Dear Aggie: Is there a difference between hay and straw? Read More ⇒

As strange as it sounds, my secret garden is a daylily garden. This doesn’t mean I am a closet daylily enthusiast, quite the opposite. It started a couple of years ago when my wife, Jan, said the side of our house was an embarrassment, and we needed plants. To be honest it was rather a sort … Read More ⇒

I recently had a week of vacation with no plans, no schedule and nothing I HAD to do. There is power in this for adults and kids alike — especially with the year we have had. One might think we have had “nothing to do” for a whole year, but that was not the case for our minds, which have bee… Read More ⇒

Before the coronavirus recession, Utah’s housing market was on fire. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which sent residents of Northern California and Seattle in search of affordable homes and more space, and an already-hot market grew hotter. Read More ⇒

Hospital-level care at home — some of it provided over the internet — is poised to grow after more than a decade as a niche offering, boosted both by hospitals eager to ease overcrowding during the pandemic and growing interest by insurers who want to slow health care spending. But a host of… Read More ⇒

Last night, I finished planting the big garden. It has been really dry, but we had rain during the night. It was a much-needed rain. Read More ⇒

OSWEGO — The Oswego City East Side Community Garden will begin a new phase this season as the city of Oswego, under the leadership of Mayor Billy Barlow, has agreed to provide the resources to clear the site and construct new raised garden plots, In response to this, a committee of past and … Read More ⇒

Spring is in full swing, and many people have been planting and tending to their gardens. Plants and flowers are beautiful, but they can be lethal to our four-legged friends. With a little extra planning, your garden can be fun for you and safe for your dog. Read More ⇒

SPOKANE, Wash. — With spring well-established and summer outdoor adventures fast approaching, it’s time to consider your first-aid kit. Read More ⇒

After a year where people have largely been confined to their homes, it seems the great outdoors is a place people want to spend time in more than ever. Read More ⇒

Mortgage servicers took their sweet time last spring advising customers affected by the pandemic about their right to hit the pause button on making payments with no documentation required, and no penalty charged to get back on track. Read More ⇒

FULTON — Fulton Block Builders will host an outdoor plant swap in conjunction with Fulton Parks and Recreation from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 22, at Bullhead Point in Fulton, gardeners are invited to bring labeled plants and take home new plants. Read More ⇒

My husband Joe and I and son Kevin spent last weekend at daughter Susan’s house. Read More ⇒

I’ve never been fond of buzzwords. “Organic,” “natural” and “sustainable” lost their foothold in reality decades ago when they were co-opted as marketing labels. Corporate buzzwords, cynical and empty, are often buzz-phrases anyway: “whole-systems thinking,” “trickle down,” “customer journey.” Read More ⇒

Dear Aggie: Now that spring is here, when should I fertilize my lawn? Read More ⇒

The answer given when the mayor asked a friend of mine in the nursery industry how best to improve the image of the small but growing city? “Plant flowers.” You might think this would be the obvious answer from someone in the greenhouse industry as they would stand to benefit from this beaut… Read More ⇒

Are you in the market for fresh, delicious food? The Jefferson County Local Food guide (in print or found at (ccejefferson.org/local-foods) points you to the freshest and best tasting food — grown and produced by your neighbors. Shop at the locations listed and help keep your food dollars ci… Read More ⇒

We are having cooler weather again this week. On Monday, it was rainy, and yesterday was cloudy. At least today the sun is shining at times. Read More ⇒

ITHACA — Media reports have been buzzing about the “Brood X” cicada emergence, which will send millions of the buggers out of the ground after 17 years spent there. Read More ⇒

A gauge of U.S. pending home sales rose less than forecast in March, signaling a lack of available properties is keeping some buyers sidelined even though demand for homes remains strong. Read More ⇒

Dear Aggie: We have burdock on our property and the burrs get into my dog’s coat. How can I eliminate this weed? Read More ⇒

OSWEGO — For the second year in a row, members of the public are invited to celebrate National Arbor Day with the Canal Forest Restoration Project team at Rice Creek Field Station via a free online webinar conference on Friday, April 30. Read More ⇒

WATERTOWN — The Thousand Islands Land Trust is hosting its eighth annual For The Trees Arbor Day celebration. Read More ⇒

It’s time to pen this column again and words seem hard to come to my mind. Today four months ago is when our dear son-in-law Mose lost his battle to the injuries from the accident. It has been harder for daughter Susan as time goes on. I am sure anyone who has been through this can agree wit… Read More ⇒

Barbara Lane didn’t think her modest two-bedroom house in Margate, Fla., was that ugly — at least on the outside. Read More ⇒

Q: Our condo does not allow us to own pickup trucks or park them on the premises. Visitors can park them in guest parking during the day but must find off-site parking overnight. This rule is making it hard for friends and relatives to visit me. Is there something I can do? Read More ⇒

They are often ignored or discarded spaces. But bathrooms regardless of the size can be a source of calm and opportunity for design. Where do you start? While renovations can make for the perfect “project,” they are often costly to take on. Read More ⇒

Dear Aggie: Are citrus trees easy to grow indoors? How do I keep one? Read More ⇒

It is just after 5 a.m., and my husband Joe and sons Benjamin, 21, and Joseph, 18, have all left for another day’s work. Daughter Lovina, 16, will be leaving in a half hour for her job. That leaves just me and Loretta. Daughter Verena is still staying with daughter Susan and children. Son Ke… Read More ⇒

You may not be aware of an allergy until you’re stung. Read More ⇒

Q: The Board of our Homeowners Association recently reopened our pool for tenants only (no guests or family). Twice residents were observed bringing in guests, and as punishment, the board closed the pool to all residents the next day. Can the board punish all residents because of another re… Read More ⇒

Mortgage rates were historically low for most of 2020, but as the pandemic recovery gathers steam, that is changing. Rates have mostly been climbing in 2021, and that trend is likely to continue through the year as more folks get vaccinated and back to work. Read More ⇒

Though filmed before the pandemic, the Netflix reality series “Marriage or Mortgage” feels tailor-made to our twin preoccupations of the last year: Imagining a better life within the walls of your home vs. the dream of communal celebrations that get you out of the house, where someone else i… Read More ⇒

My greatest strength as a gardener is my willingness to uproot plants once they start to annoy me. Read More ⇒

Dear Aggie: I am new to the area. As a military family we came from a rural, farming community and love the agricultural landscape. How do we learn more about agriculture here, our new home! Read More ⇒

I get to review a lot of different things for this page, from the new iPhones to a self-driving Cadillac to power stations and solar panels. Read More ⇒

PULASKI — The Pulaski Library and the village of Pulaski are sponsoring a SLELO “Zoom” program on urban forestry. It will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5. Read More ⇒

LOS ANGELES — One way to understand Shawna Christian’s joyful aesthetic is to think of her plant shop Tansy as organized chaos. Read More ⇒