3 things I'll miss on Blogger

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, July 30, 2013
** Oh no! I have hit a glitch in moving my blog with the company I hired, so instead of just deleting this post, I will say, I may be on Blogger longer than I thought.  And that's okay too. What will be will be. **















Our Safer Brand Lawn- Part 2

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, July 29, 2013
I received  free products from Safer Brand to facilitate this review. However, all opinions are 100% my own. 

Back in May, I wrote the first of a 3 part review series for Safer Brand products. This type of review is unique here on My WAHM Plan because a certain amount of time must elapse before using one or more of the products sent to us for review free of charge by Safer Brand. 


We are following this chart as closely as possible.

Apply Ringer lawn restore in April for fast green up.
Apply Concern weed prevention plus in May to prevent weeds.
Apply Lawn restore in July to maintain strong, healthy root systems.
Apply Ringer lawn restore in September to winterize your lawn.


To read Part 1, please go here. 


 Today’s post - Part 2 is the follow up of products used in May.


 About Safer Brand Restore:

Ringer® Lawn Restore 0% Phosphate organic fertilizer will give you a lush, thick, green lawn without the worries associated with traditional synthetic chemical fertilizers. This organic lawn fertilizer is also extremely easy to use! This 40 lb. bag will cover 4,000 square feet and will last up to 8 weeks per application. Ringer Lawn Restore will 'green' your lawn up quickly, usually within 3-5 days and will last up to 8 weeks.”


The Review:

We can really tell the difference in look, color and feel on the parts of our lawn that received the Restore treatment in late May.

lawn
Our lawn with 1 application of Safer brand products.

We are very pleased and will by utilizing more product next weekend focusing on the dryer patches in our lawn. Last review to come in  late September/early October.



About Safer Brand Weed Prevention Plus :

“An application of Weed Prevention Plus® in the spring will prevent weeds from taking over your lawn.  Weed Prevention Plus® is powered by all-natural corn gluten meal which contains naturally occurring substances that grow bacteria and starve weeds of the nutrients the seed's tiny feeder roots need to grow. It is a pre-emergent herbicide and causes the weed seedlings to die before their roots ever have a chance to become established. Apply Weed Prevention Plus® when soil temperature reaches 55ºF (10ºC).



The Review:

We are satisfied with the over-all weed control of this product, however, we still have some break through weeds. 
To be fair we must mention : heavy spring rains prevented us from getting this product on the ground during the optimum pre-emergent time frame and the type of weeds (crab grass) is one of the hardest to eradicate.  


weed prevention
Flower beds 

 Overall, we do think this weed prevention method worked far better than other prevention methods we have used in the past, especially in our flower beds. Last review to come in late September/early October.


The Takeaway:

We have and will continue to recommend the Safer Brand products  for all your organic gardening needs.

I invite you to check out Safer Brand products if you are looking for a safe alternative to harsh chemicals. Visit their website HERE or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

What is your late summer lawn and garden woe? 



Working the swing shift

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, July 26, 2013
It is hot everywhere in the United States right now, no doubt about it. Since this is my husband’s busy season, we are all home more in the summer, relying on our local power grid to keep us cool and powered up.

Two weeks ago, during a super-hot and humid time, I noticed our lights dimmed every time our AC kicked on.  Not quite a full on brown out, (which can sometimes be harder on electronics than full on blackouts) but enough dimming to make us all stop and take notice.


Erring on the side of caution, I decided to voluntarily cut back our electricity consumption during peak hours.  


77


Here’s what I did:


1. Make sure lights, radios, laptops, etc. are off if not in use.

2. Turn AC up a degree or two until I heard complaints about it being hot. (76 or 77 depending on humidity).

3. Turn up all ceiling fans. They run day and night here and make a big difference.

4. Run the dishwasher later in the evening, around 8:30pm.

5. Do laundry later in the evening as well and hang up light tops and shorts to air dry.

6. Keep my freezer stocked. A stocked freezer stays cooler longer thereby easing the power used by this power hungry appliance.



I know these are little things, but I feel like they are making a difference. And doing chores later in the evening has been a blessing, allowing me more time to connect with my family and friends, garden and do other tasks that I normally save until later or don’t get to at all because I’m tired.  


I find I don’t mind working the swing shift that much.



Do you have rolling brown outs or black outs in your area? If so, what steps do you take to help ease your electrical usage?

Reclaim your outdoor spaces with plants

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Thank you to our sponsor One Kings Lane for providing this helpful information for me to pass along to my readers. This post contains affiliate links. However all opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. 



Outdoor entertaining is one of the great joys of summer. Until, of course, the bugs invade and have you wishing for a magic bug zapper. Tired of shooing bugs and getting bit? 

Check out this handy tip:


Instead of sprays, pesticides and candles why not try a cluster of mosquito-repelling potted plants?



plants
Courtesy: One Kings Lane
Grouped together near a seating area on your deck or patio, they make a pretty and lush addition to your outdoor landscape while also protecting you and your guests. 

Check out One Kings Lane's article Easy Update: Mosquito-Repelling Potagerie for more information about how a trio of lush potted plants will have you saying good-bye to bug spray. Using these plants is not only pretty, but it's a quick and environmentally friendly way to reclaim your outdoor spaces.

I didn't know Catnip was more effective than DEET at repelling mosquito's, did you?



Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. However all opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. 

Thank you 2000 Flushes for sponsoring this giveaway and the products listed below to facilitate my review and thank me for my time.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.


Last month I shared a giveaway not to be missed: a V.I.P. trip to the ACM Honors in Nashville, TN. If you haven't had a chance to enter, there is still time. Just go HERE  to read my post about and follow the link to enter. 

Today I want to share another giveaway with you, but first my review of 2000 Flushes Blue plus bleach.


About 2000 Flushes Blue plus Bleach:

blue
Courtesy: 2000Flushes
Kill bacteria and keep your bowl sparkling, sanitary and deodorized with blue toilet bowl cleaner.
2000 Flushes Blue Plus Bleach kills 99.9% of bacteria and continuously cleans so you can easily keep your toilet bowl stain-free and deodorized.

2000 Flushes Blue Plus Bleach uses the combined power of bleach and blue detergents to clean and freshen, keeping your water a sparkling-blue for up to 4 months. 
You can learn more about 2000 Flushes by visiting their website. 


My Review:

I don’t like cleaning toilets, but then again, who does? Anybody… anybody saying I do?
So reading that 2000 Flushes Blue plus bleach helps keep one of the busiest and yucky-est seats in the house clean for up to 4 months was a huge selling point to me. 

2000 Flushes is a 2 pack system, one blue with detergents and deodorizers and one white with bleach. They are easy to use, just plop them in the tank of your freshly scrubbed toilet and flush.

With the very first flush I noticed that this product doesn’t turn my toilet bowl super blue, it’s more of an Aqua color.  Also, the water in the tank doesn’t really stay Aqua in between flushes; you only see the color while you flush which I contribute to the bleach.

Speaking of bleach, don’t worry about your bathroom smelling of bleach with every flush.  2000 Flushes blue plus bleach leaves a light, clean scent in the air that is practically undetectable. I sniffed for the purpose of this review.   Since you can’t really see or smell this product in action, please remember to close the lid so Fido doesn’t drink this water.

So far, I am pleased with this product would recommend it. The toilet bowl is still clean after a week and a half of use. Only time will tell if it really lasts for 4 months, but I’m betting it does. If I find it stops working before then, I will update my review.


The Giveaway:

flushesGiftcard



Do you want to give 2000 Flushes blue plus bleach a try? Enter to win one box of 2000 Flushes Blue with Bleach and a $25.00 Wal-mart Gift Card by using the Rafflecopter entry form below. Giveaway open to United States residents 18+ years or older. Valid email address required. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for shipping of prize.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!


Disclosure: Thank you 2000 Flushes for sponsoring this giveaway and the products listed below to facilitate my review and thank me for my time.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for shipping of prize.
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