March 1987

GOD'S CREATURES, SMALL

"The weird beauty and incredible living habits of these little animals fascinate me."

IN LOVE WITH COUNTRY

THE YEAR'S HOT TOPIC: FREE PRESCHOOL

PEANUT BUTTER GOES GOURMET

LEATHER MOVES INTO THE MAINSTREAM

MIX-AND-MATCH TEXTURES AND MATERIALS

NURSING HOME INSURANCE

Nursing homes can cost from $20,000 to $30,000 a year or more. Most traditional insurance, including Medicare, won't pay the bills. Nor will Medicaid help, unless you liquidate the bulk of your assets first.

U.S. SAVINGS BONDS

Uncle Sam's EE savings bonds still look like a good investment, despite the recent cut in guaranteed rate of return. EE bonds are currently paying more than 6 percent, and rates will rise if the general rates do.

SOCIAL SECURITY And kids

GARDENER'S LOG

Cane and bush fruits are a tasty solution for gardeners who don't have the space for fruit trees. When grown against a fence, berry plants make use of otherwise unused space. The descriptions below will help you decide which berries to grow.

LEARN-SOMETHING-NEW VACATIONS!

This summer, take an adventure instead of a vacation. Whether you explore prehistoric ruins or slip quietly into an artist's private Manhattan studio, you'll take home much more than a fistful of photos.

MAKE-BELIEVE KITCHEN FOR KIDS

Our sturdy make-believe kitchen has its own cooktop, oven, sink, and oodles of brightly colored storage space with sliding and hinged doors.

STEP UP TO A NEW REC ROOM

7 WAYS TO CUT YOUR MEDICAL COSTS

A SMART SHOPPER'S GUIDE TO BUYING HEALTH CARE

DECORATOR'S GUIDE TO COLOR

Color can excite; it can also soothe, freshen, warm, or cool. Learning the basic principles of color is the key to getting the decorating look you want. Author Mary Gilliatt explains these fundamental rules and more in her latest book, The Mary Gilliatt Book of Color.

BEAUTIFYING A BAY

WATER FILTERS FOR YOUR HOME

Environmental Protection Agency testing has proved that home water filters really do work. Because each type of water filter has its own strengths and weaknesses, test your water to determine what contaminants you may need to eliminate. For $88, WaterTest of Manchester, New Hampshire, will test your water for 26 different impurities (for more information call 1-800/H2O-TEST). Your state health department or testing lab may also conduct tests for individual contaminants, at a lower overall cost.

AIR CLEANERS FOR YOUR HOME

Room air cleaners promise to rid your home of stale odors, tobacco smoke, and tiny particles of pollutants suspended in the air. Some inexpensive units simply mask smells by dispersing a scent, but many models feature odor-absorbing materials, such as carbon or activated charcoal, that help remove smells from the air.

HEAT MASSAGE

NEW WAY TO MEASURE

LANDSCAPE PLANNER

STACKED DISC PLAYER

TRANSPARENT ROD

STRETCHABLE CLAMP

TRAVEL TIPS

GOOD DEALS, GREAT FUN, AND NEW IDEAS TO GET YOU GOING

HIGH-TECH, LOW-COST ELECTRONIC HOME SECURITY

Effective, affordable, and easy to install, today's electronic home security systems help foil intruders.

KIWI FRUIT GOES MAINSTREAM

Your grocery shopping habits change with time, and nowadays you're buying items once considered exotic and costly. Not surprising, kiwi is one of newest, frequently bought fruits. Why? Because it's:

COTTAGE CHARM

"I wanted the bedroom to be restful. It's softer and more contemporary than the rest of the house. It's our private place."

WELCOME BUTTERFLIES

Think butterflies when you're planning your garden this spring. Choose the flowers and plants they like and these colorful visitors will flock to your backyard.

INSTANT DECORATING

Want a great place? Now? You can have it-- without spending a fortune or making it your life's work. Just mix some new and old furnishings with these deceptively easy finishing touches.

PASSIVE SOLAR

PASSIVE SOLAR ADD THE SPACE YOU WANT AND SAVE ENERGY, TOO!

MAKE YOUR KITCHEN STORE MORE!

Our choice buyables will turn your kitchen cabinets into storage superstars! We outfitted this kitchen in an afternoon-- using nothing more than a regular screwdriver and an electric drill.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

With each recipe we give important nutrition information. The calorie count of individual servings and the amount, in grams, of protein, fat, cholesterol, and sodium help you keep tabs on what you eat.

MOTOR-HOME RENTALS THE FAMILY WAY TO TRAVEL

Join the motor-home rental boom! In your sleek rented rig, you travel at your own pace, enjoying most of the amenities of home. There's no packing and unpacking at every stop; you can visit areas where there are no accommodations; and even while you are under way, there's plenty of room to roam.

COLOR TRICKS THAT WORK!

PUREBRED DOG RESCUE CLUBS

Organized by folks partial to a particular dog breed, rescue clubs diligently follow leads to animal shelters, pounds, even neighborhoods. The homeless and unwanted dogs they rescue are carefully matched with families looking for a new pet.

TIPS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

Lots of nine-to-fivers shop on their lunch hours, and then store things needing refrigeration in office refrigerators. Unfortunately, it's easy to forget these items when the day is over. To help jog your memory, place your car keys in the refrigerator, too.

SMALL SPACE BIG IDEAS

HOLDS-ANYTHING STORAGE UNIT

MAKE THIS VERSATILE STORAGE UNIT IN AN AFTERNOON FOR LESS THAN $60. Leave it unfinished for basement use or see page 170 for the finished version. The project hangs from the ceiling and away from the wall so that moisture and dust can't ruin your personal belongings.

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

Chris calls March the month of promise, when the yellow crocuses and other wisps of life that pop out of the ground promise that the garden catalogs are telling the truth after all.