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At Home Odds/Ends

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 24, 2008

Make Room For Molehills

Get rid of the mountains of books, magazines and newspapers by culling through them following these guidelines from the September issue of ShopSmart (a Consumer Reports publication.)

Keep no more than two back issues of a magazine. When the new month comes in, toss the oldest month. (Scan the table of contents and rip out any articles you meant to get to but didn't.)

Toss today's newspaper in the recycling bin at the end of the day. Even if you haven't read it, you'll get another tomorrow. (Need more time? Resolve to toss the whole week's worth on recycle pickup day.)

Limit your print catalogs and shop online instead. Go to www.catalogchoice.org and get your name taken off a couple million mailing lists.

Send the books you're never going to read again to troops overseas. Soldiers post their requests at www.booksfor soldiers.com. Or donate to the local library.

Put Some Wild In The Living Room

Find beautiful original artwork of wildlife and nature scenes at "Windows Into Nature," an exhibition that opens with a gala from 7 to 10 p.m. Aug. 1 at The Jacey Gallery, 4802 Gunn Highway, Suite 114, Tampa.
Featured artists are John Ballbach, Nancy Jacey, Robert Norman and Laura Sayegh. Their works include photography, oil and acrylic paintings, and Prismacolor pencil illustrations such as the one pictured, "Florida Spoonbills," by Jacey. All artwork, originals and prints, will be for sale with prices from $150 to $2,000.

If you miss the opening, don't despair. The exhibit runs through Sept. 2. Call (813) 960-5400.

Or Create Your Own Wild Art
You don't have to be an expert to create your own artistic nature photography. A digital camera helps. Guides who can help you spot the shot do, too.

Find the guides and the nature, but BYO camera, at a photography hike from 8 to 10 a.m. Aug. 3 at Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg. Experts from the Natural History Center will point out seasonal features and wildlife behaviors.

Admission is free; not recommended for children. Call (727) 453-6500 to register.

Let Your Houseplants Do The Cleaning

Worried about chemical pollutants in the house? Stock up on Boston fern, golden pothos and spider plants to soak up formaldehyde, according to National Geographic's "Green Guide," ($21.95).

Areca palm, moth orchid (pictured) and dwarf date palm can remove xylene and toluene; gerbera daisy, chrysanthemum, spider plant and peace lily remove benzene.

As few as 15 plants can significantly cut indoor contaminants, the guide says.

Penny Carnathan

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