A garden cloche is essentially a scaled-down greenhouse used to protect young plants against the elements. First designed and used in the 17th century, cloches are still in use today. Using an outdoor garden cloche throughout the spring is an effective way to protect small plants from unpredictable weather while getting a jump-start on the […]
Living
Project: From fish pond to tabletop gathering place When Richard Paul and his wife, Martha, bought their 1780 property in Pomfret, Connecticut, in 1995, the backyard was a wild and tangled place. “We knew there was a sunken garden in there,” Richard says, “but it was filled with trees.” Intensive bushwhacking uncovered matching oval goldfish […]
How To
Tips to Wash Windows
Nobody enjoys washing windows, but it’s a chore that has to be done. When you want your glass to sparkle, follow these practical tips on the best ways to clean windows. Make a Window-Washing Solution Wash dirty windows with a solution of ½ cup ammonia and 1 gallon hot water. If the windows are greasy (in […]
When you’re seeding grass by hand, mix fine sawdust in with the seed. Then you’ll be able to see the sawdust where you’ve spread the mixture and catch the spots you’ve missed!
It’s hard to believe that Easter is right around the corner with all this snow still lingering in New England. Easter crafts add a pop of color and cheer to any room or table, and this project for Easter boxes filled with wooden eggs plays up pastel spring colors and vintage inspired images. Materials for […]
Actually, the original part of the “Israel Arnold House”–that’s how it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places–was built up on a hillside now bordering Lincoln Woods State Park about 45 years before Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was even born. Although the builders were a family by the name of Olney, they gave the property […]
1. Chefs love carbon-steel knives for their ability to hold an edge. These hand-forged beauties ($13.70-$89) by the folks at R. Murphy are no exception. The butcher, chef, and oyster knives shown here are just a sampling of the myriad styles they’ve been producing since 1850. R. MURPHY CO., Ayer, MA. 978-772-3481; rmurphyknives.com 2. Each […]
Get an Energy Audit “This is the very first step. It doesn’t cost that much in the grand scheme of things–some states offer them for free–and it will pay back in four or five years. Think about a crack under your door that’s two millimeters wide and a meter long. If you calculate the area, […]
The president’s house at Unity College is no grand Georgian manor in the New England tradition. The walls are bare of ivy, and the portico, such as it is, shades the entrance with corrugated polycarbonate panels and trains morning-glory vines along its vertical wires. Up above, a blaze of solar panels tilt skyward. They encase […]
It might feel a bit early to be talking about Easter, but since the March/April issue of Yankee just landed in my mailbox, I thought I would take a minute to share a bit about my contribution. I decided to play around with naturally dyed Easter eggs, which turned into an interesting experiment in kitchen […]
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner but it’s not too late to get crafting projects done for the holiday. Valentine’s Day paper cones are a quick craft to make and can be made for decoration or filled with sweets for gift giving. Materials Needed for Valentine’s Day Cones: Scrapbook paper in pink, red […]
If you’re looking for an inexpensive Valentine’s Day craft, newspaper hearts fit the bill perfectly. Many people get free newspapers and fliers in the mail and this project can turn those papers into simple hearts for Valentine’s Day decorating. These newspaper hearts look sweet on their own or can be strung together for a Valentine’s […]