Today's bh3900 Article
LIFE IN THE LANGUEDOC - GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE GARDEN

If you own a French property - and particularly one with some outside space - the chances are you will be familiar with your local DIY store. When we moved to our first French home (an old stone-built village house in the Minervois wine making area of the Aude d?partement, in the Languedoc) we thought we'd be sitting pretty, as we were only renting. If anything needed doing, we presumed the landlord would sort it out, but no. In the two months we lived in the house, we must have been to our local Mr. Bricolage store at least six times (bricolage is French for Do It Yourself). Insulating tape, screws, nails, hooks, replacement light bulbs, plungers to unblock the sink and toilet, you name it, we bought it. The problem was we were renting a very old and sorely under-maintained holiday home, so things went wrong (or just broke, because they were so old) on a regular basis. And the landlord wasn't very interested in coming round to sort out the problems, either ("Do It Yourselves" was his stock answer when we telephoned him).

When the autumn storms came and the roof leaked in five places, including over my computer and our two year-old son's bed, we upped sticks and moved to a newer, 1980's built villa with all mod cons (well, central heating, anyway). Oh, and a very big garden. We were so excited about both. After living in a huge, damp, old house with thick stone walls and no heating whatsoever, having radiators was a total delight. After living in a maison de village with no outside space at all, having a garden seemed amazing, but in fact, it turned out to be a pain in the neck. There were vast areas covered in towering weeds, and according to our rental contract, we had to keep it all in good order. No lawnmower would roll over the patchy, uneven ground, and doing it by hand with shears was back-breaking, so off we went to Mr. Brico again and bought a scary looking, heavy-duty d?broussailleuse. My dictionary calls this a strimmer, but frankly that doesn't do it justice - it was huge, expensive, and weighed a ton. It would have taken your leg off if you didn't strap it on properly. Our next door neighbours watched with eyes as big as saucers as I wrestled the wretched thing around the garden, grunting, sweating and swearing with the effort.

Then off course we had to buy a rake to collect up all the cut grass, a compost bin to stuff it in, some grass seed to sew over the bald patches, a spade to dig a vegetable patch, some pea seeds to plant, some pea sticks for the plants to grow up, umpteen metres of netting to wrap around the plants to keep the birds from eating the peas... I tell you, the woman on the check out desk at Mr. Brico used to beam at us when we walked in. If we weren't her best customers, we were certainly the most frequent. The irony of this tale is that after we'd invested in a very expensive, solid teak garden table plus chairs, parasol, and all the other paraphernalia that goes with having a garden, we came to the conclusion that that we were city folk at heart. We yearned to dwell in the centre of town, where gardens are like gold dust and command a hefty premium. We couldn't afford a house with outside space, so now we live in a large apartment and spend lots of time at the beach, in the countryside or at the local park. It's not the same as having a garden, but it's certainly cheaper and less hard work.

Garden or no garden, owning - or even renting - a French home will inevitably mean regular trips to your local DIY store. My biggest fear was never knowing the right word for what I needed (Philips screwdriver, plasterboard screws, replacement ball cock, whatever) and having to play 20 Questions with the long-suffering shop assistant ("it's made of metal, or sometimes plastic, it's about this long, it's straight but with a bit at the end that hooks round like this, you use it in the kitchen..."). I bought a decent dictionary (the Collins Robert fatty, ?29.99, if anyone's interested) but when I can't find the right word (or just don't know what I need in the first place), I go online. My favourite site is www.leroymerlin.fr. It's bright, professional and very informative. It's divided into four areas (advice, ideas, books and products) and contains a wealth of information (the advice section gives pointers on how tools work and what they are used for - perfect for a novice like me). Then there's www.bricomarche.fr. More advice and helpful hints, lots of info about keeping animals, and a section where you can buy and sell tools. Handy for flogging that d?broussailleuse that I don't need anymore. Straight to the point is www.castorama.fr, where diagrams and dossiers will resolve your DIY dilemmas, and finally there's my old friend www.mr-bricolage.fr, with its interior and garden design tips. Sometime I just browse here for fun, and dream about when we had a garden.

About the Author

Louise has lived in France, in the city of Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon for the past 5 years.

Louise writes for a number of French life magazines and was asked to write a number of articles on life and experiences in France by French real estate agents Vibo Immobilier (http://www.viboimmobilier.com), based in the wine village of Fitou.

Another short bh3900 review
Dyna-gro Liquid Bloom 3-12-16 16 fl oz (22 oz) 1 Pint

Dyna-Gro Liquid Bloom 3-12-6 16 fl oz

Manufacturer: Dyna-Gro
Condition: Brand New
List Price: $24.99

A concentrated high phosphorus formula containing all 6 essential macronutrients and all 10 essential micronutrients that every plant needs. Use Liquid Bloom to increase the size, color and number of blooms produced. It is ideal for roses, orchids and potted flowering plants.

Features:

Encourage more blooms from all your flowering plants.
Sustain Orchid Blooms Longer.
Contains 11 trace elements.
NPK (3-12-6)
Not recommended for use on consumables.

Price: 6.99

Delta 1424-ALLHP Almond Shower Faucet

;DELTA 1424-ALLHP ALMOND FINISH SHOWER FAUCET

;

This is for a Brand New in the Box DELTA;1424-ALLHP;Almond;Single Handle;Shower Faucet without handles. You will need to purchase just the handles for this unit - .;;Delta offers faucets without handles;so that the customer can personally select which handles they want.;Handles are easy to find.;

List Price: $215.00

Product Description:

Almond Finish
Single handle
Pressure-balance shower
Touch-Clean?showerhead
Featuring the Scald-Guard?shower valve. This model also features Delta's exclusive Brilliance?finish the new finish that won't corrode, tarnish or discolor.
Handles not included

Price: 99.99

Delta SBS-81410 Chrome Pull-Out Spray Spout Kitchen Faucet

Delta SBS-81410 Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet

Polished ChromeFinish - 5 Ft. Hose

Manufacturer: Delta Faucet
Model #: SBS-81410
Condition: Brand New In Box
List Price: $243.70

Features:

5 Year Faucet & Finish Warranty
Everything Included For Installation
Finish: Polished Chrome
Solid brass construction ensures quality and reliability
Pull-out Spout
Single lever handle for ease of control
Washerless
Fits 1 or 3-hole sink with 8" centers
5 Foot Hose
ADA Compliant

Price: 69.99

AT&T 5830 5.8 GHz Cordless Speakerphone System

AT&T 5830 5.8 GHz Cordless Speakerphone System

Manufacturer: AT&T
Model #: 5830
Condition: Reconditioned to New By AT&T
Warranty: 1-Year Warranty
List Price: $149.99

AT&T 5830 Offers superior performance and quality, and an amazing array of useful features and benefits. Cordless telephone technology has reached a new plateau with the 5.8 GHz spread spectrum frequency. Utilizing this 5.8GHz, distance & clarity are increased many fold. In addition, and most importantly, you have the ability to add multiple handsets to the base! This unit supports up to 6 separate handsets (1 is included).

Features:

This innovative cordless telephone operates on the powerful 5.8 GHz frequency. Its classic design provides comfort and ease of use. Advanced features include adjustable sound settings, the ability to use up to six handsets, a speakerphones in the handset, and a duplex speakerphone in the base. (Duplex technology lets both parties talk and be heard simultaneously.)
The dual-band (5.8 GHz/2.4 GHz) design allows the base unit to transmit with more power in the 5.8 GHz frequency band or with greater efficiency at 2.4 GHz. The phone's true duplex transmission keeps the incoming and outgoing signals from interfering with each other.
The LCD on the handset provides caller ID/call waiting information (subscription required though your local phone company). The 5830 also provides talking caller ID, which announces the name or number of incoming callers.
The 5830's expandability, up to five additional handsets for a total of six, eliminates the need to hard-wire multiple extensions throughout your home. One phone jack and one power outlet is all you need to connect the 5830 base station and handset, while each additional model 5800 handset requires only a power outlet for its compact charger/cradle. Calls can be transferred from one handset to another.
The handset receiver lights up with incoming calls and can also be set to vibrate. It stores 50 names and numbers and works with your caller ID service to remember the last 50 callers. Sound Select lets you adjust bass, treble, and midrange to your liking. A spare-battery charging system enables the telephone to work even during a power outage. Choose from eight ringer melodies. The system is backed by a one-year warranty.

What's in the Box:

User's Manual
Quick Start Guide
Base Unit
Handset
NiMH Battery Pack
Telephone Line Cord
AC Power Adapter
Wall Mounting Adapter

Price: 49.99

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Better Homes & Gardens, April 2007 Issue

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The New Zen Garden: Designing Quiet Spaces

The New Zen Garden: Designing Quiet Spaces
IN THE TRADITION OF JAPANESE TOUCH FOR YOUR GARDEN, THE PERFECT BOOK FOR CONTEMPOLATING A ZEN-STYLE GARDEN FOR HOME OR TOWNHOUSE, YARD OR BALCONY.

Japanese gardens are renowned for their serene and peaceful ambiance. The New Zen Garden presents the Japanese garden as it exists today, with all its traditional qualities joined to modern architecture and viewed from a modern perspective.

This book takes the concept introduced in the best-selling Japanese Touch for Your Garden and, focusing on the more contemplative gardens that are drawing greater and greater attention, blends it with a more practical approach.

Lavishly illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs and featuring the works of contemporary garden designers and landscape architects, The New Zen Garden begins with a brief introduction of the history of the Japanese garden and its spiritual roots. It then guides the reader through
the basics of garden concepts, layout, and personal needs.

With a focus on small- and medium-size home gardens, author Joseph Cali introduces a visually explicit process in which anyone can conceive their own home garden, whether for a single-family residence or the balcony of an apartment or townhouse. Cali also includes a handful "spotlight sections" that
feature guidance from prominent Japanese garden designers, each of whom steers the reader step-by-step through a specific building technique, including the making of textured clay walls, traditional stone walkways, and stone settings.

The New Zen Garden provides a wealth of information on designing a garden to harmonize with any home or private space. It is a provocative eye-opener both for the serious Japanese garden enthusiast and the weekend gardener.

Crystal Bowl - Garden Glory - 11 inches

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This crystal bowl is a glorious blend of design and form. The roses shine clearly though the frosted glass, and are skirted by a ribbon-like trimming. The scalloped edge adds another dimension to this detailed piece. Made in Poland of 24% lead crystal. 11 inches