One of the finishing touches to any garden is mulch. It performs a wide range of functions in the garden besides simply dressing the bed or border. Mulch helps deter weeds, maintain moisture, lower soil temperatures and eliminate soil erosion. Despite the multitude of tasks it accomplishes most of us give it little or no thought and go with the cheapest...

These tips and ideas are meant for the casual vacation and family photographer. Get closer Just about the most important thing you can do to improve your photos is to get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with the person, or building or scene you're trying to capture. Get even closer than you think you should, and maybe you'll be close...

New Perennials for the garden (and some old favorites…) While each new year brings the return of many plants to the garden, none seem quite as miraculous as the perennials. Where seemingly nothing remains, they burst forth in spring, or quietly sneak up on June to provide bursts of colors that enliven the garden without the expense (or labor)...

Fall is that time of year when we begin to gather the shucks and pumpkins from the fields, even if it’s only to decorate the lamppost at the end of the driveway. We are not the only ones bringing in the harvest; Mother Nature has done a good job of stocking the pantry for her little progeny, and we can make use of this bounty to decorate our yards...

How much sun does your garden really need? Vegetables prefer a full day of sun, but if you live in a shady suburb you don't have to give up the idea of growing vegetables. Here are some minimum sunlight requirements: Fruiting vegetables - eight hours of sun. This includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and vine crops such as cucumbers, melons...

Even in retirement, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. How many men and women truly know the retirement fantasies or fears inside their partners’ heads? How do you picture your future and how do you think your ideas line up with your partner’s hopes and dreams? Are you single?  What’s coming for you? Does society have an obsession...

There's nothing like a good book and there's nothing like sharing a good book with someone else. A book club is a great way to get together with others and discuss ideas and issues. You can meet new people, expand your imagination and share a new experience - and that's not all! You can introduce your book club to the REAL Good Book and share...