Creating your own peaceful garden escape

When does a garden become hallowed ground? When we have created a space for spirituality or remembrance there. Traditionally called shrines, these amazing spiritual nooks in nature remind us that peace can be found in this chaotic world. You’ll find shrines . . .

Posted: 2017-08-12

Global sham sheet conspiracy left many in beds of lies

There’s a new kind of "short-sheeting" and — instead of being a practical joke — it is an international crime. In March, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found that foreign sheet manufacturers were shorting consumers on thread counts. In response, . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

Home prices on rise, trouble is building

Recent headlines suggest the average price of a house in Canada has remained essentially flat compared to the average price from last June. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, the national average price for homes sold in June 2017 was . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

Disdain for the deck stain

If there's any job I hate to do, it's this one

Occasionally a potential client will request to have a deck stained. Due to my contempt for the process, a prompt and courteous reply details the following sentiment: "I build ’em, I don’t stain ’em." That said, it’s no secret decks built . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

Ten decor trends that are here to stay

Following trends can be dangerous in home décor, where rooms are designed to last decades, not months. But while we tread carefully when it comes to decorating with trends in our homes, we can’t deny the fact that it sometimes . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

Old medicine doesn't age well

Retro home remedies not recommended for modern-day use

Feeling a little under the weather? No worries. I have for you treatments and advice from two medical books, both written by doctors as a resource for home use. They are, Dr. Chase’s Recipes — Information For Everybody, published in 1881, . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

Meatballs too saucy to stick

Question: I like to make meatballs. Is there a particular ingredient that will help to hold the meatballs together after they’ve been frozen in Swedish meatball sauce, then reheated with the sauce in a pot? — Joan Answer: Freeze the sauce apart from . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

Don't make your trees old before their time

Give them room to grow and flourish

All living things get old with time — people, animals, landscapes, buildings and even trees and woody shrubs. With many tree species, getting older usually means getting larger, either in height, or girth of trunk, and an increase in the number . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

You shouldn't cut corners on seasonal home chores

Question: I read an interesting article you wrote a few years ago about heating a cottage in winter and what to do about the water supply. I thought of a fourth option and would like to get your opinion on . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05

How a small nursery thrives in a big-box world

At some point in a gardener’s life, you realize you will never have enough room to plant everything you’d like to and, moreover, you will never live long enough to discover all the fabulous plants that are out there. This is . . .

Posted: 2017-08-05