The Magic of Nyjer Seed - Shooting the Finch   I enjoy feeding the wild birds around the back of the house. Living in the foothills allows for a variety of birds, and there is a bonus. The seeds lost are snatched up by the dove, turkey, squirrels and the rest if the scavengers. Despite the number of feeders, our bird Feeders have taken a beating this past winter. Many were lost to weather, winds and rains (snow) caused many to fall and crack or break. Some suffered from the attack of the squirrels, and unknown nocturnal creatures who saw the easy target. A few just wore out over time. In looking for new birdfeeders, we came across a feeder for the finches. This sock-like feeder gets filled with Nyjer Seeds (thistle) and the finch have to pick out the seeds through the sock. None of the... 02/21/2012

Things have gotten a little Cuckoo the last few days. I’m not real sure about the market lately, but the calls have been strong the last few days. Maybe it’s the crazy weather; it’s been on the warm side. Can you explain the madness?   If you are in need of dry rot repair, water damage restoration, or just need to get a general contractors opinion on some repairs or improvements; give us a call! 916-765-5366 Some of the areas that we serve: El Dorado County Placer County Sacramento County   02/20/2012

Look for these warning signs when hiring a contractor. If you are in the market for a general contractor, it can be a scary proposition. It may be a small specialized project, or a large project lasting several months; finding the best contractor for the job can be as important as the improvement itself. Not all contractors conduct business the same way, some are less than reputable. Don’t fall for these potential warning signs of fraud, rip-offs, and theft. Contractor asks you to get the permit.   They prefer cash payments. He has left over materials from another job. Asks you to pay in full up front. Door-to-door solicitation. Does not have a listed business. Does not have his own license. Offers you a discount if you find other customers. Offers guarantees and warrantees that far ex... 02/18/2012

ActiveRain Communities – Adding Neighborhoods   I learned something new by visiting the Video Tutorials section of ActiveRain University. I watch a video on Communities and saw how to add a community to the site. Here is what I did to add my community. Click the Hyper-Local Pages box, and then fill in the information in the State, County, and City drop downs. Once you do that, you will be prompted for a neighborhood. If your neighborhood is not there – Add it yourself!   Click on the Add Neighborhood link, and a new window will open. Click on the screen to set the red pin marker. Be sure to include the name of the neighborhood. When you are finished, click on Add Community at the bottom.   That is how you add a community to Hyper-local.     01/22/2012

One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure – A Contractor’s Solution   I don’t know about you but I hate throwing things away that still have value. As a contractor I accumulate building materials, parts, tools, and other things that are perfectly good but I do not use regularly. What do I do with this stuff? For example, if I were to do a small renovation job in a bathroom, I would have some extra flooring, tiles, maybe the old cabinets, or some  specialty tool. If I still had a use for the items, and plan on using it in the future, I’d save it until then. Otherwise, all the rest would go to the landfill. I have thrown away some perfectly good things because there was no other place to go. Habitat for Humanity has a retail store that can help me with this problem. Think of this store as... 01/07/2012

An Ever Changing Palette in the Sky   With the weather being so good lately, the sunrises and sunsets seem to be picture worthy every day. Today’s high temperature of 64 ties the record for this date in history. I was able to get an early photo this morning of this ever-changing palette. Hope your day was just as beautiful. 01/03/2012

Where Do I Go to Get Rid of My Christmas trees in El Dorado County?   Christmas is over and you are looking for a place to dispose or recycle your Christmas tree, where can you go? El Dorado County has several drop out and collection locations for you. Do not burn your tree in your woodstove or fireplace; they can be a fire hazard!   This list may help:   El Dorado County recycling options for Christmas trees West Slope El Dorado County Residents: Free drop-off at the Waste Connections recycling facility, 4100 Throwita Way, Placerville, 8 am to 5 pm daily, Jan. 1 through 15.  (530) 626-4141 South Lake Tahoe: Drop-off at the Resource Recovery Facility at no charge, 2140 Ruth Ave. - Call (530) 541-5105 El Dorado Hills: Free tree-chipping at the Community Park, north entrance, 9 a.m. to 3 ... 12/28/2011

I got to see this sunset last night while in the foothills of Placerville. The sun was setting behind a tree on the horizon. The photo appears much darker than it really was at the time. Maybe someone can explain how best to photograph the sun and the moon. Hope everyone is enjoying today, Christmas in 7 days! 12/18/2011

Sunset in Greenstone Country – Placerville, Ca   This photo was taken as the sun was setting near one of the small lakes in Greenstone Country in Placerville, Ca. The water was very still and reflected the horizon well. Once the sun fell behind the hills, the skies lit up in color. Enjoy!   12/17/2011

Food Banks near Placerville, Ca There is a need for volunteers, donations, and participation with the Food Banks everywhere. In searching for Food Banks near Placerville, Ca, the following results came up. We can all help those in need in so many ways. Imagine what it would be like to not have enough food to eat; how important would it be to have someone give you a meal. Be a part of helping. Donate some money or food, or volunteer just a little of your time. Maybe this is a good starting point for you.     Sierra Food Bank Inc     800-659-4548PO Box 2231Placerville, CA 95667   The Food Bank of El Dorado County     (530) 621-9950Location is 2.65 miles from city center Placerville6230 Enterprise DrDiamond Springs, CA 95619   Food Bank Of El Dorado County     530-621-9950Location is 2.66... 12/11/2011

  Christmas is creeping closer, and I’m running out of time. This weekend will be spent putting up the decoration; lights, tree, all of it. I am looking forward to the holiday spirit in Placerville. Hope you have completed your decorating already.   What is your favorite part of decorating for this holiday?   12/09/2011

A Hometown Christmas-2011 Christmas Musical   Green Valley Community Church has started their annual Christmas Musical – “A Hometown Christmas”. If you enjoy local performances, this one is something special. The performances have begun, and the shows have sold out. Tickets are still available for upcoming shows, but they are going fast. I have not yet attended the show (I have tickets for December 10th) but I have heard nothing but good things about this years’ performance. Crews have spent several weeks building the stage and props, and the quality shows. No cheesy set here! The shows began on Saturday, December 3rd, and will continue until December 18th. The show schedule is provided here but you may want to call for ticket availability first.   This show is a great way for church me... 12/04/2011

    December’s Season of Celebrations & Sharing - Santa is Coming to Town   Santa will be arriving in Historic Downtown Placerville to listen to those special wishes on the following dates: December 3rd at Kiddlywinks (262 Main) from 11AM-2PM December 10th and December 17th at Annieberries (320 Main) from 1-4PM. Photos will be available for purchase, but are not required to visit with Santa. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For more info, call (530) 672-3436.   Santa and kids... what a special time for the little ones. We can probably all remember those winters thinking of what Santa will bring from those things that we shared with him. Events like this make those memories possible. 12/03/2011

  "There is Magic in Believing" - Placerville Parade Theme   Everybody loves a Parade, so do we in Placerville, Ca. We get especially excited when it’s a Christmas Parade. This year’s big parade will be on December 4th 2011 and will take place “rain or shine”. Local merchants will be available on Main Street to help you with the holiday shopping. The theme for this year’s event is -There is Magic in Believing.   An event like this not only adds to the spirit of the community and family, it is a boost to the local businesses. Visitor from all around come to the parade to not only see the participants on the streets, they come to shop the local merchants. These merchants are right there along the parade route. Come visit us on December 4th if you get a chance.   It starts at the Mountain ... 12/03/2011

  Glad to Have The Thanksgiving Holiday Over With? So Are These Guys! I couldn’t help but think that if the turkey knew how much they are talked about before and after the holiday, they would be hiding in fear. Today they are out in full force, almost celebrating the fact that they made it another year. Enjoy this day! 11/28/2011

  The Sun Setting and Full Moon Rising in The Same Shot   This can only be done in certain situations, clear skies, full moon, facing west or east on the freeway, etc. This photo was taken from the Highway, Highway 50, in the Cameron Park area. The moon is rising in the east, and the sun is setting in the west, visible in the rear view mirror.   This photo has got to be worthy of a feature in the Sunrises and Sunsets group. What do you think? 11/18/2011

They Know Plumbing, Not Roofs - Photo Friday   I had to get some gutters for a job in Auburn, Ca yesterday. As I pulled into the parking spot, I noticed the short roof above an unused door to the warehouse. I’m glad that Ferguson Plumbing Supply knows all about plumbing; they apparently don’t know much about roofing.       Ferguson Plumbing Supply is located in Placerville, in El Dorado County.     View Larger Map       11/10/2011

The Mountain Democrat's Readers’ Choice Award   I’ve written in the past about The Oldest Newspaper In California, The Mountain Democrat. The newspaper has an annual Readers’ Choice Award; the winners were announced a few weeks ago. The competition is open to all businesses in El Dorado County; here are the winners in the Home Improvement Genre. I’m yet to understand why there is not a General Contractor Category.   Home Improvement ·     Best Nursery/garden store: Front Yard Nursery ·     Best Solar company: Carnahan Electric Ltd. ·     Best Appliance repair: Edwards A-1 Appliance ·     Best Carpet cleaning: Carter’s Carpet Restoration ·     Best Heating/AC: Gilmore Heating & Air ·     Best Roofing: Straight Line Construction ·     Best Glass replacement: Placerville Glass ·     Best P... 11/08/2011

It’s Time for Some Change. I drive past these trees every day. There are short periods of time when the leaves start to change colors. Virtually every day is a new hue for all to see. This period of time lasts 2-3 weeks, then the leaves are gone. This is the time of change, it reminds me that winter is closing in on Placerville and the weather will be changing. So I enjoy the colors each day, I know it will be short lived.   11/08/2011

  Attitude of Gratitude – Welcome to Green Valley Community Church   In thinking about the topic of an Attitude of Gratitude, I thought of all those that individually give of themselves. I struggled with which of these individuals to feature in this post. Each of them is doing some very good things but which is more important than the other. Then it occurred to me that there is a very special church in my neighborhood that needs to be mentioned for all that they do for those here in Placerville and beyond. Green Valley Community Church is located in Placerville, California and offers services with live bands, contemporary sermons, and a casual style. When you walk into the building it is a welcoming atmosphere. But that’s just the beginning. I first heard about some of the things that t... 11/07/2011