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Have you been wanting to buy a portable handheld GPS or portable GPS navigator but just didn’t know quite what you were going to use it for? You may even have friends who own one, but you’re still unsure? These devices are great tools that provide a huge array of ways to get the most use out of them. Take a look at some of the fun (and practical) ways to make the most of these fun GPS gadgets:

1. Driving. This is one of the most common and practical ways a GPS device can be used for especially with with mapping software. The software allows you to navigate to and from specific destinations by choosing the shortest distance, or fastest routes. It can get you from one place to another and can even allow you to choose to avoid toll roads, avoid major highways, and have it recalculate to a different route than the one you are currently on. Finding necessities like fuel and food near your current location are also added perks. Do you need to go to the restroom? Yes, just check your GPS and you can find the closest the restroom! Now how cool is that?

2. Kayaking and Boating. Using a portable GPS navigator in boating is beneficial to mark favorite fishing spots, a favorite landing point, a great scenic view that you may want to return to, or to navigate to and from your Kayak put in spot. Once you get out in the water, it is easy to loose your way as it all looks the same unless you have a land mark. A GPS unit will allow you to navigate back the exact same way you went out. Most of the GPS systems also have a Man Overboard feature. If by chance someone falls overboard or you loose equipment (fishing rods, etc.) you can mark the spot and go exactly back to the same location.

3. Hiking. A portable handheld GPS can be used in hiking to mark a trail head, a favorite location along a well-used trail, mark your campsite, trail tracking through the backlog, navigate toward previous marked points, and track your speed, distance, elevation, and much more. A GPS in the wilderness is almost a must and it can actually save your life. There are many stories of hikers getting injured on their journey and by being able to provide the coordinates of their location, rescue help found them quickly.

4. In an Airplane. Only for fun. While flying commercial , you can track the distance to your destination, see how high you are flying, how fast the plane is traveling, and even where you are currently flying over. Make sure to adhere to any regulations about portable electronic devices.

5. Geocaching. A worldwide high tech game of hide and seek, geocaching is a great hobby. Players use their GPS to find treasures, or geocaches, hidden by others with user-posted latitude and longitude coordinates. This recreational sport has only been around for a short time, but is definitely growing in popularity. There are probably a few geocaches within only a mile or two of where you live!

6. Vacation and Tourism. While on vacation, a portable handheld GPS is a great way to visit places that may be of special interest, find local restaurants, and to mark places that you would like to remember, possibly return to, or recommend to others. It’s also great for finding lodging and other amenities near your location, if you are traveling on a whim.

7. Biking. The use of a portable GPS navigator is a great way to keep track of statistics like distance biked, how far to a destination, current speed, average speed, amount of time you’ve been moving, and amount of time spent stopped. Whether you are a serious biker or a casual rider, this is a great way to keep track of your progress.

The possibilities are virtually endless for using a portable GPS navigator. These are just a few ideas. Once you start using one, you’ll wonder why you waited so long, and how you managed without it. There are many different styles, so you are able to get one that fits your needs and budget.

As we are near the end of summer and thoughts of getting our children back to school and making those last minute end of season trips abound, we also need to spend time on our lawns and making sure that it is prepped for the coming fall. Home owners in today’s green-conscious world have quickly turned more and more to the most efficient lawn care methods that will translate into savings for our wallets. Beyond saving money is water conservation, which affects both us and the environment we live in.

In this month’s newsletter, we will focus on irrigation and mulch, two areas of lawn care that should be considered for all home owners with the desire to conserve and decrease water consumption and a cost-efficient way to cultivate the lawn and landscape.

Irrigation

Lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems are known to be quite wasteful, consuming two or three times more water than the water used indoors. Experts report that much of the water applied to a lawn is lost due to poor application practices, high evaporation, uneven distribution, and excessive runoff. To combat these lawn ails, an efficient irrigation (or sprinkler) system and watering schedule is necessary.

Irrigation Techniques

To make the best use of irrigation, divide your plants up into groups or zones with the same watering needs. Lawns, plants in containers, vegetable beds and fruit orchards may need more water than other plants such as trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs. Your irrigation system should reflect your different plants’ watering requirements and only fullfil what is absolutely necessary to maintain your greenery. Be sure to understand your watering zones and check that these systems are not giving too much or too little water to the plants or lawn area.

An efficient watering system such as drip or soaker hoses can be used to minimize water loss through evaporation or run off. Lawn experts further recommend that, for reducing evaporation, operate your irrigation system during the cooler hours of the early morning rather than during the heat of the day or in windy weather.

Turf would be best irrigated with sprinklers, since infrequent, but deep watering can encourage deeper root growth and greater tolerance of soil moisture fluctuations. Keep in mind that about 1.5 inches of water are needed per week for the summer. If you are not sure how much water your system is delivering to your plants, simply place a bowl or a cup in the area before the sprinkler system comes on then remove it when the system cuts off. Then all you have to do is measure the collected water. If this amount is more or less than the recommended amount, adjust your system accordingly.

Maintain Your System

It is important to not only make sure sure your irrigation is working efficiently to get your plants and lawn the water they need, but also crucial to check up on your irrigation system to be certain that it’s functioning correctly. This includes checking the system for leaks, broken heads, faulty valves, and other malfunctions. You may also want to check that water isn’t being misdirected onto sidewalks, driveways, or streets.

Mulch

As highlighted in the July Newsletter, mulch can act as both a protection for your plants from the heat as well as an agent to trap and retain moisture. With water conservation a big issue for homeowners, mulch is more important than ever as a way to efficiently keep your plants healthy and protect from harsh conditions. Mulching helps to maintain a more consistent soil temperature and can also control weeds that may otherwise consume water meant for garden plants.

While you may not be able to control your water consumption all the time, you can definitely make an impact on both your water bill and your local community by following lawn care methods that are focused around water conservation and efficient cultivation methods.