Dream House with a Porch Swing

What does your dream house look like? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. It’s a single story home with a wrap-around porch. Need I say more? Plantation style would be my preference, both inside and out, if I had my 'druthers.

I envision myself surrounded by my family and friends on a warm summer afternoon drinking iced tea or lemonade out of frosty glasses, viewing the world from behind the safety of my front porch trellis. The toes of one foot is on the ground, slowly moving the porch swing – just enough to catch an afternoon breeze.

In the winter, I’ll curl up wrapped in one of my crochet afghans sipping a cup of hot cocoa doing nothing more exciting than watching the miniature marshmallows melt, as snow, silent and hush, falls outside my little world. And if I really have my way I’ll be all nice and warm with my Ravenswood Firebowl fired up.

Indulge me please as I imagine just a bit more decorations on my porch. Since it’s snowing, I’ll add just a touch of Christmas, like my favorite: the 3 foot Flocked Alaskan Pine with 100 colorful little lights twinkling merrily as I listen to the bells jingling on the sleighs gliding down our street. (Wait. Is that just a bit too much?)

The inside of my dream home will be decorated plantation style, with gorgeous furniture such as the Trinidad Arm Chair by Padma's Plantation and accent pieces such as the Timeworks Tyrell Wall Clock by Uttermost. To keep it fun, I love whimsical little touches like the 32 in Abayomi Elephant Accent Lamp.

If this is a dream, please wake me gently. Hold on, before I go I need to cover my patio swing so it stays clean all year long out on my porch. Of course, I would choose KoverRoos patio furniture covers. Okay, I've shared my dream. I don't really want to wake up, but I will if you'll share yours.

Call Odyssey Homestore 888-564-4744 if you need help making your dream house become a reality. They have pretty much everything you need, from Porch to Patio and Everything in Between.

Fiber Optic Christmas Trees

And why have they become so popular in the last few years? Before we can explain that, we need to explain what Fiber Optics is, or is that are?

Fiber-optics consist of a bundle of thin glass or plastic strands. This is coated or surrounded in material that allows light to pass through the fibers without escaping out the sides. Signals can pass through them at very high speeds from the point of origin to the destination, with minimal loss in quality or data. Companies use fiber-optics to transmit Internet data, audio information for telephones, and images for television or medical cameras. One little known secret is they also are used for Christmas trees! Basic Function: The concept behind fiber-optics is fairly simple. A user transmits a signal as light, often in the form of a laser beam, through a length of thin strands of glass or plastic. The optical fiber acts as the medium through which the light passes, while a coating on the outside of each strand keeps the light trapped within the fiber. People can send just about any type of digital data through fiber-optics, though conversion for some signals may be necessary.

 History: Alexander Graham Bell, in 1880, demonstrated how light could be used to transfer sounds from one area to another. A few decades later, the first sets of bundled cables were developed, though they were not called "fiber-optics" at the time. In 1956, Narinder Kapany coined the term after bundling a few glass rods together. He then demonstrated that these rods could project light without leaking at any point, as long as they were wrapped or coated in a dark material. By 1960, Dr. Charles Kao realized the potential of fiber-optics. He suggested that they could be used for fast, clear communications. In the 1970s, a company called Corning® Glass created the first optical fiber made entirely of thin strands of glass. This led to Bell Telephone using these fibers to make telephone cables that could transmit crystal clear conversations from one side of the US to the other. Are you bored yet? You shouldn't be! It's amazing really that folks like National Tree took the time to work with a variety of manufacturers to create some of the most stunning artificial fiber optic Christmas Trees in the world!

 Fiber Optic Trees make for great table top accents anywhere in your home. We offer a wide variety of fiber optic Christmas trees, and many come with ornaments already on the tree!. An Fiber Optic Christmas tree has a great looking base, and truly is breathtaking. They have PVC needles and are flame retardant. Use these trees in your entrance way or anywhere you can think of in your home. So, to sum it up. Fiber Optic Christmas trees have colorful lights, but they do not have bulbs like a traditional Christmas tree! The glow of the lights comes through the tips of the tree or bush, and they will create beautiful holiday memories for you and your family. Replacement parts are available so you'll enjoy your tree for many many years. To see the entire line of Fiber Optic Trees, just click here.

One word of caution: These sell out fast every year. By Thanksgiving they're gone! So order yours early and save! Feel free to call our Christmas Tree Specialists at Odyssey Homestore. We offer legendary customer service, sales and support. (888) 564 - 4744