This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Flood Wood Care for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I love my deck, especially this time of year when the surrounding gardens are beginning to bloom, the leaves are greening and the birds are chirping. My home deck is not really big but I’ve made it cozy with a pretty privacy screen, comfy chairs, a trellis with morning glories and an arbor with corkscrew vines.
There is though one thing missing. Pretty wood. The wood on my deck is bare, aged and gray and to be blunt, it is ugly. Previously, I’ve covered it up with carpet but this year I’m beautifying it so I can enjoy the look of natural wood grain.
My wood deck beautifying begins with treating the gray wood with Flood® brand wood cleaner. With a solid reputation as “The Wood Care Specialist,” I can count on Flood® brand from start to finish on my beautifying project.
Flood® Wood Care has earned their reputation beginning in 1841 as a family business, and continuing through the years, offering dependable finishes that will not only protect yours and my investment but do so with products that help make your wood design options truly yours, personalizing your outdoor wood elements with stylish colors and stain that brings out the beauty in the wood that compliments your home.
I’m actually very exited about my project as I use my deck as I would an extra room. I plan on using the suggested solid color because because the wood is weathered. Now I just need to choose from 51 different color options! I’m thinking either Mulberry which has a subtle, soft brownish hue or I may get a little bit daring and use Tranquil Sea! Mmm, it’s so pretty and as you might guess it’s the color I would expect to see if I were on tropical, by-the-sea vacation!* Either way, I’m so looking forward to refreshing the look of my “summer room!”
Chris's 19th - Roger, Chris, & Jim - August 20, 2011
After tomorrow it is officially vacation for Roger and me:
Chris has to go to school and work and Jim has a still-new job clocking in 6 or 7 days a week–and a real-no-excuses boss. Fortunately, Jim had a trip back east my see his grandparents not too long ago. <3
Chris is flying into Buffalo, N.Y. –20 miles from the Falls– on Friday morning—leaving Sunday evening. My mom’s memorial is on Sunday August 28th …with folks coming in to the Haliburton Highlands so we decided to make it more vacation-y and stay overnight at a close to everything place in Niagara Falls. Three stars that my oldest son helped me very much in finding–for cheap–check out the topographic map of how easy it is to walk to the Falls! Excitement!
Niagara Falls Ontario--topographic & map view
… then the next morning at 11 a.m.–perfect-ish for a night owl like me…pick up Chris and do something by the Falls before heading back to Maple Lake until Labour Day… is the plan.
PHOTOS: Chris’s birthday at Fridays’ tonight- He refused the singing. (boo):
Chris 19th birthday aug20-2011-fridays-schaumburg-il-by cyn-mccrackan
- Plus: No one* takes my picture – further proof
*only me
August 19 2011 - Son's 19th birthday Fridays with entire nuclear family!
Some Friday's decor that made me nostalgic and I was already _in_ that frame of mind! * On another note: Was I the only chick that thought Linda Ronstadt was hot like 'this'--versus her hot pants-period (later)? I thought so. She's got really soulful eyes.
Happy 19th birthday, Christopher!
After dinner we saw this film:
Saw on August 20 2011
It was just OK…not great. A couple of the science-based plot holes really distracted me from the film. Also, they wasted Frieda Pinto (sp?) other than as eye candy.
Credit and thanks to the Haliburton Highlands Visitors Centre!!
I was born in Canada and despite moving to the United States as a kid, I will always be a Canadian (have the passport to prove it). Part of the reason, probably a big part, is that I was raised by Canadians. My mother especially, was pretty hardcore Canadian. I’ll offer an example. I’d come home from elementary school after being taught American History. Mother would always remind me that there were two sides to the ‘history’ I was learning and I was being taught the ‘wrong’ side! Example phrasing: “It’s all lies.” A bit confusing, pretty much a guarantee that I wouldn’t exactly excel in my history classes but her intent was pure–to help me stay true to my Canadian roots. I have to state that 1. It worked and two, in a slightly less adamant way (having struggled with American History, I wanted them to at least pass it!) I told both my kids the same thing– to at least to remember you should make up your own mind about what is true and what is not.
Second thing that kept me true to Canada was Maple Lake, Ontario. Spending years, over time, on Maple Lake immersed in cottage country beauty, I knew that a little piece of heaven exsisted north of the border–one that I continue to savour to this day and plan to savour to my last.
Our front yard. Hostas rule as they love all the rain we've had--whether we want them to or not.
People use to say when we’d arrive at Maple Lake that we’d “brought the good weather” with us. Well, we have not had great weather here in the Chicago area, so I’m afraid this time that we are going to need to turn the tables and say that “It’s nice to have some pleasant weather, now that we are here at the Lake.” However your forecast for the immediate 2 weeks calls for temperatures that only reach “normal “on two days and the rest of the time are below normal. That is not thrilling, guys. Now understand, I’d rather be there than here in the summer, regardless of the weather but it would be nice if you could muster up a really nice week while we are there. No pressure though, OK? Thanks.
It is easy! From 8:30 – 9:30 local time turn off all lights and non-essential electrical appliances to support an increased awareness of environmental issues. See below for unique ways to mark Earth Hour 2009 with friends and family.
10 Ways to Mark Earth Hour
Attend local Earth Hour events or organize one.
Go outside and look at the stars.
Find a great viewing spot to see your town or city go dark at 8:30 p.m.
Take pictures and send them to Your Weather.
Go for a lantern walk through a park.
Patronize local restaurants and businesses taking part in Earth Hour.
Gather your family or friends for a candle-lit dinner.
Meet your neighbours at a street or block party.
Have an acoustic music jam.
Talk to your children about how much electricity your family uses. Brainstorm ways to reduce it.
Source: WWF-Canada
From the official video source: Official Earth Hour 2009 video. Earth Hour is on March 28th, 2009 at 8:30pm. More at http://www.earthhour.org
… then the next morning at 11 a.m.–perfect-ish for a night owl like me…pick up Chris and do something by the Falls before heading back to Maple Lake until Labour Day… is the plan.
