Been There, Done That

Eeep! No fire, but high-tech smoke detector toys with its human subjects

2009-11-08T12:00:00Z

Eeep! Eeep! Eeep! Eeep! Eeep! Eeep! The upstairs smoke detector was at it again. Why, oh why, do these things always happen at 3 a.m.? I had just snuggled under the covers and sunk into a deep sleep after...

Rain, rain, go away -- come again when the gazebo is stored

2009-11-01T12:00:00Z

Autumn is in the air. And so is the precipitation. The rain seems to have been coming down more days than not this season. It was on one such rainy fall day that I gazed into the woods from...

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs raises burning questions on mercury poisoning, health and what to do if your CFL accidentally breaks

2009-10-25T11:00:00Z

James DulleyEnergy saver, health hazard, or both? What would you do if your compact fluorescent bulb accidentally broke? According to the EPA, it's a very serious matter.How many lawmakers does it take to change a light bulb?Apparently, too many.In 2007,...

Ask a stupid question, and get some really obvious answers about what needs attention around the house

2009-10-18T11:00:00Z

“Why don’t you do something stupid?” I asked my younger son.I was serious.I figured if he broke something, I could repair it and then write about it in my next column.My son was smarter than that. There were plenty of...

Prepare to settle into your vehicle for those long hauls

2009-10-11T11:00:00Z

What makes a car a home?I’ll soon find out.For at least the next several weeks, I’ll be making daily trips to Grand Rapids. That will mean spending a lot more time in my vehicle than usual.To make things comfy, automakers...

In a high-tech world, old technology -- like reel-to-reel tape recorders, vacuum tubes and TV antennas -- still play a role

2009-10-04T11:00:00Z

Old technology dies hard.At least it does at our house.And judging from reader response, I’m not alone.Don’t get me wrong. I love today’s technology. A flash drive — that tiny device that plugs into computers to store and transport data...

How to work a double shift -- without the overtime

2009-09-27T11:00:00Z

Some days, you just can’t get ahead.The lawn needed mowing, but some short, simple tasks were demanding my immediate attention.In the basement, the dehumidifer was busy emptying all of its liquid contents onto the floor....

Mystery violet-eating creature likely a woodchuck or groundhog -- they're one and the same

2009-09-20T11:00:00Z

It's a woodchuck -- or a groundhog. Same thing. That's the consensus of readers who responded regarding the mystery of the "beaver with the fluffy tail," the fast-moving creature that has been busy eating leaves off the violets -- but...

What is this nimble critter that eats leaves off violets - and leaves the rest of the garden untouched?

2009-09-13T11:00:00Z

The mysterious creature came by night. It resorted to violets. In fact, it gobbled up every last violet leaf in the garden, even the leaves on those that had sprung up like weeds....

Save energy -- cook this tenderloin meal with corn on the cob, sweet potatoes using outdoor grill

2009-09-06T11:00:00Z

A hot summer day (pretty rare this year) was drawing to a close. We fired up the electric range for dinner -- noodles boiling in one pot, spaghetti sauce in another, steamed broccoli in the third and a tray of...

Land yourself a deal with patience, persistence

2009-08-30T11:00:00Z

My wife had always wanted a screened-in porch. It would be the perfect spot to sit and relax on pleasant summer evenings. Family and friends could gather there. The porch -- much like a huge refrigerator -- would be a...

Need a low-maintenance garden? Find a rattler

2009-08-23T11:00:00Z

Chronicle photo | Stan Harrison The a 20-by-22-foot curving garden plot is covered in mulch for low-maintenance. Each Sunday on our way to church, we admire the large, well-maintained "au naturel" garden at a home along Giles Road. Some 20...

Fake nests will send wasps elsewhere

2009-08-16T11:00:00Z

Chronicle photo | Stan Harrison The wasp nest that once was under the porch is now high in an oak tree near the driveway. The wasps are still buzzing. Angry that we sprayed them with pesticide, they found a new...

Feed your family a sit-down meal fast

2009-08-02T11:00:00Z

Photos by Stan Harrison If you can't seem to find time to feed your busy family a sit-down meal, take a lesson from the Boy Scouts. At Gerber Scout Reservation, they find time to feed Scouts, Scout leaders and staff...

How not to get rid of a paper wasp nest

2009-07-19T11:00:00Z

Tears of pain rolled down the 3-year-old girl's face. Hearing her uncontrollable crying, the girl's mother and my wife rushed to her aid. The 3-year-old had been stung by a paper wasp....

Take that 'reel' mower and wrap it in recording tape

2009-07-12T11:00:00Z

Chronicle photo | Stan Harrison It can take a lot of muscle to push a "reel-to-reel mower" up a hill. I'm reeling in response to last week's column. That's where push came to shove, and my then-five-months-pregnant wife, who had...

As years go by, the yard -- and the yardwork -- grow

2009-07-05T11:00:00Z

Family history has a way of repeating itself. When I used to call my parents out West, my mother's standard question was: "When are you going to come home and mow the lawn?" Now, my parents didn't have a typical...

Warning: Don't cultivate mushrooms on your deck

2009-06-28T11:00:00Z

Photo by Stan Harrison A mushroom rises from the deck. "Dad!" my older son exclaimed as I awoke following a late-night work shift. "You need to come and see this!" "Come and see what?" I asked, still in a daze....

Digital TV reception problems linger

2009-06-21T11:00:00Z

Things never seem to go exactly as advertised. Such was the case with our switch to digital television on June 12. Yes, the antennas we built to receive the new digital signals function as they should. Yes, we do get...

Compost pile doesn't need to be complicated

2009-06-14T11:00:00Z

Photo by Martin Harrison Our compost bin is 4 by 8 feet and is about 18 inches deep. It's made from four layers of old 2-by-4s. Last week, my wife got a phone call from a friend wanting to garden...