HOME & GARDEN

By Debbi Mayster | Contributor“Backyarding” – the trend to move indoor activities outdoors that was made popular during the pandemic – is here to stay and will continue to expand in 2022, according to the TurfMutt Foundation, an environmental education and stewardship program that encourages outdoor living and caring for green spaces.“Backyarding is a way of life now,” saysKris Kiser, president and CEO of theTurfMutt Foundationand its parent organization the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). “Homeowners spent lots of time, money and effort over the last eighteen months improving their backyards to make them an extension of their homes so they could work, cook, exercise and even vacation outdoors. We believe people will continue to ‘backyard more’ in the coming year and beyond.”The ...

ByPaul Schattenberg | ContributorFrom pumpkin spice lattes to harvest-themed front porches, pumpkins are an iconic staple for the fall.Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Serviceexperts have some tips on how to use these popular gourds in and around your home.Odessa Keenan, AgriLife Extension program coordinator for the agency’sDinner Tonightinitiative, Bryan-College Station, said pumpkins are an incredibly popular item not only for fall décor but as a key ingredient in many seasonal recipes. The Texas A&M(CAPTION) AgriLife Extension Service has tips to consider doing with pumpkins before you go to the pumpkin patch this fall. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Laura McKenzie)Family friendly pumpkin recipesPumpkins can be used to make a host of seasonal treats and beverages, Keenan said. Ag...

By Alicia WanekDecluttering, simplifying, and prioritizing have become buzzwords that have echoed in the COVID era.Our efforts to “Marie Kondo” drawers, clean out closets with all the extra time at home, or eliminate the clutter so it does not appear in the background of a Zoom call, have inspired many of us to focus on making our homes a more open and relaxing place to be.The idea “less is more,” a design concept that first began at the turn of the 21stcentury by German Mies van der Rohe, has certainly made a resurgence.That focus on open design and less cluttered spaces has extended to every room, even our bathrooms. After all, we do spend a lot of time there.Over the course of a lifetime, we will spend an average of 416 24-hour days in our bathrooms (373 for men, 456 for women).About 92...

By Alicia WanekIn Texas we can enjoy our outdoor living spaces 12 months out of the year, and now is the perfect time to create the backyard oasis of your dreams. Think of the long-term and how your family can enjoy your outdoor space for many years—whether that’s with a pool, outdoor kitchen and living area, a sports court, or whatever it is that will bring your family the fun factor for years to come.Looking for a place to enjoy the great outdoors? Look no further than your own back yard!Trinity FiresideTrinity Fireside is known for setting the ambience of your outdoor space with their amazing fireplaces made to fit your unique style. Fredy Mize, president of Trinity Fireside in Grand Prairie, TX says that fireplaces have “really evolved,” with more styles, shapes, media, amount of heat...

By Sandi Schwartz | ContributorHow many times have you yelled at your kids to clean up the mess? Believe it or not, that clutter isn’t just stressing you out because you are annoyed—it is stressing out the entire family because the sheer existence of clutter is linked to stress and anxiety. In fact, according to a study by UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives and Families (CELF), the amount of stress family members experience at home is directly proportional to the amount of stuff they and their family have accumulated. Why is this the case and what can we do about it?Why Clutter Causes StressIt’s no surprise that constantly seeing piles of stuff build up in our home—whether it be papers, toys, loose pictures, laundry, gadgets, etc.—can take a toll on us, but the reasons are more complicated th...

By Deborah Walsh Dobbs, M.A. | ContributorLast year, the movie The Shawshank Redemption (based on Steven King’s novella) made a comeback. Set inside a prison, the plot includes a sufficient amount of darkness and suffering, but it consistently returns its focus to friendship and hope. The audience witnesses how a few prisoners not only adapt but also add meaning to their existences inside Shawshank Prison. Brooks takes care of a baby crow and feeds him maggots found in prison food. Another named Red is a prison fixer, obtaining cigarettes, posters or virtually anything a prisoner wants from the outside world. Andy Dufresne persuades the warden to let him create a library. 2020 was a good year for The Shawshank Redemption’s comeback.While I wouldn’t go so far as to compare our society’s res...

By Pam Melyan-Bratton | ContributorWalking has become all the rage during the pandemic as a way to escape the confines of our own four walls. Since March, many families have taken to the streets and found walking to be a healthy way to spend time together and improve their health especially as many indoor facilities have been closed. As the colder months approach, some may be tempted to crawl back into their dens and hibernate.The Centers for Disease Control states, “Regular physical activity can reduce the burden of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, and can prevent early death. Despite the known health benefits of being physically active, only one-half of U.S. adults and about one-quarter of high school students meet the minimum guidelines for aerobic ph...

By Pam Melyan-Bratton | ContributorSchool, homework, family, friends, chores, video games…the list of what is whirling through our children’s brains is seemingly endless. How can we help our kids find the calm among the storm? “In a world where many things are competing for our attention, there has never been more of a need for meditation as there is now,” April Linson, breathwork healing facilitator and certified yoga instructor said.Starting at a very young age, children can reap the benefits of meditation and mindfulness. Linson, who has taught and practiced meditation for over eight years, says that children have an innate ability to tune in to the frequencies of their surroundings, “the natural rhythms within nature and the emotional undercurrents of their caretakers and peers.” Medit...

By Jamie Spence | ContributorKathleen and Ted* hired a contractor they found via Facebook to do some remodeling work on their home. They saw some recommendation comments, a few photos of prior work, and that they had a few mutual friends. Feeling pretty secure about moving forward, they signed his contract and paid their 50% deposit. Two months later, the work was half finished and their contractor was nowhere to be found. Even worse, neither was their money. Their attorney advised them that it would cost more to pursue legal recourse than it would to take the loss, so they reluctantly gave up and began the search for a new contractor. With reduced funds, they had to scale back their plans quite a bit to move forward.Stories like this are extremely common. Unlike many other states, the sta...

By Dr. Lise Deguire | ContributorAs we officially enter into the holiday season, anxiety hangs in the air, with so many worries. There is the obvious anxiety about our health and the health of our loved ones. Can we drive to see our aging parents? Can our adult children fly home for Christmas? Then there is the economic news so many families struggling. How many presents can we afford under that tree this year? Can we even afford the tree?I feel the same crushing pressures as everyone. For over 35 years, I have spent New Year’s with three best friends, which expanded to our partners and our children over time. For decades, our merry band of twelve have rung in the New Years together. But not this year. I cannot tell you how sad this makes me.However, 2020 is what it is, and I am trying to ...