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Why Birds Need Water Birds need water not only to drink and stay hydrated, but also to bathe, preen, and keep cool. A backyard bath can be especially important in arid regions where natural water sources are unpredictable and during periods of extreme drought when even long-standing water sources may vanish. Bird baths are also essential during the winter when much of the natural water is frozen. Birds need to conserve energy for body warmth and without a water source they spend that energy melting frozen water....

So why do we keep everything? One big reason, according to organizing expert Jes Marcy, founder of the Prioritize Your Sanity program, is because we don’t know better. “Living within the space you have is not a skill we are taught as children,” Marcy says. “Hoarding has been a revolutionary advantage forever. Until 30 years ago, we have been able to retain resources and use them in the future.” And that is no longer the case....

One of the biggest questions you may ask is which type of flooring is better. The answer depends on your use. Is it for you, a child, or an older adult? Are you concerned about environmental issues, for instance, does the flooring off-gas chemicals, is it created in a green manner, and will it be recyclable someday when it is time to replace it? Do you plan on selling your home sooner rather than later?...

When it comes to Brown Jordan’s mid-century vintage pieces sought by collectors, a number were designed by Walter Lamb. The prototypes for these pieces were made with salvaged bronze piping bent into curving shapes and finished with yacht cord webbing. It is not uncommon for the cording to be reworked on these vintage chaise loungers and rocking chairs. Other Brown Jordan lines, such as the Elan Collection dating to the 1980s, featured oversized disc wheels on chaise lounges similar to those designed by Richard Schwartz for his 1966 Collection....

Old vs. New Remember the Barry Levinson film, Tin Men? Set in Baltimore in the 1950s, Danny DeVito was a door-to-door salesman who sold aluminum siding and awnings. Popular during that era, aluminum awnings had vertical or horizontal slats that could match a house or be designed to create stripes. The competition was tight, and salesmen had elaborate pitches for selling these products to post-war housewives. While you’ll have to see the film to find out if there’s more to it than that, let’s say that awnings have come a long way since that era....

Play some music and have the kids circle the shirts while spraying them with the water-paints as they go. When the music stops, they have to switch colors with the players next to them. Keep playing until all of the shirts have been sprayed with a colorful design. Leave the shirts on the line until they are dry, then hand them out as party favors. Play some music. Have each kid stand in front of a station and begin creating a mural....

It does not matter if it is a small job; painting anything in my home typically requires four trips to the hardware store and results in many wrong sample color choices. Paint you can pick and purchase online with the help of experts like Backdrop seemed like a dream come true. To see if it was an easier alternative to my local paint store, I put Backdrop to the test on an accent wall project for my son’s bedroom; I’d been putting it off for months....

The best tool subscription boxes offer a higher value than what you are paying, come with a handful of useful products each month, and offer the flexibility to cancel your subscription at any time. If you are considering a tool subscription box, we rounded up the best ones that meet these criteria and more. Created by Jonathan Abraham, a carpenter based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, GANGBOXED’s tool boxes are conveniently designed to ensure you’ll always have the proper PPE on hand every month for your work and DIY projects....

About Fruit Birds can eat many different types of fruit in many different conditions. All fruits that are suitable for human consumption are also nutritious for birds. Birds will also eat other types of fruit that are not typical human foods, such as toxic types of berries, as well as damaged or overripe fruit that would not be tasty to humans. Fruit bits that cling to discarded rinds or large seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, can also be great for feeding birds....

Bloodroot’s flowers don’t last for long; blink, and you’ve missed the display. But if you’re lucky enough to have a colony of them, the impact of such a mass of flowers is powerful while it lasts. Moreover, the leaves―which stick around for a much longer time than the flowers―bear an intriguing shape and color. Bloodroot plants are considered spring ephemerals. In a nutshell, spring ephemerals don’t hang around for long; they take care of business in spring and then retire until next year....

We turned to the experts to ask what they love about Boho Farmhouse—a happy marriage of two much-loved home styles. 1. You Can Build on What You Already Have As Liz of Within the Grove pointed out, the elements of each design are similar enough that blending them together doesn’t require too much of an overhaul if your home already features farmhouse decor. “We’ve seen Farmhouse taking over the interior design industry and personal homes for years now....

Any small space dweller knows how difficult it can be to comfortably host overnight guests without the luxury of a designated guest room or spacious fold out sofa. But Burrow has chosen to remedy this by expanding on its Sleep Kit offerings, which correspond with three of the company’s existing seating collections. Retailing for $345, Sleep Kits contain a memory foam topper, a custom sheet set, a quilted blanket, a pillow and pillow case, and an eye mask—everything a tired guest could need to catch up on some quality ZZZs....

Facts About Butterfly Bush Plant taxonomy classifies butterfly bush as Buddleia davidii. It’s treated by gardeners as a perennial flower, but, botanically speaking, it’s considered a shrub. There are many cultivars of butterfly bush, and exact traits vary from cultivar to cultivar. Growing conditions also impact the plant’s mature size. The species plant grows to be 6 to 12 feet tall, with a spread of 4 to 15 feet, but the cultivars generally stay smaller than that....

When choosing breeds for your small-farm chicken flock, picking from the hundreds of breeds and varieties can be challenging. Your choice should be based on the purpose your birds will have. Will you be raising them for eggs, meat, or both? Also, consider your climate and your particular needs. If you give farm tours or have children, you may want an especially friendly breed. If you live in the North, consider a winter-hardy or “heavy” breed, a larger bird with a thicker body that can better withstand the cold....

Wire Connectors Are the Best If you ever find wires joined with electrical tape, or the wires are twisted together and then wrapped with electrical tape, get rid of the tape and join the wires with wire nuts. Never use tape in place of wire nuts—it’s simply not secure enough, and it’s vulnerable to damage. Some people like to use wire nuts and wrap them with tape. This fine to do, but you probably won’t find any wire nut manufacturers advising you to do it....

Code Requirements for Closet Light Fixtures The Code contains very specific requirements for the types of light fixtures allowed in closets as well as the clearances that must be maintained between stored items and light sources. In the 2008 edition of the Code, LED light fixtures were allowed for the first time. Since then and through the 2017 edition, the Code requirements for closet lighting have remained unchanged. But it is always a good idea to check the most recent edition of the Code, as changes do occasionally occur....