July 2006

The words "easy" and "summer" are a perfect match

In fact, pull out a thesaurus and look up the word "easy" and you'll get a wonderful blueprint for summer: content, effortless, easy as pie (strawberry-rhubarb, preferably), smooth sailing, a piece of cake. "Easy" also translates as a picnic, a breeze, child's play, and no sweat (well, what's July without a little perspiration?) Throw open windows and the season rolls right in, bringing every well-worn, well-loved summery cliché that tends our wintered imaginations: the smell of new-mown lawns and barbecue smoke, sudden bright peals of children's laughter echoing through the neighborhood, evenings awash in the sound of crickets. We give ourselves to the casual and relaxed.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE ON BHG.COM

GARDEN FLOWER GALLERY

FOURTH OF JULY FUN

Playful and Patriotic

CHECK MATE Relive memories of picnics on the grass with a bench cover made from gingham oilcloth, the wipeable '40s fabric recognized by bold, bright red checks. Cut oilcloth to the seat measurements, adding three to five inches on all sides for a skirt. (With gingham, it's easy to keep a straight line when cutting.) At each corner, notch a square equal to the skirt depth to allow the cover to drape over the seat. Soften the scene by adding padding underneath the bench cover.

The Little parade that could

What began as a few kids riding bikes decked out in red, white, and blue has turned into a parade and party that draws thousands to this close-knit California neighborhood.

ROOM FOR STYLE

Using a neutral palette sparked by vivid accents, a Brooklyn designer makes the most of a 600-square-foot apartment.

SALVAGING CHARM

A dilapidated Texas bungalow gets an update with refreshed furnishings and recycled accents.

TOP 20 CONTEST

We're getting ready for the Better Homes and Gardens Top 20 Contest, and we can't wait for you to get involved! We'll be taking a look at all the imaginative, smart ideas you have for creative living-- and we have 20 categories for you to enter. Whether it's building a child's play space, planting a family garden, or carving out a home office that really works, we'd love to see it. As inspiration, we want you to meet Katy and Giovanni Flammia of Brookline, Massachusetts. They entered our previous contest after remodeling their kitchen (below) and transforming their attic into a new master suite. We love the results of all their hard work-- as well as their enthusiasm. Read on to find out why.

Float a Flower Garden

EDITOR'S PICK

Mocktails

ICE DREAM

CHERRY-O!

Out-and-out style

A Wild Time

MOSS IS BOSS

LE PIQUE-NIQUE

Ten days after the U.S. celebrates Independence Day, the French celebrate their independence from the monarchy with Bastille Day. Given our mutual love for democracy, here's how to turn an American picnic into a backyard pique-nique with a little French twist.

PARADISE CONTAINED

Showy plant partners in pots and sunken gardens enliven this New Jersey terrace and act as test runs for future plantings.

OUTDOOR CHIC

FRESHNESS--ALWAYS IN SEASON

A formal Atlanta kitchen garden offers seasonal produce, from the tender salad greens of spring through the last Brussels sprouts of fall.

PATIO WITH A SECRET

SERENE LANDSCAPE

KER-SPLASH!

Every kid knows there's no better way to make a big splash than with the cannonball. "The cannonball is the direct opposite of what we want to see from Olympic divers," says Steve McFarland, two-time Olympic diving judge and vice president of USA Diving.

GEAR UP TO GRILL

PRESERVING FRIENDSHIP

RAINY-DAY BASEBALL BASH

SPITTIN' DISTANCE

KNOW YOUR LINGO

FIREFLIES

GO FLY A KITE

TELL Your Story

Writing memoirs is easier than you might think-- and it's a lasting way to leave a legacy for your family and their descendents.

HOW TO Survive A Remodeling

Home renovations can stress out any family. Learn how to keep your privacy-- and your sanity-- while the contractors do their job.

Fascinated WITH Factories

Factory visits used to be the stuff of school field trips. Now more companies are opening their doors-- and planning their tours-- with grown-ups in mind.

Hello, Country Life

Lois Freedman's front porch is a favorite weekend gathering spot. Her friends, from left, Laurie Tommosino, Neil Curry, Richard Nocera, and Aimee Szparaga enjoy a pre-dinner visit.

A Garden Gathers Momentum

... Gardening in the Adirondacks takes grit, humor, and some strong-willed plants. Rocky soil is a constant challenge, bugs attack gardens and gardeners alike, and the weather is unpredictable. An oft-repeated Adirondack saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait fifteen minutes, it'll change," is a clue to the difficulty of gardening here. Yet Deedee Wigmore, a weekender, has gardened here for 34 years; her plants thrive amidst the challenges.

TASTE OF SUMMER

GRILLING GEAR

HARD FACTS ON SOFT DRINKS

PROJECT PLANS

A signature event

We need a long weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July. There's so much to do: gather up the lawn chairs for the morning parade, make potato salad for the family reunion, gather up the lawn chairs again for the evening concert and bombastic fireworks show. There are baseball games to attend, from Little League on up to the majors, lots of burgers and hot dogs and ice cream to eat, and homemade lemonade to drink.