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Costco Love


Teak patio set (Costco) with newly arrived patio umbrella (Costco). In foreground is Smith & Hawken portable firepit.
Posted by Hello

I researched umbrellas for awhile before purchasing. I found a lot of nice umbrellas locally and online, but didn’t see any prices I liked until I checked Costco. My taste runs on the teak & Sunbrella side, but my budget can’t always support my impeccable taste…

Along with this rectangular off-white umbrella for the back (Olefin fabric), I got a round 9 footer with black Sunbrella fabric for the front yard sitting area. Both umbrellas have a metal pole with faux wood-grain pattern (ew!) and a beige plastic ball on top (ew!). The overall effect is still pretty and quite umbrellariffic. The total cost for both umbrellas was around the same as one umbrella at most other stores I checked. Did I mention how much I love Costco? How else would I have been able to afford teak dining sets?

BTW, the crank mechanism on both and the tilt mechanism on the round umbrella work great! Super easy and impressive technology.

One minor disappointment: The rectangular umbrella got to spinnin’ a bit in today’s breeze. Wouldn’t be such a big deal on a round umbrella, but it is on this rectangular one. Will have to find some way to stabilize it.

Impulse Purchase


Impulse purchase of the day… Went to Home Depot for some Round Up (yes, I’m mostly organic except for Round Up) and came home with this planter (around $28). In it I planted a 1-gallon purple fountain grass (Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’), a 1-gallon Angelonia angustifolia and 3 lovely 4″ ‘Lemon Symphony’ Osteospermums. The fountain grass needs to gain some height and girth, but I can already tell the combo is gonna be great.
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The landscapers are done!


All I have to do now is plant an aesthetically pleasing yet quite edible landscape. 😉

For now, I’m having fun putting up birdfeeders. Thanks to Cheryl at Wild Bird Center on Sunrise Blvd., I now have the ultimate hummingbird feeder (not too big, not too small, easy to clean, dome cover, ant trap), a really nice seed feeder (with already shelled sunflower seeds), and a refillable niger thistle sock. I can’t wait for the birds to discover their new eatery!
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Clearly, I need more “arms” for my birdfeeder pole. I’m workin’ on that…