EDISON, Wash. -- One thing is for sure, David and Cathy Hall have absolutely no fear of commitment.

I consider myself a pretty good gardener, a common sense "greenie," and a person who does her best to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The gazania has to rank near the top of those daisylike flowers that are so beautiful, everyone longs to have them in the garden.

Winter won't be over for a couple more months, but already the sun is climbing a little higher in the sky, and feeling a little warmer.

The kitchen in Abe Abuchowski's Califon, N.J., home needed updating, but he didn't want the expense of replacing the cabinets. So he chose a less costly option.

They say "green" is the new black, and isn't it great when social responsibility becomes stylish? Suddenly, sustainability is in, plastic is passe, and secondhand is oh-so-savvy.

You have moved out of your college share house and finally have a place of your own.

HERMISTON -- If you are a gardener -- at any accomplished level -- looking to learn more and share this common labor of love with others, consider becoming an Oregon State University Master Gardener.

When December rolls around, all those everyday to-do list items (make dentist appointment, pay parking ticket, buy milk) suddenly are joined by a host of other tasks that only show up once a year: hang lights, buy gifts, bake cookies, make 300 pigs-in-a-blanket for the office holiday party.

It takes less than 30 minutes and less than $20 to make a professional-looking holiday arrangement to hang on a fireplace, door or wall at your home.

The holidays give us an excuse to jazz up the house with stuff we don't normally "wear" -- essentially, it's dress-up time for our living spaces.

The holidays can pose a challenge for crafters: What to make for friends and relatives that is useful, attractive -- and fast to churn out? Speed and simplicity are key this time of year.

There's nothing quite like a winter walk through snowy woods.

Pots of pretty spring-flowering bulbs can be part of your home's indoor and outdoor decor, with or without a yard.

The indoors is taking on the distinct look of outdoors in this fall's home decorating trends.

Want to make your own Halloween shivers?

Halloween is supposed to be a little dark and spooky, and while we don't want to go overboard and scare the little children, it's fun to offer a modest sense of dark drama.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Elaine Lidholm believes in the power of battery-operated pumpkin saws to create the biggest and best jack-o'-lanterns.

When we were young, "laundry hamper" might have referred to the floor under the bed.

Even as more shoppers choose canvas, polyester or Tyvek, the humble plastic grocery bag remains ubiquitous.

Paint is about more than just color.

It's a rite of fall -- green leaves turn red and gold and then fall as trees prepare themselves for winter.

The beanbag chair has been around for quite some time and has become a staple of kids' rooms and dorm rooms.

Spring may be the season of cleaning out clutter and brightening up the home, but autumn can be equally inspiring.

London-based knitwear designer Melanie Porter turned her skills to home furnishings when she acquired an antique chair that needed reupholstering.

NEW YORK CITY -- When New Yorker Wendy Koch's son Bob headed off to Ithaca College freshman year, the car was loaded with great stuff -- too much of it.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- True story. The first words my now-19-year-old son read out loud were "garage" and "sale." Spying the sign ahead, he knew, as did I, that those words held promise of a treasure yet to be found for mere pennies on the dollar.

Big on ideas but short on garden space? Maximize your yard's potential by growing up -- not out -- with vertical gardening.

Those fresh, tasty goodies won't get home from the farmers market by themselves. Shop in eco-friendly style to make the most of your next visit.

If you've ever carted home some unfortunate monstrosity from a beach vacation and rued it, take heart.

EWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Simple, natural and sustainable.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas woman knew the dangers posed by gel fuels long before last month's warning from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Pipe and slippers?

Q. Is it too late to plant corn? A. No, corn can be planted anytime from the beginning of April through the middle of June. Q. Now that school is out my kids just decided that they would like to join 4-H and exhibit at the Benton-Franklin County Fair. Can they still do this? A. The Extension office accepts enrollments year-round, but the 4-H year starts Oct. 1 and ends September 30. Your kids must be enrolled by May 1 to be eligible to exhibit in a 4-H department at the fair. However, if a youth has not enrolled by the May 1 deadline, they still can exhibit under the open youth departments. Call the Franklin County Extension office at 545-3511 for more information. Q. How long do I have to wait after applying Roundup in my garden before I can plant? A. The best answer for that is to check the label. There are a number of different formulations of Roundup and glyphosate products. Roundup Weed and Grass Killer Super Concentrate and Roundup Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer Plus products indicate that "ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs may be planted one day after application. Lawn grasses, herbs, vegetables, and fruit may be planted 3 days after application." However, Roundup Extended Control Weed and Grass Killer Plus Weed Preventer II is only for use around "driveways, sidewalk cracks, patios, paths, tree rings, mulched areas and along fence lines where any plant growth is undesired." So whichever glyphosate (now available under various product names) or Roundup product you chose to use, read and follow the label directions when using it in your landscape or garden. Q. I received several half-gallon canning jars from my grandmother. Where can I find processing directions for these jars? All I see in my canning guides are pint and quart jar recommendations. A. The only foods that can be safely canned in half-gallon jars are acidic fruit juices, such as apple and grape juice. There are no processing times for other fruits or vegetables. If you do plan to use the jars to process fruit juices, you will need a very large pot. When processing in the water bath canner, jars should be covered with 1 to 2 inches of water. It will take a tall pot to cover the half-gallon jars. * Questions should be called in to the WSU Extension offices in Kennewick at 735-3551 or Pasco at 545-3511.

These are boom times for home gardening, but as many parents know, it still isn't easy to get kids interested and involved. One way, experts say, is to teach children how to cook what they help harvest from the family garden.

NEW YORK -- For many, Memorial Day's unofficial start of summer means grilling, pool parties and kids wildly happy to be at the end of another school year.

Q. Last year the cherries from my backyard tree had worms in them. How can I get rid of these worms?

Hey, Sunshine! Set aside some time to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather crafting a bird bath and more fun outdoor projects.

Q. How do you grow red, yellow and orange peppers? Do the green ones turn color or do you have to plant a specific color?

This just in for the man, or woman, who craves a fancy-cut lawn that is the talk of the neighborhood.

For most tomato growers, it's time to get down to business.

KENNEWICK -- The Mid-Columbia Koi & Pond Club will meet at 4 p.m. May 22 for a dessert social at the home of Carmen Stafford and Gunar Riekst, 3905 S. Waverly St., Kennewick.

When Ryan Tierney was 11, he was a boy with a plan: to present Mom with a homemade book about their life together for Mother's Day.

The branches of my family tree stretch from Jackson, Calif., to Jason, N.C., even though none of my relatives (that I know of) live in either of those places.

My neighbor is a single parent of two, just like me, and he and I complain about many things -- often and with passion.

Recycle old T-shirts and make these colorful baskets.

Jenn Savedge, author of The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Earth-Friendly Living and blogger at www.thegreenparent.com and www.mnn.com, says greening our Easter baskets is not only good for the Earth, it's a great chance to be creative and bond with our kids too.

KENNEWICK -- Members of the Basin Bloomers Garden Club will hold a plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon April 30 at 2221 S. Rainier St., Kennewick.

In Asian culture, 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit.

Q. I like having quail in my yard and garden, but they tend to eat my pea seedlings each year. How can I protect my peas and not hurt the quail?