July 2009

BETWEEN FRIENDS

recently, we've seen a spate of news items reporting that friendships help prolong life. Good to know, but I'm pretty sure that most of us value our friends for what they add to our life right now-- the fun, the easy conversation, the generous support when we need it.

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Casual Summer Style

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Savor the Best of Summer

Cool off

Seek out a natural body of water this month to chill out. Spring-fed swimming holes are an invigorating way to refresh your spirit during the dog days of summer. Check out Day Trips with a Splash, a book by swimming-hole expert Pancho Doll, for great places to take a plunge in your area.

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INDISPENSABLE: PICNIC WARE

Blogged...

7 best audio books for road trips

COLD COMFORT

Good read

Good deed

Good fun

Kaboom!

$9 Recycled Glass Lantern

Take It Outside

Turn up the volume with weatherproof speakers that expand entertaining beyond the back door.

Banner Day

Salute our nation's independence with these effortless entertaining ideas-- all showcasing the iconic imagery of the Fourth.

Happy Campers

A family turns a small-town home with vintage charm into a year-round haven for casual, comfortable living.

Inky Blues

Inky Blues-- from vivid indigo to faded cerulean-- add a note of drama to any room.

Finishing Touch

Once a raw space seldom used, this basement is now a bright and charming place to step into.

Picture Show

If walls could talk, what would yours say? Put some personality in your rooms with above-the-sofa art arrangements.

House Calls with Stephen Saint-Onge

Shuffle the Deck

With new furnishings and bold color, a once-bland deck becomes a stylish space for backyard living.

TLC for Decks

As the spot for everything from family dinners to backyard barbecues, your deck gets the kind of use that can leave it looking worn. For long-lasting good looks, it should be cleaned and repaired every season.

Rising Stars

Watch your garden's beauty climb to new heights by planting a blooming vine.

Leafy Delight

Drop for Drop

An inch of rain yields hundreds of gallons of free water. You only have to catch it.

Rock-Bottom Roots

Handy Handle

TOPPING TRICK

160° fahrenheit

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Garden smarts

Reblooming Bearded Irises

Open invitation

Food, fun, and friends regularly lure three grown sons to their parents' coastal home.

Cottage dressing

INDOORS AND OUTSIDE, FASHION AND DECORATING MESH IN THIS EASYGOING AND BRIGHTLY ACCESSORIZED CALIFORNIA HOME.

Inside out

Indoor comforts and stylish details make this backyard retreat the most relaxing room in the house.

Super-Easy Summer

Garden Variety

CHALK IT UP

Block beach party

Garage sale...

Cool stuff...

Make mine buttered

Steer Them Straight

Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. You can help prevent these tragedies.

Keep Your Guard Up

Protect your identity and finances with these basic steps.

Eye on Him

Help your man stay healthy by keeping track of these five signs.

I Did It!