CC BY by wonder_vision

Tarps – Your Versatile Outdoor Friend

Tarps are undoubtedly one of the most versatile protective tools available today, serving a multitude of purposes for a multitude of people. Whether you want to protect people or belongings from the harsh rigors of the outdoors, tarps are the ultimate in protective gear. If you’re not sure whether a tarp has a place around your home or garden, take a quick look at just some of the many purposes to which a tarp can be put.

Tarps are the ideal home improvement accessory, allowing you to protect almost anything you need to store outdoors while you work on your home. A whole host of your important belongings, from rugs and carpets to furniture and decorative items, can be safely protected from hail, rain or sunshine under your trusty tarp.

Tarps are also the perfect way to protect even things that belong outside, from garden furniture to bicycles and motorbikes. Tarps are a great way to protect the contents of your truck or trailer, keeping items protected and secure whether you are parked or in motion.

There are other ways to keep your tarps busy outdoors too. Tarps are a wonderful gardening tool, allowing you protect your plants during cold snaps, or simply while they get a secure foothold in your garden. Tarps are the ideal way to protect playing surfaces too, so those of you who like to play a little ball out back, you really have to get yourself a tarp!

And it’s not only inanimate objects that can be protected by the reliable tarp – these versatile items can be used for creating great tents, or can even be used as awnings. Depending on the type of tarp you choose, you can create a UV protective barrier that can keep your whole family out of the sun’s harmful rays while enjoying all the pleasures of being outdoors.

Tarps are the ideal protective device, and available in a wide range of materials, including mesh, plastic and canvas, finding the right one for you is easy. And with prices starting as low as only $10, you know that with a tarp, you simply can’t go wrong. There are even Realtree tarps available to blend in with the outdoors!

Source: Flickr

The Fourth of July is America’s Independence Day. It is a special day in the minds and hearts of patriotic citizens of this country and there are many ways we celebrate that patriotism. If you are looking for a little something extra to add to your Independence Day menu try some of the ideas below. Remember that the red, white, and blue of the American flag can be excellent color additions to your fabulous fourth menu and make it definitely firework worthy.

It is fairly safe to say that for most of the country the weather on the fourth of July is going to be a little bit on the warm side. While there are exceptions to every rule this is the general rule of thumb. For this reason you should prepare your menu according to that and avoid foods that are going to melt quickly or will not look as appealing in warm weather. You should also take proper precautions for storage and keeping things from spoiling by leaving them out in the elements too long. Store as much of the food as possible until it is time to serve.

This may somewhat limit your offerings but opens the door to other offerings. Rather than have chilled pies for dessert choose cake that can be stored at room temperature. There are sure to be a few chilled recipes or dishes that are best served and/or stored chilled. Be sure to have plenty of cold gel packs or ice on hand and plenty of ice chests and other appropriate containers, especially if you are going to be camping or cooking out away from home, on hand to take care of at least the amount of food you are contributing that needs cold storage.

If you are going to be camping out or enjoying the great outdoors on the fourth consider foods that can be prepared with a Dutch oven. There are many great recipes and these foods can pretty well cook for the prescribed length of time and served immediately if you plan properly. These ovens are quite useful and can prepare everything from cakes and muffins to stews, chili, and roast beef with vegetables. In other words, a Dutch oven opens doors that may not be widely available to the average camper on a cookout.

Foil packet meals are also excellent choices for your Fourth of July cookouts. These leave little mess, little fuss, and more often than not taste great. Dishes such as Hobo Stew and Creek Bank Potatoes are very popular and quite savory for the average cook out. They are also rather simple to prepare with few ingredients. This makes them an excellent choice for cooking on a grill or even in a Dutch oven if you have one at your disposal, which I highly recommend not only for Fourth of July meal preparations but also any time you are cooking in the great outdoors. You might find that you love it so much you don’t want to do without it.

Another great tip when cooking away from home on the Fourth of July is to keep things simple. You do not want to lug around stacks of condiments, dishes, bowls, trays, etc. Keep things as simple as possible and try to use dishes that require few ingredients yet still taste great. The more simple things are when dining in the great outdoors the more you can appreciate the simplicity of being in the great outdoors.

Don’t forget the appeal of simple hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats as great Fourth of July meal ideas. These foods are easy to prepare, easy to clean up, and go great with chips. No muss, no fuss, remember? The less time you spend on meal preparations, the more time you have available to get around to enjoying your time in our great countryside. I can’t think of many better ways to celebrate our independence as a nation than by enjoying it.