From Dad: 8 Holiday Weekend Projects to Improve Your House

I just landed back in Washington yesterday after visiting the Carhartt Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, and my wife, Cyndy, just returned from her very first “vacation.” She took a course on knitting in the English countryside (more on those trips another day). We are homebodies so we’re glad to be home but now facing the many tasks that we neglected in May. Speaking of May on a farm…

Spring in the Washington countryside is one of the most beautiful times of year. The rain comes through in big, threatening storms but always broken up by bouts of sun…a perfect mix for the grass, flowers, vegetables and trees. The hay fields are dancing and I expect we will get multiple harvests out of those this year. And there are babies galore. Horse babies, cow babies, ducklings, baby goats and sheep. Signs of life after a calm winter.

We are looking forward to staying home for Memorial Day weekend and tackling a lot of tasks to improve the outside of our home. Do you want to join us by taking on one of these tasks? If so, I’ve outlined them below. If not, you can scroll a little further down in this letter for a small note on Memorial Day and an update on my daughter’s brain injury.

Here are 8 projects you can tackle for the holiday weekend:
(including links to my videos where I show you the full project)

#1: DIY Sprinklers or Drip Lines
I‘ve made a few videos on how I used PVC pipe to make a “sprinkler” or drip line that’s easy and affordable. Think of it as a hybrid between a big, spendy underground system, and not having to drag a hose around. Here are my videos for a DIY sprinkler, garden bed sprinkler and drip lines.

#2: Quick Lawn Makeover
A lot of the time people put off lawn care because it feels like too big of a task. Here are 3 easy things you can do this weekend to increase curb appeal:

• Edge your lawn (here is my video on how-to edge your lawn, takes about an hour)

• Spray nutrients. I use Sunday Lawn Care nutrients and have I have a code for a big discount you can use if you need to put your first order in: DADADVICE30.

• Mow your lawn and let the grass clippings act as mulch. Here is my full Dad-style lawn mowing video.

#3: Garage Cleanout or Storage Bin Racks
If your garage is a mess, don’t feel bad. Most people’s garages function as a lot of things, and in that scenario, they are bound to get messy. If you haven’t already, start by getting a uniform storage system so you don’t have to stack and move things to get to other things. I redid my son’s garage recently and while you can build your own custom storage bin rack, you could alternatively just buy a plastic rack from Home Depot.

#4: DIY Concrete Garden Mushrooms
Now we’re getting into the fun stuff. My Dad’s DIY concrete mushrooms are a fun project that take a few days just to let concrete set and paint dry.

#5: Add Fuel Stabilizer to Gas Powered Machines
I often remind you to take care of the machines that take care of you. If you spend money on a lawn mower, generator, car, etc, you should be taking 10 minutes to take care of it. My Dad was big on adding Fuel Stabilizer to anything gas-powered. I use it twice a year — once when I store my machines and once in-season to help the gas run well. This is what I use and I will share a video on my channel Thursday on how to use it this weekend.

#6: Whiskey Barrel Planters
My wife loves making old whiskey barrels into planters. I find them on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, cut them in half and then she stains them with waterproof stain. Drill a hole in the bottom and fill with dirt and flowers of your choice.

#7: Outdoor Fire Prevention
The last thing you want is a preventable fire. You can help minimize risk of that in just a few minutes with the following steps:

• Get your flammables away from windows

• Cut down brush near road, driveway and the house

• Hook up your hoses and review the fire safety protocol with your family

• Move your BBQ away from the house for the season

#8: Clean your Concrete
This isn’t a fun one, I know. But a lot of you tell me you have moss build-up on your concrete and even if it’s only every few years, I find it’s nice to clean before summer. Here is my video on the mixture I use to clean mine.

Emily’s Brain Injury Update

It was a big month over here for Emmy’s brain injury. As badly as we want a cure, half of our responsibility is to help her live within the symptoms she has now. For the past 5 years, she has had little interest in leaving the farm because she has to learn a whole new set of skills existing in public with her current symptoms. She is a person who loves to experience and meet new people so staying home has carried a lot of grief.

Thanks to two very special partners of mine - Ford and Carhartt - we had a chance to fly Emily out on trips with them and have her test out being in public with a sickness. Both trips made her very sick but also allowed her to experience life. On the first trip, she was sick for a week afterward. On the second trip, she was very ill on the travel day and the first day there. The people who invited us could not have been more accommodating and I even heard her say, “This is the best day of my life since I got my dog” which is a big compliment if you know her.

But the important part is that she did it and I am so proud of her. Finding balance between perfectly managing her symptoms and living her life is a big goal of ours and boy did she get a firehose of the “living life” side this month. Now, we encourage her to recover and celebrate the effort it took to try.

We are a military family (Navy) so we pay close attention to the sacrifices of those who serve. I will take a moment on Monday to say a silent thank you to the military members who have lost their lives serving the country. I hope you’ll join me.

And please remember to rest. You can do it all, but not at once.