For those eager to get a head start on any home and garden expansion no matter the size, make plans to visit more than 250 exhibits featured at the Eighth Annual Katy Home and Garden Show to be held this weekend at the Merrell Center and Robinson Pavilion in Katy. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

“Consumer interest and spending in home remodeling and DIY projects continue to rise for many reasons,” said Robyn Cade, President of RJC Productions and organizer of the Katy Home and Garden Show. “Baby boomers may now find themselves as empty nesters with disposal incomes to refurbish, redecorate and reinvest in their homes, creating beautiful living spaces which reflect their individual personalities and an emphasis on entertaining at home.”  

Additionally, low interest rates make remodeling affordable.  Some of the other reasons to consider remodeling a home include modernizing it. 

“Research shows that investing in your home pays for itself 

in the long haul, particularly with kitchen and bathroom remodels,” said Cade. 

In fact, an American Housing Survey found that adding a half-bath can increase home value 10.5 percent and a full bath contributes 20 percent to home value. Lower heating and cooling bills by replacing outdated windows and doors with energy efficient ones. 

“We’re especially excited about the range of exhibitors, demonstrations and experts who’ll be part of this year’s show,” said Cade.

Fall in love with your home all over again.  Get inspired to kick start or finalize renovation plans with the help of design and renovation experts and two buildings of one-stop shopping including: decorating, gardening, remodeling, window treatments, home theater, landscaping, kitchens baths, do-it-yourself, flooring, windows doors, siding, heating/cooling, pools, outdoor entertainment and a myriad of other home related products and services. Whether planning a major renovation or smaller home updates, you’ll be right at home at the Katy Home Garden Show with the ability to comparison shop in one convenient area.  Find out how to make “green” improvements which can reduce electrical and heating bills or creative ideas to improve your home’s curb appeal.  

For those interested in a new garden, landscaping tips or other home improvement how-to’s the Katy Home and Garden Show is brimming with ideas; experts and workshops. Foodies can get in on the fun with more than 20 food sampling booths.  

On Saturday, attendees will meet celebrity DIY TV Host, Jason Cameron, who helps bring life to dreary landscapes and or specialized man caves.

Watch him work and it quickly becomes apparent this licensed contractor really knows his stuff, especially when it comes to his own personal passions: home improvement and landscaping. Jason says he recently even gutted his own home and completely revamped the backyard. Now he’s putting his extensive hands-on expertise to work for DIY Network building, landscaping, hardscaping and more. 

Tickets are $9 for adults; $8 for seniors and $5 for military.  Kids under 12 are free. The facility charges $1 per ticket added at the time of purchase.  For ticket information, directions, parking and more visit www.katyhomeandgardenshow.com.

Submissions for the Community Calendar are required 10 days preceding the date of publication. Send email to bthomas@pioneerlocal.com; fax (312) 321-9310. Pioneer Press office is at 350 N. Orleans St., Chicago, IL 60654.

Blubs

• The Northbrook Garden Club meeting will take place at 10:30 a.m., Feb. 4 in the Pollack Room at the Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane. The topic is —What’s So”Deadly” About Tomatoes?!

What do tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers have in common? In addition to being vegetables we love to eat fresh from our back yard gardens, they are all members of the “Deadly Nightshade” (Solanaceae) plant family.

The program is open to the public and refreshments will be served. For information, contact membership chair Donna Marchand at (224) 365-5828. Visit www.NorthbrookGardenClub.org for information about the club.

• The North Suburban Genealogical Society invites the public to attend its Feb. 8 meeting beginning at 1 p.m. at the Northbrook History Museum (1776 Walters Ave., Northbrook). The meeting is free, refreshments will be served, and the room is handicap accessible.

The meeting will feature Tina Beaird speaking on Military Genealogy. Beaird will explain the significance behind using original records for tracing your ancestor’s military service. Records from the American Revolution to WWII will be discussed as well as some sources for modern records. Learn what types of documents are available within federal, state and local archives.

• Illinois Quilters Inc. will meet on Feb. 6 at Beth Hillel Congregation, 3220 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. for sign-ups, library and socializing. Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. This month’s speaker will be Suzanne Marshall. The lecture is titled “The Evolution of a Quilt maker.” Guests welcome. There is a $5 fee. Marshall will also lead workshops titled “Hand Quilting Without a Frame or Hoop” on Feb. 7 and “Rhapsody in Bloom” on Feb. 8. Email: workshops@illinoisquiltersinc.org with any questions.

• Northbrook Woman’s Club is hosting a program at noon on Feb. 6 at United Methodist Church, 1190 Western Ave., Northbrook.

If you love “Downton Abbey” then you will love this February program entitled “Below the Stairs”. Leslie Goddard is a local author/historian/book dramatist who will portray Margaret Powell the author of the best-selling memoir Below Stairs which was a huge inspiration for the popular PBS series “Downton Abbey.”

Margaret Powell was a kitchen maid and a cook who worked in several stately English homes in the 1920s. This first-person program introduces you to Powell as she shares stories about the work it took to run a wealthy household in that era. For more information, go to www.northbrookwomansclub.org.

Health

Free programs at Cancer Wellness Center

For anyone impacted by cancer, including those with a diagnosis, family members and those who have lost a loved one to cancer at the Center, 215 Revere Drive, Northbrook. Call (847) 509-9595 to register or visit www.cancerwellness.org.

Library

The following programs are offered at the Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane. Call (847) 272-6224 visit northbrook.info.

Concerts

• Concerts on 3 — 2 p.m., Library Auditorium — Feb. 2 — Consuelo Lepauw — violin, works by J.S. Bach; Feb. 9 — Calumet Chamber Musicians — flute, cello, piano, works by Chopin, Liebermann; Feb. 16 — Er-Gene Kahng David Gerstein — violin cello, works by Martinu, Kodaly, Schulhoff; Feb. 23 — Vienna Waltz Ensemble — violin, viola, bass, works by Johann Strauss, Jr., Beethoven, Haydn, Rossini. Concerts are sponsored by the Northbrook Arts Commission.

• Parisian Salon Concert — 7:30 p.m., Feb. 7, Library Auditorium — Hosts Didier and Jane Lepauw host the Campanella Children’s Choir accompanied by the Chicago Trio composed of Irene Schweizer, violin, Natalya Chernish, cello and Diana Kofman, piano with music by Benjamin Britten, Henry Purcell and songs from the British Isles.

Programs

• Gentle Yoga — 10:30 a.m. Jan. 31, Feb. 7, 14, 21 and 28, Library Auditorium. with Olga Rudiak. Exercises are done in a chair or standing.

• Guided Meditation — 10:30 a.m. Feb. 5, 12, 19 26, Library Pollak Room with Om Johari.

• Adult Library Winter Reading Club is going on now. Join the Adult Winter Reading Club and earn video coupons and weekly raffle chances for every five books you read. Theme is “A Reader’s Feast.”

• 7 Keys to Writing the Perfect Query Letter —10 a.m.-1 p.m., Feb. 1, Library Auditorium — Author Bret Nicholaus and literary agent/acquisitions editor Joe Durepos teach the essential steps and little known tips for crafting query letters that demand the attention of agents and publishers. This event is co-sponsored by the Friends.

• Four Seasons of Landscaping — Winter — 1 p.m., Feb. 3, Library Auditorium Northbrook Park District Grounds Operation Manager, Michael Brouillard shares ideas for your winter yard. He discusses snow removal and deicing, monitoring your plants, and preparing for spring! This event is co-sponsored by the Northbrook Park District.

• Countdown to College — 7 p.m., Feb. 4, Library Auditorium — Narrowing down college options can be a daunting process. Join Sandra Gilbert of Ravinia College Consultants for insights about where to apply and what colleges are looking for in applications. For parents and students.

• First Thursday Program — Elder Abuse — 1 p.m., Feb. 6, Library Pollak Room — Elder abuse topics within an ethical and legal framework will be presented by the Abington of Glenview.

• Drop-In Tech Help — 10 a.m.-noon, Feb. 8, Library Loft — Need help with your tablet, smartphone, or ereader? Get one-on-one help from our knowledgeable teen volunteers at this new monthly drop-in event. Teens will be available for 20 minute sessions on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please make sure you bring your charged device and have access to your username or Apple ID and passwords.

• Love Your Library Week — Feb. 8, All day event — An all-day event is planned with Raffle prizes to celebrate all the reasons to love your library! Attend a program during the week and be sure to stop by each department to learn more about what we can do for you. End the week with a Valentine’s Day Jazz Concert. Weeklong Celebration Feb. 8-14.

• Those Were the Days Radio Players — 7 p.m., Feb. 10, Library Auditorium — Radio Players perform the radio shows you loved best from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Whether it be comedy (Jack Benny, Burns and Allen) or mystery (Inner Sanctum, Lights Outs) the Radio Players are sure to entertain you with golden memories.

• Jazz Forum XLI — 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Feb. 11, Library Auditorium — Rare filmed jazz performances from the swing era featuring Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Stan Kenton Benny Goodman. Jazz performed by the masters of the era.

• Looking Ahead to Spring Fashions — 7 p.m., Feb. 13, Library Auditorium — Jan Alberts presents the latest fashion tips on updating your wardrobe for parties, weddings, graduations and vacations.

• AARP Driver Safety Program — 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Feb. 15 and 22, Library Pollak Room — Two-session defensive driving course sponsored by AARP will help make you a better and safer driver. Register online at www.northbrook.info or at Reader Services (847) 272-2958. Fee for AARP members is $12; for nonmembers $14.

• Lyric Opera Lectures — Sundays, 2 p.m., Library Auditorium — Feb. 16, Rusalka by Dvorak: lecture by Karen Jared; March 2 — La Clemenza di Tito by Mozart: lecture by Sue McCanless. The Lyric Opera Lecture Corps of Chicago presents a full season of lectures that will be an invaluable prelude to your opera experience with composer information, story insights, music history, and musical highlights.

Literary Discussions

• Book Lovers Discussion group for romance and chick lit — Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding — 7 p.m., Feb. 11, Library Civic Room — led by Tracy Gossage

• Book Discussion — Nemesis by Philip Roth — 10 a.m., Feb. 12, Library Civic Room — led by Benjamin Goluboff.

• Book Discussion — Leon and Louise by Alex Capus — 10 a.m., Feb. 18, Library Civic Room — led by Nancy Buehler.

• Books on Tap held at The Landmark Inn — 7 p.m., Feb. 26. Books Brews — Share what you’re reading with fellow tappers.

Discussions

• Great Ideas Discussion Group — 10-11:30 a.m., Jan. 30; Feb. 13 27, Library Pollak Room — Focus is on Zionism implementation in Israel, followed by Communism implementation in the USSR. Led by Mark Gelfeld. For topics see northshoreflashpoints.blogspot.com.

• Poetry — 10 a.m., Feb. 4, Library Auditorium — Isabel Soffer, literary critic will lead a poetry discussion. No advance reading is required.

• Current Events Roundtable — 10 a.m., Feb. 6 20, Library Auditorium — Voice your opinion and hear the opinions of others on the important events of the day moderated by Ron Mantegna. For topics see northshoreflashpoints.blogspot.com

• Essential Tremor Support Group — 10 a.m., Feb. 8, Library Pollak Room — Informal discussions emphasize medication and coping techniques.

• Writing Workshops — Using the Memory — 2 p.m., Feb. 15, Library Civic Room — Kathleen Anne Fleming presents a series of writing workshops. She is the author of three mystery novels.

• Great Books Discussion — 10 a.m., Feb. 17, Library Civic Room, — Iphigeneia at Aulis by Euripides.

Youth Services, register at (847) 272-4300

Special Events

• PELS: Support for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Parents) — 9:30-11:30 a.m., Feb. 7, Youth Services Activity Room — A parents’ group sponsored by the North Suburban Special Education district (NSSED) meets the first Friday of each month to provide information and peer support to parents who have children with special needs.

• Stomp Your Feet with Amy Lowe (Families) — 10-11 a.m., Feb. 15, Library Auditorium — Amy Lowe entertains with songs like I Like Gum and Brighter than Fireflies.

Programs

• Story Jam — (Kindergarten-Grade 2) 4-4:45 p.m., Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24. Listen to cool stories and make a craft.

• Art-ability: especially for kids with special needs (All ages, with caregiver), 10-11 a.m., Feb. 1. This unique workshop offers children with all abilities the opportunity to engage in art. Presented in partnership with NSYMCA Art Academy. Register at Youth Services.

• Elephant and Piggie Party — 4-5 p.m., Feb. 7. Do you love Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie books? Party Gerald and Piggie style. Register at Youth Services.

• Art Smart (For Families) — 10-11 a.m., Feb. 8. Start your Saturday with art in this fun class for families, brought to you by the NSYMCA Art Academy.

• Globe Trotters — Destination: Vietnam (Grades K-3) — 2-3 p.m., Feb. 16. Celebrate the Vietnamese New Year with music stories, a dragon craft and lucky money! Register at Youth Services.

• Board Game Smackdown! (Grades 4-8) — 10 a.m.-noon, Feb. 17. Are you a Monopoly master? Savvy at Sorry? Prepare for a dice rolling battle of wits.

Storytimes

Drop-In Programs

• Two-Year-Old Storytime (with adult) — 10:30-11 a.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 4, 11,18 and 25; and 10:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 5, 12, 19, and 26.

• Preschool Storytime (Ages 3-5) — 10:30-11 a.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25; and 10:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26.

• Wee Play (Birth – 24 months) — 10-10:45 and 11-11:45 a.m., Thursdays, Jan. 30; and Feb. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Music, Mother Goose, rhymes, giggles and books for caregiver and baby.

Teen Programs

Teen programs are for grades 6-12, unless otherwise noted. Teens are called to volunteer and earn service hours at the Library. If you are interested in being a volunteer, please fill out the form at http://ow.ly/qladw or at the teen homepage: northbrook.info/teens

• Teen Tech Playground — 4-5:30 p.m., Jan. 31. Come over and play with our new tech toys. We have Raspberry Pi kits, Arduino micro-controllers, Fritz the Robot Head, MaKey MaKey kits and even a crazy Solar Kit to experiment and play.

• Teen Advisory Board Meeting #5 — 5-6 p.m., Feb. 11. Help plan for summer and the teen volunteer program. It’s the Valentine’s Day TAB meeting, so expect a little something extra with your pizza and soda. Register at Youth Services.

• Computer Hacking: Arduinos — 3-4:30 p.m., Feb. 17, Teen Loft — A hacker is a tech visionary who likes to play, build and modify software; someone who enjoys testing the limits and seeing what is possible. We’ll program tiny computers called Arduino (ar-dwee-no) microcontrollers, to do cool things using LED lights, circuits, sensors — maybe even lasers!

This program was made possible by a generous donations from the Potash Corp, Community Investment Grant. Register at Youth Services

Parks

Dog Park Memberships

Membership passes are available for the new Northbrook Dog Park at Coast Guard Park. Details are online at nbparks.org and at the Leisure Center, Village Green Center and Northbrook Sports Center. Residents need to submit proof of a current Northbrook dog license, a completed Dog Park Application, and completed Dog Park Veterinarian Verification Form. For more information about membership, call (847) 291-2980.

Open Art Studio

Looking for a place away from home to create art? Northbrook residents can bring artwork to the Leisure Center from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in February and enjoy free studio time. Tables, stools and easels are available for 2-D art. Non-residents can use the studio for $5 after signing up at the Leisure Center or at nbparks.org.

Goodnight Moon the Musical

A musical version of Goodnight Moon runs through Feb. 22 at the Northbrook Theatre. The simple bedtime story will be transformed into a 3-D wonderland with catchy songs, delightful choreography, a colorful set and smile-inducing costumes. Performances are on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., presented by the Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences. Tickets are $12, with discounts for groups and Friday purchases at the Box Office. For more information, visit nbparks.org or call (847) 291-2367.

Daddy-Daughter Dance

The annual Daddy-Daughter Dance from the Northbrook Park District offers an evening of music and memories 6:30-9 p.m., Feb. 7 at the Northbrook Hilton. This year’s theme is “Under the Sea.” The event includes DJ music, appetizers and desserts, a corsage for the girls, boutonnieres for the dads, photos and a commemorative T-shirt. The fee is $79 per adult/child couple for Northbrook residents and $99 for non-residents. For more information, visit nbparks.org or call (847) 291-2995.

Indoor Golf Lessons

Kids can learn to play golf indoors on Sunday mornings at Greenbriar Gym with the Northbrook Park District. Winter Stars classes begin on Feb. 2 and March 2, under the direction of Michael Wenzel, an Illinois PGA Junior Golf Leader. Four-week sessions focus on skills development with a low student-to-coach ratio. Register online at nbparks.org or call (847) 291-2351, ext. 3 for more information.

Early Fee Camp Deadline

Feb. 12 is the Early Fee Deadline for summer camps and workshops with the Northbrook Park District.

Most camps offer a discount for early registration if paid in full. The District offers 10 weeks of enriching experiences for tots through teens, including variety camps and specialty programs for art, golf, hockey, ice skating, performing arts and sports. Camp information is in the Winter Guide, which is online at nbparks.org.

Cosmic Skating Event

The Northbrook Sports Center will host a Cosmic Skating Event 7:30-9 p.m., Feb. 15 with a Valentine’s Day theme. Junior high students can skate with a DJ and enjoy club-style lighting, games and activities. The admission fee is $5. If needed, skate rental is $3. For more information, call (847) 291-2993.

School’s Out Fun Trip

On Feb. 17, children can enjoy a School’s Out Fun trip to the Field Museum for a day of exploration among the wonders of the world. The Northbrook Park District trip includes transportation, supervision and admission. Children should bring a nut-free lunch and a drink and meet at the Leisure Center at 9 a.m.; extended care is available before and after the trip. For more information, visit nbparks.org or call (847) 291-2995.

Early Fee Soccer Deadline

Feb. 21 is the Early Fee Registration Deadline for spring soccer with the Northbrook Park District. Games are scheduled to begin on April 5. The program strives to provide a fun and safe atmosphere in which children learn respect, sportsmanship and soccer skills. For more information, visit nbparks.org or call (847) 291-2995.

Customer Appreciation Event

To thank loyal customers and welcome new ones, the Northbrook Park District offers a free family skating event from 4:30-6:20 p.m. on Feb. 22 at the Northbrook Sports Center. The Customer Appreciation Event includes free admission and rental skates, on-ice games, a short demonstration by talented ice athletes, and prizes. Registration is not required. All ages are welcome.

Park Board Meeting

The Park Board of Commissioners will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m., on Feb. 26 in the Little Theatre of the Leisure Center, 3323 Walters Ave. The public is welcome to attend. Agendas for the monthly meetings are posted online at nbparks.org in the About Us section, under Board of Commissioners.

Senior Center Events

The Northbrook Park District Senior Center at 3323 Walters Ave. offers a wide variety of programs for adults age 55 and over. For information and reservations, call (847) 291-2988 or visit nbparks.org.

Senior Drop-In Tennis

The Northbrook Park District offers drop-in tennis for seniors from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays through March 27 at the Northbrook Racquet Club, 2995 Dundee Road. The daily fee is $27. For more information, call the Racquet Club at (847) 498-2520.

Four Seasons of Landscaping

Ever wonder what you should do each season to make your yard look good? On Feb. 3, Michael Brouillard, Grounds Operation Manager for the Park District, will discuss snow removal, plant monitoring, spring preparation and summer planning. The free program begins at 1 p.m. at the Northbrook Library.

AARP Driver Safety Program

An AARP driving program on Feb. 10 and 11 can sharpen driving skills and help develop strategies for adjusting to age-related changes. The two-day program runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Leisure Center. The fee is $15 for AARP members, $20 for non-members. Call (847) 291-2988 or stop by the Senior Center to register.

Take Charge of Your Diabetes Workshop

On Feb. 13, the Northbrook Senior Center begins a free six-week workshop for people with Type 2 diabetes. Each session will provide tools to help adults manage the disease and reach their personal goals. The sessions run from 9-11:30 a.m. Call (847) 291-2988 or stop by the Senior Center to register.

Introduction to the iPhone

Adults can learn how to use an iPhone during a two-week program from 10 a.m.-noon, Feb. 13 and 20, at the Leisure Center. The fee is $45 for Senior Center members and $55 for non-members. For reservations or more information, call (847) 291-2988 or stop by the Senior Center.

Valentine’s Day Lunch

On Feb. 14, the Northbrook Senior Center will host a party with lunch, entertainment, musical games and a sing-along with Dr. Burton Fischman and The Great American Songbook. The fee is $19 for Senior Center members and $29 for non-members. The program runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Leisure Center and is sponsored by The Abington of Glenview.

Theatre Trip to Gypsy

Everything’s Coming up Roses! On Feb. 19, the Northbrook Senior Center will take a group to the Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier for a performance of Gypsy and lunch at Riva. The fee is $109 for Senior Center members and $119 for non-members. For reservations or more information, call (847) 291-2988 or stop by the Senior Center.

Lunch and a Movie

On Feb. 20, the Northbrook Senior Center will present the Oscar-winning film Argo, starring Ben Affleck. Based on a true story, the suspenseful drama portrays a dangerous CIA operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the hostage crisis in 1980. The program runs from noon-3 p.m. at the Leisure Center; the fee for lunch and the movie is $9 for Senior Center members and $12 for non-members. Visit the Senior Center or call (847) 291-2988 to register.

Fun and Easy Cooking: Cooking from Your Pantry

On Feb. 24, adults can learn what foods to keep on hand and what recipes to make with them during a joint program from the Northbrook and Glenview Senior Centers from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Leisure Center. Join cooking instructor Jill Roter for a fun afternoon of cooking, and take home three individual meals and recipes. The fee is $25 for Senior Center members and $35 for non-members. Sign up at the Senior Center or call (847) 291∙2988.

Introduction to the iPad

Adults can learn how to use an iPad during a two-week program at the Leisure Center on Feb. 27 and March 6 from 10 a.m.-noon. The fee is $45 for Senior Center members and $55 for non-members. Sign up at the Senior Center or call (847) 291-2988 for reservations or more information.

Northbrook Park District offers Free Family Skating Event

The Northbrook Sports Center will host a Customer Appreciation Event from 4:30-6:20 p.m. on Feb. 22 with free ice skating, thrilling ice demonstrations, and a visit from Tommy Hawk, the mascot for the Chicago Blackhawks.

“The Northbrook Park Districts wants to thank our loyal customers and welcome new ones to our facility,” said Leisure Services Supervisor Maura Drew. “We’re planning an exciting event that all ages and levels can enjoy, as we celebrate the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.”

The Park District will provide free admission and free rental skates, off-ice games, and short demonstrations by talented ice athletes, including figure skaters, speed skaters and hockey players.

“The Winter Olympics is even more exciting this year, because three skaters who trained at the Northbrook Sports Center will represent the U.S. in Sochi — figure skater Jason Brown and speed skaters Brian Hansen and Mitch Whitmore,” Drew added. “We want our event to be a chance to celebrate athletes who are living their dreams, those who want to follow in their footsteps, and the sports they have chosen to pursue.”

Registration is not required for the Customer Appreciation Event. The Northbrook Sports Center is at 1730 Pfingsten Road. For more information, call (847) 291-2993.

Religion

Congregation Ahavat Olam

• An all inclusive Reform congregation without walls, where all are welcome. Erev Shabbat Services are held at 7:30 p.m. the second Friday of each month at Christ United Methodist Church, 600 Deerfield Road, led by Spiritual Leader/Rabbinic Student, Cantor Nancy Diamond Landsman. For more information, including membership, contact Alan Posner at ahavat-olam@hotmail.com or call (847) 409-4848.

Congregation Beth Shalom

• Join in for Shabbat with a Twist Feb. 20 at Congregation Beth Shalom, 3433 Walters Ave., Northbrook. Challah making, stories and song for families with children up to PreK. All are welcome, free of charge! Call (847) 498-4100 for information.

• Young Family Outreach Shabbat Dinner and Storybook Shabbat Service on Feb. 7 at Congregation Beth Shalom. Come and enjoy a fun Shabbat dinner at 6 p.m. and stay for a family-friendly service at 6:45 p.m. Cost for dinner is $25 per family. All are welcome! Call (847) 498-411×46 to register or email DFriedman@BethShalomNB.org

Support

Parkinson’s Support Group

For persons with Parkinson’s, their care-partners, caregivers and families meets 10 a.m.-noon on the second and fourth Monday of each month at Covenant Village of Northbrook, 2615 Techny Road. (847) 509-0927.

Memory Loss Support Group

For families and caregivers dealing with Alzheimer’s and other dementias meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursdays of the month at Covenant Village of Northbrook, 2625 Techny Road. Call (847) 412-7303 for information or to register.~.

SALISBURY — Last week I went to the Green Growin Show held at the Greensboro Coliseum. The exposition provided an educational program and trade show for nurserymen, landscapers and other allied landscape professionals throughout the region. Sponsored by the North Carolina Nurserymen Association, the show also allowed those in the green industry the opportunity to share what’s “vogue” in the landscape industry.

A popular plant show nationwide, the event drew 425 vendors from 27 states, including three Canadian provinces. The more than 4,500 people who attended had a chance to visit 760 booths and displays of plant materials, shade trees, shrubs, turf and other landscape or nursery-related accessories. There was even a display of fake indoor plants.

The show featured everything from warm season turf to 4-inch caliper (trunk diameter) trees. But what seemed to be interesting were local North Carolina nurserymen traveling internationally to bring new plants of interest.

Many professionals travel the globe in search of new plant materials.

Research plantings at the JC Raulson Aboretum often feature plant materials recently collected from around the world.

Groundcovers seemed to be one of the key plants of interest. Many booths featured new types that fit well into today’s low-maintenance landscape schemes.

Plant material with unusual leaf shape, color, fruit, flower and bark interest is always appealing. Contractors appreciate the use of tough plant materials — plants that can withstand droughts, poor growing conditions and pests. Reduced irrigation and pesticide usage are benefits both homeowners and maintenance contractors seek from plant materials.

Landscaping is not limited to areas around the yard and home. Planters and containers of all shapes and sizes give sidewalks, decks and patios a splash of color. Window boxes and containers planted with both annuals and perennials add a full season of color to both outside and inside the home.

Flowering perennials, shrubs and trees providing winter interest and attracting wildlife are very popular. Gardens featuring berry-laden plants give a hint that homeowners are yearning for more outdoor activities in both summer and winter.

Contractors are seeking low-maintenance materials, However, there are still those who demand high maintenance areas. It may be a sign of environmental awareness, a fascination with backyard wildlife or a yearning to be outdoors, but the popularity of home gardening seems to be increasing.

One important note: With the upsurge in the building industry, there may be limited plant materials this spring. The nursery industry is greatly affected by supply and demand of the building industry.

It’s time to rethink azaleas and boxwoods and consider newer plant introductions. You’d be surprised at how much the nursery and landscape industry changes within a year — almost as much as in women’s fashions.

Darrell Blackwelder is county Extension director for the Rowan County Center; 704-216-8970; www.rowanextension.com

A bible from the 1800s and anti-liquor pamphlets were among the contents of a time capsule found in Berkeley last week. Photo: Leonard Nielson

A time capsule discovered last week during the demolition of a Berkeley community church included a carefully wrapped 1875 family bible from one of the church’s founding members, newspaper articles about the church groundbreaking in 1948, and several other related records, such as a church history and roster, published sermons related to the founding pastor, and an architectural flier about the building. Several pro-temperance fliers written by the pastor, seemingly in support of an election coming up around the time of the church’s construction, were also among the contents.

Pastor Leonard Nielson, of the San Francisco Presbytery — which is based in Berkeley, oversees about 77 Bay Area churches, and was the former property owner of the church — opened the time capsule Monday after it was given to him by developer William Schrader Jr. Schrader is constructing a new apartment building on the site of St. Paul’s Church, at 2024 Durant Ave., where the time capsule was discovered by construction workers last week.

Schrader has plans to put the box, with modern contents, back into the new Durant apartment building behind its original cornerstone from the church.

Have ideas for what to include in the new time capsule? Share them in the comments section below. Schrader says he will consider all suggestions.

In addition to the reburial of the time capsule, Schrader said he plans to install the historic church cornerstone on the site of the new apartments. He also plans to incorporate the church’s large copper steeple as public art, part of the landscaping on the property. He hopes those efforts will serve as a way to help carry some of the past forward, he said.

“I just think you should connect the past to the future if you can do it somehow,” he said. “That building didn’t have anything really distinctive other than this beautiful copper steeple. I don’t want to just sell it and see it get melted down.”

The copper box, measuring 10 inches long by 8 inches wide and 8 inches tall, had been soldered shut to be completely air- and watertight, said Nielson. He took the box home and opened it carefully so as not to damage it, he said.

In addition to the items described above, Nielson said the box also included a 1926 book of government for the denomination, a bulleted short history from the church’s founding in 1945 until its groundbreaking in 1948, bylaws of its incorporation, and some programs from the groundbreaking ceremony itself, which mentions the time capsule and its contents.

“It’s all just a bit of local history,” he said, via email. “Very homey.”

As part of his job, Nielson works with the presbytery’s 35 or so small churches, and is the pastor at one of them, Christ Presbyterian Church in San Leandro. A contractor and architect by trade, he oversaw the sale of St. Paul’s, and handles other types of financial issues and transactions for the presbytery.

According to Nielson, St. Paul’s Church was initially founded in a denomination called the United Presbyterian Church of North America. It was, apparently, the only church in Berkeley of that particular denomination, “which explains why they founded it,” he said.

In 1958, the denomination merged with the larger United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, which already had three churches in Berkeley at the time. That’s “also why it eventually dwindled,” said Nielson, due to “too many churches of the same denomination in Berkeley.”

Those two denominations had split over slavery during the Civil War and didn’t reunite for 120 years, he added.

The founding pastor of St. Paul’s, Frank Shunk Downs, had been president of the California Temperance League, as well as a local preacher. Several of his tracts were included in the time capsule: “What the Bible says about Social Drinking” and “Liquor at the Bar of Judgement.” Nielson said the second item appeared to be an informational campaign flyer for a vote on temperance that was held in California in 1948, noting, “which I guess didn’t pass. Lots of local color.”

Pro-temperance literature written by the founding St. Paul’s pastor. Photo: Leonard Nielson

Nielson shed further light on how the church would have come about during a phone call last week, indicating that people from Berkeley who were settling down after World War II would have been its founders.

For many years, it wasn’t uncommon for small community groups of anywhere from 30-100 people to get together to build a church on their own, with financial help from the presbytery, he explained.

“It probably never drew from more than eight to 10 blocks,” Nielson said. “It’s a slice of time that just isn’t like that anymore. A lot of churches were built right after the war, with people coming home, fascism having just been defeated. These were first-generation suburbs.”

He said that after the church closed in the 80s, the San Francisco Presbytery had its offices in the Durant Avenue building, but had not been aware of the time capsule hidden in its walls.

“It’s a story about a particular time that doesn’t exist anymore, how people lived in neighborhoods,” he continued. “The church was a big social connection in those days. You can look at the time capsule and realize the whole story of how that little teeny church got started. These little churches were built with enthusiasm and a very, very local connection. They think their children will go, but often the children move away. It’s like the mom-and-pop stores that are disappearing as the neighborhood and culture changes.”

Speaking generally about small churches, he described their founding boards as “the caretakers of the local story of that church,” and said it’s not uncommon for that history to be lost overtime, particularly as churches close.

“There usually isn’t anybody left that has a connection to the history,” said Nielson, once churches close. “It’s kind of like old people who have a story to tell but, if nobody’s willing to listen, nobody knows the story.”

Closures can happen when denominations get too small, when neighborhood demographics shift, or if newer facilities become available in the vicinity.

He said it’s definitely “not uncommon” for old buildings to have items hidden on site, or features that have been forgotten about after renovations. During other projects, he’s found old coins stashed in the wall; a Depression-era cabin’s original wall that had been sealed over with Collier’s magazines and wallpaper glue and varnish before, much later, being covered over by drywall; 100-year-old empty milk bottles that had been sealed up in a stairway — “probably tossed under there by some workers at lunch”; and a labyrinthine 2½-foot crawlspace between a historic school building’s original 12-foot ceiling and the more recent ceiling that had been installed below it. Nielson also noted the discovery of a time capsule found during sidewalk construction at a Montclair church.

“There’s never anything of extreme value,” he said, of the time capsules. “They’re kind of saying, ‘We were here and here’s who we are.’”

Despite that, Neilson said seeing the box’s contents is still quite meaningful.

“I don’t know these people but we open it up and get a little touchstone of who they were,” he said. “I’m really glad Bill found it, just to have a connection to those folks and the layers of Berkeley history.”

Related:
Time capsule discovered during church demolition (01.21.14)
‘Explosive’ downtown Berkeley housing boom under way (01.14.14)
‘The Durant’ apartments win approval from City Council (06.27.13)
Berkeley zoning board approves 78-unit Durant (03.15.13)
Decision on project at Durant, Channing delayed (03.04.13)
1,000 new apartments planned for downtown Berkeley (02.07.13)

Follow Berkeleyside on Twitter and Facebook. Email us at tips@berkeleyside.com. Get the latest Berkeley news in your inbox with Berkeleyside’s free Daily Briefing.

Tom Terrell, owner of Marine Landscaping, is the first veteran to receive a business development grant through the Gun Barrel City Economic Development’s “Boots to Business” program.

Terrell received a check for $8,775 at a ceremony attended by city officials and veterans representatives Jan. 21. Marine Landscaping is a new full-service landscape design and maintenance company specializing in flower beds, garden design and landscape installation for residential and commercial customers.

The grant program designates $50,000 annually from the EDC budget for assisting veteran business owners. A committee of citizens, veterans, business people and EDC members review and approve applications for the business grants.

All applicants for the grants must show matching funds for every dollar they request, and the recipients must meet quarterly for one year to report on their business activity.

The Small Business Development Center at Trinity Valley College in Athens assisted Terrell with his application, and it is also helping other applicants seeking grants.

EDC President Linda Rankin said the agency developed the program to help military personnel return to civilian life. Its establishment was announced on Veteran’s Day in November 2012.

“We’re interested in helping those who dream of owning their own business and who can show us viable business plans,” Rankin said. “We are ready to provide not only money, but support.”

Call 903-802-8628 to schedule an appointment with Marine Landscaping.

For information about applying for a Boots to Business grant visit www.gbcedc.om or call 903-887-1899.

(Picture below:) Marine Landscaping owner Tom Terrell, right, is the first recipient of a Boots to Business Grant from the Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corporation. Jim Braswell, chairman of the Boots to Business Committee, presented Terrell with a check to help expand his business during a reception held January 21st at Gun Barrel City Hall . EDC President Linda Rankin is shown at far left.

Gardening with a purpose

5

BY KATHY VAN MULLEKOM

Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)

Purposeful gardens — habitat, edible and sustainable — have been on the rise and 2014 promises more of the same.

Chemical-free gardens for birds, butterflies and bees remain high on the gardener’s to-do list, and organically grown edibles play their own harvest-to-table role with health-conscious backyard gardeners.

Gardeners are also more cost conscious, turning discarded items like packing pallets into planters, planting from seed and composting kitchen scraps. In fact, composting is the new recycling, according to Peggy Krapf, a member of the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers and owner of Hearts Ease Landscape and Garden Design.

“Garden supply companies sell attractive containers to pre-compost on the kitchen counter and you can purchase worm composters that do the job in a box in a closet or basement,” she says.

People in general want to restore balance to their lives, so frivolous spending on more “things” is out, according to Susan McCoy, president of the Garden Media Group and a national garden trends spotter.

“They are beginning to truly understand the relationship between gardening and connecting with nature — and how this can lead to a fully satisfied, purposeful life,” says McCoy.

10 gardening trends for 2014

Here, more garden gurus forecast their own idea of fun and purpose in the garden for 2014:

MANLY MOVES. More masculine colors and styles in home and garden decor are showing up at markets and in stores because there’s a “role reversal of fortune,” where 40 percent of women are the sole or primary income earner for the household and the number of stay-at-home dads continues to increase.

In addition, fairy gardening is a trend that’s morphed into miniature gardening with expanded product and plant selections for both indoor and outdoor gardening. With the name change alone, there’s an increase in men taking up the hobby. — Tish Llaneza, owner of Countryside Gardens and just back from a buying spree at the markets in Atlanta.

GARDEN JOURNALS. Master gardeners across the United States are using Nature’s Notebook to help track bloom times on sentinel species to make bloom calendars, which, in turn, gives scientists data on climate change. Gardeners can also use phenology (seasonal changes in plants and animals from year to year) information (and recording) to understand the relationships between garden pest outbreaks and timing of the plant phenology to know when best to apply Integrated Pest Management strategies. And, having it become part of the National Phenology Database also furthers scientific research, not only regarding a changing environment, but also for horticulturists and land managers to make management decisions. — LoriAnne Barnett, education coordinator Nature’s Notebook and USA National Phenology Network

EDIBLES AND MORE. Several things come to mind: Integrating edibles into woody ornamental and perennial gardens — a cultural shift, not a trend; planting native species to benefit bees and other insects; recycling objects into creative plant containers; and using Pinterest to share ideas and inspire others to garden. — Nicholas Staddon, director of new plants for Monrovia, a plant brand sold at garden centers nationally.

BEES MATTER. Saving our pollinators is big and getting bigger. Organic farmers have been all about this for a while, but now that the public is becoming aware of the desperate state of affairs, it’s spreading like fire — thank goodness. Everyone needs to read the Aug. 19, 2013, Time magazine with the cover that spotlights “A World Without Bees: The price we’ll pay if we don’t figure out what’s killing the honeybee.” Home gardeners really need to learn about: keeping blooms coming; easy and quick-growing cover crops that can fill a space to provide excellent habitat; and how to let go of chemicals, even certified organic pesticides can be harmful to bees. — Lisa Ziegler of The Gardener’s Workshop, an online garden shop.

CONTAINER CRAZE. Containers can spice up a yard without a lot of cost and effort. For instance, bamboo stems, upside down brooms or even twisting, turning branches can be painted colors to match the season, celebration or your home’s exterior palette and then inserted decoratively into pots that may already contain evergreens or annuals like winter pansies or summer petunias. For easy-use containers, Smart Pots are lighter and cheaper than ceramic containers; the large, raised-bed size acts as its own weed-block when placed on the ground and provides a temporary garden space if you can’t install a garden bed where you live. The weave of the fabric allows a dense root system because you can air prune roots that come to the surface. Reviews for the Big Bag Bed version are good on Amazon, where they can be ordered, as well as www.smartpots.com. The manly gardener may like the look of ammo boxes mounted on ladders, an idea seen in a Denver boutique. — Marie Butler, horticulture curator at the Virginia Zoo, where she specializes in creative containers

REPURPOSE, REUSE. There’s a continued focus on using recycled building materials. I was surfing the net, looking for compost bin designs and came across a wide range of recycled indoor and outdoor garden furniture using repurposed pallets. People are staining and painting them or leaving them natural and creating some really beautiful stuff! I’ve also seen new ways of vertical gardening using recycled materials such as pallets, felt pockets and even things like two-liter bottles hung from strings. — Grace Chapman, director of horticulture at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Va.

KEEP IT SIMPLE. Classic elegance in colors and landscaping will be popular in 2014. Plant drifts of similar or blending colors and mix a single color with white in containers, outdoor fabrics, or furnishings. Buy quality products which will last for years — and eco-friendly products with a smaller carbon footprint. Use slow-growing plants like boxwoods which live for many years and natural materials like stone or brick that get more beautiful with age. — Peggy Krapf

PERFECT PLANTS. Re-blooming and extended bloom plants are hot. Color is paramount. Dwarf and compact plants are in demand. Plants that are less likely to become maintenance nightmares are dominating the market, therefore “low maintenance” is less of a buzz word and more of a reality. Plants that can provide color or interest in multiple seasons enable customers to enjoy their landscape all year. — Allan Hull, nursery manager at Peninsula Hardwood Mulch

IMPERFECT OK. Increasingly, homeowners are relaxing their notions of what’s “right” in their landscapes to embrace seasonal drama and its disorder. In spring, weeks of bright daffodil flowers are worth weeks of un-mown bulb foliage recharging for next year’s display. In summer gardens, sequential pockets of bloom are enjoyed with no effort to achieve all-over-bloom all of the time. In fall, brilliant fallen leaves are savored with no rush to clean up. Winter landscapes are dotted with dried grasses and seed heads left for the birds. These are well-maintained properties kept with a different mindset. — Sally Ferguson, a Pawlett, Vt., master gardener and gardening and outdoor living communicator

CHICKEN CHIC. Chicken keeping continues to attract more who want fresh eggs for their table and cute chickens for backyard buddies. The Peninsula Chicken Keepers had 30 people at its first meeting in September 2010 and now include about 320 backyard chicken enthusiasts, some of whom now open their coops for an annual Coops of the Peninsula tour. — Carol Bartam, chicken keeper in Yorktown, Va.

Each year, the Brush Rotary Club supports a variety of area causes benefitting Brush youth and others. The club currently is looking to expand its membership to keep the club viable in the long term.
The Brush Rotary Club is one of more than 34,000 Rotary Clubs throughout the world. So just what is Rotary? According to the Rotary International website, Rotary began with the vision of one man — Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago in 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships.
Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.
The Brush Rotary Club was formed in 1947. Larry Coughlin, a former mayor of Brush said he first became involved in Brush Rotary about 16 years ago when Elton Ingmire, then president of the Brush club, invited him to a meeting.
Coughlin said he decided at the time that becoming a Rotarian would be a “good thing for me to do.” Coughlin went on to serve as Brush Rotary president for one term and one year he and fellow Rotarians Bo Chapin and Dan Scalise shared a term as president.
Coughlin said he has always thought of Brush as “a community with a lot going for it” and that Rotary contributes to making it a great community in ways that many people are not aware of, including supporting a variety of programs and scholarships for Brush youth.
Brush Rotary
Youth Programs
Brush Rotary funds a program called Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) for both students in the Brush Middle School and High School. Students who participate attend a week-long camp – the high school students at YMCA of the Rockies and the middle school students at a camp near Colorado Springs. RYLA students from all over the state participate in the camps. Coughlin said the students are interviewed before they attend the camps and he has seen firsthand how their participation benefits them.
“Some of the kids are very shy when we interview them,” Coughlin said. “Then when they come back they are full of life and a lot of them have carried through and become leaders in high school.”
The Brush Rotary also sponsors two college scholarships for Brush High School students, one for a four-year college and one for a two-year college. Coughlin said interviews are conducted with the applicants during which he said, “It’s interesting to find out a lot about kids at high school.” The club usually has many applicants for the scholarships and it’s hard to select just two recipients, he added.
There also is mini-Rotary club at the high school called the Interact club that is sponsored by the Brush Rotary Club. Coughlin said the club’s “big thing this year is helping kids with reading” at the elementary school. Interact also is working on an international service project that will provide supplies to troops overseas.
Another project for youth is the Four Way Test, which this year will be held February 5 for seventh graders at the middle school. The Four Way Test is part of Rotary’s guiding principles and is recited at Rotary meetings.
1) Is it the truth?
2) Is it fair to all concerned?
3) Will it build good will and better friendships?
4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Coughlin said the students come up with a wide variety of questions and then assemble into small groups with a Brush Rotary member who facilitates discussion. Students draw a question, which they must answer using the Four Way test. Coughlin said in the past questions have ranged from “have you ever told a lie?” to “what should you do if a friend becomes pregnant?” The discussion is not only thought provoking for the students, but the Rotarians as well with Coughlin saying “most say they have learned a lot.”
An International Rotary high school exchange student is supported each year by the Brush Rotary Club, which provides the student with a monthly $100 stipend and helps find the student an area family to stay with during their year in the Brush area. This year’s exchange student is Beatriz “Bea” Martinez-Quintanill from Spain. 

Supporting
area causes
Brush Rotary supports the Brush Young Readers of Colorado program, a literacy program which provides personalized books to young area readers that features the child’s name as a character throughout the book. Many Rotarians also personally donate to the program.
Brush Rotarians also have the opportunity to donate to Rotary’s International Paul Harris Fellowship. Donations come from Rotarians throughout the world. Coughlin said the fund spends only the interest earned on international service projects. Three years after a donation is made half of the money given by each Rotary District goes back to the district for use by its clubs.
Coughlin said the Brush Rotary Club used these funds several years ago to build the walking trail around Doty Pond and to erect several park benches. The club also is scheduled to donate some funds to the new skate park in Brush for landscaping and a walking trail.
International service
Many rotary clubs in the U.S. support international projects. Coughlin said the Brush club is currently supporting a food project in Kenya, which is teaching individuals how to raise their own crops.

Being of service
Although Coughlin said, “The first thing about rotary is service above self” he also said Brush Rotary “is a friendly club” that has a good time. He added the club would like to increase its membership because “the more members you have the more things you can do.”
“If you ever want to give back to the community, Rotary is a great way to do it,” He commented.
Kari Degeneress, who is the Nursing Home Administrator at  Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center, recently became a Rotarian after being invited to a club meeting by Dan Scalise, when he was still working as Eben Ezer’s Resident Services Director. She said she joined because Rotary is “based on the same principles that I operate on. I am highly involved in volunteer and service work.”
“It’s a great organization,” Degeneress said. “It’s interesting and I have enjoyed being part of it. It’s a great group of people.”
Degeneress, who is one of the younger members of the Brush Rotary Club, said part of the draw for younger people to join Rotary is that “it’s a great way to partner with other people in your field or industry.”
“It’s a good to make some good strategic connections in addition to serving,” she said.
The Brush Rotary Club meets on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. at Eben Ezer. Each meeting features a club Rotarian of the week who arranges for a speaker from the area to provide updates on timely topics.
For more information about joining the Brush Rotary club, contact a Rotary Club member. To keep abreast of club news, visit the Brush Rotary Facebook page.

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January 22, 2014 – 7:00AM

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Jillian McHugh

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People are spending proportionally more on their outside living areas. Photo: Dale Alcock Homes

As more West Australians choose to replace vacations with ‘staycations’, homebuyers are changing the way they build their properties, according to one of WA’s top builders.

The number of people accommodating at-home holidays by incorporating pools into house plans has doubled over the past few years with some spending up to $50,000 on outdoor living areas, says Dale Alcock Homes general manager Dean O’Rourke.

“It’s the fact that people are just so busy – we seem to go on holidays and don’t seem to relax too much, we go on planes and then still have to do everything every day,” Mr O’Rourke says.

Individual touches are must-haves for the modern staycationer. Photo: Dale Alcock Homes

“Nowadays people are thinking it’s just too hard and we’re going to stay home and use what we’ve got.”

More Perth homebuyers are asking to incorporate tropical Bali-style outdoor areas, with everything they need to entertain at home, Mr O’Rourke said.

“You notice the effort they’re going to and the detail they’re going to,” he said.

People building a second or third home have a solid idea of what they want, says Dale Alcock Homes general manager Dean O’Rourke. Photo: Dale Alcock Homes

“It’s nothing new having inside-outside living, but it’s the detail in bi-fold doors that open up, the ceiling fan, the barbeque, the pool and the landscaping.

“The budget seems to have increased in that area so they get the resort feel.”

Noranda resident Liz Cordova built her home with staycations in mind, after taking ideas from hotels in Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne.

“When we built our bedroom and en suite we wanted it to feel like a hotel,” she said.

“We’d go on a great holiday with a spacious bedroom and plenty of room in the bathroom and we always said ‘This is what we’re going to do’.

“We always loved the feel of it and the space of it, having a spa and being able to open up to your own little private area – we’ve actually done that.”

It took almost 40 years for Ms Cordova and her husband to build up to their “dream home”, which is now their holiday spot of choice.

“We’re not as committed to going on holidays as we used to,” she said.

“We’re in a very relaxed atmosphere here and we just can’t be bothered.

“We’ve done a few trips but we can’t wait to get home.

“We’ve made it very comfortable, you sit and have your morning coffee and get that resort feeling when you look out onto the alfresco area.”

Mr O’Rourke said air conditioning had moved from the “wish list” to the “priority list” and more people were incorporating spaces like hobby rooms into their homes, following on from the trend to create “man caves” and “woman caves”.

He said while those who knew from experience what they wanted and had the money to splash on expensive outdoor areas were usually those building their second or third homes, first homebuyers were also making provisions for resort-style options to be added later.

“There’s a portion of first homebuyers too,” he said.

“We ask the question ‘Is there a pool in mind?’ and more often than not people are saying they are on the agenda.

“People have saved up and they’re going to utilise it.”

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3 comments so far

• Spruikers feeding Perth-ite’s keeping-up-with-the-joneses attitude. Ooh, ooh, so-and-so just spent $50,000 on an outdoor area… I should too

  Commenter
  spothespruiker
  Location

  Date and time
  January 22, 2014, 12:22PM

  • Did Mr Alcock pay for this advertorial? DAH certainly isn’t the only builder in town who could provide an insight on this trend, so why is he given so much free air time?

    Commenter
    Newsworthy
    Date and time
    January 22, 2014, 12:25PM

    • I’m a first home builder and I can tell you, I knew what I wanted without doubt. It’s not just second and third goers who aren’t willing to compromise on crap.

      Commenter
      Jessica Whyte
      Location

      Date and time
      January 22, 2014, 1:21PM

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