This National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America will come in handy – even for the estimated 60 million people who identify themselves as bird-watchers, and most hone their skills right in their own backyards.

Vivid illustrations of 150 common species make identification a snap.

And how many times have you spotted a tree and had no idea what it was?

The National Geographic Field Guide to the Trees of North America will certainly help!

Ideal for backpacks and back pockets, this indispensable reference makes it easy to identify any tree commonly encountered in North America—more than 350 species in all. It’s a natural for birders, hikers, and other outdoorsy types, but even confirmed urbanites will find plenty of information on city trees as well.

Hundreds of gift ideas and titles for you at the National Geographic Online Store:

+ Shop National Geographic’s Best Selling Gifts!

+ SAVE $30 on The Complete National Geographic! Every page of every issue in digital format.

+ Great Migrations DVD & book: buy them together and SAVE 50%!

But, there are still some “scenic” moments like this one early yesterday:

The most constant local question these days seems to be “When are we going to pay for all this warm weather?” I’ll take a cold snap soon or otherwise ticks and mosquitoes will be rampant, Spring and Summer 2012.

In the meantime, birds are going crazy around here! I have a steady supply of Chickadees, Cardinals, Titmouse, Wrens, Nuthatches, and assorted other “visitors.”

This could be a top season for bird feeding at Rose Cottage…good thing I was ready!

Part of the gasket seal – that webbed-look stuff that lines the front window – has shredded and split. Since I burn fairly “hot” fires, some of the stove’s fire bricks are also showing some wear. Fortunately, finding what I needed proved easier than I at first thought it might be.

There are quite a few YouTube videos that show the basics of making the actual repair – here’s a good one for you…

But I still needed the “stuff” to make this repair. Off to Woodman’s Parts Plus. They have everything I need now – and a few things I may need in future.

I was able to order the gasket, (in less than an expensive 90 foot roll!) in a reasonable 6-foot length. Width was easily measured at the stove – in the case of my Century Hearth FW240007 model, 3/4″ gasket. I ordered the cement to attach the new gasket, and was also able to order a 6-pack of firebricks – all from the same web site. If I’d thought a bit further ahead I would have added some stove black to my order – on the list for next time…

From the time I realized I needed repair materials to the time the shipment arrived at my door was less than 2 weeks – and one week of that was me researching a source for the repair materials and figuring out sizes and lengths of what I actually needed. I am very pleased to recommend Woodman’s Parts Plus (based in New Hampshire) for wood stove accessories and replacement materials.

You can take a walk through an entire nursery-worth of products without leaving your chair! And through February 11, 2012, find out how to get all orders for only $5.95 shipping from Nature Hills Nursery…

So, what is good for heating bills – sporadically warmer-than-usual temperatures this year in North Carolina, is not good for Spring bulbs – which are now popping up too early.

Although I plant the new bulbs a bit deeper each year, the weather always seems to trick them into sticking their noses out of the ground – usually just before a bank of 20-degree mornings.

Here’s what I’ve found today, January 25th…

Such is the life of a gardener…Oh well…

+ $10 off orders of $99 or more. Use code CJGGREEN

Time to think Spring for this year’s garden and to plan for some new color to my predominantly green landscape. Here are some current specials, (and some garden improvement ideas) from Garden.com:

+ Winter Clearance! 50% off Patio Furniture Covers and Free Shipping on Address Plaques!

+ Clearance Items – up to 80% off!

+ Wood Arbors in Stock at Garden.com

+ NEW! Exclusive Fire Pots

Don’t forget your “Valentine” Gardener…

+ Valentine’s Day Gifts – Free Shipping on 50 Great Gifts for the special gardener in your life.

This Asian architecture inspired feeder features dramatic scrollwork details along the base.

Constructed of western red cedar for its striking roof and kiln-dried pine. There are two separate feeding trays, along with a drain hole at the base. Will attract all types of wild birds.

Dimensions: 22″ H x 14″ W x 12″ D

DECORATIVE BIRD FEEDERS: Home Bazaar Summer Palace Feeder

From The Bird Shed

Here are a few links to online tools that will help you visualize and design your new outdoor kitchen.

Danver.com – beautiful stainless steel cabinetry…

The “Kitchenator” – specific to the site’s products but in this case – not a bad thing!

Home Design Software - definitely not just for kitchens

Interactive plans from Wolf and Sub-Zero…

A Plan 3D design tool – for any room in your home.

And last – for this post anyway…from BBQ Island

I’m renovating an older house on a 7 acre property with a 4 acre lake. This provides many opportunities to show some of the work that is going on, provide some hopefully helpful hints, and share a few “lessons-learned” on our various DIY projects.

If I find an advertiser who offers something I am discussing, say as example my thoughts about the purchase and use of a wood stove, I’ll provide links to their site so readers can review and make their own decisions about whether a product is right for them or not. This seems a legitimate “referral” of searched-for info for anyone who is interested.

Unfortunately, some advertisers are NOT interested in my attempts to review or discuss their product lines…they just want you to buy, buy, buy. Well, I hope you buy something too – but only if it is the right choice for you.

Rose Cottage Ltd was just “terminated” by an advertiser this morning – one of which I have a fair amount of links to from this blog. I thought they wanted to be a good “go-to” resource for my readers. Apparently not. They’d rather I push you hard to buy versus just providing you with some user info that might make your buying decisions easier. It seems I won’t push hard enough to suit this advertiser – which means they don’t suit Rose Cottage.

They are not interested in good content. They are not interested in what a purchaser actually has to say about a product. They just want sales. If I had known this was their focus, I would have NEVER promoted them.

It will take me about 2 weeks to remove all their links from both the Rose Cottage Ltd. website and blog but trust me, I will do so.

In the meantime, here’s a link to an advertiser that DOES belong on Rose Cottage! You can shop there with confidence for many of the products covered on the Rose Cottage blog. This is all I expect from a company – and it’s the least we deserve.

I thought I’d share my meanderings with you through some very cool outdoor living designs I found online. If the image was provided by vendors that actually supply the good or service shown, you can find their URL in the “alt” tag for further review and research. Will start with simple and move on up to “spectacular.”

I like the peaceful attitude of this simple deck, swing, and table. It makes a inviting place to sit and read or spend some time with a friend or two.

Anyone already lucky enough to have a wide porch can also take advantage of this simple addition. Add some colorful plants and you’re done!

This outdoor area looks like a good place to go to get away for awhile. There is a fairly simple stone base for the table, chairs, and other outdoor furniture. This is truly an outdoor living space!

Although the design is “country” you could carve this space out of any small suburban environment and enclose the area to your preference – or not.

I like the use of the old door to create a backdrop – where no wall or door actually exists. Good idea!

Now on to a couple larger-scale designs – not for the faint-of-heart from a budgetary standpoint but after all – we’re just looking!

Plenty of “WOW” factor going on here!

What I like about this design is that even though there is a lot going on – it doesn’t look cluttered. Too many outdoor spaces end up “noisy” with “stuff” that doesn’t really add to the overall use of the space.

The outdoor fireplace has a throne-area all its own – with the seating planned far enough away to keep guests from getting hammered by the smoke – something some designs do not take into consideration.

And then there are the water features…these need a post all their own but here’s a design as example:

Any time you add water where there was none before expect it to not come cheap. The inexpensive approaches would be to build your own small Koi-type pond or to add a fountain.

The design shown above looks like there may have been a pond on the property – and the designer customized it to make the area more inviting and useful. For those without a current water point on their property, fountains are probably the quickest and often the least expensive way to go. I recommend Garden Fountains.com for a wide choice of fountains – from estate-sized to those more appropriate for a small garden space.

The first day of Spring is March 20, 2012…no time like now to start planning your outdoor living space improvements for this year’s enjoyment!

I bought a steamer for my wood stove straight away. You can find some wood stove and stove steamer options here. For the two really cold (15 and 20 degree) mornings experienced here last week, I added nearly 8 cups of water in 48 hours to the steamer to combat winter dryness…just fyi…

But with my under-functioning sinuses – a lifelong struggle, it may be time to invest in a air cleaning unit. If your sinuses get into an uproar this time of year and you are worried about mold, germs, and other airborne bacteria, here are a few options to consider:

The Mold and Germ Destroying Air Purifier

Eliminates up to 100% of airborne bacteria, mold, viruses, pet dander, dust mites, and pollen without making a sound or using a filter. The device uses natural convection to silently draw airborne impurities into its patented ceramic heating chamber that instantly destroys the microorganisms with 400\u00BA F heat.

An independent laboratory confirmed that the unit destroyed 100% of bacteria and mold regardless of the microorganism’s size or level of hazardousness. The sanitized air is cooled and recirculated into the room, providing a healthier breathing environment without producing ozone or requiring you to clean or replace a costly filter. The air purifier remains cool to the touch and the heat it produces will not affect room temperature.

Here’s a handy portable unit!

The Portable Virus Eliminating Air Purifier is the air cleaner that’s smaller and lighter than a commuter cup, providing portable air purification that eliminates 99% of viruses. The device sets up unobtrusively on a desktop or fits in a car’s cup holder and emits harmless, positively charged hydrogen and oxygen ions that envelop negatively charged viruses and bacteria like H1N1 and MRSA.

The hydrogen and oxygen ions penetrate the contaminants’ membranes and destroy their DNA, rendering the microorganisms incapable of reproduction and survival. The device also neutralizes allergens, tobacco smoke, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by some paint and furnishings. The filterless device eliminates the need to clean or replace costly filters and it produces only 29 decibels of noise–about the same as a whisper. Despite its small size, the air purifier treats up to 231′ sq.

Update: January 10, 2012. I ordered one of these units. Will post a review once I’ve had the chance to do so…

Even if my sinuses functioned better than they do, living in an older house undergoing near-constant renovation releases mold and other icky stuff into the air. This is probably something I should have purchased a few years ago. Guess it’s true…what doesn’t kill you CAN make you stronger – and hopefully smarter!

Check out Hammacher Schlemmer for more air purifier options for your environment…and stay healthy!