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THURSDAY DECEMBER 21, 2017
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This undated photo shows an olive tree growing in New Paltz, NY. As a symbol of peace and a native of Biblical regions, an olive tree is a good candidate for a holiday tree — and, it grows well as a houseplant. (AP photo)
Olive, a worthy holiday tree How about an olive tree for a holiday tree? I'm not suggesting olive to replace spruces, firs and other conifers that are our traditional holiday trees. But an olive tree, which symbolizes peace and is a tree you actually would find growing in Jerusalem, is an appropriate accompaniment to the holiday season. And you could grow your own olive tree as a houseplant. A CASE FOR OLIVES You might be thinking that an olive tree would grow too large to keep year after year as a holiday houseplant. Well, so would many other houseplants, including such tropical trees as schefflera, rubber tree and weeping fig, if left to their own deLEE REICH vices. All these trees are kept to Lilliputian proportions by having their roots periodically trimmed back, so they're not cramped in their pots. Their stems likewise need to be occasionally lopped back to keep them visually in proportion to the size of their pots, and of the room. Less than ideal growing conditions, unavoidable indoors, also helps slow their growth. An olive tree is better adapted to living indoors than are the many houseplants that come from lush, tropical forests. On the dry hillsides of the Mediterranean, where olives are native, their deep roots do have access to water. But for much of the year, the air there is bone dry — just like in our homes in winter! Fertilizer salt buildup is sometimes a problem with houseplants, and olive trees also tolerate this in good stride. GETTING STARTED To get an olive tree, you could start with seeds. Seeds from pickled or cured olive fruits will never sprout, so buy seeds or squeeze them out of ripe fruits if you happen to be where olive trees grow or can have someone send you some. Clip off their pointed ends, sow them in pots, See Garden p. 2D
This undated photo shows an olive tree growing in New Paltz, NY. (AP photo)
In this May 4 photo, construction crews work on the site of an apartment high-rise in Miami. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the pace of new home construction in November increased 3.3 percent. (AP photo)
US housing starts rose 3.3 percent in November By JOSH BOAK AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON — Construction of new homes increased 3.3 percent in November — with the gain largely coming from single-family houses being built at the strongest pace in more than a decade. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that builders broke ground on homes last month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.3 million units. The increase marks a key moment in the recovery from the Great Recession: Builders started work on single-family houses at the fastest pace since September 2007, which
was just a few months before the start of that economic downturn. Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist at the real estate company Trulia, said completed new homes are likely to finish at a post-recession high, but completions are still just 65 percent of their 50 year-average. Driving the rebound in home construction has been a shortage of existing properties being listed for sale. Fewer people are putting their property on the market, despite healthy demand from buyers because the unemployment rate is at a 17 year-low and mortgage rates remain at attractive levels. New construction has filled
some of this gap with starts on singlefamily houses rising 8.7 percent so far this year. Still, not enough new homes are being built to totally end the supply squeeze. Over the past year, the number of sales listings for the much larger market for existing homes has fallen 6.4 percent. The construction growth last month came from the South and West, while the Northeast and Midwest reported declines. Builders are also backing away from the apartment rentals that until See Housing p. 2D
RIGHT AT HOME: Home decor's steamy new palette By KIM COOK Associated Press While it seems like white, gray and other cool neutrals have taken over many shelter magazines and blogs in the past few seasons, there's starting to be little rise in temperature. Here and there, dollops of hothouse pink, sultry red and sunset orange are showing up in decorative accessories, rugs and upholstery. Misty Yeomans, PPG's color marketing manager for Glidden paint, says a recent company survey found that red is one of the most popular paint colors. That may be because of its range. “Each red can give off different impressions,” she says. “A dark red implies sophistication, whereas bright red can be considered more powerful and romantic.” Designers like Amanda Nisbet, Mark D. Sikes and Jessica McClendon have called Benjamin Moore's Exotic Red, Sherwin-Williams' Heartthrob, and Farrow and Ball's Rectory Red among their favorite versions. “Lighter reds — like pinks — are often thought of as more youthful,” says Yeomans. That may partly explain the ubiquity of millennial pink, which has shown a lot of stamina over several decor cycles. But there are some new kids on the block. “Looking ahead to 2018, we're seeing a shift toward burgundy, and oranges are becoming brighter,” says
This undated photo shows Glidden's Coral Beach paint color on the wall of a room. It is a soothing, warm color that complements both darker and lighter hues. The vibrancy of these type of colors works well in any room; in small spaces they create an intimate, cozy environment, while in larger rooms they can provide drama and energy. (AP photo) Dee Schlotter, PPG's senior color marketing manager. Orange hues like Olympic
Paints' Orange Poppy and PPG Paints' Caramelized Orange are cheerful and con-
temporary, she says. See Palette p. 2D
2D The Mining Journal
Thursday, December 21, 2017
House to Home Mortgage Index 30-YEAR Rate-Fee/Pts.
15-YEAR Rate-Fee/Pt.
High rate
4.125
1
3.500
1
Low rate
3.625
1
3.125
1
Average rate
3.906
1
3.312
1
This graphic represents a Tuesday survey of regional lending institutions. Figures are based on rates at Range Bank, First Bank of Upper Michigan, the Marquette Community Federal Credit Union and mBank.
Hou sin g
recently were a driving force behind the rebound in residential construction. Groundbreakings for multifamily buildings such as apartment complexes have declined 8.5 percent yearto-date. The move away from apartment construction has corresponded with a shift by the millennial population toward buying homes, said
Garde n
In this Monday photo, a trio of faux snowballs rest on branches covered in real snow in Hopkinton, N.H. All three are made with Styrofoam balls. The one on the left is covered in flocking made with soap and starch, the middle version features collage clay and the one on the right is covered in cotton batting. (AP photo)
No snow?
Make your own frost-free versions for home decor
By HOLLY RAMER Associated Press CONCORD, N.H. — Living in a state where it can snow anytime between October and April, I don't often wish snow would stick around even longer. But I can't deny that it can be pretty, so I decided to test a few ways of making longlasting faux snowballs to decorate my home for the holidays and beyond. Surprisingly, it was hard to narrow my options down to three. While every method I found seemed to start with Styrofoam and end with glitter, the ingredients in between varied widely. I settled on techniques that involved cotton, clay and soap. Each method was messy in its own way, but once completed, these snowballs will last a long time, without leaving any puddles behind. Here's what I found, with each method rated from 1 to 10, with 10 indicating the least expensive, easiest and best results: COTTON: The first technique I t r i e d (http://bit.ly/2CZJyss ) was part of a tutorial for making a Christmas tree ornament, but I opted not to add the additional decoration and hanger. The technique involved wrapping a Styrofoam ball with cotton quilt batting, using watered-down glue to adhere it, and then
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covering the ball with a coat of the glue. Once dry, the ball is then painted white and sprinkled with glitter. I found it a bit difficult to smoothly cover the ball with the batting, though I reminded myself that real snowballs are not perfectly round either. Because this method involved using a foam paint brush, it was less messy than the other techniques, but it also had the most steps and required waiting for the glue to dry before proceeding. The result was more rustic than the others, but still pretty. I had the cotton batting on hand, but if I hadn't, this would've fallen in the middle of the pack in terms of cost. COST: 6 EASE: 6 RESULTS: 6 CLAY: The second technique (http://bit.ly/2BFWQwo ) gave me a chance to try a product I hadn't seen before: Collage Clay. Described as “whipped clay,” it appears to be used mostly to make little trinkets and miniature faux food. It comes in a squeezable bag with an assortment of tips, like frosting, and has the consistency of icing or toothpaste. This method was messy but pretty straightforward: Squeeze the clay onto the ball, smear it around and then roll the ball in glitter. My results
weren't as smooth as the examples shown in the tutorial, but overall, I achieved the effect. This method was the most expensive, however. The clay cost almost $10, and would not have been enough to cover more than a few balls. COST: 4 EASE: 8 RESULTS: 8 SOAP: The final technique (http://bit.ly/2oEChem ) was both messy and clean at the same time, because it involved soap! This method was the most complicated, but produced my favorite result. It calls for grating a bar of Ivory soap, mixing it with liquid starch, and then whipping it with a bit of hot water to make a fluffy concoction that is then smeared onto the Styrofoam balls. Once the balls have dried a bit, they are then dusted with glitter. I found it easier to just sprinkle the glitter on rather than rub it on with my hands as the tutorial instructs. The resulting snowballs have more texture than the real thing, but I found I liked that. This version does seem to be the most delicate, however, as some of the flocking flaked off when I picked up the snowballs. COST: 7 EASE: 7 RESULTS: 9
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and then wait four or five months. Young olive trees will reward your patience with rapid growth. Another way to acquire an olive tree is with cuttings, which, again, you can get if you happen to be where the trees grow, or you can have them sent. Decades ago, I had an olive tree that had started life as a small, leafy cutting that I had permission to yank from the base of a small tree growing in a university greenhouse. The young sprouts root readily if their tops are kept in humid air with a covering of glass or clear plastic. Other types of cuttings also root readily, and need less attention to maintenance of high humidity. Older, leafless pieces of stem can develop roots. Pieces of large roots dug
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Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American Financial, a real estate transactions firm. “The last two quarters have seen an increase, specifically a shift from renter occupied to owner occupied households, as Millennials age out of rentership and into homeownership,” Fleming said. Building permits, an indicator of future construction, slipped 1.4 percent in October to 1.3
million. But the number of permits authorized so far this year has increased 5.8 percent. Relatively low mortgage rates have helped would-be homebuyers, even as property prices have climbed faster than wages. The average rate on 30-year fixedrate U.S. mortgages was 3.93 percent last week, slightly better than the 4.16 percent rate a year ago, according to mortgage Freddie Mac.
from around a tree eventually send up shoots if cut off, dug up and then buried back in soil. The quickest route to an olive holiday tree — in time even for this year's holidays — would be to purchase a small plant. Arbequina is a variety recommended for its early bearing and early ripening of fruits.
yond the holiday season. The evergreen leaves are silvery on one side and darker green on the other. Judging from the thousand-plus-year-old specimens that still survive around the Mediterranean, your olive tree could live a long time. And it will get more picturesque as its branching pattern turns craggy and its trunk becomes gnarled. You could even harvest ripe fruit from your indoor olive tree. Give the plant a sunny window in winter and a vacation outdoors in summer. No need to rush the plants indoors in fall. An olive tree tolerates temperatures below freezing, down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit before damage occurs. But you're not growing an olive tree only for its fruits. You're growing it for its beauty, and because it is a symbol of joy, happiness and peace.
NO SPECIAL CARE NEEDED Once your new plant is up and growing, care for it just as you would any other houseplant. Check that the soil stays moist, because the stiff leaves won't tell you when they need water — until they drop off as the branch to which they are attached dies back. Dropping leaves are not always cause for panic, though; like other evergreens, olive's older leaves do eventually drop. You'll like the way your olive tree looks even be-
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Corals are also starting to emerge as a transition from the pinks, reports Yeomans, noting Glidden's Coral Beach and Roseland as examples. Color specialist Leatrice Eiseman, the author of “The Complete Color Harmony: Pantone Edition” (Rockport, October 2017), says decor trends are often an outgrowth of a desire for change. “And color can certainly provide the spark, specifically in the more vivid tones.” A few of her favorites in the “hot” spectrum? “Pantone's Cayenne, Molten Lava, Fuchsia Purple and Mimosa are all exuberant, dynamic and energizing hues,” she says. For those who want some heat, but not too much, she recommends peachy tones like Pantone's Canyon Sunset or Coral Sands. Benjamin-Moore just named Caliente, a rich spitfire of a red, as its 2018 Color of the Year. There are lots of ways to bring these energetic colors into a room. “You can easily tap into the trend by adding an accent wall,” Yeomans suggests. “If you're not ready to add these bold tones to walls, the back of bookshelves, interior and exterior doors and accent furnishings provide great alternative spaces.” Temper the heat with black, navy, gray, cream or green. Not ready to paint? Consider a lamp. Lamps Plus' Gillan glass base comes in lipstickrich pinks and reds like Viva-
This undated photo shows PPG Paints' Red Gumball paint color on the wall of a room. Red Gumball packs a stylish punch; use on an accent wall or go all out and do the whole room. The vibrancy of these type of colors works well in any room; in small spaces they create an intimate, cozy environment, while in larger rooms they can provide drama and energy. (AP photo) cious, Ribbon and Samba. Sleek aluminum is given a coat of juicy orange paint to make a fresh and fun pendant lamp at Houzz. There are some smart little side tables in the hue here, too, in wood, glass or metal. Add spice to the kitchen with red countertop appliances, canisters, bowls or linens. Or wade in deep with Kitchenaid 's or Smeg's candy-apple-red ranges; Smeg and Viking also have red
fridges. Home Decorators' Monte Carlo club chair comes in rich burnt orange or burgundy recycled leather. (www.homedepot.com )
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