Thursday, June 4, 2009

96 Hours: Home Depot's Kids Workshops: safety, skill


On Saturday morning, you might notice a brigade of shorter-than-usual do-it-yourselfers heading through the aisles of Home Depot. Follow the sound of chattering voices and pounding hammers and you'll find dozens of youngsters sitting on upturned buckets and making projects at the Home Depot's Kids Workshops.

Read more at SFChronicle.com



Rest of post here.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Check it off: Dining outdoors

Another feature from the Check it off column in the SF Chronicle.

As the warmer weather kicks in, thoughts turn to dining in the great outdoors. Whether you're firing up the grill for Father's Day, planning a fancy al fresco buffet or just relaxing out in your garden on a weekend, here are a few things that can make your next outdoor gathering a bit more pleasant.

- Sun tea jar. An easy, cheerful addition to any outdoor party is a tall glass of sun tea. Make it in a large glass jar. Just fill the container with cold water, add three or four tea bags and set it in the sunlight for three to four hours. Pour the tea over ice and serve. Solar power never tasted so good.

- Frozen fruit. If you don't care for watered-down drinks, consider freezing some fruit the night before for use in your beverages the next day. Slices of lemon, grapes, chunks of pineapple, pieces of mango or raspberries can be a refreshing addition to iced tea, lemonade or a simple glass of fizzy water.