Rose Cottage Ltd

Just a couple things of beauty to get your holiday weekend started off right! Each are at $10 off retail right now, and there is always Free Shipping to anywhere in the US! I added a bird bath too – please don’t forget the birds this Summer…

Williamsburg Neoclassic Urn Garden Planter – $369.54
Retail Price: $379.54
You Save: $10.00

Nature Bowl Tabletop Fountain, Black – $358.00
Retail Price: $368.00
You Save: $10.00

*Williamsburg Candlestand Bird Bath* – $344.89
Retail Price: $354.89
You Save: $10.00

Are you still using a heavy, unwieldy saw to trim branches and limbs? Replace that relic with the ultimate quick-cutting, portable, compact hand saw available.

The 21-inch Unbelievable Saw works faster and more easily than any standard chain saw, cutting through a 3-inch diameter limb in 20 seconds! You’ll cut down your yard work time significantly with this handy, sharp cutting tool.

The Unbelievable Saw stays sharp almost indefinitely, and its ultra-sharp teeth are coated for rust resistance. Use it to trim branches and limbs or cut fallen limbs for trash removal. Uses are almost unlimited!

I’m not much of a shopper. I’m a retailer’s nightmare since I have plenty of sales resistance. But every once and awhile I do find some items that I need, I buy, and I am never sorry I have them. You can’t ask more from a shopping experience than that.

Here are a few garden tools that certainly come in handy and get a LOT of use…

The OXO Good Grips Garden Knife features a unique, non-slip handle for strength and comfort. OXO’s version of the all-time favorite Hori-Hori… perfection!

Made of durable, high-quality stainless steel, this versatile tool is great for propagating, transplanting, weeding and more. Measurements on the blade help determine distance when planting, and the serrated edge is perfect for splitting roots, cutting twine, and opening bags. Store safely in its sheath with a belt clip for easy transport.

This Bully Tools Dirt Ripper Garden Cultivator gives professional results with one of the best landscaping and gardening tools available. Do your part to protect the environment! Help preserve the environment by weeding without chemicals, watering, with less run-off while cultivating, edging, and aerating without the use of fossil fuels. Best of all….they’re Made in America!

This cultivator breaks up hard-packed soil up to 8” deep! Features: 8” chiseled steel times No twisting or bending required Cultivate flower beds and gardens quickly.

The Fold-A-Cart (6 Cubic Feet) is a Lightweight, Tough Multi-Purpose Cart. The 150 pound capacity cart is ideal for gardening around the home or cottage. It’s easy to maneuver and it isn’t hard on your back. The deep, durable tub keeps the load contained, while the two-wheel design keeps it balanced and prevents tipping.

Its handle height has been set at a position that is ergonomic to take the strain out of lifting and dumping. It’s also narrow enough to fit through interior doors, so bring your firewood right to the box! The tub is leak proof so you can even bathe the family dog! When you’re done, simply hose it down and fold it up. It requires 20% of the space a conventional wheelbarrow uses. Also available in a 200-lb capacity.

And here’s one for when you finally sit down after a hard day’s work in the garden!

How about a
Old Tool Box for carrying refreshments to your garden table?

This old rustic tool box from Uwharrie is crafted from hand selected pressure treated solid pine lumber, painted and lightly distressed for a beautiful, weathered antique look. All Uwharrie products require no additional protection from the elements. Exposure to weather will enhance their rustic appearance, but will not damage them.

For a limited time get 10% Off on your entire order:

There is only one remaining gosling from the four born on the lake May 19th, 2011. Rather than the family going away for six weeks or so as they usually do – and then just showing up again, they’ve stayed on or around the lake this time. I’m amazed at how fast this little thing is growing:

June 19, 2011

June 24, 2011

He (or she) is starting to look a little more goose-like:

Still a lot of hazards and hazardous prey that can befall a small animal – in the water and out. I’ll hope this one makes it…

Have a great weekend!

I have so many birds around my property – all making their own sounds – and many that hide way up in the trees, seldom seen. I got one of these Bird Songs Audio Books last year and have now ID’d about 10 new birds I can now call “neighbors.” This was a great buy for me, one of the world’s oldest “kids” – and it would prove to be fun for a lot of younger listeners as well.

The Complete Bird Songs Audio Book plays the songs and calls of every breeding bird in North America, (747 in all) recorded in the field by the renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The most comprehensive book of avian species ever published for North America, it helps dedicated birders or curious novices differentiate between songs and calls to identify each species’ unique audible characteristics, such as the zee-zee-zee-zreeeeee of the Black-Throated Blue Warbler or the distinctively loud THREE BEEERS! of the Olive-Side Flycatcher. Much more than a typical field guide, it provides each bird’s distribution, habitat, and behavior.

Some organic solutions to happier, pest-free outdoor time for you and your plants! Some of these products also have Neem – a great solution for ticks and chiggers that won’t poison you while it kills them!

Planning a 4th of July party and thinking your backyard could use a little decorating lift? Or just have a condo balcony that needs a little “upgrade”?

Here are a few outdoor and garden accents that won’t break the bank.

Small Gazing Ball Wind Chime

Flyers or Fern Slate Stepping Stone
Buy 3 or more at $10.95 each

Gold Sun Wall Hanging

Wooden Americana Flag-Inspired Accent

Rustic Swans, set of 3

Garden Angel with Solar Lantern

Kinetic Windmill

I saw one of these Kinetic Windmills at the Plow & Hearth store. Very cool – almost mesmerizing to watch!

Yesterday I wrote about my concerns regarding all this early hot weather, lack of rain, and potential problems for lakes and ponds this summer.

Preferred view…

I mentioned water meal as a pond invader and provided an image of the stuff. Below is a picture of “blooming” algae:

Algae blooms

I’ve spent time the last 3 days scooping this stuff from the lake. It is really nasty. But, if I don’t do something about it now, it WILL add to the breathing problems the lake’s fish will have this year and drastically increase the chance of a major fish kill. I lost around 8 dozen fish in 2007 – I don’t want to see this again.

The fountain, which you can see running at the upper edge of the image, is running 24/7. This will provide the fish with at least one area of the lake that gets additional aeration. It does little to stop the algae though on this 4-acre lake.

Bluegill and Crappie seem most prone to lack of oxygen in pond or lake water. If you see any of them floating dead on the lake surface, you already have a problem. Do whatever you can to keep your pond clear in warm weather months – it’s about all you can do, and sure beats doing nothing. Keep as much debris out of the water as possible, and if you feed your fish, cut back on their food when the weather gets hot.

Here’s a comprehensive link I found about diagnosing problems with lake and pond water year-round. Maybe a windmill is in my future?

Good luck….

I’m less enthused about Summer months than I used to be. I don’t care what the current thoughts are about global warming or not, the air we are breathing is worse than it used to be – high temperatures just make it even worse.

The Piedmont area of North Carolina has already had August weather in May. Way too many days have been in the 90s or upper 90s – at least 15 degrees above normal. We’re also starting this season 2011 the way we did in 2007 which was a drought year. Not good for the lake – or the fish.

I wrote an article on the web site about fish kills and what causes them. I will not be surprised if, despite my efforts, there is another die-off this Summer. I’ve already taken about 3, 5-gallon buckets worth of water meal from the lake’s surface and yesterday, spent a fair amount of time removing large algae blooms. I haven’t seen much string algae on the lake since 2007 so this is not good news. This infiltration of algae and water meal steals or traps oxygen from the lake’s water. Eventually the fish will not be able to breathe and will begin to float towards the surface. In their weakened condition, unable to stay submerged, they will appear floating flat on the surface and then die.

We had a brief respite from the heat most of this week – which was actually just getting back to normal temperatures for this time of year. By Monday coming, we’re back to a high of 97 degrees and the rain we were expecting yesterday never arrived.

I’m going to be running the fountain 24/7 for awhile and will keep removing as much algae and water meal from the lake as is possible. I’ll take some photos today of the algae. Here is an image of the water meal, up close and personal. I didn’t know what this stuff was at first so this picture may help anyone trying to identify the exact nature of their pond’s green slime:

The dreaded water meal…

While I’m out on the boat for the next week or so in hot weather doing this skimming process, I am going to put my mind back to January when the activity for the week was simply splitting firewood and carrying it in to feed the wood stove. No snakes, no ticks, no mosquitoes, no water meal. Just me and my Makita.

Is it Labor Day yet?

Eating a meal outdoors can be hot dogs and hamburgers off the grill served on a paper plate or a 2-inch thick steak served on fine china. Either way, a sturdy table and comfortable chairs makes any mealtime more enjoyable.

Here are a few outdoor dining solutions from Plow & Hearth. Whether your dining space is small or large, or round or rectangular, there is an attractive and affordable outdoor dining option.

If you’re looking for tables and chairs for the 4th of July holiday – don’t delay – you may still order and get these in time for your holiday dining event! Click individual products for available delivery dates to be sure…

Looking for the Trestle Table and Stowaway Chairs?

Round Table with Four Chairs
Save $99.80 on the set!

$99 Off on this set – but shop now!

Made from plantation-grown, Forest Stewardship Council-certified eucalyptus, this collection has the beautiful grain, rich color and smooth finish of teak, yet it’s less expensive and easier to maintain. You can leave this eucalyptus furniture outdoors all year long. A dense hardwood with a straight grain and high oil content, it weathers beautifully to a soft gray over time. Stain it occasionally to maintain the warm, rich hues.

Extension Table and Six Chairs

This versatile table has a butterfly extension so you can seat up to eight with ease. The extension includes a standard umbrella hole, and folds away below the table top when not in use. Wide, deep dining chairs have slatted backs and can be outfitted with seat cushions.

Tuscany Mosaic Bistro Set

Create the feel of an exotic bistro on your own patio. Even a simple cup of coffee is more special when it’s enjoyed here. Genuine slate mosaic pieces are hand-applied to make unique designs on the table top and chair backs. Chairs have curved slatted seats for comfort.

Iron Bistro Set

Have a small space but still want decent dining and seating? Here’s a solution…

Enjoy morning coffee, afternoon reading, cocktails or just a quiet chat anywhere with this charming bistro set. Weather-resistant iron frames with gracefully rounded arms and scrolled table legs give a hint of the gentle comfort provided by rattan-look seats and backs. Tabletop is easy-care tempered glass. It features the look of woven rattan but is made of durable resin for lasting outdoor use. Lightweight, portable Bistro Set withstands the elements and is a great value you’ll appreciate season after season.