Every once in a while I run into something I really think is fun in the garden. This time I ran into not one, but two things that I think you will really enjoy.
The first is a solar lantern. We originally had this idea to attract insects to our toad habitat. See the Toad Abode here. However we found that it has many fun uses. Such as hanging in the trees for some soft old fashion looking lighting.
We even found a useful purpose for it,(other than just looking pretty) because if you don’t have a useful purpose on the homestead you are not going to last long. Just saying! I can never, it seems, find my homesteading flashlight. Tell me someone out there has this problem. As usual, I have a funny story to tell about just such a time.
After looking for my homesteading flashlight, and NOT finding it, I headed out to the coop to tuck the girls safely in for the night, IN THE DARK. (Homesteader speak for; I shut the chickens up in the coop so that they will not get eaten by a opossum in the middle of the night) My patio light lit the way enough for me to get out to the coop and latch the door. It was, as I was walking away, that I heard/felt something amiss. I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but Iwent inside to borrow one of my Boy Scout’s coveted flashlights. When I went back out to take a closer look, to my surprise I had actually shut a large opossum up IN my coop with my chickens! I know! Right there in the coop ,which I built to protect my egg laying divas, was a big stinky hissing possum! After a lot of shrieking on my part and a little bb action from my boy protectors the situation was under control. You can be sure I NEVER gather eggs or check on the girls with out a light of some sort anymore! So a solar lantern on my porch, is always convenient; charged and ready to help me get eggs if I go out little later than planned.
Here is how to make your own solar lantern:
1st order some solar lids that fit a normal small mouthed Ball canning jar. I ordered my solar lid here. It charges all day to produce a soft glow all night, shutting off automatically as the sun rises. I know, nifty huh!
2nd use some wire(I used baling wire off of my straw bales) but any wire will do and some needle nose pliers to bend the wire. Make a collar around the top of the jar as shown. Then add a handle. That is all there is to it. We got several of the lids because we thought it would be the perfect thing for the Christmas gift exchange.
This post contains an affiliate link. I only recommend things that I have tried out myself and really like, for your convenience. If you click on the link and buy something, even if it is not the thing I recommended, I get a small compensation at no cost to you.
My 5 year old son would love this, plus it’s a great way to light the garden. Would also be great for a children’s fairy garden. Thanks for sharing!