Nutritious eating, including smarter snacking, is important to protect your heart and maintain overall health and wellness. While many people understand the basics of healthy eating – avoiding too many sugary treats, for example – some are confused about important food categories that can impact nutrition. According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Heart Association, U.S. adults are least knowledgeable about refined vs. whole grains compared to other food categories like fruits, vegetables and proteins. Whole grains are, in fact, a key feature of the Associati ..read more

5 tips for school night meals that will make you a hero. It’s one of the busiest times of the year, meaning managing mealtimes can be tough as families navigate the school year hustle. Between school, work, extracurriculars and social activities, figuring out what to eat and when can be overwhelming. Put your worries aside and become a true after-school hero with these timesaving, delicious meal-planning strategies while giving back to communities in need. Conquer Your Next Grocery Trip When it’s time for a grocery run, write down everything you need, perhaps on your phone’s notetaking app, be ..read more

Proper care of your lawn can also be good for the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Agriculture has partnered with experts from the University of Maryland Extension to produce an educational video highlighting best practices for lawn care. This instructional video, available on the department’s YouTube channel, answers commonly asked questions about best practices for healthy lawns and cleaner streams. “Homeowners, like farmers, have the power to safeguard the Chesapeake Bay from its biggest threat—excess nutrients that fowl water quality and fuel the growth of harmful algae blo ..read more

Wallpaper has long been an elegant and creative way to enhance the aesthetics of interior spaces. Over the years, two trends have captured the imagination of designers and homeowners alike: the rise of removable wallpaper and the timeless allure of floral patterns. In this article, we delve into the world of interior design by exploring the captivating fusion of these trends—removable wallpaper adorned with exquisite floral designs. We’ll uncover the benefits of removable wallpaper and delve into the enduring appeal of floral patterns, highlighting how this combination is revolutionizing the w ..read more

By Lauren Burke Meyer Built in the 1960s, our Colonial-style home’s miniature coat closet was not cutting it for our family of five. Read on to see how my husband’s DIY project for a nautical coat rack saved the day.  The Backstory If I had to give a Yelp review for buying a home during the pandemic, I would give it a one out of five stars. Do. Not. Recommend.  With low inventory, plus sky rocketing list prices and even higher sale prices, it was a “Hunger Games” era of real estate. In 2020, my family thankfully landed our dream home in the highly coveted Chartwell community in Sever ..read more

Gardening can be a simple way to beautify your yard, relieve stress and provide delicious fresh fruits and veggies to your table. Get these 7 budget-friendly gardening tips and save money so that you don’t get carried away buying unnecessary equipment. Gardening Tips Fun, frugal and environmentally friendly, these tricks can help you create a cost-effective garden: Use a yardstick and permanent marker to mark inches and feet on the handle of your rake, shovel or hoe. The next time you plant, simply lay the marked handle along the row to create perfectly spaced holes for seeds. Line the bottom ..read more

Act now to reduce mosquito populations by reducing standing water on your property, recommends the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Mosquito Control Program. Aside from being nuisances, mosquitoes can also carry a number of diseases that are harmful to humans and animals, including West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites “Protect yourself and others from mosquito-borne diseases by eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites on your property,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “If you start now and do it for five mi ..read more

Great job, you’ve done it! You’ve decluttered, sorted through, and cleaned out that room. What do you do with all of the things you don’t want or need anymore? Rather than put more items into the local landfill why not sell, donate or repurpose your excess.  By the way, it looks amazing – so much brighter and cleaner! I bet you feel very accomplished and proud of yourself, as you should. It’s a task that takes pre-planning, time, a fair amount of elbow grease, and of course, the motivation to get it done.  So now the question is:  What’s next? What is the next step to complete t ..read more

The best way for kids to learn where their food comes from and the cycle of growing, pollinating and eating is to plant a garden with a child. In fact you don’t even need an entire garden. A couple of pots will do.  New to gardening? If you already have a spot for gardening in your yard, you’ve done half of the work already. Your garden should be in the sun at least half of the day, have access to water, and good soil. You can add compost and topsoil to improve the condition of your soil. Pull out all of the weeds and turn over the dirt so that it isn’t packed tight and will be easier to ..read more

This beautiful Victorian home gets a modern update with solar panels and an EV station in this Family Home of the Month. Backstory This charming Victorian house in the historic district of Annapolis has seen many changes. In the late 1920s it served as a school. At one point there was an orchard of fruit trees in the front yard. The 3-story house was built in 1893 and is now surrounded by beautiful gardens.  The latest change to this beauty was the addition of 31 solar panels as well as an EV station. The Project Step one was obtaining approval from the Historic Preservation Committee. A ..read more