Ara > Seasonal   

(ARA) - When Bambi invites all his friends to dinner, make sure it's not in your yard. If you don't protect your landscaping, Bambi and his friends will be crunching tulips like candy and popping peas right off the vine. You can bet they'll be stealing your prize tomatoes this summer and munching your mums in the fall.

(ARA) - Summer is the perfect time to enjoy outdoor recreation and commune with nature. No matter which coast you reside on -- the Atlantic or the Pacific -- or somewhere in the middle, near a lake or a pond, a shoreline picnic is a perfect retreat. Picnics are a great way to reconnect with family and friends. Lovers are synonymous with picnics, especially when a proposal or anniversary is cause for celebration.

(ARA) - Summer means making memories with friends and loved ones. There are more cameras at summer events than there are at a movie premiere, and you'll want to look your best while you beat the heat.

(ARA) - Americans love hamburgers ... that's a fact. An estimated 1.5 billion pounds of ground beef become those favored burgers cooked at home each year. Whether it's gas versus charcoal, with cheese or without, every burger fan has a different opinion about what makes the perfect patty.

(ARA) - Between running the daily car pool, business meetings and planning family meals, it can be very difficult for today's busy mom to keep the home clean and organized. While moms do their best to survive today's fast-paced lifestyle, there are simple steps to get homes back in tip-top shape and revitalize living spaces.

(ARA) - When faced with financial challenges like those posed by the recent economic downturn, American families tend to react to their decreased discretionary dollars by getting "back to basics." They pursue different leisure activities and ones that offer quality time that can bring them closer together.

(ARA) - There are few summer pastimes more honored than backyard grilling and entertaining. But before you fire up the grill for your next bash or weeknight dinner, you should learn how to properly select and grill fresh fish to perfection.

(ARA) - Summer fashion always calls for bright, fun colors that are a welcome relief after a long winter of black and gray. However, those bright summer clothes come at a cost -- more maintenance and tricky summertime stains. There are tricks you can use to keep your favorite summer clothes looking as fresh and bright in September as they did in May.

(ARA) - Economic uncertainty has many families skipping expensive vacations and opting for so-called "staycations" in their own backyards. They're cooking, camping and enjoying outdoor activities right at home, making their lawns the perfect spot for an oasis of fun and relaxation.

(ARA) - In Mexico, the heart of the family resides in the kitchen where friends and family share the comforts of great, flavorful meals. A number of influences from Mexican and Latin culture have affected Americans in how we celebrate, cook and eat. And more of us, no matter what heritage, are spending more time dining at home with our families. With the popularity of Mexican and Latin dishes on the rise, you can celebrate spending time with family while enjoying an authentic Mexican meal in your own kitchen.

(ARA) - Every season has its signature scents and summer is no exception. What summer scent stimulates your senses? Is it freshly mown grass? Or perhaps the faint smell of coconut that makes you think of sunscreen and summer afternoons at the beach? Or even the fragrant hint of lavender or rose from the flower garden?

(ARA) - From backyard barbecues and pool parties to cultivating your landscaping and "recession garden," summer fun is even better when shared with others ... except when that group includes some unwelcome critters.

(ARA) - Summer 2009 may be a bit less dry than last year in some areas of the country, according to the National Weather Service's Seasonal Drought Outlook. But it still makes sense, both environmentally and economically, to conserve water as much as possible in your gardening and landscaping efforts.

(ARA) - Lawns and gardens that are eye-catching have harmonious colorful plants in bloom and dramatic foliage varieties patterned in a way that appeals to the senses.

(ARA) - Bird watching is one of the fastest-growing hobbies in the country. It's easy, inexpensive and relaxing. Best of all, wild birds are beautiful and fascinating to watch. They're also wonderful to listen to, and with more than 800 species in North America alone, there is something for everyone.

(ARA) - During warm-weather months, you have a primitive urge to clean up, clean out, and re-arrange your living space. Maybe it was easy for our forebears to clean out their caves, but for many of us it becomes a real challenge.

(ARA) - What's the best way to get picky eaters to enjoy good-for-you foods? Get kids involved in preparing meals and snacks. Experts agree that when children lend a hand (or two) in meal preparation, they are much more likely to eat what they're proud to have helped make.

(ARA) - Instead of spending on pricey vacations, more Americans are turning to money-saving alternatives in their own backyards. Upgrading or adding a deck is a great way to take advantage of outdoor living spaces.

(ARA) - Many American families will forego the traditional summer vacation travel this year and spend more time than ever making home-spun fun in the sun at the backyard barbecue. But if your version of barbecuing involves the same old fare and familiar flavors, it's time to spice up your old standby.

(ARA) - The summer season brings about visions of relaxing vacations, backyard barbecues and kids riding bicycles. These scenes hardly invoke tension, yet summer always arrives with its share of stress.

(ARA) - After a long winter of hard work, inclement weather, schoolbooks and bad news on the economy, who couldn't use a break this summer? The recession probably has many American families reconsidering their summer vacation plans, but with some smart travel strategies, it is possible for the whole family to enjoy a budget-friendly summer getaway.

(ARA) - For sheer skin-crawling summer creepiness, few experiences beat a tick bite. But worse than the unpleasant surprise of discovering you've been bitten by a tick are the health risks that come with the bite.

(ARA) - Even if you, like many Americans, are staying close to home this summer, you don't have to miss out on warm-weather indulgences. Despite lingering financial concerns, simple summer splurges still abound.

(ARA) - Warm weather is here and it's time to update your beauty routine for summer. Why not take some inspiration from warm weather's renewal theme and refresh your beauty regimen?

(ARA) - Warm weather arrives with the melodic chipping of songbirds preparing their nests. What? Can't hear them? The steady rumble of lawn mowers not only drowns out nature's melodies, it disturbs wildlife and sleeping neighbors, and is an unhealthy source of summertime air pollution.

(ARA) - As summer draws near and warm weather arrives, the summer entertaining season will be here before you know it. And now more than ever, people are looking for economical ways to entertain at home while maintaining their own signature style.

(ARA) - Between conference calls, cooking dinner and clipping coupons, women are escaping to the outdoors this summer for an everyday oasis from stress.

(ARA) -- Warm weather has arrived, which means you're shedding clothing and looking for ways to lose some of those extra pounds that accumulated while you hibernated away the winter months.

(ARA) - The traditional week at the beach house is out of the budget, thanks to the recession. And you're not too keen on spending $50 per person to visit the local amusement park.

(ARA) - Weather forecasters are predicting that the 2009 hurricane season will be a "relatively normal" one for U.S. coastal areas, with a good chance that six to eight hurricanes will form in the Atlantic basin. Although hurricane season starts in June, activity usually peaks in September.