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How to Choose Exterior Colors with Brick To decide which colors go best with brick, consider the color schemes you find most appealing. What do you like about them? Many color palettes are based on the color wheel, which demonstrates how colors work together and can help you decide on the right scheme. In analogous color combinations, you pick one main color and accent it with the colors to either side of it on the color wheel (for example, yellow with green and orange)....

Buy It: All-Clad Jelly Roll Pan ($38, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Plants for Creating the Tough-as-Nails Garden Plan 4 Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus): Zones 5-10 4 English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’): Zones 5-8 1 Yarrow (Achillea ‘Moonshine’): Zones 3-9 6 Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata): Zones 4-8 3 Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): Zones 5-9 3 Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Zones 3-9 5 Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii): Zones 4-9 5 Pineleaf penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius): Zones 4-10 5 Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii): Zones 3-8...

“I live in sunny California where the sun fades most fabric, except for these,” shared a reviewer. They added that the pillows “held up beautifully” outside throughout the year, so they’re purchasing more in other colors. Not only will the covers repel water, but the brand notes they’re also designed to resist dust, too. Plus, each pillowcase has a zipper closure, so it’s easy to both insert pillows and remove the covers for cleaning—and the zipper is the same color as the cover, so it blends in nicely....

“​​I don’t know what kind of magic this pillow is, but I had the best night of sleep ever the first time I used them,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “I absolutely love these pillows,” said another shopper. “They actually feel like you are laying on a cloud.” The cooling pillows are available in queen and king sizes (the king size costs slightly more), and both options include the same “no shift construction....

The Kitchen Minis line includes three sweet pepper varieties, four tiny tomato varieties, and nine hot pepper selections. A few of the tiny vegetable options include ‘Fresh Bites’ snack peppers, flaming ‘Hot Lemon’ hot peppers, and sweet, juicy ‘Red Velvet’ cherry tomatoes. Each variety offers unique flavors, shapes, and colors. “Table-top and windowsill vegetables have been popular in many parts of the world, especially in dense, urban environments where having outdoor garden space is rare,” says Josh Kirschenbaum of PanAmerican Seed....

Centerpiece Tip: Cut the daffodils before their buds have opened for a long-lasting bouquet. You’ll enjoy watching their forms change, and the pussy willows will last just as long. Sprout fresh wheatgrass in a decked-out glass beaker. Note: Never eat flowers from a florist, a nursery, or a garden shop; they may have been sprayed. The same rule applies to flowers you find growing along a road or in a park....

So what’s the secret behind the restaurant’s incredible hash browns? Credit an ingredient added to the oil used to fry the hash browns—and those famous french fries—partway, before freezing them and shipping them to restaurants. In the restaurant’s early days, McDonald’s relied on a mixture of cottonseed oil and beef tallow for frying; this blend was still in use when breakfast items were added to the menu in the 1970s....

The Hochschild’s kept the outside of their house simple and modern to match the inside’s organized and contemporary look. A wide walkway, low plantings, and absence of railings connect the porch with the fenced-in yard. French doors allow easy access to the three-seasons porch. This small space next to the side of the house was the perfect size for a bocce ball court. Situated right outside the side door, it is a close-at-hand area for outside family fun....

But the home had the ZIP code, floor plan, and architectural detail of her dreams, plus only two other owners in its 80 years. Ruthie, husband Greg, and kids Emmeline and Everett were not afraid to take on the project to turn it into their forever home. Big-ticket repairs left limited funds for decorating, so Ruthie’s resourcefulness became the home’s saving grace. Neighbors’ castoffs and pieces that belonged to the previous owners found new life in her hands....

The foliage of these plants can also be pretty. Most commonly, the leaves are a rich green hue, but this Asian native can also be found in variegated forms. Many variegated varieties feature gold foliage with speckles or edges of another color. Look for the gold types to brighten up shady garden corners, even when not in bloom. Toad Lily Care Must-Knows Toad lily plants require little maintenance, but the most crucial factor for them is water....

“The place was a total redo,” Daniel says, yet it was exactly what he was looking for. “I was hoping for an architecturally symmetrical home, a relatively flat lot, the potential for an extensive garden, plus mature trees.” The home had all those things. Plus, it was small—which was crucial for Daniel’s plans. “I really wanted a home that I could elevate design-wise within a budget I could afford,” he says....

Soup: Cajun-Seasoned Vegetarian Gumbo Serve up simmering scoops of this veggie gumbo as a cozy side or vegetarian Christmas entree. You won’t miss the spicy sausage links from the original gumbo recipe, ingredients like beans, okra, and Cajun seasoning ensure it’s still authentic. Timing Tip: Since this recipe comes together in your slow cooker ($17, Target), start it soon after you wake up on party day. Allow the gumbo to stew on low for 6 to 8 hours if you’re hosting for dinner, or crank up the heat to high and cook 3 to 4 hours if you’re serving lunch....

Learn more about bird’s nest spruce. Learn about the best fast-growing trees for your landscape. Test Garden Tip: Make a bold statement by selecting varieties that offer different shapes and colors, but stay compact so they don’t outgrow their space. ‘Blue Shag’ white pine, ‘Montgomery’ blue spruce, and ‘Silver Whispers’ Swiss stone pine are smaller selections that combine beautifully with ‘Profusion White’ zinnia, for example. Discover top plants for growing as hedges....

Velvet Groundsel Care Velvet groundsel grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It tolerates a range of soil types and has good drought resistance, although it grows best with occasional rainfall or irrigation during long dry periods. Velvet groundsel can be grown in shade, although it will not flower as much. Choose a planting location that is protected from strong winds as its large leaves become tattered on windy sites....

1 ounce rice sticks 1 dry wood ear (cloud ear) mushroom 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup shredded carrot ½ teaspoon sugar 8 ounce finely chopped, cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp 1 tablespoon fish sauce Chicken-Crabmeat Filling hot water 1 ounce bean threads (cellophane noodles) ½ ounce dried black Chinese mushrooms 1 tablespoon cooking oil 6 ounce finely chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast ¼ cup onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 6 ounce can crabmeat 6 ounce frozen crabmeat 1 tablespoon fish sauce Lime Dipping Sauce...