Another holiday season has come and gone. Hard to believe. Now it’s time to think about what you’re going to do with the extra socks, sweaters, dish towels, coffee mugs, scarves, books, Santa money clips and other items that were not on your Christmas wish list.
I know readers will be asking why their lemon or grapefruit did not produce any fruit this year. They will say, “The tree grew great, but it didn’t produce any fruit.”
Q: I was in a model home and saw some beautiful valance boxes above some windows. I found some similar ones, but they were horribly expensive. Anyway, I have decided to try making them myself. Can you give any hints on building these?
“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” — Hal Borland (1900-1978), American author, “Sundial of the Seasons” (1964)
Even the most dedicated culinary do-it-yourselfers will soon find it quicker and easier to achieve professional results, judging from the array of devices showing at CES this week.
The crowd around the Brava Home booth at CES 2019 was several layers deep Wednesday, and no wonder; the Brava team was demonstrating the company’s new infrared oven.
In the world of kitchen design, considerable attention is often given to countertops, cabinets and appliances such as cooktops and refrigerators. It makes sense as these pieces often are the primary focal points when walking into a kitchen. Today, however, the sink is an fixture that has quietly come to the foreground.
Q: We are moving to a new house and want to plant a row of trees by the fence for privacy and security. A local nursery suggested Carolina cherry and Japanese privet, but we heard these trees will not do well in this climate. Another suggestion was the African sumac. What would you suggest? We want evergreen for privacy.
Q: Around town and in my neighborhood, many midlife trees are dying. In beautiful large trees, there are dead branches and sometimes just a fully dead tree. Some trees are planted in gravel and some in a yard. Do you notice that also?
When kids splash water out of the bathtub, damage begins at the top front edge of the tub and gets worse as the tub meets the floor. Aside from supervision, you can install splash guards at both ends of the tub to prevent water damage on the wall and floor.
Earlier this month the New Jersey-based company, considered the international expert on color trends, designated Living Coral as the color of the year for 2019. Meanwhile, more than a half-dozen major paint manufacturers also chose shades to market as their 2019 colors of the year.
Now that the halls have been decked with boughs of holly and the Christmas tree is standing erect with its many colorful ornaments, it’s time to start planning that holiday dinner or that simple, yet elegant cocktail party. Whatever the event, home entertaining is active this time of year, and every host and hostess wants to make sure the dining table and surrounding area reflects his or her personality whether formally, casually or buffet style.
Horticulture expert Bob Morris answers readers’ gardening questions.
Over the years we all collect and gather things in our daily travels. Then we have the daily items we use every day to contend with. We want to have them out for convenience, but that’s where the clutter begins.
Interior designers know the places to go for all the latest home decor products and a few surprises. Although they get the jump on trends with access to trade-only shows, they also find fabulous pieces online and at local shops.
