Pool Safety Tips to Save Lives   The weather is hot, and it feels like summer is here.  The pool looks inviting for children and adults to jump in and cool off. To avoid a tragedy from happening to your children, follow the pool safety tips and save lives.     Pool Safety Tips   1.     Always watch your child and never leave a child unattended around a pool or a spa. 2.     Install a minimum four feet tall fence or pool- barrier around the pool, spa or portable pool. It will prevent a child from getting over, under or through and keep the child from gaining access to the pool when no adults are around. 3.     Gate should be opened out from the pool and self- closing or self-latching. When a child pushes the gate to enter the pool area, the gate will be closed and latched so they will ha... 05/24/2014

  Venice Florida Homes for sale, Housing Market 2013   How was the housing market 2013 in Venice Florida? The homes for sale real estate market was hot hot hot. Read the following report provided by Kwee Huset of Kwee Huset Realty and find out.     Find single family homes for sale in Venice Florida   Single Family Homes - Housing Market 2013                 Price Trend Chart from 1/1/2013 to 12/31/2013     January 2013 average sold price     $246,100 ↑ 4.86%    from $234,688 in 2012 February 2013 average sold price   $248,305 ↑ 4.15%   from $238,391 in 2012 March 2013 average sold price        $248,942 ↑ 4.71%    from $237,740 in 2012 April 2013 average sold price           $246,550 ↑ 5.24%    from $234,265 in 2012 May 2013 average sold price            $254,808 ↑ 10.73%  from $230,102... 01/01/2014

  Floss Silk Tree (Chorisia speciosa) – Flowers and Trees, Florida   This large tree in Florida which has many thorns and beautiful flowers is called floss silk tree. Its scientific name is Chorisia speciosa.   On my way to show properties I saw this tree in Pinebrook, a deed restricted community within the City limits of Venice.      Floss silk tree likes warm weather and is drought tolerant. The younger tree trunk is green in color due to high chlorophyll content. When the tree is mature it can grow up to about 50 feet tall, and its trunk which has thick thorns will change to a gray color.  It is suggested to plant on oversize lot. The thorns serve to store water for the dry season.  This ornamental tree’s leave have five leaflets, and it blooms from the fall through winter. The flowe... 11/17/2013

  Homemade Halloween Decorations - Venice FL   Halloween is approaching, are you looking for some ideas for your homemade Halloween decorations?  I found these homemade items that were for sale from the 2013 Venice Sun Fiesta this afternoon. I got permission to take these pictures and would like to share with all my readers and friends in the Rain.         Enjoy and Happy Sunday!       10/20/2013

  Australian-pine – Invasive Species   Australian pine is native to Australia and Southeast Asia.  It is an evergreen tree which may grow up to 150 feet in height and strangle the surrounding plants, covering them with pine needles. It grows in poor soil and young shoots grow from the aggressive roots, spreading out easily and uncontrollably.   Enjoy the video!    This tree reproduces by suckering. You may see many small trees growing from around the base of the big tree.   Some people using this pine tree as a windbreak or along the property lines. It has no leaves, however it has plenty of needles with many joints; each joint is about one inch in length. It takes a lot of time to rake the needles, if left alone; no other plant can grow under the thick layers of pine needles.   To avoi... 10/09/2013

  Ixora – Florida Gardening Ixora is also known as Flame of the woods.  It is a colorful flowering shrub that favors warm climates. The plant is native to East Indies and a popular landscaping shrub in tropical or subtropical zones throughout the world.   Variety of Ixora There are dwarf and regular ixora with many species. Dwarf is slow growing and the plant has a small leaf while the regular has a bigger leaf. The plant produces a large cluster of tiny flowers in a ball-shaped. The flowers have a variety of colors like reddish orange (most common for the dwarf), pink (Nora Grant most common for big leaf), and yellow.         Uses of Ixora Many people as well as commercial property owners use ixora to create one of the brightest and colorful hedges around the house, the drive way or th... 08/25/2013

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) – Specimen Tree for Your Garden   Royal Poinciana is one of the most spectacular of all flowering trees in Florida. It attracted my attention when I was on my way to show properties. This picture was taken on Lucaya Ave. at Pinebrook, Venice FL 34285     The tree is fast growing   in tropical weather. It will grow up to 40 feet tall with small fern like green foliage as you can see from the picture. It provides shade and is drought and salt tolerant.        It flowers beginning in May until July with a beautiful display of deep orange to deep red colors. In a close look, you will notice that every flower has one white yellowish petal. The white petal may serve as a “nectar guide” for pollinators.       The tree will lose its leaves and the dark brown seed... 07/10/2013