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Yard Ornaments Galore! Part 2THE FOUR SEASONS
Let’s take a tour of present-day America by mystically traveling through the four seasons of the year. Of course, if you’re from one of the southern states, then you’ve only got two seasons of the year, but what the heck! There’s so much to see! This could get exciting. Winter Happy Holidays: Drive down selective urban streets and see a brilliant display of holiday lights. I feel festive just thinking about all those colorful twinkling lights! Snowmen and sleighs, bells and boughs of holly hanging like friendly Marleys.
Yes, we now have one more thing to blame Christmas for; the root of the outdoor frenzied decoration spree. It began here, the frenzy, far ago in the annals of time. The festive holiday season birthed an army of elves, ornaments, bows, ribbons, bells and ethnic Santas – something perhaps unimaginable by the cave people who began so simply with their decorating efforts. Sure, our forefathers used to hang out colorful patriotic flags and our mothers hung up those silly empty coffee cans to lure birds into thinking they were getting the perfect winter home, but the all-out gush of decorating stems from the Christmas holidays. ‘Tis the Season. If you’ve never taken a vehicle voyage through a festive light display it’s a definite must. It’s right up there on the list with, ’I want to swim the Red Sea before I die’. How do you know when you’re near your destination? When you see what appears to be the sun of a new day skimming over the horizon you’re probably within ten miles of the light display. Once a mortal passes these gates they are locked in a true wonderland. If you decide to add this item as a ‘to do’ on your Christmas list, try visiting a display that incorporates water. The displays that jut over lakes add new beauty to the twinkling lights. Another thing that’s great about light displays is the colder the weather, the better. For some reason, if it’s not cold it’s just not Christmas. Be sure and take along the kids. They’ll marvel when they seen the giant elves; they’ll be dazzled by all the twinkling of the lights; they’ll know it’s Christmas because if the spirit of Christmas isn’t found here, it’s MIA.
The massive light displays are merely the center of the octopus. The tentacles reach through neighborhoods and most every house has a bough of holly, a wreath and a flamingo with a jingle bell looped around its neck in celebration of the festive season. During this time, the flamingo must share space with a rather bulged-out reindeer crafted of strong grapevine. It’s brotherhood, mankind and peace on earth. These days, much is accepted. It’s not unusual to catch a glimpse of Santa Clause kneeling in jubilant adulation, hands folded over an illuminated plastic baby Jesus. Twenty years ago that would have been considered blasphemy. However, most individuals that decorate the yard for the holiday season tend to set distinct themes, culling out any hint of an item that might not coincide with what they are trying to accomplish. The Magi scene seems to rise in popularity every Christmas season. The Manger scene is perhaps the most popular with Santa, carolers, angels, stars and bells following close behind. Cartoon characters are slowing emerging in the cycle. Icicle lights are another popular item. Although barely in their infancy, these very beautiful and delicate lights have made a huge hit. Some people like them so well that they leave them on their homes all year round. It’s like having a roof with a ruffle. Spring
Stick-signs are becoming very popular too. The Bunny Stops Here and Cadbury Beats Energizer could very well become Easter fashion statements. These statements are posted generally on wood and attached to a stave that you beat into the ground. Be careful where you pound; an old Saint Joseph could still be buried beneath (detailed explanation to follow). Wind Songs: Spring announces rebirth of spirit and nature. People awake from hibernation and go outdoors to fly kites, grill and decorate their yards. Some of the more popular wind items include windsocks, windchimes, windbells & windmills. And you’ll probably have a lot more success flying a windsock than you will a kite. Flower Power: Beautiful ordinate pots in all shapes, colors and sizes can be purchased at your local garden center or supermart store. Some specialty shops carry plaster spikes that you can anchor inside of your pot for decoration. Generally, the spikes emulate animals or something pertaining to your garden.
Flowers in hanging baskets are hugely popular in springtime. If your weather is very unpredictable you’ll have to use a little extra care by either covering them from the cold or bringing them into the house until it warms again. They are definitely worth the extra effort. A basket of colorful petunias will brighten the frame of a house much faster than a new coat of paint. A very unusual yard ornament is a wheelbarrow that’s been painted in a bright neon orange, red or fushia, then filled with dirt and set in flowers. You can even get away with building a scarecrow and attaching his hands to the handles. Anything goes these days; remember, it’s the new millennium. Save your scarecrow; he’ll come in very handy once you’ve seeded your summer garden. Bath a la mode: Cammodes, old bathtubs and sinks have been in fashion for several years. Throw nothing away; recycle, recycle, recycle – it’s the code of the planet. Your commode will never look lovelier potted (literally) with pansies and baby’s breath. Feeding Frenzy: Many outdoor décor items are beneficial to both man and beast. Some of the more practical considerations include bird feeders, birdbaths, bat houses, Marlin houses, hummingbird feeders and butterfly houses. One thing to remember is that water is just as important to the little critters as food, so if you set out a house then put some water nearby. Imagine it was you eating all that stale bread someone tossed out for you, with no water. These houses are great for attracting animals into your backyard and when the little animals take up residence, you’ll want to make sure they stay. Plan on purchasing decorative feeders and keep them full year-round. Summer July 4th: Summer always hits with a bang. There’s nothing like a Fourth of July picnic on one of the more practical pieces of yard décor – your pic-a-nic table. So many styles are available, too – from traditional redwood to contractor’s cement. Both are guaranteed to stand up to the weight of your twenty-pound grilled brisket and thirty-pound watermelon; no guarantee on the mother-in-law. One tip regarding the cement version. Preplan and enlist a lot of help for this one. It’s wise to make thy neighbor very indebted to you just before you go shopping. They’ll feel obligated to assist you in getting ‘the crete’ home. Some seating suggestions to accompany their efforts can be found later in this article. Shrubby Art: Shrubs haven’t been the same since the movie Edward Scissorhands. One of the most spectacular ways of dressing up your yard is through Shrub Art. Most types of hedge, fern or moss tend to be very cooperative once you get your pattern going in the shape you want. Pigs and swans rank very high as preferred choices. Many educational institutions offer Shrub Art as a continuing education topic. Classes tend to be very economical. Lantern Lighting: If you’ve left your lantern lights strung across your deck or patio for the last thirty years, don’t take them down now. You’re suddenly back in style. If you’re still wearing your hip huggers, you’ll be pleased to know that they too have careened back in style. So dig out that old mood ring, pour up some pink fizzies and enjoy the night sky under the faint, yet colorful, illumination of your lantern lighting. You’ll feel like Austin Powers with pretty teeth. Citronella Magic: Your patio may resemble a village, but bamboo holders work wonders in keeping away nasty mosquitoes when you burn citronella in them. Citronella candles can also be purchased in jars that can be spaced in the seating area of your backyard. You can light as many as you like and go from resembling a village to a Kung Fu movie set. I’m Porch-Swinging in the Rain, Chaise-ing Away my Blues: Porch swings and beautiful, yet practical chaises are a must for your yard. A hammock is also a very nice addition, but you’ll want to hang it in a private spot or it’s totally wasted. What’s life without a spectacular sunny Saturday, a six-pack of cola and a copy of Field & Stream as you space out in your hammock?
Some other ideas for fabulous lawn furniture include sturdy tables with full blown umbrellas, accent tables for those wandering drinks, and a couple of plastic fold-up lawn chairs for your nosey neighbors that seem to pop in at the most inconvenient times. (Hint: This is the promised tip – your reward for the assisted delivery.) Other fond yard items include tent cabanas and gazebos – not really classified as furniture but these are great spots to decorate inside with your furniture. Here Comes the Sun: Mystic sundials not only make beautiful yard decorations but add dimension as a conversation piece. There’s an added advantage; if your electricity fails you’ll still know what time it is. Garden & Yard Greeters: Your local dollar store generally carries some of the most adorable additions to your garden. A wide variety of plaques that welcome people to your garden add warmth to your project. They also identify, such as: ‘Welcome to my garden’ or ’No Bad Seeds’, and the one plaque that’s becoming extremely popular with gardeners, ’Step on my plants and I’ll kill ya’. A dollar store or a five-and-dime are also some of the best spots to obtain ‘ring holders’. These are specially crafted items, such as a crow with an open beak; you store your rings and other jewels there while you work in your garden. Just remember to retrieve your jewels before retreating inside the house. Most birds are drawn to sparkly items. Fall Halloween: Some of the signs of Halloween include mummies, werewolves, goblins, ghouls, witches and vampire flamingos. Vampire flamingoes? Nonetheless, Halloween has become one of the most popular times of the year to decorate outdoors, superceded only by Christmas and the Fourth of July. Drive down any suburban street during this spooky season and catch glimpses of pumpkin-lined driveways, scarecrows bent by the new winds of the north, broomsticks supporting ugly witches with crooked noses and large nostrils - more flared than any horse you’ve ever seen. Some of the more crafty people go as far as to resurrect haunted houses on their front lawns. Even with the swift rise of inflation, people continue to explode with the decorating dementia, luring costumed-clad children to their abode to collect kitchen goodies and treats. They even light the pathways with strewn orange, yellow and black twinkling Halloween lights. Thanksgiving: You can predict that it’s Thanksgiving just by taking a long country drive in the fall. Farmers have remodeled their harvest of hay, transforming round rolls into jack-o-lantern faces and turkeys. Talk about cute!
Click Here to Continue to part 3 | Part 1 | Part 2 Click Here to Return to American Outback |
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Hippity-Hoppity: Easter brings lots of space for
yard décor ideas! So much to do, so little time. Easter lights in bright shades
of pastels can rarely be seen, though over the past couple of years ‘the brave
people’ seem to be displaying their Easter décor more boldly. You haven’t lived
until you’ve glimpsed a gnarled half-naked cedar tree decked out in vivid paper
meche’ Easter eggs. 
