Page 2 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News
Page 3 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Table of Contents 30: So, You Think You Want to be a Snowbird? 26: Looking to Buy a House? 22: Welcome the Fall Holidays With Early Prep and Good Planning 18: Don’t Fumble Your Football Party 16: Soup & Bread; Winter Comfort Food 12: Autumn Vegetable Gardening: Summer’s End Does Not Mean the End of Homegrown Vegetables! 06: Outdoor Plants and Winter Windowsills 04: Is fall your favorite time of year?
Page 4 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News When staff at Lincoln Daily News get together to talk about future publications and online magazines, we find that the fall home and garden magazine is one of the favorites to plan and publish because a lot of us claim that fall is our favorite time of year. Out in the community visiting with folks around Logan County we often hear similar comments. People love fall. But why? Maybe it is because when we come to September we start seeing those cooler nights, drier air and even the warm days have a different “crispier” quality than their humid counterparts in the heat of summer. Some will say it is the thought of fall colors, wood burning fireplaces, snuggling up with your favorite companion be it two-legged or fourlegged, donning those heavy knit sweaters and leggings for those brisk morning walks, or maybe planning for fall activities. School is back in session, high school football is taking up many a Friday night, while our favorite college teams are occupying our weekends. Halloween means fun and games and kids and candy. Is fall your favorite favorite time of year? Thanksgiving is coming and it brings to mind time with family, and huge meals that leave everyone overstuffed and sleepy. It all sounds romantic in its own way, but there are also a few pitfalls to fall. One is the lack of fresh food from our gardens and the shutting of the farmer’s market doors. We think of winter just around the corner and whether or not we’re prepared to spend another cold season in Illinois or should we escape to Florida. We also might be in the mood to take a look at our living quarters. If we want to have family gatherings do we have the space, do we know what to do with the space, and maybe, just maybe, we should think about finding a new space, as in a new home. Believe it or not, fall is a good time to start thinking about home buying and taking the steps to be prepared if the perfect house comes on the market. Or maybe we are just loving fall and looking forward to winter settling in when the “homefires” are burning, everyone wants to Continue --
Page 5 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News stay in snuggled up together, and the best part of the day is enjoying a warm bowl of soup. For the 2024 Fall Home and Garden magazine, LDN staff talked about all these things and came up with a list of articles that might help you discover more to love about fall, and more to do than you might imagine. Let us help you figure out that perfect Halloween party, get ready for Thanksgiving or throw a tailgate party at home with your best group of friends. Find out how to extend your garden season outside with fall vegetables, and how to care for your favorite outdoor plants in the house. And if you are thinking of becoming a “snowbird” or are intrigued by the idea of a new home to start the new year, you’ll find something in these pages for you too. So, while fall is our favorite time of year, we hope it is yours as well, and we hope that the 2024 Fall Home and Garden Magazine will give some ideas to make your favorite season even better. Happy Fall from all of us at Lincoln Daily News.
Page 6 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Bring the outdoors inside with overwintering plants As we enter fall one of the downsides is that we lose that green luster of a healthy garden and lawn. As the season turns brown and we find ourselves spending more time inside, what do we have that intrigues us? What is living in your corners, bookcases, and windowsills? No, we’re not talking about dust bunnies, or lounging felines, we’re talking about growing live plants inside during the winter months. Do you have them? And if not, why not? Living plants are good for the air quality, beautifying the home, and can even supplement your diet with fresh grown herbs and such. So, let’s get you started. The first suggestion is to do your research! Many live plants and herbs need different care, sunlight, and watering when inside as opposed to outside. If you are new to taking care of plants, go online, to the library, or check Outdoor Plants and Winter Windowsills with your local greenhouse to get specific information regarding the plants you already have growing outside, that you want to bring in for the winter, or that you want to start to grow inside. Indoor gardening There are eight common plants that you can grow outside and during the winter months bring inside and use. However, there are a few important points to consider before making your choice. The first thing to consider is what is the size of your windowsill and what is the shape? You may have a plant with very shallow roots, and it may be a perfect place for a slender, shallow tray or planter. Whereas, you may have a very deep windowsill or ledge where you can have a bigger planter. If you do not have a windowsill per say, you can always move a small table in front of the window to hold a variety of sized planters for that natural sunlight. You also need to pay attention to which plants need direct sunlight and for how Continue --
Page 7 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News many hours per day. This should lead you to pay attention to which windows have the most sunlight and if it is direct sunlight and for how many hours per day. Another item to consider is the temperature during the day and night on your windowsill. Temperatures can vary dramatically depending on the amount of sun coming in, wind against that window and the temperature you keep in that particular room. Therefore, it is best to determine the best location of that houseplant or herb based on each one individually. Plants that you need to consider bringing indoors from your flower bed are: • Tropical and subtropical plants - These plants are not as hardy and cannot survive freezing temperatures and snow. Plan to bring these indoors, but make sure you check thoroughly for bugs before doing so. • Annual plants – You can bring annual plants in but put them into compost. Some annuals are as expensive as perennials, so to preserve from year to year, plan to move them inside. • Perennials - There are some perennials that are extremely cold sensitive such as Hibiscus, Impatient and Coleus. For these plants if your area frequently dips below 60-65 degrees, you should consider bringing them in for the winter. • Young Trees – Trees are expensive, and some are finicky especially during freezing temps. Plan ahead and talk to your greenhouse about the best way to keep your young tree healthy during the winter months and the best time and way to plant it back in the yard. Windowsill Garden If you are interested in herbs or smaller house plants, they are an excellent choice for your windowsill all year round. Herbs such as thyme, lemon thyme, sage, oregano, basil, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, mint, parsley, and chives are all great starters. You can learn to use these fresh herbs in casseroles, meats and with vegetable dishes all year round while saving money. A wise tip for beginners is to start small. Pick 2-3 different plants so you can learn and grow as your plant does. Make sure you label each plant or herb and pay attention to the watering, sunlight, and soil that plant or herb best grows in. When starting out you will also want to choose plants or herbs that do not get too wide or tall to contain the growth. Make sure you set up a schedule to water (usually 2-3 times a week) and have adequate draining holes to avoid overwatering and the drowning of the herb roots, because the biggest reason for demise in plants and herbs is overwatering during the winter. You will need to snip your plants to encourage growth, not more than 1/3 of the plants foliage, but follow your specific plant instructions. If you cannot get ahold of any live plants, using WERTH & ASSOCIATES REALTORS Becky S. Werth Broker - GRI Bus: 217-735-3411 Cell: 217-737-8920 1203 Woodlawn Road, Lincoln, IL Continue --
Page 8 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News a hydro garden and seeds is a fast way to grow your plants. Here is a listing of the eight most recommended house plants: Missionary Plant – This is a low-growing plant with attractive, fleshy leaves which is perfect for a windowsill. This plant needs to be in a bright location but not in direct sunlight. Polly – This plant thrives in a bright, warm condition with high levels of humidity, such as a bathroom. Succulents – Most any succulents such as aloes, agaves, echeverias and crassula’s are perfect windowsill companions. They need full sun and little water. Cacti - Much like succulents are perfect for windowsills. Just make sure you plant them in a porous terracotta container with gritty compost for adequate drainage and to reduce the chance of rotting. Monstera Obliqua – Is a smaller version of Monstera deliciosa (plant with holes). This will still get semi-large and grow over the edges of the container. This plant grows best out of direct sunlight and in a humid environment. Streptocarpus – Native to South Africa, they thrive better in low light or dappled shade. A north or west-facing windowsill is most desirable. Venus Fly Trap – This plant needs a sunny windowsill with humid conditions to mimic Continue --
Page 9 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News it’s native subtropical habitat. A bathroom location would be best in a planter that has peat-free ericaceous compost and water with rainwater only. With that being said if you are a household that has children, visiting children or any pets of any kind, there are twelve plants that you should NEVER have in your house or yard. They include: Oleander – A beautiful shrub that is popular in warmer climates, but its flowers and leaves can cause abdominal pain, drooling or even death. A single leaf can be fatal to a small child. Giant Hogweed – This plant is part of the carrot and parsley family and can reach up to 15-20 feet tall. The sap that it extracts contains furanocoumarins and when this sap contacts skin that is exposed to sunlight it can cause sever skin inflammation and painful blisters. These blisters could last for months and cause long-term sensitivity to sunlight. Foxglove – Every single part of this beautiful popular cottage garden plant contains dangerous components that leads to cardiac failure or death if ingested by humans or pets. Nightshade – This is an exceptionally beautiful plant with white or purple bellshaped or star-shaped flowers. It also has an intriguing dark purple, black, or red berry that makes curious kids and animals pick and eat. Even the touching of any part of the plant can cause dermatitis in people with sensitive skin. Mistletoe – This popular holiday plant contains phoratoxin which is toxic when any part of this plant and it’s berries is eaten, cooked, or drunk by humans and animals. Rhododendron or Azalea – These quite common ornamental shrubs can cause vomiting, excess salivation, coma, or death. Azaleas or often given as gifts as houseplants, so please be wary when displaying them indoors. Caladium – This is also known as elephant ear, and you often see this both indoors and out. However, this plant contains insoluble calcium oxalates which can cause irritation, swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips and vomiting in pets, as well as its toxic to humans. Lily of the Valley – This is most popular as a summer bouquet filler, however, all parts of this plant can be irritating or even fatal for humans and animals causing vomiting, irregular heartbeat, or death. Daffodil – These wonderfully bright yellow flowers are extremely popular in most flower beds and even inside pots. However, daffodils and its related plants such as clivia and amaryllis contain ingredients that can cause vomiting, drooling, convulsions and irregular heartbeats in humans and pets. The highest concentration of these toxins is located in the bulb. Autumn Crocus – This is another popular bulb flower that one can often see inside Continue --
Page 10 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News and outside of the house. This one contains colchicine and other alkaloids that are toxic to people and pets and can cause oral irritation, vomiting, shock, and organ damage. Morning Glory – These vining annuals are filled with attractive flowers but can cause vomiting in pets when ingested and can cause diarrhea to hallucinations in humans. Yew – This isn’t a common shrub, but many will use this outside as landscaping, and it resembles an evergreen bush with bright red berries. However, every part of this plant is toxic causing muscle tremors or sudden death in animals and breathing difficulties, dizziness, and convulsions in humans. What makes it the scariest with these plants is that you may not know exactly what is planted in your yard, especially if you just moved in or the previous owner, or neighbor has already planted these types of shrubs or flowers. It might be a nice border to that driveway, or that flower really fills in nicely next to that shed or that’s the only thing that could be grown under that tree. But be aware, do your homework and make the best possible list of plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers already in your yard or in your neighbor’s yard and plan accordingly when landscaping. Because the truth be known, you cannot watch every pet and every child every moment of the day and you need to have that list of plants inside and out in case they become violently ill so that treatment may not be so difficult. [JA Hodgdon-Ruppel]
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Page 12 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Autumn Vegetable Gardening: Summer’s End Does Not Mean the End of Homegrown Vegetables! Shorter days and cooler weather may make it seem like vegetable gardening is coming to an end for the year, however, there are many ways to extend the growing season and take your veggie garden into the fall and even into winter. Fall is an enjoyable and rewarding time to be out in the garden with cooler weather, fewer insects, and fewer plant diseases to contend with. Grow Cool Weather Crops Think spring when thinking about an autumn garden because many of our spring favorites can be grown in the cooler weather of fall, as well! Carrots, lettuce, spinach, beets, radishes, kale, chard, garlic, cabbage, turnips, bok choy, arugula, mustard greens… the list is vast! Any vegetable you notice showing up at the farmer’s market in the springtime, Continue --
Page 13 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News disappearing during the heat of summer, and reappearing in early fall is probably a cool season crop and one that you could try growing in your own fall garden. Some vegetables not only do not mind the cooler weather, they taste better because of it! Brussels sprouts, for example, have a long growing season, but the frosts in the fall are what sweeten the flavor. Many additional vegetables in the brassica family also taste better after a frost, such as kale and broccoli. The cooler weather causes plants to use sugars to avoid freezing, which gives us that sweeter flavor! Leafy Greens Leafy greens can be directly sown into the soil for a fall harvest. Plant the seed twice as deep as recommended on the packaging to aid germination in the cooler weather. For lettuce and spinach, grow different varieties of each in both spring and fall to encourage more successful germination. Add kale and chard to the fall (and spring) garden repertoire as both are extremely nutritious and very easy to grow. It is a matter of sowing the seeds into soil and keeping them evenly moist. Herbs like parsley and cilantro are also ideal for cooler weather as they tend to flower and form seeds in the warmer months. Root Vegetables Root vegetables such as carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips are perfect for an autumn garden as they have a relatively short growing season and will not mind a little frost. Plant these in late August or early September for a fall harvest. Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower can be planted as transplants from a garden center or started at home. Vegetables in the brassica family are often compromised by the cabbage moth caterpillars, which will be less of a problem in the cool weather. Wellestablished kale and chard from summer may even be able to overwinter with covering and be some of the first vegetables to renew and produce in the spring. Garlic When planting flower bulbs for spring, why not add some garlic bulbs as well? Healthy to eat and simple to grow, garlic comes in soft neck, hard neck, and elephant varieties. Soft neck has the longest storage life of up to a full year when stored properly, and the soft necks allow for it to be braided together and hung up for storage. Soft neck garlic has a milder flavor than the spicier hard neck variety. Hard neck garlic survives better in colder climates such as central Illinois and grows delicious scapes in the spring. Garlic scapes are a tasty delicacy and should be trimmed off in the spring so that the growing energy is directed toward bulb formation. Elephant garlic is actually more closely related to leeks but grows as a large bulb. Elephant garlic has a mild flavor and prefers warmer climates. Plant individual garlic cloves in fall after the soil has cooled, but before the ground has frozen– midSeptember to mid-October in central Illinois– and provide a layer of mulch. There is no need to water over the winter months. Water and fertilize in the spring when the green shoots appear. Continue --
Page 14 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Extend Warm Weather Crops All the options available for getting a jump start on gardening in the spring when the temperatures are still cool are options again as fall approaches to extend the season. Using cold frames, cloches, low tunnels, row covers, and greenhouses are all possibilities for extending the growing season for vegetables that prefer the warmer temperatures. A cold frame can be relatively easy and inexpensive to construct as it is basically a box without a bottom with a transparent covering on top. Made of one to two-inch thick wood, or other available materials such as brick or straw bales, the box structure can be covered with plastic such as greenhouse film or clear panels such as old windows. Angle the transparent cover toward the southern sky and vent by propping the cover open on warm, sunny days. A cloche is a bottle or jug with the bottom removed that can be placed over individual plants. It can protect against frost but is unlikely to protect against a hard freeze. Remove the bottle’s cap to provide ventilation on warmer days. Low tunnels (as opposed to high tunnels, which are large enough to walk through and not as likely of an option for a home garden) can be constructed of PVC, wire, or metal that can be bent into a half circle. This half circle, called a hoop, will be covered with fabric row cover or greenhouse polyethylene (note that polyethylene degrades in contact with PVC). These not only prevent frost damage, but may be used throughout the growing season to prevent insect damage for plants that do not need pollination and prior to flowering for plants that do need pollination. Sometimes even the simplest solution can be effective. Warm season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant can be covered with plastic sheeting, floating row cover, and even old sheets when the temperatures get frosty at night. The idea is to create a barrier that keeps the frost off the leaves of the plant, but nothing so heavy that the barrier crushes the plant. The warm weather vegetable plants may not grow new fruits with the shorter days, but existing fruits will have longer to ripen on the vine or plant when protected from frosty temperatures. Uncover during the day if temperatures are warm enough and recover if nighttime low temperatures hover around freezing to buy yourself several more weeks of the season. Autumn can be both a time to enjoy the harvest and a time to continue growing. With the right plants and a little extra care, home gardeners can enjoy fresh produce from their gardens in almost every season! [Stephanie Hall] https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/goodgrowing/2020-04-07-starting-garden-seasonextension https://www.rareseeds.com/blog/post/how-toplant-and-harvest-your-best-garlic-crop
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Page 16 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News What do you think of when the winds are whipping at 30 mph, and it is 20 degrees outside? For most of us, the thought of warm yummy comfort food comes to mind. And we all have our own idea of what that cozy comfort food is. Some may say ooey gooey brownies, homemade mac n’ cheese, meatloaf, buttery mashed potatoes, or hot chocolate drinks. One source of comfort food is bone warming, tummy-tingling soups, and warm breads with creamy butter. Soup and bread is an excellent way to get your family, whether secretly or not, to eat more nutritiously. When talking about soups it’s amazing to see so many varieties of something as simple as chili. Some put no beans, some have lots of beans, some use hamburger, some use steak, some like it spicy, and some do not. There is white chicken chili, Cincinnati chili, chili con carne, and even vegetarian chili. Even if you grew up with the traditional hamburger, red kidney bean chili, chances are you have eaten some chili somewhere that has something different in it. Such as peanut butter, cocoa powder, liquid smoke, date paste, cinnamon, and even fish sauce (yuck!). Winter Comfort Food SOUP & BREAD At least in Central Illinois, soup is a staple item at gatherings and fall festivals from the traditional vegetable soup that is as different as each fingerprint to chili during the cool fall nights by the campfire to squash or pumpkin soup in October. Or you could go with a lovely French onion soup with a melted layer of Swiss cheese on French bread. Some will even plan ahead and use the leftover Christmas ham for a big kettle of ham & beans for New Year’s Eve. One could get a little adventurous and make Julia Child’s favorite soup of Vichyssoise or Gordon Ramsay’s famous cauliflower soup with brown butter and cheesy toasts. Eating hearty soups not only warms the tummy but can also be a particularly good way to eat healthy and get your fill of nutrients. Soup can be really tasty, hearty, filling and healthy all at the same time without being fattening and it’s a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge or food in the pantry. Soup is primarily liquidbased, which helps to keep you hydrated during the winter months since over 40% of people do not drink enough water in the wintertime. By using lots of veggies, whether fresh, frozen, or canned, removing fat from Continue --
Page 17 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News any meat in your soup at the beginning, adding minimal amounts of salt, oil, and margarine/ butter, and using small amounts of cheese, you are ensuring the healthiest version as possible. But what is soup without bread? There are crackers, pita chips, focaccia, soda bread, French baguettes, sourdough, ciabatta, or Italian bread. You can use slices to soak up the broth, tear on top and toast or just eat on the side with butter. Almost every grocery store has many different types of bread choices and all types of crackers. Or, try a personal favorite of this reporter, homemade tomato soup with corn chips! A fun and good way to engage children is to make your own bread. You can find all kinds of recipes online with step-by-step instructions on ingredients, letting it rise, kneading, rolling out and baking in the oven. Or you can still engage the kids and use a bread maker where the kids can add the ingredients and watch their loaf raise and bake. A bread maker is a great way to experiment with different herbs, cheeses, vegetables, and fruits. If you are not savvy with the computer to look up recipes, there are thousands of recipe books almost anywhere such as thrift stores, libraries, garage sales, and newspapers that are chucked full of recipes for all kinds of soups and breads. Pioneer Woman is just one popular place to get some tasty and different homemade soup and bread recipes. If you are more of a TV dinner and canned ravioli person, the grandest thing about soup is you can take the most basic canned soup and add to it to make it your own. A few suggestions are: • Canned potato soup can be dressed up by adding additional milk, bacon, green onions, sour cream, carrots, and spices to have a meal for the week. • Canned tomato soup can become an ultimate go to when you add diced tomatoes and parmesan cheese (and of course corn chips). • By adding broth to a can of vegetable soup, you can add meat of your choice, any kind of vegetables from your panty or frig and thicken it up with some okra, rice, beans, or potato flakes. So regardless of your favorite way to make a bowl of soup, whether you buy it completely prepared, semi- prepared, ordered off a menu or made from scratch, and with a piece of bread of your choice, this is one of the best ways to get a cheap meal that warms you to your bones and can be very nutritious at the same time. [JA Hodgdon-Ruppel]
Page 18 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Don’t Fumble Your Football Party Football watch parties have become somewhat of a tradition between friends and family. There’s nothing better than watching your team beat your mother-in-law’s team while enjoying delicious snacks and drinks. Before the fun begins, there is a lot of planning to take into consideration. If you want to wow the crowd, there are a few key things you need to address. If you want your party to be a touchdown, keep reading and don’t fumble. Before you can throw the game winning pass, you have to figure out how many players you have. Sending invites with RSVP is a great way to determine how many people to expect so you can plan the right amount of space, seating, and food and drinks. If you are planning a large party it’s a good idea to ask for confirmation a week or two prior to the event. If your party is going to be more intimate, just a few family members or friends, ask them to let you know if they are attending at least a few days in advance. Choosing the right location is key. Evaluate your maximum number of guests and plan accordingly. If you’re just having a few friends or family members over to watch, your living room should be enough. If you plan to host a large group, you might want to Continue --
Page 19 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News consider moving the party outside. A backyard party allows room to freely move around, and you can set up some backyard games during commercials and halftime. Having the party at home also means that you have to set up and clean up, so some people might opt to rent a venue for their watch party. Don’t forget about the watch part. For smaller parties your home TV should be plenty. You can consider bringing in other TVs from bedrooms or setting up different locations for guests. For instance, the kid area could be in a bedroom or basement while the adults watch in the living room or garage. You can rent a small screen and a projector if you’re hosting indoors. However, if you’re hosting a back yard bash you should look into something bigger like this 15 foot inflatable outdoor movie screen by Tangkula. The game is the reason for the party so it should be the center of attention at the party. Prepare to get sacked if your snack game is more of a flag football game than the super bowl. Even if you’re planning a small football Sunday, your snacks are going to be the life of the party. Think about the age of the crowd, if the space has a way to keep food warm, and consider dietary restrictions as well. You should plan your menu accordingly to ensure everyone has something to munch on while watching the game. Finger foods like fries, chicken nuggets, chips, and dips are handy. For larger crowds you can prepare something in bulk like sloppy joes or pulled pork, chicken wings, or pizza. Aside from food you should stock up the fridge and coolers with various drinks. Make sure you have ice cold beer, soda, water, energy drinks, and more. With the charcuterie crazy, consider a meat and cheese spread or a cheeseball. This pepperoni football is sure to impress your guests! You’ll need: 2 - 8 oz blocks of room temperature cream cheese 2 cups of shredded mozzarella 1 cup finely grated parmesan 1 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes Kosher salt Ground pepper 2 cups mini pepperonis 1 slice mozzarella cut into thin strips Crackers or chips for serving In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to season and stir until combined. Transfer cream cheese mixture onto serving platter and form into a football shape. Smooth the top and cover with mini pepperoni. Top with mozzarella “laces” and serve with crackers or chips of your choice. Continue --
Page 20 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Prepare some fun games to keep the party going. This way, guests can enjoy the games during commercials, half time, and before and after the big game. A traditional football game in the yard can enhance the excitement and keep kids occupied while parents are socializing. Just make sure to supervise for safety. A friendly game of bags is always a party favorite and many bags boards are made with football team mascots, colors, and team names. Decorations are not a necessity, but they are a good way to show some love to your favorite team. As the host, you decide what team to root for and your decorations can be a reflection of that. You can really play up your team using their colors, logo and mascot. You can heat up the rivalry by making the guests enjoy their snacks on plates with your team logo and drink out of cups in your teams’ colors. If you’d rather not stir up your guests, there are plenty of football themed decorations that don’t show favoritism to any team. Flags, football fields, goal posts, helmets, and footballs are all appropriate decorations. With guests comes mess, so prepare for cleanup. Stock up on garbage bags, napkins, and dish soap. If you want to skip the exhausting task of washing dishes, opt for disposable utensils, plates, and cups. If your party is at your home, you’ll need to make sure your bathroom area is prepped for guests as well. Stock up on toilet paper and hand soap to make sure everyone is comfortable when they need a time out. Whatever direction you decide to take with your football party make sure to have a great time! Football is a great way to get family and friends involved and together. Life is better together! Enjoy and may the best team WIN! [Lesleigh Bennett] https://southernhomeandhospitality.com/ teacher-tailgate-ideas-for-a-football-themedparty/ https://kirbiecravings.com/pepperoni-pizzacheese-ball/ https://www.target.com/p/tangkula15-ft-inflatable-movie-screen-outdoorprojector-screen-w-air-blower-carrybag/-/A-91672409?ref=tgt_adv_ xsf&AFID=google&CPNG=Furniture+- +Target+Plus&adgroup=249-19 https://rentforevent.com/blog/12-things-toremember-when-hosting-a-football-watchparty/
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Page 22 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Both Halloween and Thanksgiving provide opportunities to celebrate with friends and eat some good food. To make them less stressful, writing out checklists can help you save time and money. As you make your checklist, decide how to decorate and what to serve. Start shopping a few weeks before the party to make sure you can find what you need. Before you buy food and decorations, it is helpful to choose a party theme. In “Throw a Halloween party on a budget,” Heidi McIndoo says by starting with a theme, “you can then gear all of your decorating and food around that topic instead of having a mishmash of ideas.” Themes McIndoo recommends include a pumpkin carving party and a Halloween movie theme. Other themes McIndoo shares can provide easy ideas for decorating. Among these themes are spiders and webs, bats and vampires and ghosts and graveyards. For the spiders and webs, much of the décor will be black and white. Fake spiders can be placed throughout the house, Fake cobwebs can be stretched “over your table, chairs, doorways and more.” Welcome the Fall Holidays With Early Prep and Good Planning With a bat and spiders’ theme, a mixture of karo syrup and red food coloring creates fake blood you can put on serving glasses. Fangs cut out of white paper can be placed on photos. Plastic bats can decorate walls or be hung from the ceiling. To create graveyards, McIndoo suggests you “line your sidewalk with gravestones made of foam. Hang ghosts of different sizes from the ceiling and light fixtures.” On your serving table label foods “with cards resembling gravestones and get creative with your food names such as bat wings (chicken wings), calzombies (calzones), chocolate-covered flies (chocolate covered raisins), and (of course) witches’ brew.” Continue --
Page 23 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Since food is an important part of a Halloween party, consider serving “spooky” foods like mummy dogs, monster jaws, bones and blood, spider web dip and dirt with worms. In the article “Easy Halloween Party Food,” Sara Wells tells how to make these yummy treats. For mummy dogs, “cut crescent roll dough into thin strips and wrap around hot dogs." By cutting hotdogs in half, you can make them bite sized. Monster jaws are made by cutting apples into quarters then taking “a wedge out of the center of each quarter. Dunk them in water with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Use slivered almonds for teeth.” Hardware, Electrical, Plumbing, Lawn & Garden, Farm & Auto, Sporting Goods FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, FFL SERVICE Doug Johnson Owner 217-792-5911 www.johnson.shoptruevalue.com To make bones and blood, “use breadstick dough (store bought or homemade) and cut into strips. Use scissors to snip the ends into 2 pieces and roll them down to make the bone shape. Dip in ‘bloody’ marinara.” Spider web dip can top any dip you can put sour cream on. To make the spider web, “put some sour cream in a plastic baggie with the end snipped off and use it to draw a web pattern. Throw on a fake spider or two and your favorite party dip is instantly creepy!” For dirt and worms, “Use chocolate pudding for your mud and put some crushed Oreos on top for dirt. Hide those gummy worms in there for eeek factor!” Continue --
Page 24 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Once you have decided on how to decorate and what to serve, choose some games, create a playlist of spooky Halloween music and find accessories and props that can be used in a photo booth. Finally, while you make sure everything is going well at your party, try to enjoy some fun yourself. Once Halloween is over, it is time to start getting ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. About four weeks before Thanksgiving, plan your menu. If you want to have a fresh turkey, order it three weeks before the holiday. Hosting Thanksgiving can take quite a bit of planning and preparation, especially if you have a big family. In “How to Prepare Your Home to Host a Beautiful Thanksgiving Celebration,” Blythe Copeland says, “from planning the menu to accommodating overnight guests to deep cleaning the kitchen and setting the table, each element helps lay the foundation for a festive, seamless celebration.” If you are planning to have overnight guests, make sure to prepare the guest rooms so your guests have a comfortable place to stay with anything they might need. In “The Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving,” Amy Bell says a few days before Thanksgiving, “clear any clutter in the guest rooms. Don't forget to replace the sheets with fresh ones. Ensure that you also stock towels, washcloths, and toiletries for guests.” To provide space for guests to store items, “you Continue --
Page 25 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News might also think about clearing out closets or drawers. Once you've dusted and vacuumed, it's a good idea to close the guest room doors to keep the rooms fresh and clean throughout the week until the guests arrive.” In the last two weeks before Thanksgiving, buy non-perishable items and clean your refrigerator to make room for the food. As Thanksgiving day nears, make sure you have enough plates and silverware and figure out how long food preparation will take. If using frozen, thaw your turkey a few days before Thanksgiving and start cooking it early in the morning. This planning will help make the day smoother. In the article “Prepare your Home for Thanksgiving,” Entertaining expert Brenna Gilbert of Feste says, "Thanksgiving is not as much about good cooking as it is about good execution and planning…Sure, you want to nail that famous stuffing recipe, but if guests are eating two hours late or you don’t have enough plates, no one remembers how good your gratin was." To simplify food preparation, have others bring side dishes. Make a list of what dishes each person is bringing to ensure you don’t have too much of one dish and not enough of another. When it comes to food, the first piece of advice in Si Foster’s article “How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner” is “stick with traditional. Trust me. Traditional is best for Thanksgiving. That means turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, salad and of course, pie.” Once everything is ready, it is time to sit back and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. Though preparing for Halloween and Thanksgiving may be time consuming, it should be worth it when you spend time celebrating with friends and family. [Angela Reiners] Bell, Amy. “The Ultimate Guide To Prepping For Thanksgiving.” 15. Nov. 2022. https:// www.mashed.com/1102021/the-ultimateguide-to-prepping-for-thanksgiving/ Copeland, Blythe. “How to Prepare Your Home to Host a Beautiful Thanksgiving Celebration.” 2 Nov. 2023. https://www. marthastewart.com/prepare-your-home-forthanksgiving-8384532 Foster, Si. “How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner.” 8 Nov. 2023. https:// abountifulkitchen.com/how-to-hostthanksgiving-dinner-101/
Page 26 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News According to Ramsay Solutions’ data, fall is the season you may want to start looking into buying a home. According to a chart on their website, between October 2022 and October 2023, September was the month when the median price of a house started to fall, with summer having the highest prices. According to the same article, “winter is usually hibernation time for real estate.” If you find yourself considering a new home, maybe now is the time to start looking. Of course, a low price is very nice, but not the only thing to consider when purchasing a new home. Let’s take a look at the current housing market and see if now is the time. What is the current state of the housing market in the United States? What about in Illinois, or locally in Logan County? The website Redfin has some interesting data that helps people to get an understanding of the nationwide housing market. According to their data, since January of 2024, the average price of a home in the United States has hovered between $400,000 to $450,000, with the current median price being $438,837. The number of homes for sale has also risen fairly substantially during that time, going from about 1.38 million for sale in January to over 1.8 million in July. The percentage of homes for sale that drop their prices has also risen, with 15.3 percent of them dropping the price in January to 20.6 percent doing the same in July. Here’s Advice From Some Expert Sources Looking to Buy a House? The same types of data can be viewed on Redfin’s website for the state of Illinois and the city of Lincoln. This data shows that Illinois homes have a median price of $309,000, lower than the median price of the nation. The number of homes for sale has also jumped quite a bit from January to July. Also, the percentage of homes with decreases in their price has also jumped quite considerably, sitting at 21.3 percent in July, higher than the national median. These numbers, as we are all aware, can be skewed by data coming from Chicago, so let’s take a closer look at what Redfin has to say about Lincoln. In Lincoln, the median selling price of a house is $123,700. This, however, is a 31.6 percent increase from the median prices last year. Unfortunately, Redfin does not have data on the number of homes for sale or the Continue --
Page 27 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News percentage of homes that dropped their price. Overall, however, Redfin does give each region a competitive level score based on data from the past three months. Out of 100, Redfin lists Lincoln at 87, putting it in the very competitive category. This shows readers that buying a house in Lincoln right now is a very costly and competitive venture. While having access to all this data can be helpful in determining the current status of the housing market, what might be even better is hearing from someone local, who has their finger on the pulse, as it were. Seth Goodman, owner and real estate broker of ME Realty, had several things to say about this topic. When asked about the current condition of the housing market in Logan County, Goodman described the market as “strong,” saying a property, if it is priced right, will receive several offers. Goodman did say the lack of existing homes for sale has “proven to still be an issue.” When asked about the cost of houses, and whether high interest rates have had an effect, Goodman did not think so. Goodman stated, “prices have remained fairly consistent.” He did share that some houses are selling above listing price since there are not as many homes on the market. This could account for Redfin’s claim that housing prices in Lincoln have risen about 33 percent since last year. When asked about whether the current housing market was a buyer’s or seller’s market, Goodman responded with “sellers for sure.” Goodman also gave some general advice to anyone looking to buy a home. The two most important things to do first when looking for a home is to contact a real estate broker and a lending institution. Once the institution preapproves you for a loan, this gives you a better idea of the price range you should be looking for when shopping for a house. Goodman also said, “if a property comes on the market today that is of interest yet you have not done either of these, you are likely already too late to the game!” Speaking of lending institutions, one of the most important things to consider when looking to take out a mortgage is the interest rate. While interest rates are not the highest they have ever been (in the 1980’s, they pushed past 18.5 percent), they are still hovering around seven percent today. This is in stark contrast to January of 2021, when the average interest rate was just over two and a half percent, the lowest they have ever been. Let’s look at an example. Bankrate has a mortgage calculator that we can plug some numbers into and see what would be paid Continue --
Page 28 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News for a house today. According to Forbes, the average down payment on a house in Illinois is fourteen percent. Also, according to US Bank, the current APR (annual percentage rate) of a 30-year mortgage is 6.133 percent. Let’s apply these numbers to the average selling price of a house in Lincoln, according to Redfin, from earlier ($123,700). A down payment of fourteen percent would set you back over $17,000 but would help in keeping your monthly mortgage payments lower for the term of the loan. With all the above information considered, you would be paying approximately $794 a month with all of the fees included (insurance, property taxes, etc.) This is only a rough estimate, but if we multiply this number by 360 (the number of monthly payments over 30 years), we see that you will have paid $285,840 for that house. Just for context, with no down payment, your monthly bill would shoot up to $899 per month, with $323,640 being paid over the term of the loan. With all these numbers in mind, buying a house can seem like a scary thing to do at the moment. Interest rates, however, may be on the decline soon. According to the Associated Press, job reports (the number of jobs added month-to-month) have been “sluggish.” This indicates the Federal Reserve could start cutting interest rates a little here and there by the end of the year. Now might not be the time to buy, but it could be soon. At the end of the day, though, only you are the one who can determine whether it is time to buy a new house. Just make sure that you have as much information as you can before committing. [Matt Boutcher] https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/ best-time-to-buy-a-house#:~:text=Keep%20 in%20mind%2C%20winter%20is,and%20 snow%20to%20deal%20with). https://www.redfin.com/us-housing-market https://www.redfin.com/state/Illinois/housingmarket https://www.redfin.com/city/11091/IL/Lincoln/ housing-market https://money.usnews.com/loans/ mortgages/articles/historical-mortgagerates#:~:text=From%201971%20to%20 present%2C%20the,12%2C%201981. https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/ mortgage-calculator/ https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/ average-down-payment-on-a-house/ https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federalreserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac 1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9
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Page 30 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News Some of the first things people think about in retirement are taking their watch off, disposing of their work attire, deleting their weekly alarm, and planning out all their upcoming travel plans. Most retirees dream about how and where they will spend their golden years, whether packing up and moving across the country to a warmer, year-round location or keeping their current home and living somewhere else for a few months. Some will opt to drive an RV, pull a camper, drive a car, or fly to their destination. For the latter, the term “Snowbirds” is an immensely popular ‘best of both worlds’ option. If snowbirding is a goal you are hoping to achieve during your retirement, there are several things to keep in mind. One of the first suggestions most say is to start out SLOW! Many start out big and buy a large RV/ Camper/Trailer and a matching vehicle to pull it. Then they need to furnish it with all kinds of matching gadgets and camping equipment. Then they realize that this dream is too expensive, too long, a hassle or too far away from kids, grandkids, ailing parents, or friends. Before taking your retirement funds and dumping into something that will depreciate greatly, start out and test the waters. Try renting a camper or RV for an extended period of time. Or contact a local real estate agent in your desired location for a short-term rental home. Another aspect you should consider is driving. Who will be comfortable enough to So, You Think You Want to be a Snowbird? drive a 13-45 ft vehicle through mountains, in a parking lot, backing up, through a construction zone or in tight space? This aspect needs to be defined prior to and can cause unwanted stress between spouses. If the driver does not have the experience, knowledge or has not practiced enough to gain that comfortability in maneuvering a recreational vehicle, then that could add additional travel time, cause vehicle damage and/or accidents. Most retirees already have certain destinations in mind and more than likely have already visited that area. If you think you want to be in Arizona or New Mexico, it would be wise to visit these places first-hand. Just because they are in the southwest, the locations can be vastly different. For example, Yuma, AZ, gets 3.5 inches of rain per year. Approximately 4 ½ hours north in Flagstaff the average is 20.7 inches of rain and 81 inches of snow per year. Therefore Yuma is dry and brown, and Flagstaff is very green and luscious. If you have a camper trailer, it would be easy to pack up and move to a different camping site that suits your needs or scenery, however, if you rent a place, it could be an exceptionally long and boring 3-6 months. If you have done your homework on your desired location(s), then what’s next? A good starting point is to talk to others who have “been there done that.” They can be your best resources on things that they did, didn’t
Page 31 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News do, forgot to do, or wished they had done. Of course, you may not fall into every category, but it’s good to get input, suggestions and directions from others that live this type of lifestyle. If you do not have any close resources, there are thousands of articles and groups on-line and books at your local library, senior center, or thrift store. Say you have your truck/trailer, the map circled on your desired location, or the gas tank filled, or the plane ticket is in hand, what’s next? You can’t just hop in the car or on the plane and take off, there are a few more things that you need to do to ensure you have a home to come back to. Here is a general list to get you thinking about your particular home and how to set yourself up for a more enjoyable time away. • Investing a few hundred dollars in a camera system that is controlled by your cell phone might be a good idea. This will allow you to see who is ringing the doorbell, who is coming in your back door and if any unknown packages are left. There are many options out there that will allow you to monitor your home without any monthly fees and is worth the peace of mind, whether you are gone for an extended period of time or just out for dinner. • Stop your mail and any newspapers, arrange to have someone pick them up daily, or have it forwarded to your temporary location. • Store all your outside patio furniture inside a shed or house. • Invest in a timer that will turn your inside and outside house lights on and off and regulate the temperature in the house. This will detract any curious visitors. • Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are operational. If you have a camera system that alerts your phone, you will be able to call for additional help even while away. • Unplug all devices such as TVs, counter appliances, and computers, empty out and disconnect your washer and dryer, and have a surge protector on all items that must remain plugged in. • Turn off your water to the house. The last thing you want to worry about is a broken pipe while you are away. Set your water heater to vacation mode or a lower setting to conserve energy. • Call your trash company to make arrangements, stop service (check fees), or have a neighbor/relative use the trash can to put out as to appear status quo. • Call your gas company and inquire about turning off gas to your house. This may not be an option if your furnace is gas. Make sure you shut off and disconnect all your propane tanks to grills and outside equipment. • Clean out your gutters, chimney, and trim any branches hanging over the house if applicable. This will help prevent water
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