Protect Your Plants with this Simple DIY Repurposing Project I love my garden. And I love my dog. But the two are not always compatible. Though my dog, an energetic golden retriever, is well behaved and trained to stay out of the flowerbeds, it all goes out the window if there’s a squirrel in the… Continue reading →
Simplify Before Spring Cleaning It’s almost time to open the windows, air out the house, and give it a good cleaning down to the bones. Unless you’re one of those amazing people totally on top of things, chances are you have at least one area of your home that’s less than organized. A closet is… Continue reading →
Restore their life and save some cash. After the wettest March on record in Seattle, my shoes look just terrible. Time to pull out my shoeshine kit and give them a second life. I am not one of those women that lives for shoes. I tend to buy only a few pair of high quality… Continue reading →
Reason 1: Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat As our population grows, mankind encroaches on the natural world, pushing out species of both plants and animals—some to the state of extinction. There’s not a lot I can do personally to save the tiger or polar bear, but I can make sure that area songbirds have plenty… Continue reading →
Try this spicy meat-replacement! When I complained to my doctor about the aches and pains of aging, she suggested I investigate the vegan lifestyle. She recommended a terrific book, Forks Over Knives, to get me started. Research has shown that eliminating animal products from one’s diet can have a variety of health benefits, from less… Continue reading →
Delight with this lovely native “shamrock.” If you live in the Pacific Northwest, a pot of Oxalis Oregana makes the perfect hostess gift for a St. Patrick’s Day party. This PNW native is the closest thing we have to a shamrock and grows like the “weed” it is. You can find Oxalis Oregna, a member… Continue reading →
saving precious artwork when space is at a premium When my daughter was born in 1995, I bought some acid-free scrapbooks and boxes to store those precious paper mementos that come with childhood. Now, filled with finger paintings and Crayola masterpieces, they sit on closet shelves. As my daughter got older, her artwork improved; some hang… Continue reading →
Like children, dogs love their plush toys. But unlike children, dogs enjoy chewing on and ripping apart their toys. It’s a natural canine behavior that shouldn’t be discouraged. Unlike some, my dog takes a while to tear into her plushies, preferring to gnaw on them, shake them, snuggle them and carry them around, indoors and… Continue reading →