wow that is a good message to pass along.....

Gosh - I love those and have been drooling over one in particular. I never thought of the potential for burning, though. Even though I'd put it in the ground and not on a deck, I imaging that that would be a risk if dead leaves gathered around the stand, too. It makes perfect sense (I can remember, as a kid, us taking a magnifying glass and making burn marks on my neighbor's unpainted fence....).

Thank you for posting.

Wouldn't have thought of that! Thanks for the post.

Thanks for the post warning. I would never have thought of the danger.

There was someone over at the decorating forum who had a bathroom make-up mirror that reflected sunlight, and put burn spots on her wood blinds. She said she would often smell something "burning" and could never figure out what it was even after checking all around. She posted picture of the damage. Thank god it did not burn the house down. She moved the mirror to a different spot.

Others chimed in to say a similar thing happened with mirrors to them. There are warning stickers on some mirrors when you buy them about the potential as a firestarter and I had always thought it was silly. I guess it is really not the one in a billion chance to start a house fire like I had assumed.

On another board someone posted a photo of a wine glass left on a porch that put a burn mark in the wood (Can't remember if it was a wood table or the wood floor.)

I would have never thought of it!

I had a crystal hanging from my car rearview mirror when I was young. The reflection (refraction?) burnt a hole in the headliner of my car.

I could NOT figure out what caused the hole, until I saw the light shining up there one day..

I'm glad your friend's scortch marks did not develop into a fire. She is fortunate.

Another issue with bird baths, from the birds' point of view...

Try to place birdbaths where they are in the shade for the longest time of the day. Birds won't use hot, stale water if there's any other option. They go to the birdbaths to cool off and drink.

To get the most visitors, and do the most good for our feathered friends, try to not put a birdbath where it gets direct sun and keep the water in it clean and fresh.

Another danger, magnifying glasses (the old fashioned type on a "stick"). My father kept one in a mug on his desk. One day he saw a large scorch march in a line right through his mail (melted a credit card) and desk blotter. It looked like there had been some flames. The sun reflected through the magnifying glass at just the right angle. He now leaves it in the drawer.

Memo to Sue who claims to be 36,

Warning: never leave credit cards lying around (even inside envelopes)! Some instruments can "see" right through them!

Or ... should I say, "burn" right through them.

As a matter of fact, it seems as though some people can burn right through them. Or, rather, if using them unwisely ...

... have them burn right through one's savings!

Which develops into a real problem if the savings are non-existent!

ole joyful