It’s a brand new year — a blank canvas for those hoping to make the upcoming 365 days a year of self-improvement. Instead of the usual resolutions, make plans to spruce up your home to start the new year with a more energy-efficient and pleasant foundation.
Q: The last time it rained, I noticed a small stain on my ceiling. I have an asphalt shingle roof, and I’m guessing that I have a roof leak, but I don’t know quite how to go about fixing it. Please give me some guidance.
The most frequently asked question asked in 2016 concerned fig trees. Readers wanted to know why their fig trees did not produce good fruit. Either the fruit dropped from the tree when it was small, or the fruit clung to the tree and never became large but remained small, hard and dry.
While many cities across the country ring in the winter season with extremely cold temperatures and mounds of snow, Las Vegas residents are able to enjoy their backyards year-round. Fire features help Southern Nevadans further enjoy the outdoors during the winter, when nighttime temperatures can dip down into the 30s and 40s.
This year has brought significant changes both in our natural environment and in people and institutions. The end of the year is a time to look back and assess where we are and plan how to move forward.
The holiday season is the perfect time of year to be singing the praises of mixing metallic finishes in your home’s decor. In fact, mixing metals is actually a growing trend in design from warm gold, brass and copper accents to cool chrome, nickel and the ever-popular stainless steel. From wallpaper to furniture and ornamental cabinetry pulls, the combination of gold and brass is this year’s hot look and likely to remain so.
Holiday traditions and keepsakes bring the most nostalgic feelings of the season back every year, but they can seem a little tired. Add a bit of natural brilliance to your holiday decor with fresh flowers, greenery and reclaimed wood items.
Q: I had a small hole in my drywall, which I patched. My problem is that I just can’t seem to closely match the texture of the surrounding drywall, and consequently my patch stands out. What can I do to make it blend in?
I am giving a class on pruning fruit trees at the Master Gardener Orchard, 4600 Horse Drive in North Las Vegas, from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday. The class is free and open to the public. For more information call the master gardener help desk at 702-257-5555. More classes will be offered at the orchard on pruning fruit trees every Saturday during the month of January.
