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Try This

Good Grips corn stripper

Price: $11.99

What it does: Strips uncooked corn kernels from the cob and collects them in a convenient container.

How it makes your life easier: You can quickly and safely remove kernels from the cob -- a perfect way to help make creamed or fried corn. Simply run the stripper down the length of the cob, rotate and repeat.

Who would use it: Senior citizens or those with dental work who can't easily eat corn on the cob; anyone who wears braces and those who prefer creamed or fried corn.

Where to get it: Bed Bath & Beyond and www.oxo.com.

Bridgette A. Lacy

bridgette.lacy@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-8925

Storm prep

Hurricane season begins Sunday, and what better way to prepare than to brush up on what you'd need in case the Big One (remember Fran and Floyd?) hits? Home expert Danny Lipford weighs in with these tips.

Stage 1: Gather information and items to have on hand around the house.

Double check your insurance policy to make sure you have adequate coverage.

Get a battery-powered weather radio.

Make sure you have several flashlights and plenty of batteries.

Stockpile water and nonperishable food. Be sure to keep a manual can opener on hand, and stock up on pet food as well.

Stock up on tarps, rolls of plastic, rope and duct tape to use for emergency repairs after the storm.

Stage 2: Do this before a storm approaches.

Fill up the gas tank. Be sure the propane tank on the gas grill is full.

Charge your cell phone and keep a portable charger that works in your car.

Fill prescriptions and keep a first aid kit handy. Stock up on toilet paper, hand sanitzer and disposable diapers.

Get cash (small bills and coins), which is often the only medium of exchange after a storm.

Charge up cordless tools.

Aerate while you work

No time to aerate your yard? Combine two tasks into one by slipping on these ingenious Aerating Lawn Shoes. The shoes have 20 1-inch spikes on their soles that puncture the soil with every step and create small pockets that let air and water reach deep into the roots. Strap the aerating soles on while you mow the yard or toil in the garden to make quick work of a once daunting task. The manufacturers say the soles fit over most any size shoe or boot. They require some minor assembly. They cost $16.99 plus shipping and handling at www.cleanairgardening.com. Type in "aerating lawn shoes."

Showcase for a cause

Gather great decorating ideas while supporting a good cause this weekend in the exclusive Hasentree community, just north of Raleigh. The Spring Showcase for a Cure project, which benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, opens to the public today and runs noon to 5 p.m. daily through June 9. While there, check out the 4,500 square foot home decorated with special features such as a "guest sanctuary" with an adjoining bath and a 'tween boy's retreat. Other features include a custom-designed glass tile headboard in the guest room and a mix of contemporary and traditional styles in the teen boy's room. Check out the latest trends in color combinations, window treatments, bedding and more, as laid out by local design teams. See a piece of furniture that you'd like to take home? Bid on it during the showcase's silent auction. The money raised (a suggested $10 donation) goes to support the LLS, which helps fund research, patient and family support groups, educational programs and more. Learn more at www.lls.org/nceshowcase.

Backyard sighting

"This is a first for us. A Great Crested Flycatcher has started building a nest in the Red-bellied woodpecker house in our backyard. The woodpecker house is nearly 20 feet tall."

-- Fred Benson of Cary