On Valentine's Day, is that electricity we feel in the air?

Dear Angie:

Leading lady Jennifer Aniston has bought a midcentury house in Bel-Air that was listed at $24.9 million.

"Slow Gardening: A No-Stress Philosophy for All Senses and Seasons" By Felder Rushing (Chelsea Green)

WHAT'S NEW: SMOKE DETECTOR CALLS 911

Why give fresh flowers for Valentine's Day, only to know they will soon die. Instead, give an easy-care houseplant that keeps on living and giving.

Winter has been relatively mild and virtually snow-free so far in many regions. That's helped take the chill off utility costs. In fact, the people who monitor such things say electric bills are down, especially in areas like the mid-Atlantic.

Round flowers seem to dominate in the world of gardening, but it is the spiky blooms of a plant like the Merleau Blue salvia that grab the attention of friends and family. In addition to giving us the spiky texture that creates excitement, they also offer us some of the best choices in the treasured blue color.

In a recent column, a newly minted Jersey Shore homeowner asked for help making his damp abode drier.

Food plants have jumped the fence from the kitchen garden.

LOS ANGELES Chef Eric Greenspan and his fiancee, Jamie Molever, share the kitchen of the future.

SEATTLE On the afternoon of Nov. 2, the case of Duke the Cat, described by his alleged victim "as the smartest cat that I've ever seen," ended up in Seattle Municipal Court.

BALTIMORE The combined fury of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee may have drowned much of the region's stink bug population, but scientists are still hesitant to say that homeowners will see fewer of them when the weather warms.

SANTA ANA, Calif. Monday's arraignment for Itzcoatl Ocampo, an ex-Marine suspected of stabbing half a dozen people to death, was continued to March 16.

Dear Angie:

LOS ANGELES - In one of the more talked-about transactions in town, actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their Malibu beach house to daytime host and comedian Ellen De Generes for $12 million.

LOS ANGELES SANTA ANA, Calif. - A "significant DNA link" convinced prosecutors Friday to drop charges against a man accused of murdering his mother and older brother last October and instead has connected suspected serial killer Itzcoatl Ocampo to the crimes.

SACRAMENTO, Calif SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In 2009, they caught Oprah Winfrey's attention.

You've read the energy-saving tips. You've armed yourself with caulk. You're ready to do some serious damage to your gas and electric bills.

So what does save energy in a home?

The gazania has to rank near the top of those daisy-like flowers that are so beautiful, everyone longs to have them in the garden. If you find yourself in that category then remember the name Sunbathers. This is a relatively new series that has garnered attention with its riveting colors and ease of growing.

Where, oh where are all the birds this mild winter?

The winter has been virtually snowless, but the temperatures haven't been high enough to give your furnace a three-month vacation.

WHAT'S NEW: SPECIAL SINGER HARKS TO EARLY SEWING MACHINES

LOS ANGELES Three straight months of home-price declines in the biggest U.S. cities showed that foreclosures remain a significant drag on a housing market that is entering its fifth year of deterioration.

LOS ANGELES Home prices in the nation's biggest cities fell for the third consecutive month in November, a sign the housing market ended 2011 in a weakened state.