Remodeling House

I've been a nutmeg lover ever since my mother first sprinkled a little on top of my Christmas eggnog. It was good then, but it's better now that I grate my own. If you think nutmeg is a spice that belongs in the back of the cupboard, think again. Its mild flavor can be deceiving because it isn't as aromatic as cinnamon, or as aggressive as allspice, but nutmeg has something amazing going for

cartoon courtesy of Nearing Zero.Happy Gardening!Garden Gnome©2006-2008

Euonymous(Euonymous fortunei)July 15, 2008Euonymous bushes (Euonymous fortunei) are a common feature in many gardens here in Ontario. The two varieties I'm aware of are yellow and white edged both with bright green centres. These really are easy to grow shrubs with few problems. I had a small one at our previous house with the only problem being plagued by aphids but it was planted beside a

The Dallas Morning News - July 3, 2006

Fairview's motto is "Keeping it country."

But one look at a map shows why that's hard to do.

Wedged between Allen and McKinney on the east side of U.S. Highway 75, the Collin County town of 5,700 is next in line for a development boom.

Builders are already putting up new subdivisions lined with custom homes.

And starting next year work will begin on a 200-acre shopping center that's as big as some malls.

While the big city is knocking at Fairview's front door, city leaders say they want to keep the rural flavor for much of the town.

"We are trying to take advantage of the growth and protect ourselves at the same time," said Fairview City Manager John Godwin. "It looks like we are going to be able to do that."

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The Dallas Morning News - August 13, 2005

For many, a bigger home is better, and it's cheaper here than in many places

LOS GATOS, Calif. – Nestled on a wooded hillside in this tidy Silicon Valley community is a subdivision of newer tract homes with media rooms, breakfast nooks, granite countertops and other modern touches.

Like models on a Monopoly board, big new homes line the streets in the Twin Creeks subdivision in Allen. The homes are not unlike those you'd see in a similar high-income neighborhood in Allen, McKinney or Frisco – until you compare the price tags.

A $300,000 home in or near Collin County would cost about $1 million in Los Gatos.

When families move to North Texas from places like Silicon Valley, they are awestruck by the monster houses they can afford. They don't tend to hold back, said Jan Richey, a Realtor with Keller Williams in Frisco.

"Instead of buying the $300,000 house – which they should – they have so much more money from the equity in their previous house that they extend themselves as far as they can go," she said. "We have to protect them from themselves."


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White Nancy Lamiums(Lamium maculatum)June 26, 2008Moving into a home with mature landscaping has meant discovering a lot of new to me plants. We moved in late June so that meant we had no idea what spring plants there were. Part of the fun has been identifying the various plants as they emerged to decide if they were friend or foe. This means that I have had a wonderful opportunity to expand my

Sweet Million Tomatoes(Lycopersicon esculentum)July 16, 2008If you have been following this blog you will know we moved last year and still do not have the vegetable and herb beds in. They are in progress but we were delayed by the spring weather conditions. We plan on having them ready for fall gardening and to allow the perennial herbs to root well before the cold weather. I'll talk more on

While you are enjoying all of this hot summer weather, don't forget to protect your herbs. Water them in the morning and never spray the leaves of your outdoor plants during the hottest part of the day. Deep water herbs at least once a week, and be sure to pinch the stems of any herbs that are starting to bolt. This will help extend the useful life of annuals for a couple of weeks.If you are