Picking a pumpkin can be a fun family affair
October 19, 2011
Katie Haynes was on a mission to pick the perfect pumpkin from the plethora in the pumpkin patch at Fall City Farms.
The 4-year-old tromped among the bright orange gourds, intently inspecting the offerings until she spied the one she had been looking for.
Katie Haynes, of Fall City, carries the perfect pumpkin she found at Fall City Farms’ pumpkin patch. Every fall thousands of people head to Snoqualmie Valley u-pick pumpkin patches for a fun, sometimes muddy outing. See a slideshow of photos at www.snovalleystar.com. By Dan Catchpole
Her arms barely wrapped around the pumpkin, which she proudly carried back to her parents, Ashley and Paul Haynes.
“I wanted the perfect one, and I found it,” Katie declared.
So, what made the tall, oblong pumpkin she picked perfect?
It had no dirt on it, she said, adding, “I liked the way it was shaped.”
No doubt, the Haynes family could have found a similar pumpkin sans dirt at a grocery store in just a few minutes for less money. Instead, the Fall City family spent the morning looking for a perfect one along with a few hundred other people.
A few minutes in the fall can save hours in spring
October 19, 2011
Fall is here and winter is fast approaching, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a jump on gardening next spring.
Gardeners can reduce the work they will have to do next year by preparing their garden for winter. Taking a few steps will minimize the weeds, diseases and pests, and create a healthier garden for next spring.
To protect your soil from winter’s harsh conditions and to make it harder for weeds to sprout, cover it with burlap. Contributed
Gardens in the late fall in the Snoqualmie Valley don’t look like they are brimming with life, but below the surface, important developments are taking place. Divided perennials, transplanted trees and shrubs, and strong bulbs are still growing and expanding their root systems. Organic material is still being processed by microbes and earthworms.
In general, the plants that do the best in the area’s weather are native species. They have already adapted to the region’s wet and cold winter weather.
Don’t leave the soil bare, cautions Joan Helbacka, a King County master gardener with Washington State University’s Extension Program. Helbacka is giving a talk about preparing gardens for winter at the Snoqualmie Library at 7 p.m. Oct. 24.
Winter is coming: Get your home ready now
October 19, 2011
So winter’s coming. That means imitating squirrels and starting to stock up on stuff for the cold months ahead. And you better start now, right?
Maybe.
In some aspects, it makes sense to winterize your home while winter is still a few weeks away and you can step out onto your front yard without fearing mud up to your ankles or a fall on the ice.
But while starting early is recommended, it’s not mandatory for everything.
Bryan Woolsey, co-owner of Snoqualmie’s Carmichael’s True Value hardware store, said good winterizing tasks include insulating windows and doors, protecting pipes from freezing, and blocking underneath the house.
“The stagnant air under the house actually helps keep pipes warm,” he said. “Of course, you don’t want stagnant air there continuously because it will make things rot.”
The solution, he added, is blocking the cold air to keep it from blowing the warm air out and freezing the pipes.
Cardboard, insulation and Styrofoam can be used to block the cold breezes.
Springtime brings warmer weather, new household pests
April 20, 2011
It is spring. Time to break out of your winter slumber and wake up.
But humans aren’t the only living things shaking off winter’s sedentary ways. Insects and rodents are waking up, too, and they are hungry.
Their search for food and warm spaces can take them into your house.
The carpenter ant can cause many headaches for homeowners. The insects begin swarming in spring, as they search for new nesting sites. Contributed
Alan LaBissoniere, owner of Frontier Pest Control in North Bend, has already been out on several calls dealing with springtime pests.
The main culprits people need to be wary of are carpenter ants, odorous house ants and wasps, according to LaBissoniere.
The animals — like carpenter ants — perform useful jobs in their natural habitat, which help dead wood decompose faster. But inside or around your home, wasps and ants can become pests. Carpenter ants are especially troublesome, because they can cause structural damage.
Clearing clutter is tough but worthwhile work
April 20, 2011
With so many demands on people’s time nowadays, it isn’t easy to keep a house or apartment in order.
With small spaces, it only takes a little clutter to make it look messy. Sometimes, people find themselves overwhelmed by clutter, and they need help in sorting through it.
Cleaning up the clutter can give a living room a well-organized look. Contributed
Enter Shannon Guild, owner of TruSimplicity, a North Bend-based professional organizing service.
Guild says organizing space boils down to three key steps:
- Eliminate the clutter: Purge unneeded things until only items that are necessary or loved remain.
- Define the space: What is the purpose of the room? What is going to happen in this room? What things live in this room?
- Create storage space: Use functional, aesthetically pleasing storage. Storage systems should make it easier to put things away.
Of course, applying those three steps are often easier said than done. That is especially true with the first step.
Keep on gardening in the fall
October 27, 2010
Clouds are looming, skies are graying, thick sweaters are back in vogue and so is hot cocoa. What’s an outdoorsy person to do?
Well, reach for that spade, of course.
Gardening in the fall differs from gardening during the warmer months and we’re not just talking wardrobe.
We’re talking about how you take care of your plants and flowers, how you water them, how you protect them from frost.
Experts recommend mulching around the base of plants to keep the roots from freezing.
“You really need to protect the plant,” said Kitty Holland, nursery manager at North Bend’s Ace Hardware and Garden.
If the plant is in a pot, mulching is just as important, she added.
Watering is a different story.
Remodels can add value and beauty
October 27, 2010
With the economic recession and sluggish recovery, trends have changed in home remodeling projects in the past couple years.
Many clients of First Choice Carpentry are looking to add value to their homes and improve their energy efficiency, according to Max Capestany, the Issaquah-based company’s project specialist.
First Choice Carpentry founder John Capestany (right) talks with one of the company’s designers while working on a home remodel project. Contributed
The company has worked extensively in the Snoqualmie Valley, including framing houses on Snoqualmie Ridge.
The tight housing market has changed some homeowners’ plans, he said.
“Some had planned on getting a bigger house as their family expanded, but they can’t sell, so they’re adding another bedroom instead,” he said.
Other homeowners are taking advantage of tax credits to improve their houses’ energy efficiency and save on their heating bills. Some are just taking advantage of a buyers’ market.
While it will continue to be a buyers’ market for the near future, tax credits for energy improvements will go away soon. The credits in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2008 expire at the end of the year.
Fall is a good time to make your home energy efficient for winter
October 27, 2010
With the start of fall, Puget Sound Energy reminds customers that now is a good time to prepare homes for colder temperatures and to manage heating costs by taking simple steps to be more energy efficient.
“As the heating season approaches, consumers should consider making any needed repairs to furnaces now, so they are ready and operating efficiently when colder weather arrives,” said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services at PSE.
“It also is a good time to take advantage of our rebates for energy-efficient heating systems, such as heat pumps, boilers, natural-gas furnaces, water heaters and insulation products. A few simple measures to save energy will help lower energy costs.”
Cash for Appliances announces last call for rebates on energy-efficient appliances
October 27, 2010
Washington state residents can still save money on appliance upgrades, but time is running out.
Residents can receive rebates for buying energy-efficient appliances through the Cash for Appliances program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Only completed applications will be processed, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Commerce, which administers the program.
Applications with missing or incomplete information will be returned. Residents must submit their completed applications before funds run out.
The program has less than 20 percent of its funding still available.
So far, Cash for Appliances has given more than $4 million in rebates to more than 30,000 Washington residents who have purchased new, energy-efficient Energy Star appliances.
Call 811 hotline before digging to avoid utility lines
April 24, 2010
NEW — 6:00 a.m. April 24, 2010
Puget Sound Energy encourages residents to call the 811 Call Before You Dig hotline to schedule a free utility locator service before digging for construction of a fence or deck, for planting trees and shrubs or removing a tree stump.
