Features
- by Sarah Hammond
We all have probably heard some casual conversation about the use of common house plants and the betterment of our immediate environment. However, this is definitely something worth taking seriously. Recent studies have shown that the psychological effects of house plants aren’t the only effects. Good news from a NASA study is that the common house plant improved the air quality of the test home. In fact, they reported that houseplants were able to remove up 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours. Plants can remove a variety of toxic air emissions including carbon monoxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene and xylem.
Not only do plants allow you to breathe more...
We all have probably heard some casual conversation about the use of common house plants and the betterment of our immediate environment. However, this is definitely something worth taking seriously. Recent studies have shown that the psychological effects of house plants aren’t the only effects. Good news from a NASA study is that the common house plant improved the air quality of the test home. In fact, they reported that houseplants were able to remove up 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours. Plants can remove a variety of toxic air emissions including carbon monoxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene and xylem.
Not only do plants allow you to breathe more...
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- by Ceil PetrucelliIt's easier than you think to "be green" around your home. Sometimes, just incorporating a few small changes or rethinking how you live, what products you use (or reuse), and just being more conscious and aware of your daily habits and how much you actually "consume" can make a big difference over a period of time. Here are a few simple things you can do to make your home a greener and healthier place to live.
1. Take your shoes off when you come into the house. We bring in a lot of dirt on our shoes, so place a mat, bin, or tray by your main entry and take your shoes off when you enter. I have a tray by my front door (no real "mudroom" at my house) and I leave my...
- by Ceil PetrucelliSpring is a great time of year to make a few changes around your home. Redecorating your home doesn't have to be expensive. With a little creativity, ingenuity, and elbow grease, plus a few good tools, you can often do much of the work yourself. Some projects can be pretty easy and take less than a weekend to complete. Here are a few ideas that can yield some instant results and make a major impact, too.
Are you pressed for time? On a budget? These are 10 quick, easy, and low cost ideas that can give your home a fresh new look with a minimum of effort.
1. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to transform a room is to eliminate as much clutter as possible...
— by Kathy Sollien
Thinking of selling your house or already on the market? Take a walk around with your Realtor and look at what could be potential issues that may arise with buyers or even their mortgage companies. With the new banking regulations, we are finding issues that rear their ugly heads almost at the last minute, leaving little or no time to address them.
Take for instance an old furnace or the presence of asbestos in the basement. Depending on the type of financing, the appraiser may be required to note specific items on his report and although the determination of value may be adequate for the sale, once the final underwriter reviews this document – it is a good...
Thinking of selling your house or already on the market? Take a walk around with your Realtor and look at what could be potential issues that may arise with buyers or even their mortgage companies. With the new banking regulations, we are finding issues that rear their ugly heads almost at the last minute, leaving little or no time to address them.
Take for instance an old furnace or the presence of asbestos in the basement. Depending on the type of financing, the appraiser may be required to note specific items on his report and although the determination of value may be adequate for the sale, once the final underwriter reviews this document – it is a good...
- by Christie Harris
At home there’s a green movement afoot and there are conflicting ideas about what “green” means. Often, it’s just about making educated choices about available products whether they are household cleaners, paint for the walls, or furniture and flooring.
We don’t often think about indoor air quality. Exposure to volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, can cause dizziness, respiratory stress, and trigger asthma attacks.
Household all-purpose cleaners can certainly affect indoor air. Bleach, anti-bacterial sprays or wipes, and glass, tub and tile cleaners all emit VOCs. The good news is that there are many citrus or plant-based cleaners on today’s market and...
At home there’s a green movement afoot and there are conflicting ideas about what “green” means. Often, it’s just about making educated choices about available products whether they are household cleaners, paint for the walls, or furniture and flooring.
We don’t often think about indoor air quality. Exposure to volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, can cause dizziness, respiratory stress, and trigger asthma attacks.
Household all-purpose cleaners can certainly affect indoor air. Bleach, anti-bacterial sprays or wipes, and glass, tub and tile cleaners all emit VOCs. The good news is that there are many citrus or plant-based cleaners on today’s market and...
By Christie Harris
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. It’s a well-known saying that’s been passed from generation to generation, and many brides seek meaningful old, new, borrowed and blue items to carry with them on their wedding day.
The saying’s origins are suspected to be English and perhaps during the Victorian era. Each item represents good-luck charms for the bride and each heralds happiness, optimism, hope, and loyalty with friends and family. The color blue has been popular for centuries, beginning in ancient Rome where brides wore blue to symbolize fidelity and modesty. Indeed, Christianity’s own Virgin Mary is dressed in blue symbolizing...
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. It’s a well-known saying that’s been passed from generation to generation, and many brides seek meaningful old, new, borrowed and blue items to carry with them on their wedding day.
The saying’s origins are suspected to be English and perhaps during the Victorian era. Each item represents good-luck charms for the bride and each heralds happiness, optimism, hope, and loyalty with friends and family. The color blue has been popular for centuries, beginning in ancient Rome where brides wore blue to symbolize fidelity and modesty. Indeed, Christianity’s own Virgin Mary is dressed in blue symbolizing...
By Christie Harris
You just announced your engagement to family and friends and the wedding planning advice is overwhelming. There is only one thing you know for sure; that is, you want to celebrate your heritage with a Celtic wedding.
There are nine parts to a true Celtic ceremony: the casting and consecration of the circle, the presentation of the bride and groom, the statement of the Bard (poet or lyricist) about marriage, declarations of the bride and groom (vows), the exchange of rings, fasting of the hands, passing of light, Thanksgiving and Oath, and the blessing and opening of the circle. Any or all parts can be used for the ceremony, and there are many variations of each of the...
You just announced your engagement to family and friends and the wedding planning advice is overwhelming. There is only one thing you know for sure; that is, you want to celebrate your heritage with a Celtic wedding.
There are nine parts to a true Celtic ceremony: the casting and consecration of the circle, the presentation of the bride and groom, the statement of the Bard (poet or lyricist) about marriage, declarations of the bride and groom (vows), the exchange of rings, fasting of the hands, passing of light, Thanksgiving and Oath, and the blessing and opening of the circle. Any or all parts can be used for the ceremony, and there are many variations of each of the...
— by Cindy Butler
“Family is the most important thing in the world.” -Princess Diana
My Scots-Irish grandmother, Carrie (Oneal) Miller, was the shining light in our family. Over the years, she wore a variety of hats: cook, nanny, housekeeper, nurse, and coach, among others. Many times she was gently teased about her height, or lack thereof. Petite at less than 5 feet, she and grandpa made an interesting pair, as he was over 6 feet tall. In her younger years she had beautiful red hair, green eyes, plump cheeks, and freckles galore.
When grandma and grandpa met at a dance, he thought she was a cute young thing and tossed popcorn at her to get her attention. After they married...
“Family is the most important thing in the world.” -Princess Diana
My Scots-Irish grandmother, Carrie (Oneal) Miller, was the shining light in our family. Over the years, she wore a variety of hats: cook, nanny, housekeeper, nurse, and coach, among others. Many times she was gently teased about her height, or lack thereof. Petite at less than 5 feet, she and grandpa made an interesting pair, as he was over 6 feet tall. In her younger years she had beautiful red hair, green eyes, plump cheeks, and freckles galore.
When grandma and grandpa met at a dance, he thought she was a cute young thing and tossed popcorn at her to get her attention. After they married...
- by Cindy Butler
“It’s a good thing that when God created the rainbow he didn’t consult a decorator or he would still be picking colors.”
-Sam Levenson
Hmmm. A shortcut to indecision might involve papering our walls with all those little paint chips found at our favorite home improvement store but…who wants thousands of colors covering a wall? There are very few hard and fast decorating rules for those of us on a budget. But there are some general guidelines which will simplify our choices.
Paint is the beginning of easy, inexpensive improvements. My mother used to say that a coat of paint covered a multitude of sins. And she proceeded to paint every old or potentially...
“It’s a good thing that when God created the rainbow he didn’t consult a decorator or he would still be picking colors.”
-Sam Levenson
Hmmm. A shortcut to indecision might involve papering our walls with all those little paint chips found at our favorite home improvement store but…who wants thousands of colors covering a wall? There are very few hard and fast decorating rules for those of us on a budget. But there are some general guidelines which will simplify our choices.
Paint is the beginning of easy, inexpensive improvements. My mother used to say that a coat of paint covered a multitude of sins. And she proceeded to paint every old or potentially...
“Double Black” written by Wendy Clinch.Minotaur Books — Reviewed by Mark Via
The young heroine of “Double Black,” a murder mystery by Wendy Clinch of Plymouth, had fled Boston and her faithless fiancé to take refuge on the ski slopes of Vermont. In the venerable tradition of the crime fiction genre, Stacey Curtis is a loner at heart, distant from her ambitious parents and long fascinated with the free-spirited existence of the ski bum. Her new life becomes more harrowing than she bargains for, though, when she stumbles upon a dead body in a condo. The grim discovery launches this engaging, fast-paced whodunit, set in the environs of a Green Mountain ski town that will strike a...
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