Pauline Ives isn’t the type of person to throw something away if it’s in pretty good shape. So when the fabric on her husband’s motorized recliner began to deteriorate and the chair still reclined perfectly well, she decided to investigate her options.
Q: I have 19 mature, healthy Mexican fan palms pruned every year after flowering. This year they were pruned on June 13, but after three weeks one suddenly died and another died two weeks later. I used the same pruning crew for five years with no problems. I removed about 250 square feet of turf from in front of the trees last year with no other significant changes to their irrigation or fertilization regimen.
Q: We just moved into our house and have no idea what shape the water heater is in. I’ve been told it’s a good idea to drain it periodically, but what steps do I need to take to flush it?
From outdated and oversized clothes to overlooked urns and misplaced heirlooms, the closet can become a tangle of all the detritus of life.
Give your abode a fresh makeover for summer with floral home decor in big and little ways. Get into the floral trend with an upholstered ottoman in a pretty pink petal print or go bold with a canvas pillow emblazoned with a bright begonia.
Q: You emphasized it’s better to water longer rather than more often. But what if that’s not possible? Our small condo community has an old irrigation system with everything watered from the same lines. We irrigate for nearly 24 hours. Less than that and small plants really struggle. Is there anything we can do?
Decking is more than a surface to set a lawn chair on or to roll out the grill for the weekend barbecue. It’s the fundamental foundation in the exterior decor. Homeowners should take thoughtful consideration when selecting a product — not just the color and finish of the material but also the function, maintenance and durability.
Q: During the first year with my apricot tree, I sprayed it with soapy water to control aphids. Every day I check the leaves, but the apids never stop. Is this good a spray to use?
Q: I have an older home that has water dribbling from the bathtub spout. I have separate handles for the hot and cold water, and then a third handle in the middle to turn on the shower. It seems like neither of the faucet handles will completely turn the water off. How can I repair the leak?
The plight of the liberal arts major is one the recessionary years highlighted well. But Leslie Rankin has known about it for nearly three decades. When she graduated from college in the early ’80s with a fine arts degree, she was eager to find a career that actually used her artistic skills.
