Class on caring for houseplants
Learn the ins and outs of caring for houseplants at 2 p.m. today at Logan Trading Company in downtown Raleigh. You'll learn how lighting, temperature, humidity, regular maintenance, potting and watering benefit or harm your plants. You'll also get advice about which plants are safest for kids and pets and which plants are best at cleaning the air in your home. The class is free.
Logan's is at 707 Semart Drive. Call 828-5337 to learn more.
Create your own bonsai
You are invited to create your own bonsai plant from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham. Bonsai are dwarfed plants that are carefully pruned and trained to suit your tastes.
Harold Johnson of the Triangle Bonsai Society will give an overview of bonsai styles and traditions. You'll use those techniques to craft your own bonsai that you can take home to enjoy. Plant, container, materials and soil will be provided.
The class costs $100; $80 for Gardens members. The Gardens are at 420 Anderson St. in Durham. Call 668-1707 or visit gardens.duke.edu to register.
Of interest on Pinterest
I recently signed up for Pinterest, an online community ( pinterest.com/) where you can "pin," categorize and store pictures, recipes, ideas and anything else you find of interest on the Web.
See a storage solution that inspires you? A dress you've just got to have or a recipe you're dying to try? Pin it to your board and it'll be there anytime you log on.
People "follow" you and you can follow postings by friends or others who share similar tastes.
Recently, I tried two cleaning tips that I found on the boards.
One was for a cleaning solution that claimed to get rid of grime and soap scum in the bathroom. It called for mixing 12 ounces of hot white vinegar, which I heated in a bowl in the microwave, with 12 ounces of blue Dawn dishwashing liquid. I poured the solution into a cheap 24-ounce spray bottle and got to spraying.
The solution was great at cleaning the film from my bathroom sinks, tub, shower walls and clear shower door. I sprayed the solution on, wiped it with a sponge and the film immediately dissolved to leave sparkling, clean surfaces and faucet fixtures. I got so excited that I cleaned all of our upstairs bathroom surfaces. It also leaves behind a nice, fresh scent instead of harsh chemicals. It'll now be my go-to cleaner in the bathroom.
I also found a new way to leave my black glass cooktop sparkling clean.
Gently scrape away any baked-on spills as you normally would. Sprinkle Bar Keeper's Friend, a powder similar to Comet, on the cooktop and scrub with a wet sponge. Grease and grime will easily come off. Dry with a clean dish towel or paper towels and buff to a shine. At under $2 per container, it's quite a deal.
Save that wrapper
A reader wrote to Fine Cooking magazine to share her tip for greasing cake and other pans. When you unwrap a stick of butter, some of the butter usually sticks to the paper or foil. Don't throw the wrapper away. Instead, fold it up and put it in the freezer. The next time you have a recipe that calls for lightly greasing a pan, just unfold the butter wrapper and rub the pan with it.
Freezing ginger
To keep ginger fresher longer and to make it easier to grate, freeze it. First, break off the lobes of the fresh root and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Put all the pieces into an airtight bag or container, which then goes in the freezer. When a recipe calls for ginger, remove a piece from the freezer. Scrape off the papery skin with a serrated knife. Start grating before it thaws. This will make the task much easier.
Get the biggest news in your email or cellphone as it's happening. Sign up for breaking news alerts.
Kudzu bugs are munching soybeans, annoying homeowners and gardeners ... and spreading rapidly 
It’s a weekly chore this time of year, but mowing doesn’t have to mean a dull up-and-back. David Mellor, director of grounds for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, recently told the Wall Street Journal’s Developments blog (which is usually about the real estate business) how big leaguers create art in their summer lawns. In addition to writing a couple of books on the subject, Mellor has created swirls, stars, circles, baseballs and his team’s iconic socks in Fenway fescue. Here are three of his top tips for striping: 
When Stephen and Christine Stager were married, one rose bush was planted by the mailbox. Christine’s brother wondered whether his sister’s new husband was going to plant a rose garden. “I never promised her a rose garden,” Stephen Stager said. 
The lemon beebalm or purple horsemint has been incredible this spring. 
Those snobs who say there’s no reason not to have a good-looking, pulled-together home are just plain wrong – and irritating. I know plenty of reasons. 
I am not sure what to do with this small room that is just off the front entrance and staircase to our second floor. There is a hallway to the living room and the dining room is on the other side of it. This is an empty room, and we would love to make it a cozy library sitting room or maybe you have a suggestion to help make this a beautiful focal point. I am looking for a classy, rich and elegant look. I can change the room color if needed. I have a neutral eggshell color in the halls and goldish yellow in the dining room. 
For such sweet-looking things, hanging baskets can be demanding divas. Restricted to small pots and hung in the drying air, their plants often require far more attention to maintain their looks than flowers planted in the ground. Read our feature stories on your time. We'll deliver our best work right to your inbox, for free!
Subscribe to Lifestyles - it's free!
Subscribe to Family & Community - it's free!
Subscribe to Food & Fitness - it's free!
Subscribe to Here's the Deal - it's free!
Subscribe to Home & Garden - it's free!
Subscribe to Travel Deals - it's free!
Subscribe to TriangleMom2Mom - it's free!
