Potted’s DIY Cinderblock Wall | Potted

Potted’s DIY Cinderblock Wall | Potted:

"Potted’s DIY Cinderblock Wall
A while back I had a discerning client who was also an interior designer. We got along great and she was easy going…all she asked for was something nobody else had or that she’d never seen before. Sure, no problem. I come up with those ideas 20 times a day (okay, that’s a total lie…I wish I came up with them 20 times a day). But I accepted the challenge and started looking for inspiration. And then I was struck…"

click through for photos and full story!

Why there’s more to keeping chickens than getting fresh laid eggs - Green Living - Go Green - WalesOnline

Why there’s more to keeping chickens than getting fresh laid eggs - Green Living - Go Green - WalesOnline:

"Chickens are not only a great source of backyard food, they can also become well-loved pets.

First we wanted our eggs free range, so as not to support battery farming. Then we wanted them organic, without any of those nasty chemicals involved.

Now we want our eggs one stage more wholesome – fresh from the garden and our very own brood of hand-reared chickens.

Keeping chickens has grown in popularity over the last few years, much as traditional crafts and home cooking have done."

click through to read the story!

Kids and Dogs: How Kids Should and Should Not Interact with Dogs | Animal Behavior and Medicine Blog | Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS

Kids and Dogs: How Kids Should and Should Not Interact with Dogs | Animal Behavior and Medicine Blog | Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS:

"When a child is bitten by a four-legged family member, it can turn the household upside-down. Owners feel puzzled and confused. “They sleep together all the time,” they might say, or, “He’s always been really good. He even lets Timmy sit on him.” In a majority of cases, the bite seems out of the blue. The humans can’t fathom why their once-trusted companion would bite an innocent child. But anyone who reads “dog” or can see life from the pet’s point of view would most likely say, “I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.”"

Great posters and illustrations on kids and dog interactions. Click through to read more!

The Chestertown Spy - PAR Community Garden Donates Bounty to Food Pantry

The Chestertown Spy - PAR Community Garden Donates Bounty to Food Pantry:

"The garden, hemmed on one side by fencing (to keep Ruckelshaus’s sheep from both ravaging the place and escaping), at a guess is 15X 50 feet, and is planted with beets, lettuces, peppers, sweet potato, shallots, carrots, peas, lima beans, herbs, pumpkins, gourds, and a veritable forest of tomatoes –38 incredibly robust plants barely contained by a regiment of volunteer-made cages. Among other things, the group has so far donated 40 pounds of mesclun (about a 55-gallon drum in volume) to the food pantry."

click link to read entire article. I am super proud of this project and our volunteers!

Soil 101 « Eastern Shore Gardener

Soil 101 « Eastern Shore Gardener:

"Soil 101
July 19, 2011 by Eastern Shore Gardener
Soil isn’t the sexiest topic for a blog post, but it’s been on my mind quite a bit of late. Part of the reason is I just finished editing/rewriting an e-book on composting for a client, and the organic matter in compost is at the heart of great garden soil. I’ve also had conversations with several friends and gardeners about soil recently. (Yes, I am the nerd that sits under an umbrella at a pool party and talks compost and compost making with fellow gardeners.) So, it’s no surprise that I’ve been thinking about my own composting efforts and the state of my soil’s organic matter."

click through to read the rest of the story...

Concerns About Unleashed Dogs | The Bark

Concerns About Unleashed Dogs | The Bark: "In Juliana Keeping’s column Hey Ann Arbor—put your dog on a leash. A short one, she writes about bad experiences with off leash dogs. She shares her own stories and those of a few other people and complains angrily about so many dogs being off leash in violation of the laws of her city."

Study: Hypoallergenic dogs not less allergic than other dogs

Contrary to popular belief, so-called hypoallergenic dogs do not have lower household allergen levels than other dogs.

That's the conclusion of a study by Henry Ford Hospital researchers who sought to evaluate whether hypoallergenic dogs have a lower dog allergen in the home than other dogs. Hypoallergenic dogs are believed to produce less dander and saliva and shed less fur....(see link for article)

Study: Hypoallergenic dogs not less allergic than other dogs

The Impatient Gardener: Tomato Update

From Lisa's blog: Tomato Q&A

The Impatient Gardener: Tomato Update