Patio Dining Set

I’ve been talking a lot about the great items Outdora offers for outdoor spaces like yards, lawns and camp sites. I’ve been going on about fire pits, barbeque grills, garden bells and the like, but what good is a beautiful space without outdoor patio furniture from which to enjoy it?

Outdora features outdoor garden and patio furniture sets designed for every home and setting. They have furniture for the poolside, durable year-round sets and stylish outdoor dining furniture. Their wide assortment of outdoor furniture is available in aluminum, wrought iron, high-density plastic, wood or wicker.

While aluminum and plastic can be attractive as well as durable and wicker exudes a certain comfortable style, I prefer wood or wrought iron sets. Outdora’s wooden outdoor furniture includes adirondacks, potting benches, tables and rocking chairs in a variety of gorgeous woods and stains. Their rust-free, whether-resistant wrought iron dining chairs, lounge chairs, loveseats, sofas, ottomans and more create beautiful dining arrangements on any patio.

The aluminum sets are highly attractive, putting to shame the aluminum furniture seen in most yards. They are of a heavy-duty yet lightweight construction that stands up to the elements. Outdora’s aluminum patio furniture sets come in traditional and modern styles.

The high-density plastic patio furniture also looks nice. It features fade-resistant bright colors which never need repainting. It is designed with comfort in mind and has the look of wide wooden planks.

If you’re looking for a specific piece of furniture and not a whole outdoor patio set, Outdora can help with that too. They also offer patio table tops – available in square, round, and oval shapes — ready to suit the changing seasons. Protective furniture covers made from rugged, high-grade vinyl keep outdoor dining furniture clean and dry.

Outdora’s outdoor patio furniture collections feature comfort and style for any outdoor space. Visit their site to find the ideal patio furniture sets for your home or camp site.

This is a sponsored post. Image used with permission.

While growing up I held the impression that SparkNotes were something to be avoided, a scheme for cheaters who didn’t read their assignments. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I finally read a guide out of curiosity. It discussed George Orwell’s 1984.

I wish I had known before the value of these little books. I now purchase guides for all of my favorite literary classics. (SparkNotes covers a lot of other subjects also.)

Recently I came across VideoSparkNotes’s Channel on YouTube. Right at the top of the page is an animated video covering 1984. It contains a plot summary, an analysis, and a discussion of the major characters and themes from the classic novel. It’s worth a look for its incredible animation alone.

Address Plaque

I’m spending some time with my family in San Angelo this week. One my favorite things to do while there is drive around and look at the older, more stately homes in town. It’s fun to imagine what sort of people may live in these houses. Perhaps western author Elmer Kelton, a long time resident of San Angelo, did the same during his lifetime.

Many of these houses employ a simple address plaque to accentuate their beauty. Some plaques appear on the buildings themselves, while lawn address plaques are staked in the yards or posted on fences.

Outdora’s selection of address plaques includes wall mounted plaques, lawn markers and decorative plaques. They carry Qualarc Address Plaques, Whitehall Address Plaques and Montague Metal Address Plaques — including commemorative, illuminated, and reflective plaques.

Such markers — especially the illuminated and reflective ones — make it easy for family, friends and service people to find your home. In my former day job as a delivery driver I greatly appreciated address plaques hung on back fences. Commemorative plaques honor weddings and anniversaries, the passing of loved ones or other important dates. Decorative plaques are ideal for theme parties, holidays or the changing seasons.

Maintainance-free address plaques from Outdora are not only decorative but practical. All of their hardy, long-lasting address plaques are made from either rust-free recycled aluminum or natural stone. You can choose to have an address and/or a family name on the signs. They come in a variety of interesting shapes and attractive colors.

You might even select a literary or a western theme if you are a fan of Elmer Kelton’s writings. Maybe something reflecting your community, state or region would be appropriate. Whatever your address plaque needs, Outdora delivers variety, affordability and value.

This is a sponsored post. Image used with permission.

Redesigning The Sky’s the Limit has caused me to think more seriously about not only the look and feel of the whole site but the look of individual posts. There have been a few problems nagging me over the months, and now is the time to address them.

I could be doing a better job at writing post titles and at SEO in general. I want to strike a balance between creating headlines that are useful to you and headlines that feature good keywords.

I’m also revamping the categories and tags. I’ve created categories as needed while attempting to keep them simple. The problem is that they’re not very concise. My tags are a mess. I’ve used both singular and plural variants of some words; I’ve hastily added others that weren’t well planned. There’s always going to be a plethora of tags, but I need several strong keywords which I can utilize over and over in the mix.

A friend who knows about SEO once offered to teach me some things. I hope she meant it, because I’m about to take her up on the offer.

Viking Grill

Of all the grills offered by Outdora, the Viking grills are the most powerful in terms of BTU. These things can really cook! (Yes, I’ve been salivating over Outdora’s grills again.)

BTU — short for British Thermal Unit – is a basic measurement of heat energy. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to heat one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. That means if I poured 16 oz of water at 50 degrees Farenheit in a pan and put it on a gas burner, it would take one BTU to raise the water to 51 degrees.

Viking outdoor grills include 29,000 BTU burners. That’s the most powerful standard grill burner in the industry. It’s more than enough heat for your backyard cooking needs, whether you’re serving just the family or a group of neighbors and friends. Viking is the world’s first heavy-duty commercial type range for the home.

Viking gas grills range from 30 to 53 inches in a variety of styles and layouts. Features include a fully enclosed, ultra smooth rotation rotisserie rod and easy to clean porcelain coated grill grates. These high-end stainless steel grills not only meet and exceed outdoor cooking requirements but add value and beauty to home or recreational spaces.

With their wide selection, Outdora has the perfect Viking grill for any outdoor space. There’s both built-in and freestanding Viking grills, side burners and rotisserie kits, carts and stations, bases and other accessories. They even allow you to select the type of vent kit you want for your grill.

Whatever the demands — cooking for the family, impressing neighbors and co-workers, providing food for a party — the power and class of a Viking gas grill from Outdora can handle it.

This is a sponsored post. Image used with permission.

Scheduled for November 24 – 26, 2009, TweetsGiving is a global celebration that seeks to change the world through the power of gratitude. The 48 hour event was created by Epic Change and encourages us to express thanks using online tools and at live get-togethers across the world.

Guest are invited to give to a common cause in honor of those people and things that make them grateful. This year Epic Change will be partnering with Lucy Kamptoni in Tanzania to implement a technology lab at a primary school. The following video gives us a look at Tanzania:

But that’s not the whole story. According to the CIA’s World Factbook, Tanzania faces serious economic and health issues which will be addressed by the next generation. TweetsGiving gives us an opportunity to equip students in Tanzania to take leadership roles in the country’s future. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders.

Tanzania is in the bottom 10% of the world’s economies. The assistance Epic Change offers to Shepherds Junior primary school in Arusha ensures the necessary tools for the best education the school can possibly provide.

I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the many blessings and opportunities we share. Visit the TweetsGiving community and sign up for your own profile (it’s free). Then commit to give at least $10 dollars to the cause. You can also find a TweetsGiving event near where you live. Be a part, make history and help the kids in Tanzania.

“What a world of merriment their melody foretells!” — Edgar Allen Poe

Medium Black Country Bell

I’ve been looking at the assortment of wind chimes and garden bells from Outdora. They have chimes, farm bells, garden bells and dinner bells with innovative designs and a range of tunings and pitches.

Some accounts tell us chimes and bells originated with the Chinese Emperors. They were enjoyed not only for their harmonic sounds, but for their assistance in weather forecasting. It’s even said that chimes are mentioned in the Bible (although I can’t find any reference).

Today, wind chimes and bells are appreciated for bringing musical tones to our outdoor space. They accent gardens, hang in trees, function as door bells and promote balance in our homes.

During the years I was growing up, my parents kept a dinner bell on the back porch. I recall my mom ringing it on occasion to call my dad or I in for the evening meal. They now have a black farm bell outside the back door. My kids love to ring it.

Outdora offers many fine examples of a farm bell. The Medium Black Country Bell is especially nice. It’s fashioned of rust-free recycled aluminum and finished with weather-resistant paint, giving it an attractive sheen. Its high quality construction is built to withstand harsh outdoor elements. An accented, six-inch mounting bracket adds to the bell’s appeal.

If you’re wanting a dinner bell, you can’t go wrong with one of the various meticulously crafted bells from Outdora. Whether black, natural rust patina or metallic finish, they’ve got the bell to fit the bill.

The Woodstock Heroic Metalworks Bell adds just the right touch of ‘Old West’ feel to any porch, garden or yard. It’s made of hand-crafted steel with an antiqued copper powder-coated finish and a contemporary design. Weather-resistant materials ensure the rustic look of the bell won’t deteriorate over time.

Edgar Allen Poe knew a great appreciation for the melody of bells. How about you? Any fond childhood memories of wind chimes or garden bells? Which is your favorite farm bell or dinner bell from Outdora?

This is a sponsored post. Image used with permission.

The folks over at Notes and Grace Notes dropped me a line saying that Grace Notes Books is thrilled to announce the publication of Venus Laughs – a collection of poetry from Harmoni McGlothlin. Notes and Grace Notes seeks to be a single source for the needs of aspiring writers. Their purpose is to nourish new talent, reward excellence, and equip writers to achieve.

Also, as of November 1st, Grace Notes Books is launching their first book-length contests. Apparently there will be a $1,000 grand prize, judge’s feedback on all entries, maybe even publication offers. Guidelines for the Novel and Memoir Competition and the Short Fiction/Essay Collection and Novella Competition may be found on their site.

As always, educate yourselves before entering any contest.

Goodreads’ November newsletter announces a new initiative. Each month Goodreads will highlight a different charitable foundation that promotes reading. Their inaugural recommendation is Room to Read, which partners with local communities in the developing world to build libraries, create local-language children’s literature, construct schools, and provide education to girls.

My first introduction to Room to Read was through NaNoWriMo several years ago. (At one time NaNo gave a portion of monies raised to outside charities.) John Wood, founder and executive chairman of Room to Read, launched the organization after a visit to Nepal, where he was saddened by a shocking lack of educational resources. He quit an executive position with Microsoft and built a global team to create sustainable solutions to educational challenges.

Room to Read’s approach calls for:

• Scalable, measured, sustainable results
• Low-overhead, allowing maximum investment in educational infrastructure
• Challenge grants fostering community ownership and sustainability
• Strong local staff and partnerships creating culturally relevant programs

With more than 2,600,000 members Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world. Members can recommend and compare books, keep track of what they’ve read and would like to read, form book clubs and more. Their monthly newsletter features interviews, news, trivia, book recommendations and contests.