Home and garden

I wanted to build a first-class home. Small enough to be cozy, but big enough to raise a family. I needed an ideal location, near a wooded area, with a natural supermarket nearby. And the design should be simple, crafted entirely out of wood. While I was worried about the cost, I needn’t have been. I finished building mine for about $5 in materials in an afternoon.

Wood is a true gift from God. We tend not to think of trees as an agricultural crop like tomatoes, wheat or corn, but in many cases they’re not much different.

Dare I say we are having an early spring this year?

The humble toothbrush can help with a whole lot more than just your dental hygiene. When it comes to scrubbing clean some of the toughest-to-reach spots around the home, experts say it’s often an ideal cleaning tool. In most cases, even your old one will do.

When one thinks of spring, what colors come to mind? Perhaps pink, yellow and of course blue. Blue is not only one of the most popular colors, it can also be an ideal color for spring. Looking for ways to utilize blue into your spring décor? Here are some tips. Use tints tints, tones and shades of blue. It is OK to mix -- for example, to pair light blue and indigo. Integrate blue accents ...

Mid-March is the perfect time to start warm season vegetables indoors. Plants like tomato, eggplant and peppers started now will be ready to plant out at the end of May when we are less likely to get a frost. There is still time to start cool season vegetables like cabbage, onions, cauliflower and broccoli but don’t wait too long as these crops need cooler spring weather to grow properly.

Two days before writing this column, I saved an Ohio homeowner $30,000. He had stumbled across my website, and he saw that I consult with readers on the phone. Water was ponding against his house foundation, and he was considering signing a contract with a waterproofing company for the above amount.

A few weeks ago, I shared a true story with you about my failed asphalt shingle roof. If you remember, it had a 30-year warranty, and after just 12 years it began to experience catastrophic failure. Looking back now, I shared the wrong photograph with you. I showed you a picture of my daughter’s new roof with copper strips on it. I should have shown you the photo of the Tilton, New Hampshire, post office roof. That photo accompanies this column.

Last week’s opening of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s help centers for victims of the Gray and Oregon Road fires should be a reminder to all of us that fire season is just around the corner.

Perhaps you have just graduated from college, just started your first job, or maybe you just rented your first apartment or purchased your first home, regardless it is an exciting rite of passage.

When it comes to choosing organizing projects, the areas that scream chaos tend to get the most attention: Think junk drawers, closets and garages. But there are plenty of hidden pain points – such as your dresser – that also could use some love. Fishing through a tangle of clothes and random objects every time you need something can quickly turn into a major drag. With a little planning, though, you can restore order to these pits of despair.

Given the weather patterns of the past few weeks, we may get an early spring. And maybe not. Such is life in the Inland Northwest.

Anyone over the age of 45 will likely remember the “it” colors of the 1980s. But just in case you have forgotten, the color combination was black and mauve. Essentially black paired with a dusty rose shade of pink. Then the color combination became “dated.”

This year, a Tasmanian yard that hadn’t been watered in 10 years and featured a dead brushtail possum won the title of ugliest lawn in the world. The contest, organized by the island of Gotland in Sweden, rewards those who turn over their yards to nature to save water and change the world’s perception of the ideal lawn.

Several months ago I shared a story about my first experience with luxury vinyl plank flooring. I installed the flooring in a basement room that experienced water damage caused by a leaking water pipe. The product was affordable, it was easy to install, and after six months it looks as good as the day it was put down.

I started seeds of three kinds of onions and six of peppers last weekend.

Spring is not far away. Given the warm weather we’ve been having, it might be earlier than we think.It’s time to dig into the last of our learning and planning projects.

Gardening styles are changing. Gone are gardens full of little green bushes that look pretty but don’t provide any support for the pollinators, birds and animals who would like to call them home.

Roof leaks plague countless homeowners each year. Talk to experienced roofers, and they’ll tell you the vast majority of leaks happen at flashings. A roof flashing is a transitional material. It connects your roof to something that’s not your roof.