It’s been called illicit, daring and truly personal. Graffiti or street art is making a move into the home, pushing aside traditional wall decor, such as wallpaper, paint and canvas.
Home and Garden
Dear Gail, We’ve decided to downsize since it’s just my husband and I. We’re sorting through our things to create a more minimal design. At this point in our lives, we’re OK with less than more. There is less to stress over and take care of.
Q: A while back, you wrote about how to repair a problem with landscape lights. My husband and I don’t have such a system yet, but we plan on buying one and would like to know how to install it.
Q: I am trying to grow an avocado tree. I have it in a container, and it’s now 22 inches tall. When is the best time to transplant, and what is the best way to take care of it in our desert?
Gardeners who haven’t started their summer garden can still get some fruits and vegetables into the ground and harvest their crop by summer’s end. The best suggestion is to plant cantaloupe. A fresh, end-of-summer cantaloupe from your backyard is sweet and flavorful and so much more delicious than the melons from Honduras and Guatemala currently sitting in grocery stores.
“Color speaks all languages.” — Joseph Addison (1672-1719), English dramatist, The Spectator (1711)
Q: I would like to grow my own rhubarb. Could you tell me where I can find the plant or the bulb, and when would be a good season to start?
Stainless steel pools are deemed the premium luxury shell in pool and spa construction. However, after considering the benefits of installing a stainless steel pool, the price factor may become irrelevant.
Q: I live in an older house that has an asphalt driveway. The problem is that, over the years, rain and weather have made divots and small cracks in the driveway. What can I do to repair the holes in the asphalt?
Q: Last year, we bought a Meyer lemon and planted it in a large pot. We got more than 30 lemons off this little tree. I noticed a lot of sap near the base of the tree, then a bunch of furry little things on the trunk and some branches. They scrape off easily. I’m guessing they are the cause of the sap.
Family dinner time has taken a hit for quite some time. With busy family members grabbing a quick bite to go, the dining table is either collecting dust or has been turned into a workspace.
Q: Two years ago I planted Thompson seedless grapes. The first two years there were no grapes, and I did not expect any fruit. This year, there are leaves and no fruit. They were pruned the same way as my red seedless grapes, which were very prolific. Is there something special that I must do to make the vine produce?
Throughout the ages, craftsmen have tried to take advantage of the “wasted” space occupied by structural elements and moldings on tables and desks by often including a hidden compartment or a secret drawer.
It seems everyone, at some time or another, has slept on a sofa bed, hide-a-bed or sleeper sofa. Even though it wasn’t always the most comfortable night’s rest, it was better than sleeping on the floor or splayed out in a chair.
Q: This year has been the worst for weeds and grass coming up through the rocks. I’ve tried Bayer Advanced all-in-one concentrate that acted like a fertilizer and strengthened their growth. I got Roundup weed and grass killer concentrate. Two weeks later and the grass is coming up like I planted it. What do you suggest I use to spray on this grass to kill it?