It seems strange in the heat of August to be talking about the coming fall season. But like so many of us, you will turn around and it will be here before you know it. You will ask yourself what happened to summer. So every year when football preseason starts, it’s time to discuss one thing that is a must do this time of year; get your chimney inspected and cleaned.

If you live in a house, condo or apartment that has a chimney of any kind, please make sure that whoever is in charge knows that now is the time to get your chimney serviced and taken care of. It really is a matter of life and death but we don’t think about that when it’s cold and we want to have the warmth of a roaring fire.

However, every year we hear about someone who was or almost killed from a chimney fire that started sometime after they had gone to sleep and you don’t want it happening to you and your family. The quick answer is simple, call a chimney services company in your area and schedule your annual maintenance before you actually want to use your fireplace. It’s amazing how many people just forget to take care of this every year. It’s easy to forget because it’s that old “out of sight, out of mind” thing.

Another way to find a company is to go to Google and type into the search bar something like “chimney sweep Charleston” and see what companies come up. Take the time to visit each company’s websites to see what their reputation is because all chimney companies are not the same. Some simply use sight to examine your chimney walls while others use cameras they run up the chimney to exam the mortar joints and see the creosote buildup that can be a main cause of fire. You wan the company that has the cameras because it costs the same amount of money and you deserve the best technology can give you.

The most important thing is to not put this off. There’s been to many people who have said after the fact, “I meant to…” Please don’t take the chance of being one of those people.

I recently spoke to one of my neighbors who for the last two years have let his garden area go. I found out that he had hurt his back and was having trouble so much pain bending over that planting, weeding and harvesting was not something he could easily do anymore. As we talked I asked him about another small raised bed in his front yard that he continued to use to raise tomatoes and basil and he told me it was high enough that he could reach it and tend to it as needed.

I went home that night thinking about what could be done to help my neighbor continue to garden without pain and got an idea that I spoke to him about the next day. He was very excited!

His garden was 20 feet x 16 feet and located on a slope. He had used timbers to create a boundary around the space and had small areas portioned off to plant flowers around the garden. We went in and took the timbers out and created 2 raised beds that stand about 3 feet off the ground and run horizontal to the slope and are 16 feet by 4 feet. We were able to reuse almost all of the timber so there was little out of pocket cost and the dirt from the garden was used to fill the raised beds.

I was actually shocked that we were able to do everything with the dirt that was in the garden. The hardest part was pulling up the weeds and grass that had taken over but once that was done it was just a matter of good old fashioned shoveling. We took strawberries that had gone crazy in the old garden space and replanted them in one raised bed to create a strawberry patch. The other has an array of plants including more tomatoes, sweet potatoes and peppers of several varieties.

We used some trellises from the old garden as well so the tomatoes will grow up them and leave room for everything else to grow. I see my neighbor almost everyday out watering and weeding and he is extremely thankful that a solution was reached so he could go back and garden the way he loves to.

When faced with a challenge, use your imagination and see if you too can find a new solution to an old problem.

If you have ever had the pleasure of building a shed or outdoor building like a garage or workshop then you will know the value of having good plans or blueprints to work by. If you haven’t you may be in the crowd that that believe for this type of small building, shed plans are just overkill. However, you would be grossly mistaken.

As someone who has done vast woodworking projects including pergolas, gazebos and out buildings such as garden sheds, etc. I can tell you there are no such projects where you don’t need a little guidance and a lot of instruction. Just getting a cut sheet or a materials list is worth the money you would pay for a set of plans these days because they are really cheap and sometimes free! I would take a good look at what you get for free and if they don’t have the materials list or cut list I would pay the $20 to $30 dollars to get the better set of plans. You will find out very quickly that the better the plans, the better the project goes, the less the waste and the more fun it is. This will lead to other such projects because you did such a great job on this one.

Speaking of projects, you can find several different types of shed plans and woodworking plans that have a lot more to them than meets the eye. One of the best things about these online downloads is they can be affordable because they are not having to draft them like they used to or mail them to you. This is why they send you a variety of shed plans and other wood project plans for you to choose from, which helps you afford them.

It just makes no sense what so ever to spend $300 & up on materials and a weekend or two in time building and not spend the $20 or $30 to insure that you are doing it correctly. Spend the money on well thought out plans and get the job done right!

Summer is in full swing, and the heat is on! Cooking meals for your family often involves cranking the oven up, which can heat up your whole house. If you’re wondering how to feed your family without turning on the oven, you’re in luck!

There are plenty of simple meals you can make without turning on the oven. For example, make pasta and toss it with fresh tomatoes and basil for a fresh uncooked tomato sauce that’s hot and delicious. Grill some chicken and make a salad for an easy meal that doesn’t require you turn on the stove at all. If you’ve got a grill, definitely take advantage of it by cooking corn and potatoes on the grill. Try cooking meats quickly on the stove instead of broiling them or baking them. This way, the stove is only on for a few minutes, and the oven stays off. Adjusting the types of meals you cook for your family during summer just makes sense. Don’t crank up the oven and heat the whole house – instead try easy summer meals that everyone will enjoy.

There are a growing number of young families that are getting into the chicken keeping business, if only to insure their family is getting quality meat and eggs. It’s really amazing how the information age has played a huge part in this current phenomenon. If we had never learned about what is going on in the more traditional chicken houses all over the country with the overcrowding and “fattening up” of the birds we might not be having this conversation. Adding insult to injury they also pump the animals with steroids and antibiotics so many families are looking for a better way to get chicken products to their tables.

If you are interested in raising chicken in your backyard in an urban setting you must first find out if you are able to do so under the current laws of your city, county and state. Once you have determined that you are legally able to have chickens in your backyard or current setting, it’s good to check with your neighbors to make sure they are on board. Letting them know you are willing to share a few eggs from time to time can go a long way on getting them on your side. Also know that you don’t have to have roosters in order for your hens to lay eggs. I would invest in a few things before making the final decision such as a good book on general practices for raising birds for meat, eggs or both as well as blueprints or plans for various chicken coops so you can get an idea of the space you need and the design that you like.

There is a lot of information on the internet and in books so you won’t ever feel you are doing it alone. Another great source is forums on raising chickens. You will discover what it takes to raise the birds organically and determine if you are ready for that challenge. You will also find out if you have the room to “free range” your chickens and all that entails. However, what you will know in the end is where your chickens come from, how they have been fed and that they were treated well by you and your family. You will have better health because of it and will be able to teach your children valuable lessons from where their food comes from to appreciating all life.

Have a great experience and let us know how your chicken raising experiences go.

Homeowners tend to have a lot of belongings, but who can blame them? We have sporting hobbies that require equipment, lawn tools to care for the exterior of our property, and other equipment that we use to maintain and fix all the areas of our home. Don’t ruin your expensive gear by not storing it properly; organize your yard with a shed.

Outdoor storage is part of a well-structured yard. Don’t let your sporting equipment, lawn gear, gardening tools, and other outdoor belongings clutter your yard, and make a mess. Instead, organize everything, and store it in a shed that will keep everything safe and sound. During winter, your shed will protect all your expensive gear while the snow falls. In the spring and summer, you can keep your tools and yard organized, by placing all your gear in your shed for safekeeping. Make your garden, and your entertaining areas the focal points of the exterior of your home, not the clutter around the yard that makes it hard to walk around, and mow the grass. Your shed will even provide a nice look to your backyard, and many come in chic styles made from plastic, wood, and metal. Organize your yard with a great looking outdoor storage shed.

If you have a love of gardening that can’t be contained into the spring and summer months, consider all the great gifts you can give from things that have sprung from your garden. Explore holiday gift giving garden style!

If you grew an abundance of vegetables this year, you likely took advantage of canning in order to preserve many of these items for use all year long. Canned tomatoes, pickles, preserves and other homegrown items make great gift ideas for the holiday season. Similarly, if you grew a bountiful herb garden, dry these herbs to give away, crush them into pretty glass containers, or even place them in oil in large glass vases for display. You can preserve many plants in your garden by trimming them, potting them, and growing them indoors. Consider giving smaller versions of your favorite garden plants as gifts. Your friends and family will appreciate your garden as much as you do when you give them fresh and homemade items you grew and prepared yourself. Spread your love of gardening to those closest to you with these great gardening items for gift giving.

If your green thumb is feeling a little blue because of the cold weather during the holidays, don’t worry. There are many cold weather plants that can be grown indoors for you and your family to enjoy and appreciate.

Christmas cactuses are aptly named because they tend to bloom right around the holidays. With a little light and ample amounts of water (but not too much water) these plants will blossom just in time for your holiday guests to enjoy. Poinsettias are given throughout the holiday season, because they are a beautiful, festive, and sturdy plant that holds up well to the colder holiday months. Whether you give or receive Poinsettias this holiday season, they are a wonderful plant for this time of year. Holly is also well known during the holidays, because it’s great for decorating, and stands up well to the colder weather of the holiday season. Your plant-loving hobbies don’t have to hibernate this winter, and you can enjoy live plants during this time. Surround yourself with the beautiful plants of the holidays.

When we think of fall, many of us think of candy corn, trick or treating, and all of the other unhealthy snacking items that suddenly peer their heads out to tempt us. However, it’s possible to enjoy Halloween treats without eating something unhealthy. Oftentimes, the ingredients are right in our gardens!

Don’t throw out your pumpkin seeds when you carve your jack-o-lanterns. Save the seeds, lightly season them to your liking, and roast them for 15-20 minutes for a healthy fall snack. Pumpkins can be roasted, baked, or pureed to make wonderful, tasty and healthy dishes like soup, pie, and even stir-fry. Think outside the box to create healthy meals out of in-season pumpkins. Apples are great for you, but can also make tasty Halloween treats, with less sugar than the more processed brands of candy. Candy half of an apple with organic caramel for a sweet treat with fewer calories, or make a simple apple bake with brown sugar. Plan ahead, and look to more natural sources from your garden for your sweet Halloween eats this year.

Composting kitchen waste is an easy way to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.  Meat and animal products still need to be disposed of the rubbish bin.  Eggshells, rinds, peelings, coffee and tea grounds can all be put in the compost bin outdoors.  That reduces household waste by a great volume.  I once heard that potato peels from fast food French fries are the main ingredient in most landfills.  Those potato peelings are 100% compostable.

Compost happens quickly.  Recognizable kitchen waste becomes garden soil in a short period of time.  I find it helpful to cut all the pieces small so that insects and soil microbes can make fast work of the degradation process. Turning the compost frequently speeds the process along as well.  The reward is two-fold.  The first reward is the decrease in the amount of garbage that a household generates.  The second is what gardeners call “black gold.”  The compost is a wonderful garden soil amendment that is of no more cost than groceries. Any American family can make their own compost.