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Why We Love Bluebirds All three North American bluebirds—eastern bluebirds, western bluebirds, and mountain bluebirds—are small thrushes, songbirds related to the American robin, varied thrush, and gray catbird. While all three bluebird species are migratory, large portions of their range are occupied year-round, and many backyard birders can attract bluebirds in every season. All bluebird species have stunning plumage with rich blue backs and rusty or pale underparts, and those colors alone make them desirable for a beautiful backyard....

The easiest way to compost indoors is to use a worm bin, but not everyone is up for keeping a few hundred worms in their home. You can set up an indoor composting system without worms, but it takes some monitoring and attention to do so successfully. And, once you do, you will feel good knowing that you are saving items from the landfill and making compost for your garden instead....

Examined closely, garden soil, including clay, is a complex mixture of mineral particles, organic material, moisture, living organisms, and chemical nutrients. Among the most critical factors in a soil’s ability to grow plants is its texture, dictated by the size of the mineral particles found in it. The ideal soil for gardening is loam or loamy soil. It has a broad mixture of sand, clay, intermediate mineral particles, and a heavy dose of organic material....

To see if the URPOWER Humidifier is worth the investment, we put it to the test over the course of a few weeks, using it to combat the dry conditions in an air-conditioned apartment. Read on to see what we found! Design: Straightforward and inconspicuous We’d describe the overall appearance of the URPOWER Humidifier as unmemorable. It’s not nearly as unsightly as many other humidifiers, so it gets points for that, but it’s by no means a showpiece, either....

Before you buy a new pair of shoes or toss the ones you just bought, consider all of the shoe and boot problems that a cobbler can fix. DIY alternatives: Wear your shoes or boots around the house with your thickest socks. Or, place a bag of water inside the footbed of a pair of shoes or boots and place them in the freezer. When the water freezes, it will stretch out the shoe....

Diatomaceous earth is mined from various places in the world where sediments from former seas are found. Deposits have been found on dry land, under stream beds and lakes, or beneath the muck of wetland areas. Scattered deposits have been found in many U.S. states, including California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, and Virginia. DE deposits sometimes form chalky layers that crumble upon digging, but it sometimes is found in a compressed rocky form known as diatomite....

It’s a vast help for homeowners who want to DIY their shower stall but may not feel confident about their tiling skills. Even if you choose to have professionals install the prefab shower stall, it means that the unit will go in faster, with far fewer re-visits for grouting, sealing, and other follow-ups associated with tiling. Interlocking Multi-Piece Prefab Stalls The most common and easiest type of prefabricated shower unit to install is the multi-piece shower....

History of Efficiency Apartments The term efficiency apartment was first used around 1930. Today, efficiency apartments may be furnished or unfurnished. The use of the term efficiency apartment can vary according to region, and is often used interchangeably with the more common term: studio. While studio apartments are often distinguished from efficiency apartments because they include a separate fully equipped kitchen rather than a kitchenette built along one wall of the unit, this is hardly a steadfast rule....

Types of Direct Burial Cables The most common types of direct-burial cable used in residential projects are underground service entrance (USE) and underground feeder (UF). Type USE cable is usually black and is most often used for buried lines that bring power from the utility’s transformer to individual houses. Homeowners rarely deal with USE cable themselves; it is handled by utility professionals. Type UF cable is usually gray and comes in rolls that look like standard non-metallic (NM) sheathed cable....

These products, available from many manufacturers, are known collectively in the building trades as “greenboard.” But while greenboard drywall was once commonly used in showers as a tile backer, there are now other products that perform much better in showers. Basics Greenboard is the term that’s often used, especially by trade professionals, for a unique type of drywall that is used for walls in damp but not wet zones in a building....

This Victorian-era style that began in Britain and spread around the world favored the use of architectural elements from a romanticized past to create buildings that offered an alternative to the prevailing formality of classical architecture. This meant an embrace of less rigid building forms and floor plans as well as an emphasis on natural landscaping when space permitted. Italianate architecture is a category of Victorian architecture, which is not a particular style but an era—the reign of Queen Victoria over the United Kingdom of Great Britain from 1837 to 1901....

Marine plywood is available in the following grades: A-AA-BB-BMedium-density overlay (MDO)High-density overlay (HDO) Other Strong Woods Wood species that have a natural resistance to decay, like redwood, cedar, ipe, shorea, and cypress are less likely to rot due to molds and other organisms that feed on the wood. Marine plywood is not pressure-treated to resist decay, like pressure-treated lumber and plywood. This means if marine plywood will be exposed to moisture, it must be protected by a good water-resistant finish....

Origins of Ranch House Landscaping The simple, no-frills ranch house style became hugely popular by the 1950s, as more people moved to the suburbs. Variations on the basic design included raised ranch and split level, incorporating architectural features that allowed more space for garages and entry foyers. Many people refer to these designs now as “midcentury” or “modernist.” Some ranch homes were beautifully designed inside and out, such as the “Storybook” ranch houses that became a specialty niche for architects and builders in booming cities from Buffalo, NY to Los Angeles, CA....

The History of Spanish Colonial Homes Spanish Colonial-style homes are a classic architectural style found throughout Florida, California, and Southwestern states, like Arizona and New Mexico. Although Spanish Colonial homes have an even longer history in Spain and Mexico, they first appeared in North America between the 1600s and mid-1800s, when Spanish settlers arrived and began building their homesteads. Because Spanish settlers arriving in North America chose locations with climates similar to Spain—like Florida, California, and Southwestern states, as previously mentioned—they were able to execute their style of traditional home building with the resources available, like adobe (made of clay and straw) with a stucco finish for interior and exterior walls, and clay for roof tiles....

When you add too little insulation, you will have a colder house in winter and a warmer house in summer, as insulation reduces the heat transferring into the house in warmer climates or seasons. Ironically, adding too much insulation—packing in more than is needed—can also result in a colder house than is necessary. Tiny air pockets created within the insulation are what helps keep a home toasty and warm, not the actual strands of fiberglass or paper facing....

It’s a rather rigid method that might not be for everyone, and it can take several months to complete thoroughly. Rather than true minimalism (keeping fewer items overall), Marie Kondo’s philosophy advocates for owning things that are genuinely loved. Here are the main points of the Japanese organizing expert’s decluttering steps to help you decide whether Kondo’s method is right for you. Be Prepared to Discard Items Despite the “tidying” in the book’s title, the KonMari Method is not about neatly organizing your many possessions....

While mastic does have strong points, such as great adhesive properties and adaptability to many substrata, high performance in wet areas is not one of its high points. Bottom Line Mastic is porcelain, glass, or ceramic tile adhesive. Mastic is a largely outdated term. Ceramic tile adhesive is more appropriate. Mastic is not recommended for high moisture areas: “intermittent water exposure” areas only. Mastic adhesive is very sticky, making it well suited for vertical applications where tile may slide....

What Is a Patio? The term patio has its origins in the Spanish language and can literally be translated as a courtyard, although it differs from what is known as a courtyard today because it does not have any surrounding walls. A patio is a concrete space usually adjoining the exterior of a house and is located in the backyard. Location A patio is attached directly to the back or side of a house, although there are instances where it is located further from the house and is a separate structure....

It’s common for wicker to be confused for a material or believed to be a type of wood when it is really the term for a weaving process. That means wicker furniture is not confined to being made from only natural materials. Wicker can be made from any natural or man-made material that is pliable and durable enough to be woven into furniture. Wicker can be used for outdoor and indoor furniture, as seating, tables, storage shelves, plant stands, and more....