I don't know about you, but as a kid, I loved any chance I got to "camp out" in the backyard with my siblings and friends. Usually, this meant sleepovers on the trampoline. We had so much fun!

Wouldn't it be awesome to construct a backyard tent setup like the one pictured above? My kids would go crazy for something like that! Truthfully, I think I'd be the one sneaking away to read a good book (or maybe take a nap!) in there as often as I could. 

A backyard tent doesn't have to be elaborate. So in that spirit, I've gathered 4 more fun tent inspirations below.

If you want to test out your green thumb but don't have a lot of ground space, check out this inventive container garden Linsey and her family made out of wooden wine boxes for their patio in downtown Houston. I love their creativity in crafting a working garden for their urban lifestyle by re-purposing a common item and making it function inside their space. 

See a few more images of this clever little garden project below:

Nice knowing ya, hand.On the outside, swans are graceful, revered members of the bird kingdom long held as symbols of ultimate beauty and love in literature and the arts. Now that mating season is upon us, you might see more of these majestic waterfowl at the town park or lake and even be tempted to move up close for a picture of the sweet white bird or to toss them some bread.

Well. Don't buy into the deception.

Best advice is, run away. Keep you and your children away from these mean f**kers at all costs. Swans are the most underestimated and devious of all waterfowl. They just want to kill you and eat you, and they know they have us all totally fooled by their pretty exterior. Swans are scarier than pit bulls and hungry lions, and as proof take a look at this recent video of a Florida woman being attacked by a swan at a bank. Crazy bird actually walked into the bank!

Getting used to living in a new home can be a bit of a challenge, and quite often there are things you discover about the place that you didn't notice before you signed the closing papers. Sometimes it's a leaky faucet or a creak in the stairs, but one guy in Texas got a whole lot more than he bargained for. Because one day, he found a ton of people standing around a tree in his front yard. Creepy, huh?

He noticed that the people were leaving candles and flowers around the tree and assumed that there had been some sort of accident there or something like that, which seems like a logical explanation. But as it turns out, crowds have been flocking there for a much more interesting reason. They believe that they can see the image of the Virgin Mary imprinted in the tree.

The first person I knew who paid a local florist to deliver a Christmas tree -- already decked out with gold ribbons and tinsel -- was a woman who had three kids under five and was pregnant with the fourth. “That’s awful!” I thought. Then: “What the hell is wrong with me? She’s a genius!”

Maybe in the land of Christmas specials and Precious Moments figurines, harried parents climb ladders in the bitter cold to create stunning light-sculptures around their houses. But in the real world most of us can barely figure out how to hang streamers at a birthday party. Come on. You know it’s true.

Not convinced? Read on. Before you know it you’ll be joining in on the latest Christmas-decoration trend -- sitting nestled all snug in your couch, sipping hot cocoa while you watch SOMEONE ELSE deck your halls.

I just found out that a frenemy of mine has bought a fog machine for her yearly Halloween décor-gy. Well, good for her. Meanwhile I’m replacing the zipper in my daughter’s hand-me-down Minnie Mouse hoodie and juggling bills, but who’s counting?
 
Anyway, not to be a BPP*. I’m still planning on dressing up our house for Halloween -- but doing it in a way that doesn’t stick its fangs into our bank account to drain it dry. Are you also looking for Halloween décor that doesn’t make you shriek with sticker shock?
 
The great thing about Halloween is that things can look sloppy. I mean, did you ever see a neat, pristine haunted mansion or abandoned graveyard? Cobwebs and decay rule the day. So just by virtue of being neglectful homeowners, you could have a fabulous haunted house! Hardy har. Here are some actual ideas for low-cost Halloween embellishments.

*bitter poor person

I’ve had my share of early-morning and late-night annoyances. The guy across the street from a summer place I used to frequent kept his porch light on all night, and it was like a headache-inducing beacon invading my dreams. He also mowed his lawn first thing in the morning. Thing was, he did so with his shirt off, and he was built like Andy Roddick, so all was forgiven.

Apparently Phil Ray Gage of Oklahoma does not have the same charms -- or he pushed his neighbors too far -- because he was very nearly taken away in handcuffs while mowing his lawn. His crime? Mowing too early.

Before you look, ask yourself how early is too early. 9:30 a.m.? 7:30 a.m.? How early do you think it was?

The horticultural world was rocked the other day -- nearly brought to its knees -- when it was discovered that Madonna hates hydrangeas. This sin was apparently akin to hating puppies and rainbows. Actually, I think the thing that bugged people the most was that she was ungracious and rude about it, but the fact remains that many of us were left scratching our heads at the idea that anyone could hate such a delicate bloom.

Well, Madge don’t care. The heart wants what it wants, and hers wants roses. So if you’re a real fan, you’ll get it right next time, sucka!

She says so herself on a funny little video released by her official YouTube channel. Wanna see? Go on, you know you do.