Ah summer in Canada. The perfect time to enjoy this beautiful country we have and all that the land – and the skies - have to offer.

Getting away from it all often means going to places that are perfect for astronomy buffs to practice their hobby without interference from bright city lights - the bane of stargazers. And a warm summer night is ideal for relaxed, comfy sky scanning.

Astronomy is the oldest of the sciences, and it offers both young and old a whole new world of fascinating sites; stars, planets, asteroids, comets, even galaxies, as they float past creating a stunning panorama.

Check out these helpful tips - you may already have everything you need - then choose your perfect place to see some sensational sky scenes;

1. Find a suitable location away from the bright lights and smog of the city and high up or out in the open so trees will not be an issue. 
2. Get there before it gets dark. This will let you get set-up and be in position while you can still see your surroundings. 
3. Bring what you need to be comfortable; warm clothes, drinks and food, bug repellant, small table, and a comfortable chair – one that allows you to lie back and supports your head for relaxed enjoyment of the sky.
4. Start by using binoculars instead of a telescope if you are new to astrology. Binoculars allow you to take in a wider area, yet still see some amazing sites; planets, moons of other planets, galaxies, comets, craters on our moon, and more. If you find you really enjoy it, consider buying a telescope to take your hobby a step further.
5. Use sky charts like this one to help locate objects of interest. Check the net for examples and info that pertains to the skies you will be viewing. You can even print your own planisphere.

Natural lawn and garden care has really taken off in recent years, spawning some amazing new eco-friendly products that work without harming the environment – like Milky Spore.

Milky Spore is a naturally-occurring host-specific bacterium. In this case the specific target is the white grubs of Japanese Beetles. Japanese Beetle grubs cause extensive damage to lawns. They feed on grass roots wiping out large patches of lawn. Add the damage from skunks, moles, opossums and raccoons who dig up the lawn in their attempt to make a meal of the grubs, and these bugs can turn a lovely green carpet into a brown dead zone in a matter of days.

Once ingested, the spores germinate inside the grubs, and multiply rapidly in their blood. Though it may take months for the spores to actually kill the grub, they are doomed as soon as they are infected – it’s only a matter of time.

Milky Spore is easily applied and stays active for a long time – up to 15 years or longer with one application. Look for it at your local garden centre – and go natural with your lawn care.

Travelling during the summer is a mainstay for many Canadians who use their summer vacations to visit friends and family across the country or just to see all the wonderful sites this land has to offer. If a trip is in your plans, make the drive as green as possible by following these helpful suggestions;

• Keep your vehicle running green; keep tires well inflated, keep drive train in tune and properly greased, make sure the air filter has been changed recently.

• Don’t over-pack. Save the need for the car to work extra hard carrying stuff you don’t really need.

• Drive slower! Exceeding the speed limit is a habit - a bad one at that. Of more importance than either the environmental aspect of getting better mileage when you drive more slowly, the savings at the pumps, and the potential cost of a speeding ticket, it is also safer to not exceed the speed limit.

• Take bikes with you if possible, so you can park your vehicle and ride around your destination. It’s often the easiest way to travel in cities and parks. Plus it’s better for sightseeing.

• Use public transit once you arrive at your destination. Get routes and schedules from the net before travelling so you know where you are going.

“Do what we can, summer will have its flies.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Summer in Canada means days that range from squelching hot and humid to downright chilly. Accordingly, air conditioner use varies widely amongst Canadians. We may not need it turned on all the time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use air conditioners more effectively and save some energy and money.

Air conditioning units should be turned off when you are not in the house! Sounds simple, but unnecessary AC use is still a huge contributor to wasted energy. If you currently leave it on because you are worried the house will be too hot when you get home, raise the temperature a few degrees during the day to reduce the amount of energy wasted.

Thermal curtains are a great way to block heat producing sunrays from entering your home. They are simple to apply and put to use, yet have amazingly significant impact by reducing the amount of heat your home absorbs, which translates into less work for the AC unit.

Window blinds are another simple solution for keeping heat from entering your home. Keep blinds closed during the day whenever possible.

Blankets can still help get us into our ‘comfort zone’ for a good night’s sleep in the summer, but you can reduce your air conditioner use by using a lighter blanket when the AC is on.

Clean your air conditioner regularly making sure air can flow into and through the unit as it is designed to. Cobwebs, dirt and even plants can reduce an air conditioners performance and waste energy and money.

• A sneeze can blast from your nose at a speed greater than 160 kph (100 mph).
• An average human drinks about 60,500 L (16,000 gal) of water in a lifetime.
• During your life, your heart will beat some two-and-a-half billion times.
• Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel up to 275 kph (170 mph).
• Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time you breathe!
• Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
• One quarter of the bones in your body, are in your feet!
• Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!
• Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!
• More people are allergic to cow's milk than any other food.

Summer Fun – April, age 8, says, “I love summer because it’s warm and sunny all the time and you get to play outside more. Mom found this site for me. I like a lot of the stuff there, especially the one about kite flying.”

Kool History – “ Agnes, age 11, says, “Mr Donn has all sorts of interesting and fun facts about the world. There is lots of stuff that will amaze you. I like visiting this site and searching through all the information.”

Green Tips – Allen, age 13, says, “Going green isn’t just for grown-ups. Us kids need to take part and in some cases, show the adults what to do. This site has some great green ideas. Check it out!”

Summer Crafts – Tony, age 6, says, “Aunt Judy is visiting us soon. She always does fun crafts with me whenever she comes. She usually has all the ideas, but now I can give her some from this website. They have lots, too. I like the pom pom ice cream cones one.”

Most handymen never learn how to sharpen tools - they simply buy a new one when the old one gets dull. But before they do, they endure frustration from the worn out tool; saw, shears, trimmer, chisel, shovel, etc.

It doesn’t have to be that way!

Sharp tools do what they are supposed to do more easily, requiring less effort from you. Sharpening tools rather than buying new ones is also an eco-friendly thing to do and saves you money.

Most tools are quite simple to sharpen. Others may require skills and patience beyond some handymen. But don’t expect Hank to tell you how. They are too many different tools and corresponding sharpening techniques for me to cover in this article. The internet is where you will find what you need by simple searching the tool name and ‘sharpen’.

Happy honing.

“My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it.” ~ Buddy Hackett

“Politics is supposed be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” ~ Ronald Reagan

“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.” ~ Doug Larson

“There's one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbour's.” ~ Clyde Moore