Posted on February 29, 2020 by J. F. Booth

Stop, In the Name of Love

by

Feb. 11, 2020

We’re all spending a bit more time indoors than we may wish right now. Unless you’re an avid skier, February finds most of sitting by the fireplace, looking through travel brochures or staring at the scratches on the side table and the wine stain on the armchair.

But wait! Who’s this bounding across the room with a tug rope in her mouth or a lolling tongue ready to plaster a big kiss on your knee? Or, maybe your quiet feline has just curled up beside you on the couch. Is he purring loud enough to lift you out of your February doldrums? He’s trying pretty hard to get your attention, isn’t he?

So, perhaps you can harness your pent up energy and your pets’ love, and set yourself a worthwhile task, freshening up your home décor with your pets in mind. And, while you’re at it, maybe you can make a few changes around the house that will make your dog, cat, gerbil, or parakeet a bit happier and more comfortable too.

I’m confident you know your tastes well enough to select new slipcovers for the tired armchair, and a fresh color to paint the den. Maybe you’re deciding to replace the drapes with some lighter, fresher window treatment. Great!

Before you start ordering fabric and measuring floor area, let me make some cautionary decorating suggestions that might save you and your four-legged and feathered friends disappointment or frustration. Architect Heather Lewis of Animal Arts Design Studio, Boulder, Colorado, points out, “Americans are radically changing in terms of how we understand the pet’s overall well-being. [Americans are] also concerned about their animal’s emotional well-being.” Facts seem to bear out Lewis’s assertion. In 2018, Americans spent over $16 billion on pet items, beyond food and veterinary care.

If you live with a pet, you know the housekeeping issues associated with furry and feathered housemates; shedding, scratches, drool, active indoor exercise, odors, and, not to be overlooked – curiosity. These are often part of our pets’ natures, qualities we love and hate in equal measure.

So fellow pet owners, if you are concerned about your emotional well-being as well as Charlie the lab, or Bella the cat’s emotional well-being, here are five cautions to keep in mind when decorating or redecorating your pet-friendly home:

1

 Color: Shedding is always and forever, if you own a pet. If you have a chocolate lab or a white kitten, avoid choosing upholstery colors that will show every hair shed by your pet. Cream velvet may be perfect with a white cat, but your black or chocolate lab will turn that upholstery into a tweedy mess. Choose colors that mask your pet’s shedding.

2

 Flooring: Avoid wall-to-wall carpets, hard tile, and soft-wood flooring. Wall-to-wall carpeting is lovely for sound deadening and warmth on a cold floor, but if your pet has an accident, urine and stomach acid will leave permanent spots. And, my experience tells me those spots will be in the very center of the room. If you must have carpeting, select a tweed or earth tone with short pile; that will camouflage stains and be easier to clean. Better still, area rugs anchored with non-skid mats or tape are less likely to show stains and can be taken up easily for cleaning or replacement.

Shiny tiles are a different problem, while tile is easy to keep clean and maintain, it’s a difficult surface for pets to navigate. You may hear your pet’s claws click on the tile, and sometimes Fido will go sliding across the tiles, bouncing into a wall or cupboard – not necessarily a fun experience for Fido, even if everyone laughs. Additionally, wet tile is slippery for people and pets. A pet’s water dish, or unforeseen drool or piddle will create a dangerous slick spot on the floor. It might not be the dog that slides into the cabinet that time, but you, carrying a stack of dishes to the table!

Soft-wood is another unsatisfactory choice in flooring. Pine or fir are lovely to look at, but their soft grains mean they’re easily scratched. A pet’s claws can gouge the floor and leave annoying and irreparable scratches. Stick with oak, maple, or bamboo flooring, which is both beautiful and hard to scratch or dent.

3

 Fabrics: Keeping in mind what we’ve already discussed about color, choosing the type of fabric to use when reupholstering a couch or armchair is critical. Avoid fabrics that have a raised weave or “nubby” finish. While these tapestry-type fabrics are beautiful, they invite disaster. An outstretched kitty’s claws can easily hook a thread or two. The thread pulls; the cat panics and withdraws, taking the unraveling threads with her. You can imagine the rest!

Leather seems like a natural choice for pet-friendly furniture. But maybe not! While leather is easy to clean and seemingly durable, it has its weaknesses. Leather punctures easily, as you may have discovered with your car’s upholstery. Leather also requires moisturizing to keep it supple. If it dries out, scratches and mars as well as discoloration occur. But you have your heart set on leather? Be sure to check that the leather is “dyed through.” Less expensive leather is colored only on the surface. You want leather that is deeply dyed, all one color; if there are scratches or mars, they will be less noticeable if the blemish is the same color as the rest of the surface.

Denim, canvas, ultra-suede, and other synthetic fabrics are reliable alternatives for upholstery. Ultra-suede has a certain luxurious quality while being easy to clean with soap and water; it’s also fairly moisture and stain resistant. Translate: resistant to Bozo’s drooling and Puss’s hairballs. You may even want to look into the indoor-outdoor fabrics that are available now. They’re relatively indestructible.

4

 Walls: You may be wondering why you may want to think about your walls in relation to your pets. Well, if you watch your standard poodle or Maine Coon Cat, they like to rub their bodies against a corner or wall. If you look closely, you’ll notice oily smudges at about back height for your cat or dog. These smudges become more noticeable with time, and if your walls have flat or matte finishes, you’ll have a difficult time cleaning away those discolorations. A bit of touch-up paint is not going to make the wall look great again. Those animal body oils remain on the surface and resist paint.

Avoid wallpaper, fabric, or flat paint on walls where pets commonly pass by. That beautiful golden retriever may enjoy a good rub down from you, but if you’re not around, that corner wall in the kitchen makes a handy substitute. Or, maybe you’ve seen your lovely Siamese arch her back and rub against that dining room wall.

If you don’t like the look of semi-gloss paint, you could try measuring up from the floor the height of your pet’s rubbing. Buy both semi-gloss and flat paint in the same color. Paint the lower portion of the walls with the cleanable semi-gloss and paint the remainder of the wall with the preferred flat finish. Another option is to add wainscoting–vertical wooden paneling, in the areas where your pets hangout, usually kitchen, family room, and perhaps the mudroom or laundry area. Wainscoting is attractive, can be painted in semi-gloss or gloss, disguises dirt and oily stains, and cleans easily.

5

 Miscellaneous cautions: Let me close with a few general cautions and suggestions to consider as you ponder bigger home-freshening projects:

6

 Window treatments: Remember that your pets like the out-of-doors too. If you can, leave a window uncovered, no blinds or closed drapes, so your dog or cat can sit and watch the snow fall, the birds flit by, the squirrels scramble about. A window on the world will be much more fun for your pets than leaving the TV playing when you’re away.

7

 Cautions: An easy adjustment you may want to make in your home is to look to the corners. By that I mean, sharp edges and corners of tables and shelves. If there are no little children around, you may have not considered that a scampering puppy or romping cat could easily be injured if she or he ran into the corner of that glass coffee table or got tangled in an extension cord. Is there a lamp perched precariously near a table’s edge where it could be bumped and tumble off and on top of your pet?

8

 Pet Property: How conveniently have you arranged your pet’s “things?” Those leashes, collars, pet coats, outdoor and indoor toys – are they flung into a big box or basket where you have to rummage through and untangle every time you want to use one? Perhaps you could make life easier for you and happier for your pet if you sorted out his toys, hung her leashes, folded the raincoat and towel for the next rainy or snowy walk.

We all enjoy our darling dogs, cats, gerbils, and parakeets. Sometimes there are simple ways to enhance the pleasure of pets and minimize the frustrations.

Posted in Published articles | 1 Comment

Tidying Your Garden of Books

Posted on February 28, 2020 by J. F. Booth

Jan. 02, 2020

There are three main issues to consider when trying to organize anything in our homes:

  1. What’s to be organized.
  2. How best to organize.
  3. Where to locate or relocate this beautifully organized stuff, be it garden tools, sports equipment, or books.

There were 675 million print books sold in the United States in 2018, according to the Pew Research Center. Does it sometimes feel as though a good portion of those books ended up on your nightstand, coffee table, and desk? I’m sure my piles of books account for some hefty percentage of those 675 million.

It’s well and truly winter now, no gardening projects beckoning you out-of-doors, the perfect season for curling up with a good book. But perhaps finding the pile or shelf or box in which you carefully deposited that good book has slipped your mind. A cold January afternoon might be just the time to tackle those random piles of books, to put them in some logical and attractive order. Which leads me to the subject of this column, which you may already have guessed—organizing your home library.

Looking around at my library, I can identify the traditional print material—books, newspapers, and magazines. But I’ve also got to consider my e-reader, PC, earphones, and charging cables. What will be the most useful way for me to find a particular book or periodical, or the earbuds for my iPad? How do I use this wealth of material? Let me suggest several ways of organizing a personal library:

1

Use: One collection might be the books, periodicals, and electronics that are useful on a daily basis. Another group could be the material for book clubs or courses. A third group might be favorites, books never to be loaned or parted with. And, what about grouping together material for my hobbies—gardening, sky diving, spelunking? (I’m a bit of a Walter Mitty.) There’s that guilt-inducing pile of “read it again” books too. Could we put together all the books and magazines that come highly recommended but have yet to actually be read—that “next thing to read” group.

2

Genre: Of course, there’s always the traditional organization by genre. (This one works best if your reading tastes are wide ranging.) You’ll have your mystery and espionage collection, sci-fi books, romance, travel, biography and memoirs, etc. If you really have a lot of time on your hands, you could even categorize your collection by the Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress systems.

3

Appearance: This one’s for those of you who want your library to please the eye as well as the mind. You can arrange your books by hardcover and paperback, size—small paperbacks to oversized coffee table books. You might be very bold and group your books by the colors of their spines or covers – all the red covers, the blue ones, the black spines. Even the width of the book could be a determinant—novellas separate from their pushy cousins, the sagas and tomes. (There’s a certain advantage here. I find my little 100+ page books sometimes slide in between two 500+ pagers, never to be found again!) Within your color-coded collections, you could categorize the books alphabetically by author, title, or subject.

Now that you have a plan, don’t panic. Stick with me here! Choose one of those out-of-control bookshelves or piles of books and begin placing the volumes in boxes based on the categories you’re using. If you’re really enjoying this project, you might want to download one of the free or modestly priced apps for cataloging your books. Librarything.com is free, and easy to use. Goodreads.com is another popular cataloging tool. These apps usually provide a method for entering the ISBN number of the book, and the computer fills-in the rest—title, author, publication date, etc. Cataloging your books is particularly helpful if you have an extensive library and perhaps some valuable books. You might provide your insurance agent with a copy of the catalog as you would for a collection of jewelry or fine art.

While you’re sorting through those random books, transforming them into a useful and handsome library, begin thinking about the housing of your freshly organized library. Where do you want to locate some or all of your books? Do you have a room designated as the library, den, or office? Are there some blank walls that would happily support bookcases or shelves? How about that funny space beneath the staircase? Or that long hallway wasting precious space? Maybe you’ll want to locate parts of your library in different areas; cookbooks and foodie reads on some shelving in the kitchen, humor and joke books in the powder room, travel books in the guestroom. I have a friend who organized his books chronologically, based on when he’d read or bought the book. So, he had his collection of comics and children’s books in the front hall; the romance and adventure collection reposed on the landing; and his collection of classics held pride of place in the den.

When you’re thinking of the where and how of your physical library, keep in mind the practical issues:

4

Safety: ideally, tall bookcases make the best use of space, but they need to be secured to the wall to avoid toppling. In addition, you’ll want to think about how you’ll get to the books on the upper shelves; will you need a step stool or ladder? This is the point when you may want to call on the services of a carpenter. Whether you want built-in bookcases or less permanent bookshelves, they will need to be sturdy enough not to bow or collapse under the weight of your book collection. Equally important will be ensuring that the books won’t come tumbling down on top of some unsuspecting passer-by. And check that the placement of your bookshelves won’t block heating or cooling vents. A professional fix-it person or carpenter can ensure that your books are housed in safe and attractive cases and shelves. Don’t leave it to chance.

5

Lighting: If you are going to use your shelved books, you’ll have to be able to read the spines; see the titles. How will the areas you choose for bookshelves be lit? Too much light can damage the books’ covers and binding. You’ll also want to think about lights for reading in or near your library. Will it be feasible to plug in a floor lamp? Will you want to bring in an electrician to install some track lighting or additional electrical outlets?

6

Furnishing: You’ll probably want to add some seating to your library, a comfy easy chair, a bench for quick reads, a table for your cup of tea, as well as that lamp casting light over your shoulder and onto the page.

7

Special touches: If you’re inspired, you might want to toy with the décor in and around your library. Perhaps you have seen the clever bookshelves made of old stepladders and weathered boards. Or, you may have a collection of bobble heads or Wedgwood china that would be lovely displayed on some of the shelves between the books. You might find a geode to use as a bookend, or some handsome, antique bookends to prop up your books. If your library is in a multi-purpose room, say the dining room or the TV room, you could install drapes in front of the bookshelves; you could draw the curtain and transform the room.

8

Housekeeping tips: Finally, when settling your reorganized books and periodicals into their new location, think ahead to the day-to-day maintenance of your library. If your home tends to be damp, you may need to install a dehumidifier to protect the books from moisture which can lead to damaged covers and pages, as well as mold. If your library is in a dry area, a humidifier may be necessary, but I caution against overdoing the humidity.

Finally, if you collect used and antique books, they may come with their own collection of silverfish, book lice, termites, or cockroaches. To prevent such an infestation of your books, when you get a suspicious book, seal it in a zip bag and pop it in the freezer for a couple of days. That will kill anything living among the pages.

As educator and politician Horace Mann noted, “A house without books is like a room without windows.” You’ll enjoy those books more when you have your collection under control and easily accessible.

Posted in Published articles, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Another Look at Tools (What’s Up? Magazine) December, 2019

Posted on December 29, 2019 by J. F. Booth

Another Look at Tools

by

Dec. 13, 2019

Somewhere, lurking in that dark corner in the garage, or behind the boxes of swim fins and badminton equipment, or in that plastic storage box by the driveway, your garden tools are languishing. They still bear the evidence of spring’s efforts and summer’s delights. The clods of dark, loamy soil from the flowerbed clinging to the trowel, the straw-like weed stuck to the garden fork. Maybe you’ll even find an overlooked packet of marigold seeds that never got planted. Oh, well, winter’s here now; the garden tools can wait till spring.

But wait! You may want to think again before turning the page to that article on the new lipstick colors for the holiday parties, or those pictures of the beautiful homes for sale. Perhaps you want to give another thought to those garden tools—even in December.

If you’ve got tools, they need occasional maintenance to keep them useful and handy. Additionally, maybe there is a tool or two you’d like to add to your collection. Would some tasks have been easier if you’d had a new or better tool? Which leads me to the gift of tools; perhaps you share an interest in gardening with friends. There may be some unique or handy tool that would make great gifts for fellow gardeners.

 

Continue reading →

Posted in Published articles, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Doing What We Can to Improve the Environment

Posted on December 29, 2019 by J. F. Booth

Oct. 15, 2019

What’s Up? Annapolis

Our lovely, lush, green lawns contribute significantly to the Chesapeake Bay pollution. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) continues to raise the alarm on the dire condition of the Bay. In a recent report, CBF noted, “Computer modeling by the Chesapeake Bay Program suggests 9 million more pounds of nitrogen will wash into the bay due to climate change and 500,000 pounds of phosphorous.” Much of that excess nitrogen and phosphorous comes as run-off from residential lawns.

We have good intentions. Most of us try to protect the earth, the oceans, the Chesapeake Bay, the streams that intersect our town and cities, and our own neighborhoods. Those of us who putter in the garden try to use less fertilizer, less weed killer, less watering, more mulching, more composting, more cultivation of indigenous plants—we keep looking for ways, small or large, to turn around those disheartening statistics on the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Perhaps instead of lamenting our guilt, we can tackle one significant source of pollution: our lush lawns. I can offer three interesting alternatives to grassy knolls and putting-green sod. Why not replace that green carpet with a (1) pond or a (2) rock garden? What about a pretty and practical (3) rain garden?

Wait! Why choose between the three? Why not replace your side yard with a rock garden, find a shady spot in the front lawn for a soothing pond, and collect runoff with a rain garden just along the driveway’s edge? Those changes could reduce the onerous grass cutting and leaf raking chores significantly, and help the Bay as well. Imagine if each of us could diminish the amount of grass we grow by 25 or 50 percent; what a difference that would make in reducing excess nitrogen and phosphorous flowing into our water supply, as well as reducing the use of treated or aquifer water.

Just a little preliminary warning here: Unless you’re a weight lifter or a tri-athlete, I don’t recommend you try constructing these specialty gardens yourself. You can make the plan, perhaps even draw up a few design diagrams. Then, consult with your landscaper, landscape architect, or gardener to proceed with the actual scraping and digging, lining, and mounding.

POND

Let’s begin with the pond. If you have a grassy area that is relatively free of tree roots and large shrubs, that may be the spot for a pond. You’ll want to consider the size and depth of the pond you envision. To help with that visualization, use lightweight rope, cord, or even your garden hose to roughly layout the design and size of your pond on the location you’ve chosen. As you arrange the rope or hose, think about where the sun will hit your pond and for how long. (You may decide to stock your pond with goldfish or koi, and if you do, the fish will need some sunlight but not such intense sunlight, that your pond becomes a boiling pot for the little swimmers.) Also, will tall trees overhang your pond’s location? Picking branches and leaves out of the pond could become annoying.

Now the fun begins: planting in and around your pond. Placing plants in the pond will depend on the size and depth of your pond. There are five types of plants to consider:

Deep water plants, such as water lilies, are put in pots of clay soil topped by gravel or pebbles, then settled on the bottom of the pond. (Be sure that most of the plant’s stalk and foliage are above water.)

Submerged plants, such as lotus, are entirely underwater, and only the leaves and blooms break the surface.

Floating plants, such as water hyacinth or water lettuce, need no soil. (Caution: these pretty, tiny guys  look innocent, but before you know it they can choke out everything else in the pond. You’ll have to keep a close eye and thin the plants without mercy.)

Marginal plants, such as irises, can live with their bulbs and roots submerged or planted in the soil near your pond. (They’ll soften the edges of the pond so it appears the pond is a natural part of the landscape.)

Bog plants, such as cattails and spider plants, thrive in the mud. (Perfect if you have a spillway or drain from the pond where the soil remains pretty soggy.)

Now, maybe you’re thinking, “If I’m trying to use natural plantings, less water, and less fertilizer, why would I want a pond? Won’t that use more water?” Surprisingly, a pond uses little water. Once it’s filled and you’ve installed a small bubbler to keep the water aerated, the pond will take care of itself. The movement and aeration created by the small bubbler will prevent the laying of mosquito larvae. Of course, you may want to install a fountain—fairly easy to accomplish—or a waterfall, a far more complex and demanding project. If your aeration system is working, you’ll only need to top-off the pond’s water level every three to four weeks. If possible, use unchlorinated water; plants, frogs, and fish will be happier and healthier.

As much fun as it will be choosing entirely different qualities of the plants in and around your pond, consider that you may want to leave some open water, even if that’s only a two-foot circle in the middle of the pond. The reflections in the water, the sparkles of sunbeams on the surface, the sight of dragonflies hovering—those are as lovely as the plants you’ve chosen.

Finally, try to leave at least one overhang, a flagstone or a sturdy branch that juts out over the water. You will find it lures the little songbirds to come and drink. If you’re lucky, turtles and frogs may discover your pond, too. They’ll all enjoy your little makeshift diving board.

ROCK GARDEN

Now, what about the rock garden? This overlooked gem can provide the perfect solution for that too-sunny spot where the plants frequently fry, or mask that section of your property where the builder left so much rubble that no amount of mulch can coax shrubs or flowers to flourish.

Here, too, use that piece of hose or rope and lay out a shape that looks natural and the right size.

You might even have a rock garden about your pond, if the incline of the land allows. Here’s where you’ll need some strong backs and arms—maybe those teenagers keeping in shape for lacrosse or soccer could lift rocks instead of weights. Lay the rocks in concentric circles. Fill the middle of the circle with sandy soil or peat with lava rock mixed in for each tier. Avoid laying the rocks in too regular a pattern. Mix sizes and colors as you build up your rock garden.

The soil that you’re using to “fill in” the center of each tier will feed the roots of the plants you’ll be adding. A major advantage of a rock garden is that it will be worry-free, if you choose your plants carefully. (You’ll occasionally have to weed out volunteer crabgrass and other invaders, but those unwanted visitors will be easy to spot among the low, lush vegetation.)

Tuck your tiny plants between the rocks, using a thin stick or finger to push the roots down into the crevice; then add a bit of soil on top.

RAIN GARDEN

Last of all, take some of those leftover rocks, and some of the marginal and bog plants you used at the pond, and finish off your eco-friendly yard with that rain garden. (This will be easy compared with the pond and the rock garden.) The purpose of a rain garden is to take up the excess water that runs off your driveway, sidewalks, patio—any impermeable surface—and encourage that polluted water to soak down into the soil where it will be cleansed and then returned to the aquifer. This process is completely passive, so you want to think about where rain water and sprinkler hose water runs naturally in your yard.

You’ll probably be able to identify the area by its spongy and maybe a bit stinky character. Now you’ll transform that area into a lovely, useful rain garden. Following the natural indentation of the land, dig out the boggy area. Create just a gentle dent in the surface; don’t get carried away with a deep trench. If you know that quantities of water will likely stand for a bit in your rain garden, layer part of the shallow ditch with “river rocks.” (That’s a designation for large, usually oval, and smooth rocks.) Then, plant your bog and marginal plants along the sides and bottom of your indentation. You might add some creeping phlox and moss to the sides, too, for added color and a softening, natural effect.

Before long, the plants will take hold, the rains will come and go, and your rain garden will transform from a gash into a soft dent—quite natural to its location. Below the surface, clean water will fill the aquifers, and healing the earth will continue.

The crabs and herons, as well as your neighbors and fellow citizens, will benefit from your labors to improve our eco-system.

Posted in Nature, Published articles | 3 Comments

End of a decade, but not the end of the Osprey Chronicles

Posted on December 29, 2019 by J. F. Booth

Mea culpa! The year and the decade are drawing to a close and I have not brought my fellow groupies up-to-date on our beloved Ospreys, Opal and Oscar.  I will try to rectify my laxity now.

For our intrepid couple, 2019 marked the 18th year of residence at the United States Naval Academy.  The family left Annapolis for warmer climes in mid-September; Opal, Oscar, and two healthy youngsters.  (I observed only two hatchlings this year.)  You may recall that Opal and Oscar arrived, as usual, last spring  in mid-March.

The summer unfolded uneventfully. Oscar repaired their nest, while Opal watched over the eggs.  Together they fed, guarded, and trained their noisy brood of hatchlings. The fledglings learned to fly and feed themselves; Oscar and Opal have lots of parenting experience. 

The only notable Osprey news was the addition of a new pair of osprey on the nearby soccer field.  (You may recall several years ago that Ospreys, Pablo and Pearl nested on the soccer field but a storm ravaged their nest and sent them to some distant shore and, hopefully, a safer nest.)

But, about mid-March this year. a single osprey began hanging out several poles down-wind of Oscar and Opal’s nest.  Now, I’ve seen osprey try this before, but they were always quickly driven off by Oscar.  But, not this time. Oscar seemed to tolerate this youth, perhaps one of Oscar’s sons?, and the young intruder seemed to know the boundaries, never approaching too close to Oscar and Opal’s established nest.

Before long, this youth, whom I named Raul, moved down to the soccer field, to the light poles where Pablo and Pearl formerly resided.  Raul seemed to be alone, for a while. Then, one morning, I was delighted to see Raul busy with nest building, and he was not working alone. A big, beautiful Osprey lass was working too. Ruby, as I dubbed her, and Raul soon had their new nest well feathered, and comfy.  They produced three hatchlings, and over the summer, trained their first family of fledglings.  They too departed in mid-September.

A very happy year for the Navy’s very own Osprey families.

One unfortunate note: A few days ago, right after Christmas, the Naval Academy brought in a super-large “cherry-picker” vehicle.  They proceeded to tear down both nests. So, when Oscar and Opal return next March, which I hope they will, they will have to rebuild their home from scratch!  And, the same goes for Ruby and Raul.  Sigh.  Where is the Navy’s family spirit?  Oscar and Opal have spent more years at the Academy than most of the men and women who are there!  (I hope this was not a political statement on migrant families.)

Posted in Nature, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 6 Comments