hydros

hydros app interface

One of my biggest challenges with my garden this summer has been inconsistent watering. Last night was a perfect example - I didn't check the weather and decided to water as we are in the middle of a heat spell in St.Louis as my tomatoes are looking a bit sad. And of course not an hour later it down poured! Next season I am definitely going to have to make watering on a routine basis a much bigger priority or I could get this incredible app called Hydros. This smartphone app developed by Simple Elements checks the forecast AND the moisture level in your soil before turning on your irrigation system. The way it works is that the app communicates with a sensor that is inserted into your yard and a controller at your water source. The sensor sends up to date information about the current moisture level in your soil while the app checks the weather to create a customized watering schedule for your yard. Your schedule can be further specified by inserting information about the type of soil and grass you have to tailor your watering to your particular conditions. Another cool feature is that you can use multiple sensors creating different zones of watering (i.e. a vegetable garden). The whole kit cost $230 which is a bit steep but considering Simple Elements claim you can save 25 - 60 percent of your water bill you would potentially recoup those costs pretty quickly. 

Hydros sensor

We don't have an irrigation or a garden yet big enough to warrant this purchase but I think it is so cool and would definitely invest in one in the future. 

Thanks to GARDENISTA for originally sharing this content with me. 

resource review: taproot

Before leaving for vacation, I treated myself to a little shopping in the Barnes & Noble magazine section. I don't usually buy magazines as it seems like you can read everything online and there are so many ads! But I will admit that a stack of glossy reading material just screams relaxation and a trip away. I was hoping to either buy the latest issue of Kinfolk and/or find a home related magazine that was new to me. I ended up picking up a copy of Old House Journal and Taproot. I had heard of Old House Journal but had never really read an issue and they had a feature about old windows that I was interested in. Taproot was a completely new to me. This Old House was a good read but Taproot I loved. The first thing to mention about this independent publication is that it has no ads! Absolutely zero! Its subtitle is "living fully, digging deeper" with a description that reads "a quarterly magazine celebrating food, family, farm and craft through writing, photography and the arts, both fine and domestic" - it is basically all stories with some illustrations/photos. I read the whole issue on the plane to California (skipping my nap and book) and then immediately regretted not pacing myself so that I could savor it a bit more.

Upon arriving home, I not only treated myself to a subscription but I ordered all of their past issues. The magazine is only on its third year of circulation so it wasn't that big of a purchase but still! This is how much I enjoyed it. So far I have worked my way through this year's two issues SEED and BREATH and am working on year two's fourth issue - REUSE. The articles are thoughtful, interesting, informative and diverse and I am thoroughly enjoying each one. I highly recommend getting a subscription!

craigslist search terms

Lately, I have been on a big Craigslist kick. I am sure the obsessive phase will pass soon and I will return to searching on a more sporadic basis - but in the meantime I thought I would share some of my go to search terms. 

1. Bamboo/Cane/Wicker/Rattan - I use this set of terms when searching for items like these. 

faux bamboo dresser painted in high gloss gray paint via Natty by Design

I am always on the look out for faux bamboo case pieces. Popular during the 60s this style is not easily come by in the Midwest but can be found more readily in the South especially in Florida. They will most often be found with an old paint job or in wood but with a high gloss paint job this style looks fresh and new. 

Bentwood cane chairs in Sofia Coppola's Manhattan apartment via Curbed

mid-century cane back dining chairs in a room by Chris Barrett via House Beautiful

I never ended up pulling the trigger on any dining room chairs so I am still on the hunt. St. Louis has a fairly large selection of mid-century furniture so every once and a while I will come across a set of interesting cane chairs. I love the natural texture and the light and airy look that this style brings to a room. 

rattan accent chair in a room by T.Williams Design and Jason Todd Bailey via Atlanta Homes

I love rattan for the same reasons I love cane - the texture. I have missed out of this type of chair a couple of times and I am still kicking myself. 

2. Four Poster/Four Post/Canopy Bed - I mentioned in this post how much I love four poster beds and since they are generally very expensive new - vintage or used is really the only way to go for us. I am hoping to find one with simply lines and a good wood tone - not too red and not too yellow. 

1940's four poster bed A Country Farmhouse

3. Henredon/Drexel/Mastercraft/Lane - Searching by a quality brand is often a quick and easy way to weed out the cheaply made items and to find furniture that is almost guaranteed to be better constructed than the majority of furniture being made today. I generally look for tables and case pieces although a well cared for Henredon sofa is a great find too.

Henredon burled wood side table via Etsy

Drexel chest via One Kings Lane

Happy shopping and have a good weekend!