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December 30,2012- First Real Snow Storm... |
The dusting on Christmas Eve was wonderful, but it didn't really count as a snow storm. Last night's 2-inches of the heavy white stuff, while not significant by New England standards, was enough to qualify it as a storm.
As the forecast is for the temperature to drop into single digits for the next few days, the snow from this storm will likely hang around. We best get the interns out there to get the snow off the.. [more] -First Real Snow Storm
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December 29,2012- Cole's Wild Bird Feed... |
We got a shipment of Cole's Wild Bird Feed for the RainyDayGarden just before the Holidays. As the temperature had been relatively warm, we had been putting out just the seeds and not the suets. However, the forecast for the coming week is for snow and much lower temperatures and we thought it best to give our feathered friends a bit of extra energy to help them deal with the cold. On frigid nights, birds expend a lot of energy to generate heat in order to keep warm. This depletes their precious reserves and stresses their body, weakening their immune systems, and makes them more susceptible to disease. Food-scarce winter conditions make it a challenge from them to replenish their energy store.
Bird suet is made from fat and is a high energy food that provides the crucial fuel needed by wintering birds to survive the cold. They are also a source of essential vitamins such as... [more] -Cole's Wild Bird Feed FirstUse
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December 25,2012- White Christmas... |
Wow...an actual white Christmas in Boston!!! [Permalink] - White Christmas
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December 24,2012- Christmas Eve... |
Here is wishing all our readers a Merry Christmas!!! [Permalink] - Christmas Eve
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December 21,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide... |
The Mayan's prediction of an apocalypse for today apparently was hokum, as NASA had being saying to all those who had the intelligence to listen. This means that those who haven't done any Christmas shopping had better get cracking!
We are here to help. Click on any of the GiftGuides to jump to that section. Click on any of the images in the guides for a larger version. If you use Amazon Prime , you still might be able to get it by Monday :-) Have fun shopping this weekend! Merry Christmas!!! [Permalink] - RainyDayGiftGuide: Summary
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December 20,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:TV... |
The switchover to digital TV broadcast and Internet services such as iTunes, Hulu and NetFlix have dramatically changed how we watch TV and enjoy movies. We now watch free live HDTV on our computer, catch up on shows via Hulu, and stream movies at any time directly from NetFlix. Not only does this mean that we no longer have to record the shows we want to watch, but that access is so fast and the selection is sufficiently broad that we find we no longer physically need to own content. It also means that we no longer need a cable TV subscription.
So for this year's Entertainment GiftGuide, we have decide to forego the usual DVD recommendations. Instead, we are going suggest some accessories which will make the watching of off-the-air HD broadcasts and the streaming of internet content to the TV easier:
If anyone on your list has a computer, they already have a screen. Give them an Elgato EyeTV module and they will be able to watch, record, and freeze live HDTV signals right out of the air. Want to watch it on more than one... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: TV
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December 19,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Sports... |
We asked the RainyDaySports folks to put together a few items that they thought would be great for the GiftGuide. They love to bike so it was only natural that their recommendations leaned heavily in that direction. In any case, we hope you find the suggestions helpful for your gift shopping this weekend (the final one)!
Bikers need to be aware of their surroundings, and being able to hear is a huge part of being aware. Many riders like to have tunes with them when they bike, but wearing ear-buds while cycling is just... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Sports
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December 18,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Tools... |
We don't need to tell you that tools make great holiday gifts. Every year we see lists and lists of recommendations (RainyDayRenovtions included) for all kinds of cool tools for those who like to work with their hands. This year we decided to step back from this listomania and ask "What is the most useful tool for around the house?" Our answer: the screwdriver. With that as the guide, we came up with a collection of driver-related suggestions which we think will be appreciated by those who like to get hands-on around the house.
While there are many different kinds of screwdriving tools we could recommend, they basically fall into two categories: drivers and bits. For the... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Tools
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December 17,2012- NYC Santa Pub Crawl... |
Our "official" reason to visit NYC this time of the year is to check out the Holiday windows along the shops on Fifth Avenue. Can we help it if the date also happens to coincide with the annual NYC Santa Pub Crawl?
The streets of NYC were packed with Santas of all kinds. Due to the warmer than usual weather, they were also in various state of (un)dress. Some of them (an occassional slutty Santa and more than a few naughty elves) were definitely NSFW , not that we were working :-) The pub crawl started around... [more] - XMas in NYC: Santa Pub Crawl
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December 14,2012- XMas in NYC: Windows... |
The Holiday window displays at the department stores is one the reasons we look forward to our annual December trip to NYC. Sure, many cities put on a festive face this time of the year, but there is something special about the annual showcase of creativity put on by the liks of Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and other retail heavy-weights along Five Avenue.
This year, Macy's theme for their animated windows at Herald Square is "The Magic of Christmas" and they did not disappoint. We foun them mesmerizing and could have stood there for hours exploring the... [more] - XMas in NYC: Windows
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December 12,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Kitchen... |
We love to cook, and we know that quality kitchen equipment make the process of cooking even more enjoyable. So we kept that thought in mind as we set about picking items for this year's RainyDayKitchen Holiday Gift Guide.
Regardless of whether the chef on your list is just starting out or has years of experience in the kitchen, the items below will help them do things easier, make what they are doing more enjoyable, and let them achieve better results.
It is a luxury to have a full set of Shun knives, but if we had to pick just one, the 7" Santoku would be our choice. It is the perfect size for most tasks. The scalloped cutting edge prevents food from to the blade. The knife is not just beautiful to look at, but effortless to use. Pair it with the... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Kitchen
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December 11,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:iGear... |
OK. OK. By now, most RainyDayMagazine readers know we don't review every piece of "iGear" that hits the market, and that we are quite selective when it comes to what we actually choose to recommend. Since readers tell us that they find our approah helpful, we continue the practice. As the process takes a little longer, it was no surprise to us that with December 25 fast approaching, we got more than a few "less-than-subtle" inquiries as to when the "iGear" GiftGuide would be posted.
We took a bit longer this year not because we could not find anything...good. Just the opposite. There is an embarrassment of riches out there when it comes to accessories for the various iDevices. To come up with a list, we asked ourselves: what accessories did we... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: iGear
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December 10,2012- SOWA Holiday Show... |
The fifty-degree weather may make things feel more like Spring than Winter but holiday shoppers were out in large numbers this weekend, especially at SoWa Holiday Market. We have been to it many times over the years and it is a treat every time. As with previous shows, this year was no exception.
SoWa Holiday Market is a showcase for regional independent designers, artists and crafters. It's great to see both the show's organization and goods get better every year. We saw an impressive range of... [more] -SOWA Holiday Show
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December 7,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Garden... |
The RainyDayGarden folks love both getting and giving gifts which further that pursuit. However, being in the Northeast, having to wait months before we could put the gardening gifts to use had always seemed a little anti-climatic. So, for this season, we thought we would ask them to offer up some suggestions that gardeners would enjoy, but which can be put to good use immediately.
After giving it some thought, the RainyDayGarden folks suggested bird-feeders and quality bird food. While the gardens sit idle during the winter, birds and other wildlife are still out and about searching for food. The cold temperature and snow can make it difficult for them to find enough to... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Garden
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December 6,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Create... |
Advances in computing, software, and user interfaces have combined to make the creative experience much closer to that of the real-world process. As a result, digital painting on an electronic canvas has been available to artists, sketchers, and doodlers for many years.
When Apple's iPad came onto the market, another barrier between artist and tools disappeared. For the first time, the average person could paint directly on an LCD screen. Of course, finger-painting, while cool for demo purposes, wasn't the best way to draw. So it wasn't surprising that many accessory-makers began offering styli and brushes for the... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Create
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December 5,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Photo... |
Creativity is something we should all nurture whenever possible. Gifts which help foster and encourage creativity are what we will be suggesting over the next couple of days.
It should be to no one's surprise that the gear from Lensbaby are at the top of our recommendations list:
Why are we so stoked about Lensbaby? The biggest reason is their new Edge 80 and Sweet 35 Optics. Both lenses have the 12-blade adjustable aperture. We have enjoyed using the Lensbaby in the studio, but found that... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Photography
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December 4,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Science... |
Finding a gift for a science geek can be difficult. Not many NSGs (Non-Science Geeks) know what the science-minded really want. As with previous years, the RainyDayScience folks are here to help! Just remember that science geeks have inquiring minds. They want to explore and discover. Tools, books, and activities which assist in the quest for knowledge will always be appreciated.
Two popular frontiers with lots of potentials for exploration and discoveries are outer and inner space. While a telescope is the obvious choice for exploring outer space, something like the Vixen Polarie StarTracker (FirstLook, Setup, accessories) can offer an even more rewarding evening under the stars. This pocket-size device will give the owner the ability to... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Science
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December 3,2012- RainyDayGiftGuide:Gadgets... |
Once again the Holiday season is upon us. Soon we will be getting together with friends and family, to catch up and to exchange gifts. A few years ago, readers suggested that we should put together a gift guide. We thought it was a great idea, but what to recommend? As we have never bought into the Black Friday scramble for deals, we did not want to add to the craziness.
After some discussion, we decided to use the same selection criteria we employ all year long in selecting items to review: recommending items which we wouldn't mind receiving as presents ourselves. As a result, the RainyDayGiftGuides are some of our most popular articles of the year. We love putting them together almost as much as our readers seem to enjoy checking out the recommendations.
Gadgets make great gifts. That was why we put this collection at the front of the Gift Guide series this year. Enjoy!!! ... [more] -RainyDayGiftGuide: Gadgets
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