Home & Garden

What a remarkable 2008.  Every individual has undoubtedly been deeply touched by enormous amounts of profound information impacting senses well beyond the “five” that are normally attributed to the human being.

The City of Santa Clarita is the most business-friendly city in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). The award was presented to the City of Santa Clarita at the 13th annual Eddy Awards last night at the Hilton Beverly hotel.

Election results are in and counted.  Automatic water softeners must be removed.
Now is the time to arrange removal in order to qualify for the maximum rebate available from Los Angeles County Sanitation.  After January 1, 2009 the amount available drops 25 percent.  Dupure International can help you with all requirements to meet this time deadline.

For some of us, one of life’s more curious mysteries must be why we have been born into a particular family, which eventually compels us to decipher how our upbringing seems to have influenced us, like it or not.  Rural or urban.  Many siblings, none.  Rooted or nomadic.

Ah, the holidays.  That special time of year when the long hot days of summer are behind us and we once again look forward to precious time spent with family and friends.  Wonderful images come to mind of children playing, adults chatting, laughing and eagerly catching up on days gone by.  Carved pumpkins, roasted turkey and hot apple pie.  The days grow shorter, the nights cooler and excitement builds as holidays near. 

It is the most wonderful time of the year and we need our homes to reflect that.  If your lights and tinsel are a bit out dated or if you just want to add some pizzazz to your home for the holidays, think no further than Oasis Garden & Patio.  Chris and Amy Boswell along with their talented staff have transformed their patio furniture showroom into a winter wonderland.  They still have an amazing selection of patio furniture (with great markdowns on in-stock sets), but they have managed to work in beautifully decorated trees, ornaments, lights, tabletop décor, signs and candles to make your mouth water!

Zonta’s Healthy Woman’s Day, which offers free breast exams and screening for diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, and height and weight, provided services to approximately 85 women on October 25; 65 participants were referred for mammograms, either on-site or at Shelia R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center.  Samuel Dixon Health Center, under the direction of Executive Director, Cheryl Laymon, provided the health screenings services offered by Healthy Woman’s Day for the uninsured and underinsured women  who availed themselves of these diagnostic services.   Kudos to the many volunteers that made this day possible!

Choice of color is intensely personal: Color combinations have profound effect on our mood and well-being.

The holidays are just around the corner.  So why not now, just before your holiday guests arrive, give your home a little makeover with all of those different ideas you have in mind?  Whether it is a kitchen or a bathroom remodel, it might be time to treat yourself and your guests.

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year to share with loved ones.  Why worry about decorating the exterior of your home or business, when you can have the professionals at A. Allbright do it for you?

For most of us, this holiday season may be like no other in recent memory due to the economy.  I want my gifts this year to mean more than just about the money I spend!  In my line of business I see many people who have been given gifts over the years that didn’t “fit” or couldn’t be used which became a clutter problem rather than a valued treasure.

Here are some ideas and suggestions for the new 2009 color trends by some of our industry experts.  We are presenting these color palettes, which are unique and creative, to hopefully inspire you and your imagination. 

Green cleaning is defined as cleaning to protect health without harming the environment.  “Green” cleaning (cleaning your home with less-toxic products and substances) is important because it better protects your health and your children’s health. Many common household cleaning products contain chemicals that can have adverse health effects.  These chemicals can cause cancer, irritate the lungs, interfere with the functioning of the liver and other organs, irritate the skin, or affect the reproductive system.  Studies indicate that most Americans have common household cleaning chemicals in their blood and urine.

Rest easy with Magic Maintenance, Incorporated, and let the professionals do the work!  Since 1964, Magic Maintenance has offered comprehensive cleaning and maintenance solutions for residential, new construction, commercial and retail properties.  Services include residential and commercial carpet and upholstery cleaning, commercial janitorial service, pressure washing, graffiti removal, interior and exterior painting, drywall and 24 hour water remediation services and mold remediation. 

The colors of 2008 are changing in order to fit new color trends predicted for 2009.  What we thought of as red might not be the same red we see in many new and upcoming designs in the next twelve months.  That’s what innovators at the 2009-2010 International Window Coverings Expo highlighted in their exclusive GMI style trends, which outlined some of the new color changes grouped into four trendy palettes:  Jet Set Next, Dramatical, More Adventuress, and Boho Soul. 

Even as temperatures begin to cool, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as a dip in the pool.  It’s easy to let the day’s stresses melt away as you effortlessly move through the cool, blue water.  But as you’re splashing around, do you ever think about what’s in the water?  From E. coli to Cryptosporidium parvum, a pool not properly cared for can be overwhelmed by unwanted intruders.

I came home from work one evening last month, turned on the television and nothing.  The hard drive in the satellite receiver had locked up.  I followed the directions in the customer manual but to no avail.  Panic!  Even the programs recorded on the Tivo were inaccessible.  One call to the satellite company and five days later, courtesy of FedX, wa la, a new receiver.  A quick change out, reconnect a few cables and all’s well in my world.  But now, for the rest of the story.

Sun., Nov. 9, 2:30 p.m. — SCV Rose Society Meeting.  The guest speaker this month is Robert B. Martin, Jr., who will discuss new roses on the horizon.  Bob is a Master Rosarian, awarding-winning author, and rose exhibitor.  Bob is editor of “Horizon Roses,” and...