http://www.kentucky.com/150/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2008 Kentucky.com Home and Garden 60 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:01:01 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench webmaster@kentucky.com http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/592899.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/592899.html Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:08 EST
Tom Butler grew up in Georgetown, but he says he wasn't biased as he helped choose the 40 natural areas that appear in Wildlands Philanthropy: The Great American Tradition (Earth Aware Editions; $65, $125 deluxe edition) .

Three of the 40 are in Kentucky.

They are Floracliff Nature Sanctuary in southern Fayette County, Blanton Forest in Harlan County, and Bernheim Forest in Bullitt and Nelson counties.

Each is beautiful and was preserved for future generations because of private philanthropy. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/592895.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/592895.html Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:13 EST
We've been a lot hearing about bed bugs lately. After keeping a relatively low profile for more than half a century, they're back with a vengeance. These tiny insects, about 1.8 inch long, congregate in fabric bedding and carpets, and in wooden bed-frame crevices, waiting for their favorite meal . you . to come along. Bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius , generally feed by sucking our blood as we sleep.

How can you minimize the likelihood of contact with these critters? Before settling in, inspect mattresses and bedding in hotel rooms for rusty spots and bugs along the mattress seams and behind headboards, and keep your suitcases off the floor. Don't pick up discarded furniture from curbs, and be careful to inspect any used furniture before bringing it into your home. Also, be vigilant about itchy bug bites that appear overnight.

For a thorough and well-written document about bed bugs and what to do about them, see University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Extension entomologist Michael F. Potter's Entfact-636 "Bed Bugs" at www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef636.asp. Be sure to click on the time-lapse video clip link to see a bug feeding. Eeewww.

]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584771.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584771.html Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:49 EST
Winter's coming. The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are getting cooler and most of whatever was blooming a few weeks ago is starting to die off.

Late bloomers are this season's survivors, bright and beautiful in the face of dwindling sunlight and dropping temperatures. In fact, these hardy blooms seem to be even more glorious because we're aware that winter is fast approaching.

They're all around now, just waiting for you to notice them.

If you look down, you'll find herbs like low creeping thyme and e_SDHpornamental oregano. And sunny yellow pot marigolds in containers. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584772.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584772.html Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:46 EST
Wallpaper had been a booming industry for years until the late 1990s, when it fell out of fashion as faux-paint finishes came roaring onto the interior-decorating scene. Floral patterns and fruit borders were no longer innovative.

Wallpaper looked tired.

But wallpaper is back . and it's so different, you might not recognize it.

Accent Design Studio in Fort Worth, Texas, has seen a big increase in the use of wallpaper in its interior designs during the past two years. And it's because the new papers really complement the faux-paint walls. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584775.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584775.html Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:46 EST
Lewis and Rebecca Taylor of Eugene, Ore., were confident when they recently bought a fixer-upper, even though they're not particularly handy. They knew they'd have plenty of help updating the kitchen, tearing out carpeting and redecorating the house, built in 1965.

The couple belong to a do-it-yourself club whose members agree to spend one day a month helping one another with home-improvement tasks.

"I don't think I would have bought this house if I weren't involved in this group," Lewis Taylor said.

Do-it-yourself clubs are forming around the country as homeowners try to make improvements on a budget. The clubs provide additional labor and know-how when homeowners tackle big projects. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584776.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/584776.html Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:50 EST
At Raven Run Nature Sanctuary. 5888 Jacks Creek Rd., Lexington. (859) 272-6105. www.lfucg.com/parks/raven.asp.

. Fossils of the Bluegrass. 2 p.m. Nov. 9.

. Little Explorers Nature Walk. 1 p.m. Nov. 23. Registration required. For ages 3-7.

Blue Grass Hemerocallis Society meeting. 7 p.m. Nov. 10. Lexington Public Library, Northside Branch, 1737 Russell Cave Rd. Don Eller of Eller's Sunshine Garden in Leesburg, Ga., will speak. (502) 857-8600. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/575571.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/575571.html Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:01 EDT
They give us floors, furniture, firewood and baseball bats, but people seem to appreciate trees most in their natural, leafy state.

The connection between humans and the big plants became obvious when we asked readers to tell us about their favorite Lexington trees.

Here are a few of the best responses.

]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/576341.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/576341.html Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:54 EDT
Legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley can navigate through a garden with the same aplomb he showed on the gridiron for decades.

"Coach approaches everything in the same way. He goes at it big time. He doesn't piddle around," said Alan Armitage, a nationally known horticulturist at the University of Georgia and an authority on annuals and perennials.

No sir-eee, Dooley doesn't piddle around.

When he retired as Bulldogs coach in 1988, the College Hall of Famer started taking horticulture classes at Georgia. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/576337.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/576337.html Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:02 EDT
The beauty of an avenue lined with tall, green, healthy trees is that it increases home values and reduces cooling costs, enriching the community.

As a homeowner, you are responsible for maintaining those trees. Your job includes removing lower branches along the sidewalks and curbs to above 7 feet and over the road to 12 feet, pruning out hazardous limbs, and removing and replacing trees that have died. Now that leaves have fallen and cool weather has set in, this is the perfect time to do some pruning.

The Lexington Tree Board is working to support your efforts by coordinating information you need to comply with local regulations. Tree board chairwoman Karen Angelucci said the board has handed out informational green door-hanger tags in neighborhoods where young trees are at stages when shaping and issuing warnings and citations to homeowners whose trees need immediate action.

Generally, street trees are those between the road and sidewalk. In some cases, rows of trees next to sidewalks on the homeowner's side also are considered street trees. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/575706.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/575706.html Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:59 EDT
Right after Hoda and Kathie Lee of NBC's Today show told the nation Friday morning that a Lexington home had been voted as having the best holiday decorations in the land, John and Debbie Wagner (the responsible parties) drank a victory toast of diet Ale-8-One and went right back to working on props in their front yard at 1144 Tanbark Road.

Seems the pink flamingo-breast cancer awareness Christmas tree needed additional pinkage and the skeletons in the pickup needed some cold Coronas and the University of Kentucky area needed some glossies of Rich Brooks and Billy Gillispie.

"Oh, and we put together a Joe the Plumber, toilet and plunger and all," says Debbie Wagner.

The national television win came as a huge surprise to the Wagners, who until Monday didn't even know their house had been entered in the contest. In fact, the final tally on the Today show Web site was incorrect, with another of the three finalists showing a larger vote total (albeit with the disclaimer that viewers needed to watch the show to see which home was the winner). ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/576342.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/576342.html Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:05 EDT
Household Hazardous Waste Day. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 1. Former Old Frankfort Pike landfill, 1631 Old Frankfort Pike, Lexington. Dispose of hazardous materials such as weed killer, kerosene, etc.

Wildlife of McConnell Springs. 10 a.m. Nov. 1. McConnell Springs, 416 Rebmann Ln., Lexington. Free. (859) 225-4073.

Heritage Makers Digital Storybooking Workshop. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 1. Joseph Beth Caf. Conference Room, 161 Lexington Green Cir., Lexington. www.myelementofstory.com. (859) 269-3443.

At the Arboretum. 500 Alumni Dr., Lexington. (859) 257-9339. Advance registration required unless noted. www.ca.uky.edu/Arboretum. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/568227.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/568227.html Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:59 EDT
In the middle of Lexington, which was branded earlier this year as having the largest per-capita carbon footprint in the nation, the message this weekend is how to tread lightly.

Along West Main Street in front of Lexington Center are displays of electric cars and solar energy, and a portable sawmill that can turn a big, dead tree into boards instead of the firewood or mulch that usually is their destiny.

Inside Heritage Hall are rows of booths touting green building products, green books and even food that is produced with minimum environmental disturbance.

The fifth annual Bluegrass GreenExpo, which continues Sunday, is filled with the ideas that participants say are the way of the future. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/567769.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/567769.html Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:28 EDT
Great landscaping expectations have taken a 180-degree turn.

The traditional perspective of a home with curb appeal . meaning surrounded by spacious, sweeping lawns and framed by evergreens with a smattering of color in perennial borders . has evolved to encompass vistas from the inside outward.

Garden rooms, created as intimate enclosures around the home, provide places for family and friends to gather comfortably outside.

What are the essentials in planning a garden room? Author Melinda Myers will share some tips in a lecture Thursday in Lexington, but to get you started thinking about the possibilities, a couple of local landscape architects have some ideas. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/567771.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/567771.html Sat, 25 Oct 2008 01:51 EDT
What's a garden room? The quick answer is simply a garden space next to your home that creates the feeling of having another room, this time outdoors, for entertaining, relaxation and enjoyment.

Melinda Myers, gardening author and garden show host, is an expert on such things, having written Can't Miss Small Space Gardening (Cool Springs Press, $18.99) two years ago. She will be speaking in Lexington on Thursday about maximizing garden beauty in a small space or garden room.

Based in Milwaukee, Myers is the author of 19 books and a contributing writer and editor for Birds and Blooms magazine, and she appears on PBS's Melinda's Garden Moments .

She thinks that no matter your situation, there is always room for quiet space in your landscape. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/566922.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/566922.html Sat, 25 Oct 2008 02:56 EDT
These are the times that try men's pumpkin-carving souls. Unless you're Jerry Ayers.

Ayers, who first set the Guinness record as the world's fastest pumpkin carver in 1999 with a time of one minute, 37 seconds during an appearance on the CBS's Saturday edition of The Early Show , will appear Saturday at e_SDHpSpringhouse Garden's Fall Planting Festival and demonstrate his techniques.

He routinely knocks out detailed jack-o'-lanterns in less than two minutes flat.

He beat his own record in 2000, with his fastest-ever official carving time: one minute, 18 seconds. "I've done it even faster than that unofficially," said Ayers, 68, a native of Baltimore, Ohio. "But the whole concept of pumpkin carving is having fun, and not speed." ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/567772.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/567772.html Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:27 EDT
Audubon Bird Seed Sale. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 25. Southern States Lexington Cooperative Inc., 949 Pine St., Lexington. (859) 254-4747. Sponsored by Buckley Hills Audubon Society and Audubon Society of Kentucky.

At the Arboretum. 500 Alumni Dr., Lexington. (859) 257-9339. Advance registration required unless noted. www.ca.uky.edu/Arboretum.

. Day trip and hike at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 25. To carpool, meet in arboretum parking lot at 9:15. $5 adults, $3 children.

. Fall Tea. 11:30 a.m. Oct. 29. $25. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/563726.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/563726.html Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:35 EDT
HIGH POINT, N.C. . Even before these days of shrinking economic expectations, furniture makers were getting the message from consumers: Small is the new black.

A trend at this week's High Point Market is for smaller furniture that fits into smaller living spaces. The twice-a-year furniture industry trade show in High Point, N.C., displays thousands of new home furnishings that consumers could see in stores in a few months.

Furniture manufacturers are responding to downsizing baby boomers and the growing appeal of urban living by reducing the scale of dressers, coffee tables, night stands and the like.

"It's scaled down to the kind of residences that are selling today," Magnussen Home Furnishings chief marketing officer Don Essenberg said Monday, the trade fair's opening day. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/483952.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/483952.html Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:23 EDT
For Evan and Kimberly E. Brown, renovating their home became more than a pastime. It became an all-consuming, round-the-clock, coal-dust-in-your-face, never-a-moment's-rest passion.

Consider this: three years without a shower. Not them, their home. They kept a gym membership just for access to running water.

.We showered at the gym and lived in one room with construction going on all around it,. Kimberly Brown said.

For several weeks, a sign in the Browns' front yard had proclaimed that the house would be featured on HGTV. But broadcast plans have changed, and the house will be part of a segment of What You Get for the Money on a sister network, Fine Living. An air date has yet to be set. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/474979.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/474979.html Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:58 EDT
The 5th annual Urban Life and Style Tour will focus on .lived in spaces. in the downtown area.

.Last year, we had lots of condos that were finished but no one had moved in yet,. said Diane Bonfert, on the staff of the Downtown Development Authority that organizes the tour to promote downtown living.

A number of houses will be on this year's tour, which will have 20 sites total. Condos open for tour will be scattered throughout downtown including the Nunn Building, Kimball House, 500's on Main and Main & Rose.

The tour will be noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 21. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/471913.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/471913.html Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:17 EDT
Tomato-thon

By popular demand, The Arboretum will be holding its annual Tomato Festival on Aug. 9. At the free event, you'll be able to sample tomatoes from around the world, take a tour of the .demonstration vegetable garden and pick up some tips from Master Gardeners about tomato growth and care.

Also, you can learn how to save seeds with Roger Postley; and listen to Brook Elliott's lecture, .Heirloom Tomatoes: Why All the Fuss?.

UK College of Agriculture Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist Rick Durham will be holding a preliminary blind taste test to determine whether your palate prefers hybrids or heirlooms. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/465578.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/465578.html Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:16 EDT
At The Arboretum. 500 Alumni Dr. (859) 257-9339. www.ca.uky.edu/arboretum.

. Children's Garden Time: .Veggies and Herbs. 9 a.m. July 19. For all ages. $1.

. Monthly Hike: What's e_SDHpBlooming? 9 a.m. July 19. $1.

. From Garden to Kitchen. July 21 through 25. 9 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration requested. $40 ($35 for friends). ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/452895.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/452895.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:41 EDT
Blue Grass Hemerocallis Society Show and Sale. 1-5 p.m. July 5. The Mall at Lexington Green. Free. (859) 608-9071.

Bluegrass Beekeepers .Association meeting. 7 p.m. July 8. Fayette County Cooperative .Extension Service, 1140 Red Mile Pl. (859) 527-3535.

Electronics Recycling. 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. July 7-12. Electronic items may be dropped off for recycling at the Versailles Road .Government Campus, 1306 Versailles Rd. Acceptable items: televisions (no console units); audiovisual .equipment such as turntables, VCRs and DVD .players; radios; cell phones; microwaves; computer components such as printers, monitors and CPUs. In addition, residents may drop off fluorescent light bulbs (tubes and the compact bulbs) and mercury thermostats. For residential e-waste only; only three of the same type of e-waste components will be .accepted per household. Call LexCall at 311 or (859) 425-2255.

Lexington Lions Club Bluegrass Fair Horticulture Contest. July 9-13. Sponsored by Fayette County Master Gardeners Associations. Masterson Station Park. Entry rules: One entry per person in each class. $1 per entry. Open to all amateur .growers; not limited to Fayette County residents. Entries accepted 5 to 7 p.m. July 9 and 10 a.m. to noon July 10. Entries will remain on display until July 13. No items will be returned. Items will be discarded, or edible products will be donated to God's Pantry. All entries must be grown by the exhibitors. Flowers must be grown for at least three weeks in display container. First-, second- and third place ribbons in each category. $3, $2, $1 premiums for each class. For more information contact the Fayette County Cooperative Extension Service at (859) 257-5582, Jamie Dockery at Jamie.Dockery@uky.edu or go to www.lionsclubbluegrassfair.com. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/426832.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/426832.html Sat, 28 Jun 2008 08:38 EDT
Chris Newman looked for two years for an ideal place for an .urban infill project. Then he .discovered Kenwick, an older area that includes bungalows and Craftsman-style houses with a new neighborhood energy.

Newman wanted a project close to the center of the city that would .bolster a transitioning area..

That described the second block of Owsley Avenue, and the second block of other streets in Kenwick, whereas the first block off .Richmond Road has .pretty much come around,. he said.

Generally, the second and third blocks contain a mixture of houses, some in good repair, others .candidates for fixing up. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/420201.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/420201.html Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:57 EDT
As summer approaches, it's a great time to bring home big Boston ferns in baskets to hang between porch columns or in a planter to place on a corner pedestal. Right now is the perfect time to find a wealth of these huge, healthy plants at local garden shops.

Ferns have been around in various forms for more than 300 million years. With an understated elegance, these natives return year after year in the wild, dressing the Earth in green petticoats with a ruffle of delicate arching forms and lacy fronds.


Most like a shady spot where they can hold rich, woodsy earth under their roots, but others seek out rock crevices and a bit of sun.

In Harlan County near Pine Mountain in southeastern Kentucky, ferns begin to send up their fiddlehead crosiers in late April, after the first spring wildflowers have gone by and the leaves of trees overhead have come out to shelter the forest floor. The slightly acidic soil there is perfect for many ferns. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/420202.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/420202.html Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:57 EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas . Give your next picnic a dash of .panache with dining essentials that are anything but basic.

From contemporary flatware and melamine dishware to stylish wine totes, we've spotted everything you'll need to ensure that you and your loved ones have a fabulous day outdoors.

Picnic in a bag

For a true dining experience, Table in a Bag features a collapsible hardwood table that unrolls in seconds. Stow it in its red cotton bag for easy transport. $39.95, Crate and Barrel. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/420204.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/420204.html Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:57 EDT
Native Ferns, Moss and GrassesFrom Emerald Carpet to Amber Wave: Serene and Sensuous Plants for the Garden By William CullinaHoughton Mifflin Company272 pp. $40

This strikingly beautiful compendium makes a good case for why these overlooked plants could and should be a part of more gardens.

Horticulturist William Cullina's witty and personal writing style is extremely readable. Native Ferns, Moss and Grasses is the final book in Cullina's native plant trilogy, which also includes Wildflowers and Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines .

Cullina begins with the basics. He defines native plants, clearly explains the concept of plant hardiness zones, including a map projected for 2075, and discusses the importance of ecological cultivation. But the encyclopedic chapters on ferns, mosses, and grasses, sedges, and rushes form the heart of the book. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/413958.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/413958.html Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:57 EDT
For 18 years, the Garden Conservancy has been dedicated to .preserving America's exceptional gardens.. In the 18 years since it was founded, members across the country have worked to conserve gardens that might otherwise have been lost.

Ongoing preservation projects, like those at the Alcatraz Garden in San Francisco, and Yew Dell Gardens in Crestwood, are just two examples of many that can be glimpsed in the photo slide show at www.gardenconservancy.org.

The conservancy also organizes .open days. throughout the season, in which regional private gardens open their gates to the public for a peek at what's ordinarily hidden from view.

There is a self-guided tour of five gardens in and around Louisville scheduled for June 14. Included this year are Running Water Farm, which is a 35-acre garden of outdoor rooms, including an Elizabethan-style viewing mound with a spiral walkway and a sunken garden graced by a wisteria-covered pergola. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/413960.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/413960.html Sat, 24 May 2008 08:47 EDT
Paint Style: The New Approachto Decorative Paint Finishes By Lesley Riva.Benjamin Moore Paints. 176 pp. $26.95.



Stri., ragging, color washing, spatter, faux finishes, stamping, stencils and murals: Who knew there were so many techniques for applying paint to walls?

Benjamin Moore Paints has a .professional connection, and it shows in the luxurious use of color and the clear presentation of tools and processes used to produce each special effect. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/413961.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/413961.html Fri, 23 May 2008 19:42 EDT
We saw a vintage folding patio chair in a tag sale recently. Its woven web design and aluminum frame took us back to our youth, when we sat in the back yard watching the fireflies blink in the inky darkness of summer nights. But today, patio furniture is less about nostalgia and more about luxury and comfort.

From teak to powder-coated metals to all-weather wicker, this stuff is meant to last. And no longer do modernists have to go without, as more manufacturers are offering contemporary designs. Here are a few choices.

The Robinwood Deluxe Collection

Philippe Starck has joined forces with David Sutherland in creating a Robin Hood-inspired collection of outdoor furniture. With names such as Marian, Tuck and Sherwood, the teak-and-polished-aluminum designs are a far cry from anything you'd likely find at Nottingham Castle. Instead, the 31-piece RobinWood Deluxe Collection features what you'd expect from a collaboration between design titans: well-crafted pieces with an unexpected sense of irreverence. To see more, go to www.sutherlandfurniture.com. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373769.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373769.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:41 EDT
The blooming jonquils and forsythia, the singing birds and the warm sunshine are considered by many to be signs of spring. But most Lexingtonians know that the opening of the outdoor Farmers Market marks the official transition of seasons.

The market starts out small with only a few vendors, but as the growing season gets underway, the produce choices expand. And often it's more like a gourmet market instead of a farmers market. The selection can include fresh produce, baked goods, plants, meats and eggs, soap, imported olive oil, dried herbs, honey, cheese and floral bouquets. And often you'll find live music and radio broadcasts.

At the season opener Saturday, Chef Josh Moore of Good Foods Market and Cafe will be preparing a dish from produce available at the market.

Throughout the season, cooks can find awesome ingredients to prepare meals for the family or entertaining. And at its peak in mid summer, the crowd is often so thick on Saturdays it can be difficult to maneuver between the shoppers, the dogs and the baby strollers. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373768.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373768.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:29 EDT
Since 1999, Reforest the Bluegrass, an ecological restoration effort jointly sponsored by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government's Water Quality, Urban Forestry and Parks . Recreation programs, has been encouraging volunteers to dig in and replant riparian zone buffers around waterways, using native tree species.

This year, you can help plant some of the 5,000 seedlings needed at Jacobson Park. Lunch and a T-shirt are provided. The event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m April 19th. Pre-register by calling LexCall at 311, or (859) 425-2255. For more information call (859) 425-2820, or e-mail jsaylor@lfucg.com. The Web site is www.lfucg.com/streets/08reforest.asp.



Springhouse gardens seminars ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373772.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373772.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:35 EDT
The Complete Compost Gardening Guide By Barbara Pleasant. Deborah L. MartinStorey Publishing 319 pp $29.95

Good, rich compost is worth its weight in gold to experienced gardeners. Its value lies in improving soil structure and invigorating its complex of nutrients and micro-organisms. It supports gardens that produce bountiful harvests, while at the same time recycles left-over organic material instead of sending it unused to landfills. The Complete Compost Gardening Guide is a treasure map to discovering that this often overlooked resource is within your reach.

Pleasant and Martin don't just cover the basics with information on setting up compost bins and establishing a good C/N, or carbon-to-nitrogen, ratio; they have created fun, new ideas for integrating composting into the gardening process, like using .Banner Batches', .Honey Holes' and .Layered Craters'.

With a sense of humor, sound facts, and a conversational style, topics from vermiculture to selecting plants as .Perfect Matches. for various composting methods are presented. There are wide-ranging discussions about not only composting, but many aspects of gardening. Almost every page contains a helpful idea, be it tool selection, worm reproduction, relative values of odd raw materials for compost, or seed-saving. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373771.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/373771.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:11 EDT
Question: I want a healthy and efficient method to cook meals for my family. I don't like microwave ovens for most foods. How efficient are the new residential steam ovens and do they bake as well as a regular oven? . Jan T.

Answer: Steam ovens have been used for many years by professional bakeries and restaurants because of the quality of the cooked foods and the dramatically reduced cooking time. Professional ovens, steam or conventional, often do not have the necessary safety features required for use in homes. Nearly everyone has used a small countertop steamer for vegetables and rice. The foods cook fast without losing as many of the natural flavors and nutrients as other cooking methods. With more natural flavors, less salt and other seasonings are needed which further enhances the health benefits.

Within the past several years, steam oven models have become available for home use. They are typically about the size of a microwave oven and are available as countertop or built-in models. The built-in models look similar to a conventional wall oven. Most models have a small water reservoir so they do not require a water line connection. The efficiency and energy savings from using a steam oven results from the greatly reduced cooking time as compared to using a conventional oven. Roasting a large chicken in a steam oven takes about 20 minutes as compared to two hours in a conventional oven. The overall heating element wattage in a steam oven is also less than for the elements in a conventional oven. There are additional energy savings because the entire meal (meat, vegetables, and potatoes) can be made in the steam oven without the need for using separate pots on the stovetop. Stovetop cooking is particularly energy inefficient because much of the heat never gets to the food. Instead, it escapes around the sides of the pot into the room air.

Since steam cooking at home is relatively new, most people don't know how to cook with it. Most of the new steam ovens have a menu of foods from which you select. The oven determines the proper cooking time and settings. Some of them, such as Miele's models, have hundreds of food items stored in memory, and combinations can be selected. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/360157.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/360157.html Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:42 EDT
Right now, your deck or patio might look grungy from winter leaf and debris stains, mildew and aging.

Give it a good cleaning with a solution of 1.3 cup of powdered laundry detergent to one gallon of hot water. Scrub vigorously with a stiff nylon brush or bristle broom and thoroughly rinse with fresh water. Add one quart of liquid chlorine bleach to the solution if mildew is present.

If your deck or patio still looks dingy, consider using a deck cleaning or brightening product to restore the appearance of the natural wood. Use a concrete cleaner to remove oxidation on concrete and restore the appearance of your patio. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.

Finish the job by repairing damaged decking, securing fasteners and applying a fresh coat of deck finish. Although not necessary, a concrete sealer can improve the appearance of your patio and protect it from freeze-and-thaw damage if you live in a cold climate. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/360159.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/360159.html Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:42 EDT
Who said nursery design had to be color-by-numbers?

Designers are putting a fresh spin on traditional baby furnishings for a generation of parents who favor contemporary d.cor. Americans spent about $1.2 billion on .infant furniture in 2006, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.

.People want to apply the same aesthetic to the baby's room that they have done in the rest of the house,. says Christiane Lemieux of DwellStudio, which has launched a line of baby furniture, rugs and clothing at Target. .I also think that more and more parents want to surround their kids with great design right from the start..

The trend is spurred in part by celebrity moms whose offsprings' cool digs make the pages of magazines. And it helps that new parents are willing to surf the Internet for stylish design. Retailers expect a further bump in the next few years, when millions of Generation Y women reach peak child-bearing age and more Baby Boomers become grandparents. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/346887.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/346887.html Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:21 EDT To celebrate, there will be a $1,000 drawing. Admission, which is $2, can be used as credit in the snack area and, yes, bean soup is on the menu. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
See www.bigblueantiques.com or call (859) 255-7309.

Earth Hour 2008
8 p.m. March 29. That's when Earth Hour, as ­designated by the World Wildlife Fund, begins. As that time crosses the globe, businesses and individuals are asked to turn off lights as a message to heed the need to reduce global ­warming. In the United States, Chicago's 110-floor Sears Tower will go dark, as will the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
See the global statistics and join the movement by ­going to www.earthhour.org.
What will you do with your hour?

Introducing eXtension
There's a new way to access information from the ­Cooperative Extension ­Service. On Feb. 21, an interactive Web site, ­eXtension.org (pronounced e-extension), was launched in Washington, D.C. The site, a collaborative ­workspace supported by a partnership of more than 70 land-grant universities nationwide, is designed to instantly connect you with a wealth of extension information.
I found some timely information on the care of Easter lilies. You'll find topics ranging from horticulture and entomology to horses and ­financial security, with answers and educational information available with the click of your mouse; further questions are answered by experts via e-mail.
So, go eXplore!

St. Patrick's Day
and shamrocks
Monday is St. Patrick's Day, and people already are starting to get their green on. Shamrocks, aka trifolium or clover, ­usually appear as three-lobed leaflets chosen to signify the Holy Trinity or as their lucky four-leafed cousins. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture ­maintains the National Plant ­Germplasm Repository for clover, safeguarding the genetic diversity of more than 200 species.
Norman Taylor, who began the collection in 1953, has traveled the world searching for unique species. Kentucky rare native running buffalo clover is being preserved at Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate. See www.uky.edu/Ag/Agronomy/Department/CloverGC and www.henryclay.org/flora.htm for more information.

New organic greens
The first day of spring this year is Thursday. That is a sure signal to home gardeners that it's time to get going with cool-weather greens planted under row covers. Organic Gardening magazine has tested 70 new varieties in gardens across the country. Recommendations for greens mixed with other colors include brightly ribbed Orange Chiffon chard and heat-­tolerant Danyelle red oak-leaf lettuce, both from John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds (www.
kitchengardenseeds.com), and Purple Peacock broccoli/kale, with green florets on purple stalks from Wild Garden Seed (www.wild
gardenseed.com). Find Organic Gardening online at www.organicgardening.com.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/346889.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/346889.html Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:49 EDT
Nan Starkweather always had admired .gerbera daisies but not their price. A glamorous, big-headed, vibrantly colored cutting flower, the daisy can sell for $8 to $10 a stem.

She could grow these, she thought. (But they're really hard.)

She could grow them from seed, in fact, she thought. (Have faith.)

She's a master gardener, for Pete's sake, she thought. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/346893.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/346893.html Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:52 EDT
Where do you store your lawn mower, your gardening implements and other tools? If the answer is the garage or the basement, odds are your gear is hard to get to or tough to find when you need it.

An outdoor storage shed might be just the ticket . if you have the room.

What you need to know: Does your town have zoning rules about sheds? The information generally is available from municipal building departments. Even if there are no rules, consider your neighbors. No need to .create ill will with a shed that blocks sunlight to the garden next door.

Shabby isn't chic: If the shed looks shabby, it will make your yard look that way, too. If you're not willing to pay a bit more for quality, you might as well keep your equipment where it is. Typically, the difference between attractive and ugly is only a few hundred dollars. A shed is an investment in your property, so you don't want to create a stumbling block to a sale in the future. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/340295.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/340295.html Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:19 EST
TLC's Clean Sweep expert Peter Walsh has the answer — but don't expect him to mince words in the new book, "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" ($25, Free Press).

The organizational consultant, satellite radio host and regular on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" asks readers to take a long, hard look at their messy kitchens and emotions to get their homes and lives in order.

In this follow-up to his best-seller, "It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff" ($14, Free Press), Walsh contends that a cluttered home can lead to, essentially, cluttered thighs.

Walsh splits time between Los Angeles and his native Australia, often crisscrossing continents to help people get their homes and lives in order. Recently, he sat down to discuss several topics: the food-clutter connection, a two-month project involving more than 3,000 pairs of shoes, and being in Oprah's Network of Friends.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/340255.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/340255.html Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:55 EST
If you never read a word of the text in his new book, the color photos alone will leave you wanting more from your garden. The seasonal projects are plentiful: Spring suggests salad sprouts and armfuls of daffodils; in ­summer, try tying up a clever hyacinth bean vine trellis or lighting the night with a twilight planter; autumn means apple-tasting and gourd garlands; and winter is an opportunity for a wildlife garden party.

The book has more than 50 projects, and many of them are child-friendly. Smith's easygoing, first-person narrative style creates the down-home mood of an annual journal, yet the ­instructions are clear, ­detailed and well organized.

He writes, “I grow plants for food and for pleasure. One nourishes my body, the other my soul. I need both to feel complete.” This book is about bringing those two reasons together, thoughtfully and with grace.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/333273.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/333273.html Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:21 EST
They're inelegant blobs of drywall mud that have been turned into colorful, jewel-bedecked works of art.

They're flowers that have been given names like Cadillac , Lexus , Kelp , Aztec and Sasha .

These pieces of .wall jewelry... flower sculptures decorated with crystals and pieces of antique jewelry . are the creations of Lexington mother-daughter duo Susan Westrom and Grace Becknell, and they have begun to get attention from area art lovers.

Four flowers created by Westrom and Becknell are on display at the Arboretum and the University of Kentucky Singletary Center for the Arts as part of the annual Glories of the Garden exhibit. More than 100 art items inspired by nature, including quilts, hooked rugs, photographs and paintings by various artists, will be on display through March 21. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/489836.html http://www.kentucky.com/150/story/489836.html Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:26 EDT
She and husband Gerry lived in the Beaumont subdivision, and they had just finished breakfast at a downtown restaurant last May.She was nine months along, and she thought a walk might help encourage the birth. Gerry said he wanted to show her a nearby house that they couldn't afford.

The house under construction on Old Georgetown Street was mostly just a shell. But some of the University of Kentucky students who helped design and build it were working there that morning.

"We begged for them to let us come in, and they must have taken pity because I was so fat," Kathy said. "Within two hours we bought it."

The Swans are UK education professors. The $575,000 price tag meant "calling in inheritances" and selling furniture.]]>