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Cheap and Easy Closet Organizing

Sunday, May 19, 2013

There’s only one thing more satisfying than organizing your closet: Doing it on the cheap. Sure, I love those closet glamour shots as much as anyone. I’m a sucker for solid cherry shoe shelves and rows of matching canvas bins identified by adorable hang tags. I just don’t want to spend my money on them. Besides, those photographs of tricked-out closets invariably show unrealistic wardrobes. Are we really supposed to …

Bloom Time

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Peg Davis arranges a vase of fresh-cut lilacs from her yard in Enfield on Friday. “We’ll put them on the table and take off my make-believe ones,” she said while replacing a bouquet of plastic tulips. “I like fresh flowers.” Valley News — James M. Patterson …

Notes from the Garden: Spring Flowers; Time to Learn a Little Latin

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Spring Flowers for May 15, 2013 Like most gardeners, I rejoice in spring. New leaves on trees have a special hue; the grass is finally green; flowers of every persuasion are in bloom. The air is warm, the black flies haven’t arrived, life is good. So we trundle off to the garden center and buy flowers and plant them. Here are some flowers …

Got Worms?

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Peter Chap, of Royalton, weeds his garden yesterday as his chickens scratch for worms in the soil. Chap said his family likes the hens’ eggs as much as the chickens enjoy the worms.   Valley News — Jennifer …

Outdoor Lighting Options Abound

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Many Americans have embraced outdoor decorating, filling their yards with fluffy sofas, gleaming end tables and even outdoor rugs. But what happens when the sun goes down? Chris Lambton, landscape designer and host of HGTV’s Going Yard, advises his clients to give as much thought to the lighting …

Keeping the Cows In

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Shaun Gulick, right, repairs a fence with his cousin Jason Ball, 11, before letting the cows out of the barn in Ely recently.   Valley News — James M. Patterson …

Carol Egbert: Homemade Cleaners Are Simple and Safe

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

May means sunlit, yellow-green buds on willow trees, familiar bird songs, spring peepers in the pond and an overwhelming desire to make everything clean. Recently, I took a slow walk down the cleaning products aisle at the grocery store and found products with labels that promise maximum force, …

Notes from the Garden: It’s Planting Time, But Don’t Rush It

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

After a few hot spring days many of us are more than ready to plant vegetables in the garden. It’s important, however, not to jump the gun. There are things you can plant now, but others still have to wait — tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cukes and squashes, among …

And Then My Heart With Pleasure Fills ...

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Margaret Ritchie Cleaves weeds her garden in Piermont yesterday. “I wouldn’t mind a little rain,” said Cleaves of the dry weather spell this spring. “Not a lot, but a little.”   Valley News — Libby March …

Tips to Help Keep Kids Organized

Sunday, May 5, 2013

The conversation often starts with, “Where are your shoes?” For many parents trying to get out the door on time in the morning, a child with a disorganized bedroom can be a huge roadblock. The clock is ticking. …

Working the Land

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Lilla Willey works on her yard at her home in Thetford last week. She and her late husband, Chauncey Willey, raised four children there after moving to the property from New York 61 years ago.   Valley News …

Notes from the Garden: When Lawns Need Some TLC

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

It’s time for a little lawn care. I’m not obsessive about my lawn, but I like a nice green swath between the flower beds suitable for badminton, croquet or general lounging. It need not be Kentucky bluegrass, and certainly should have some dandelions, those cheerful harbingers of warm …

Scandinavian Style Fitting for Spring

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Perhaps to alleviate the dreariness of long northern winters, Scandinavian style tends toward folk-art florals, crisp checks, plaids and stripes, and wood furniture left natural or painted in colors that evoke the region’s natural beauty. The look is …