June 1991

TIME FOR BARBECUE AND CASH PRIZES

It's that time of year again. Time to fire up the grill and start making all those wonderful barbecue meals. Actually, at our house we never really stop. I can often be seen in the middle of our Iowa winter in parka and mittens, waving a spatula around over the grill on our back deck, as if performing some magic incantation to ward off the frigid demons.

WANTED: FAVORITE RECIPES THAT NEED A NUTRITION MAKE-OVER

A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN ON A SHOESTRING

Some people finagle their piece of paradise on earth by shouldering a six-figure mortgage. New Yorker Sue Hersh chose instead to assemble her nirvana piece by piece. Starting with a weed-choked, overgrown lot on Long Island and a derelict house that once stored boats, she has gradually created a wonderfully personal, one-of-a-kind retreat that couldn't be bought elsewhere at any price. Her chief resources: a teacher's modest salary, an artist's eye for beauty, and the patience to let things bear fruit in their own good time.

WHEN KIDS FLUNK

WHEN KIDS FLUNK Should your child repeat a grade?

THE BIG SCOOP ON FROZEN DESSERTS

Double chocolate crunch! Strawberry sherbet! Sugar-free vanilla! How can you decide? Picking a scoop or pint of ice cream or other frozen dessert is tougher today than ever before (even if you're a diehard chocoholic). You're faced with deciding between your favorite flavor or the latest low-fat sensation, and wondering the whole time whether you really can have good taste and good nutrition.

CARPAL TUNNEL PAIN

CARPAL TUNNEL PAIN Surprise! You may be at risk. Here's help.

SUMMERTIME SAFETY SENSE

SUMMERTIME SAFETY SENSE Good advice for families with kids

THE GREAT AMERICAN BACKYARD

American families in the '90s are discovering that they have another inalienable right: The pursuit of summer fun! Instead of dreaming of some faraway place for vacation, we're retreating more to our own backyards as the first, not the last, resort. Why the switch? The families featured on the following pages will say that staying home can be like "getting away" every day. After all, why leave town in search of relaxation when you can find it right outside your own back door?

LAP OF LUXURY

Laps, laughter, and lazy days define summer for Rex and Marlene Gilley and their teenage daughter, Jennifer. The family's refurbished backyard in Portland, Oregon, fulfills their vision of paradise: a swimming pool and pool house, private patios, and carefree landscaping.

ON THE BOARD WALK

Big, beautiful shade trees sold Tom and Naniscah Apperson on the neighborhood when they bought their suburban Portland, Oregon, home. Even though the narrow, steep lot posed a design challenge, "We thought the yard had great possibilities for outdoor living," says Tom.

DECKED OUT WITH FLOWERS

Fresh flowers were little luxuries that Elaine Bernstein bought for bouquets at a florist's shop until she and her husband Arthur moved from the confines of the city to the wide-open spaces of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Today, she luxuriates in blooms by surrounding their seaside home with flowers-- the living, growing kind.

POOLSIDE SAFETY

If you own a swimming pool, safety should be your primary concern. Here are some tips to keep your pool both safe and fun this summer.

DECORATING CONTEST $75,000 IN CASH AND MERCHANDISE PRIZES

Our judges are looking for imaginative ideas, a good sense of style and color, and a pleasing blend of elements. There are three Best-of-Contest awards, including one grand prize winner and two runners-up, plus winners in each of the seven Divisions listed on the entry form below.

HILLTOP HAVEN

YOU CAN COMPLETE THIS PORCH SWING IN A WEEKEND

At home with any style of house, the Lazy-Days Porch Swing is easy to build. Just one weekend of woodworking effort will gain you years of swaying satisfaction. The swing measures a roomy 64½ inches long, big enough for two adults to visit, or for three children to giggle away an afternoon.

MAKE-IT-MODULAR OUTDOOR FURNITURE

LANDSCAPING A TINY YARD

FAST, EASY, MODULAR DECK SYSTEM

Imagine a deck you can build, unlock, take apart, and rebuild in a completely new shape. Imagine a deck with a handsome parquet pattern in which no nails, knots, or fasteners of any kind mar the surface.

COOK-TO-COOK HOTLINE

NUTRITION INFORMATION

With each recipe, we give important nutrition information. The calorie count of each serving and the amount, in grams, of fat, cholesterol, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and sodium help you keep tabs on what you eat. We also include the percent of calories coming from fat.

A FLOWER GARDEN SAMPLER

Let your needle stroll down this cross-stitched garden path where bees buzz among the poppies and daffodils and colors come alive against an earthy and textural background.

OUTDOOR SHOWERS

TIPS FROM MORRIS ON ADOPTING A CAT

Morris wasn't always finicky. He started life as one of millions of unwanted cats. He was doing time in a Massachusetts animal shelter when handler Bob Martwick rescued him from a fate worse than obscurity.

LADDER ROUNDUP

One of the most important tools for keeping up the exterior of a house is a secure ladder. Here are five different types of ladders you can climb to maintain those hard-to-reach places-- and some safety tips to help prevent accidents.

FAMILY BEACH VACATIONS

Of course you look forward to sand and sun on your beach vacation. But, there's other family fun to be found, too, from browsing quaint fishing harbors to visiting theme parks. Here's a selection of great beaches from coast to coast, each with its own special allure.

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence.

HOW TO ORDER

Our Barbecue Tool Set includes basting brush, tongs, fork, knife, grill brush, and spatula. All are extra long for outdoor cooking (about 16 inches) with wood handles and leather hanging loops. All utensils are stainless steel. Our All-Purpose Grill Basket can be used directly over the coals on your outdoor grill or in the fireplace. Easy to turn, easy to use, and easy to dean; adjustable cover heights. Perfect for fish, poultry, meats, or vegetables. Our set of four 15-inch Skewers is great for the grill. Distinctive animal shapes adorn the ends for a decorative touch to this functional item. Our Barbecue Spatula/Tongs is a handy combination tool. Stainless steel, about 14 inches long.

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

An ideal spring day, explains Burt, Jr., is one that's warm enough to play baseball but too cool to clean out the garage.