Rose Cottage Ltd

I’ve seen 107.5 yesterday and 108.3 degrees today on my weather station but no storms and no wildfires so still won’t complain. Here’s a look at a sunflower that opened this morning – and since it’s growing through a rock border – think it was “planted” by one of the local birds!

I need to give myself a good slap over yesterday’s post. While I was sort of whining about the “excessive heat advisory” for the Piedmont area of North Carolina, I should have actually been counting my blessings.

+ My home is not on fire or already destroyed by fire
+ Everything I own is not lost to fire
+ I am not spending tonight I know not where
+ My dog is safe
+ My neighbors are safe
+ The wild animals that live on and around my property have not been burnt to death

No so for our fellow citizens in Colorado where some 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate. If those numbers are hard to visualize, take a look at this Google map of active fire zones.

So while the news today will be talking about high temperatures here and there, the Supreme court announcement on health care, and other news items they believe are of major importance, don’t forget to spare a moment or two’s thoughts for both the people of Colorado and the firefighters and crews trying to stop this raging inferno.

After a beautiful and fairly cool day yesterday, I looked at the weather for this coming weekend and saw “105″ for Saturday and “103″ as the high temperature forecast for Sunday! Oh no…

Good thing I’ve had a break to do a little work around the yard. Anyone following the Stucco Series or who has been interested in the paver molds and pavers we’ve made might be interested to see the current phase of the long-running patio project.

Having decided on a pattern for our pavers and having decided that using too many small pavers made the design look too busy, I still thought paver-after-paver just looked a little bland. Fortunately, I have access to a LOT of nice and green, healthy moss. I’m going to use moss around some of the pavers to break the texture a bit and give this 2012 patio a bit of old-world look.

You can see a bit more of our paver pattern here – and that I’m leaving small sections open for moss. I’ll also use the moss like caulk in the event any spacing between pavers ends up a little wider than was planned. I also get to show off my little Bistro table and chairs I just purchased – in the event I ever find time to sit down!

With summer temperatures right around the corner, this area being shady most of the day will make it a great place to hang out and drink morning coffee or read, or in which to just sit and do nothing!

I planted some white lilies just off the new patio area in hopes that sometime while they’re blooming, I’ll have time to sit and enjoy them. They are blooming now and I’m still playing a bit of catch-up, but with this scenery, who cares?

Here are some of the newest and most popular products to make your outdoor entertaining and grilling a little easier this summer!

Cobb Grill

Super-Efficient & Cool To Touch and less than $150!

Weighing just 8 lbs., the fuel-efficient, stainless steel Cobb Grill uses only 8-10 charcoal briquettes for 3 hours of cooking. It can roast, bake, smoke and fry and the tabletop-safe base makes it ideal for taking anywhere. Includes carrying case.

Size: 12″ dia. x 12″H

Chill It Freezable Gourmet Drink Tote Bag

A cool bag in hot colors! The Chill It Freezable Tote Bag is a fun and functional party accessory. It’s perfect for keeping a 6 pack of beer, soda, water or whatever else you are looking to chill on the go. Inside moveable divider with freezable cells keeps contents protected and extra cold. Just put it in the freezer, then take it when you’re ready to go. PVC exterior.

• Freezable tote bag
• PVC construction
• Holds a standard 6-pack

Size: 8″ x 6″ 7″

3-In-1 Grill Basket

3-In-1 Grill Basket is a skillet, deep basket and grill basket with lid all in one! The sturdy, mesh design allows for searing while preventing small foods from slipping below the cooking grate. Handles make transportation easy and non-stick coating means less mess. The unique design of the 3-In-1 Grill Basket promotes infusion of smoky flavor. Around $30.

Non-Stick Corn Grilling Basket

Keep your corn safely in place while grilling with this Non-Stick Corn Grilling Basket. Basket locks in place so you can easily flip your food without it cooking unevenly or breaking apart.

Made of carbon steel with high-quality, black non-stick coating that’s free of PTFEs and PFOAs. Long rosewood handle makes turning easy and safe. Non-Stick Corn Grilling Basket holds four ears of corn. Only $15!

Size: 22-3/4″L x 7-1/4″W x 1-3/4″H

Portable Bar With Carrying Case And 3 Interchangeable Skirts

This Portable Bar Lets You Bring The Party With You
When the invitation says BYOB, you can bring your own bar! This must-have portable bar comes in a convenient carrying case, perfect for bringing to tailgates, football parties or formal events. This sturdy portable bar sets up in seconds and comes with three changeable skirts to set the mood: formal, football or a Hawaiian motif. Skirts attach easily with Velcro. Metal construction bar includes one interior shelf.

• Portable bar
• Easy set-up: takes only seconds
• 3 skirts included for different occasions
• Perfect for parties and tailgates
• Carrying case included
• Metal bar with interior shelf

Size:40″L x 15″D x 36″H open/40″ x 15″ x 3″ folded

***Win a $300 shopping spree from ProblemSolvers – click any link to enter!***

Believe it or not, half the month of June and half of the year 2012 are behind us. Where DOES time go?

The 4th of July holiday meant Maryland Blue Crabs to me most of my early days. Even though I no longer have access to catch and cook them myself, I can still plan now to have a crab feast this coming 4th of July.

With less than 2 weeks time left to place and schedule my order, The Crab Place notified me of some seafood specials! YEAH! Timing really is EVERYTHING!

You can read my review from a prior order with The Crab Place and see why I have no worries about ordering again.

Here are some current specials from The Crab Place. Most offers expire June 24th so don’t delay! You can order now to take advantage of the discount savings – and still set up delivery for the 2nd or 3rd of July…

If you love crabs we have a deal for you!

Thanks to a great response (and some wonderful crabs), we’ve extended our 20% off Maryland hard crab sale for one more week. We’ve got beautiful hard crabs coming in daily across the docks and have slashed pricing to 20% off on all of our crab grades and crab sizes.

1 Half Dozen Colossal Crabs 20% Off
Order Online

1 Dozen Colossal Crabs 20% Off
Order Online

2 Dozen Colossal Crabs 20% Off
Order Online

1 Dozen Jumbo Crabs 20% Off
Order Online

1 Half Bushel Jumbo Crabs 20% Off
Order Online

1 Bushel Jumbo Crabs 20% Off
Order Online

***** All Crab Sizes 20% Off, Order Your Crabs Online *****

Summer is officially here and the Maryland crab season is in full swing. There’s no better time for a crab feast. This fantastic crab sale pricing expires on Sunday, June 24.

No need to wait for a better crab sale to come along. Hurry, only 3 days left on this fantastic 20% off crab sale. Be sure to lock in these great crab prices today and have your crabs delivered at a later date of your choice. Crab prices may fluctuate over the summer based on supply. Don’t risk paying higher prices later, start your crab feast today!

Lock in your low crab prices now, click here ….

I, like many others, like to keep a fairly close eye on the weather.

In summer I need to know about rain, or not, excessive high temperatures, barometric pressure readings, (for my sinuses!) and in my area, potential hurricane activity. My sister in Florida is practically a weather expert. In her area, heavy rains usually mean flooding – something homeowners and drivers need to know about in advance. In winter, cold snaps, surprise freezes, ice, snow, etc., etc. You can’t control the weather but it certainly is a good subject for that phrase, “Knowledge Is Power.”

I’ve had a wireless weather station at my property for about 7 years now. It’s helpful for many reasons and without it, weather and temperatures would be guess-work…not always good enough when you have animals, vegetable gardens, and a lake to attend to.

Below are a couple weather station selections for your increased knowledge base. Amazingly affordable, and kids can also get really interested in the weather when they have something interactive to watch…education can come in many forms and is always a good thing!

La Crosse Technology. Never go outside again to see what the weather is like. This wireless digital digital forecast station is capable of collecting and electronically transmitting weather data directly into the comfort of your home. The station’s weather-forecasting feature senses barometric pressure over time and adjusts the indicator icons to provide accurate forecasts based on pressure trends. Good value at under $55…

Features Include:

Detailed Forecast based on changing air pressure Indoor humidity (%RH) Forecast is 85% accurate for Next 12-20 hours Indoor & Outdoor Temp.’s displayed in F or C.

Read more…

You’ll spend a bit more at $130, but this ADC (Atmospheric Data Center) unit is showing up everywhere! Whether you’re honing your shooting accuracy or reading the barometric pressure trends when the fish are rising, the ADC Summit lends necessary insight to your outdoor activity.

This portable atmospheric data center gathers and records a variety of key weather conditions, so when you question if you should you stay or you should you go, Summit gives you the data you need to make the call.

Features: Waterproof and submersible . Displays current temperature (°F, °C), current, maximum and average wind speed s(mph, ft/s, m/s, km/h, knots, beaufort) . Wind speed and wind chill alarms . Wind chill and minimum wind chill (°F, °C) .

More info:
Brunton ADC Summit Weather Station

This is similar to the weather station at Rose Cottage…Under $130…

See the Rose Cottage Ltd webcam and weather station data here.

This station will display current weather conditions, warn you of future storms, and much more. Dimensions: Receiver: 8.9″ x 6″ x 1.25″ Thermo-Hygro: 2.25″ x 2.44″ x 6.18″ Rain Sensor: 5.51″ x 2.75″ x 5.39″ Wind Sensor: 9.84″ x 6.45″ x 7.58″ All Features: •Time display (manual setting) •12/24 hour time display •Calendar display (weekday, date, month, year) •Time alarm function •Weather forecasting function with 3 weather icons and weather tendency indicator •Wireless outdoor temperature (°F or °C) •Wireless outdoor humidity (%RH) •Records MIN/MAX temperature and humidity with time and date of recording •Low/High outdoor temperature and humidity alarm…

More info:
La Crosse WS-1612CH-IT Professional Weather Center

If you need graphic “clues” about the weather – this wireless weather station is for you! Under $40…

Multiple Icons- suggest what to wear based on OUT temperature.

Wireless Outdoor Temperature Indoor Humidity (%RH) Indoor Temperature °F or °C Selectable MIN/MAX Temperature & Humidity Atomic Time & Date Set Automatically. Automatically Adjusts for Daylight Saving Time 12 or 24 Hour Time..

More info:
Wireless Temperature Station W/ Advanced Icon

Look for these and many other weather station choices at Garden.com…

For anyone who has followed the progress of the goslings born on the lake in 2012, here’s a quick update.

There was a bit of problem when the stray dog showed up Memorial Day weekend. The adult geese decided the newcomer did not look very well trained in goose etiquette and they left the lake for almost two weeks.

Unfortunately, when the two families returned, both males and one gosling from each family were missing. I’ve never had this happen since I’ve been at the lake – for males to just go missing.

Since the two groups were traveling together, I fear that a raccoon or fox, or maybe even a bobcat attacked the group. The males probably tried to defend and died, allowing the females and the 7 remaining goslings to escape. Nothing short of death would make the male geese leave their family.

This is very sad for the remaining “Moms” since geese mate for life and my little favorite Mother Goose, Daisy, will never nest at Rose Cottage again. But some of HER children may…

You can see earlier pictures of these two groups in my prior post. Down to 3 goslings in the younger group and 4 in the first-born group.

Here are the pre-teenagers now at 6 1/2 weeks:

And here is one from the older group of goslings, now at about 8 1/2 weeks:

You can see a huge difference in just the two-week gap in age. The older goslings look much more “goose-like” until you get really close and notice the quills still awaiting full feathers!

There are still many predators lurking around the far end of the lake, in the lake (snapping turtles,) and in the 180 acre wooded property behind mine. Hopefully, these two groups will continue to hang together and keep all the goslings safe to maturity.

I’m fortunate to live in a rural area on some acreage and have plenty to see and do outdoors this summer. Others will have a work a bit harder to take advantage of the beauty the US has to offer. Fortunately, National Geographic makes it much easier with guides and maps to State and National Parks. Here are a few of my favorites…

This National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the U.S., 7th Edition is the most current, handy, practical guide, completely updated for the 2012 edition, offering comprehensive information on the crown jewels of the national park system.

Price: $26.00

The 10 Best of Everything National Parks guide covers “classic” parks, national historical parks, national monuments, national battlefields, national scenic trails, and beyond. Hundreds of Top 10 lists highlight every park’s best attractions—best lodges, best hikes, best star-gazing spots, best campfire meal spots. Destinations are covered by region, theme, season, and occasion.

Price: $21.95

National Geographic Complete National Parks of the U.S.

One of the most comprehensive offerings from National Geographic…

This extensive travel planner covers not just the 58 official National Parks but also the nearly 350 additional properties in the Park Service’s domain. The premier parks are described in detail, but equal attention is given to the National Monuments, Memorials, Preserves, Historic Sites, Battlefields, Cemeteries, and Seashores, not to mention a network of “National Trails” and even the intriguingly referred to “Affiliated Areas.” From Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty, from the hallowed ground of Gettysburg National Military Park to the Pacific waters shrouding Hawaii’s U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, this catalog spans American history and territory both, with practical advice on how to reach each park, when to go, and what to do there.

Price: $40

This National Geographic National Parks Explorer 3-D Mapping Software would certainly make a great gift!

Explorer 3D combines the precision and accuracy of our printed Trails Illustrated topographic maps with the award-winning TOPO! custom mapping technology. The easy-to-use interface helps you quickly locate trails, create instant elevation profiles, plan routes, and print your own custom maps with trail, trailhead, campsite, hiking, safety, and trip-planning information.
Includes the 25 parks for a price of only $45.95.

Look for these and other great deals on ideas about getting out and enjoying the US this year…who knows it better than National Geographic!

Does the image below confuse you at first?

How long did it take to realize you were looking at a window reflection? Chances are it only took a few seconds, but that’s less time than a bird has to identify window versus reflection before they fly directly into the window and break their neck.

I knew within days of installing this huge window that I had a new problem to be solved. Fortunately, I found something very inexpensive that now has a year’s track record of working “as advertised.”

If you have large windows or are in an environment with a lot of small birds and you’ve seen them injure or kill themselves by flying into your windows visit Window Alert.

I won’t re-write what is explained on their web site about how and why these little decals work, but they DO work. I found out the hard way yesterday that the decals I applied some 10 months ago have lost their “mojo” when a female Cardinal slammed into the large back window shown above. She only stunned herself and after I moved her to a quiet location where she rested for about an hour, (probably contemplating her headache) she flew off to other realms.

I chose the Hummingbird decals which take all of 5 minutes to apply to a large window. Window Alert also offers patterns such as a Maple leaf, a butterfly, a modern square, and a snowflake. As you can see from the photo above these decals cause little or no distraction of the window’s view.

Window Alert has the solution to this problem nailed. Nice to find a product that costs little and saves lives! I pushed the limit since effective time is only 6 to 9 months. I’m off to order some more decals today and will plan on replacing them every 6 months without fail.

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 17. You have only one day left to find the perfect gift for Dad from Shop Irish AND get FREE shipping!

Here are some great and not too expensive gift ideas…

Let everyone know what your favorite brew is!
All-over design with Arthur Guinness’ signature, celebrating 250 remarkable years.

Sizes M, L, XL, 2XL.

Big and Bold Guinness T-Shirt

A great looking shirt in dark heather with a vibrant red lion. Printed in USA. 50% cotton and 50% polyester. I got one of these – but a sweatshirt instead of a t-shirt. Love the “Land of the Barbarians” below the lion!

Scotland Lion T-Shirt

Drink your beer in true Irish style! This classic tankard sports a Guinness label and holds a full 20 oz. of brew.

Guinness Tankard

Sure to become a favorite shirt to wear! Made from 100% polyester high-performance moisture-wicking fabric. Embroidered chest logos, hidden 3 button twill placket.

Designed in Ireland.

Guinness Green & Gray Rugby Jersey

Hundreds of other gift items for Father’s Day or any special occasion.