Summer Home Owner Maintenance Tips

Jun 26, 2018

It’s definitely starting to feel like summer outside, but the heat doesn’t have to be felt in your Sturbridge Home. The winter and spring seasons are known to take a toll on the exterior (and sometimes interior) of the house. Use these tips to get your home ready for those hot summer days.

Door Mats

Keep the mud and dirt outside where it belongs! Place a heavy-duty outdoor doormat at the entrance of your home. Stomp off any debris from your shoes to keep your floors spotless. As an extra measure, place a light cloth or rug in the foyer near the entrance.

Check Your Deck

Get your deck ready for those BBQ’s by checking for any rot or uprooted nails. After a season of cold weather and heavy rains, homeowners should consider having their deck sealed. The seal will lock out moisture and reduce water intrusion.

Leak Check

A leaking hose can increase your water bill significantly. To save money on your utilities, check all outdoor faucet for leaks. Most small holes can be easily covered up by tightly wrapping electrical tape around them.

Power Wash

Give your home the extra shine it needs. An essential part of maintaining the exterior of your Sturbridge home is to clean it regularly. One of the simplest ways to do this is to power wash your walls. Power washing easily removes mud, stains, and mildew. Make sure to cover up any garden plants or outdoor electrical outlets before you clean.

Window Cleaning

Routinely checking the sealants in your windows is guaranteed to keep the summer heat outside. Ensure that both inside and outside windows are secured. If you happen to see any open spaces, don’t be afraid to caulk and seal them up.

Summer Camps In Anne Arundel County

Jun 12, 2018

This week marks the final stretch of the school semester in Anne Arundel County. In just a few days time your kids will officially be in summer mode! Don’t let them waste their summer away inside on the latest apps or newest video games. Sign the kids up for a summer of adventure with one of these summer camps.

Mayo Beach Day Camp: Mayo, MD

Starting June 25, the Mayo Beach camp will be offering one and two-week summer camp sessions! This fun integrated program is designed for youth of all abilities. Siblings and friends join with youths with a disability to make new friends and have fun. An active volunteer program rounds out the camp for a fully diverse and accepting experience! Mayo beach camp offers a shallow water access area for exploration, wading and kayaking/canoeing . Arts and crafts, music, sports and other general camp activities take place in designated areas.

Bayside Summer Adventure Camp: Annapolis, MD

Sandy Point State Park sets the scene for an awesome summer camp experience! Bayside Summer Camp combines wildlife, recreation, outdoor adventure & discovery into one! Children choose activities based on their own interests such as cooking, fishing, photography, fitness, and a special STEAM camp for kids that love to build!

ClubSciKids: Severna Park, MD

Designed for children from age 4-15, Club SciKidz offers science-based lessons that help engage students in observation, measurement, identification of properties, and experimentation involving life, earth, and physical science concepts. Featured camps interest include robotics and engineering, programming and apps, and extreme science.

En-Tice-Ment Stables Equestrian Camp: Harwood, MD

This Maryland certified summer camp offers equestrian lessons to children in a fun family atmosphere. Kids can look forward to learning about every aspect of horsemanship from riding to the total care of the horse. Family and friends are invited to the stables every Friday for riding demonstrations as their kids share what they have learned.

Naptown Singers BIG Summer Camps: Annapolis, MD

Once you send your kids to this fun performing arts camp, they’ll be coming back a star! Students of all levels and abilities will have the opportunity to learn and sing through the songs they love, as well as become acquainted with an instrument of their choosing: guitar, piano or world drumming. Highly qualified instructors will be at the camp to ensure a well-rounded educational experience and an exciting week.

Get Your Home BBQ Ready

May 25, 2018

Warmer days are here and summer is on the way! As some of us are still emerging from our long (and very) cold winter, others are gearing up for summer soirees! Get your backyard in perfect barbecuing condition just in time for Memorial Day weekend!

Lawn Care

Lawn care maintenance plays a huge role in setting the scene for your summer BBQ’s. Break out all the stops! Give your lawn the much needed TLC it needs with raking, mowing and watering it consistently through the week. Add some color to your BBQ setting and touch up your front and backyard gardens. Check out our gardening tips here!

Seating Arrangement

Set your backyard to create the most upbeat setting! Creating a comfortable social atmosphere encourages your guest to interact with each other. Place a majority of your lounge seats in a shaded area, and keep an open clear path to the drink station and food table.

Party Music

What’s a cookout without great music? Checkout this perfect playlist for all ages.These summer hits are sure to be crowd pleasers!

The Grill

The perfect BBQ requires the perfect grill! Give your grill the deep cleaning it needs with a few easy steps:

Dry-scrub crud from the inside of the grill. This includes grates,burners, and inside surfaces with a non-scratch sponge.
Wash the inside and outside surfaces with dish soap and water, rinse well, and dry thoroughly.
Sponge off both stainless-steel and enameled surfaces with warm soapy water and wipe dry.
Do a gas check! It’s important for safe cooking, especially if a grill hasn’t been used in sometime.

For more grilling tips and tricks visit thisoldhouse.com

All that’s left to do is fire up the grill!

Hidden Gems of Anne Arundel and St.Mary’s County

May 14, 2018

Anne Arundel and St.Mary’s County have few things in common. They’re both located along the Chesapeake Bay, they’ve both been home to Maryland’s state capital, and they’re full of fun adventures. Discover these hidden gems of these Chesapeake Bay cities!

The Chickens Of Downtown Annapolis

Downtown Annapolis is clucking with chickens! In 2012 downtown Annapolis restaurants worked closely with the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County to create a campaign that inspires upcoming creative thinkers around Annapolis. Take a picture in front of the chicken of your choice, use #Cluck4Art, and post to Instagram.

Mission Escape

Are you ready to escape? Mission Escape Room is an interactive, fun entertainment concept. It is a real-life escape experience designed for small groups of 1-12 people. Your mission is simple: work together as a team, testing your wits and skills, to escape from a locked room in 50 minutes or less.

Capital SUP

There’s a new sensation hitting water towns like Annapolis and St.Mary’s City. Stand up paddleboarding (SUP) swept across the Chesapeake Bay Region a few years ago and shows no sign of slowing down. Head to Capital SUP in Annapolis for SUP lessons, yoga, and fitness!

Piney Point Lighthouse

Known as the oldest lighthouse on the Potomac, Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Historic Park include a picnic area, kayak launch, a boardwalk, pier and sandy beach. The museum details the area’s history and also includes an exhibit of the World War II Black Panther German submarine, which lies just offshore in an area designated as the state’s first Historic Shipwreck Dive Preserve.

Ladybugs Alive

Ladybugs Alive is a nature-based “I Spy” scavenger hunt maze of over 15,000 sunflowers, perfect for all ages. Butterflies, birds, and blossoms of all types abound.

The Annapolis Spring Boat Show

Apr 20, 2018

It’s boat season on the Chesapeake Bay. Most Marylanders with a love for all things sailing are headed to the 2018 Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show this weekend. We’ve got the must-see exhibits and events from this year’s show!

Exhibits

The sailboat show has the latest in navigational equipment, high-tech electronics, inflatables, boating accessories, clothing, and gear. Boat show attendees shop from a vast display of boating products and services from exhibitors such as the Annapolis Sailing School, Chesapeake Yacht Club, and Sail Annapolis.

Sailboats

Get ready for the perfect sailing experience this summer! New and brokerage sailboats will be on display in the water and on land including catamarans, monohulls, family cruisers, day sailers, and blue water sailboats. See a sailboat you like? Most boats displayed during the show are for immediate sale.

Demonstration Alley

Don’t miss the in-water demos of small sailboats in Ego Alley. The Sailboat Show will feature an exciting demo area for small sailboats, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and much more!

Entertainment

Take a breather from the sailboats and visit the Entertainment Plaza and enjoy continuous entertainment, watch performances from regional groups and artist, register for valuable prizes, and enjoy drink tastings.

Visit the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show website for more information