RAID! This is likely the most popular insect repellent/obliterator of all time. The commercials were seriously mainstream when I was growing up. I’m not sure what happened to all the hype, but I will say that the products are effective. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used Raid bug sprays in my life. Hey, I know what the deal is. Maybe people have reverted back to the old-school natural insect repellent solutions. There are plenty to concoct in your own home. If you’re not familiar with this concept, let me fill you in. Who knows? It just might save you some cash this summer on bug spray.

Back when I was a kid, growing up in rural Northeastern Iowa, there were plenty of bugs and insects to spare. Our house was on a large piece of farmland virtually miles from anything civilized. The Turkey River, if you’ve even heard of it, ran right next to our home. This was awesome, no doubt. It was a blast having a river right next to our house. However, having a large, flowing stream of water right outside your window means oodles of insects and bugs. YUCK! I never could get used to all the annoying gnats and mosquitoes. But, my father would always resort to natural insect repellent solutions. We set large bowls of soapy water on our porches outdoors. This was a great way to nab flying bugs. For some odd reason they’re drawn to the moisture, but then executed by the soap. We killed thousands of insects this way. I can also recall a time when we had ants in the kitchen. My father stuck cucumber rines in the corners under the counters and sink area. This works as a natural insect repellent as well.

There are so many different natural insect repellents to concoct in your kitchen. Peppermint oil deters bees and wasps, lemon juice helps repel mosquitoes, and mint tea bags keep ants away. Personally I make use of a natural insect repellent on occasion, but I’m not going to lie; I truly prefer a DEET bug spray when it comes to mosquitoes. I feel that these work the best to repel nasty little mosquitoes. And you need all the defense you can get considering the West Nile Virus pandemic.

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Image by sermoa via Flickr

For those of you who are avid cooks, even amateur ones, a well equipped kitchen is undoubtedly a necessity. Speaking of necessities, things like a good gas or electric burner system, a refrigerator, a microwave and other electrical appliances like mixers, grinders, mashers, stirrers, blenders and the like are absolutely essential. As are vessels and cooking implements. A good amateur chef would do well to invest in a fine set of culinary knives. A more accomplished chef could also go ahead and invest in a custom set of utensils. But one thing that most amateur and professional chefs overlook, and which would add more value than any of the items listed above, is an indoor herb garden.

An indoor herb garden, contrary to popular belief is not an indulgence. While it is true that an indoor herb garden demands a lot from the chef in terms of maintenance and upkeep, it is in fact the secret ingredient that adds taste and flavor to ones cooking. So whether you have the fancy kitchen equipment or implements, whether you are a skilled cook or a beginner, it would make a lot of sense for you to have your own indoor herb garden.

An indoor herb garden is not very difficult to maintain. Most people assume that in order to successfully maintain an indoor herb garden, they would need space and that this space would need to be substantial. But the very fact that it is an indoor herb garden means that it is meant to be in a confined space. All you need to successfully set up an indoor herb garden is a couple of pots, some potting soil and the right kinds of herbs from a herbarium or nursery.

And what kinds of herbs should one plant in an indoor herb garden? Well, the most commonly used herbs would a good bet. Coriander is an herb that is excellent with all kinds of vegetables. Thyme too is a great addition as it can lend flavor to all kinds of cuisines. Basil is also an excellent addition to an indoor herb garden. And lemon grass can also be comfortably grown in the confines of an indoor herb garden.

A few people have also been known to grow medicinal herbs in their indoor herb gardens. After all, not all herbs are meant exclusively for food related uses. A number of herbs also cater to the needs of the body. Care must be taken however that these herbs are segregated from the rest of the herbs in the indoor herb garden. For some of the medicinal herbs are not for consumption, but meant to be used as external application aids.

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I have always been a pretty traditional housekeeper. You see, I work from home and both my wife and I entertain clients at the house. It is a mistake to have a house that is too daring and adventurous if it is where you also do business. It can be pretty hard for me, however. I am pretty playful in many ways, and I love to be able to change my surroundings to fit my whims. This is why I let myself indulge in some pretty outlandish backyard landscaping ideas. If I did not have a chance to put some of my backyard ideas into play, it would not even feel like this house was mine.

Not every backyard ideas that I have is off the wall. Some of them, as a matter of fact, are pretty straight forward. I have a garden filled with beautiful flowers and a winding path. I have normal looking box hedges there to block off the yard from my neighbors. From there, however, things get pretty strange. I really let my imagination have the chance to run wild when I am landscaping the backyard.

A lot of my backyard ideas involve raised walkways and catwalks. We have an above ground pool in the middle of the yard, and right now I am building an elevated walkway to it. The walkway, however, does not actually reach the pool. Instead, it stops above it. This means that you can climb out the second floor window, take a few steps and jump into the pool. If this design works well, I might even build a zip line next, but who knows.

A lot of my design is based on backyard party ideas. A lot of people around here have backyard fire pits, but they aren’t like mine. This is perhaps the most impressive backyard fire pit you have ever seen! It is 6 feet across and surrounded by a bronze lip to keep the fire inside. It might seem like one of those showy, non-functional backyard ideas when you first get a look at it, but it is really impressive at night. It lights up almost the whole yard, and the flame reflecting off of the bronze is really quite impressive. When I see some of my stranger and more creative backyard ideas work out, it always makes me feel proud. After all, not everyone would have the guts to try the things that I do!

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