Inexpensive household cleaner you can make at home

Question — Do you have a recipe for an all-purpose cleaner I can make at home? Tim Answer — Into a spray bottle combine one and a half cups water, and one and a half cups rubbing alcohol. Add two . . .

Posted: 2022-08-06

Hardier hydrangeas

Internationally recognized American plant breeding expert doing promising work on reliable, cold-tolerant magnificent mopheads

Michael A. Dirr is an internationally recognized plantsman who has bred and researched hydrangeas for more than 40 years. Dirr is the author of several books, most recently, The Hydrangea Book: The Authoritative Guide (Stipes Publishing, 2021). His University . . .

Posted: 2022-08-06

A backyard shed that blends utility and beauty

A need for storage is met with a structure whose design ties it to the recently built deck, sunroom and pergolas

When a homeowner is hell-bent on a yard shed that will meet the exact specifications required for the desired placement, as well as match the existing elements of the backyard oasis, it quickly becomes a custom build on site. As . . .

Posted: 2022-08-06

Efficiency, details, style take turns in Bonavista highlight

Over the past two-plus years, the cost of building a new home has increased exponentially. Bearing that in mind, homebuilders responded by utilizing smaller lots to bring down land cost. While that was all well and good, building on a smaller . . .

Posted: 2022-08-06

OK, construction has begun, when can we move in?

An important question that most new homebuyers ask when looking at building a new home is how long will it take for my new home to be built? Just how long does the whole construction process usually take and what . . .

Posted: 2022-08-06

Character to spare

Functional, private-feeling three-bedroom, two-level Wolseley townhome-style condo that began life in 1910 combines stately elegance with modern features

As attractive as apartment-style condominiums are to first-time buyers with modest budgets, they come with their share of deficiencies. First, because many apartment-style condominium complexes were once apartments, they were — in many instances — built in less-than ideal locations . . .

Posted: 2022-08-06

Warm lemons are easier to squeeze

Question: How can I get more juice out of a lemon? David Answer: A warm lemon will extract more juice than a cold lemon. Heat the lemon in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Next roll the lemon on the . . .

Posted: 2022-07-30

Lightning rods spark interest

Mustard meets a fellow current collector

There was lightning, thunder and what felt like a tsunami this past Monday at Mustard Manor — it was as memorable as they come. It was almost as if the “powers that be, ” whatever they are, sent me a . . .

Posted: 2022-07-30

Cool basement can easily be made more comfortable

Question: Our house is a bungalow, with an open staircase going into the basement, and every time I go into our basement the thermometer indicates it is approximately three to four degrees Celsius cooler than the main floor. This . . .

Posted: 2022-07-30

You aren’t stuck with stucco

Rocky railing removal ends with satisfying results

As part of a design feature implemented at the time the house was built, the continuous stucco railings presented a few non-desired results over time. Not only were these unsightly railings obtrusive and awkward, but they also prevented the . . .

Posted: 2022-07-30