All about wicker
How and when wicker went weatherproof
BY MAUREEN GILMER DIY Network
      After the war, aluminum aircraft manufacturers retooled to furnish the Baby Boom with folding lawn furniture. This all-American creation of woven plastic on a lightweight metal frame replaced its age old predecessor, rattan.
More ...

New unofficial club shares recipe ideas
      Completely bored with cooking? Tired of looking through old magazines for something that sounds interesting? Susan Nitterauer is and she contacted numerous local ladies and her community paper to see if sharing quick and delicious recipes could help her and all the other cooks out there.
More ...

Chicken Spinach Salad
      Arefreshing main-dish salad for hot summer days! 6 cups torn fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and discarded 2 cups torn radicchio or shredded red cabbage 2 cups (10 ounces) diced cooked chicken breast 1/2 cup chopped green onion
More ...

How to handle feathered fruit thieves
In your yard, birds often are at the top of the picking order
BY MARGARET SLABY The Fresno Bee
      You've planted and pruned, watered and watched it grow. And now, at last, the first crop of tree fruit is ripening on the branch. Then the birds descend. They perch and peck, pillage and plunder. And just like that, a perfect crop of treeripened fruit becomes a distant dream.
More ...

Compression fittings are solder alternative
BY SAMANTHA MAZZOTTA King Features Syndicate
      Q: Last weekend, I had a bit of a plumbing problem. I was changing out the fill valve on the upstairs toilet and discovered the former owner had run solid copper pipe all the way up to the bottom of the toilet tank, then melted the plastic screw of the fill valve to fit the connection!
More ...

A recipe for melon trio, nectarines in red wine
      Melon Trio PREP: 30 minutes plus chilling COOK: about 2 minutes MAKES: 4 servings 1 lemon 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup water Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne) 1/2 cantaloupe (1 1/2 pounds), seeded, peeled,
More ...

Five steps to a 'Greener' car
      It doesn't matter if the car you're driving is new or old, big or small. There are preventive maintenance steps every vehicle owner can take to make sure their car is as 'green' or environmentally friendly as possible, according to the Car Care Council.
More ...

Florida Friendly Workshop starts Aug. 18
      Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) is offering a free 3-part workshop in landscape design using environmentally friendly landscape practices. The classes will be at the Santa Rosa County Extension Auditorium, located at 6263 Dogwood Drive, Milton, FL. The dates are Saturday mornings from 9:30-11...
More ...

The Garden Bug
Read the Story...

Now here's a tip!
      You can fix a wobbly table by gluing a piece of eraser to the bottom of the short leg. What is the best way to refresh a cedar closet? Sanding! Lightly sand the entire surface with a fine grit sandpaper. Wipe away or vacuum any fine particles of dust, and you are back in business.
More ...