Each year comes and goes so quickly, yet the length of it never changes. "Can you believe it's already . . . " Maybe our lives are just busier. That busyness can be stressful but also fulfilling. Between the two, it will depend on how we manage the busyness.

Corralling that activity with smart home technology in the 21st century can be easier than in years past. Today, it's possible to say, "Hey Alexa, please add lime juice for fajitas to my shopping list," just like that, it's in the calendar/reminders display projecting onto the mudroom wall.

Straightforward Features and Benefits of Smart Home Calendars

• Any place with a screen and an internet connection shows you everything in your family’s schedule
• Lots of adaptability features
• HDTV-sized projections of the family’s schedule on any wall 
• Android, iOS, and even Microsoft 365 calendar sync is available

Smart Home Calendars Help Keep the Family Organized

Keeping a homeful of people organized is hard. Smart home calendars are becoming a must-have tool for busy families. A smart calendar is a shared webpage or shared app for families. Members can add individual events, how long the events last, location, etc. 

Let's not kid ourselves; you or your spouse will be the ones entering your kids' schedules into the family calendar. ("You sent 104 texts yesterday, but you couldn't add your make-up exam after school to the calendar!?") But at least it will be in one place. And you'll be able to access it anywhere you have an internet connection.

Groundhog Day, that quirky celebration, arrived in the Eastern U.S. with German immigrants. In the absence of badgers, they chose groundhogs as the new weatherman for the fun tradition. This holiday comes from medieval and ancient mid-winter ceremonies marking halfway between the winter solstice and the summer equinox. Back then, farming and agriculture could still affect survival, so an earlier, gentler spring meant much more than less snow shoveling. After the birth of Christ, the Candlemas celebration started.

|| BUT TEXAS DOES NOT HAVE EASY ACCESS TO GROUNDHOGS ||

In 2010, Texas began its own lighthearted beef with the famous Pennsylvania weather prognosticator, that groundhog Punxatawney Phil. Bee Cave Bob, a trusty armadillo from the ranching town of the same name, is the Lone Star State's answer to the Teutonic tradition of the Northeasterners.

Just for good measure, an East Texas TV station consulted Longview Senior Animal Control Officer Chris Kemper. He confirmed he has never had to tangle with these squirrel cousins. "I have never had a run-in with a groundhog here in East Texas," he told KLTV.

Whether or not an animal suggests more winter, critters of all kinds will soon return to Dallas lawns as the (usually) short and tolerable winters wind down. The sun will stay out longer, making the grass thirstier, and the furry friends we keep inside will soon be scrambling again for the stick or tennis ball in the backyard.

Evolve Technologies knows that Dallas' local weather-- despite being generally warmer than much of the country--can be crazy and can affect your lawn. This post will look at the best apps to connect all your home automation and smart device needs into an easy-to-use system. With that, your lawn and your pet experience are worry-free.