Posts

The country estate in Danvers, Massachusetts, had its beginnings in 1814 when Joseph Peabody, a successful Salem shipping merchant, bought a farm for his family’s summer home. He hired George Huessler, a Dutch horticulturalist, to design a large ornamental garden at the back of the house. Known as the “old-fashioned garden,” it still exists today and signifies the cultural shift from perceiving land as a productive commodity to developing it for pleasure’s sake—a shift made possible by rapid economic growth and wealth in the 1800s....

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup shortening ¼ cup butter, cut up, or shortening ¼ cup cold water Meringue for Pie 4 egg whites ½ cup water 2 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup sugar Coconut Cream Pie Prepare as directed, except stir in 1 cup toasted flaked coconut with the butter and vanilla. Sprinkle the finished pie with 1/3 cup toasted flaked coconut....

Tip For easy assembly, prepare all of the ingredients before you begin filling and rolling the spring rolls. To Make Ahead Prepare spring rolls as directed. Spray lightly with water and place in an airtight container, leaving space between rolls. Chill up to 1 hour before serving.

At the beginning of summer, Virginia bluebells recede into the soil. Their foliage slowly dies back and an empty space extends where the cheerful purple blossoms once stood. Plan for bluebells’ early retirement, and your garden color show will hardly miss a beat. Plant Virginia bluebells with other shade-loving perennials such as hosta, astilbe, bugbane, Solomon’s seal, and ferns. These perennials are just beginning to poke out of the ground when bluebells are ringing in spring....

Folded Items Wire closet organizers look nice and streamline walk-in closet storage, and they are also a good way to let clothes breathe. Ventilated shelves allow clothes to air out so they are less likely to harbor mold and pests. Many wire shelving systems offer snap-on shelf dividers that let you sort clothes more thoroughly. Remember to sort like with like, and keep stacks of clothes below 1-foot in height to ensure they don’t topple over....

“I save around $100 a month,” says Ja-ne de Abreu, author of Sassy Food, on growing veggies at home. “Sometimes more depending on the season and trades. Regardless of the money, it is fun and brings me and my family peace.” Of course, your individual bottom line will depend on factors like how many vegetables you’re growing, the space, and the type of materials. An Investopedia report on gardening costs notes that some of the expenses to expect when starting your own vegetable garden are the cost of the plants or seeds, nutrient-rich soil additives such as compost, specialized tools, and utilities such as water for your crops....

Do you need to take down bird feeders and waterers? Many of us delight in seeing songbirds visit our feeders and waterers. But when a disease outbreak occurs, one of the first questions we ask is “do I need to take them down?” In the case of bird flu, there have been some mixed messages. The University of Minnesota Raptor Center and at least three states (Michigan, Illinois, and Montana) have recommended taking feeders down....

You pronounce “chiffonade” like shif-uh-nahd or shif-uh-neyd; both are acceptable. Cutting an herb or leafy greens into a chiffonade is not only attractive but helps release flavor. The technique also makes quick work of chopping. You’ll most commonly see chiffonade called for when using basil, but you can also use it for salads and other dishes. How to Chiffonade The only tools you’ll need to chiffonade basil or any other leafy green ingredients are a chef’s knife and a cutting board....

“It’s a time for remembering loved ones and welcoming back their spirits,” says Pati Jinich, cookbook author and host of the PBS television series Pati’s Mexican Table. The holiday began in Mexico but is now celebrated all over the world by people with ties to Mexican culture. The premise of the holiday is simple: to pray for and remember friends and family members who have passed away. Learn all about Day of the Dead, the traditions, how its observed, and how to decorate for Day of the Dead....

Marketers have been known to push the concept that bigger is always better, which helps explain the misconception that higher thread count always equals higher quality. This isn’t to say that thread count doesn’t matter entirely—but there’s a threshold. In the early 2000s, manufacturers took multiple threads and weaved them together so they could market the sheets as having double the thread count they actually did, says Parima Ijaz, founder of Pure Parima, as a way to make more money....

1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (4-1/4 cups) 3 tablespoon meringue powder ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla **Tip: Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store.

The Chinese empress tree’s gift for growing at lightning speeds (for a tree) is actually a curse. They have become very invasive in the United States. They’re even classified as a noxious weed in Connecticut, where sales of this species are banned. Just one tree can take over an entire garden in a few years and choke out other plants around it by cutting off sunlight and sucking up resources like water and nutrients....

Dress up an old patio set with spray paint. Give an old glass vase the look of antique mercury glass. Learn how to paint your front door for instant curb appeal! If your cabinets have been painted before, you’ll want to determine what type of paint was used. This is important because an oil-base finish requires an oil-base sealer and primer. To test a painted surface, soak a cotton ball in ammonia and stick it to the surface with an adhesive bandage or tape....