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Homes

American chestnut makes a comeback

Before you can roast them by a fire, there's plenty of work to do

Huge puffballs sprout in fall

Dear Mary: I have several large, white mushrooms growing on and around my patio. One is the size of a bowling ball, the other near the size of a soccer ball and one larger than a golf ball. They are hard.

Inside

Mike Holmes >E2

Sensors help manage your home's energy use

Our homes are getting smarter. Smart technology that automates our homes' devices is becoming mainstream, making it convenient for us to rein in our energy use and cut our energy bills. Come to think of it, maybe we're the smart ones.

Inside

Debbie Travis >E7

Many 'extras' should be standard

People usually think that the work of a contractor begins and ends with construction and building. That's certainly a big part of it, but it's not the whole story. A lot also goes into getting the job started.

Work with what you have to add space to your home

You are looking for space to pile up books and magazines that doesn't look cluttered or junky. You'd like to tuck in a desk for your computer that doesn't need to be cleared off when you decide to eat.

Fans can help heat homes

Feeling the breeze from a ceiling fan just may be a step you can take toward greater energy efficiency this fall.

Satan rumour once took bite out of burger empire

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its big, floppy clown shoes. In the late 1970s, McDonald's officials faced a public-relations nightmare over a silly rumor that was too ludicrous to be believed.

Add a little spice to your kitchen

Dear Reena: I want to impress my East Indian fiancé and his family by having East Indian spices on hand in my cupboards.