Online Features
Lawn & Garden
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Why a little fall outdoor maintenance can go a long way
After spending the summer enjoying the outdoors, it can be a little bittersweet to get the deck and yard ready for the cooler days ahead. The good news is getting outdoor areas ready for winter doesn't have to be a time-consuming process.
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Got deer? Freeze them out this winter
Deer are beautiful, graceful animals, we cannot deny it. But when it comes to where deer decide to dine, most of us just don't want them outside our windows foraging through our foliage. Their beauty and grace comes with the destruction - even devastation - of our well-cared-for and often expensive landscaped yards and g...
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Birding - It's as close as your backyard
Unlike most hobbies, backyard birding doesn't cost a lot, doesn't take tons of equipment, and doesn't require that you decipher complicated instructions just to get started. All you need is a backyard or a balcony.
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How to create the perfect outdoor space
Comfortable spaces don't need to be constrained by four walls, and an outdoor entertaining area can quickly become the most important "room" of your home. You aren't alone if your porch or patio looks outdated and drab. Weather conditions can be tough on outdoor areas, but with a few simple updates, you can create a perf...
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Improving the health of your lawn
Let's face it: When you live in the suburbs, a healthy, well-kept lawn is a must. Before anyone even steps into your house, it's your front lawn that makes the first impression of your home. So what's something that can help keep your lawn healthy? Many people seem to forget about aeration.
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Why fall is the time to tackle invasive plant problems
The crisp days of fall will soon be here, but a long dry summer has left many homeowners looking out on lawns and gardens overtaken with invasive weeds and vines. A yard full of these noxious plants is sure to make it difficult to enjoy the cooler outdoor temperatures.
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Want pristine outdoor spaces next year? Take action in the fall
The cooling weather signals most homeowners to retire their lawn and garden equipment for the year. But before you stow away the rakes and hoes, remember that fall offers a unique opportunity for starting projects that can yield beautiful landscape results next year. You can save time and potentially money by doing a few...
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Beat the heat with water conservation and home safety advice
The peak water usage season, which usually begins in late July or early August, arrived early this year with record high temperatures and widespread drought. During the warmer months, the average American uses about four times as much water as they do the rest of the year. More time outdoors translates into more sweat an...
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Responsible watering tips for keeping your lawn green
Does maintaining a lush, healthy and green lawn to enjoy with friends and family seem daunting? It's often a task that is easier said than done for homeowners. But take heart, a simple watering routine can help grass thrive. Here are some tips.
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Refreshing garden drinks
With warmer than average temperatures the norm for much of the country, people are looking for new ways to cool off. Nothing is more cool and refreshing than sipping on an ice-cold drink while enjoying a meal made on the grill or resting in the comfort of a hammock. The garden can hold the key to some tempting new drinks...
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Garden now to refresh your outdoor space for entertaining
This summer gardens and outdoor green spaces often look limp and lifeless due to lots of hot, sunny days and limited precipitation. No need to despair, just a few simple tips can help to rejuvenate any outdoor space well into fall - and be water-wise as well.
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Tips to keep the garden green during vacation
Looking forward to a nice, relaxing vacation? Don't forget about that garden while you're sipping umbrella drinks on a beach or snapping photos of the Grand Canyon. Make sure you have a plan for keeping the garden green and the grass under control while you're gone.
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national news

A bystander checks the debris around a row of burnt cars in the suburb of Rinkeby after youths rioted in several different suburbs around StockholmYouths set cars and a school ablaze in Sweden's worst riots in years.


Fri May 24 09:04:26 UTC 2013

A member of the 2013 graduating class of the United States Naval Academy peeks over the shoulder of a fellow graduates to listen to President Barack Obama during the commencement ceremony at the Academy in Annapolis, Md., Friday, May 24, 2013. The president urged new graduates to exhibit honor and courage in tackling incidents of sexual assault as they assume leadership positions in the military. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)President Barack Obama on Friday warned that sexual assault in the military amounts to a national security threat as he enlisted graduating Navy ensigns and Marine second lieutenants at the U.S. Naval Academy in a campaign to stamp it out. “Those who commit sexual assault are not only committing a crime, they threaten the trust [...]


Fri May 24 09:16:22 UTC 2013

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, talks to Carla Pilla, of Seaside Heights, N.J., while Robert Hilton, left, executive director of the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitor's Bureau, holds a sign, Friday, May 24, 2013, in Seaside Heights, N.J. Christie cut a ribbon to symbolically reopen the state's shore for the summer season, seven months after being devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Several beach communities have annual beach ribbon cuttings, announcing they are back in business. But this year's ceremonies are more poignant seven months after a storm that did an estimated $37 billion of damage in the state. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)Gov. Chris Christie and the cast of MTV's "Jersey Shore" welcome tourists back.


Fri May 24 10:50:28 UTC 2013