It's Time to Clean the Gutters, . . . for the final time!

Gutter cleaning.  Yuck!  It has to be one of the most awful projects for any homeowner.  There are certainly companies that you can hire who will come and clean them for you.  But I have found another way to take care of this most unpleasant task without the repeated teetering on a ladder with the garden hose or the repeated expense of hiring a local crew to handle the task.

The answer is Gutter Filtration System.  I found this item at my local Sam's Club, and what a find it was.

As the box states, they are easily installed, need no additional hardware and come with a 25 year

NO-CLOG Warranty.  We'll have to see what I have to say about the "NO-CLOG" Warranty in my twenty-fifth year of writing "Welcome to Crest Avenue."

Each box contains eight, 3-foot sections of foam filtration.

First, I started by removing the plastic screens I installed a few years ago which were useless.  The grids were too wide and they allowed debris to collect in the gutter tray.  Some of them even melted in the hot summer sun and further clogged the gutters.  This method actually made it harder to clean the gutters.  So off they went and into the recyclable receptacle.

Then it was time to clean out the debris, which you can see floating around in the tray in this photo.  The gutters were actually much more full than this when I began this project.

Then it was time to install the Gutter Filtration System.

Look how neat and clean they look.  All you need is a pair of ordinary household scissors to cut the final section of foam to fit neatly inside the gutter tray and, voila, you are done.

As you see in this diagram, the rainwater runs off the roof and through the Gutter Filtration foam and into the gutter tray.  It makes its way to the downspout and away from the foundation.  Leaves and other debris are repelled.

I have had these installed for a few months.  I wanted to install them and see if they worked and how well they worked before I posted about them.  I can tell you that they work perfectly.  Finally a gutter guard system that works like advertised.

One additional note.  I have very mature Sweet Gum trees at Crest Avenue.  I couldn't begin to estimate the height of these trees.  As anyone with Sweet Gum trees will attest, there is the issue of the balls that these trees drop every fall.

These things fall by the thousands.

 

If you have a Sweet Gum tree, you know what I am talking about.  They will literally "carpet" the ground in the fall and winter.  As they make their way to the ground they will inevitably land on top of the Gutter Filtration foam.  You can remove them with a brush of the hand.  No more digging in wet, debris filled gutters to remove these pesky balls along with leaves and any other debris.

It's Time to Clean the Gutters, . . . for the final time!

Gutter cleaning.  Yuck!  It has to be one of the most awful projects for any homeowner.  There are certainly companies that you can hire who will come and clean them for you.  But I have found another way to take care of this most unpleasant task without the repeated teetering on a ladder with the garden hose or the repeated expense of hiring a local crew to handle the task.

The answer is Gutter Filtration System.  I found this item at my local Sam's Club, and what a find it was.

As the box states, they are easily installed, need no additional hardware and come with a 25 year

NO-CLOG Warranty.  We'll have to see what I have to say about the "NO-CLOG" Warranty in my twenty-fifth year of writing "Welcome to Crest Avenue."

Each box contains eight, 3-foot sections of foam filtration.

First, I started by removing the plastic screens I installed a few years ago which were useless.  The grids were too wide and they allowed debris to collect in the gutter tray.  Some of them even melted in the hot summer sun and further clogged the gutters.  This method actually made it harder to clean the gutters.  So off they went and into the recyclable receptacle.

Then it was time to clean out the debris, which you can see floating around in the tray in this photo.  The gutters were actually much more full than this when I began this project.

Then it was time to install the Gutter Filtration System.

Look how neat and clean they look.  All you need is a pair of ordinary household scissors to cut the final section of foam to fit neatly inside the gutter tray and, voila, you are done.

As you see in this diagram, the rainwater runs off the roof and through the Gutter Filtration foam and into the gutter tray.  It makes its way to the downspout and away from the foundation.  Leaves and other debris are repelled.

I have had these installed for a few months.  I wanted to install them and see if they worked and how well they worked before I posted about them.  I can tell you that they work perfectly.  Finally a gutter guard system that works like advertised.

One additional note.  I have very mature Sweet Gum trees at Crest Avenue.  I couldn't begin to estimate the height of these trees.  As anyone with Sweet Gum trees will attest, there is the issue of the balls that these trees drop every fall.

These things fall by the thousands.

 

If you have a Sweet Gum tree, you know what I am talking about.  They will literally "carpet" the ground in the fall and winter.  As they make their way to the ground they will inevitably land on top of the Gutter Filtration foam.  You can remove them with a brush of the hand.  No more digging in wet, debris filled gutters to remove these pesky balls along with leaves and any other debris.

Party Planning 101

So the guest invitations have gone out.  I usually always send either store bought invitations or invitations that I make myself when I have a soiree.  This time I decided to use Evite which seems to be all the rage these days.  The site is easy to navigate and they have a wonderful selection of invitations from which to choose.  But I did something wrong and there have been problems with people responding.  I don't think the problem is with Evite.  I think the problem is with yours truly.  I will be going back to mailed invitations for the next get-together.

It looks like there will be eight of us which is my favorite number to have when entertaining.  A group of eight is easily managed by one person, that person being me.  When the number of attendees is 12 and over, you really need help.  Either hired help or a friend who is willing to help keep watch of the bar and to help you set out the food and generally walk the space and make sure everyone is having a good time.  I use index cards to help keep my thoughts and plans on track.

I suppose this is very old-fashioned of me.  The younger set would probably use their "I-Phone" or "Android" task list these days.  But index cards work for me.  I write down whatever comes to mind no matter how small.

In addition to my index cards, I do use the internet to print out information that will help me prepare for the event.

You will see here that I have printed out recipes for Oven Fried Chicken (even though I already have a wonderful recipe for this), Simple Chicken Brine and Chocolate Ganache.  I clip the index card to these printouts and keep them in a letter-size manila folder.  It is from that folder that I will plan, prepare and eventually throw a successful party.

This event is planned for Saturday, May 26 beginning at 6:00 PM.  More to come on how things are progressing over the coming days.

Party Planning 101

So the guest invitations have gone out.  I usually always send either store bought invitations or invitations that I make myself when I have a soiree.  This time I decided to use Evite which seems to be all the rage these days.  The site is easy to navigate and they have a wonderful selection of invitations from which to choose.  But I did something wrong and there have been problems with people responding.  I don't think the problem is with Evite.  I think the problem is with yours truly.  I will be going back to mailed invitations for the next get-together.

It looks like there will be eight of us which is my favorite number to have when entertaining.  A group of eight is easily managed by one person, that person being me.  When the number of attendees is 12 and over, you really need help.  Either hired help or a friend who is willing to help keep watch of the bar and to help you set out the food and generally walk the space and make sure everyone is having a good time.  I use index cards to help keep my thoughts and plans on track.

I suppose this is very old-fashioned of me.  The younger set would probably use their "I-Phone" or "Android" task list these days.  But index cards work for me.  I write down whatever comes to mind no matter how small.

In addition to my index cards, I do use the internet to print out information that will help me prepare for the event.

You will see here that I have printed out recipes for Oven Fried Chicken (even though I already have a wonderful recipe for this), Simple Chicken Brine and Chocolate Ganache.  I clip the index card to these printouts and keep them in a letter-size manila folder.  It is from that folder that I will plan, prepare and eventually throw a successful party.

This event is planned for Saturday, May 26 beginning at 6:00 PM.  More to come on how things are progressing over the coming days.

A few more Garden Shots

You will recall on April 18, I posted that I was seeding a section of the front yard with Tall Fescue.  I am proud to report that with a little patience and regular watering, we are seeing sprouts.  They are still tender, but they are there.

It will take some time for this to all fill in but it will be worth it in the end.

Here is a pot with Lady Fern that has really taken off over the past few weeks.  Lady Fern is a deciduous, perennial fern about 24 to 36 inches tall.  They prefer a shady spot.  This one gets morning sun and then is in indirect light from about 10:30 AM through the rest of the day.  I love these anywhere in the landscape.

And finally, here is a shot of the Scotch Broom plants that I talked about yesterday.  I promise not to change the plantings here again.  OK.  I don't "promise", but I don't think I will because I am really happy with these.  I lost one of the compact holly that I planted in these earlier.  The other one was relocated to a corner of the front yard at the end of the row of privet hedge.  I think that will give the privet a nice clean, finished look eventually once it gains some height.

So that's my morning update from the gardens at Crest Avenue.  Everyone have a great day!

A few more Garden Shots

You will recall on April 18, I posted that I was seeding a section of the front yard with Tall Fescue.  I am proud to report that with a little patience and regular watering, we are seeing sprouts.  They are still tender, but they are there.

It will take some time for this to all fill in but it will be worth it in the end.

Here is a pot with Lady Fern that has really taken off over the past few weeks.  Lady Fern is a deciduous, perennial fern about 24 to 36 inches tall.  They prefer a shady spot.  This one gets morning sun and then is in indirect light from about 10:30 AM through the rest of the day.  I love these anywhere in the landscape.

And finally, here is a shot of the Scotch Broom plants that I talked about yesterday.  I promise not to change the plantings here again.  OK.  I don't "promise", but I don't think I will because I am really happy with these.  I lost one of the compact holly that I planted in these earlier.  The other one was relocated to a corner of the front yard at the end of the row of privet hedge.  I think that will give the privet a nice clean, finished look eventually once it gains some height.

So that's my morning update from the gardens at Crest Avenue.  Everyone have a great day!

Potted Palms, Peppers, Tomatoes and Begonias

We certainly cannot complain this year that we've had no rain this spring.  The past two days we have had non-stop rain.  It will ease up a bit, but then heavier showers follow.  This morning I awoke to the sound of a downpour before the alarm went off at 6:00 AM.  I can tell how hard it is raining by the sound it makes on the awnings on my bedroom windows.  I immediately turned on the Weather Channel to look at the radar and sure enough, there was a big "blob" of yellow and orange and red right over us at the time.  A few minutes later the alarm went off and Baxter and I got up to start the day.  Breakfast for him.  Coffee for me.  After the rain let up I got a couple of pictures to share.

The potted palms are looking good.  They have both put out new fronds which are slowly opening.  After this round of rain and some sunny days, I'm sure they will really put on a show.



I got a tomato plant and a pepper plant in the ground.  This is the Beefsteak Tomato (left) in this picture and a Cayenne Pepper plant.  I can definitely see some delicious, freshly made salsa in my future.

And last, but certainly not least, a quick picture of a hanging basket with begonias and a dracaena spike for some added contrast.

I so enjoy this time of year.  Getting things planted and watching them grow, whether they produce fruit or not, is a form of relaxation.  And I always look for a bargain.  I got two Scotch Brooms for the planters at the front entrance (yes, I changed them once again) this past weekend at Lowe's for $9.98 each.  They were on a rack of plants that were reduced for whatever reason.  These Scotch Brooms were very healthy.  Maybe they just weren't a big seller.  You never know.  But I got them for 50% off, so you can't beat that.  Look around and see what you can find at your local nursery or big box store.  You may come away with a true gem that you did not plan on adding to your landscape.

Potted Palms, Peppers, Tomatoes and Begonias

We certainly cannot complain this year that we've had no rain this spring.  The past two days we have had non-stop rain.  It will ease up a bit, but then heavier showers follow.  This morning I awoke to the sound of a downpour before the alarm went off at 6:00 AM.  I can tell how hard it is raining by the sound it makes on the awnings on my bedroom windows.  I immediately turned on the Weather Channel to look at the radar and sure enough, there was a big "blob" of yellow and orange and red right over us at the time.  A few minutes later the alarm went off and Baxter and I got up to start the day.  Breakfast for him.  Coffee for me.  After the rain let up I got a couple of pictures to share.

The potted palms are looking good.  They have both put out new fronds which are slowly opening.  After this round of rain and some sunny days, I'm sure they will really put on a show.



I got a tomato plant and a pepper plant in the ground.  This is the Beefsteak Tomato (left) in this picture and a Cayenne Pepper plant.  I can definitely see some delicious, freshly made salsa in my future.

And last, but certainly not least, a quick picture of a hanging basket with begonias and a dracaena spike for some added contrast.

I so enjoy this time of year.  Getting things planted and watching them grow, whether they produce fruit or not, is a form of relaxation.  And I always look for a bargain.  I got two Scotch Brooms for the planters at the front entrance (yes, I changed them once again) this past weekend at Lowe's for $9.98 each.  They were on a rack of plants that were reduced for whatever reason.  These Scotch Brooms were very healthy.  Maybe they just weren't a big seller.  You never know.  But I got them for 50% off, so you can't beat that.  Look around and see what you can find at your local nursery or big box store.  You may come away with a true gem that you did not plan on adding to your landscape.

A Walk through the Garden

Up early this morning and already done with the coffee routine.  Lot's to do this weekend.  We started off with a walk through the garden.  Our first stop was this little birdhouse.  Looks like somebody is moving in or has already set up housekeeping.  The stack of chairs you see to the left are there in preparation for the season opener party planned for the end of the month.  The more you can do in advance of any gathering the easier it is to get things set up the day of the event.

A little further in the back yard, tucked away in a corner I discovered the whiskey barrel is coming to life.

Looks like the lady fern and the mums are living happily together.  I expect in the next few weeks this barrel will be overflowing.  Just exactly what I planned when I planted this.

Now we're off to wash the outdoor rug on the deck and set up the new conversation group that we got last night.  We will also be spending some time cleaning up and pruning and trimming in the back yard to include bamboo maintenance.  Ah, bamboo.  I love it.  It is very soothing to sit outside and have it sway in the breeze and it offers nice privacy, but it does take maintenance.  More on all of this a little later.

A Walk through the Garden

Up early this morning and already done with the coffee routine.  Lot's to do this weekend.  We started off with a walk through the garden.  Our first stop was this little birdhouse.  Looks like somebody is moving in or has already set up housekeeping.  The stack of chairs you see to the left are there in preparation for the season opener party planned for the end of the month.  The more you can do in advance of any gathering the easier it is to get things set up the day of the event.

A little further in the back yard, tucked away in a corner I discovered the whiskey barrel is coming to life.

Looks like the lady fern and the mums are living happily together.  I expect in the next few weeks this barrel will be overflowing.  Just exactly what I planned when I planted this.

Now we're off to wash the outdoor rug on the deck and set up the new conversation group that we got last night.  We will also be spending some time cleaning up and pruning and trimming in the back yard to include bamboo maintenance.  Ah, bamboo.  I love it.  It is very soothing to sit outside and have it sway in the breeze and it offers nice privacy, but it does take maintenance.  More on all of this a little later.

And the Hydrangea are Budding

On my walk around the property this morning, I also noticed that the hydrangea are starting to bud.  It will be important to keep these watered well so they produce lots of beautiful blossoms.  I believe this variety produces blue flowers, but we'll find out for sure about that in probably another week or 10 days.  Supposedly you can change the color of the flower by adding chemicals to the soil to make it more acid or alkaline.  I do not do that.  Whatever color nature decides to make them is what I take.

You see all of the little yellow clusters in the center of the leaves.  Those are the flower blossoms just starting to mature.

A closer look at what will be a feast for the eyes in the coming days.

And the Hydrangea are Budding

On my walk around the property this morning, I also noticed that the hydrangea are starting to bud.  It will be important to keep these watered well so they produce lots of beautiful blossoms.  I believe this variety produces blue flowers, but we'll find out for sure about that in probably another week or 10 days.  Supposedly you can change the color of the flower by adding chemicals to the soil to make it more acid or alkaline.  I do not do that.  Whatever color nature decides to make them is what I take.

You see all of the little yellow clusters in the center of the leaves.  Those are the flower blossoms just starting to mature.

A closer look at what will be a feast for the eyes in the coming days.

The Pyracantha are in Bloom

Last fall I made a trip to my local Lowe's home improvement store to pick up a few items.  I ventured out into the garden center which, at that time, was little more than a wasteland of left over plants that had not sold during the season.  To my delight, I found these lovely pyracantha plants.  They were marked down considerably as they wanted to get rid of them before they closed the garden center for the winter. 

I bought nine of them.  As a matter of fact, I think I bought all that were left.  I thought I would give them a try and see what happened.  I planted them the same day I bought them which would have been sometime in October.  These run along the fence between my back yard and the neighbors and will eventually form a beautiful hedge.  Baxter and I were outside this morning and I discovered they were in bloom, so I thought I would share this picture.

If you are interested in planting pyracantha in your yard, here is some additional information from Wikipedia:

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. They are native to an area extending from Southeast Europe east to Southeast Asia, resemble and are related to Cotoneaster, but have serrated leaf margins and numerous thorns (Cotoneaster is thornless).

Flowers

The plants reach up to six metres tall. The seven species have white flowers and either red, orange, or yellow berries (more correctly pomes). The flowers are produced during late spring and early summer; the pomes develop from late summer, and mature in late autumn.

The Pyracantha are in Bloom

Last fall I made a trip to my local Lowe's home improvement store to pick up a few items.  I ventured out into the garden center which, at that time, was little more than a wasteland of left over plants that had not sold during the season.  To my delight, I found these lovely pyracantha plants.  They were marked down considerably as they wanted to get rid of them before they closed the garden center for the winter. 

I bought nine of them.  As a matter of fact, I think I bought all that were left.  I thought I would give them a try and see what happened.  I planted them the same day I bought them which would have been sometime in October.  These run along the fence between my back yard and the neighbors and will eventually form a beautiful hedge.  Baxter and I were outside this morning and I discovered they were in bloom, so I thought I would share this picture.

If you are interested in planting pyracantha in your yard, here is some additional information from Wikipedia:

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. They are native to an area extending from Southeast Europe east to Southeast Asia, resemble and are related to Cotoneaster, but have serrated leaf margins and numerous thorns (Cotoneaster is thornless).

Flowers

The plants reach up to six metres tall. The seven species have white flowers and either red, orange, or yellow berries (more correctly pomes). The flowers are produced during late spring and early summer; the pomes develop from late summer, and mature in late autumn.