Back to basics
Collier Keeping lost art of blacksmithing alive Should the town of Henderson see a zombie attack, it will be well armed as new aged folks are learning olden day skills at David Collier's Broken Hammer Forge. Is Collier particularly into zombies? Not really...
Rebooting the apple
Advances in breeding make for better fruit With school starting in September again, the season is ripe for one of the most enduring educational traditions, bringing the teacher an apple. But like many other once-familiar items in today’s classrooms, even...
Colors rise in fall
The fall season brings a ton of vibrant color to the landscape but it can be easy to lose out on color in garden spaces without the right plan. “Spring and summer are usually pretty simple to fill with color,” says Stacey Hirvela, horticulturalist at...
Talbot County Garden Club installs new officers
The Talbot County Garden Club announced its new team of officers were installed on June 27. This year in particular is very special for the club and all of its members as it is the club’s Centennial Celebration. The Garden Club’s Board includes...
The ABC’s of ‘A bee, see!’
There’s been quite a bit of buzz over the past few years about the importance of protecting bees. Even primary schools are stressing the vital role of these pollinators as my children have transitioned from yelling out an alarmed “Mom! A bee!” to “Awe, Mom...
Time for a cabinet refresh?
Sometimes while standing in your kitchen whipping up your famous Hamburger Helper recipe, you start to look around at those dark cabinets. Or those white cabinets. And somewhere between allowing the mixture to simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes, you get...
Keep hummingbird feeders, bird baths fresh in summer heat
Providing nectar filled hummingbird feeders and water filled bird baths is a simple way to attract and care for feathered visitors. During the dog days of summer, though, basic food and water, if not properly tended, can pose special risks when temperature...
Flowers for all occasions, all year
By August, most of the beautiful colors of spring and summer flowers are beginning to fade away. But if you want to preserve those blooms for a while longer, drying them is a potentially simple option. Nancy Beatty, 10-year owner of Sweetbay Design in...
U-pick, you keep coming back
One of the most exciting parts of spring and summer is all the fresh, seasonal fruit that comes with the warm weather. Growing fruit yourself, while rewarding, is a lot of work. That's where local U-Pick business, such as Fmaily Affair Farm in Easton, come...
Gardening is good for you
There are many activities we can choose from to attain a healthy lifestyle. Gardening is one of them. Most people would not immediately group gardening with activities that can make you more healthy, but don’t be fooled. Gardening can boast several health...
Protect your hands, skin
While gardening shows benefits during a cancer survivor’s battle, the period of time beginning seven to 12 days after finishing each chemotherapy dose — and possibly lasting up to one week — is when you may be at the greatest risk for infection. During...
Green thumbs a good Rx for patients?
Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, a registered dietician and associate director for cancer prevention and control at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, developed Harvest for Health. The program initially posed one simple...
A container garden of hope
Seedling therapy helps in facing cancer As long as one has a garden, one has a future. As long as one has a future, one is alive. — Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden The beauty of gardens often evoke nostalgic memories. But a chance visit to a...
Welcome to the Island
Create a tropical getaway at home Tropical islands are some of the most peaceful and relaxing places on earth. Unfortunately, their level of accessibility is depressingly low unless you happen to live on one. Luckily, there’s a way to create your own...
French follies for the garden
Nancy and Pierre Moitrier rest for a moment on a wooden bridge built across a small ditch on their property in Annapolis, Md. Both landscape designers, the couple own and operate Designs for Greener Gardens Inc. Pierre enjoys creating "French Follies,"...
What is this ‘Kombucha?’
Is the mysterious brew a magical elixir or funky tea? Kombucha has risen in popularity, although many people still may respond with “...say what now?” when hearing the name. Simply put, kombucha is fermented tea but to its fans it’s so much more. Kombucha...
Create extra character
If you want to add even more color to your oasis, it's surprisingly easy to keep tropical flowers through the winter. Plants such as Lobster Claw and Anthurium can be plated in pots and kept outside during the warm months, then simply brought inside during...
Miles to go
This summer, take a trip off the beaten path Summer is a time for fun. The kids are out of school, it's warm and sunny outside and the possibilities are endless. That is, the possibilities should be endless. Beaches become so crowded that it’s hard to...
