Home & Garden

Gardening and canning both saw a resurgence in spring 2020 when families were home due to the pandemic and looking for activities to keep themselves busy. Gardening and canning had such a revival that seed suppliers were selling out and canning supplies were in high demand. The last time there had been a shortage of […]

I don’t know if it is the byproduct of spring cleaning, knowing that summer break is around the corner or that I have been binging “The Home Edit” on Netflix, but I am ready to declutter my house – particularly my kids’ items. As all families with young children know, kids often go through toys […]

One out of every three bites of our food, including fruits, vegetables, chocolate, coffee, nuts and spices, is created with the help of pollinators, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pollinators include not just bees, but birds, beetles, butterflies, moths, bats and more, and are an important piece of food creation around the world. […]

While farmers markets bring us fresh, local fruit in season, and grocery stores bring us everything else, nothing beats the taste – or the carbon footprint – of a freshly plucked fruit from the backyard. Growing fruit in the backyard is easy, even for those without a green thumb. First things first, what do you […]

Recently, there was a meme floating around on social media that said, “School is back in session, so we can eat dinner at 4 p.m. or 9 p.m.”. As a parent of three children, two of whom are involved in multiple extracurricular activities, this simple sentence resonated deeply with me. When it comes to meal planning, […]

Butterflies drift lazily over the gardens, bees hum while pollinating flowers and birds feed on petals and at a feeder while the sweet smells of milkweed blossoms drift through an open window – these are the joys of front yard rewilding. Rewilding is an environmental effort involving the repair of damaged and degraded ecosystems and […]

Patches of brown grass are visible in yards all over Sangamon County, and they get larger every day. This area is experiencing an infestation of fall armyworms. Jack Robertson, owner of Robertson Lawn Care, 3441 Constitution Dr., says in his 45 years in business he hasn’t seen this problem here. Armyworms aren’t really worms; they […]

If you find yourself daydreaming about practically living outdoors next summer so that you don’t miss a moment of sunshine, then you also need to be dreaming about what your outdoor living space will look like. It can range from a fire pit to a full kitchen with a wine cooler, fireplace and furniture. Patty […]

In the not-so-distant past, many people re lied on their home as a place that resembled something more of a pitstop than an oasis where they chose to spend the majority of their free time. Between work, school, recitals and practices of all kinds, families considered themselves lucky if they were able to coordinate their […]