Problem: Making room for an unusual hobby In a far corner of the Schneehagens’ backyard, hundreds of bees are buzzing in and out of their bright yellow hive. Henri Schneehagen, 9, and his parents, Loreena and Jason, are the keepers of the bees and other living things that thrive on this Charlottesville city homestead. […]

Whether you simmer and sauté or microwave and melt, chances are, you spend a lot of time in your kitchen. The heart of the home is also one of the most expensive rooms to renovate—therefore, the one that stumps renters who wish they could make some changes.   As a renter, you can’t replace countertops, […]

LEAP talks the talk… The scope of the Local Energy Alliance Program just keeps growing. This year, the energy-efficiency partnership brings you a wealth of green-home information via a series of free events—think water savings, insulation, real estate and more. Each month, LEAP offers a free talk on a different topic. May’s is “Conserving and […]

Rental Rescue New leash on life In 2008, I went to the Barracks Road Harris Teeter on a mission to buy some milk and fabric softener, and instead, came home with a 4-month-old puppy. Congratulations to whoever developed the pet-adoption marketing strategy of placing cages of cuteness between people and their Saturday morning errands—it works. […]

What are you doing sitting on that couch? What’s with the overstuffed chair? who do you think you are, parking yourself at the dining room table? Get outside, for crying out loud! It’s springtime in Central Virginia, and it demands to be enjoyed. You can still sit down, we promise. And with one of these […]

Spring break For over 70 years Virginia has celebrated spring the third week in April with Historic Garden Week. Sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia (vagardenweek.org), tours raise funds for statewide restorations. It’s surprisingly easy for old gardens to disappear—a blink of the eye will do it. The gardens of Monticello and the University […]

For at least the past 9,000 years, the humble goat has been mankind’s companion and provider. As evidenced in their respective mythologies, both Greek and Roman armies utilized this hardy animal as a self-propelled food supply for far-flung borders—regardless of terrain, goats will find their own food and produce milk and fiber while they live, […]

There’s nothing quite like spring in Charlottesville. As the days grow longer and the weather grows warmer, our homes beg for fresh air, friends, and some good ol’ Southern hospitality. Whether it be selecting an open floor plan perfect for a party, or choosing furniture, flooring, and finishes that can stand up to red wine […]

Our ability to think creatively is essential for these personally and planetarily challenging times. This month Betty has inventive ideas for saving money and resources, including gas. Beyond the clothing swap Bring some clothes to the party, take some home. Easy and fun, right? Why not try a book swap, a DVD swap, a CD […]

 Smaller farming Do you have a small plot and an intense desire to grow lots of food on it? If so, SPIN (small plot intensive) farming might be your ticket. Proponents of the method say that a half-acre of land can yield $50,000 of produce a year! We say, just squeezing more veggies onto your […]