Homes

Q: Can you tell me how I will know when my basil and lavender are ready to cut and use? A: You can harvest basil as soon as you have enough leaves for what you need, while leaving enough on the plant to keep it alive.

Interior designer Tim Clarke helps readers capture the easy-living feel of the beach in his book Coastal Modern - even when the beach is thousands of miles away.

When you want to paddle that extra mile for a summer theme party, here's a bit of inspiration for you. This would be fun for kids of all ages, and especially those who love the lake and have a canoe trip or two in their memory repertoire.

After years of envisioning it, Vancouver writer Kim Pemberton found her retirement home in Shawnigan Lake

Debbie Travis >E3

Dear Reena: Quite a while ago, you addressed the problem of black streaks on Corelle dinner plates. I remember that you had to put the plates in hot or boiling water but I don't remember what else you put into the water to take away the stains.

I've seen several articles with tips on how to pack for a trip. The following tips, from Erica Duecy, deputy editor at Fodor's, are so reasonable, even an over-packer like me can use them. Here are a few highlights.

It's no grand mansion - this century-old home has housed middle-class families in comfort and unpretentious style

Smaller subdivisions and even smaller building lots are bringing people closer together - sometimes with humorous and exasperating results.

There's nothing quite so effective as rising early to water the garden for viewing a concentration of wildlife. There's the usual young buck at his daily morning (and evening) station by the fence, nibbling grass and clover.