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Your Your Home Home A special supplement of the

CommunityAdvocate April 8, 2016

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2 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

Lettuce hope The art of mindful gardening re you into gardening? Please say yes. It’s a kind of miracle. Food you grow tastes better, costs less, has greater nutritional value AND it leaves a carbon footprint the size of a grape. Gardening isn’t an aerobic sport, and it won’t grow your fitness the way running, walking and biking will, but it sure can produce lots of pleasure, not to mention kale, spinach and tomatoes. Gardening also helps you cultivate a calm, focused mind while putting all the major muscles of your body to work -- digging, lifting and carrying. Besides burning calories, gardening connects us to the earth, and it’s that mindful exchange of energy -- you plant; nature grows -that is so joyful and satisfying.

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Growing stuff in a garden is also a splendid way to plant ideas in your child’s brain about what is real food, and how good it can taste. Next thing you know, your 10-year-old is snacking on cauliflower chunks instead of corn chips, and goes to sleep at night dreaming of broccoli stalks the size of baseball bats. Well, not immediately, but over time. Tending to a little garden - even a flowerpot on the windowsill - can give your child a wondrous sense of being connected to nature. It’s a good thing. In the best of all worlds, gardening is a low-injury sport. But who lives there? If you rush into your garden chores carelessly, talking and texting, your mind a million miles away, you can wrench your back, destroy your knees, Lettuce hope page 3

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Lettuce hope: the art of mindful gardening • Cultivate calmness. To make all your gardening chores more effortless, move with the flow of your breath. It’s true for all your activities, from the basketball court to the compost heap. Focusing on your breath gets you started, but then it’s up to you to immerse yourself in the moment and not ponder the past or worry about the future. Let your time in the garden

nourish your understanding of how important it is to let go of stress and anxiety. • Energy ExpressDigging deeper. “Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” -- May Sarton

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Gardening also helps you cultivate a calm, focused mind while putting all the major muscles of your body to work

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Lettuce hope Continued from page 2

create excruciating tension in your shoulders and wind up with a neck stiffer than a newborn zucchini. So before you start growing a list of gardening aches and pains, consider the following: • Learn to lift and carry. Prepare before you lift. Take a breath or two and make sure your body is aligned and ready. Relax your head and neck, drop your shoulders, and when you lift, engage your core muscles (your abs, glutes, torso muscles on both sides of your spine, front and back). Lift slowly, pushing down through your feet, and drawing up through your legs. No grabbing and snatching, and no undue pressure or strain on your lower back.

• Carry heavy items (bags of fertilizers, decorative stones) close to your body. Don’t hold them out in front of you, arms outstretched. And finally, think it through before you do. If you think something is too heavy to lift or carry by yourself, it probably is. Why be macho when you can be smart? Get help, and avoid a nasty injury. • Small bites avoid big problems. When you shovel or dig, be content to take small bites with good tools that fit your hand. And just like in the gym, don’t overdo it. Big shovels loaded with heavy dirt can easily strain your back, shoulders and knees. To avoid post-planting strains and sprains, keep your mind focused on the task at

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hand: smaller loads, no sudden twisting or torqueing, moving with awareness so you stay balanced and aligned. • A little protection goes a long way. Start with your knees. Protect their delicate structure by kneeling on a foam pad or towels. Protect your eyes with sunglasses and a hat. Protect your skin from the burning sun with a proper cover-up clothes or non-toxic sunscreen - and by moderating exposure. Begin your gardening with a little warm-up, simple range-of-motion stretches that juice up your joints and energize your muscles for the work ahead. If you feel pain when you garden, back off, relax, and find an easier way to work. Drink enough water to stay hydrated, and don’t stay in any one position too long.

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4 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

Current trends in tile design allow for limitless creativity By Nicole Bucher Rooms With A View oday’s trends in tile design are evolving in a way that allows homeowners limitless creative possibilities. Color, shape, finish, texture, and dimension of tile options are making it effortless to create a true piece of art in their homes. Geometrics like hexagons, rhomboids, and quatrefoil are becoming as popular as classics such as rectangles and squares. These unique shapes can be used independently in repetitive patterns or as part of a more intricate mosaic design. Shapes and patterns are also prominent in worldly painted tiles reflecting the feelings of locales such as Morocco, Italy, and Mexico, with the introduction of bold colors and patterns. Varied finishes and textures of tile are another way to introduce dimension and interest in tile design. With metallics, stained concrete, iridescents,

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stained glass, and stones you can reflect and absorb light to enhance the artistic look. Gathering inspiration for these unique designs can be complied in online files through resources like Houzz.com and Pinterest. Having items that speak to your style - ranging from art to clothing - can help designers hone in on which of these new tile options can be used to create the space of your dreams! Rooms With A View is a full-service design showroom and authorized Schluter Dealer, showcasing and specializing in tile and natural stone. Our various other offerings include hardwood, cork, plumbing fixtures, countertops, cabinet hardware and a wide array of interior finish materials. We invite you to visit our showroom during our browsing hours or call to schedule time to discuss your next project with us! We are located in Colonial Plaza in Westborough. For more information call 508- 870-2211 or visit www. roomswav.com.

Rooms With A View is a full-service design showroom showcasing and specializing in tile and natural stone.

Geometrics like hexagons, rhomboids, and quatrefoil are becoming as popular as classics such as rectangles and squares.

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016 • 5

Hit refresh Upgrading your home’s curb appeal By Clay Benjamin Smook AIA, LEED-AP BD+C SMOOK Architecture, Westborough

them out! Expand the planting beds to minimize grass areas and replant with appropriate size plantings.

s architects and planners, we are often asked by our clients, friends and colleagues to assist in upgrading the curb appeal of their homes. As any realtor will tell you, upgrading the appearance of your home is the single best investment to boost your home’s value. If your home is on the market, this may be the quickest way to transform that “For Sale” sign into “Sold”!

Avoid Pandora’s Box: Consult a professional When should you hire a design professional? Even for the smallest projects, a trained professional can add value. Architects and Landscape Architects are trained to transform needs and desires into a reality. How to find a qualified professional? There are plenty of resources on the internet such as HOUZZ. com. You can also contact the local Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to find qualified licensed professional in your area.

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Get a grip: Calculate a budget and look for simple fixes From the outset, it is best to get your arms around a budget. Improvements can run from a minimal investment to a large financial outlay. Calculating a budget will quantify a realistic scope of work and save you a lot of stress! Start with quick and easy updates. Easy “low hanging fruit” for a curbside makeover may include cleaning your windows, staining or painting the front porch, adding potted seasonal plantings and decorating with furniture like Adirondack chairs. Consider upgrading your front door and garage doors by choosing a style that is appropriate for your home. Upgrade with paint and siding Want to create a dramatic change in your home’s appearance? Repaint the exterior or

re-side the building. When choosing a paint color, limit bold hues to accent areas. Remember, it never hurts to “mock up” colors on the structure; this may avert a costly or embarrassing mistake. Also, major paint brands like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams have color viewing apps to visualize your new colorful combinations. If you decide to re-side, there are many options including upgraded vinyl siding or cement boards ( James Hardie being one popular brand) to replicate shingles, clapboard, paneling, and trim. Add on: When you need more than cosmetic fixes Thinking of building an addition on the back of your home? Think again. When properly sited and designed, an addition out front or a newly constructed second story can improve your curbside’s aesthetics and fulfill your space

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6 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

From garden to bottle Growing your own perfume rowing your own signature fragrance is easy. If you have a garden - or even just a pot of flowers - a square of cheesecloth, a small saucepan and an airtight bottle, you can make an expensive-smelling perfume for pennies. And even if you don’t grow your own flowers, you can buy a bouquet, use the fragrant flowers you want and then set the perfume bottle in the remaining bouquet as a romantic and thoughtful gift. Choose your favorite fragrance - or the favorite fragrance of a gift recipient. Some popular floral scents include rose, lilac, jasmine, flowering plum, magnolia and orange blossom. Any pleasantly fragrant flower combination will do. To

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make the perfume, separate the petals from the flower bud - you’ll need about 1.5 cups of slightly chopped petals. Make sure not to include any leaves or stems, as those can breed bacteria. Depending on your preference, you can add a savory spice such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, vanilla bean or lemon peel to the mix - the only limits are your imagination and sense of smell. Bundle the petals and/ or spices in a cheesecloth square. Place the cheesecloth bundle in a bowl with the ends overlapping the sides. Pour 2 cups of distilled water over the petals, making sure the petals are covered by the water, and then cover the bowl. Let the petals soak in the water overnight. The next morning, pick the

Growing your own signature fragrance is easy.

Perfume page 7

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From garden to bottle: Growing your own perfume Perfume Continued from page 6

cheesecloth and petals out of the bowl by the corners and squeeze the liquid out of the cheesecloth over a small pot. Set the pot over a very low flame to simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1.5 teaspoons. Let the liquid cool, pour it into a small clean jar and close tightly. The perfume will last for about a month if kept in a cool, dark place. There are also woodsy scents you can use for men’s cologne. Some more masculine floral and spice scent ideas include: iris, lavender, sage, bergamot, tuberose, clove and cardamom. Mix and match these scents for a unique and masculine cologne. Up for a challenge? This do-it-yourself project takes months to go from petals to perfume. Th e extraction process, called “enfleurage,” began in French perfume houses. But not to worry - this technique costs far less than designer French perfume. To make perfume through enfleurage, you’ll need purified animal fat, flowers, powdered alum, pairs of matching bowls, a strainer, rubbing alcohol and oil of cedar or sandalwood to use as a fixative. Don’t pick the flowers until you are ready to start the extraction. Place beef suet or lard into a large pot with a teaspoon of alum and enough water to cover the fat. Boil for 45 minutes, adding water periodically to make sure the fat stays covered. Be careful not to burn the suet. Let the mixture cool until a layer of fat rises to the surface. Then,

If you have a garden - or even just a pot of flowers - a square of cheesecloth, a small saucepan and an airtight bottle, you can make an expensive-smelling perfume for pennies.

skim the grease and set it aside in a bowl. Repeat this process with the remaining fat and continue adding grease to the bowl until you have an odorless fatty mixture. Allow the grease to cool and settle to the consistency of thick honey. Pour it into half of the bowls until they are about 1/2 inch deep. Refrigerate the bowls until the grease solidifies, scouring the tops of each grease mound with a knife before they completely harden. This hardened ointment is called a “pomade.” Pick fresh flow-

ers from the garden at their peak of fragrance (usually after blooming). Mix varieties of flowers and/or spices as desired. Separate the fragrant petals onto a sheet of wax paper Sprinkle the petals over the hardened pomade to a depth of about 2 inches. Take an empty matching bowl, turn it over and cover each filled bowl; seal the edges with tape so that the stacked containers remain airtight. Set the paired bowls to the side for a couple of days. After a few days, unwrap the tape and replace the petals with fresh ones. Do this a few times until the pomade is thoroughly scented. Chop the pomade into small pieces and put the pieces into small glass bottles. Fill the bottles with alcohol, seal and store for three months, shaking them gently every few days. Strain the scented alcohol into clean bottles and add a few drops of a fixative for each 1/2 cup of perfume. Enjoy!

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8 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

Ocean interior Make your home as relaxing as a seaside vacation veryone’s idea of a perfect vacation or getaway is different. Most would agree, however, that a beach vacation rates up there with the best.Those with homes on a beach will tell you how great it is to live where others can only spend a short time, and that every day seems like a bit of a vacation. Relaxation at your doorstep. Beachfront residences are enjoyable projects to design. The sheer fact that they are on or near to the beach gives the project a certain allure. Of course, each beach is different. The beaches in St. Bart’s are different than the beaches in Miami, or the beaches of the Jersey Shore. Every location is going to dictate the tone or flavor of beach that an interior should have. Some locations such as Palm Beach, Florida, will require a bit of formality and fantasy to match the Mediterranean revival mansions,

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other places such as Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard bring to mind restrain and simplicity appropriate for cedar cottages. Every decoration and gesture should be a manifestation of its location. Yet all locations share some common elements of a beach location. The ocean, sand and local flora; these elements can be an infinite source of inspiration. Those residences or condominiums that are on the beach or waterfront can benefit from the views offered. In these homes, the color of the water, which can range from aqua to blue and green will undoubtedly feel the impact of its surroundings. Homes that are not in visual proximity to the ocean can still introduce the color throughout. Walls can be painted to highlight or match a particular body of water and give a room a pop, or color can be brought in through flooring or area rugs. The color of sand can be helpful in selecting a color palette, and can vary depending on the location. There are beaches with bright, almost white sand; others are tan; some are pink because of the small bits of shells; and still others that have gray or black sand. Some beaches even forgo sand and are adorned with pebbles. Here, too, the colors of the beach’s floor can vary greatly. All of these earth tones though can blend with almost any other color. The flora of a beach varies greatly as well. Palm trees abound in warmer climates from Africa to the Mediterranean, and pines trees, shrubs and sea oats are common to others. Shades of greens and browns are also very easily mixed and matched. Although the impact of nature is variable, a certain spirit of rusticity is always present in beach locations. Bringing the ocean inside is always popular for beach locations. Shells, sea fans and driftwood can be used for decoration. Nautical themes for works of art and the shells, etc. themselves can be used as accessories for shelves and table top items. Blue, neutral and white color schemes are safe, but adding a punch of color such as cherry red, chartreuse green, hot pink or fiery orange can make your beach decorating seem fresh and unexpected.

Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016 • 9

Grow your own restaurant From garden to kitchen arm-to-table isn’t just a trend. It’s an incredibly satisfying way to create a meal with the produce that you’ve worked so hard on and waited so patiently for. Here, you will find some recipe ideas for the veggies already growing in your backyard. Tomatoes are hearty and grow in abundance, making them a key ingredient in any restaurant-inspired recipe. The tomatoes that you buy in the grocery store are usually picked before they reach their optimum ripeness. Farm-totable cooking gives you the opportunity to pick and taste perfectly ripe tomatoes, full of flavor. You won’t experience that from a grocery store buy. An incredibly useful recipe to make using the tomatoes from your own garden is a pasta sauce -- throw it on some pizza crust or in a pot of spaghetti. Pasta sauce is a great staple recipe to master that tastes best with homegrown tomatoes. This recipe from Yummy Yummy Kitchen incorporates fresh tomatoes and just a few other ingredients, but the result is a full-flavored pasta sauce that can be served immediately or frozen. It is perfect to have on hand whenever the mood for Italian food strikes! To add to the fun, grow your own garlic, onion, oregano and basil. Try growing oregano and basil indoors for year-round easy access to these flavorful herbs.

up your stock of zucchini after a successful harvest.

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Tomato pasta sauce 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup red wine 8 cups tomato chunks 1 teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes Small bunch of fresh basil salt and pepper to taste In a large saucepan, saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and cover for 15 minutes.

Zucchini bread is a go-to recipe for those who are left with an abundance of squash at the end of the season.

Covering will help the tomatoes to “sweat” and break down more quickly. Then, uncover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for about an hour. Use an immersion blender to carefully puree the sauce. Add the basil into the blender or sprinkle on top. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the sauce cool and then very carefully puree it in a regular blender. Zucchini plants produce rather prolifically, so there is an opportunity to try them in loads of different recipes. Try using a peeler (or a spiralizer) to create strips of zucchini to be used as a substitute for noodles in your favorite pasta recipe. This practice has recently been all the rage. Also consider chopping zucchini into sticks, dipping them into an egg batter and rubbing them in a shallow bowl of seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake the sticks on a coated baking sheet at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes for a treat that the whole family can enjoy. Zucchini bread is a go-to recipe for those who are left with an abundance of squash at the end of the season. It is a great gift for neighbors and friends, too! Check out this easy recipe from Once Upon a Chef to use

Zucchini bread 3 large eggs 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 cups grated zucchini (one medium zucchini; about 10 ounces) 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour, leveled-off in measuring cup 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired 1/2 cup currants or raisins (optional) Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Set the baking rack on the middle level. Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix the eggs

with the sugar until combined. Add the grated zucchini, melted butter and vanilla extract and stir to combine. In another large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk the ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the nuts and currants -- or chocolate chips if desired. Divide the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set the pans on the wire rack and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the loaves over onto rack to cool completely. The options are endless when it comes to creating fresh recipes using ingredients from your own backyard. The better you become at growing a diverse set of vegetables and herbs, the more recipes you can try your hand at!

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10 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

McCarthy’s Landscaping & Irrigation Time to take a fresh look at your outdoor space By Nancy Brumback Contributing Writer

PHOTO/NANCY BRUMBACK

West Boylston - With an earlier start to spring this year, it’s time to take a critical look at your yard and think about freshening up the plantings and perhaps adding a new point of interest. McCarthy’s Landscaping & Irrigation has been designing and maintaining outdoor landscapes for over 20 years, and Roger and Sue McCarthy are ready to make your home’s outdoor spaces more attractive and useful. When surveying the yard, “look for overgrown shrubs and trees, especially in front of the house. Shrubs that block the windows can be a security risk and cut down on the light entering the house,” Roger said. “Consider adding new plantings to bring color to the front of your house throughout the season, a mixture of evergreens,

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flowering shrubs and perennials,” he said. The exact mix of plants will vary, depending on location and sun and shade conditions, but McCarthy’s can suggest the plants that will work well in a specific location and bring the colors the homeowner wants. “Also think about adding a wall, a walkway, a pond or waterfall, or a new seating area, maybe with a built-in fire pit,” Sue said. “What features would make your outdoors more conducive to your lifestyle and optimize the use of your yard? A koi pond or fire pit can be very relaxing.” McCarthy’s can design and install “hardscape” features such as walks, walls and patios and water features. They can add an outdoor kitchen to a patio. “In a first for us, we even put in an outdoor shower that a customer wanted last year,” Sue said.

For families with children, the firm can install playground areas with rubber mulch or certified playground mulch, wood chips with no dyes or chemicals. In the design process, the McCarthys ask customers to come to the firm’s facilities in West Boylston to choose the materials they like from the wide range of stone and pavers on display outside. “We want you to see the colors and textures,” he said. “We encourage you to see how it feels when you walk on it barefoot,” added Sue. The company’s website, www.mccarthyslandscaping. com, features an expanded selection of photos to give customers ideas. McCarthy’s also specializes in installing landscape lighting. “We put the lighting up in the trees as well as below to accent the trees,” Sue said. “The idea is to create areas of illumination and shadows so that it mimics a full moon,” Roger added. And the firm installs and maintains irrigation systems, which Roger noted can help conserve water. “With an irrigation system, you can monitor water usage with a timer and avoid wasting water on the driveway or street, as too often happens with a sprinkler you have to move. And systems now shut down when it rains.” McCarthy’s offers a variety of lawn maintenance options as well, including fertilization programs with applications to cut down on ticks in a yard. A new manager has been hired to supervise the lawn maintenance side of the business. McCarthy’s has several choices of mulch to improve appearance and to keep weeds down and moisture in the soil. Black pine and hemlock mulch are in stock, and customers can pick up what they need or have it delivered. Another option is using river rocks instead of bark mulch. The company sells Hudson Valley river rock, smooth stones that give a different look and last longer than bark. McCarthy’s is located at 133 Hartwell St. in West Boylston. Additional information is available on the website, www. mccarthyslandscaping.com, or call 508-842-7110.

Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016 • 11

Gone but not forgotten Caring for plants while you’re away f you’re planning a vacation but are worried about how your garden will fare during your absence - especially during a summer heatwave or a dry spell - there are some steps you can take to help your vegetables, herbs and flowers survive while you’re away.

potted plants. These bulbs are specially designed to release water slowly and as the plant or ground needs it, supplying a good supplemental amount of moisture to your plants and flowers.

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• Know your plants’ water needs. Some plants require frequent watering and some do just fine if their soil gets a little bit dry. Over-watering can be as much of a hazard to plants as dryness, so you don’t want to overdo it. • Water well before you leave and keep them hydrated. An About.com gardening expert said to give your plants a good soaking and then add a layer of mulch to keep roots cool and to provide the soil with plenty of moisture. “Mulched plants lose 25 percent less water than unmulched plants,â€? so your smartly layered mulch, kept away from the trunk or stems of the plant, can do the trick until you return. She points out that if your plants are already mulched, you likely don’t need to add more. Just make sure the soil is wet a few inches below the surface. • Install a drip irrigation system to help you lay drip irrigation hoses throughout your landscaping or garden. You can purchase an inexpensive drip irrigation system at your local garden center. A timer on your spout allows for planned watering that keeps the water at the bases of your plants without sprinkling water on the leaves and flowers, which can cause mildew. • If you have a sprinkler system in your lawn, be sure to set the timer for regular watering that will take care of your lawn and garden plantings. • Move your potted plants. Even if it doesn’t look as good as where they usually sit, moving your potted plants and flowers within range of your sprinklers will keep them watered regularly, which is important since they don’t have access to natural ground water. If you can arrange for

Fill water bulbs with water and stick in the ground by your plants.

your sprinklers to hit a shady area on your property, this is an ideal spot to place your potted plants so that the sun doesn’t dry them. • Use a rain barrel. Rain barrels will catch rainwater that falls way before your getaway, making it an excellent source of water for your garden. Attach a soaker hose to it and run the hose through your garden and plantings, including new

saplings in your landscaping. The water will slowly come out, saturating the ground and getting to plant roots. A well-watered garden before you leave will be even better for maximizing this extra flow of moisture. • Use water bulbs. Check your local garden center for water bulbs that you’ll fill with water and then stick into the ground by your plants or into your

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• Secure all deer and critter netting to help protect your garden from any nibbling. Checking for loose edges around a surrounded garden can help protect your tomatoes and other plantings. Consider adding reflective ribbons or other visual deterrents to your garden, even if you don’t use them on a regular basis. While you’re away, they can be effective at preventing destruction of your plantings. • Hire a garden-sitter. If you’ll be away for more than a week, you may find it more advantageous to hire someone

to check in on your garden once or twice a week, turning on the hose or sprinklers, watering plants and perhaps mowing your lawn. (And if you have a lawn care service, insert flags along the lengths of soaker hoses you’ve run across your lawn so that your lawn care workers don’t run over them with the mower.) About.com suggests forming a garden-care plan with your neighbors so you can take turns caring for each other’s gardens whenever your families are away. • Time the planting of saplings or new plants until after your trip. New plantings need regular watering and care to help them take root and thrive. Exposing them to the trauma of dryness and heat can create a danger of welcoming you home to a garden of those new (and expensive!) dead trees and plants.

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12 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

Bathroom renovation costs Plan your bathroom remodel without blowing your budget o properly estimate the cost of a bathroom renovation, you must consider two main things: W ho will do the work and how many big-ticket items you plan to replace. Below are some tips on estimating the cost of your desired bathroom remodel and how to get the look you want without breaking the bank.

vendors, manages deliveries and ensures product quality to deliver a spectacular end product. If you plan to hire a general contractor, make sure you check the person’s references. Clarify whether you or your general contractor will buy the materials. General contractors typically receive steep discounts for materials, but they’ll often mark up the price to sell to the homeowner. You may want to compare a general contractor’s price point with what it would cost if you bought the materials.

T

Average and Specialty Costs for Bathroom Renovations Expect to pay anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000 to remodel an average-sized bathroom. These estimates assume that you’ll be doing a basic remodel. But the contractor and vendors you hire, as well as replacing or adding custom details, will impact the final cost. For example, increasing square footage, putting in a

Expect to pay anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000 to remodel an average-sized bathroom.

custom shower and modifying the rough plumbing and electric will increase your bottom line. Extensive high-end bathroom remodels can cost upward of $30,000.

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Buy New or Renew? Reusing the same toilet, sink or vanity and keeping the appliance in the same location will save some serious money. Bathroom toilets vary in cost from $150 to $3,000. Again, relocating any of these appliances will increase labor costs. Bathroom Light Fixtures A copious amount of light in a bathroom, whether natural or artificial, is important. You don’t have to use one light; pick one light for your vanity space and another light for the shower, and install a dimmer switch. Splurge a little to reposition or rewire a fixture to get the look you want. Just be wary of costs building up quickly.

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Playing With Tile Tile is beautiful, but it is pricey. A custom-tiled shower alone can cost thousands of dollars. As a compromise, consider installing a standard bathtub and only tiling from the tub to the ceiling. You’ll get a bathroom refresh for less. Tiling a floor is also a relatively easy do-it-yourself project. With careful thought and consideration, you can achieve a bathroom makeover that will make you and your wallet happy.

Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016 • 13

Still smelling the roses Creating a garden in your own home f you live in an apartment or don’t have any garden space in your yard, don’t worry: You’re not doomed to live without greenery. You can still enjoy a veritable garden of flowers, plants and herbs inside your dwelling. An indoor garden will cheer you up, refresh the air in your home and perhaps -- with the help of homegrown herbs -- add a fresh, natural flavor to your cooking. Pick the right flowers and plants for your home’s lighting and create multiple mini-gardens throughout your living space.

I

Choose your vessel You’re not limited to flowerpots. Visit your local garden center or floral shop to find elongated planting boxes, tiered planters, magnetic mini flowerpots to stick to your refrigerator, window boxes and other pots and planting containers. Mix and match flower pot styles and colors to coordinate your indoor garden vessels with your home decor. Look at the light Observe the lighting conditions in each area of your home throughout the day. Areas that stay sunny for eight hours or more are ideal for plants that need full sun exposure; shade plants work well in rooms with small windows or windows that don’t bring in much sunlight. Surprisingly, plants and flowers may work well in your bathroom, as a sunny window combined with the heat and humidity

from your shower will create a thriving environment for growth. Choose the right plants for your space Mary-Kate Mackey, coauthor of “Sunset Secret Gardens,” said that sansevieria, also known as “mother-inlaw’s tongue,” works well in low light and cleans the air. When you live in an apartment, you may not be able to clean the building’s air ducts, so a plant that cleans the air for you can help stave off allergies. “Display this pot in a saucer, so that any water runoff from your watering process stays in the saucer, helping to keep the humidity this plant loves,” said Mackey. Tillandsia is another favorite of Mackey’s, who said she likes the look of displaying this beautiful airy plant with low-maintenance succulents. Mixing and matching different plants is a great creative exercise; planting them in separate pots also lets you easily rearrange them. A ground-

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sunlight. Move them away from windows during a cold day or hot weather snap, because they don’t like extreme temperature changes. Only water them when soil is dry to the touch. • Cacti: They’re low-maintenance and don’t require a lot of water, so they can survive if you leave them to go on a trip for a few days. Place them in

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front of windows for sunlight. Mackey said that a great danger to indoor plants is overwatering. Keep the instructions for your plants and flowers on hand so that you can remind yourself of proper watering schedules. And be sure to keep potted plants situated away from where pets or kids can get into them, potentially spilling the potting material and soil or ingesting plants to their great harm. Herb gardens create wonderful opportunities for your kitchen, with your herbs growing together in one pot or placed in individual pots along your windowsill. A trend in home gardens is placing small herb plants in a vertical rack, where they can grow together and you can pick them as needed. Herb gardens save on your grocery budget and provide you with fresh, tasty flavor for your food and beverage creations.

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14 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016

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programs.” Th e page about hover flies for example, shows each stage in the life cycle to help you protect this important helper insect. Step two: find companion planting and colorful perennials Companion planting both attracts pollinators and helps keep harmful insects out of your garden. For example, said Knepler, borage repels worms and attracts bees and beneficial wasps, which makes it an effective companion plant for tomatoes. Marigolds and scented geraniums do the same thing. Knepler also likes planting sunflowers to attract aphids, which attract ants to the sugars released during aphid activity. “The insects are drawn away from other plants, but sunflowers are so tough that they aren’t damaged,” she said. In classes and conversations, Knepler emphasizes the importance of incorporating plants that attract and sustain butterflies and bees, such as butterfly weed, bee balm and hardy milkweed species, which provide essential habitats for the declining Monarch butterfly population. “Honey bee colonies are very stressed right now,” she said. If we don’t have pollinators, we don’t live.” In addition, planting groups of colorful pollinators could make your garden a stop on the “Monarch Highway” and help restore this beautiful, important species.

Step three: see the natural controls When you do see evidence of harmful insects in the garden, consider natural controls first. First, remove damaged plants, which encourage infestation, said Knepler. It may be necessary to remove shoots, sections or the entire plant to control the problem. Then consider organic, topical solutions. “When you use broad chemical controls, whether a spray or a systemic application (in the soil), you’re going to get rid of all larvae, including the beneficial ones,” she said. Careful, selective application of certain fatty acid insecticidal oils, insecticidal soaps and pyrethrins can control early emergence of harmful insects without overkill. The website plantcaretoday. com offers a basic insecticidal soap recipe and variations. You’ll need pure soap - no dish soap or degreasers - distilled water, and a spray bottle for the basic recipe. After that, such additives as cayenne pepper and garlic may be helpful. This site and others offer easy, inexpensive recipes for routine, eco-friendly insect controls. And finally, the best defense in the garden is a good offense. Keep your plants healthy, said Knepler. Adequate sun and enough water (an inch and a half of rainfall or supplemental watering per week) will allow your plants to thrive, attract beneficial insects and create a sustainable and beautiful garden for years to come.

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 8, 2016 • 15

Flowers for Fido Creating pet-friendly gardens es, you can have beauty and variety in your garden and still keep your dog and cat healthy. Here’s how, and why, to make sure your plants are safe for pets. Depending on the animal’s breed, size, age and other characteristics, the plant in question and the extent and type of contact, symptoms from exposure to toxic plants can range from mild irritation and nausea to death. So, the best choice is a garden design with pet-friendly annuals and perennials. Search according to your planting region for comprehensive lists and photos online. The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offers resources to determine which plants are safe for dogs, cats and horses. Each entry in its list of plants includes the safety level and a description of toxicity symptoms. For example, the vivid large-leafed Caladium is toxic to dogs and cats, producing the following clinical symptoms: “oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing.” But dozens of flowering plants, such as the lovely Madagascar jasmine, are nontoxic to dogs, cats and horses, as are dozens of other flowering plants. The Humane Society of the United States also provides a list of toxic plants and specific plant parts on its website. Writing for the Animal Health Foundation, veterinarian Lee Pickett noted problem gardening practices. “Cocoa

safe alternatives. “Many plants are toxic to pets, including chrysanthemums, clematis, coleus, daffodils, geranium, hibiscus, hosta, hyacinths, most ivies and lilies, peony, sweet William, tulips and vinca. “Finally, don’t forget to plant catnip, cat thyme and cat grass for your kitties,” said Pickett. For a list of medicinal garden plants for dogs, visit PetMD. com. Helpful plants for dogs include burdock, milk thistle, peppermint, astragalus, barley grass and others. For cats, the site recommends catnip, cat thyme, valerian, chamomile, calendula, Echinacea, licorice root, cat’s claw, dandelion root and more. An alternative to landscaping solely with pet-friendly plants is to separate sections of your garden with fencing. Pets and children can move freely in the safe zones, apart from plants, products and practices that pose contact and ingestion risks.

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mulch is toxic if ingested because it contains theobromine and caffeine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, elevated heart rate and seizures. Use a mulch of hardwood or pine instead,” she said. “Insecticides and herbicides can pose problems, too,” Pickett continued. “Research on phenoxy-type herbicides shows they increase the incidence of cancer. Nonphenoxy herbicides ... do not increase cancer risk. “Don’t use slug bait that contains metaldehyde, which can be fatal to pets and wildlife. Check the Internet or your cooperative extension service for

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