A Gamer's Bliss

Although I do enjoy a casual game of Bejeweled, Bookworm or Bowling Buddies online – this is the limit of my gaming skills. Games that require one to remember more than one set of controls are out of my league.

My husband's cousin, who is my go to guy for computer hardware advice – miss you, Cousin Arnold – is a huge gamer though. He has a super computer that he built himself just for gaming. He loves World of Warcraft (WOW) and all those massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) – he could spend hours on the computer just on these games.

I just found a great gift idea for his birthday, I could buy WOW cd keys for him. These game cards will subscribe his account with 60-days of play time – and I'm sure he'll enjoy that! I don't even have to wrap his gift, I can just email the keys to him. Wow!

Do you have an online gamer on your gift list? Check out BuyMMOAccounts.com and send them 60 days of bliss.

A Healthy Gift for Friends

I consider myself a giver – I love giving gifts to cheer people up! I joined this secret encourager program at work last year and loved looking for gifts to give the person I was assigned to encourage. It made me so excited and happy when I give my gift to our internal mail department for delivery. Time constraints got the best of me though and I had to drop out before the year was over.

During very hectic times, the internet is my saving grace – I shop online for gifts. Most of the people in my circle of friends are very health conscious – some because of diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure problems. One of the healthiest gifts I can think of is a Fruit Basket and there are many online stores that have these.

The only downside of ordering these online is unless you get feedback about the fruit basket provider you run the risk of sending your friend a not so pleasant gift. Good thing there is a Fruit Basket Review website that gives you feedback of companies in the Fruit Basket industry so you have a guide next time you want to send fruit baskets to your friends. Isn't information a beautiful thing? And you get this review in the convenience of your home as well, so if you’re pressed for time you don't have to sacrifice the quality of your gift.

Happy giving, everyone!

Photo credit: Fruit Basket Review

Packaging Solutions: The Jar Store

When I was in college my best friend’s mom, who was also my landlady, used to make these fruit preserves. They were so good! She made it seem so easy, I always imagined that I would learn to make jams and preserves and bottle them then sell them like in that old movie with the gourmet baby food. In the Philippines, you can just reuse empty jars – we recycle every type of container there is in our country – we’re eco-friendly by necessity!

Here in the US, there are strict rules on packaging and handling food – so recycled containers won’t really do that was when I began my hunt for jars. My hunt became more of a quest since I discovered that my husband made great sauces and marinades – and that all the Asian stores had Thai, Chinese, Japanese, etc. sauces and marinades for sale – which meant there was a market for this type of product.

The closest thing I could find was the case of jars sold in grocery stores for jams and jellies. Good for me, but not really what I was looking for my husband’s sauces and marinades. Then I found these wholesale apothecary jars online in the Jar Store and they had gourmet jars! I was so happy!

They have a great selection and even better prices. If you’re crafty and like making bath salts, scented candles or home-made cosmetics then be sure to check them out. They have everything you will need to package your products to look professional and enticing to buyers.

In these hard economic times, we need to think outside the box to survive. Maybe starting a business will be your means of survival. There are so many resources out there – and I just gave you a great packaging resource for your profit-earners in jars.

Happy selling!

Wanted: ISP Forum

My cable internet service at home is packaged with my cable TV. I use my home internet service primarily for my business - doing freelance work. Understandably when the service fails, there are repercussions on my business. It would have been helpful if there was a forum about the quality of cable internet service in our area that could have helped us decide if this was indeed the best way to go.

I was subscribed to a DSL Broadband Service before and was quite happy with it. I switched to cable internet because it was the only alternative to DSL available in our area.

Now I'm thinking of mobile broadband because of portability issues. I'm always on the go - and I need to be able to do my projects wherever I may be to save time and energy.

These technologies that keep us connected to the web are becoming basic necessities in our lives. A forum to exchange experiences, feedback and value-add would be a great place to visit when choosing a provider. I found this Indian Broadband Forum that lets people do just that. It looks very helpful and contains lots of information.

What type of internet service do you have? How did you choose that type of service? What factors affected your decision? Feel free to share them with us by leaving me a comment.

United We Serve: Improving Our Communities

I got this in my inbox this morning, a video message from the First Lady, Michelle Obama, about the United We Serve program the president is launching this summer. I think the project will teach Americans to work together for a cause that is bigger than themselves. It will teach us to serve our communities and give us a sense of ownership - a stake in what happens to the cities we live in and the people that make up those communities. If people go out and serve - find ways to build a better community - maybe it can even erase some of the apathy people feel towards each other.

In the Philippines, our communities are our extended families. Neighbors used to help each other out - when we were young the grandmas in our street would take turns watching the kids - we'd rotate play venues daily during the summer time. When someone is sick you can go to your next-door neighbor who can drive and they will take the sick household member to the hospital (we don't have a very efficient emergency response team there).

When I started working here in the US because I'm always rushing off to or from somewhere, I don't even know my neighbors! If it wasn't for the periodic Progress publication our city sends out, I wouldn't know what is going on in my neighborhood. For a long time, I wanted to volunteer in projects around us - but I never made time for it. Maybe now I can make some time, meet my neighbors, and contribute in improving our community.

I think we all have to try to do so. I think volunteering will teach us several values we need to learn especially during the tough times. Volunteering in the Philippines had always brought me so much fulfillment - and I think I need more of that during these tough times.

Check out the website serve.gov to look for volunteer opportunities in your area. Let's work together to find our new American Dream together - united we serve!

Protection for your Independent Loved One

My mother-in-law turned 83 years old last month and still insists on living alone in a senior community in Pasadena. She has been a diabetic for over 50 years, but takes good care of herself. She is still very strong and even stronger willed. We have asked her to come live with us several times, but she likes her freedom and independence very much.

My husband and I saw this television ad for Life Alert one day and thought this would be perfect for mom. We worry about her being home alone - although there are several emergency cords you can pull throughout her unit, she has fallen down and been injured or dizzy enough to not be able to reach the cords or the phone to dial 911 before.

What I discovered recently was that not only can you push the button of a Life Alert device when you're injured to call for help, but the device can detect if you've fallen and send help without you having to call. Wow! Imagine the peace of mind that would bring to us - if my mother-in-law faints or falls and is unable to move she'll get help without having to do anything. Now that's what I call reassurance! I'm definitely getting her a fall monitoring and panic button system as soon as possible.

Do you have a fiercely independent loved one who may need something like this too? I hope this post helps give you some peace of mind and protection for your loved one.

Security Resource

One of the most challenging tasks in event planning is providing reliable security for the event. Some companies would just use their own staff to provide security, now this is well and good, but you must make sure that your staff can handle the job. If you need a security force in the Los Angeles or San Diego areas, you may want to check out www.beachcitiesprotectiveservices.com.

They provide investigation and protection services around the world. They can provide on-site security for conventions, parties, concert tours, entertainment events or special events, which makes our business of event planning much easier. We call them and they provide a security force that they hand-selected and screened meticulously. Their management team is led by former FBI and law enforcement officers so they definitely know what they are doing!

They also provide security services for office buildings, construction sites, parking lots, condominiums, apartment complexes, hotels & casinos, manufacturing companies, banks, film & TV production locations, warehouses, retail shops & malls, gated communities, grocery stores, cargo, container ships and convenience stores. And during these hard times, they also provide personal protection for celebrities, executives, key personnel and transportation.

Need a little peace of mind in terms of security? Check out the website above and find out if they can help you out.

Be safe, everyone!

Gift Ideas for Babies: Bedding Sets

I have had a surge in the number of my pregnant friends lately and friends who just had babies, which has gotten me thinking about gift ideas for babies. I love going to specialty stores for babies - wondering how such a little person can need so much stuff!

One of my favorite gifts is baby bedding. Baby bedding sets often include a baby crib quilt, 4-piece baby crib bumper, a fitted sheet, crib skirt, 2 matching window valances, a diaper stacker, a toy organizer and a decorative pillow. It comes in beautiful patterns for baby boys or girls.

My sponsor, Baby Bedding Palace, has lots of styles to choose from and very conveniently accepts Paypal. My personal favorite is this baby bedding set with the dragonfly pattern. Isn't it cute?

Happy baby shopping, everyone!

New Media: Letting the World Know

An article on CNN describes how social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are letting foreign journalists who have been banned from covering the political rallies in Iran know what's going on. The people of Iran are letting the world know what is happening through new media channels now available to them. Wow!

Have you ever imagined that the social networks you spend time on to connect with friends could be a country's hotline to the world? That Twitter could be a reliable news source and Facebook could be a way to reach out amidst turmoil. Wow!

How vital have these technologies become? This generation is continuously finding ways to embed social media into mainstream society. Great job!

Let's pray for the people of Iran, let's pray for peace today.

Make an Impact: Get a Custom USB Drive

While having coffee in Monterey Park a year or so ago, my husband and I ran into an independent film director friend of his. After trying to catch up with what has been going on in each other's lives, they exchanged business cards. Only instead of the standard business card, the film director handed him a mini CD – the label had his name and website address – the CD contained promotional materials for his films like a mini portfolio. I thought this was brilliant! I certainly remembered him because of his business card.

As technology evolved and the age of USB drives came to pass – this became the new form of business card and marketing tool for premier companies. One of my favorite tech blogs, Geeksugar.com, always has featured custom USB flash drives in their article line-up. They always manage to find the coolest looking custom USB drives like this one from Budweiser. Now isn't that a great marketing tool for customers to remember your brand? I definitely think so!

If you have a business you want to promote and your target demographic are those who always have a USB drive in their purse like I do – you may want to look into getting this one of a kind marketing tool and see how much impact you make next time you run into a potential client.

June 12, 2009: Goodbye Analog TV Signal

As we Filipinos celebrated our Independence Day last June 12, 2009 – an important event also happened in broadcast television – they switched to digital. This means that people who receive their signal via an analog antenna could no longer receive it and had to convert to a digital-ready TV or obtain a converter box for their analog TVs.

We had switched my mother-in-law to digital TV a couple of years back and we used a cable provider that was the only one available in her area. She is not too happy with it and we are currently looking for an alternative.

We are looking into Direct TV - they have great channel packages all under $60. I always thought Direct TV Service was more expensive than cable, but in my mother-in-law’s case it’s really a cheaper alternative. And contrary to what is popularly advertised, the Direct TV system will not cost you an arm and a leg – some of the channel packages even include the HD receiver and DVR. Direct TV is definitely an alternative to consider when switching to digital TV or, in my mother-in-law’s case, when looking for an alternative to cable service.

In this digital age of HDTV, our generation probably didn’t even feel the DTV transition. We all had our cable boxes or satellite services already in our homes. It is mostly the senior members of our community that had to deal with the transition.

So when your neighbor comes up to you with questions about how to get digital TV tell them about your favorite cable service or refer them to Direct TV satellite service. Help them get the wide range of TV channels we have gotten used to!

Did you get your Facebook Username & URL?

Did you get your Facebook username last night? It was 9:01 PM here when Facebook opened the gates to let people get their user names. I was honestly torn between getting OC Pinay or my real name, but since I consider Facebook my personal network (taking a page from my radio personality Pinoy friend) I chose the latter.

You can find me on Facebook using the URL http://www.facebook.com/lizacordero.

What is your Facebook URL? Did you get the name you wanted? How slow did you find the website when you picked your username? Imagine how many million people was probably securing their names at the same time - WOW! Facebook has truly become quite an online influence.

Sending email alerts to companies to secure their trademarks was a nice touch too. It makes an organization feel that Facebook is truly looking out for them. And hopefully minimizes the law suits that need to be filed to obtain one's trademark from an opportunistic entity that would acquire it for profit. Thank you, Facebook and nice job on this one!

My only protest was the stipulation that you have to have one thousand fans to secure a username for your page - if I have a trademarked business name and I have a page for my business should I not be able to use it as a user friendly URL so I can attract a thousand or more fans to my Facebook page? That's my two cents anyway!

Happy networking, everyone! Enjoy your weekend!

Mavenlink: Get Your Projects Done

My husband and I have a small event planning and production business. There are events that require us to get professionals to help us out and we then rely on the recommendation of friends. The only problem with this setup is there are only a limited number of professionals in our friends’ networks.

Aside from our business, I work full time so there are many instances when I do not have the time to look for professionals. Also because we are a small start up company and the state of our economy – our budget is often smaller than most professionals would accept.

I recently heard about a company called Mavenlink which provides Online Consultants. You register your business for free and then post your project online. Qualified professionals on the Mavenlink network will then bid on your project. You dictate your project’s price and you get to choose the professional you want to award your project to – all without leaving the comforts of your office.

I think it’s a great resource for small businesses like ours. You save time and money while getting your project done by qualified and experienced individuals.

I also think it’s a great place to find freelance projects to create an added stream of income during these tough times. If you are a skilled professional with time to do extra projects from home, then you should check out Mavenlink!

Happy consulting!

Cash for Clunkers: Time to Buy a New Car?

The cash for clunkers legislation was passed yesterday. It paves the way for consumers to get up to $4,500 in exchange for their older vehicles when they trade it in for new and more fuel efficient models.

I learned about this legislation from a coworker who owns a 1999 Dodge Durango, which he keeps because it has been paid up for years now. The legislation has got him thinking about buying a new vehicle – as he has complained about his beloved truck being a gas guzzler – especially when the price of gas hit all time highs not too long ago.

When I read the description of this bill, I immediately think about the newly available hybrids – after all if you’re trading in a gas guzzler, your first thought probably is which is the most fuel efficient car in the market. My friends have always said that Honda usually is the most fuel efficient of the Japanese models so I read reviews about the new Honda civic hybrid. The review was not very encouraging as the Toyota Prius seem to be more fuel efficient and there were a lot of complains about the new design of the Honda Civic Hybrid.

Now I have a truck that comfortably seats five people, but when I have family over – we usually need a bigger vehicle. Still thinking about fuel efficiency, I looked at reviews for the Honda Odyssey - Honda’s minivan. Just like our truck, the Honda Odyssey is said to handle like a sedan and has no problem with acceleration, but in terms of city driving it is not very fuel efficient – only giving 16-17 mpg. This is a bit of a disappointment for me.

Other car makers that have hybrid models out include Pontiac and if you’re not yet sold on buying a hybrid you may want to look at smaller cars like the Scion tc - which I think is great for teenagers who are just learning how to drive.

Have I convinced you to trade your old gas guzzler yet? Do it for your wallet and the environment! Take this opportunity to find a more fuel efficient vehicle for you and your loved ones. And if you want more information about the car you're looking to buy, check out The Car Connection website - I find it truly helpful!

Sweet Baklava

Baklava is a layered sweet pastry made from phyllo dough, mixed nuts and honey or syrup. It is featured in the cuisines of Central Asia, Arab and Iranian countries.

I saw how it is made on TV once and have been curious ever since. A group of friends had lunch together after mass last Sunday and the restaurant we went to was right beside a Baklava Factory cafe.

After lunch, my husband and I decided to get a few baklavas to go. The pastry was very sweet, it was moist with syrup and the pastry crumbled when you bit into it. It was delicious and very very rich - one serving will be more than enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Great with coffee, it's truly a treat. If you've never tried this exotic dessert, I recommend it whole-heartedly. You must taste this sweet at least once in your life. Happy eating!

Twitter: Not Really Social

A Harvard study of 300,000 Twitter users found that the poster site for social media is actually not as social as we thought.

The study found that only 10% of Twitter users produce 90% of the content on the website - making it more of a broadcast technology rather than a place to connect and have conversation with friends. Most Twitter users are followers and would post as infrequently as once in 74 days. A typical social network would have 10% of its users producing 30% of its content - so that really is a big difference from Twitter's stats.

Interesting, huh? I must admit I tried using this in conjunction to this blog, but I find the 140 character limit too constricting for my tastes. But I do use it like an RSS reader because most of the bloggers I follow would post updates to their blog with links on Twitter. So I can browse the topics and click on what interests me.

Do you Twitter? Are you a follower or do people follow your tweets? Happy tweeting!

Simple Online Shopping Cart Tips

I was reading Website Magazine this morning and came across an article about shopping cart abandonment. I compile our company's weekly online store statistics and I do notice that although our web to store conversion is increasing, getting the store visitors to buy products is another matter all together.

Here are some of the tips the magazine recommended about your online shopping cart:

1. It is better to use "Add to Cart" as the label of the button than "Buy" or "Buy Now" so you don't turn away still uncommitted clients.
2. Make sure you make the button prominent, above the fold and easy to spot - I have been to online stores where I had to search for the "Add to Cart" button. The checkout button must be just as easy to find - and more prominent than the "Empty Cart" button.
3. It is better to have a persistent shopping cart - when the customer leaves and later comes back to purchase, having her items still in the cart will make her purchase decision easier than if she has to search for all her products again.
4. It is a best practice to display total cost of products plus shipping and tax before asking for payment information. I've been to a few sites who violate this rule - and I personally have felt wary about giving my payment information before I see the actual price I have to pay for my purchases.
5. Place your toll free number on the header of your website so that your customer may easily contact you for help with their purchase. This makes your customers feel that you truly care about their shopping experience.
6. Track your order conversion rate, when you change something in your shopping cart - take note of your baseline rate then see how it changes after you implement your improvements.
   

I must admit these are basic tips, but I find them quite enlightening. Do you have an online store? Does your shopping cart follow the guidelines listed above?

Good luck with your online business! I hope this little tidbit of information helps your business grow even in these hard times.

The Evolution of My Tools & My Trade

When I first started out learning about building websites, my professor made me use Notepad to code my HTML. The only way to see what I had designed was to upload it to a webserver and request its URL. My professor was very hard core, you see. He codes every chance he gets even at home – surely his wife does not appreciate that.

He was a great designer though and he was the one who encouraged me to go into programming – he discerned that I had the logic for it. When a friend I met in a chatroom started her own web development company, she called me and asked me if I would work for her.

At first I went into marketing our software products while I finished studying the Linux environment and the Java programming language, this was when I first used GUI-based software like photoshop for work. The company was developing PHP scripts, PHP was a language that back then was not even taught in schools. I had to study it at work when they promoted me to a web developer position. At this company we used UltraEdit – a cool text editor that color-coded your script. It was very handy when you were trying to debug lines and lines of code - as well as for scrubbing data - but it was still only a text editor.

It was only when I moved to the US that I finally got to work on dreamweaver. Because I am a programmer I still work on the code view most of the time, but I appreciate the convenience of the design view. Working with dreamweaver and dreamweaver extensions has made life a lot easier for me. It’s easier to visualize the design and my application. It’s a great tool for web developers and I would definitely recommend it to friends.

So that is the story of the evolution of my tools and my career. Do you have an evolution story too? Share it with us by leaving me a comment.

Nature Rocks on World Environment Day

Happy World Environment Day! I saw this website in a Live Earth newsletter. It contain tips on building stronger relationship with your family by connecting to nature.

In this time of recession, we continuously look for money saving tips especially during our kids' summer break. Why not try hiking or going on a picnic in a nearby park? I'm sure there are lots of local parks you have yet to explore.

Nature Rocks gives you tips and resources on organizing a cost-saving staycation that will make your family healthier while developing closer relationships with your loved ones. A truly great way to enjoy your summer break!

The Phantom at the Venetian: A Review

Sometimes I feel like I grew up on stage plays. My elementary school put together a musical every year - when I was there it was mostly Rodgers & Hammerstein productions. In high school, I wrote and directed stage plays and watched experimental theater. In college, one of my roommates at the boarding house I stayed in was a member of this experimental theater group and we watched most of their plays. My husband and I watched the Lion King in LA, at work we produce two productions annually - The Glory of Christmas and The Glory of Easter, our church just produced Savior of the New City, at nearby Disneyland we watched the production of Aladdin for my birthday and as a birthday gift to my husband we went to the Venetian last weekend to watch Phantom of the Opera.


I had already been impressed by the puppetry in the Lion King, the live animals in the Glories, the set design & sheer number of set changes in Aladdin - but if you were ever involved in stage production you have got to see Phantom of the Opera.

It is absolutely fantastic! The theatre is made to look like an opera house complete with box seats with figures dressed in period detail and the huge chandelier above the front seats. Their sets were extravagant and the transitions were quick & flawless. The way they depicted the underground river where the phantom lived with the candles was simply ingenius. The gargoyle where the phantom hid watching Christine with another man confused me at first, but when the phantom came out of hiding on it - ahhh, enlightenment! And of course the huge chandelier falling on the audience as a climax, WOW!


Aside from the production details they had a great cast. The phantom had just enough arrogance and domineering personality without overdoing it. At curtain call the cast was given a standing ovation by the delighted audience - and being ever the critic, I stood only when the phantom came out.

A wonderful story, beautiful music, amazing set design and marvelous actors - this play is a must-see for theater-lovers. Take dad out on a date this Father's Day - take him to watch the Phantom at the Venetian - or make it a romantic date with your significant other.

"Angel of music, guide and guardian
Grant me to your glory,
Angel of music, hide no longer
Secret and strange Angel."

Double Take Software: Making Storage Migration Simple

In web development working with a programming language that is portable doesn’t mean that migrating data and applications is painless and easy. When we redid our company website, we had to be at work before anyone else – at a time when I would normally still be in bed. We pulled down the site and went offline for an hour or so before we were able to put up our redesigned website.

We had to make sure no setting was making any of our applications malfunction. We had to make sure no data was lost. We had to make sure everything would work again at the end of it all. We didn’t want to hinder productivity when everyone came in to start their work day.

Databases and storage migration are especially scary to me. You're migrating production data, you better have a ton of backups while handling that one!

No sweat! My sponsor, Double Take Software, migrates and recovers essential data for you. Their technology doesn’t depend on hardware instead they do real-time data movement – with minimum impact on user productivity. The technology makes it possible for users to access data and applications even while it is being migrated – promising little or no downtime at all. Wow! Now that’s what I would call efficient.

It gives your administrators a break because of how easy it is to use. It will work on any Windows server, no matter what hardware is being used. You can use it to migrate between servers too!

Don’t gamble with your data. Try Double Take Software today!

Hotel Review: Trump Las Vegas

I got an email from Donald Trump yesterday thanking me for staying at Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas and asking me to do a customer satisfaction survey. I think this is a nice touch - and a good way to find out what you need to improve in your business.

I named my price at Priceline.com and got this five star hotel on the strip at a great rate. We drove into the registration and was told that there was no self-parking at the facility. You had to wait for someone to take your bags in a cart for delivery to your room after you register.

We were in Vegas to watch the Phantom at the Venetian, which was not too far away. We had tickets to the 7 PM show. The clock in our room was 15 minutes late, the valet was so busy it took a long time to get our car. The show had started when we came in.

Going back to the hotel, the valet staff had three rows of cars to park and no space for us to pull into. We had to wait a few minutes to get our car in line. When we went to our room, there was a problem with our bed. We called front desk to send someone up to fix the problem, but they had no one available that late so they offered to transfer us to a different room by phone - no one even came to see what was wrong. Saturday night was probably their busiest night, but surely their staff should know how to handle unexpected situations.

Sunday night was better, it was then that I realized the level of service they wanted to provide. There were no lines in the valet. Someone opened my car door for me, opened the hotel doors and showed us in. The concierge was very helpful as well, and her name was Angel - isn't that cute?

We loved the room, it was spacious and well decorated. The bathroom was the jackpot in this set up. There was a big jacuzzi tub, a separate shower that can probably fit six people, an in-mirror TV and lots of great stonework. There was no way you'd call the place cramped - even the closets were huge! We had a view of the Strip from our room on the 51st floor - the Wynn, Encore, Treasure Island and the Palazzo specifically. We were right across the street from the Fashion Show Mall. The hotel definitely had a great location.

Overall, it was a relaxing place to stay. It was clean and posh. Even the toiletries from the spa smelled like perfume instead of the usual generic scent! I would stay here again and recommend it to friends - hopefully they have a bigger staff on busy nights next time.

Happy traveling!

Save Your Summer: Get Rid of Mosquitoes

Summer is my favorite time of the year because I get to spend time outdoors. I love swimming in the pool, walking down the beach or just spending time in a beautifully landscaped garden. My husband and I also love barbecues and summer is the time of the year when we can barbecue outside and try out great recipes.

Summer unfortunately is also the time when mosquitoes continue to threaten your outdoor escapades. Mosquito bites are not only irritating, mosquitoes are also disease carriers and may cause your family real harm.

I hate the chemical smell of sprays that promise to keep mosquitoes off you – already having to deal with sunblocks adding another layer of chemicals on a really hot day is not really pleasant. An alternative way of dealing with mosquitoes are mosquito traps.

My sponsor, Mosquito Magnet, fools the mosquitoes by making them think it is human by releasing carbon dioxide and attractants into the air. It then sucks them in like a vacuum to die inside the trap. This mosquito trap is so effective it can eliminate mosquito populations in your yard all year long. Isn't that great?

Save your glorious summer season and keep your family healthy by getting rid of the mosquitoes in your yard. Stay safe and have lots of fun this summer!

Father's Day Gift Idea: Hummingbird Feeder

When we visited my grandfather's farm, my father would listen patiently for bird calls and he would identify each different type of bird to me. It was amazing to me that he knew all the bird calls – my father loves birds and he believes that they should be allowed to live in the wild free from the pet store cages.

One of the most amazing birds I’ve ever seen is the hummingbird. This small bird can hover around our garden by flapping their wings at a rate of 12-90 times per second. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. They have been known to fly at speeds faster than 34 miles per hour. They are called hummingbirds because of the sound their wings make and not because they actually hum. They are great pollinators so are very garden-friendly.

My father would most definitely enjoy having these birds travel through his garden. And no, they don’t need to be in a cage for him to see them! With hummingbird feeders filled with nectar and ready for them – you can give the bird lover in your family a great view of this magnificent little creature.And they now come in various designs to fit your bird lover’s personality or sense of style.

Is your father a bird lover like mine? Father’s day is just around the corner. Hummingbird feeders would make special and very unique Father’s Day gifts.

Happy shopping everyone!