unexpected renovation treat: a note from the past
I absolutely adore this story I just read in the newsletter of a local Seattle salvage company, Second Use. When the salvage team removed a lintel, they found a note dated 1973 and addressed to “Future Man” from Jack Barbour, the man who originally worked on the space. The website doesn’t share the whole story, which is that Jack was a first-generation American from Belgium who passed away 20 years ago. Before moving west, my husband and I did a major home remodel, and we did in fact leave notes (in our case, written on the boards that were later covered by drywall) detailing how we literally put sweat, tears and blood into the project — a board fell on my husband’s head mid-construction that required stitches! I love the idea that in 20 years’ time, someone might uncover our hello. If you renovate, do you leave notes for your own “Future Man”? — Mary T.
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rethink everyday: drying clothes on delicate
Ok friends, here’s a challenge: try to rethink the way you do one commonplace task. That has been my mission lately, and I’ve had a few revelations. The first, and most obvious, has been that just because appliance instructions say to do something, doesn’t mean it’s a steadfast rule (unless it’s for safety reasons). For example – let’s take the clothes dryer. I air-dry the majority of my laundry with the exception of a few things, and those things get tossed in the dryer on Auto/High for 30 minutes.That’s just what I do, and have always done. But, what if I didn’t? What if I tried another setting? I know, crazy. But what I’ve discovered is that I don’t need to use that high setting to get good results. I’ve actually found that using the “delicates†setting (which is less hot than the “auto†setting) dries equally as well, and in some cases, results in softer clothes. I didn’t realize that the highest dryer setting was actually toasting my clothes and making them feel a little crispy! With the exception of my thickest bath mats, the delicates setting has worked just fine for a medium-sized load of laundry, and I bet even saves a little energy to boot. What everyday tasks can you rethink? — Rebecca F.
Image courtesy of flickr user Aurimas Rimsa.
post off: what pests battle for your garden?
Last week, Angela asked for help solving the issue she was having with squirrels rummaging around in her porch planters, and many of you suggested using cayenne pepper to deter the digging. At my house, our biggest problem involved squirrels poaching birdseed from the feeder and scaring the birds. We solved this with a squirrel baffle years ago, and we considered our pest issues solved, that is until a black bear lumbered into the backyard last week and bent the birdfeeder (steel pole and everything) in half. Needless to say, we had a birdfeeder-heavy Father’s Day at my house. While bears aren’t a normal occurrence or your typical garden pest, we would get a stray bear or two every few years in my hometown in New Jersey growing up and it got me thinking. Usually our biggest pests were squirrels, rabbits, garbage-crazed raccoons and the occasional misguided skunk, but we did have to mind the occasional bear. At my aunt’s in Arizona, her biggest problems involve coyotes drowning in the pool. Each region seems to have its own pest issues, and some that wouldn’t occur to me growing up on the Northeast, so do tell: What kinds of pests issues do you have in your neck of the woods, and how do you keep them at bay? – Sarah C.
In this photo: Flickr member [Christine]’s birdfeeder met its demise at the hands of a bear
post off: what lessons did dad teach you?
Father’s day can be a tough holiday for me. I lost my dad about 7 years ago, and it always gets me thinking about him — which brings up feelings both sad and happy. I try and stay positive — and one way that works great for me is gratitude. I’m thankful for so many of the gifts my dad gave me — his long eyelashes, a love for the Beatles, seemingly endless car repairs and folded $50 bills to name just a few — but I’m most appreciative of the things that I learned still in use today. A good work ethic, using power tools, and the ability to clean a fish without fainting or losing my lunch come to mind… How about you? What life-lessons did your dad pass on to you? — Megan B.
image courtesy of Etsy sellerVeraJune.
in the market for a black-thumb garden
As some of you may recall, my little terrarium was in dire straits a few months back. It’s now become clear to me that, despite all of your sage advice, my poor little plant is not long for this world. It’s a sad state of affairs, but one with which I’m constantly plagued. I’m a black-thumbed girl with green-thumb ambitions. I’ve always wanted to be one of those women who gardens as a hobby, who has beautiful, flowering plants in every corner of her yard, who can make lemons grow on a miniature tree in her dining room. Alas, as evidenced by the fact that I can’t even sustain a succulent, I’m not that girl. I’m the girl that has managed to kill ivy, rosemary, and all sorts of other “indestructible” plants.
Yet every year, I start the spring off with hope, however unfounded. This is the time of year when I find myself desperately wanting a little something to pot and care for, but it’s clear I need to take baby steps. I’d love to plant a little boxed herb garden, but I think it’s beyond my care grade. I’ve heard that strawberries can be an easy starter plant, and the seedling sellers at my local farmers’ market tell me that basil should be nearly foolproof, but I’m skeptical.
And so, I turn to you dear Shelterrific readers for another helping hand. If you’re an expert greenie, is there something out there at my local nursery that I simply cannot kill? Or, if you’re a novice like me, maybe you’ve had luck with a species or two? –Becki S.
