From House to Home 7/2/07

Right At Home Daily: From House to Home
This week's tips:

• Buy an antique hutch, remove the door and use the shelves to display ceramics you picked up at a summer estate sale. Paint the back of the hutch a darker color than the rest of the piece to add depth and dimension.
• Do you have a yearning for a pet? Summertime is the best time to get a dog since the weather is warm, which makes training easier. Why not adopt from the Humane Society? To make life with your new friend easier, you might consider fencing part of or all of your yard.
• Summer is the season for barbecue. Stock your pantry with a hearty supply of accompaniments that can turn a bland meal into something special. Olives, roasted peppers, pimentos, soy sauce, fish sauces, and assortment of salsas, chili sauces and bean paste.
• Lawns in July often sport fungus problems and need to be treated immediately with suitable turf fungicide to prevent damage. Water early in the morning so your lawn is dry at night.
• Make sure you water your plants well, especially flowering yews and shrubs this month, when flower buds form for next year. Roses and perennials are best watered with a soaker hose that keeps water off the foliage to avoid mildew and black spots.