| Homeowners urged over mortgage deal
As many as one in five homeowners are overpaying on their home loan by staying on a provider's standard variable rate (SVR), it has been claimed. Moneysupermarket.com said 19% of households risk paying out too much on their mortgage by remaining on an SVR rather than switching to a better product. Research from the price comparison website revealed that the most popular mortgage type among British homeowners is a two- to five-year fixed-rate deal, with just over a quarter of all buyers opting to hedge against future base-rate hikes by locking in a deal. The findings are part of a study to map the UK mortgage landscape and uncover patterns and trends. It found that 24% of people own their property outright, with 42% of households currently paying a mortgage.
Say it with gardens, read it in books
One way Portlanders express themselves is through their gardens. The Pacific Northwest is home to a stunning variety of plants -- wild and domestic, edible and ornamental. We're even pushing the boundaries by growing things we never thought would survive here, let alone thrive -- like bananas, and other tropical plants. Multnomah County Library provides resources for growers of all levels and interests. Two books on kitchen gardening caught my eye this year: "Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager Handbook" by Jennifer R. Bartley is a stunning book, complete with garden plans, and information on integrating a vegetable garden into your landscape. It is a little more challenging than "The Art of the Kitchen Garden" by Jan and Michael Gertley, which may be a little better for the beginner.
April frosts bring ...
Early spring warmth followed by the unseasonable cold snap of the last week means local landscapers have to keep a close watch on their inventories. Scott Allen, owner of Allen Landscape Center in Schererville, said he would consider this to be a reasonable spring season -- up until now. "You always get spurts of warm weather in the middle of March. Everybody gets antsy. The tulips start coming up. Flowering trees flower. Then the cold comes," Allen said. This cold is a bit colder than in seasons past, though. That leaves Allen with a few concerns. "I need to get my merchandise in before it flowers," Allen said. Flowering trees are a tricky item during a hot-and-cold seasons such as this one. For tree growers, there is only a short harvest window, and if the trees flower too early in the season, it cuts that harvest window dramatically.
Artwork of Ancient Culture is Topic of Monday Talk
April 20, 2007 -- Noted art scholar Trudy Kawami, research director at the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, will explore art history and culture during a talk Monday, April 23, at 7 p.m. at the University of Wyoming Art Museum. Her talk, "Ancient Bronzes of the Asian Grasslands: Who Wore Them and Why&?rdquo; will explore the history and culture of the people who lived on the Eurasian grasslands, also known as the steppes, during the first and second millennia B.C. She says, "The eastern steppes were home to a remarkable culture, whose art, richly decorated with animal motifs, is only now beginning to be understood by scholars." Monday’s talk is in conjunction with the UW Art Museum exhibition, "Ancient Bronzes of the Asian Grasslands," which runs through Aug. 19. "The work on display is fascinating for its intricacy of design and engaging use of animals as both symbols and decorations," notes Wendy Bredehoft, education curator.
EnviroGLAS Exhilarated by Earth-Friendly Expansion
PLANO, TEXAS, Apr. 18 -/E-Wire/-- EnviroGLAS today announced a significant expansion and the reapportionment of sales regions to meet the rapidly increasing demand for recycled glass and porcelain counters, floors, wall panels and landscaping mulch.
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