This Weekend: Care for Birds, and Take a Design-Minded Road Trip
Explore home design destinations, invite birds into your yard and join the effort to use less plastic at home
Laura Gaskill
July 24, 2018
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
The sun is high in the sky and the open road is beckoning. It’s a good weekend to take a road trip with a design destination, savor a sweet watermelon, feed the birds and cool off by the water. Seven could-dos for a summery weekend are ahead.
1. Take a Summer Road Trip
If you can’t remember the last time you went on a spontaneous adventure, why not give it a whirl this weekend? Pull up a map and see which interesting sights are within a day’s drive of your home. Here are a few destination ideas around the United States:
If you can’t remember the last time you went on a spontaneous adventure, why not give it a whirl this weekend? Pull up a map and see which interesting sights are within a day’s drive of your home. Here are a few destination ideas around the United States:
- Northwest: Visit the Pittock Mansion in Portland, Oregon.
- California: Tour Hearst Castle in San Simeon or the Stahl House, shown here, in Los Angeles.
- Midwest: Check out one of several Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes or visit Laura Ingalls Wilder’s home in the Ozarks.
- South: See Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home in Atlanta.
- Northeast: Visit Rudyard Kipling’s home in Vermont or tour the Newport Mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. Also in Newport this weekend: the Newport Folk Festival.
2. Learn About the Birds That Visit Your Yard
If you don’t yet have a bird feeder in your yard, make this the summer to get one. Once your feeder is hung up and filled with quality birdseed, it’s time to start watching. Pick up a regional field guide so you can learn to identify the birds you spot. If your feeder is located far from the house, grab a pair of binoculars too. Want to get a closer look at our feathered friends? Consider installing a bird photo booth at the feeder so you can snap close-up photos of feeding birds!
A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning
If you don’t yet have a bird feeder in your yard, make this the summer to get one. Once your feeder is hung up and filled with quality birdseed, it’s time to start watching. Pick up a regional field guide so you can learn to identify the birds you spot. If your feeder is located far from the house, grab a pair of binoculars too. Want to get a closer look at our feathered friends? Consider installing a bird photo booth at the feeder so you can snap close-up photos of feeding birds!
A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning
3. Pick a Perfect Melon
What’s summer without watermelons? When you’re searching the bin at the market or farm stand, look for a spot on the underside of the melon that has begun to turn yellow — that’s a sign it was harvested at peak ripeness. If the spot is white or a bit green, the melon was probably picked too soon.
When to Pick: A Guide to Harvesting Vegetables
What’s summer without watermelons? When you’re searching the bin at the market or farm stand, look for a spot on the underside of the melon that has begun to turn yellow — that’s a sign it was harvested at peak ripeness. If the spot is white or a bit green, the melon was probably picked too soon.
When to Pick: A Guide to Harvesting Vegetables
4. Embrace the Plastic-Free July Movement
An initiative that began in Australia, Plastic-Free July is now a global movement that aims to reduce plastic use and improve recycling. To take part, pick a small swap to make at home. A few ideas for getting started include:
An initiative that began in Australia, Plastic-Free July is now a global movement that aims to reduce plastic use and improve recycling. To take part, pick a small swap to make at home. A few ideas for getting started include:
- Carry your own reusable water bottle and travel mug.
- Use stainless steel straws at home instead of disposable ones.
- Take your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store instead of using plastic.
- Make your own cleaning products with baking soda and vinegar.
5. Celebrate Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866. Celebrate the author’s birthday by rereading a favorite from her many children’s books or by spending time outdoors noticing the little creatures she was so fond of observing. If you’re looking for a read geared toward adults, try Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Houzz contributor Marta McDowell.
Beatrix Potter: A Place of Her Own
Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866. Celebrate the author’s birthday by rereading a favorite from her many children’s books or by spending time outdoors noticing the little creatures she was so fond of observing. If you’re looking for a read geared toward adults, try Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Houzz contributor Marta McDowell.
Beatrix Potter: A Place of Her Own
6. Propagate Succulents
If you have a pot or two of succulents, you might not realize how simple it is to make more — for free! You can propagate new succulents by taking a cutting from a plant such as Echeveria or sedum or by harvesting plant pups from a rosette-forming succulent like aloe, Echeveria or zebra plant.
Once you’ve taken cuttings or removed pups, let the pieces rest in a shaded spot for about a week, until the cut sections have formed a callus. When the callus has formed, arrange the cuttings or pups on a tray spread with cactus and succulent potting mix. Let them sit in a lightly shaded area for a few weeks (watering very lightly about once a week) until tiny roots begin to form, then plant each one in a small pot.
Gardening 101: What to Know About Propagating Succulents
If you have a pot or two of succulents, you might not realize how simple it is to make more — for free! You can propagate new succulents by taking a cutting from a plant such as Echeveria or sedum or by harvesting plant pups from a rosette-forming succulent like aloe, Echeveria or zebra plant.
Once you’ve taken cuttings or removed pups, let the pieces rest in a shaded spot for about a week, until the cut sections have formed a callus. When the callus has formed, arrange the cuttings or pups on a tray spread with cactus and succulent potting mix. Let them sit in a lightly shaded area for a few weeks (watering very lightly about once a week) until tiny roots begin to form, then plant each one in a small pot.
Gardening 101: What to Know About Propagating Succulents
7. Cool Off by the Water
Need some new tricks to help you cool down? Find your way to the chill zone with one or more of these ideas:
More
Simple Pleasures: Beat the Heat With Water
10 Ways to Make Magic With Succulent Centerpieces
Need some new tricks to help you cool down? Find your way to the chill zone with one or more of these ideas:
- Pick up a mist-making hose or hose attachment and set it up in your backyard.
- Find a local swimming hole, pool or stream to cool your feet.
- Pour yourself a tall glass of ice water enhanced with a few slices of lemon or cool garden cucumber, or a handful of mint leaves.
More
Simple Pleasures: Beat the Heat With Water
10 Ways to Make Magic With Succulent Centerpieces
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I tried the "baffle" type of anti-squirrel feeder. I wish I had taken a film of the squirrels who were gymnastic pros at still being able to get to the seed. They left me a thank you note for the playground equipment I installed for them. So I have given up and just put out plenty of quality seed for any animal or bird that comes by my feeder. I just say, "the squirrels have to eat, too" so that it doesn't frustrate me any more. I love the idea of moving water in a bird bath because of mosquitos. The pic from the commenter with the climbing bear is terrifying. I would move. :-)