Category: Classic BZ

Posted on

BEAT THE BOREDOM BLUES Feed Your Inspirational Fire!

orange and red flames of fire

10 Activities for Having Fun

During these unprecedented times there’s so much worry: our health, family and friends…our future. As we continue to stay at home as much as possible, why not use the time to improve our physical and mental well-being?

KEEP YOUR SANITY!

Try engaging yourself in some type of creative adventure while waiting for life to return to normalcy.

Your spare time is a gift. Use it productively!

Use the list below as a guide and make a commitment to having fun.

1. START A NEW HOBBY – BE CREATIVE

hands on table painting flowers in watercolors
Discover something new about yourself

Fishing, golfing, knitting or painting. The list is endless. You may discover a hidden talent!

2. WRITE A LETTER

…a simple text message or email will do.

Keep in touch with family and friends or even better, contact an old acquaintance. Let them know you were thinking of them…make their day.

3. WATCH A MOVIE

…and more! Don’t forget there’s some great documentaries and concerts available too. What better way to experience a ‘live’ show but from the comfort of your own living room.

4. SPEND TIME OUTDOORS – TAKE A WALK  

mom and son walking along path through woods with sun shining
Teach. Learn. Enjoy.

Breathing fresh air is not the only benefit of time spent outdoors. There’s so much more to see and experience when being outside. A simple walk through your neighborhood or a local park can be invigorating. Take the kids on a hike through a State Park and let them experience firsthand, the beauty of nature and wildlife.

5. TRY A NEW RECIPE

chef squeezing juice onto exotic foods cooking over an open fire
Open fire cooking of exotic foods

Whether you’re grilling outdoors over an open fire or using the microwave in the kitchen…try cookin’ up something new. Search through that recipe box or take a chance with an online recipe. Either way, stepping out of your food comfort zone could be a pleasant surprise for your taste buds. Have a s’mores for dessert!

6. START A HOME PROJECT – DE-CLUTTER THE GARAGE

Since you’re going to be home for a while, why not save some money and paint the house or at least one room. Remodel the bathroom or install a new kitchen floor. Cleanup that garage and you’ll be sure to find things you forgot you owned!

7. GARDENING – LANDSCAPING

plants and vegetables in a raised garden
Eat what you grow

Enjoy the fruits of your labor…literally. There’s something about planting seeds and watching patiently as Mother Nature brings to life wonderful, fresh foods. Add trees, plants and foliage to your landscape. It’s not only great exercise, but it also adds value to your property.

8. READ

With all the gadgets available today, there’s no excuse for not reading. Your cell phone, a tablet, Kindle, ipad, laptop and yes, an actual book – they all offer a means for becoming engaged with words. Be captivated by an action thriller or fall in love with the characters of a romance story. Reading reduces stress!

9. EXERCISE

girl on yoga mat exercising
Exercise – good for both mind and body

Keep your body (and mind) active (and lose a few pounds too). Starting a simple routine such as stretching in the mornings and at night before bedtime has been proven to improve muscle tone and mental awareness too! Do something healthy for yourself.

10. START A FIRE

feet with sandals by a roaring wood fire on beach
Dream…

Relax, unwind and become inspired…enjoy the dancing flames of a fire.

When you’ve had enough of the bad news from the TV and things seem to be out of control, stop and make the time for a bit of slow living and enjoy the companionship of a traditional wood fire. You’ll feel compelled to dream, escaping from the stress of the day. Nothing beats the familiar crackle of an open fire and it gets even better when you’ve got the camaraderie of friends and family to share it with.

So there you have it…no more excuses for boredom, only ideas for inspiration!

Keep your mind healthy and active by trying new things. Hopefully they may serve as a foundation for other beneficial activities.

What other ideas are there for spending time creatively? Feel free to share. I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy your spare time. Use it wisely.

Stay safe,

BZ

Sign up for my FREE Newsletter HERE. Enjoy home and outdoor tips as well as exclusive offers.

Like us on Facebook HERE.

Posted on

UNWIND – RELAX – LET GO – DREAM!

girl enjoying cup of coffee next to woodstove

Slow down and let your imagination come to life. 

Here’s a true story on how a “FIRE can INSPIRE”

Outside it was cold and wet as I gathered kindling to start the fire. The early evening grew dark and the moisture of the woods wet the surface of my clothes. I was anxious to get warm as I hurried to light the twigs and paper spread beneath the logs. With a stack of dry oak and a strong need for some peace of mind, I fed the fire till it roared.

“I had the worries-of-a-day weighing heavy on my mind and I knew exactly how I was going to let them go”

As the fire took hold and burned without help, I soon began to feel relaxed. The heat from the flames eased its way through the dampness and began to warm my face, then hands. The pops, crackle and sizzle of the burning wood echoed into the woods as I became mesmerized with the glow of the fire. The stress that had clouded my day was now slowly evaporating. It disappeared into thin air like the hot ashes circling up the heat funnel off the flames. It’s a Winter’s evening, outdoors, and now there’s a blazing campfire. This was a good night. With the worries of my day now taking a back seat, magically my world became a much better place. I continued to gaze into the glowing waves of reddish-orange heat and I began to dream… good thoughts, became my only thoughts.

Become inspired.

Choose to hang out with a fire once in a while. Discover its power, and the mystery of how it brightens your spirit.

The firepit outside, the chimenea on your patio or indoors with a woodstove, or fireplace…enjoy the flames. Experience how easily the chaos of life disappears while your body relaxes and the fire inspires.

BZ

Visit The BZ Blog often. New articles appear on a regular basis. 

Stay updated with our Newsletter! Enjoy exclusive offers for our email list only. Get the newsletter HERE

Posted on

CAN THAT TREE HIT YOUR HOUSE?

uprooted tree laying on damaged porch of house

NO DOUBT. TREES ARE ESSENTIAL TO LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.

They provide shade from the hot rays of the sun. They supply food and oxygen. Trees contribute raw materials for buildings, books and thousands of other products. They also add value to our homesteads by beautifying the landscape in and around our neighborhoods. But despite the many perks we enjoy from having those large, leafy, woody-massed plants occupying the space around our property, we must be realistic and know that they are prone to falling down. Unfortunately, trees can be unsafe, posing potential dangers that need to be addressed.

INSPECT THOSE TREES!

Take the time to evaluate the trees that are close to your home, or any other structure like a detached garage or storage shed. Those particular trees could be hazardous to your valuable property. Do you park your car underneath a tree that is slowly dying from an unknown disease? Or maybe your kids’ swing set in the backyard is sitting beneath a large branch waiting to fall with the next heavy rain. Hopefully all you may need to do is trim the tree of some dead or unwanted limbs. Maintain the tree now, before it costs you later… (btw, if you haven’t already, download our FREE “Trees We Need” e-book. Starting on page 157 of the book, it provides information on proper pruning and care for trees that “need attention”).

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME:

Below is a picture of the tree that damaged my steel structure. I knew better. I should have felled it way before a windstorm blew it down. The tree was totally dead; its bark was dried out from the trunk on up and with no leaves and very few branches, it was doomed to fall. I walked past this tall, woody monstrosity just about every day for a year or so, telling myself “I’ll get to it when I have time”. Mother Nature beat me to it, she took the tree down and at my expense.

If there are any trees located on or near your property, it would be wise to evaluate their condition. Are they slowly dying? Is the root system in solid ground? Are there dead branches waiting to fall and cause damage to what lies beneath?  Can that tree fall and damage your house?!

Before signing off, I’d like to provide a really cool tip that can be useful if you have trees on or near your property. This handy “tip” is called The Stick Trick. Along with graphics, it is explained in detail in the first issue of our Wood Burner Pro Newsletter. Be sure to check it out, the information is invaluable especially if you’re a homeowner. To sign up for our free newsletter, use the form on the right sidebar of this blog page, or go to the FREE STUFF page.

BZ

Have any tree stories you would like to share? Leave a comment! We would love to hear from you.

Keep up with us. Visit The BZ Blog often. We are continuously posting new, interesting and informative articles.

Posted on

HE’S NOT A WOOD BURNER

man with sunglasses and grey Weimaraner dog

HE’S HARMLESS

He’s got quite the charisma as he greets you with his signature “howl and growl”. With paws the size of Texas, he likes to show them off at face level while he “double high fives”.  Sometimes scary, yea – but to know him, he’s harmless. This four-pawed, puppy-hearted, bouncing-of-a-ball personality has some good looks too, as he dances and flaunts his gray, short-haired fur coat when he’s filled with excitement. Continue reading HE’S NOT A WOOD BURNER