but they also offer tremendous benefit for people of all ages. Planning Permission and Building Regulations for Conservatories in the UK Do I need planning permission for a conservatory?Do I need Building Regulation approval for a conservatoryTo help you understand these issues I detail below some of the "conditions" attached to planning permission and building regulations. (These apply to England/Wales only) Scottish, Irish and North American regulations are quite different - You should in all instances take local advice. 10 Quick Ways to Change Your Fire-less Fireplace from a Black Hole to a Worthy Focal Point Everyone loves a fireplace aglow with a roaring fire or flickering embers. But your fireplace need not be a gaping empty hole--like a picture frame without a picture--those times you choose not to have a fire. Home Furnishings and Shelving Its spring time and that means we start working on our homes. Cleaning, organizing, purchasing new things to spruce the place up are just some of the home furnishings we do. Planning Permission Tips UK - Trees and How They Can Affect Development when Applying for Planning Like most folk, I believe that more can be achieved in life by open & transparent negotiation - laying ones cards on the table for a reciprocal arrangement & courtesy. Unfortunately, like most things in life, there will be times when one side will try & gain the advantage at the detriment of the other party using this method.
|
Electrical |
General |
Heat & AC
| Pool / Spa
| Plumbing
| Roofing
| Solar
| LP Gas
Landscape
| Contact Us |
Links |
Home Improvement |
Home
Home Improvement Information Site Map
site map
MediaRocket
|
