About this time every year I start to get spring fever.  Just this morning our local weatherman made a statement that we have turned the corner and the temperatures should start gradually getting warmer, taking us into spring.  Well, I can’t tell you how excited that made me! Plus, we had a beautiful day today so I had some time to go outside and do a little planning in the yard and garden.

I have decided to put in some raised beds this year so I’ve been doing some research on raised beds on the internet as well as doing some research for seeds and plants.  I have found a couple of things I may have to try this year and will keep you posted as I get them, put them together and see how they do.  I’m just really looking forward to getting out in the garden and getting my hands in dirt again.  I miss it!

It wasn’t too long ago that I was visiting with a friend at his house and as we entered the kitchen, I smelled gasoline and it wasn’t just a hint of gasoline either.  After asking him about it he told me their lawnmower was stolen earlier in the spring out of their yard and since they don’t want the same thing to happen to the new one, they are storing it in the basement.

We went down to the basement and not only was the lawnmower there, but there were two full gas cans!  Well, he’s my friend and I decided right then and there if he is doing something this dangerous, I bet some of you are doing it too.  Because we don’t see or hear about gas exploding in people’s homes doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.  In fact, there are injuries and even death every year due to fires caused by the improper use of gas containers and/or equipment the uses gas.

The bottom line is if you can small gas, those fumes can be lit by a spark, static electricity or any type of open flame; including your pilot light!  The cost of a cheap shed to store these items in is nothing compared to the cost of loosing a life.  Think about it and be smart!

Have you ever seen something and said, “I think I could do that” and go out and try to replicate it with dismal results.  Well this happens more than you can imagine.  However, there are many ways to find out how to do things yourself if you need to save money or just want to create or build something yourself.  It may take you a little while and some energy to get it done, almost anything you want to do you can do it yourself with the right directions.

There are limits to this when you get into the professional realm.  You can find some great how to sites that also let you contribute to the site as well with writing and video or you can find some fun homemade video’s and instructions like this how to make a composter video we found on a great go green site.  Whatever you do, make sure you understand all the tools and supplies you will need before you start and read through the instructions and make sure you understand them.

There are a couple of things that everyone should do at their homes when cold weather is on the way.  The first is to make sure you have adequate insulation for your plumbing and sewage pipes and drains that may be exposed to the elements or to outside walls on your main floors but also in your basements and crawl spaces.  These are the areas that are hardest hit by the bitter cold we see coming down out of Canada.

The other area you will need to be prepared is to make sure you have adequate heating oil or propane to carry you through several days past when you think the weather might lift.  If for any reason you believe you may run out, have a backup plan of some sort.  That might be using a fireplace and having your family sleep in the room where it resides or an alternative heating source.  If that source has an open flame or can be tipped over easily, divide the night into shifts to make sure someone is always awake and watching just in case the worse happens.  There are more fires in the bitter cold than just about any other time of year so be safe first!