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Hummingbird Snacks

By Ken Hoyt Haeckel_trochilidae

Love hummingbirds? I think everyone is charmed by these avian acrobats. Do yourself and the birds a favor and forgo the manufactured food. You can make this preservative and colorant free version at home: Sugar Water Nectar 4 cups water 1 cup sugar Combine the water and sugar, and bring to a boil. Stir until all traces of the sugar have dissolved. Cool completely before filling the feeder. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator. The Audubon Society has some great information about this family of birds and their preferred feeders. Learn how to make this feeder from castoffs. For more... »MORE

May 13, 2008
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A Bug's Life: the naughty bits...

By Ken Hoyt Green-porno

Frankly I have an interest in only a half dozen bugs (mostly because we meet regularly in my garden). But the luminous daughter of the legendary Ingrid Bergman is consistently too captivating to miss... Isabella Rossellini could make drying paint seems fascinating. Now, it seems, she has a thing for the sex lives of bugs. (It's Isabella. So go ahead, deal me in.) She created eight very informative, and highly entertaining, short films on the love lives of common denizens * of our own backyards. The series, Green Porno, will run on the Sundance Channel and, more conveniently, on their... »MORE

May 12, 2008
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Dress for Success: Superhero-style

By Ken Hoyt Superhero-1

The always fascinating Metropolitan Museum of Art has never been at a loss for exhibitions to draw in the normally art averse. Who needs to study brush strokes when there are actual temples from antiquity and entire rooms from stately homes? The Costume Institute (originally curated by the fabulous Diana Vreeland) has stepped out of it's usual role of historic investigation with Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy * show set to run through this summer. It is much more than a sampling of all things spandex. The show details the effect these larger-than-life characters have on fashion from the athletic field... »MORE

May 09, 2008
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Still Thirsty?

By Ken Hoyt Water_droplet_blue_bg05

Single use water bottles are an expensive delivery system for a relatively generic product. And they're expensive on the back end, because few of them actually get recycled. Even some of the reusable bottles, although a greener solution, may have a sickening side effect. In The New York Times article, Perceptions: Go Ahead, Put the Water Bottle Down, Nicholas Bakalar finds that there is little evidence to support the widely held belief that we need 8 glasses of water a day. Actually if you're really thirsty, all of the time maybe you should consult your doctor. For more posts, like... »MORE

May 09, 2008
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Color your world...

By Ken Hoyt Sunset_with_funnel_clouds

The red wall (despite my dire predictions) refuses to die. This piece (part of the routinely well-written Room to Improve column in The New York Times) gathers the rouge-tinted opinions of a cross-sampling of talented designers... it's worth the read before you make the (hard-to-paint-over) commitment... For more posts, like this one, check out my blog. »MORE

May 07, 2008
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Objet d'art via Architect

By Ken Hoyt Walsh-book

Architect vs. Decorator? I've heard of the conflict but I always enjoy working with architects. More than that I enjoy their minds. Both disciplines are about solving problems. We decorators may move walls and change surfaces to that end but architects are called upon to form structure. Legendary designer Margo Grant Walsh shares my passion. She turned her passion in to a focused collection of objects: the metalworks of architects. The collection, Designed by Architects: Metalwork from the Margo Grant Walsh Collection, is on view at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from now through August 3rd. These images can... »MORE

May 01, 2008
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Thirsty Beast? The newest accessory for SUVs

By Ken Hoyt Hummer_grille

Is the act of filling your big macho ride making you feel a little queasy? You may just need the newest accessory for luxury class vehicles. Soon you'll be able to make your own fuel in the backyard with a home version ethanol maker. The E-Fuel 100 Microfueler is expected to make ethanol for around $1 a gallon (subject to the price of sugar). This luxury-oriented blog points out that it may make owning a gas hungry vehicle just a bit more affordable. The New York Times article, Home Brew for the Car, Not the Beer Cup points out some... »MORE

April 29, 2008
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Free Stuff: DIY Pinhole Camera

By Ken Hoyt Corbis-camera

Summer vacation is just around the corner. The familiar whine, "I'm bored" will be only moments behind the final school bell. Take out a little insurance: bookmark this post for inexpensive fun that provides hours of brain-stimulating activity. Pinhole cameras are fascinating. At their most complex they challenge the math skills, but at their simplest they still amaze (check out this FAQ for more info). Should you doubt the possibilities check out this gallery, updated once each year following World Pinhole Photography Day. Corbis Corporation (they manage licensed visual media) has joined the fun by providing cameras, like the one... »MORE

April 28, 2008
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DIY: May Day Seed Pocket

By Ken Hoyt Mayday1

If your springtime has resembled mine you have little in your garden that might make a bouquet. Perhaps a fistful of soggy dandelions? Beyond that I got nothin'. I like celebrating May Day because it gives me an excuse to surprise someone. This year's dearth of flowers has forced me to re-think my strategy. My new rationale is that we need hope more than we need flowers. And what's more hopeful than a packet of seeds. They promise a bounty of blooms. This little pocket is just right for hanging a greeting on the doors of your friends' and neighbors'... »MORE

April 27, 2008
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Oilgae?

By Ken Hoyt Pond-scum

Will pond scum save the day? The downsides of corn as a biofuel source have become a serious topic of late. Here's the short version: one acre of corn (plus 440,000 gallons of water) will produce about 480 gallons of ethanol per year. Diverting corn into making ethanol has been blamed for rising food costs. And then there's the concern that producing biofuel actually adds to the global warming problem. Algae (aka pond scum) is considered a good solution because many varieties are rich in oil. They also grow quickly, produce oxygen and require a fraction of the space of... »MORE

April 25, 2008
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Dynamic Dirt

By Ken Hoyt Super-soil

Some plants grow like weeds; they'll put down roots anywhere. Most plants, like most people, respond favorably to a happier home. The incontestable recipe for garden success is great soil. Superior soil has many practical advantages. Plants that are thriving are less prone to disease and require less intervention with chemicals. The result is more beautiful flowers and/or produce. Good soil also makes the best use of water. The Willamette Valley Soil Quality Guide was originally invented to assist farmers in Oregon; it's gone on to enjoy widespread popularity with all manner of gardeners. The guide consists of tests to... »MORE

April 25, 2008
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Edith Wharton: Decor Doyenne

By Ken Hoyt The-mount

Edith Wharton is among our national treasures. Well known for her novels observing the nuances of the society to which she was born. Few people know that prior to her brilliant career as a novelist she had a go at writing about decorating. Her book, The Decoration of Houses, published first in 1898, is the forerunner of what has become a giant publishing niche. In this book she called for people to reject the, then popular, superfluous ornaments of the gaudy Victorian age. Her views about comfort and ease-of-use, now generally accepted, were revolutionary at that time. Her home, The... »MORE

April 22, 2008
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Philippe Stark

By Ken Hoyt Starck-chair

Recently in the New York Times the iconic Philippe Starck was celebrated with fabulous short film and collage. Critic (and new editor of Sunset Magazine) Allison Arieff gave him rather thorough (and public) spanking in her blog entry, Starck Raving. She may have a point but when Ms. Arieff was likely still in college I received a potent lesson in the power of architecture when I first walked into the lobby of the newly opened Paramount Hotel in NYC. It was breathtakingly fresh. Arieff isn't alone in criticizing Starck, although for very different reasons. Recently he said, "I was a... »MORE

April 21, 2008
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Canning Jar Lanterns

By Ken Hoyt Masonjar

Canning jars, often called Mason Jars after the leading maker, have many uses. They are the perfect home for pennies, buttons, tea bags as well as lemonade. They also make dandy impromptu vases and short-term housing for the various fauna discovered in the backyard. They are made to handle high temperatures (home canning includes heating the jars in water at full boil for an extended period). Which make them the ideal home for a lit candle when dining al fresco. They keep the wind from the flame and, in turn, project an unpretentious country-style elegance. You may follow this link... »MORE

April 18, 2008
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Classy Condiments

By Ken Hoyt Ketchup

My friend Kathlyn once said that food is mainly a vehicle for condiments. Once upon a time in America it was enough for a mustard to be bright yellow and staunchly middle class. Then Grey Poupon came swanning across the water and all bets were off (that fascinating story here). Now mustard isn't so much a condiment as a category in the grocery store. Ketchup's time has apparently come. There have already been small uprisings. It's almost blasphemous to slather good-ole Heinz on beef that's more pedigreed than the diner. Witness the coming of age of gourmet ketchup. H. J.... »MORE

April 17, 2008
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The dust of dreams...

By Ken Hoyt Cabbage

To see things in the seed, that is genius. Lao Tzu Years ago I had a friend who had great gifts with gardens. She's left us now but she, like so many gardeners, planted ideas. She is the person that told me that she thought that simple brown seeds were "the dust of dreams." That idea is well planted in my thoughts and I wanted to share it with you. I find myself occasionally purchasing a packet of seeds (or, ahem, two) throughout the late winter. When the time to plant draws near I try to get practical and search... »MORE

April 12, 2008
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Al Gore Updates his Slideshow...

By Ken Hoyt Al-update

And now the truth is even more Inconvenient than that presented his Oscar-winning documentary. Less than two years have elapsed since An Inconvenient Truth debuted, and yet there is enough news to warrant this compelling 28 minute update from my favorite Nobel Prize winner. The video is hosted by TedTalks, which is sponsored by AutoDesk. While you're at the site check out the amazing roster of super brains that have videos available at TED, Ideas Worth Sharing. via »MORE

April 10, 2008
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Go Green, Live Rich

By Ken Hoyt Go-greenlive-rich

Leading financial expert David Bach didn't choose his home because it was green. He liked the view and the proximity but he experienced better health and his young son's asthma disappeared. This book, Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying, is the result. Most often the argument against purchasing green products is the cost. Approaching the subject as a finance guy Bach illustrates how the opposite is true. Check out Bach in this short video. And a few other folks weighed in: “Great news: there is no green premium! By demonstrating how... »MORE

April 07, 2008
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Make Biodegradable Pesticide

By Ken Hoyt Bounty

One of my most treasured delusions involves working the land, and self-sufficiency. Our moderately large urban lot will have to stand in for the farm, and the question of livestock never advances beyond chickens. Still, what dirt we have is precious and we use organic methods for a variety of reasons. I'm not without slip-ups (generally when I'm losing the battle with weeds in the hardscape). Organic pest control is not about murder. I think that it's mostly about irritating the pests enough to vacate the premises. This recipe for all-purpose biodegradable pesticide from Ipodguy at Instructables is guaranteed to... »MORE

April 06, 2008
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To do: Springtime Home Care Assessment

By Ken Hoyt Todo-list

Winter is lingering... but it's great time to check out the state of the house, and develop at plan of attack (or a Honey-Do list). This article from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution can help you ascertain your houses needs in these areas: gutters & downspouts, decks, trees, termites and HVAC. »MORE

April 05, 2008
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