June 2006

1716 LOCUST

FIRE UP THE GRILL!

GARDEN PLANS

CUSTOMER SERVICE ON BHG.COM

You could WIN a Spa Getaway!

Inspired by Patchwork

The timeless craft of patchwork gets a fashionable spin with these modern interpretations.

Gathering for the good times

Dining with dignitaries at the White House and hosting receptions at the Governor's Mansion have been standard fare for much of David and Barbara Pryor's life together. During David's political career-- which included decades spent in Washington as a senator and a member of the House of Representatives as well as a term as the governor of Arkansas-- fine dining was all in a day's work.

NEUTRAL TERRITORY

Layers of texture, a focus on form, and a few strategic dashes of color spice up a subdued palette in the living room of this Rhode Island home.

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

Castoff furnishings and salvaged objects from an Atlanta basement find a second life in this Rosemary Beach, Florida, getaway.

COMING HOME TO A FRESH START

A Washington State woman returns to her roots and gives a dated bungalow-- and herself-- a new beginning.

48-HOUR MAKEOVER

Ready, set, go! One blah room, two free days, and a decorating adventure equal a fun and personal space to enjoy now.

ROMANCE BEHIND THE WALLS

A hidden courtyard garden in Virginia, lovingly tended by its English-born owners, offers lessons in small-space design and romantic style.

EAST MEETS DECK

A fascination with all things Turkish prompts a talented designer to transform her outdoor space into an exotic oasis.

CULTIVATING A NEW LIFE

A former top executive finds happiness tending her gardens and crossing thousands of daylilies to create new varieties.

GROWING HOME AGAIN

An award-winning inner-city garden in the demanding climate of the Arizona desert honors the owners' Southwestern family heritage.

Party Drama

It's About Time

I'll Have T-Bone

WHAT'S IN A FRAME?

100 Years of Design

Pattern's Fresh Face

WHERE'S THE SHELF?

CLEAN MACHINE

Brewing Good

Just Dip

Great Find: High-Design Feeder

Prince of a Gardener

FOR THE BIRDS

SWINGIN' WEEKEND

The world takes on a whole new perspective when viewed from a gently swaying hammock. Don't have two perfectly spaced trees? No problem. You'll still have it made in the shade when you buy a sturdy hammock stand and set aside space on a patio, sunroom, or deck.

SUMMER'S BEST LEMONADE

BLUE-RIBBON FAIRS

SLUGGER SCARECROW

BROKER TO BEACHCOMBER

ROCKING THE BLOCK

At a block party everyone relaxes, has fun, and gets to know each other. Host a neighborhood get-together this summer and spur long-time friendships!

SLICES OF SUMMER

TAKE IT OUTSIDE

SLICES OF SUMMER

SOOTHE sibling clashes

Brothers bickering? Sisters squabbling? Help your children work toward peaceful resolutions, and watch the conflicts and rivalries diminish.

VIBRANT DAYLILIES

Vacations WITH A heart

Spending quality time together takes on a whole new meaning when you travel with your family on a volunteer vacation.

TAKE Charge OF YOUR Debt

Dig yourself out of credit card debt-- or avoid pay-by-credit pitfalls in the first place. And if you're thinking about bankruptcy, think again.

PARENT LIABILITY: Know the ropes

Your child made a mistake, but you're shouldering the consequences. Keep your family out of trouble and learn liability laws in your state.

Cottage Industry

When they talk about their previous remodeling experiences, including overhauling their last home and adding on to a vacation cabin, Lisa simply remarks that renovation is their "hobby". In describing their latest project-which involved turning a 1,100-square-foot cottage into a family home nearly triple that size--Jeff nonchalantly calls it a "fun challenge." Add in that Lisa designed the new space, she and Jeff served as general contractors, and Jeff built some of the cabinetry, installed V-groove paneling, and did electrical work.

High on Hydrangeas

Gloria Ward is one of those gardeners who wears a constant smile even on the hottest days of summer. Her sea of blue hydrangeas makes her beam, especially knowing that there is always room for one more.

Coming Home to Paradise

From the comfy club chair in the bay window of her living room, Kris Hermance takes in a view of water, wetlands, and trees.

NASTURTIUM'S PEPPERY PUNCH

Bright, multi-color flowers and lily pad-shape leaves identify the edible ornamental plant, nasturtium. A member of the cress family (it is also called "Indian cress"), it perks up fresh summer dishes with its pungent, peppery flavor.

CLASSIC BEAUTIES

Treasure or Trash?

Yard sales are great places to snag deals on books, furniture, and bric-a-brac. But beware: Not all that glitters should be resold.

WAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Are mornings a slow trudge through mental molasses for you? There's a reason for that. It's called sleep inertia. "It takes the brain a little time to transition from sleeping to alert wakefulness," says Kenneth Wright, director of the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Father's Day Gift Guide

Choose gifts that will help keep Dad healthy and safe this Father's Day and all the days thereafter. Here are some to consider.

What Are the Odds?

The best thing about summer is that you get to spend so much time outside. The worst thing about summer is that you get to spend so much time outside.

THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED

KNOW YOUR MOWING

Heart Health On the Periphery

Until recently vascular disease-- which affects the blood vessels outside the heart, including the carotid arteries, the aorta, and the veins and arteries in the legs and arms-- was considered primarily a man's disease. No longer.

REACH FOR SUNBURN RELIEF

AFTER THE ACCIDENT

Boredom Busters for Best Friends

Have you ever come home at the end of the day to find your shoes chewed to bits or your curtains pulled off the rods? Believe it or not, your dog or cat isn't being deliberately destructive, says Patricia McConnell, a certified applied animal behaviorist in Black Earth, Wisconsin, and author of The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs. "He sees it as trying to play with something interesting," she says.

SPECIAL delivery

I always try to keep a book of stamps in the car for emergencies, such as a sudden urge to send someone I know a jackalope postcard. I don't have too many other reasons for needing a stamp these days, since I otherwise rely on e-mail to keep in touch with far-flung friends and family, and we pay all of our bills online.