How is everyone coping? #Covid19

Hello Friends. Wondering if this thing is still on. I have not posted but just randomly over the past few years. Why? Well...social media. Yes, social media has changed all this. But I am finding I would like to have this platform back...this platform being a blog.

I thought it would be therapeutic to talk about what we are doing daily during this pandemic, and period of isolation from our friends, stores, work, etc.

When and what to fertilize in your yard for fall

I am always doing research and searches on the best times to fertilize your plants and shrubs and trees. So, today I am posting for both myself and you.Thank you to TOH for this super helpful articleDuring fall, September is the best time to fertilize your lawn. A fertilizer with a formula of 20-8-8 will get it growing again. Always follow the manufacturer's recommended rate of application. While this fall lawn fertilizer dose is important, an application at the end of October or early November is essential. At that time, apply a fertilizer with a formula of 13-25-12. The push of phosphorus will stimulate root growth through November and even into early December. By helping roots grow before winter sets in, you are insuring that the lawn will green-up quicker in the spring and become more resistant to disease and draught.With the lawn taken care of, it's time to consider plants. By now, perennials are starting to fade but they will benefit from 0-20-0 super phosphate fertilizer scattered around the plants at recommended doses and lightly cultivated into the soil. Next spring you'll have stronger plants with more flowers.Fall is also a great time to fertilize shrubs and trees. In my opinion, all trees and shrubs need fertilizer, because most of them are located in mulch beds that use up nitrogen as they decompose. I recommend applying one to three pounds of slow-release nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of bed and cultivating lightly. (To figure out the exact amount of fertilizer you'll need, calculate the square footage of your beds and consult with your local garden center.) Fertilizing trees in late September and early October promotes root growth. These nutrients will still be in the soil come spring when plants start to grow. If you have a tree or shrub that does not flower well, a dose of super phosphate will help promote flower growth. However, if the plant is not located in the right spot, all the super phosphate in the world won't make it flower.

Best Battery-Powered Leaf Blower EVER!

So here is a scene from every day for the past 10 years. "Hey honey, we are having friends over tonight for dinner. Can you clean off the patio?" "Sure I can." So I unravel the spaghetti mess of 40ft of extension cords, and fire up the Toro leaf blower. I sway back and forth, dip and hunker around the outdoor couches, chairs, table legs, decorative rock and other crevices until finally all debris blown safely out of the way, into the yard, leaving a pristine "clean" patio.  Trouble was that I had to wrangle all these cords around, sometimes yanking them until they disconnect, and have to stop what I am doing and plug everything back in. THEN to top this off, we had our backyard redone this summer and added a second patio on the 'back 40'. This just added to the hassle of dragging miles of extension cords 40-60 feet trying to clear the Locust leaves and random pebbles that littered the new patio.  Enter the best, most powerful, battery-powered leaf blower that I could find.  The Earthwise 58 Volt, variable speed, 155 Horsepower blower!

I have tried a few in my journey towards a cord-free existence and this is by far the best, most powerful cordless blower I have used.

Take a look for yourself because I am writing a review that will post to Amazon by the time you read this article.  A few things to note on this cordless leaf blower:

1. It is super powerful and can blow leaves out of rocks and over rocks.
2. The charge is long enough to do all of my yard's solid surfaces. I am sure if you wanted to blow leaves into piles you could do that too, but from my experience the battery lasts for all my needs - two patios, two rock walkways, and lower level play/garden areas.
3. It is a tad bit heavy but that's just because of the battery. I don't find it too heavy or a burden. My petite neighbor uses it and has no issues either - she probably stronger than me.
4. You will get more than one or two uses out of this before you need to charge, but if you do run out, it charges very fast, within the hour you will be back to blowing stuff!
5. Price: $159 but totally worth it. It is brick solid, durable and great looking. And did I mention how powerful it is?  I have a Toro corded blower and it is as close to this as any other.

You can get it now here: Earthwise LB20058 58-Volt Variable Speed 155 MPH Max Cordless Electric Blower with Adjustable Length, 2Ah Battery & Charger Included

Seasonal Scents: Dish Soap, Hand Soap, All-purpose cleaners

Does anyone else get excited about the new or old holiday seasonal scents that start coming to your local Target or inbox? Every year I get excited to see what will come out as a new favorite or will we be settling in with the old. Some of my favorites are Winter Forest, Forest Pine, Iowa Pine, Frosted Fir, Noel, Spiced Chestnut.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day choose Iowa Pine and Cranberry, for it's countertop sprays, scented candles, and pre-packaged gift sets.

Williams-Sonoma has THE best fall scent on the market today, hands down. Their Spiced Chestnut is a great combination of well, spice and chestnut with hints of orange, wood, and pumpkin pie. We use it in candle and dish soap form starting around Halloween all the way through Thanksgiving. I am also a fan of their Winter Forest scent for dish soap and hand wash. It is a bit strong for hand lotion so I shy away, but you may love it!

If you're a fan of Method cleaning products, you'll find three collections in its holiday assortment this year. I personally like the gel hand wash, and all-purpose cleaner in Hollyberry. For outdoor lovers, the Frosted Fir and Mistletoe bring one of the closest smell of a fresh-cut Christmas tree into your bathroom or kitchen. In addition to the fabulous scents, another cool feature is Method's innovative pump dispenser for its liquid dish soap. I find it especially neat and convenient to use.

Finally, if you can't get enough of the fresh outdoors, check out the Frasier Fir collection from Thymes. It's a perennial favorite and the packaging is so subtle and attractive you'll want to leave it out on your counter for all to see. Happy Cleaning!

Best Fall in like, umm, Forever!

Playing in the Park. We love Fall.

Halloween kids