“How long is food OK in the fridge when the fridge goes out?” one of my friends asked me. Then he mentioned throwing away some summer sausage from a friend, along with most of the contents of his fridge. If I told you the source of the meat, his friend might find out he threw it. I will ...

In 2011, Texas experienced its worst one-year drought since 1895. Water restrictions were intense, and reducing landscape watering was always first on the list. That summer, the lawns were all dry and crunchy. This was the first time I heard about “xeriscaping,” introduced to homeowners to ...

We all have our favorite flowers that, despite not being perennials, we plant in our gardens every year. The number one flower that I plant each year is petunias. I consider them the “tried and true” flowers of my garden. The meaning of “tried and true” is proven good, desirable or ...

I thought I’d have so much time this spring compared to last year. A year ago, I was helping plan two national conferences and preparing for our first family wedding. I made more than 200 decorated cupcakes for the wedding. What was I thinking? My bank account was on my mind, because those ...

I always try to grow a new fruit or vegetable in my garden every year. This year, I am experimenting with a family favorite — strawberries. I love strawberries, and our family makes a trip just about every July to harvest fresh strawberries in the sweltering heat. However, I haven’t tried ...

“I’m sorry they didn’t win, Mom,” my son said. “I had fun being here,” I replied. “It’s more fun when they win, though,” he added. “Most of the fans are spending more time getting snacks than watching the game,” my husband complained as people obstructed our view. He ...