Spot lights are not just for rock concerts and Broadway shows. There are many ways to use them around your home's exterior as well. You can use them to add safety to a stairwell, prevent intruders from entering your home or show off your favorite rose hush 【小题1】 . Learning the advantages of this option will help you decide whether they are right for your home.

Solar spot lights are highly energy efficient. Since they are operated solely using power from the sun, they will save you money and help the environment over time. 【小题2】, so you do not need a large upfront investment prior to seeing savings once you are using them.

【小题3】. Since they do not require direct electricity, there is no wiring to worry about and typically, no special tools required. You can install them virtually anywhere, staking them into the ground, hanging them from the eaves of your home or even attaching them to siding, brick or trees in your yard.

Solar spot lights are very safe to use, as well. 【小题4】 when installing the lights. You can confidently place them near a swimming pool or other water source with no qualms, and you do not need to be concerned about wires being struck or cut when pets dig, children play or you spend time gardening in your yard.

【小题5】. You should wipe them regularly with a damp, soft cloth to remove dust and dirt that build up over time. They do require batteries, but they generally last a year or longer, and you can always buy a set of rechargeable batteries to make your lights even more frugal (节 约的) and environmentally friendly.

Need a fall fix? Try one from these great places.

1. Mackinac Island, Michigan

2. Tellico Lake, Tennessee

With nearly 400 miles of shoreline, this waterway flowing out of the Great Smoky Mountains is largely unexploited, well-protected in its natural state. Fall visitors find a range of colors reflecting in the clean waters, says Blackwell, who vacationed in the area with his family as a child. “The thick forest there just allows you to see more greenery and wildlife."

3. Dillon Reservoir, Colorado

With an hour from Denver, this lake is home to what claims to be the nation's highest sailing club, at an altitude of more than 9,000 feet. Marinas in the towns of Dillon and Frisco make it easy to get out on he water and to see the bright yellows and golds of fall leaves. “ People are surprised that there's boating in Colorado, and you can see the mountains just before the snowball," Blackwell says.

4. Lake Monroe, Indiana

The state’s largest lake is surrounded by more than 13,000 acres of protected forest and three recreation areas, making it an ideal place to see fall colors, particularly from oaks and the tulip poplar, the state tree. “ It’s a gem (宝石) in southern Indiana," says Blackwell, who grew up in the area. “There are lots of different activities: canoeing, kayaking and fishing.”

There are campus museums all over China that offer various collections and make for eye-opening visits.

Beijing Air and Space Museum at Beihang University

Admission fee: free (book online at http://airandspacemuseum.buaa.edu.cn/)

Opening hours: Tuesday and Saturday, 9 am – 12 pm

Highlights: Included among the more than 300 historic aircraft and space artifacts are one of the two Northrop P-61 Black Widows in the world and China’s first light airliner, Beijing 1.

Fudan University Museum

Admission fee: free

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9 am – 11:30 am and 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Highlights: A unique collection of native artifacts from the Gaoshan aborigines in Taiwan. Some of them, such as pearl vests, are rarely even seen in Taiwan.

China Ichthyic Culture Museum at Shanghai Ocean University

Admission fee: 10 yuan

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am – 11:30 am and 1:30 pm – 4 pm

Highlights: In this collection of more than 40,000 specimens of about 3,000 ocean-dwelling species, the most eye-catching one is an 18.4-meter long sperm whale skeleton.

Yifu Museum of China University of Geosciences

Admission fee: 40 yuan; half price for students

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 12 pm and 2:30 pm – 5 pm; weekends and holidays, 9 am – 4:30 pm

Highlights: It houses a collection of more than 30,000 mineral and rock specimens, more than 2,000 of which are rare ones like the museum’s well-known dinosaur fossils.

China Academy Museum at Hunan University

Admission fee: 50 yuan

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 8 am – 6:30 pm in summer and 8:30 am – 6 pm in winter

Highlights: China’s only museum to feature the history of academies and cultural education in the country.