Mayfair Backyard Escapes 2012 Full

Mayfair Pools

BACKYARD ESCAPESMAYFAIR POOLS Spring/Summer 2012

Everyday Rituals Extraordinary Momentsin Your Own Backyard

The Adventure VacationLet your ImaginationRun Wild

Timeless Waters HydrotherapyThen & Now

Mayfair PoolsMoney Savers p. 3

Mayfair PoolsService Tips p.23

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8 Extraordinary Moments In Your Own Backyard

10 Timeless WatersHydrotherapy then and now

12 The Adventure VacationLet Your Imagination Run Wild

14 Backyard SafetySimple Ways to Keep Your Family Safe

16 What’s Old is New AgainA Conversation on Planting Native Plants

18 A Tale of Three BarbecuesFinding the right Grill for You

20 The Benefi ts of Backyard Exercise

24 Easy Summer Entertianing

8 10 16 18

CONTENTS

BACKYARD ESCAPESSPRING/SUMMER 2012

SPRING/SUMMER 2012 BACKYARD ESCAPES | 1www.leisurescapes.com

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What’s in a Name

NOTES | OPENING LINES

What’s in a name? Well in our case, everything! Mayfair Pools has been a family owned and operated business in the Markham area for over 35 years. Donna and Don McWilliams established the company in 1977 and although they did not have a history in the swimming pool industry they both came from a service oriented background and believed they could bring a high level of professionalism and customer service to consumers. Simply put, they looked at the industry and knew they could do better.

As our community has grown over the years so has Mayfair Pools. Our three divisions of retail store, service department/renovations and new pool construction continue to be leaders in the swimming pool industry. Second generation Aaron McWilliams and myself, Shona McWilliams, carry on the tradition our parents Don and Donna started, offering qual-ity products, knowledgeable information and exceptional service so you may create and maintain a backyard space for friends and family to gather, relax and create long lasting memories.

We hope you take a moment, relax and enjoy Mayfair Pools 2nd Annual Backyard Escapes Magazine!

Mayfair Pools – Markham 2011

Check our websitewww.mayfairpools.com

Call (905) 479-7665 for details.

Mayfair Pools – Markham 2011

Shona McWilliams

4261 Highway 7 East Unionville, Ontario | 905-474-3524www.homesourceonline.ca

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Mayfair Pools Money Savers

1. Use a solar blanket at night – pool covers reduce evaporation, heat loss & chemical loss. Hate the cover, try our most effective liquid invisible barrier – Cover Free

2. Only backwash when necessary – when pool pressure reaches approximately 8-10 lbs over normal running pressure it is time to backwash. Reducing water top ups that lose heated and balanced water makes good sense. Make sure your pressure gauge is working well!

3. Turn off waterfall & water features when not in use – running these features uses more energy and increases your evaporation rate.

4. Vacuum the pool only when it needs it – it is not recommended to leave automatic vacuums running for long stretches of time as they cut

down on pool circulation and put more strain on your pump.

5. Use a 2 speed pump – these pumps low speed option let you continue to circulate the pool but use a fraction of the horsepower and a fraction of the energy.

6. Keep your water balanced – bring in monthly water samples to our store to be analyzed. It is much cheaper to maintain your pool than to clean up algae problems.

This is your backyard vacation spot and you want to get the most enjoyment out of the season. Mayfair Pools has 6 easy ways to help keep costs down while not compromising on fun:

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You’ll be amazed at the difference intelligent pump design can make on your utility bills. The IntelliFlo® variable speed pump allows custom programming to provide the minimum flow required for every pool task. Compared to a single-speed pump, IntelliFlo uses only one-sixth of the energy. That can save a typical pool owner $540* per year, and you’ll have a lighter environmental footprint as well.

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Angling your return fittings upward may create a cool-looking ripple effect, but you’ll save money and improve circulation by positioning return fittings downward at a 45° degree angle. If your pool has multiple returns, point them to move the water in the same direction (circular). This forces the water and pool treatment products down allowing them to do their job more readily throughout the pool.

You’ll improve water circulation and get rid of the “dead spots” that make it easier for algae to get a foothold in your pool. Heated water will be circulated to the bottom of the pool, maximizing your heater’s efficiency. And, as an added bonus, you’ll need to vacuum less, because more debris will be filtered out!

Don’t Backwash Too Often!

Here’s a cool fact that you may not know: backwashing too often can actually hinder the filtration process. A clean filter is less efficient than one with a mild amount of dirt in it because the dirt helps trap other particles, which removes debris from the water. However, you don't want to let the filter get too dirty. Backwash when the filter gauge reaches 8 to 10 psi (pounds per square inch) above its normal operating pressure. And, clean your filter at the end of every season to maximize performance and extend the life of your sand.

Balanced Water = Money Savings!If you want to save money on chlorine this summer, keep a close eye on your pH! When pH is too low, chlorine gets used up too quickly. When pH is too high, chlorine becomes inefficient and “lazy”, putting your pool at risk for algae and cloudy water. In fact, did you know that chlorine is about 10 times more effective at sanitizing your water when the pH is between 7.4 and 7.6, rather than at a high pH level of say 8.2?

No Phosphates. No Algae.Algae needs water, carbon dioxide and food to grow. You can get rid of the food that algae needs to grow by removing phosphates from your water. Just ask us to test your phosphate level and we can help you assess your risk of algae!

Pool Care TipsProtect your pool and your wallet this summer with these money saving tips!

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DESIGN | BACKYARDS

Extraordinary Moments in Your Own BackyardFor many, the highlight of the year is the family vacation or even the staycation – the growing trend of taking time off work to spend at home. And who can blame them? Vacations, in all their forms, are a time to spend with family, doing the things you love. They are a break from the monotony of everyday tasks.

They are a time of relaxation and refl ection, a time when moments, and the subsequent memories created by them, are at their most vivid. But the problem with vacations? They are fl eeting. So, what if there was a way to experi-ence these exceptional moments on a weekly or even a daily basis? There is.

One way to create these special moments is to create the special space in which to have them, and the perfect place to do so is right in your own backyard, literally.

More and more people are embracing the idea of expanding their living space into the great outdoors. Regardless of budget, people are cre-ating outdoor rooms: living rooms and dining rooms, playrooms and saunas, even outdoor showers. But these outdoor rooms are not just mere expansions of the interior space. They are not the place for laundry and homework, chores or emails; they are more than this. If you let them, these open-air rooms can be the setting of extraordinary everyday moments for your family and yourself.

Creating an outdoor setting in which your fam-ily can enjoy these extraordinary moments can be as easy as adding a few small touches. Linda van Vulpen, Landscape Designer at Van Vulpen Design in Nova Scotia, suggests that even incor-porating something as simple as an “umbrella can be quite effective in providing a degree of privacy and coziness” to your family space.

As for the green touches that can make any outdoor space cozy, van Vulpen recommends “a strategically planted small ornamental tree to provide an overhead canopy.” You can also “divide an open space by erecting a division using a climbing structure easily purchased at a garden centre and install it in a container garden allowing vines to grow.”

8 | BACKYARD ESCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2012 www.leisurescapes.com

DESIGN | BACKYARDS

That’s right! You can create organic walls to separate your different outdoor “rooms”.

Having communal space outside is great for creating everyday moments on warm summer evenings and those lazy weekend afternoons, but if you can divide your backyard into rooms, why not create a space just for yourself? You’ve heard of a “man cave”, right? Well, women need something like that too. Virginia Woolf once said that a woman needs “a room of her own.” But she didn’t say it had to be inside. So, go ahead, women, creative a little garden nook of your own, with, as van Vulpen suggests, “a comfort-able, attractive chair and small table to rest your book and coffee to make the space that much more inviting.” Who wouldn’t want to spend a moment everyday in that environment?

Even preparing everyday meals can be extraor-dinary if the produce comes from you own garden. Van Vulpen sees “the return of the vegetable garden” as one of the biggest back-yard trends. The garden, she explains, “has become an integral part of the outdoor living space. It is no longer required to be rectangular with straight rows of vegetables. It could be integrated into perennial gardens or it could be an attractive raised bed in an interesting form, with arbours and climbing structures – a desti-nation in itself.”

A new way of growing vegetables is emerg-ing. Not only is your garden a place to grow the localest of local produce to keep your fam-ily healthy and teach your children about food production, the vegetable garden is now a contributing factor to the ambiance of your backyard. Picture heading out to the vegetable garden to pick your beans for dinner when you become lost in the wonder and beauty of the natural world. Extraordinary moments really can be found in the simplest and most practical moments of everyday life.

Time, they say, is relative. This is especially true while on vacation when time passes extraordinarily quick and wondrously slow. When days are consumed by new sights and sounds, new tastes and adventures, it’s easy to feel fulfi lled by time. But, whether you have an evening, a weekend, or just ten minutes in the morning before the rush of the day begins, this fulfi llment can be found every day. Not that you would ever consider giving up your vacation time, but, if you can fi nd these extraordinary moments on a daily basis, perhaps the need for that vacation will lessen. Now wouldn’t that be a great place to be?


Timeless WatersHydrotherapy Then and Now

Throughout history, humans have sought the calming, cleansing and transformative nature of warm water. When many of us think of baths in an historical context, the classical baths of ancient Greece and Rome often come to mind. There is a good reason for this. After all, they are the dawn of the Western world’s bathing culture.


Take a browse through Greek Mythology and you will soon fi nd reference to natural springs or tidal pools that were believe to be blessed by the gods and able to cure disease. Around these sites, Greeks built public bathing complexes where peo-ple would bring offerings to the gods in exchange for the healing provided by sacred pools.

The father of modern medicine himself, Hippocrates (460-370 BC), is reputed to have pre-scribed bathing to his patients. He felt that the cause of our physical maladies was an imbalance of bodily fl uids and that baths, along with perspi-ration, walking and massages, were needed to regain balance and obtain overall health.

The Romans took the Greeks lead in building baths on natural hot springs, and, in the grand

Roman style, took it a step further, construct-ing lavish bathing arenas, some of which are reported to have held up to 3,000 bathers. Healing was an important aspect of the Roman experience, but just as often it was a social event. It was a place where business deals were conducted, courtships were started and pleasures of all varieties were undertaken.

Does any of this sound familiar? No, you’re saying, I have never bathed with 3,000 others. While that may be true, peel back the layer of obvious differences between classical and modern culture and you’ll fi nd that what draws humans to the comfort of warm waters remains the same. We still seek it to promote health, to soothe and lift our spirit, and, yes, we still seek bathing as a social experience. Natural hot

springs, like the ones in Banff and Radium, con-tinue to attract thousands of visitors each year. But many people are choosing to create these timeless bathing experiences in their own home with hot tubs, saunas and backyard spas.

In today’s health and wellness fi eld, hydro-therapy is used in a variety of ways. As Nova Scotia physiotherapist, Shelley Fleckenstein, recounts, “During my time at the Nova Scotia Rehab Centre, I worked with people who had spinal and head injuries. In the water, my cli-ents could do things they wouldn’t be able to do on land.” This is because the buoyancy of water helps to support body weight and reduces stress on joints. But the benefi ts of hydrother-apy are not only physical. Fleckenstein’s clients experienced an added benefi t too: improved self-confi dence. “People quickly realized they could do things in the water that they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. It was an epiphany for them.”

The benefi ts of a warm water soak are also multi-faceted. As Fleckenstein points out, “hot tubs stimulate circulation, reduce pain and muscle spasm and promote relaxation. It’s important to be mindful of the amount of time you spend in a hot tub though, especially if you have cardiovascular problems, but fi fteen min-utes in a hot tub is truly magical.”

Water is, indeed, good for the body, mind and soul!

When pressed to answer why immersion in warm water is magical, Fleckenstein paused and laughed. It’s easy to explain what hap-pens to our bodies in water, but it’s harder to explain why it has such an effect on our mood. “In all its forms, water is soothing and tranquil,” Fleckenstein continues, “waterfalls mystify us, water sounds in music relax us, and on a win-ter’s night there’s nothing nicer than sitting in a hot tub with snowfl akes falling on your eye-lashes. It’s wonderful.”

In the end, Fleckenstein touches on all the time-less aspects of human’s relationship with warm waters: health, spirit and social interaction. After all, one of the best reasons to have a hot tub is to spend time in it with family and friends.

Today’s public bathing space looks vastly dif-ferent from those in ancient Greece and Rome. Gone is the grandeur of lavish bathing com-plexes. Instead we prefer a cozy environment in the our own yards. But even with all these changes, the human yearning for the calming, cleansing and transformative nature of water remains the same.


The Adventure VacationLet your Imagination Run Wild

What I loved most about this song is that it didn’t just make me think about going on an adventure; when I sang this song I actu-ally went on the adventure. As children, we have the ability to go away without leaving our rooms, houses or yards. Adults call this “imagination,” but when you’re a child, you don’t just imagine you are on an adventure, you are on an adventure. Even as an adult, however, you can re-learn how to get away, how to go on an adventure, without leaving your backyard. The desire for this kind of “escape” is the driving force behind the growing “staycation” trend.

The idea of a staycation has been around for a number of years. It gained popu-larity when the economy took a turn in 2008. These days it’s not only for the budget-minded; individuals, couples and families looking for a simpler, more relaxing holidays are also turning to the vacation-at-home.

If you have ever travelled, you know it can be a lot of work. The planning, the paper work for passports, the packing, the driv-ing or air travel, not to mention all the unplanned exploits. I have two words for you: Montezuma’s Revenge. There are times in life when all these inconveniences are worthwhile to see and experience another culture. But, for a simpler get-away, there are plenty of adventures to be had right in your own backyard.

The first thing you must do when embarking on a staycation is get into the right mindset. One of the potential risks of staying at home for your vacation is that it’s too easy to check emails, stop into the offi ce “briefl y” and generally not vary your routine. It is important that you designate staycation time as special

time. Schedule start and end dates, and make rules, like no cell phones, no emails, no chores, whatever it takes to ensure that it’s a true getaway from the everyday.

Now that your mind is ready to let go, here are a few recommendations on how to turn your staycation into an adventure:

Camp Out: Live the full camping experi-ence in the backyard. This does not just mean pitching at tent, although that’s a good start. Try not to head indoors for anything. Cook supper outside, build a campfi re where you can roast marshmal-lows and sing songs (“Going on a Lion Hunt” is a great campfi re song), sleep in the tent with your family, and when you wake up in the morning, have breakfast outside too. Twenty-four hours without entering your house will have you seeing your backyard in a whole new way.

Build a Tree House: Okay, this may not be the typical relaxing vacation, but it will be one of the most memorable expe-riences that you will have with your kids. They will not forget the vacation when mom and dad took out the hammer and nails to build a real fort. Once complete, haul up blankets, books, snacks and make it a space for a rustic getaway. The memories created here will be passed down in family stories for generations.

Go for a Swim: When most families go on vacation, they often look for a hotel with a pool. However, many families are now choosing to invest in a backyard pool (and in backyard ambiance altogether) rather than spending money on a vaca-tion. Nothing says holiday like playing with your kids in water and relaxing by

When I was young, one of my favourite songs to sing was “Going on a Lion Hunt”. In case you’re not familiar, the song narratives the obstacles and adventures encountered when a child goes on a “hunt”. “Uh-oh,” the song states, “there’s tall grass ahead. Can’t go over it, can’t go under it, can’t go around it. Better crawl through it.” Then you make a swooshing sound as if you’re making your way through the tall grass. It’s good fun.


the pool afterwards. And, in spirit of adventure, your kids will fi nd nautical treasures and deep sea monsters just as easily in your backyard pool as they can at a hotel or exotic beach.

While it is important to plan specifi c start and end dates for you staycation, within these dates

it’s important to let the unexpected happen. Your kids will have no problem “imagining” an adventure in your own backyard. Perhaps the best thing to do is let them teach you how it’s done. After all, they’re the experts. Remember... take plenty of pictures, get dirty (and forget to do the laundry!) and have fun. Bon voyage!


Backyard Safety 101Simple ways to keep your family safe


Once the warm weather hits, many families make the most of the season by spending countless hours in their own backyards. There are, however, some hazards that can turn this enjoyment upside down. So, as you head out for some fun in the sun, here are some safety tips to keep in mind.

Sometimes the simple precautions are the most overlooked. One example: clean-up. After a day of gardening or tending lawn, and before you sit back for some R&R, it’s important to take the time to search for, pick up and properly store all the tools you used throughout the day.

It’s also important to collect all toys once play-time is over. Cleaning up toys is an activity in which you can involve your children. Not only will it teach them their role in caring for the shared outdoor space, it also starts them think-ing about the importance of backyard safety.

Unfortunately one of the primary backyard hazards is also the source of a great deal of childhood pleasure: the home playground. Each year, too many children end up in the ER due to playground related injuries. While some of these injuries occur at school and other public parks, the sad fact is that many of them occur in the backyard. But don’t fret (too much, anyway!), because there are ways to help prevent these accidents. Cover the areas under your play-ground with a shock-absorbing material like mulch, rubber or sand and make sure it’s the appropriate depth; check your play unit for bro-ken parts and cover all protruding bolts; plus, ensure that your equipment is age appropriate.

Of course, for many parents, the source of the greatest anxiety when it comes to outdoor safety is the backyard pool. All bodies of water command the utmost respect, which is why pool safety needs to be the top priority for pool owners. The Red Cross reports that infants and toddlers aged one to four have the highest rates of drowning. But, as sad as that statistic is, there are ways to lessen the likelihood of a tragedy.

While it (almost) goes without saying that adults need to supervise all children in the pool, at all times. Many people do not realize just how quickly a drowning can occur. A Red Cross study shows that nearly half of infant and tod-dler drowning deaths occurred when the child was alone. Drownings can occur in as little as ten seconds, which means pool time is a time to put aside multi-tasking. No phone calls, not quick text message and no running inside for anything. It’s not just your poolside presence that keeps children safe, as the Red Cross states, it’s vigilant supervision.

Gates are also essential for in-ground pools. You’ve heard the saying “good fences make good neighbours”? Well, good fences also make safe families, especially when curious toddling feet are walking around. Remember, gates need to be self-closing and self-latching with latches that are above the reach of small children.

One of the most important resources in keeping your children safe is… your children them-selves, especially when they are older. Talk to you children clearly about the rules of the pool, and don’t just have this conversation when the pool is installed or at the start of summer; talk to your children throughout the season. Eye-rolling and sighing aside, they are listening and your message will sink in.

Know your pool and teach your children about it. Teaching children about the pool empowers them to be aware of their surroundings and be able to tell you if they think something is amiss, such as broken pool vents and unlatched pool covers.

Childhood memories of summer last a lifetime. So take the fi rst steps toward creating the happi-est kind and ensure that safety in the backyard is your whole family’s number one priority.


What’s Old is New AgainA Conversation on Planting Native Plants

Lately, in the midst of our complex modern world, peo-ple have started to move towards simplifying their lives. We want to live more in the moment, get back to family and community, and buy local. Sure, we love to be one click away from connecting to the global network, but we’re also showing a heightened awareness of environ-mental concerns, and, as individuals, we’ve begun to feel that our own actions can make a difference. One possible way to do this is by planting native plants.

“Native plants” is the term used to describe a plant that is indigenous to any given area. They are the plants that have grown on our land for many, possibly thou-sands of, years. Native plants can vary depending on your region, and more and more growers are seeking to incorporate native plants in their own gardens.

Recently I asked Chet Neufeld, the Executive Director of the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan, why planting and growing native plants is so important. “Growing native plants is important no matter where you live,” he says, “because native plants and habitats are becoming increasingly scarce, and a lot of wildlife depends on these plants for food and shelter. Some but-terfl ies in particular are adapted to certain native host plants. Monarch butterfl ies, for example, need milk-weed. By having these host plants, you’ll ensure a food supply that might not otherwise exist. Also, by using native plants, you are promoting a truly green and sus-tainable industry and ensuring that what you grow in your yard doesn’t degrade our natural areas.”

If you are interested in planting native plants, you may be asking, where do I begin? It’s easier than you might think. There are plenty of resources to utilize across Canada that can help get you started. “Find local sources of native plants and ask them for recommendations on what would grow best for your particular situation. Native plant retailers really know their stuff and are happy to share their knowledge. If you have trouble fi nd-ing local experts, try contacting your provincial native plant society, nature society, garden club or university.”

The key is, as Neufeld recommends, start small. “Gardening with native plants is no more work than gardening with regular horticultural plants. In fact, it’s less work and cost in the long run.”

Did your mind perk up with that? He said less work and cost. Why? “Native plants are generally more pest tolerant, require no fertilizer and native prairie plants require little to no water. Because they’ve existed here for thousands of years, they’re very well adapted to local conditions.”

That being said, native plant cultivation takes time and patience. In our world of instant gratifi cation, this form of growing serves as a reminder that the old cli-ché is true: the best things come to those who wait. As Neufl ed says, “Many plants grow slowly in the fi rst year or so and generally don’t bloom in their fi rst season. However, once the plants are established, the workload drops considerably and they look beautiful!”


One of the major contradictions of our time is that, while we seem to be a moving towards sustainability, we are also becoming disconnected from the land that supports us. Neufeld expresses his concern that kids are becom-ing increasingly detached from nature. Native plant growing might help re-unite your kids with the outdoors. The history, the discovery and the dirt are just the sorts of things that grab the attention of young inquisitive minds. Neufeld suggests that you “pick a spot in the yard and give it to your kids. Help them choose the right native plants to put there (maybe you can research it together), but let it ultimately be their decision.”

Neufeld has seen fi rst hand what happens when kids start to make a connection between the native plants

that they’ve planted and the ones growing in the wild. “You can almost see the light bulb go on. They know they’ve done something good; that their actions have had a positive and permanent impact.”

If you’ve ever walked in a place like the old growth forests on BC’s west coast you have no doubt experi-enced how a piece of land can hold the history of the natural world. By planting native plants, you can get a glimpse of this in your own backyard; you can save a piece of natural history for generations to come, not only for generations of your own family but for genera-tions of birds, bees and butterfl ies too.


A Tale of Three BarbecuesFinding the Right Grill for You

The barbecue experience is a seemingly uni-versal pleasure. From the Hawaiian luau to the South African Braai, from Jamaican jerk chicken to the Australian sausage sizzle, we humans love our grilled food.

In Canada, even snow is no obstacle to the fresh-off-the-grill taste. But winter barbecuing is a mere shadow of the true grilling experi-ence. It is only once the sun’s rays start to give heat, once the patio furniture can be unpacked, that the barbecue (the event, not the food) can truly be enjoyed. After all, the barbecue has less to do with the taste of the food (although this is certainly an important element), and more to do with sharing a meal with friends and family in the great outdoors.

The trend towards creating extra-ordinary outdoor eating spaces is a testament to this. Outdoor cooking and dining areas can range from the extravagant to the tiny-but-mighty. However, there is one common denominator: this is where our love of socializing, our love of warm weather and our love of grilling combine.

“Outdoor Kitchen” is the term used to describe a fully equipped outdoor eating space. Imagine, a 30 square foot area that houses a fridge, a sink, enough counter space to prepare your fi nest culinary concoctions, cabinetry to hold your outdoor cookware, and a stone island where friends and family can sit for a chat while overlooking your mason-crafted custom stone outdoor fi replace and rotisserie.

Going too far? Not for some. But for the rest of us, it’s only a dream. Or is it? Regardless of space or budget, with a little imagination, everyone can achieve the outdoor eating space that’s perfect for your lifestyle and family.

A small urban deck boasts an equally satisfying experience. Even in a space that is as small as 10 square feet, you can create your own outdoor eating haven. With a small bench along the rail for life’s cozier moments, an herb “garden” growing in planters to add greenery to the space, not to mention freshness to your meal, a small barbecue with cedar plank salmon grill-ing to perfection, and a bistro-style table set for two, what more could you ask for?


2| CHARCOAL

You would be hard pressed to change the mind

of a person who swears by the charcoal grill.

Sure, it takes longer to heat up and it’s more

diffi cult to control heat distribution, but the

kettle grill is the iconic backyard barbecue, and

this is saying nothing about the fl avour – oh,

the fl avour! It’s what a true connoisseur craves.

If you have never tried charcoal, or it’s been

years, it may be time to revisit a classic.

3|GAS GRILL

It’s the tried and true favourite for a reason: it’s

one versatile grilling machine. There is a gas grill

out there that will fi t anyone’s space, anyone’s

budget. Plus, if you have natural gas heating,

you can get a gas line extended right to your

barbecue, so you will never have to worry about

running out of propane again. There are also a

number of accessories that fi t gas grills, includ-

ing infrared attachments and smoke boxes, and

that means your one grill can cook as many

culinary treasures as you wish to try.

1| INFRA RED

Like a traditional gas barbecue, these grills are

fuelled by propane or natural gas. But, unlike

the gas barbecue, infrared grills heat a ceramic

tile that emits infrared radiation to cook your

food. The advantage of this type of grill is that

it heats and cooks quickly. The aficionado

swears that a perfect steak takes only six min-

utes; however, it can take some getting used to.

But, for the griller who loves to try everything,

this could be the perfect new experience.

The barbecue experience is about more than just the food you serve, it’s about enjoying the things we love most about summer: good food and good company in a warm, relaxing atmo-sphere. The season is short, so before you’re back to barbecuing in mittens, get out and make some memories!

If your setting has grown from two to four, six or eight, the family outdoor eating space can become what the indoor kitchen has always been: a meeting place.

Picture a pergola with green vines to provide shade and ambience, under which your grill cooks hot dogs and hamburgers as easily as souvlaki and Cajun halibut. The centre piece of your space is the dining table – where you, your spouse, guests and kids gather to prepare meals, where your meal conversa-tions range from the sincere to the absurd, and where you gather in the evening for a board game.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and whether small, medium or large, there’s no reason that heart can’t beat just as strongly in an outdoor setting.

FOR YOUR SPACE, HERE ARE THREE TYPES OF GRILLS TO CONSIDER:


The Benefi ts of Backyard Exercise

Summer is the time when most of us get in shape. After all, even if you manage to avoid the beach—and why would you want to?—there’s no avoiding shorts and tank tops during those mid-summer heat waves. If this motivation, along with the abundant health benefi ts, is still not enough to have you lacing up the running shoes, perhaps it’s time to think even more local than a jog through the neighbourhood. Your back-yard could offer everything you need to get fi t this year.

With more and more families choosing to install pools in their backyards, water exercise is becoming a popular way to get one of the most benefi cial forms of exercise without leaving the comfort of your own space. As Shelley Fleckenstein, a physiotherapist and Director of Kings Physiotherapy Clinic, says, “water is a beautiful medium for exercise. People are able to do exercises in water that they are not able to do on land because the buoyancy of water helps support body weight.


Buoyancy reduces the amount of force exerted on joints and counteracts the effects of gravity.”

This is good news for people with conditions such as spinal cord injury, MS and cerebral palsy, to name just a few. But people without these conditions can also reap the benefi ts of water exercise.

“Water provides resistance and therefore can be used for strengthening exercises as well as to improve balance and coordination,” says Fleckenstein, and, as she knows firsthand, swimming offers a great cardiovascular work-out. “We installed a pool in our own backyard two years ago. I love to go out in the early morn-ing and swim lengths. In fact, we originally installed the pool thinking it was for the kids, but my husband and I use it just as much they do.”

Everyone knows that regular exercise improves physical as well as mental and emotional health. Thanks to the low-impact nature of water work-outs, your body will gain the benefi ts of exercise while lessening the risks associated with some of the more high-impact activities. This is not only good for your body; it means you might actually enjoy your workouts too.

If space or budget does not allow you to install a pool, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy exercise in your backyard. As Fit Mom blogger (fi tmomsociety.com) and mother of four, Mia Lockhart, says “thanks to the many exercise videos available on YouTube, people are work-ing-out more at home. Many videos are actually set outside, so it seems only natural to perform them outside too. When the weather’s nice, I’ll take my laptop outside and do yoga to a video. I also do lunges to the end of the yard and back, and I love to take the kettle ball outside.”

Of course, one the best forms of backyard exer-cise is, as kids have always known, play. Allow yourself to get outside and do what kids do. Goof around, act silly and enjoy yourself. As Lockhart expresses, “I love getting outdoors for the fresh air, the sunshine, the change of scenery, but part of what makes backyard exercise great is the fun aspect.” And Lockhart fi nds plenty of ways to have fun with her kids in their own yard. “We jump on the trampoline, race around the yard, and have cartwheel competitions.”

“I love to do round-offs!” her 10-year-old daugh-ter cuts in. While her 11-year-old daughter expresses the joy “cranking up the music and dancing in the backyard. We’ve even done it around a campfi re.”

Day or night, the Lockharts fi nd ways to stay active at home, and one could hardly call many of these activities “work”-outs. “Most people stop exercising because it gets too mundane,” Lockhart says. “Backyard exercise should be about getting back to play.”

Being in your own backyard on a summer’s day makes everything better, even exercise. Whether it’s a swim in the pool, re-learning how to cartwheel, practicing martial arts, tossing a football or running through the sprinkler, fi gure out what activity you love, let go of your inhibi-tions and have fun while keeping fi t this year.


W E L C O M E T O T H E J O H N S O N S ’

P R I V A T E R E S O R T.O u r p o o l s , s p a s a n d g r i l l s m a k e e v e r y d a y a f a b u l o u s v a c a t i o n . J u s t s t e p

o u t y o u r b a c k d o o r a n d y o u ’ r e i n y o u r h a v e n . T h e t r a v e l t i m e i s j u s t a b o u t a m i n u t e . B e s t o f a l l , t h e r e ’s a l w a y s a n e x c l u s i v e g u e s t l i s t , a n d

t h e p a r t i e s a r e b y i n v i t a t i o n o n l y .

www.leisurescapes.com

napoleongrills.com

Mayfair Pools Service Tips

Not sure if you are losing water? Losing up to ¼ of an inch of water during the summer months is considered within the accept-able range of evaporation. This will be affected by air and water temperature, wind, solar blanket usage and water features. If water loss exceeds this amount there is a simple “24 hour test” you can do to help isolate where the problem may lie.

Put a mark on the skimmer and let the pool run normally for 24 hours and measure the amount of loss. The second step is to again mark the skimmer then turn the pool off for 24 hours plugging the returns and the skimmer if possible. This information will tell us if further testing of the pool needs to hap-pen inside the pool itself or outside the pool in the lines and equip-ment. Armed with this information our technicians can then use one of our specialized leak detection devices to locate the leak and get you back on track.

Pump won’t fi ll all the way up? There are a number of reasons this may be happening and many you can check for yourself. • pump lid not on securely.

• pump o-ring damaged

or missing.

• debris in skimmer or pump

basket.

• weir door stuck in up position.

After checking the above and you continue to have a problem the best thing to do is to contact our Service Department and have one of our skilled technicians out to diagnose and solve the issue. Leaving equipment working inef-fectively can not only cause further damage but can also lead to more costly repairs.

A properly maintained pool and equipment can bring you and your family great enjoyment. You can be confi dent that our Service Technicians, who are highly skilled and knowledgeable about pools, will diagnose and offer you relevant and practical solutions.


If your summer’s like mine, it’s a time to laugh with neighbors and friends through long, warm evenings you wish would never end. I love to entertain but to me, being a good host is more than just serving my guest a meal with drinks. I want to enjoy all the conversation and intimate discussions with them as well. To make the best of every moment here are a few of my favorite dishes that take little time to prepare so you can enjoy your summer evenings without the stress of full time kitchen duty.

Easy Summer Entertaining

24 | BACKYARD ESCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2012

CHICKEN SATAY

¼ cup favourite barbecue sauce¼ cup smooth peanut butter¼ cup fresh lime juice2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

Mix all ingredients together except chicken; pour over chicken in shallow glass dish. Stir to evenly coat chicken. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate or until ready to BBQ.

Heat barbecue to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; thread onto 12 skewers. Discard marinade.

Grill chicken 6 to 8 min. on each side or until done.

MARGARITA CUPS

1 pkg (85g) of strawberry gelatin powder1 cup of frozen orange sorbet or sherbetWhipped dessert toppingWedge of orange

Add 1 cup of boiling water to gelatin powder until completely dissolved stir in frozen sorbet until completely melted

Pour into margarita glasses and refrigerate 2 hours or until fi rm, top with whipped dessert topping and garnish with orange.

Vodka can be substituted to make an adult beverage, just reduce water amount by same amount of vodka but no more than ¼ cup or it may not set correctly.

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Use your prize for a pool, hot tub, barbecue or backyard

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*Prize is in the form of a credit applied to a LeisureScapes project. Contest entry period: April 1 to June 30, 2012. No purchase necessary to enter.

Odds of winning depend on number of entries. Skill testing question required to win. Contest open only to residents of Canada (excluding residents of Quebec).

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B E A C H F R O N T P R O P E R T Y R I G H T I N Y O U R

O W N B A C K Y A R D.I f y o u c l o s e y o u r e y e s a n d l i s t e n t o t h e h y p n o t i c s o u n d o f t h e w a t e r ,

y o u ’d s w e a r y o u w e r e o n a b e a c h f a r a w a y . T h a t ’s w h a t l i f e i s l i k e e v e r y d a y w h e n y o u h a v e o u r p o o l s a n d s p a s . Yo u r b a c k y a r d i s n o l o n g e r j u s t a

b a c k y a r d — i t ’s y o u r h a v e n . A n d y o u c a n b e t h e r e i n s e c o n d s . G e t a w a y t o y o u r o w n p r i v a t e g e t a w a y t o d a y .

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4261 HWY #7 Unit B3Markham, ON L3R9W6

(905) 479-7665mayfairpools.com

Durable, Safe, AttractiveThe superior way to cover your pool this fall

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Mayfair Backyard Escapes 2012 Full

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