It’s here. There’s no more hiding indoors. Warm temperatures are beckoning and it’s time to head outdoors.

That means it is also time to spruce up the yard and get it ready for living al fresco.

“The best types of atmospheres are ones that are authentic to your lifestyle and your tastes,” said Stephanie Grotta, Target’s lead designer for Smith & Hawken. ”Create an atmosphere that is conducive to the size of your outdoor space and, if you have the room, try to incorporate both lounging and dining. Thinking about your patio, garden or deck as an extension of your indoor living space is a great step in bringing great style and comfort outside.”

Grotta recommends seeking pieces that are multifunctional that work in your space. A bench, for example, can provide seating at a table or fit nicely in a garden niche.

When selecting outdoor furnishings and accessories, make sure to select those that have great longevity. Grade A teak, solid copper, aluminum and all-weather wicker are perfect options, Grotta said.

For outdoor cushions, be sure to invest in those made with Sunbrella fabrics that are resistant to fading, stains and mildew.

Winter’s dark and gray days also tend to make people gravitate to bright pops of color. and Grotta says that’s a good thing.

“Furnishing and decorating an outdoor space is your opportunity to get creative and have a little fun. Layer in pops of color and graphic patterns like florals and bold stripes to liven up the space.”

“Crisp shades of blue and green are expected to be favorites this year, but for those who already have cushions in neutral earth tones, a pop of red or orange is a quick and easy way to brighten your space,” added Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance.

Blue this season is more tropical than nautical, with shades of aqua waters and azure skies more popular than marine navy. Forest green remains a staple, but softer shades of sage and celadon are a better complement to this season’s new neutral: gray.

“Gray rolled into the outdoor living palette this year like a fast-moving summer storm,” Hirschhaut said. “It is the trend-forward choice in every major material for outdoor furnishings.”

From polished steel to hand-forged iron, weathered gray teak to driftwood shades of synthetic wicker, gray is the backdrop for all other outdoor color directions this season. Stripes, geometric prints and florals pair gray with everything from butter yellow to poppy red to those tropical blues.

Those same trends can be found in accessories geared for outdoor use. Tuesday Morning, for example, has a striped canvas, 9-foot market umbrella and a ceramic teacup and saucer planter that looks like a giant tulip.

And don’t forget the family pet. up Country has pet beds specifically designed for outdoor use. made in weather-resistant material, they, too, come in today’s popular stripes and florals. The inner pads are mildew resistant and the outdoor covers are machine washable. The smallest size is 20×24 inches and the largest is 35×45 inches; they range in price from $54 to $90.

When it comes to dining in the yard, today’s outdoor kitchens make preparing meals a breeze.

“Big cooking centers costing thousands of dollars are popular – barbecues with counters, seats and refrigerators,” said John Nault, a commercial sales representative for Lowe’s. “They’re flying out the door.

“A lot of people in this part of the country spend as much time outdoors as indoors and they must make it comfortable. we sell more outdoor barbecues in this area than we do in the rest of the country.”

Cleanup is a snap, too. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet just unveiled its newest addition to the outdoor kitchen: a dishwasher.

According to the company, it is the first dishwasher specifically designed to work outside and withstand the harshness of the elements. it has a unique wash system designed to clean dishes that have been sitting outdoors or pots and pans that have been over the heat of a grill fire.

“Now, every convenience of an indoor kitchen is fully available outdoors,” said Pantelis A. Georgiadis, president of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.

Among the features of the dishwasher are an extra-large tub, adjustable-height dual rack system, adjustable stemware shelves and highly focused spray zones to ensure the whole load gets clean.

Additionally, the dishwasher features technology that doesn’t waste water. it uses as little as 3.8 gallons in a wash program, using sensors to detect when the quantity of water matches the wash program.

Priced at $4,990, the outdoor dishwasher is available at dealers that carry Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet equipment, from certified design professionals or directly at kalamazoogourmet.com.

<a href="http://www.lvrj.com/special_sections/season-s-outdoor-living-inspired-by-colorful-accents-122574179.html?ref=179tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.lvrj.com/special_sections/season-s-outdoor-living-inspired-by-colorful-accents-122574179.html?ref=179Wed, 25 May 2011 09:09:08 GMT 00:00″>Season’s outdoor living inspired by colorful accents

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take them into the garage when you're not using them.

Yes, because it's a real pain trying to get stains/mildew out after the fact. Put into storage bags when not in use.

Should I protect my new outdoor patio cushions with something to prevent staining and mildew?

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Any suggestions for upholstery covering curtains cushions etc. not interested in black and white as its a fashion only of the moment. The walls are painted in Natural Hessian, white ceilings and white painted glass doors. Wall to wall french windows facing long garden. would like suggestions for colour scheme Thanks

taupe or pale tan goes beautifully with most reds, I would use this for anything that needs a big expanse of colour. You can bring any colours in patterns ,cushions could be florals, on cream or tan background, I would stay away from white in the background

Lucky you, red is such a lovely colour to have, especially in the winter! I would choose iether beige or a deep gold, you are a bit stuck really, if you could change you walls to cream or something similar, you would open up a new range.enjoy, and best of luck xx

I have inherited a red carpet when buying my property, as it is good quality I am keeping it?

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Yellow and black

Bluetooth, MicroUSB

<a href="http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/May2011/jcb-sitemaster-review-by-3g-co-uk.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/May2011/jcb-sitemaster-review-by-3g-co-uk.htmlWed, 04 May 2011 09:51:46 GMT 00:00″>JCB Sitemaster Review by 3G.co.uk

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I have to write a descriptive writing piece about somewhere around where I live, so I choose to the Botanical Gardens. I would just like some opinions about how it is going,
Thanks!

A PLACE WITH A VIEW

The smell of blossoming flowers is overwhelming as I take my first step into the deserted gardens. A mixture of mud and damp grass are a soft cushion under my bare feet. I take slow, deliberate steps as I make my way over to the pond that is home to many creatures – moss covered turtles, ducks, long slimy eels and small fish.
I sit down on the muddy waters edge and listen to the birds squawk at each other, talking in a language entirely foreign to me. In the blink of an eye, I am surrounded by birds of all shapes and sizes. as I reach inside my bag and pull out a soft piece of white bread, one little, brown and white spotted bird, slowly creeps closer and closer towards me. as I observe the bird, I have to wonder if their lives are as uncomplicated as they seem. my thoughts begin to turn inwards as I start to think about my own life’s journey. I absentmindedly tear the bread into small pieces as I ponder my own life and wonder where my choices will take me.
The squawking birds slowly pull me back to reality. my newest friends are all staring at the bite size pieces of bread in my hand. I look at them, and then at the bread , and I realize, that just like in everyday life, some of these birds are going to miss out. I ever so slowly grab a piece of delicate bread and throw it out to the brown and white bird that has stood watching me since I got here. apart from a small handful, I throw the rest of the bread to the other surrounding birds and watch them squawk and argue like the children that normally occupy these gardens.
Hearing the birds squawk triggers my memory back to the days when I sat hiding behind my closed bedroom door, holding my sister close, listening to my parents argue about things that never made any sense to me. A shiver of happiness passes through me as I think that despite everything, our lives are still happy at this very moment in time.
I pick up a piece of now soggy bread and throw it into the pond, luring the hiding turtles to come out and say hello. Every now again if I look really closing, I can see a head bob out and back into the smelly pond water. Soon after the bread falls into the water, I am greeted by six moss covered turtles. I slowly go to place another piece of bread in the pond, but before the bread could even reach the water, a small turtle climbed out from its hiding place and took the bread straight from my fingers. At first I was quite terrified of the turtle, but as more and more turtles decided they wanted to be hand fed, I got used to the feel of them and the feel of the bread slowly being taken away from my fingers.
With no bread left, I lean back and just watch the turtles slowly descend to the dark depths of the pond; I watch the birds fly to their homes in the trees, I listen to the invisible insects start their evening calls to one another, and I wonder if I will always feel as content and happy as I feel at this very moment.

It's not bad and you do have a good way of making the reader feel like they are there. A few suggestions you can take or leave. it doesn't need 'talking in a language entirely foreign to me.' Obviously nobody would know what birds say to each other. "as I reach' runs on a little, you could break that up. then you say you're thinking of your own life journey, but you don't let the reader in on it. If you're not going to write about it, don't mention it. the descriptions of the bread like 'soft' and 'delicate' seem unnecessary, like you're trying to pad it out. then you're having another memory, perhaps you could get rid of the first one since you don't give the details there anyway. Right now it's a bit back and forth. then you say 'still happy,' when it doesn't sound like it was happy before. How did the bread get soggy? I don't think 'closing' was the word you wanted there. then you slip into past tense with 'climbed' and 'took' so keep it present. 'climbs, takes and get used to.' Keep it consistent.

It's good so far and I enjoyed reading it. good luck!

Help with descriptive writing about a garden?

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McCalpin, 30, had been a district champion wrestler at Lake Gibson High School, and he remained fit by playing in pickup basketball games. he was an experienced boater, often fishing on local lakes in his 10-foot aluminum johnboat. And he knew how to swim, family members say.

Yet McCalpin’s life ended April 16 after a boating accident on Lake Rochelle in Lake Alfred. he was fishing with his 10-year-old son, Troy, when their boat capsized. Troy managed to swim to shore, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office reported, but McCalpin did not.

As the tragedy illustrates, drownings in Florida don’t just involve toddlers and swimming pools. of the 65 boating fatalities in Florida during 2009, 85 percent of the victims were older than 21, according to statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC.

Florida’s Department of Health reports 72 percent of the 485 people who drowned in Florida in 2009 were 25 or older. the agency has not yet released figures for 2010.

McCalpin’s death offers a reminder of the need to take all precautions when boating, said Gary Morse, a Lakeland-based spokesman for the FWC. There was a flotation vest in the boat, said McCalpin’s widow, April McCalpin, but neither her husband nor her son was wearing it. After the boat capsized, she said, Troy found the vest in the water and put it on.

She said she thinks her husband, who had fished on Lake Rochelle many times, died while trying to save Troy.

Skill is not protection enough, Morse said.

“Any time you’re involved in a stressful situation, like a boating accident, your energy levels are going to spike, and you’re going to use up energy much faster than you normally would,” he said.

“So though you may be in really great shape and may be able to swim two or three miles under unstressful circumstances, in a stressful situation you’re burning up energy much faster.”

The FWC’s statistics show 73 percent of those who died in Florida boating accidents in 2009 were identified as capable swimmers.

April McCalpin said the accident that claimed her husband’s life began when he reached across the boat to grab his fishing line, shifting the weight balance in the boat and allowing some water in. in her son’s account, a car battery used to power a trolling motor then slid toward the low end of the boat, which soon capsized.

Under Florida law, anyone in a boat on state waters must have a United States Coast Guard-approved flotation device within easy access. Those age 6 and younger must wear a life vest on any vessel shorter than 26 feet.

Boats 16 feet or longer in waters patrolled by the Coast Guard — offshore and the intracoastal waterways — are also required to carry a “Type-4″ flotation device, a cushion or ring that can be tossed to someone who goes overboard.

Life vests come in several designs, and a basic Coast Guard-approved life vest can be found for less than $40. in recent years, several companies have marketed ultra-light life jackets that automatically inflate when immersed in water. Manufacturers say the vests orient a wearer face-up in the water faster than a traditional vest.

While those 6 and older are not legally required to wear a life vest in a boat, Morse said it’s wise to do so. he said an accident might render a boater unconscious, and in such a situation a flotation device can truly be a life-saver.

“Unfortunately, the general perception is water is soft and anything that could happen to you out there would be of reduced consequence, when in fact that’s not the case,” Morse said. “Water definitely is softer than land, but there are a lot of hard objects out there and a lot of things can happen to you on the water that don’t happen to you on land.”

While a flotation device can be crucial to survival in the water, the Coast Guard also encourages boaters to carry items that will make it easier to attract rescuers.

Eric Lyle, a first-class boatswain’s mate with the Coast Guard based in St. Petersburg, recommends stowing such aids as a waterproof whistle, a handheld flare or even a small mirror that could be used to signal for help.

Lyle said a boater who falls overboard faces a danger many wouldn’t consider a serious threat in Florida’s waters: hypothermia.

Because the body’s internal temperature is 98.6 degrees, immersion in water of 82 degrees — the reading on Friday for the Gulf of Mexico off St. Petersburg — can eventually cause hypothermia. Lyle said the increased immersion of swimming speeds the body’s heat loss, despite the effects of physical exertion.

Hypothermia not only has physical but also impairs the ability to think clearly.

Lyle said it’s usually easier for rescue teams to find someone who stays with an overturned boat than someone who tries to swim to safety. he cited an incident from 2009 in which a boat carrying two professional football players and two college players capsized in the Gulf of Mexico. the only one of the four who survived was the man who sat on the bottom of the overturned boat’s hull.

While boating is a year-round activity in Florida, nautical activity picks up during the spring and summer. of course, summer brings thunderstorms that can arise suddenly and generate 50-mph winds, creating dangers for anyone in a boat.

Lyle advises boaters to check weather radar reports before heading out on the water and to carry a weather radio on their boats. he said it’s also wise for boaters to make sure someone knows the details of their trip — launching point, destinations and planned return time. Such information, he said, can greatly aid rescuers in the event of an accident.

Lyle said boaters can record those crucial details online at floatplancentral.org.

State law requires anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, to pass a boating-safety course before operating a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or larger. Those who do so receive identification cards issued by the FWC.

Even for those born before the legal date, it’s wise to take a boating safety course, Lyle said.

United States Power Squadrons, a non-profit educational organization, offers a boating safety classes called America’s Boating Course. a local unit, Lakeland Sail and Power Squadron, holds courses periodically at various locations.

The Lakeland unit’s next scheduled class begins Sept. 15, though the group might add classes before then, said Mike Hall, a spokesman for the chapter. the courses are available online at usps.org.

The Lakeland group also holds occasional free seminars on boating topics. a seminar about hurricanes is scheduled for may 3 at 7 p.m. at Old Salt Marine, 1916 U.S. 98 N., in Lakeland.

Whether you’re floating on a small lake in a 10-foot johnboat or cruising the Gulf of Mexico in a 36-foot vessel with triple outboard motors, Morse said there is always the potential for danger.

“People who go afloat should take the educational aspect of it very seriously,” he said, “because if you don’t the fun quotient goes way down.”

[ Gary White can be reached at or 863-802-7518. Join his discussion of books at facebook.com/ledgerlit. ]

<a href="http://www.theledger.com/article/20110422/NEWS/110429810?Title=Recent-Drowning-Highlights-Risks-for-Boaterstag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.theledger.com/article/20110422/NEWS/110429810?Title=Recent-Drowning-Highlights-Risks-for-BoatersFri, 22 Apr 2011 21:31:19 GMT 00:00″>Recent Drowning Highlights Risks for Boaters

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Lowepro Slingshot 200 all Weather Backpack

Product: Lowepro Slingshot 200 all Weather Backpack Review.

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Perfect for photojournalists, a unique sling design to go from carry mode to ready mode in just seconds. Carried comfortably on the back, it easily rotates to the front to get to your camera quickly.

• Brand: Lowepro
• Fabric type: nylon
• Dimensions: 8.70″ h x 6.00″ w x 11.70″ l, .0 pounds

Features

• Holds an SLR with mid-range zoom lens attached 3-4 extra lens or flash unit, cables and accessories – includes a built-in memory card pouch, micro fiber LCD cloth and two organizer pockets.

Outstanding. one of the best.Selecting a camera bag can be difficult. I’ve purchased and sold many camera bags over the years for one reason or another; too small, too big, too unwieldy, lacking a key feature that I need, etc. but the SS 200 is one bag I’ll keep until it wears out. I’ve owned the SS 200 now for over a year and have taken it on several international trips where it performed beautifully. this bag is excellent for both casual and serious/professional photographers.

I currently own several bags, including photo backpacks, two sizes of the Lowepro sling bags (Slingshot 200 reviewed here and the new 300 – limited, if any, public availability at this point), a Crumpler shoulder bag, and other types of camera bags from different manufacturers, all in varying sizes. I’m also familiar with all the “high end” bag manufacturers such as ThinkTank, Kinesis, et. al. and all the alternative systems such as waist belts, vests, etc. It’s important to remember that most photographers will need more than one bag depending on what they’re shooting that day and the one thing I can say is that in an imperfect world of compromises, this is the closest I’ve come to being satisfied with a single bag.

I’m a long time Canon user so I’ll use Canon equipment as a reference and you can check the size of your camera/lenses for fit against these comments. those using Nikon and other manufactures can do the same. all sizes, weights, dimensions for your brand can easily be found on the web. OK, so here’s what I like about this bag…..

1) it holds a compact to large SLR comfortably though my larger cameras (1 series film and digital cameras) with an extended battery grip are a tight fit. for traveling I use a smaller digital camera (5d) with or without a grip, but a 1.6x crop body such as a 20d/30d, 300d/XT/XTi will fit very easily and this is the camera size I recommend for this bag. Nikon D200/D70/80, Sony, Olympus, Pentax will have no trouble at all

2) It’s very comfortable; the strap crosses your chest diagonally, is well padded, and there’s an extra strap that can be/usually is stored in the bottom of the bag that you can pull out for extra support. I’ve carried this bag for 10-12 hours a day for 10 days without complaint. I did use the extra strap when I was walking more than shooting and it helped quite a bit. Note: There’s a comment below from a woman that wasn’t satisfied with the fit, but for men this simply isn’t a problem. sorry to all the women out there, but depending on your bust size it may or may not be an issue so I’d check the fit at your local store.

3) It’s very easy to gain access to your gear. actually this is the easiest bag I’ve used, bar none. it eliminates the “back pack” syndrome of having to remove the pack to remove your gear, it doesn’t force all the weight on one shoulder like a shoulder bag (the weight is more evenly distributed across your chest and back, and it provides the room most serious photographers need for casual shooting and beyond. since the bag opens “away” from you when it’s in the chest position, it’s easy to reach in and grab things, and there are two safety buckles that prevent the bag from opening too much and spilling the contents.

4) There’s adequate storage space for extra batteries, filters (Circular Polarizers and/or macro filters like a 500d), lens hoods, an external flash, remote controls, small flash lights, bubble levels, neck/wrist straps, even the manuals will fit if you want to take them with you. in short, you can store what you need as long as you keep the lens size reasonable. If you have a small, light weight tripod and you’re clever, you can even work it out so you can carry it on the front of the bag. Beginning photographers with fewer/smaller lenses will find this bag more than adequate. Careful though, you may want to overload it and make it heavy; it’s not hard to do!

What body lens combinations can you store? I suggest no more than 1 body and 3-4 lenses with flash and other gear. I have built an extensive lens collection over the years, but if I’m on a personal trip, I like to carry a 3 lens solution using a 16-35L, 24-70L or a 24-105L, and the 70-300 DO, plus a small 220ex flash. Your collection will be different so what is a “reasonable” lens size for this bag? it may be easier to list what isn’t reasonable, but I’ll give both examples.

Unreasonable: Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS or non-IS (note: I think the f/4 versions are borderline, but I’d pass), 100-400L, 300 f/4, 400 f/5.6, etc. I think you get the point, but the lenses I listed and larger should be avoided. this goes for Nikon equivalents too. I’ve squished a 100-400L in there, but it has to go on an angle, the bag can’t be easily set up so it’s attached to the camera, and in my opinion is more trouble than it’s worth. Don’t do it, buy the larger SS 300 instead when it’s available to the public (early 2007).

Reasonable lenses: everything else. all EF-S lenses designed for Canon 1.6x crop bodies (e.g. 10-22, 60 macro, 17-55/17-85 IS) the 200mm f/2.8L may be OK, but all prime lenses from 135L down (85mm, 50mm, 35mm, 24mm, etc. in both L and non-L flavors will be fine. all the TS-E lenses (24L, 45mm, and 90mm), all versions of the 70-300 (DO, non-DO). all other wide angle to mild telephoto zoom lenses are reasonable, with the exceptions noted above. popular full frame (non EF-S) zooms will fit, including the 16-35L, 17-40L, 24-105L, 24-70L, etc.).

I think this is one of the most popular bags Lowepro has produced and there’s a good reason; namely, it’s a very useful bag. I hope this review has a little something for everyone here and it helps make your decision easier. good luck.

Primary BagThis is the best photo bag I’ve ever used for general purpose. It’s full of features for a digital photographer. I shoot with a Canon 20D (with the grip attached), and have no problem fitting the camera into the bag even with my EF 24-70 f/2.8L attached (hood reversed). I can also squeeze in my 70-200 f/4L with a little creativity. in addition, I can carry two primes in the second lens pocket. the two external pockets are very generous. one has a mesh pocket, the other a small organizer for pens and a pad. in the top, I tend to squeeze the shooting essentials (430EX flash, cable release, polarizers, ND filters, lens cleaning stuff, and batteries or just a raincoat for iffy days) and tend to use the front pocket for random stuff I pick up while out shooting. Flashcards fit nicely into a built in card carrier (fits four in plastic cases). the “sling” system is very easy to use (and confortable) and the all-weather cover is terrific (stores away inside a small compartment at the base of the bag). the all-weather cover can stand up to the worst conditions; I’ve used it in a torrential downpour while walking across Nicaragua. everything stayed dry. all in all, this bag is fabulous. If you use a vertical grip or a pro-SLR, you’ve gotta go with the 200, though. the 100 is just too small for my camera body and lenses. I also encourage you to pick up some lowepro sliplock attachments that can fit to the outside of the bag. With one or two, you can pretty much carry anything you could ever need for a day of shooting.

Great Overall Backpack for the FieldI got this bag as a gift, and after getting used to it, I absolutely love it. it is a little smaller than my Micro Trekker 200, so it didn’t hold all my equipment–I had to take out my second SLR body, but after some creative fitting, it holds my EOS 10D with 28-105mm lens attached, my 100-300mm L series lens, a 17-35mm wide angle lens, 420EX flash, as well as an assortment of extension tubes, tele-extender, filters, etc. the nicest feature of the bag is that you can swing it from your back to your front and open the side of it to pull your camera out. everything in your bag is accessible without removing your backpack. it is equipped with the digital photographer in mind, with a pocket for memory cards and a protective cloth for the LCD panel on the back of your SLR.

The one drawback is that it’s narrow. I wanted to set it up so that I could put my Canon 10D attached to my Canon EF 100-300mm L lens, and it was an extremely tight fit. nevertheless, I find it a great backpack.

Lowepro Slingshot 200 All Weather Backpack Review.

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