October / November 2012
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
October / November 2012 Covering events up to november 17 “Durham’s online community paper” vol 10, no 9 The Zombie Lurch, the Bull City’s crazy Halloween parade, takes place every year through downtown Durham. (photo by patricia A murray) 2 The Durham Skywriter — October / November 2012 Look for the Skywriter every month—it will be uploaded around the 15th of each month. I’m always on the lookout for positive and@ useful news and information. If you have news, would like to be interviewed, or want to advertise, call 919-809-9682 or send email to durhamskywriter yahoo.com. … and don’t forget to listen to Radio Skywriter every Saturday from 8:30 to 9am on WNCU / 90.7fm and wncu.org. For more info and to be a guest on the show, get in touch with me (see contact info above). October / November 2012 — The Durham Skywriter 3 Autumnpatricia A murray el-cheapo handy hints Every now and then a piece of fruit You can make your own el-cheapo Don’t let your decorative pumpkin goes bad and then you’re inundated furniture polish by stirring a tablespoon make direct contact with the ground. with fruit flies. Simply pour some apple of lemon juice or white vinegar into a Slip a sheet of aluminum foil under it to cider vinegar into a small glass or jar half-cup of olive or vegetable oil. keep it fresh longer. You can even spray and then stir in no more than 2 drops the pumpkin with an antiseptic like © of dishwashing liquid (or liquid hand Start looking for spring-blooming bulbs Bactine to prolong its life a bit longer. soap). The sweet smell will attract the (daffodils, tulips. and crocus) at the bugs, but the soap will soften the water home-improvement and garden centers. When the nighttime temperatures start causing them to fall in and drown. They should be on sale now and you can dipping below 50 degrees, start bringing buy them in bulk (some in bags of 100) your cold-sensitive plants indoors. Place If you’ve run out of bug spray, dryer at a good price. them, one by one, in the bathtub, give sheets can be used to keep mosquitoes them a nice shower, and then spray away. You can either slip one into your Get ready for winter by cleaning your them with insecticide. Slide a plastic shirt pocket or rub the sheet over your windows and removing any spiderwebs bag over the top and check the plant arms and legs. clinging to the window frames or every now and then for bugs. Once shutters. You can make your own el- you’re convinced that you’ve gotten rid It can be mildly irritating having to deal cheapo window cleaner by stirring 1 of all of the insects and spiders, you can with those little strings when peeling cup of vinegar into 4 cups of hot water. place the plants on the windowsill or bananas. That won’t happen if you peel wherever you plan to put them over the winter months. bananas from the bottom. Take cuttings from some of the plants growing in your yard so that you can Speaking of bananas … if you have a grow them inside and then plant them Every few loads, take the lint screen out problem with them ripening before you outside this soming spring. Buy some of your dryer, clean the lint off, and can eat them all, try separating them as rooting compound so that you can dip then run some water over it. If the water soon as you bring them home from the the cut end into it and then into some collects on top rather than running store. Bananas ripen faster when they’re potting soil. (Make a small hole by through, scrub the lint screen with soap connected at the stem. dipping a pencil into the soil.) and water. Residue from dryer sheets can line the bottom of the lint screen and cause a fire. When you reheat pizza in the Before cold weather arrives, take down microwave, you often end up with soft your shower curtain and scrub the or soggy crusts. Always reheat pizza in a soap scum and mildew off with a bit Try to reduce energy costs by washing nonstick skillet on top of the stove. of bleach, warm water, and soap. Rinse your laundry with cold water whenever it well and let it dry in the warm sun you can. If you don’t have to pay to heat before hanging it back up. the water, you’re saving money. Check Young volunteer trees can be hard to out some of the new cold-water washing pull up when you’re out weeding. Try detergents. grabbing them with a pair of plier and Check the caulk around your windows yank them right out of the ground. to make sure that the warm air stays in the house. You’ll also save on your Drop a bunch of quarters into an old 35mm film canister for those times Water stains on wood furniture can be heating bill. Light a stick of incense and see if the smoke wavers as you move it you’re visiting a town that has parking removed with plain, white toothpaste. meters. Slip the film canister into your Rub a bit into the stain, wait a few along the edge of the windows. You’d probably prefer to apply caulk now glove compartment. If you don’t smoke, minutes, and then buff it with a soft, store quarters in the ashtray. clean cloth. rather than in the middle of winter. (continued on page 4) 4 The Durham Skywriter — October / November 2012 Autumn el-cheapo handy hints (continued from page 3) Be sure to harvest seeds from the dead Never warm a baby’s bottle in the kids: Spread peanut butter on a few pine flowers in your garden. Marigolds, four microwave. Even though the bottle cones, then roll them in birdseed. Tie o’clocks, coreopsis, rudbekias (black- might feel cool to the touch, the the pine cones to lower tree branches eyed susans) start easily from seed beverage inside might be hot enough to and watch the birds enjoy the snack that and you won’t have to buy new plants scald your baby’s throat. you put out for them. next spring. Keep some old envelopes or medicine bottles in your glove If you want to create a new planting Don’t let your kids miss the excitement compartment so you can help yourself bed in your lawn, you can remove the of sending and receiving mail: Create to your friends’ seeds as well. grass by spreading an 8+-page layer postcards! Cut 4-by-6-inch rectangles of newspapers over the area. Wet the from posterboard and glue photos or Don’t throw away that used fabric- newspapers down and then cover them make drawings with magic markers on softener sheet. First, wipe down your with woodchips, other mulch, or soil.By the shiny side. Turn the cards over and computer and TV screens to remove the spring, you’ll have an area that’s ready for draw a vertical right down the middle. dust and static—then toss it. planting. Just pull back the newspapers The addressee’s name and address go on and start planting—or, punch a hole the right-hand side and your message If you have an oil spill in the garage or in the deteriorating newspapers with a goes on the left. on the driveway, sprinkle kitty litter on hand trowel. it and allow it to absorb the oil.Then Send us your el-cheapo handy hints! simply sweep it up. To get rid of summer soil and sand, sweep your rugs before you vacuum. Wash your pet with green-colored soap. The nap of the rugs will stand up, The dye that’s used to turn the soap loosening the dirt, and allowing the green also happens to kill fleas. vacuum cleaner to do a better job. Once you’re sure you’re finished with Keep your TV remote control clean by your garden tools this season, wash them slipping it into a zip-close sandwich The Durham Skywriter is published bag. Peanut butter, etc, can easily be monthly (midmonth to midmonth) and in soapy water and dry them well. Then is distributed via the worldwide web either wipe them down with petroleum wiped off, and the remote will work fine from Durham, North Carolina to every- even while in the bag. one who wants to learn about and keep jelly or spray them with a light coating up with the Bull City. We bring informa- of a lubricant like WD-40. That will tion to our neighbors while looking at keep your tools from getting rusty. Sand Make your own salad bar. Set out our city’s positive side. If you have any ideas, comments, suggestions, or want the wooden handles of your rakes and simple salad greens and pour “extras” to advertise, please write to: hoes lightly and then rub them down like shredded cheese, olives, and with linseed oil. sliced cucumbers into muffin tins so [email protected] family members can build their own Or call: 919-809-YOU2 (9682) You can “hang” unframed pictures on customized salads. the wall by dabbing toothpaste on the website: four corners of the picture (on the back If you plan to burn candles as part of www.durhamskywriter.com side). Carefully align the picture and your Halloween display, put them in the video channel: stick it to the wall–the toothpaste will freezer the night before to keep candle www.youtube.com/ durhamskywriter dry and adhere to the wall.