Improve Your Home and Garden
From the category archives:
Margarita pizza is very popular in Italy and has its roots in Naples Did you know pizza did not become popular in America until after WWII? When soldiers who were stationed in Italy came back home from their service, they spilled the beans on a little unknown secret the Italians gave away. It was the [...]
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If you have any elderly or disabled living with you or are regularly visited by someone who is, then making your home easily accessible will make their life safer and easier. Whilst accessibility might seem to only be an issue for people suffering serious disabilities, you will be surprised at how much of a difference [...]
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It is important to know the volume of water in your backyard pond for a couple of reasons. When you are constructing your water feature, you will need to know the volume it will hold in order to get the correct size pump to recirculate the water effectively. Poor water circulation will result in a [...]
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…and How to Stay Warm While You Wait! Inevitably, the heating system in your home won’t fail on a crisp, October morning, but on the coldest, harshest day of the year! If the failure occurs in the morning on a weekday, you may be fortunate enough to have a repair professional available that day [...]
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When there’s a bumper crop of fresh herbs, the best way to preserve them is in oil. Here’s a great recipe to do this. Pluck leaves from the stems and pack them down in a measuring cup. Place two hard-packed cups of herbs in a blender or food processor. Add 1 cup of good-quality cooking [...]
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With the arrival of December and the holiday season, most of us are pulling out the Christmas decorations and getting ready to deck out every last corner in order to ensure that our houses are “holiday ready” in every way from the last touch of tinsel to the last dusting of powdered snow. But as [...]
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Help! I Have a Plumbing Emergency. If you stumbled across this page because you are frantically looking for information while water is gushing into your home, there is one thing you should do before proceeding. Turn off the water! If you can, turn off the water directly to the offending fixture. Most toilets and sinks [...]
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Loosely defined, evergreens are trees and shrubs that do not lose their leaves all at once in the fall. They do shed leaves or needles, but do so a little at a time throughout the year. Pruning evergreen trees and shrubs accomplishes several things: It helps control size and shape of the plant. It helps [...]
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Humidity levels vary from place to place. Humidity levels at or around 50%, apart from being uncomfortable, lead to growth of fungus and mold in homes which increase health risks, such as asthma and allergies. Additionally, high humidity is an ideal breeding environment for moths, fleas, cockroaches and termites, all of which can wreak havoc [...]
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Interesting activities for children’s garden clubs, cub scouts, brownies or your own children and grandchildren are often difficult to find during the winter months. But there are lots of planting projects right in your own kitchen! Children can learn about Mother Nature by planting the seeds they find in the fruits they have just eaten. [...]
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This year’s winter has taken us all by surprise, many of us did not expect to see snow so soon into the winter, and this only points out that this winter’s effects can easily overcome those of last year. In that case, it’s always better to expect the worse, and be prepared. There are a [...]
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The magic of a home remodel is taking an old house that was originally built for somebody else and making it right for you. To accomplish this, you need to learn about how your home was originally built and clarify what will be involved in modifying it. Obviously, the less that’s required to make this [...]
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Unfortunately, a whole generation of homeowners has grown up since passive solar construction was hailed, back in the 60s and 70s, as the solution to all our problems. Passive solar construction is easy, too easy. Americans seem to like complex, high-tech solutions to problems, embodying plenty of what salesmen call “bells and whistles. There are [...]
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An accessible bathroom design can make life much easier for some people. The classic bathroom layout creates barriers for many people, especially those who are disabled, ill, injured, elderly, or very young. The goal of universal design is to make the bathroom usable by anyone. Even if no one in your family currently requires special [...]
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The hot sticky days of summer gardening are behind us. The glory of fall and the bite of winter are on their way. Here are some helpful tips for your yard and garden for the fall and winter months. October Garden Tips • Squirrels can’t climb the pole if you use a staple gun and [...]
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You can find anything on Twitter! Yesterday we featured resources for kitchen cabinets. Today, in part 2 of our kitchen series, we’ll continue with professional kitchen designers who can help you realize your remodeled kitchen vision. Each of these experts has an amazing website packed with ideas. 1. Susan Serra, CKD, CAPS, @SusanSerraCKD, has a [...]
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Even if you have a large vegetable or flower garden, you may be able to start your own winter vegetables in a cold frame. You will save money, raise superior plants, get plants that are directly acclimatized to your locality, and you can produce a far greater variety of plants. A great advantage of starting [...]
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Today, more than ever, folks are struggling with the above question. There are many things that need to be considered before you find the answer. Let’s start with remodel. Should you go to the expense of remodeling your home, whether it is a new kitchen, bathroom, family room, windows or a new roof? The first [...]
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