Home and Garden 07/22/17

HOME & GARDEN • SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017

Fire mitigation

Look inside for these specials and many others.

Time to fertilize It’s not too late for vegetable planting KEN MOON:

Safe electrical systems

YEAR ROUND GARDENING

It’s not too late for a fall vegetable planting; give a dibble board a try!

M

BY FREDRICKA BOGARDUS, COLORADO MASTER GARDENER

id- to late July is a great time to plant some cool season vegetables for a fall harvest. Cool season vegetables grow best during cool weather and can even tolerate some light frost. They tend to grow from seed to maturity in less than 75 days, allowing a full season of growth between now and mid-October.

One of the challenges of planting seed crops can be seed spacing. Some of these seeds are very tiny and planting evenlyspaced rows can be a challenge. I usually start a row, trying very hard to space the seed accurately according to the planting instructions. Within a short time I run out patience with seed sticking to my fingers, and just fling and hope for the best. The problem with this lack of precision is that a couple of weeks later I am grumbling about having to discard most of the overcrowded seedlings, while staring mournfully at the bare spots that could have had plants had I been more accurate in my sowing.

There a couple of ways to make spacing less random. One is to purchase or make seed tapes. Use the thinnest paper you can find (single ply toilet paper), space the seed on the paper, sticking on with a flour/ water paste. Then you place the paper ‘tape’ in the furrow and cover with soil to plant. If you have a bored six-year-old to do the pasting this is a great approach.

A slightly more efficient approach might be to construct a dibble board. This is a tool, fairly easily constructed from a scrap piece of board and dowels. The board can be whatever size that will work best for you. Lay the board flat. Start by measuring a grid pattern with two or three inch spaces. Glue three-fourth inch dowels, cut to one and a half foot lengths, at each two or three inch interval. Wood glue is a good choice for this job. A handle on the top may make the board easier to use.

Once the board is constructed, water

Planting times for fall harvest of cool season vegetables in Colorado Springs, harvest will be mid-September to mid-October.

Mid-July, 65–75 days, cool season crops: Peas Late July, 55–65 days, cool season crops: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower and chard Early August, 40–50 days, cool season crops: Spinach, lettuce and kohlrabi Photo by Fredricka Bogardus

the planting area, press the board into the soil and you will have a template for where to drop your seed. For very small plants you may plant each hole. For others, maybe every other hole. Use a honeycomb pattern to create blocks of plants. Once the seed is in place simply cover the holes with soil and wait for your amazingly nonrandomly spaced seedlings.

However you sow your seed you will have a delicious autumn, munching on your extra crop of veggies. Bon apetit!

Get answers to your horticulture questions at ask.extension.org any time, day or night. Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. — 12 p.m. you can phone 719-520-7684 or emailing CSUmg2@elpasoco.com. For current garden tips visit www.facebook.com/ ColoradoMasterGardeners.EPCFor current classes visit elpaso.extension. colostate.edu.

HG 2 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017

COMING UP AT EXTENSION Plant Fall Vegetables Now Thursday, July 27, 6 – 8:30 p.m. Cost $15 Making Yogurt from Home Thursday, Aug. 3, 6 – 8:30 p.m. Cost $25 Low Maintenance Gardening Saturday, Aug 12, 9 – 10:30 a.m. Cost $15 Community Plant Swap Saturday, August 19, 8 – 11:00 a.m. Open to the public.

Go to elpaso.extension.colostate.edu or call 719-520-7690 for more information and to register.

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719.596.5712 721 N. Powers Blvd www.hardingnursery.com SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 3

AROUND THE HOUSE

Safe electrical systems

BY KEN MOON, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Dear Ken: There are some sites on the web that discourage hall fans because they can be dangerous. Can you give me your side?

— Jim KEN MOON

Timetofertilize COURTESY OF HARDING NURSERY

Whether you prefer organic or inorganic fertilizer, it’s a great time to fertilize your plants. Most soils do not provide the nutrients required for optimum plant growth and even with great garden soil, as plants grow they absorb the nutrients and the soil becomes less fertile. Fertilizing ensures your plants flourish day to day, year after year.

Keeping nutrients available allows healthy growth and optimum performance, which results in less insect and disease problems. This applies to all plants, from trees and shrubs to flowers and turf grass.

Fertilizers are typically applied directly to soil or sprayed on leaves (known as Foliage Feeding), and generally come in two categories — organic and inorganic.

Organic fertilizers contain naturally-occurring materials such as manure, composted plant material, and seaweed or natural occurring mineral deposits. They provide slow released nitrogen which benefits soil structure. Inorganic fertilizers are processed by man.

Both types have pros and cons. If you want steady continuous growth, the slow released nitrogen in organic fertilizer is best or try an inorganic containing a slow released nitrogen. When your garden needs an immediate boost, an inorganic fertilizer provides it quickly.

Harding has developed a fertilizer for trees, shrubs and perennials that is ideal — it provides peak growth and performance. Our Harding’s Nursery Special contains the slow release nitrogen blue stone. We also carry a variety of organic fertilizers and lawn fertilizers, as well as excellent inorganic fertilizers.

Stop by Harding Nursery at 721 N. Powers Blvd. and let our knowledgeable staff and certified nursery professionals help you decide which fertilizer will work best for you.

HG 4 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017

First, they are quite effective. Our thin air cools quickly after sundown, and we get to pull it through the windows and exhaust it through the fan and out the attic. That not only cools down your bedroom but also purges the day’s heat from the attic — so it won’t leak back into the house. I have one in my home plus central air. The whole house fan reduces the need for the much more expensive A/C system.

These fans move large volumes of air, so you need only need to run it about 30 minutes. Moreover, there is a small risk to you and the family should you not use it correctly. If you don’t open enough windows and also run the fan too long, you risk drawing fumes — including carbon monoxide — down through the water heater flue. Open a few windows plus the patio door, so there’s plenty of volume to satisfy the fan. Also, I recommend a timer control instead of a simple ON-OFF switch for the fan. Use a twist knob type-like you find in a motel bathroom. That way, if you fall asleep, the fan will shut itself off.

Bottom line: When used correctly, these whole house fans are terrific here in our high elevation environment. They are “air conditioning” on the cheap, and you’ll love yours.

Dear Ken: I have some old shutters.

They are plastic and are sun-damaged, with some yellow and brown spots. How can I clean them?

— Larry If they are faded by the sun, you’ll have to repaint them. Ask a name brand paint store for the right primer, over which you can lay on some regular exterior latex paint.

If you want to clean them, use some warm soapy water and a stiff scrub brush.

Sometimes the spots and stains won’t wash off, so there’s another approach. Use

WD-40 as sort of a seasoning agent, which will dissolve most spots and brighten up the finish. But first try a test spot along one edge that won’t show, so you can see the reaction before you do the fronts.

Dear Ken: Our furnace company wants to install surge protectors on the furnace and A/C compressor. They cost $179 and the company that makes them will pay up to $1000 in damages. What do you think?

— Ellen It’s basically a wager. The company is betting $1000 against $179 that lightning won’t strike the house. I think it’s a good bet for them, but lousy for you. Lightning strikes in any one particular location are so rare that you’ll probably never recoup your money.

Instead, check your grounding system in the house. You should have a fat, bare copper wire running from the electric panel to the water line where it comes in from the street. There should also be a bonding wire to the gas piping, cable TV and phone lines. Also, check for one or two outside ground rods under the electric meter — although these are being supplanted by a connection to the foundation steel, usually on the inside edge of the garage foundation, called a Ufer ground.

Have an electrician check the system if you have any doubts or yours is an older home. It’s much more likely that there will be a nearby strike that creates surface currents along the ground, and an adequate building grounding system will carry them back to the earth quickly and harmlessly.

Dear Ken: How much insulation should we have in the attic to stay cool?

— Mark The code generally requires 10 to 12 inches, which is equivalent to about an R-38. The new recommendation for the Rocky Mountain region is 14 to 15 inches, or R-48 to 50. Insulation is so cost effective — producing the most savings for the least money — that it pays for itself in just a couple of years. Plus, since there are multiple rebates from all levels of government and many utility providers, it makes sense to do it right now.

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Fire mitigation

in Colorado

BY MATT ROHRER, PRESIDENT AND FIRE MITIGATION EXPERT, AVER CONTRACTING

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Unfortunately with Colorado’s beautiful forests and dry climate, wildfires are inevitable. The best thing a homeowner can do to prepare for a wildfire is to mitigate their property. Fire mitigation accomplishes two main goals: it reduces and removes fire hazards and improves the overall health of forests.

Wildfires are a huge risk in this country.

1.2 million acres of woodland burn up in the U.S. every year. Many areas have small, unhealthy trees that act as kindling for fires. The bigger danger is when those small trees are close to houses, putting the home and residents at risk. The national Fire Protection Agency recommends there be a minimum of 30 feet between a home/

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building and the nearest trees, with the ideal distance being between 60 and 100 feet. Fire mitigation is perfect for removing fire danger and maintaining your yard.

Typically, when we think of a healthy forest, we think of lots of trees. It would seem that cutting down trees would hurt a forest.

However, in reality, most Colorado forests are overpopulated with trees. This means that the nutrients in the soil are being spread between too many plants, and the results are harmful. Instead of having 45 healthy trees in a half mile, there will be 100 small, unhealthy trees because the soil doesn’t have enough nutrients for all of them. Fire mitigation removes these sick trees and allows larger ones to thrive. After cutting down the

unhealthy tree, the next step is to masticate them. This process involves crushing and cutting the trees into tiny pieces of mulch.

The mulch can then be tilled into the soil in order to nourish and replenish the nutrients, paving the way for new, healthy forest growth.

Anyone who owns a home in forested or otherwise fire-prone areas should consider the hazard presented to their property by a wildfire, and should consider fire mitigation. By doing wildfire mitigation work, homeowners can substantially increase their safety and reduce the risk to life and property.

To learn more, call Aver Contracting at 844-348-8975 or visit www.avercontracting. com/construction-services/land-services.

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SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 5

Prevent and safely extinguish

grill flare-ups

METRO SERVICES

Flavor, convenience and the fun factor drives thousands of home cooks each year to fire up their backyard grills. Preparing meals over an open fire imparts smoky flavors, and can be a low-fat, quick method of cooking.

Although grilling is full of benefits, cooking over an open flame also can be dangerous.

Flare-ups are a safety risk that, if left unchecked, can lead to grill fires. Prevention is the single best way to avoid damage and injury. After that, acting quickly and knowing how to safely tame flare-ups can help.

PREVENTING FLARE-UPS

Although many consumer grills are designed to prevent flare-ups, that does not mean they can't still happen. Here are some ways to reduce the risk of high flames and overcooked foods.

Trim fat. Excess fat that drips down into the coals can ignite easily. Trim as much fat as possible without sacrificing flavor.

Consider using lean meats in burger patties.

Limit use of sauces and marinades.

Sugary or oily marinades and sauces may be more prone to ignition. Try dry rubs and then add a small amount of sauce when the heat is low during the final minutes of cooking.

Wait to grill until windy conditions abate.

Oxygen fuels fires, and wind that can channel between the grates may cause bigger flames.

Try to keep the grill away from windy areas, or wait until breezes die down before cooking, if

BEAT THE HEAT MULCH SALE!

possible.

Leave the lid open. The grill manufacturer CharBroil advises leaving the lid open when searing fatty foods.

Keep a clean grill. Remove residue from the belly of the grill and clean the grates after each meal is made.

HANDLE FLARE-UPS WITH CARE If flames do rise, keep calm and try

GOREN BRIDGE

WITH BOB JONES ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

weekly bridge quiz q 1 - Neither vulnerable, as South, you hold: ♠ 10 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦ A k 10 6 4 ♣ k 9 8 2

Partner opens one no trump and right-hand opponent passes. What call would you make?

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q 2 - North-South vulnerable, as South, you hold: ♠A2♥J7654♦A75♣J64 NOrTH 1♠ 3♣

eAST Pass Pass

SOuTH 1NT ?

weST Pass

HG 6 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017

NOrTH 1NT

eAST 2♥

SOuTH ?

weST

What call would you make? q 5 - North-South vulnerable, as South, you hold: ♠ A 4 ♥ q 10 ♦ A J 9 5 ♣ A k 9 5 4

Right-hand opponent opens two hearts, weak. What call would you make? q 6 - East-West vulnerable, as South, you hold:

What call would you make?

♠ 2 ♥ q 9 8 2 ♦ Void ♣ A k q 8 7 4 3 2

q 3 - East-West vulnerable, as South, you hold:

As dealer, what call would you make?

♠ Void ♥ 4 3 ♦ 9 7 5 2 ♣ A q 10 9 6 5 2

Right-hand opponent deals and passes. What call would you make? q 4 - Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:

Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5:30 Sat 9-5 Sun 9-4

these techniques.

Leave room to move foods on the grill.

Keep empty spots on the grill where food can be moved if a flare-up occurs.

Turn off the burners. When using a propane grill, turn off the gas when flareups begin. Then move the food to another area.

Starve the fire. If possible, close all vents and the lid to deplete the oxygen supply to the fire.

Smother the flames. Never use water on a grill, as any existing grease can pop and explode when it comes into contact with water. This also may cause flames to spread. Instead, use baking soda, salt or sand to put out greasy fires.

Keep a fire extinguisher handy. A class ABC fire extinguisher can put out a multitude of different fires.

Call the fire department. If flames cannot be handled immediately, call the fire department and steer clear.

♠qJ73♥82♦q972♣q43

Look for answers on Monday.

(Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001.

E-mail: tcaeditors@tribpub.com)

denniS The menaCe

The Family CirCuS

by hank ketcham

Sherman’S lagoon

PiCkleS

by Brian Crane

mr BoFFo

by Joe martin

by J. P. Toomey

by Bil keane

rhymeS wiTh orange by hilary Price

marmaduke

by Brad and Paul anderson

Baldo

by hector Cantu and Carlos Castellanos

SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 7

Blondie

by dean young and John marshall

muTTS

by Patrick mcdonnell

Funky winkerBean

luann

by greg evans

PeanuTS

by Charles Schulz

by Tom Batiuk

HG 8 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017

loS angeleS TimeS CroSSword

non SequiTur

by wiley

edited by rich norris and Joyce lewis

lola

by Todd Clark

BeeTle Bailey across 4 List with sides 1 Veal __ 5 Illicit collection, perhaps 5 Seal 6 Some bounders 9 Actress Thompson of “Creed” 7 Where I-15 and I-80 meet 14 “Gotcha” 8 Where charges are entered at 15 Posh “Peace!” the bar 16 One remaining 9 Refill 17 Israeli foreign minister during 10 Tours to be? the Six-Day War 11 First black U.S. 18 It began in 2010 with the Congresswoman Tunisian Revolution 12 Submitted 20 Legendary Shawnee leader 13 Specialized idioms 22 __ Rico 19 Discuss 23 Suffix suggesting wiggle room 21 Forbidding contraction 24 Uncertain utterances 25 __-nez glasses 25 School squad goal?

28 Vishy __, World Chess 26 English __ Champion before Carlsen 27 Greek walkways 29 Crunch and others?

29 Spy-fi employer 30 Bichon __ 30 Boggy biomes 32 “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” 31 False pretenses director 35 They win audiences over bit 33 Lifts up by bit 34 Expatriate 37 Denzel Washington’s 36 Hidden away directorial debut 38 Bus meets, e.g.

39 Gigging group 39 “The Great British Bake Off” 41 Shakespearean interjections 42 Company with “It’s what you airer, initially do” ads 40 Declared 43 Briefs brand 44 One fed on the street 44 Woolf’s “__ Dalloway” 45 Sharp pang 45 Pit stuff 46 Fortified 47 44-Across, in Andalusia 49 Campbell of the “Scream” 48 __ beef franchise 50 Separated seed from 50 Belch in “Twelfth Night” 52 Epic salvo of social media 51 Word with bank or board missives 53 It may be jammed 54 What you might pass, but Friday’s Puzzle Solved can’t fail, in school 55 Hair extension 56 Instrument often made of African blackwood 57 Spread on the table 58 More bizarre 59 Watched carefully 60 Iraq War concerns, for short down 1 Old doctrinal Lutheran movement 2 Mineral involved in much litigation 3 Nonprofit that won a 2007 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy

by mort, greg, and Brian walker

hagar The horriBle

moTher gooSe

Tundra

by Chris Browne

by mike Peters

by Chad Carpenter

SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 9

Bizarro

by dan Piraro

argyle SweaTer

by Scott hilburn

CeleBriTy CiPher by luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

B.C.

by hart

ziTS

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

JumP STarT

Frazz

by robb armstrong

by Jef mallett

HG 10 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017

dilBerT

by Scott adams

Sally ForTh

by Francesco marciuliano and Jim keefe

BaBy BlueS

by Jerry Scott and rick kirkman

PearlS BeFore Swine by Stephan Pastis

PooCh CaFe

by Paul gilligan

SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 11

TAKE OUR ADVICE ADVICE

Dear Amy: I live with a roommate who is in her 60s and heterosexual. I am in my 30s and a lesbian.

Recently she informed me that she was going to be hosting a male companion for dinner, AMY drinks and dancing. I had plans DICKINSON and asked her if she wanted me to sleep elsewhere or if she wanted to text me when he was gone. She said to come home anytime.

I returned home to a car in the driveway and the lights off. I went inside to music blaring. I grabbed my dog to take her outside and noticed my roommate’s bedroom door was closed. I then went into my room and tried to ignore the music and go to bed.

I am not sure if I should address the awkwardness of that night. I will be moving out in a couple months and wonder if I should keep quiet to avoid ruining our friendship? — Awkward

ADVICE

Question: The cost of my aunt’s medications for blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoporosis and depression DR. OZ AND DR. ROIZEN sometimes is too much for her to pay, so (I just found this out) she makes choices about which prescriptions to fill, even with Medicare. Any advice on what it makes sense for her to fill or skip? — Jeri F., Franklin, Tenn.

Dear Old Fashioned: This is the familiar “why buy the milk if you can get the cow for free” argument. My preference is that all adults should remain as independent and self-sufficient as possible, whether or not they get their milk for free.

Answer: She’s not alone in finding it hard to afford her medications. The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 27 percent of folks over age 50 say prescription drug costs impose a difficult financial burden.

In addition, the National Center for Health Statistics found that around 2.4 percent of folks over age 65 skip doses, and 2.7 percent stop taking medications because of cost. Others (as many as 33 percent in some studies) simply delay filling their prescriptions. That means hundreds of thousands of people are putting their health in jeopardy because they just cannot afford their medications.

In the meantime, please talk to your aunt about medication safety. Explain to her that she shouldn’t take blood pressure medicine sporadically — that’s almost immediately life-threatening! Skipping other meds puts her at increased risk for complications such as heart attack or a bone fracture.

She can talk to her doc about prescribing equally effective but less expensive medications. The survey found that 67 percent of the time, your doc can offer a cheaper alternative, either as a generic version of the med or by using a completely different drug! Your pharmacist also can be a great resource for info on alternatives and pricing.

One more step: Have her primary-care doc review all of her prescriptions to see if they are still necessary. A recent study in Plos One found that the median rate of inappropriate prescriptions was about 20 percent!

Send questions to askamy@tribune.com or to Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

Email your health and wellness questions to youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.

Dear Awkward: Your roommate had a latenight visitor. She gave you advance notice, and — other than the music blaring when you returned home — this occurrence doesn’t seem to have had much of an impact on you.

You don’t mention any mutual prohibition to having overnight guests, but if her behavior — or her guest’s — caused problems for you, you should definitely mention it. Otherwise, her evening of dinner, drinks, and dancing seems more an opportunity for a “high five” than awkwardness between roommates.

Dear Amy: I couldn’t believe your “advice” to “In Love in the South.” This 20-year-old wanted to get married, but she was already living with her boyfriend. So tell me, what’s his incentive to want to get married? He’s already getting what he wants without it! — Old Fashioned

—

—

ADVICE

Dear Heloise: Gardening is a relaxing and fun hobby for me.

I’ve come up with my favorite gardening hints: • My spade and shovel get a quick spray of silicone lubricant — this allows the dirt to slide HINTS right off.

FROM • A good way to add nutrients HELOISE to the soil is with Epsom salts, which are made of magnesium and sulfate. A small amount (less than a tablespoon) mixed in the watering can will do the trick. (Don’t use table salt.)

• Plastic forks upright in the garden can deter critters.

• I can start seedlings in a cloth shoe rack with dirt in each pocket.

• I cut the sleeves off an old sweatshirt and wear them when I’m pruning roses. The heavy material protects my arms from thorns.

• Compost is always in season: eggshells, veggie clippings, shredded newspaper and cotton fibers.

I hope your readers will find these hints useful!

— Helen T. in California Dear Heloise: I love to read. I read everything — newspapers and books, books for school and learning and history, and fun books about my favorite superheroes!

My parents even taught me to love poetry and biographies. Reading out loud is a fun family activity. We sometimes end up in stitches, but we learn a lot. We’ve replaced our TV time with family reading time. My sister and I have so much fun.

I recommend reading for everyone, especially over the summertime! — Ryan N., age 13, in Chicago Dear Heloise: I find a multi-tier skirt hanger useful for hanging small seasonal flags. Each tier holds them by season, and there are no wrinkles or fold marks. — Joan W., Eatontown, N.J. Dear Heloise: After my car is detailed, clean and pretty on the inside and outside, I line my cup holders with cupcake liners. This keeps the cup holders clean! — Holly W. in Pennsylvania —

Send hints via email to heloise@heloise.com or via post to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio TX 78279-5001.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPES BY JERALDINE SAUNDERS ARIES (March 21-April 19) It is easy to be fallible when you are focused on flights of fancy. Relationships that develop now could be based on a major misconception.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Tame your temper. Rather than jumping into the fray, try unwinding with someone who has love on his or her mind. A complementary partner can soften your rough edges and shelter you from trouble.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) You might have the urge to buy into something before you have gathered enough evidence of its worthiness. Don’t rush into making an expensive mistake.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Focus on finding things in common. Opposites might attract, but birds of a feather are the ones that stick together.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) You can speak your mind when you are inspired to be kind. Write down your valuable ideas or proposals for use at a future time.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Authentic compatibility is built on friendship. Once the intoxicating allure of chemical attraction wears off, you’ll need something to talk about if you want to maintain a lasting relationship.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Rise above petty differences. You can share your expertise in financial affairs and might be the expert where love is concerned. Provide an oasis of calm.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Just because you punched out on the time clock doesn’t mean you can’t think about advancing your career or excelling at the job.

HG 12 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUL 22, 2017

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Someone cold and aloof may spend time beneath your roof. Counteract minor conflicts by being generous and charitable.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Escape from the rat race. Spend time with friends even if there seems to be a serious side to some conversations. It may be better to take a rain check than to spend time at a dull community event.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Pretty is as pretty does. You may need to earn admiration. Roll up your sleeves and get something accomplished. Hook up with a special someone and make progress with a home cleanup project.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) During the weekend you may feel happiest in a secluded spot or hideaway where you can enjoy life’s little pleasures.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY July 22 Your enthusiasm makes the next six to eight weeks an excellent time to explore new vistas, start a new exercise program, travel or receive additional education. You won’t be bashful about reaching out and helping yourself to well-deserved rewards. Your shrewdness with financial matters is at a high point in August and even more pronounced in September. Use this time to reevaluate investment strategies and focus on career success.