October 2009

A month of music

4 lone stars Hear 130 bands in three days at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas Oct. 2-4 Can't make it to Austin? Listen in at aclfestival.Com

BETWEEN FRIENDS

Last October, when my whole family was home for a weekend, I bought five fat pumpkins for carving jack-o'-lanterns on the deck. We started late in the afternoon, and by the time it got dark we had five glowing reminders of our individuality.

Q: What's your favorite October celebration?

$5,000 Great Pumpkin Giveaway

Color Cruise

Things to do this month...

Want to know who to credit for your quirky traits? Interview your relatives, says Maira Liriano, genealogy specialist for the NYC Public Library. "Stories about people's lives offer clues as to who you are," she says.

Qa: How should I clean and store patio

Good fun

Beware!

Blogged...

IN THE GLASS

5 popular adult Halloween costumes

Good deed

Good read

$9.50 Tea Party for One

Light Read

Electronic readers weigh in at a mere 10 ounces, but they do some heavy lifting, storing up to 1,100 pounds of printed material.

Loose Leaf

Take a walk around the woods or a stroll around the block, then give your finds places of honor all around the house.

Paint Permit

A little confidence went a long way for one woman, who used bold strokes of color to turn her family's rental into a home.

Cozy Orange

Cozy Orange holds rooms in a warm embrace. This season, dial down the brightness to a ruddier shade.

Suite Retreat

It's a common problem: How to make a spacious master bedroom an inviting and usable getaway? Designer Elaine Griffin turns this austere room into a grown-up sanctuary.

Camped Out

A 275-square-foot screen porch gives a young family an at-homes retreat where they savor crisp fall days.

Big Chill

Easy meals, tasty seasonal produce, and budget-saving leftovers await you in a super-organized freezer.

House Calls with Stephen Saint-Onge

In this by-mail makeover, Stephen shows that a sketch and a plan can give you the confidence to transform your own space.

House-Wise with Danny Lipford

Is your unfinished basement the extra room you've been looking for?

From the Ground Up

A dismal basement gains a bright outlook with a space-stretching palette, loads of storage, and-- smart!-- two seating areas.

Beyond Bottles and Cans

YOU'RE COMMITTED TO CURBSIDE RECYCLING. NOW HOW DO YOU TACKLE THE TOUGH STUFF? CHECK OUT THESE SOLUTIONS FOR SEVEN HARD-TO-RECYCLE ITEMS.

The Grin Crowd

Everyone-- including the decorations-- is all smiles at an outdoor party built around fall's favorite fruit.

The Late Show

Spectacular fall gardens turn a patio into the best seat in the house.

Exotic Oriental Rainbow Poppy Garden

Show and Spell

Taken your pumpkins to bewitching heights this year with these displays.

Mum's the Word

It's no secret-- mums are the easiest way to punch up autumn gardens with golwing color.

Qa: Planting Bulbs

Getting the most from these dazzling spring beauties means planting them right-- and right now.

Fall for Leaves

2-liter feeder

THE UN-MUM

Garden smarts

Qa: Do hedge apples keep spiders out of houses?

BRIGHT BOUNTY

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

25 years is the expected life of an outdoor LED light...

PREYING ON BUGS

A constant calm

THE VIEW CHANGES WITH THE SEASONS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS PEACEFUL IN THIS HOUSE IN THE HILLS. FOR THE FAMILY THAT LIVES HERE, SIMPLICITY IS SECOND NATURE.

Working Order

MARY ABBOTT DIDN'T LET HER LONG, NARROW KITCHEN GET THE BEST OF HER. SHE JUST MADE EVERYTHING COUNT-- FROM THE HANDY WORK ZONES TO SMARTLY DETAILED WOODWORK. HERE ARE SIX WAYS TO MELD FUNCTION AND PERSONALITY.

Ode to Fall

ORCHESTRATE AN AUTUMN MASTERPIECE. BEYOND LEAF COLOR, THINK SHAPE AND TEXTURE.

Tricked-Out Treats

MOM, DAD, CAN I HAVE THE KEYS?

Qa: Is it bad for you to hold back your sneezes?

Let's Make a Deal

Whether you're shopping for clothes or a sectional sofa, there's a sure-fire way to pay less: negotiate.

Peace Will Come

Irritating, yes. But sib squabbles are dress rehearsals for life.

Parents Team Up for Teens

Four couples adopt the "it takes a village" approach to raising adolescents.

Pamper Yourself

I Did It!