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All sumac varieties bloom, although the smaller ones bear insignificant flowers. Larger varieties make up for the small bloom size by displaying big white clusters of petals loved by pollinators. After the flowers fade, they form clusters of brightly colored fuzzy red fruit called drupes. But the real show doesn’t begin until fall when sumac’s foliage displays cover hillsides in glowing tones of orange, red, burgundy, and gold. Sumac Care Must-Knows Gardeners often choose sumac because it tolerates a wide range of soil types—as long as it’s not poorly drained....

4 ounce high-quality white chocolate (with cocoa butter), chopped 2 teaspoon shortening reserved vanilla bean seeds

title: “Sweet Potato Pie” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-21” author: “Bridgette Ivie” 3 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces ¾ cup cold water

Paige Anderson of Nitido Design recommends that shoppers look for a shower caddy that can hold all of the items you use in the shower, as well as one that’s easy to install, remove, and adjust so that it can fit in your space. To help you find the best shower caddy for your shower, we researched the top options available, taking into consideration each shower caddy’s size, material, weight capacity, and installation....

It’s stressful to buy and sell a house. Not only is there a lot of red tape and big emotions to navigate, but there are also the physical demands of packing and unpacking. We think the best gifts for new homeowners are ones that will reduce their anxiety, such as a bundle of spa products. Or give them something that will make life easier for them. Maybe that means watching the kids so they can focus on the house or offering to make food so they don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner after a full day of unpacking....

“Stainless is good for long-term investment as the finish, when kept clean, will not deteriorate. Non-stick pans are nice for cooking but the finish can wear off and become a health hazard,” says Will Gilson, chef and co-owner of Puritan & Company. To find the best stainless steel cookware sets, four testers went to our lab in Birmingham, Alabama, and put 28 sets to the test over the course of five days....

“With buying a good riding mower, you are essentially investing in your home, which is one of the biggest and best investments people can make,” says Don Quinn, who has over 30 years of experience handling riding lawn mowers and working on several farms, including his own 1.5- and 3-acre properties. “A good riding mower or tractor is going to make the work that you have to do on your property easier, safer, and more efficient....

“Our body temperatures fluctuate during the day, falling around 10 p.m., signaling your brain that it is time to sleep,” says Dr. Long. “So, anything that facilitates or mimics your body’s natural nighttime drop in temperature will help you sleep—this includes choosing breathable bedding pieces that help regulate your body temperature.” To find the best cooling comforters, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind the shell material, fill material, and care instructions....

Weight: 7.04 pounds | Suggested Use: Floors | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 3.7 pounds | Suggested Use: Floors, furniture | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 0.25 pounds | Suggested Use: Furniture, clothes | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 7.8 ounces | Suggested Use: Directly on your pet | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 4.7 ounces | Suggested Use: Directly on your pet | Type of Pet Hair: Dogs, cats, horses Weight: 5....

With the holiday season approaching, it’s natural to want to get a head start on gift shopping, but it’s also the perfect time to stock up on kitchen essentials. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to refresh your kitchenware on a budget, this is your chance. However, today is the last day of the two-day sale event and your last shot to save up to 60% on kitchen essentials that will make holiday cooking a breeze....

Water the bale thoroughly for three days to ensure it stays damp, checking for moisture and heat by pushing your hand inside the bale. During the next six days, use a general-purpose liquid fertilizer to ensure that the bale has enough nitrogen to grow healthy plants. After feeding the bale, keep it damp for two more days before planting. Finally, when the bale feels warm but cooler than your hand, you’re ready to plant!...

When it comes to setting up a home rainwater harvesting system, there are many types of rain barrels to consider. To help you decide the best rain barrel for your home, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind their capacity, size, and material. We also consulted Chris Maxwell-Gaines, owner of Watercache.com. Maxwell-Gaines says rain barrels can do more than just collect water. “In addition, rainwater harvesting can reduce stormwater runoff from a property,” Maxwell-Gaines says....

Buy It: Keter Resin Elevated Self-Watering Plastic Planter ($151, Walmart) All you need to do is check the built-in water indicator. When you see red on the indicator, you need to drain excess water, and when you see green, you’re in the clear to water again. The planter is leak-proof, thanks to a handy drainage spout with a plug, which holds in excess water until you are ready to empty it....

On This Episode Host Mélanie Berliet talks to Dave and Jenny Marrs, the husband and wife duo turned HGTV stars, who have transformed 300 fixer-uppers into amazing homes. The two talk about how their marriage helps their business, being enneagram sevens, and some of the most memorable homes they’ve remodeled. They share their deal-breakers when it comes to house hunting, where to save and where to splurge when remodeling, and why they use white paint with five young kids at home....

The home—which took about a year and $90,000 to complete—is filled with art from around the Austin, TX, area. The vibrant pieces help balance Harrington’s love of color with the modern farmhouse aesthetic she wanted to achieve within the home. A quick walk up the staircase (something not usually found in a home this size) leads to the sleeping loft. Rather than painting the back wall, Harrington opted for faux grass to bring in color and match the aesthetic of the garden outside....

Pauchard later opened his own workshop called Tolix, where he was the first in France to adopt the galvanization technique for his furniture designs. This metalworking process involves dipping iron or steel in molten zinc to create a more durable, rust-resistant material. In 1934, Pauchard debuted his Marais A chair, which was (and still is) handcrafted from galvanized steel using a 100-step process. Because of its practicality paired with an elegant silhouette, the chair was immediately popular and soon became the quintessential café chair in France....

After several furious attempts to figure this puzzle out, we normally give in and roll it into a wrinkled ball to store in the linen closet. However, thanks to this helpful tutorial, we don’t have to struggle anymore! We’ll walk you through the steps to fold a fitted sheet, plus show you how to store linens in a neat and tidy folded package. Bonus: How to Make a Bed...

The orchids featured on the stamps grow wild in different regions across the United States, including the Midwest, the East Coast, the southeast, and western states. On the top row, left to right, the stamps show the three birds orchid (Triphora trianthophoros), California’s lady slipper (Cypripedium californicum), crested coral foot (Hexalectris spicata), showy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae), and lady’s tresses (Spiranthes odorata). On the bottom row, left to right, they show the prairie white fringed orchid (Platanthera leucophaea), the three birds orchid again, greater purple fringed bog orchid (Platanthera grandiflora), yellow cyrtopodium (Cyrtopodium polyphyllum), and tuberous grass pink (Calopogon tuberosus)....

The multi-use blanket has a heavy-duty waterproof bottom layer, which will block all moisture and keep you dry even when the ground below you is wet or damp. The top layer is also water resistant. During a recent picnic, I accidentally dropped my soda, spilling it all over the blanket. One quick shake later, and ALL of the liquid was gone and the blanket was left completely dry. It’s also padded and insulated on the inside, keeping it super comfortable to sit and lay on no matter the terrain....