Articles by Mike Rhodes

By: Liz Valpatic— If you’re like me,  you like to craft pretty things that are also useful. There’s nothing worse than your hard work going unutilized! Luckily, I use this project every day and I finally love how it looks in my room after I completely revamped it. And the best part is…drum roll please….it only took me ONE day to do! Without further adieu, let’s get started! The hardest part of this project is getting your hands on one of…

By: Steve Lindell— Consider it an art form, not a “task.”  Grilling outside is something that I have grown to love, especially in recent years, as my wife Nancy shows SO much appreciation for the efforts!  It is a way for us to be outside, with nature, and the tastes created at the end of the process always make the whole family smile.  Another part of my enjoyment is the tremendous variations and experimentations that are always in play. In…

By: American Electric Power— Check Your Energy Use The first step toward reducing your electricity bill is figuring out how much energy you use. With American Electric Power’s Home Online Energy Checkup, you can quickly and easily calculate your home’s energy costs and find ways to save. The Home Online Energy Checkup is a web tool that uses your billing data and other inputs you provide to generate a printable report that includes: Useful details about your home’s energy consumption…

By: Sarah McKillip, Robert Cooper Audubon Society— Muncie, Indiana may not seem like the ideal place to attract beautiful birds, but with a little know-how and a small investment in supplies, I promise you can have colorful, native birds visiting your home year-round. In many ways, birds are like people in their basic needs, which include three things: Nutritious food Water Shelter Nutritious Food Birds eat a variety of foods to make up their daily diet. Seeds form an important part…

By: Susie Burns— I am passionate about water!!  Not drinking water…the kind of water that lives in your garden, falls and tumbles over rocks and ledges, sounds like nature’s symphony and gives a cool respite to birds, butterflies and dragonflies. I love the water that is home to pond fish that dart to and fro…the still water where water lilies love to bloom and grow. An ornamental pond or water garden will be the centerpiece of your garden. Now, you’re…

By: Dottie Kreps, Delaware County Master Gardener Association— Nothing beats the taste of homegrown fruits and vegetables!  But what if you don’t have the space or suitable soil to have a garden in your backyard or you only have a patio or balcony. Container gardening might be your answer. Here are some container gardening basics to help get you off to a good start this spring. There are several things you need to consider when planning your container garden: the plants,…

By: Pete Dall, Sherriff-Goslin Roofing, Muncie— How do you know when you might need to have a professional look at your roof? First and foremost —is your roof doing it’s number one job, keeping your house dry?  If you have an older roof, it’s always smart to keep an eye on your ceilings inside the house. White drywall and plaster will visually signal you immediately when it gets wet. If you see leaking, you need to call a roofing professional right away….

By: Mike Rhodes— I don’t know why I started making these things. I guess I thought I needed to plan to do something with my hands after I retire in 2189. So, I started making tiki-torches out of empty wine bottles in September of 2016. Good plan! I also thought this new hobby would be a money-making bonanza to put a few more shackles in my pocket. Got myself some sweet-looking business cards and everything. Even ordered wine bottle boxes from Uline to put them…

By: Lisa Herd— Healthy house, healthy life! When thinking of good health, and well-being, most wouldn’t consider their house being a key element. In fact, it’s central to keeping your whole family well. Aromatherapy has been documented as a use for healing since the first century. The French incorporate the use of essential oils in their modern medicinal practices, which originally dated back to WWI. Aromatherapy is used in settings from health spas to hospitals to alleviate a variety of conditions….