Water-Saving Secrets for Gardeners and Lawn Lovers

(ARA) – “Think green; save blue” will likely be the motto of environmentally aware gardeners and lawn lovers across the country this summer as drought conditions are expected to persist in many regions. “Nothing shouts ‘green’ quite like a thriving garden or a lush landscape,” says Susan Thayer, an irrigation and water conservation expert, “. . . except, perhaps, a beautiful yard or garden that’s been nurtured with green practices that conserve precious blue water.”
It is possible to grow a thriving garden and nurture a lovely landscape while minimizing water consumption.

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Water Saving Secrets

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Tip of the Month

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Ask Dave

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From Tamaria’s Kitchen

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Sudoku

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Connecticut Fun Facts

A combination of native-friendly plants, smart agricultural practices, alternative water sources and efficient irrigation can help keep gardens and lawns growing healthy throughout dry summer months.

Here are some tips for conserving water in your corner of the great outdoors: * Choose drought-resistant native plants for your landscaping needs. Your options won’t be limited to cactus, either. From ornamental grasses to shrub roses, many drought-tolerant native species also offer bright color and visual appeal. Look for plants that do well in the driest conditions found in your geographic region. Your local Cooperative Extension office can help you identify plants that are right for your area. You’ll also find plenty of ideas online at sites like www.gardeners.com.         Continued below . . .  

TIP OF THE MONTH

THE

BUILDING INSPECTOR

OF

CONNECTICUT

Adjusting a Door vs. Planing and Sanding

Wet weather makes doors stick and bind. If you're tired of pulling and tugging, you're probably ready to start planing and sanding. But not so fast. Knowing why doors stick can help solve the problem quickly and easily. Doors often bind because the opening somehow shifted, moving it out of square. Usually the culprit is moisture -- sometimes in the ground under your house rather than in the door frame itself. The wet ground expands, and part of the foundation moves up or down creating an uneven floor. Thus frames shift and doors bind. Often you can skip planing and sanding by simply adjusting the door hinges instead. Just pull out the hinge pins, one at a time, and bend the rungs opposite the way you want the door to move. After a little trial and error, you'll get the idea. As months roll on and things dry out, you just bend the hinges back as needed.

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All

 Home

 Inspections

$290.00*

All inspections include a state licensed pest inspection

*Single family homes under 2,400 hundred square feet.  Offer expires on 05/31/2008

1929 East Main Street #108

Torrington, CT  06790

1-860-496-4616

1-800-255-8383

www.building-inspections.com

Ask

Dave

                                             Dave Muirhead—President

                                   Building Inspections, Inc.

Q: When can I safely start my air conditioner in the spring?

A: Most manufacturers recommend that you need at least three consecutive days of temperatures above 65 degrees to start up your compressor in the springtime. Also, don't run your compressor if it is below 65 degrees as it can cause damage to the compressor.  There must be power to your compressor for at least 3 hours before starting it. This allows an electric coil to warm the compressor, vaporizing the liquid refrigerant. Liquid refrigerant in an operating compressor will damage it.

Water-Saving Secrets - - -

* Groom soil for optimum water absorption and retention. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends adding water-retaining organic material to your soil. You can also reduce evaporation by using mulch in landscaping beds. * Look for alternative water sources other than the outdoor tap – such as recycling clean water used inside the house for cooking and other activities. Consider collecting roof runoff in a rain barrel for use in flower beds and vegetable gardens.

* Irrigate efficiently with low-volume irrigation systems and smart watering practices. In summer 2007, restrictions on lawn watering were widespread throughout the country. Many communities now require all new built homes to use low-volume irrigation in the landscapes. On average, micro sprinklers and drip irrigation uses 80 to 90 percent less water than traditional irrigation systems.

“The key is to apply water only exactly when and where it is needed,” Thayer says. Drip and micro spray irrigation provide optimum efficiency with minimum waste and over spray.

* Design your landscaping to minimize evaporation. Windbreaks and fences slow the movement of the wind over the ground and the evaporation it causes, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For more information on water conservation, go to www.nrcs.usda.gov.

Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

From Tamaria’s Kitchen

SUDOKU

CRABMEAT AND SHRIMP CASSEROLE

Ingredients

·          1 pound crab meat

·          1 pound shrimp, 50/60 count, peeled and deveined

·          3 celery stalks

·          1 medium bell pepper

·          1 medium onion

·          1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

·          1 egg

·          1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

·          2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

·          Pinch each: cumin, coriander seeds, nutmeg, star anise

·          2 tablespoons mayonnaise

·          1 tablespoon mustard

·          Splash Tabasco

·          Salt and pepper to taste

·          Shredded cheddar cheese

·          Cracker crumbs, for topping

Directions

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté celery, bell pepper and onion in butter until onions are transparent. Boil shrimp for 4 minutes and drain. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Pour mixture in casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs and remainder of Cheddar cheese. Lightly drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes.

Connecticut Fun Facts

-The first telephone book ever issued contained only fifty names. The New Haven District Telephone Company published it in New Haven in February 1878.

-Connecticut and Rhode Island never ratified the 18th Amendment (Prohibition).

-In 1705, copper was discovered in Simsbury. Later, the copper mine became the infamous New-Gate Prison of the Revolutionary War.

-Mary Kies, of South Killingly was the first woman to receive a U.S. patent. On May 15th, 1809 for a method of weaving straw with silk.

-On January 28, 1878, 21 venturous citizens of New Haven became the world's first subscribers to telephone exchange service.

-Connecticut is home to the oldest U.S. newspaper still being published: The Hartford Courant, established in 1764.

-The first automobile law was passed by the state of CT in 1901. The speed limit was set at 12 miles per hour.

-The first lollipop-making machine opened for business in New Haven in 1908. George Smith named the treat after a popular racehorse.

-In 1937, Connecticut became the first state to issue permanent license plates for cars.

-The first blast furnace in Connecticut was built in Lakeville in 1762.

-In colonial New Haven cut pumpkins were used as guides for haircuts to ensure a round uniform style. Because of this fashion, these New Englanders were nicknamed "pumpkin-heads."

-The first human inhabitants of present-day Burlington were members of the Tunxis Tribe, who belonged to a confederation of Algonquian Indians. Legend holds they used the area as a hunting ground.

-The first expert in the treatment of Asiatic cholera was Dr. Henry Bronson in 1832. He was a professor at Yale Medical School.

-West Hartford is the birthplace of Noah Webster, the author of the first dictionary published in 1807.

-Although West Haven is Connecticut's youngest city, being incorporated in 1972, it is a community that dates back over 360 years, making it one of the oldest settlements in the country.