After spending the winter buried in snow and ice, at long last spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner. Most of us have turned our attention from indoor projects that kept us out of winter’s fury to embracing the great outdoors. With that in mind, we greet the warm weather with our...

If there’s one trendy thing your parents (and sometimes grandparents) are way ahead of you on it’s recycling. Think about it. You’ve been in dad’s garage/basement/shed/workshop/weight room/cave of classic rock/World War II book depository, and you’ve seen all those glass jars filled with assorted screws/washers/bolts/nails/anchors/bits/bobs. If you’ve been in mom’s craft room, you’ve inevitably seen...

It takes just minutes to fill an online cart, do a quick cost comparison and click to complete the order. But if the items aren’t necessary, why is it easy to make purchases without much thought? Erin Lowry knows. “I think money often gets discussed as a rational thing and it’s not,” she said. “We...

The clocks moved forward a few weeks ago. That means it is time for you to move forward with your spring cleaning of closets. Bring efficiency and joy to your closets, spaces and belongings and de-clutter the chaos with the help of home organization expert Marty Basher, of Modular Closets. Before you begin, have a...

For most of us, our landscaping and our vegetable garden (if we have one) are two separate entities. Landscaping — trees, bushes, perennial and annual plantings typically adorn the front of our homes, while the vegetable patch is relegated to the backyard. But who says is has to be that way? Edible landscaping is the...

How does your garden grow? With weeds and nests and way too many pests? Or with perennials, juicy fruits and healthy, deep roots? Whether your green thumb is well-established or you’ve never picked up a spade, each spring and summer bring the opportunity to begin anew. Tyler Wagner, manager and maintenance director at Wagner Nursery...

Kennie Harris Volunteers at: Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Favorite plant to grow: “I don’t have a favorite, but something I’ve learned a lot about are dahlias. They look so unglamorous when you dig them up. They’re this ugly brown, shriveled-up tuber. But they are a gorgeous flower, and they get really tall in the...

I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree, wrote poet Joyce Kilmer in his poem Trees. Trees add so much to the beauty of our city, yards and parks. They add value to our property and they have benefits which include cleaning the air, fighting air pollution and cooling down...

Spring is the perfect time to freshen up your home and bring the outdoors inside with the aromas that you enjoy and love. The aroma of first cut grass, and the soft scent of magnolia trees blooming has a positive effect on our emotions. How can we bottle these amazing scents of the great outdoors...

If there’s one trendy thing your parents (and sometimes grandparents) are way ahead of you on it’s recycling. Think about it. You’ve been in dad’s garage/basement/shed/workshop/weight room/cave of classic rock/World War II book depository, and you’ve seen all those glass jars filled with assorted screws/washers/bolts/nails/anchors/bits/bobs. If you’ve been in mom’s craft room, you’ve inevitably seen...

Summer is on the horizon. And you know what that means. It’s time to start planning that vacation … from your kids. You love them to bits. But even the strongest of parents needs a break from time to time. And a smattering of area summer activities not only provides that but also offers ideas...

For many, gardening is akin to their happy place, enabling them to enter a zen-like state, surrounded by fragrant and blooming beauties. But for Korrin Schriver, it’s more than that. It’s a science and an agricultural way of a sustainable future. The 36-year-old who has taught science at Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque for...

If there’s one trendy thing your parents (and sometimes grandparents) are way ahead of you on it’s recycling. Think about it. You’ve been in dad’s garage/basement/shed/workshop/weight room/cave of classic rock/World War II book depository, and you’ve seen all those glass jars filled with assorted screws/washers/bolts/nails/anchors/bits/bobs. If you’ve been in mom’s craft room, you’ve inevitably seen...