June 1977

Tracing your Family Tree

Where did your family live 50 years ago? 100 years ago? 200 years ago? How did your great-grandfather earn his living? What was his wife's maiden name? Tracking down the answers to these and other questions may start you on an exciting trip into the past-- your personal family history.

House buying: how to dig up that down payment

Buying a house is the best investment a young couple can make but coming up with the money gets tougher all the time. Because of rising housing costs and increasing down payment requirements, a couple today must carefully plan and save to realize their dream of owning a home.

Step-by-step project scrapbook

GARDENING IN JUNE

The old adage "A stitch in time saves nine" applies to the vegetable or flower garden at this time of year. Check plants frequently for indications of trouble. Many insect, disease, or nutritional problems can be easily solved if detected early. However, once the damage is extensive, it may be too late for remedies.

HOW MUCH HOUSE CAN YOU AFFORD?

That's a tough question for many families these days. Both new and older home prices are rising all the time. Loans are often hard to get. Taxes and utilities can set any budget reeling.

Can-Do Canvas Furnishings

When it comes to versatility and durable good looks, few fabrics can compete with casual canvas. Here are some ideas to help you capitalize on canvas both inside and outside your house.

HOW TO CHEER UP A DREARY KITCHEN

A bump-out breakfast nook adjacent to the kitchen gives the Richard Learneds a front-row seat to a constantly changing outdoor panorama. Originally, the kitchen ended with sliding glass doors on the wall in front of the table and chairs. To eke out a small garden spot for eating, eight-foot-tall, three-foot-wide sliding glass doors were pushed out three feet, 17-inch-wide glass panels were installed on each side of the doors, and a glass wall was extended to enclose the structure. ...

THE BASIC BOX

TOY INVENTORY

The last day of school always signals the start of vacation and fun-filled summer days for children. But often youngsters' initial euphoria is soon replaced by complaints that "there's nothing to do." If that happens at your house, use these ideas to trigger a whole summer of creative activity.

BACKYARD MAGIC

Your own backyard is filled with wonders for your child to explore. Butterflies, leaves, and rocks are all grist to a youthful imagination.

GUESSING GAMES

The summer family outings and longer trips can be special adventures for children. Direct their eyes and minds outside the car and comic books with the old-favorite counting or guessing games such as:

What's what in roof brackets

TIPS TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

A REGULAR FEATURE DESIGNED TO MAKE AROUND-THE-HOUSE JOBS EASIER FOR YOU

WHAT THE NEW COSMETICS LABELS TELL YOU

If you take a good look at the label of the next cosmetic product you buy, you may see something new: a list of the ingredients. All cosmetics labeled since April 15, 1977, bear such a listing.

Backyard pools: before you take the plunge

Outdoor pools can be great family recreation, but their upkeep can be costly and time-consuming. Before you take the plunge, make sure you know what that upkeep involves.

Super simple storage center

Any room of your house would function more efficiently with this build-it-yourself storage center. It's versatile enough to serve as a bookshelf, game center, stereo center, and entertainment center all in one. In the family room, the unit can hold games and things for kids and adults, and in the dining room it can serve handsomely as a buffet and plant center.

Upbeat beds for kids

LIVE OUT AND LOVE IT!

Want to expand your horizons right at home? You can do it, even if your lot is little. Simply explore the outdoor living ideas in this issue, decide which ones suit you best, then set to work translating them to your yard. When you're done, you're all set for outsize outdoor fun this summer, and many summers to come.

Farm & Ranch vacations

Live the urban life long enough, and you begin to think that eggs grow in cartons and corn comes out of cans. Far worse, you lose the tranquillity that comes with feeling nature's flow: the sense that all existence derives from the soil, and that feasting is a celebration of having produced one's daily bread. For children, nothing could be more rewarding than to become aware of these basics, and for grown-ups nothing more peaceful.

Wine Finery

Serving wines-- and other spirits-- with elegance can make a humble beverage seem noble, and a good vintage even better. The giftable assortment shown here includes everything from corkscrews to carafes, shot glasses to champagnes.

Canned food storage

To be sure canned foods will be at their flavor peak when you serve them, follow these suggestions.

LOW-CALORIE MAIN DISHES VEGETABLE CASSEROLES

Are you a whiz at dreaming up calorie-shy main dishes? Do your winter vegetable casseroles win praise from all your friends? Send us your recipes-- you could be a prizewinner next January. Two Cooks-of-the-Month receive $50 each. Four Runners-up receive $25 each, and 10 Honor Roll Winners get $10 each. The selected winning recipes will be pictured on the Prize Tested Recipes pages next January.

WHEN A FAMILY FIGHTS OVER FINANCES

It's a rare family that escapes money squabbles altogether. In fact, over half the families interviewed in a national survey sponsored by General Mills in 1974 admitted that they fought about money a lot. With some families, money conflicts disguise other problems, and professional counseling may be in order.

A GUIDE TO NAIL CARE

Although we normally take our nails for granted, they are more than mere decorations or a handy tool for scratching an itch. They can be an indication of how healthy we are. Our fingernails also help us to grasp objects.

How to order material from the magazine

Easy omelets

No-scorch iron

Emergency light

Flexible first aid

Energy-efficient gas furnace

Extra wide vacuum

How to cage tomatoes

SCAFFOLDING HOW-TO

Sometimes doing a job isn't nearly as hard as getting at the job to do it. For lack of a sky hook, you may have had to hire a professional to repair the roof or work on the chimney. Next time you've got a job you know you're up to doing if you could get up to it, think about renting scaffolding. ...

HOW TO CHOOSE A BOARDING KENNEL

If you're faced with the prospect of boarding your pet the next time the family leaves town, don't wait till you load up the car before checking into kennel possibilities. Parting with your pet will be easier if you know the kennel you've chosen provides top-notch care.

A rainbow of glad colors

Every imaginable flower color is possible for your rainbow of gladiolus because there are more than 1,000 varieties to choose from.

Do-it-yourself bodywork Touch up dings and scratches

Is your car a loser in the battle against parking dings and rust rot? You can fix minor body damage yourself; all you need is a windless 60-degree (or warmer) day, clear skies, and a handful of materials.

Better Homes Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence. If not delighted, each company will happily refund your money.

The Man Next Door

On the brighter side of things this summer, higher prices at the service station make it less embarrassing to use your credit card to purchase a gallon of gas for the lawn mower.