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Life / 2021 Winter Home Edition


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  • How To Safely Prepare Food At Home

    Dec 2, 2021

    The COVID-19 pandemic taught the world many things and reinforced some lessons learned long ago, including how something invisible to the naked eye has the potential to make people extremely ill. That lesson is applicable in many different situations, including food preparation. Though it did not garner many headlines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that an E. coli outbreak between June 2020 and October 2020 infected 40 people in 19 states. Twenty of those affected were hospitalized, and four developed a type of kidney...

  • Making the Best of a Small Dining Space

    Dec 2, 2021

    Some homeowners may aspire to have expansive dining rooms replete with seating for 12 beneath a stunning chandelier. That kind of space certainly makes hosting dinner parties easier. However, modern homes typically have small dining rooms that require homeowners or renters to be resourceful when entertaining guests. Hosts may not be able to expand their dining spaces, but there are some clever ways to maximize every inch of a small dining room and even some smart solutions for those who don’t have dining rooms at all. • Create the illus...

  • The Secrets To Cold Weather Entertaining

    Dec 2, 2021

    Upon the arrival of cold weather, people tend to move indoors and limit their time spent in the elements. For those who live in places where there are restrictions placed on indoor entertaining and gatherings, it may be challenging to find ways to spend time safely together as temperatures drop. Outdoor entertaining in winter may be challenging, especially in regard to keeping everyone warm. The following are some solutions that can help people stay warm and have fun outside. Invest in fire...

  • Help Pets Be Less Anxious At Home

    Dec 2, 2021

    Pets experience anxiety for many reasons. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, pet anxiety is often a byproduct of aging, separation and/or fear. Recognizing the causes of anxiety in a pet can help pet parents figure out how to make a home more comfortable and alleviate its anxiety. There are various remedies that may work. • Introduce new people and stimuli gradually. • Try counterconditioning. According to the AKC, counterconditioning changes the pet’s response to stimuli responsible for anxiety by replacing anxious or aggressiv...

  • Establish Winter Habitats For Backyard Animals

    Dec 2, 2021

    Preparing a property for winter involves putting away lawn furniture, raking leaves and removing any annual plants that have shriveled up and spent the last of their energy. It can be tempting to want to clean up completely and leave a blank slate in the yard. But by doing so, you may be robbing wildlife of the resources they need to overwinter. The nature and conservation resource In Habitat says plants and animals depend on one another to survive. During the winter, animals may struggle to...

  • Making Aging Pets More Comfortable in the Home

    Dec 2, 2021

    Pets are valued members of many families, and their owners typically do everything they can to ensure their furry friends live as comfortably as possible. Care becomes even more important as pets get older. Just like people, aging pets may eat less and sleep more. They may have reduced stamina and even experience stiffness when getting up from sleep. Certain pets may experience failing eyesight, hearing loss and/or incontinence. According to an American Pet Products Association survey, 67 percent of U.S. households have a pet and will have to c...

  • Fresh Veggies Are Not Exclusive To Spring And Summer

    Dec 2, 2021

    Spring and summer may be the seasons most often associated with gardening. But people who love to grow their own vegetables can do so even when the weather outside is frightful. Various vegetables thrive in cool temperatures. The home and garden experts at HGTV note that some winter vegetables are hardy. That means they can handle frosts in temperatures as low as 25 F without being damaged. Others are even sturdier in the face of all that winter can throw at them, capable of tolerating temperatures that dip into the high teens. Growing...

  • Don't Miss A Beat During A Power Outage

    Dec 2, 2021

    Short-term power outages can be a minor inconvenience. A long-term power outage can cause a major disruption to daily life. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Electric Power Industry Report says interruptions in electric service vary by frequency and duration across the many electric distribution systems that serve the country. In 2016, the most recent year for data, customers experienced an average of 1.3 interruptions and went without power for around four hours. When a storm...

  • How To Care For Winter Birds That Visit Your Yard

    Dec 2, 2021

    The pristine, white backdrop of a snowy winter day can be a wonder to behold. While fresh snow on the ground can make for awe-inspiring landscapes, the absence of greenery amid the starkness of winter poses challenges for animals that do not ride out winter in a state of hibernation. Several bird species stay in colder climates over the winter. Red-winged crossbills, snow buntings, bohemian waxwings, evening grosbeaks, and cardinals are just some of the birds one may find while gazing outside...

  • Warm and Wow Guests With This Hot Mulled Apple Cider Recipe

    Dec 2, 2021

    When hosting friends and family at home, it's understandable that hosts direct so much of their focus to the foods they plan to serve. The main course is often the focal point and most memorable aspect of a dinner party, and that's true whether the get-together is a backyard barbecue, a holiday meal with the family or a formal affair with colleagues. Food might be a focal point, but guests also will need something to drink. Traditional spirits like wine and cocktails are the standard, but hosts...

  • Keep Your Tree Fresh This Holiday

    Dec 2, 2021

    Christmas trees are often the pièce de résistance of holiday decor. Few things draw the attention of holiday guests quite like an awe-inspiring Christmas tree, especially when that tree maintains its fresh, healthy sheen throughout December. Many families purchase fresh trees over Thanksgiving weekend or during the first weekend of December. Though the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day may seem like a long time to keep a tree looking great, there are a handful of ways for holiday c...

  • Deck the Halls with DIY Decor

    Dec 2, 2021

    Decorating is one of the joys of the holiday season. Families often decorate together, and such traditions may include dressing the Christmas tree and hanging holiday lights around the house. A day spent making homemade ornaments is another great way to decorate and spend quality time together as a family during the holiday season. Though families can let their imaginations run wild when making ornaments at home, the following are some great starting points that can serve as springboards for holiday crafting sessions. • Snowmen: The hol...

  • Cooler Weather Brings Increased Threat of Home Fires

    Dec 2, 2021

    As temperatures decrease and Pennsylvanians enter “home heating season,” the American Red Cross urges citizens to familiarize themselves with home fire prevention steps to help keep everyone in the home safe and warm this winter. Home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster and tragically take seven lives every day in this country. The Greater Pennsylvania Region responds to 30 percent more home fires in November through March than in warmer months. According to the National Fire Protection Association, home fires are most common in co...

  • Continue to Enjoy the Great Outdoors Throughout Winter with a Sunroom

    Dec 2, 2021

    As fall inches closer to winter, it's not uncommon for people to look to the coming cold with a degree of lament. Spring, summer and fall provide ample opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, but such chances are few and far between once the winter freeze settles in. Though winter might compel the masses to huddle up inside, there's still a way to take in the great outdoors on cold winter days and nights. It might not prove an exact substitute for summer nights around the firepit, but a sunro...