The PBS television show “This Old House” has taken on plenty of seemingly impossible projects in its more than three-decadelong run. “Ask This Old House, a spin-off of the original Emmy Award-winning show, recently turned its attention to the West’s harsh drought conditions. Hardly an overnight or monthlong makeover project, the subject will be the focus for a segment that airs today in Southern Nevada.
Dear Heloise: I put my extra shoe holder on the inside of the pantry door to hold all those packets I buy. The individual cornbread mixes, soups, taco mixes, etc., are all at eye level and stay organized, instead of falling off the shelf. — Jeannie G., Abilene, Texas
Q: What is the worm or caterpillar that attacks artichoke plants and how do I control them? I had a beautiful artichoke plant last year and had four or five great artichokes from it right away. Then the worms (caterpillars) struck and were all through the artichokes. I cut it down and it came back beautifully but now the worms or caterpillars are eating all of the leaves.
Repurpose, recycle, reuse is the mantra of today’s decor. When you decorate for autumn with organic elements that can later be repurposed, you get double the value. All over America it’s the season of gourds and Indian corn, both highly useful raw materials that can yield art projects and seed for next year’s garden. The key is knowing what to buy now and how to exploit the second harvest next year.
Ice cream scoops, soda fountain syrup dispensers and urns, advertisements, even old soda glasses and sundae dishes are selling quickly. Nostalgia has kept the prices high for things that bring back memories of the old-fashioned drugstore soda fountain.
You may not need to replace those kitchen or bathroom cabinets, nor the built-ins in your living room or den. All it takes to create the look of newness and perhaps eliminate that outdated light color of your cabinets is staining those wood structures, drawers and doors.
In a new national survey, 70 percent of Americans polled are avoiding cleaning tasks that are beneficial to the health of their homes. The three chores that are most likely to fall to the bottom of the biannual to-do list are rotating and cleaning ceiling fans, cleaning vents and registers, and vacuuming and flipping mattresses.
The heavy glass doors leading into the opulent lobby of my client’s new high-rise apartment closed quickly and without a sound as I made my way to the concierge desk and waited to be announced. Running a little late, I tried to remain calm as the uniformed clerk rang apartment 28-C and announced my arrival.
