November 2010

Power and Gardening Tool Storage

As winter approaches, store lawn mowers and other summer power equipment. Drain gas tanks, disconnect spark plug wires, clean any grass, wood chips, etc. from housings, mower decks, chain guides and so forth. This is also a good time to perform repairs or maintenance. Change the oil and check and change air filters as needed. Move the equipment to a clean, dry place for storage. Always clean gardening tools before storage. Use a dry scrub brush to knock off any dirt or mud. For very dirty tools, a quick squirt with the hose should remove the rest of the dirt. Dry and coat tools with a light oil. Store gardening gloves and boots in closed containers. Leaving them around the garage is an invitation for wasps, bees, and spiders to snuggle into them and bite you later!

10 Toughest Things to Get Rid Of

The Conscious Consumer's Lori Bongiorno says, "It’s hard to know what to do with cans of leftover paint or electronics that have seen better days. You know you shouldn’t throw them in the trash, but they’re not typically recycled at the curb. So how exactly do you get rid of them? Luckily, if you’re armed with the right info, it can be easier than you think to dispose of these things. It’s worth any extra effort because many of the items on this list contain toxic chemicals that can contaminate the environment or cause other damage if not carefully disposed of. See her list of the 10 toughest things to get rid of and how to do it

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Winterizing Your Home - Ten Tips

No matter where you live or in what climate, the approach of the winter months means you should take some precautions to ensure that your home is ready. About.com has a good list of ten tips by Elizabeth Weintraub to help you prepare you home for winter. You know, the usual, commonsense things like furnace, fireplace, windows, doors, plumbing foundations and so forth. See her suggestions here.

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Thanksgiving Day Safety Tips

If you celebrate it, Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings friends and family together to share a good meal, conversation and laughter. But Thanksgiving also comes with several health hazards, including an increased chance of fires, food poisoning and choking. Take a few minutes to review these Thanksgiving Day safety tips by eHow contributor Melinda Dean, and enjoy the holiday without worry.

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NEWS 

Existing-home sales rose again in September, affirming that a sales recovery has begun, according to the National Association of Realtors®. November Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing market is in the early stages of recovery. “A housing recovery is taking place but will be choppy at times depending on the duration and impact of a foreclosure moratorium. But the overall direction should be a gradual rising trend in home sales with buyers responding to historically low mortgage interest rates and very favorable affordability conditions,” he said.

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Fast Facts

• A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

• Toxic house plants poison more children than household chemicals.

• A group of crows is called a murder.

• Babies crawl an average of 200 meters (about 219 yards) a day.

• Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time you breathe!