Browsing Archives for July, 2008
My garden has taken off. Its starting point is still in the backyard, where I planted it, but the tomato plants have spilled over the walls of my planter boxes. Cucumber vines are making their way onto the deck and across the lawn. The last time I checked my acorn squash, they were making a run for the back alley. They could be on their way out of town by now.
It's a green, glorious sight, punctuated by white blossoms of coriander and pink flowers of mint. Funny how I spend months waiting impatiently for these plants to produce, and now that they're bearing fruit, I can't keep up with the delicious yields.
I've got little choice but to start canning. So instead of calling my parents to ask my dad how to install a ceiling fan, I'm calling to ask my mom how to keep botulism out of my pickles. I'm pretty new to this canning thing, but the thought of savoring the summertime flavors of garden tomatoes, jalapenos, salsas, pestos, and chutneys all winter long makes me realize I won't be new to it for long.
What is it about small appliances that captures my imagination? I've got a soft spot for things like power tools and electronics, to be sure, but they don't awaken quite the same desire for ownership as does kitchen gadgetry.
I suppose I enjoy cooking, but what I'm truly keen on is eating well. By that I mean eating healthy to a certain extent, eating delicious above all, and doing it all with gusto. Oftentimes what stands between me and a plate of savory morsels is all the prep work and cook time. These formalities I enjoy when I have time, but lament when I'm on a tight schedule. The latter, unfortunately, is usually the case.
This is where kitchen appliances come in. Just toss a few tidbits in the crock pot to simmer all day, and I come home to the aromas and flavors of slow-cooked goodness. My food processor makes light work of chopping and sauces. I own a Kitchen Aid mixer that deserves credit for everything bake. And toasters, well, life without toast would be a mundane existence indeed.
While these appliances may be small, I just wish my kitchen had room for the lot of them.
The only thing I didn't like about summer vacations, back when such luxuries were afforded me, was how invariably quickly they passed. When the final bell rang in May, the lengthy days of summer freedom that lay before me seemed interminable. Ninety days of backyard baseball and popsicles, even of those first summer jobs, was an eternity of leisure. It was all a boy could hope for.
But suddenly, the solstice came and went. Days that grew longer were now cut short by the intrusion of unwelcome dusks. Brown paper sacks teeming with fireworks, forever waiting for Independence Day, abruptly found themselves empty on the 5th of July. In a flash July would run out like a firecracker's wick. Time would ravage my perpetual summer, leaving behind only the humid table scraps of August to cling to.
Now July recedes again, and thoughts turn back to school. Too soon, as ever, but that time is upon us. Funny though, how the approaching school year students yearn to keep at bay assumes an air of excitement and newness as it draws near.
If you have school-age children, this may be the buzz around your household. Whether your kids are heading back to local classrooms or are off to college, NetShops has specialty stores stocked to meet their needs. You'll find bookcases, computer desks, and learning tools for at-home study areas. There are also futons, coffee makers, and small appliances for dorms and apartments.
You'll find dozens of NetShops stores that can help make the transition back to school a smooth one. And a good start will set the stage for a successful year. The time for preparation is here. Indeed, if there's one thing we've all learned over the years, it's that time always moves a little too quickly.
I dig this dog house. So does my dog Mr. Beef. Here is a picture of the handsome devil, with the doghouse sort of out of focus behind him. This house has kept my dear hound dry in many-a-shower, and well shaded from some brutal summer heat. It does leave something to be desired in the warmth category in winter months, but it does keep out the wind. It has served the Beef and me well for nearly 3 years.
This doghouse has a classic design that looks picturesque in the backyard. In fact, I bought the doghouse before I bought the dog. I thought my backyard needed some sprucing up, and I was considering getting a dog at the time, so what the heck? The price was right. And once I saw the fetching sight of this doghouse from my kitchen window, I knew it was only matter of time before I found the dog to inhabit it.
Mr. Beef moved in a few weeks later and stole the show. Just look at the way he jumped in front of the camera and obscured what otherwise would have been a fine picture of the Precision Outback Country Lodge Dog House. But who am I to question my hound's vanity? He's handsome and he knows it.
So, to make up for the dog's camera-hogging, I shall attempt to pay tribute to this fine dog house with the written word.
I give you what is perhaps the world's first Shakespearean sonnet about a dog house. Really, it's written in iambic pentameter, follows the set rhyme scheme, and ends with the signature rhyming couplet. I will be the first to admit that this places me squarely on the nerd side of the fence.
A roof over hound's head shelters from rain
And casts cooling shade in summer's thick heat.
Walls of solid fir block cold wind's disdain
For my dogs' comfort in the winter bleak
Assembly so easy a child of six
Might manage to build in half hour or two
A handsome structure, I tell you, no tricks.
Grown as you are, in half time you'll be through.
Raised is the floor, above hard ground it stands
Keeping moisture at bay and heat beyond.
Walnut stained wood, nature's beauty at hand.
Adjusting feet level like magic wand.
Why the doghouse, you ask, out of focus?
Mister Beef, of course, this photo's opus.
We've been getting some great feedback lately. Ever since NetShops added user reviews to our stores, our customers have responded with a wealth of information about the products they've purchased.
Thousands of customers from all NetShops stores have rated, written personalized reviews, and uploaded images of the products they've purchased. There's even an option to upload YouTube videos, which can be accessed from our product pages. Whether the reviews are favorable or not, we want to hear what you think so we can serve you better.
The customer reviews themselves are getting some great responses, too. Thousands more customers have written to tell us how helpful these reviews have been in helping them make the right buying decision.
Now even NetShops employees are getting into the mix. Since these reviews have been so popular and helpful, our management team has asked employees to take the time to write reviews on some of the NetShops products we own and use. This has created a bit of a buzz around the office, since it's given employees a work-related reason to share pictures and videos of our homes, pets, kids, and families- just as long as our NetShops products are in there somewhere.
Days like these are made for cookouts. With temperatures in the mid-80s and a steady southerly breeze, NetShops employees headed outdoors on Thursday afternoon for some barbecue and lawn games. Management and the Activities Committee must have noticed the scores of NetShoppers gazing wistfully out windows and decided the time was ripe to enjoy a day in the sun.
What makes NetShops unique, is that we can get away with calling a game of croquet or bocce "work." Some might see this as fun masquerading as research, but something genuine happens when we get out and play with the products we sell. Our work becomes personal.
By experiencing products hands-on, we gain a greater understanding of what our customers experience. Customer care staff are better equipped to handle product questions. Image specialists, photographers, and copywriters get an up-close look at a product's intricate details, and can better convey these unique aspects on the product page. Our technology team is reminded that all their 1s and 0s represent real products for real people. And Management, well... Management gets to enjoy a sandwich in the shade.
You probably have some fondness for your money. You save it, invest it, and spend it prudently. In other words, you treat it right. Given the current economic conditions, you serve yourself well to do so. But your money is a result of your continued hard work, and that hard work deserves its rewards.
So what if you were to find a way to indulge a little and save more of your money at the same time? You'd probably be tempted to take advantage of such an opportunity. Well, it just so happens that such an opportunity has presented itself.
Right now, during NetShops' annual outdoor clearance event, you can save up to 60% on quality outdoor living products. Check out PatioFurnitureUSA.com for unprecedented savings on patio sets, patio umbrellas, and outdoor seating. Find unbelievably low prices on hammocks and hammock accessories at Hammocks.com. And if you're looking beyond the backyard, PorchSwings.com has some incredible deals as well.
"A fool and his money are soon parted," goes the old adage. But with up to 60% savings on outdoor products that will help you make the most of summer, it might be more foolish to miss this extraordinary, limited-time opportunity. After all, comfortable outdoor living products at these prices offer rewards for mind, body, and pocket.