During the holidays, many people stocked up on baking essentials, including flour, sugar and spices. According to RealSimple.com, here are storage guidelines on some baking items:

Baking mixes such as brownie and cake mixes: 1½ years.

Baking powder: 6 months (unopened), until the use-by date (open).

Baking soda: 1½ years (unopened), until the use-by date (open).

Bread crumbs: 6 months (dried), 2 months (panko).

Chocolate, for baking: 6 months.

Chocolate chips: 1 year.

Cornstarch: Indefinitely if kept in a dry place.

Corn syrup: 3 years.

Flour, white: 1 year.

Shortening: 1 year (if open, keep in a cool, dark place).

Spices: 3 years (whole, such as nutmeg and cloves), 2 years (ground).

Sugar, brown: 4 months (tightly wrapped).

Sugar, confectioners: Indefinitely if kept in a dry place (unopened); 2 years (open).

Sugar, granulated: Indefinitely.

Vanilla, pure extract: Indefinitely.

Yeast, active: Until the use-by date (unopened).

— Tara McAlister

Charlotte Observer

Did you know that one out of seven adults lives alone? As of 2012, according to the New York Times, there were more than 30 million people living alone.

What are 30 million people eating for dinner? I bet it’s not steak they cooked themselves! But, I asked myself, why not? So I picked up a 5-ounce strip steak for less than $3, added some leftover mushrooms, a splash of red wine and some leftover gorgonzola cheese — and I had dinner. Altogether, my dinner, including the leftovers and the baked potato, cost only five bucks, and it was amazing!

I, for one, am tired of feeling like I have to eat blah food because it’s just me in the house. What’s wrong with sizzling up a steak every now and then? No special occasion is required, unless you are like me and celebrate getting a good deal at the grocery.

Of course if you are cooking for two, it’s easy to sizzle more than one steak. Either way, don’t wait another minute. This recipe is classic, fast and easy.

Steak for One

2 tbsp. butter, divided use

4- to 6-oz. New York strip steak

1 tbsp. crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese of choice

2 oz. sliced mushrooms

¼ cup red wine of choice

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Melt half the butter over medium-high heat in a regular skillet. Sear the steak on both sides, about 2 minutes each. Transfer the steak to a baking dish and sprinkle the cheese over the steak.

Bake 6 minutes for rare, an additional 1 to 2 minutes for medium, and an additional 3 to 4 minutes for well done. (Based on a 1-inch-thick steak. Adjust times as needed for other thicknesses.)

While steak is in the oven, saute the mushrooms in the skillet over medium heat. When mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes, add the red wine to deglaze the pan.

Loosen any brown bits from the bottom.

Cook to reduce liquid by one-half and remove from heat. Swirl in the remaining butter.

When steak is cooked to your preference, pour the mushroom sauce over the steak and serve.

Makes 1 serving.

Each serving has about 461 calories, 23 grams fat (12 grams saturated), 123 milligrams cholesterol, 47 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 311 milligrams sodium.

Alicia Ross is the co-author of three cookbooks. Contact her c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, email tellus@kitchenscoop.com, or visit http://kitchenscoop.com.

This week, we’re waving goodbye and wishing good luck to chef Scot Jones, who is leaving his post at the Mustard Seed Market in Bath Township and heading to the Los Angeles area, where he will be executive chef of a new vegan restaurant.

Jones, an Akron native, has been a chef in local restaurants for years, most notably when he was at the helm of rocker Chrissie Hynde’s VegiTerranean in Akron until it closed in late 2011.

Jones said the new restaurant, tentatively named Verte, will be in West Hollywood and will feature a plant-based menu. It is expected to open in early April.

“It’s important to me for the community to know where I am going and what I am doing,” he said. “It’s very exciting.”

Time for the Bake-Off

Entries are now being accepted in the 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off with a $1 million grand prize at stake.

For the first time in contest history, a public vote will determine all 100 finalists who get to compete Nov. 10 and 11 in Las Vegas.

There are three categories: Amazing Doable Dinners, Simple Sweets and Starters, and Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts. Each has a different entry deadline and voting period.

To enter and to review rules, including entry deadlines and voting deadlines, visit www.pillsbury.com/bakeoff.

Ripper Owens is moving

There’s been some drama at Ripper Owens Tap House, 491 E. Waterloo Road, that’s been playing out on Facebook.

Owner Tim “Ripper” Owens has announced that he will be moving his business because he could not reach an agreement on a new lease with building owner Russ Mazzolla Jr.

Mazzolla is expected to open his own eatery in the spot, while a new location for Ripper Owens Tap House has not yet been announced. The transition will take place over the next month. Owens says he will take the name, menu and World Tour of Wings with him to the new place. Partnering with Owens in his new venture is Micah Posten.

New pub in Kent

Look for Bar 145 to open in Kent later this month at 100 E. Erie St.

A self-described gastropub, it will focus on food beyond traditional bar fare, including an extensive menu of burgers made with Niman Ranch beef, and dozens of cheeses and toppings. In fact, the bar takes its name from the temperature of a medium-rare burger.

Along with craft beer, Bar 145 will specialize in a wide selection of bourbons. There will be live music six nights a week.

Bar 145’s first location opened in Toledo in May 2011. The owner is Jeremy Fitzgerald, whose family is in the hospitality business, operating two hotels in Toledo and four bars in Put-In-Bay and Port Clinton.

Look for Bar 145 to open by mid-January.

Wine tasting in Kent

Riverside Wine Bar, 911 N. Mantua St., Kent, is hosting a tasting of Fess Parker wines from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

It’s $10, and includes five wines to sample along with cheese, bread, crackers, salami and other nibbles. A Fess Parker representative will be there to answer questions.

Chili pots will bubble

Akron is sponsoring its seventh annual Firefighters Chili Challenge from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Lock 3 on South Main Street downtown.

Firefighters issue an annual challenge to other city departments and local businesses to see who can create the best pot of chili. Five dollars buys four tickets that can be used for four cups of chili. Beer, soft drinks, water and coffee will be available for purchase.

Proceeds benefit the burn unit at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Movie on GMO crops

Miss Julie’s Kitchen, 1809 S. Main St., Akron, will show the movie Genetic Roulette from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 16.

The showing is part of the Akron Peace Project and is free. For more information about the film, visit www.geneticroulettemovie.com.

As a side note, Julie Wandling Costell, owner of Miss Julie’s, has closed her second location, Miss Julie’s Cafe at 446 E. Exchange St. near the University of Akron campus. The cafe opened in April, but Costell said she hasn’t had enough consistent business to keep it open.

Restaurant bites

• Zack Bruell Restaurants in Cleveland will hold its second annual restaurant week from Jan. 13 to 26. During that time, Bruell’s five restaurants — Parallax, Table 45, L’Albatros, Chinato and Cowell & Hubbard — will be offering three-course dinner menus for $30.

• Bob Evans restaurants are now offering a gluten-free menu as well as a new low-calorie menu.

And finally …

January is national Meat Month. Hungry? And Friday is national Hot Toddy Day, which is a holiday I can really warm up to.

Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.

As the saying goes: You are what you eat.

So if you’d like there to be a little less of you (or at least a little less around your middle) this is the perfect time of year to change your eating habits for a fresh start and a refreshed you.

If you don’t want to join a diet program, you still don’t have to go it alone. This is the time of year when new healthful cookbooks flood the market, offering plenty of practical help on how to adopt better eating habits.

Here are five basic tips to help jump-start any healthful eating plan:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables.

• Eat more whole grains and fewer “white” carbohydrates (white flour, white rice, sugar).

• Control your portions.

• Eat less meat and more vegetarian meals or fish, especially fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, halibut or sardines.

• Eat more nutrient-rich superfoods, including blueberries, nuts, leafy greens (spinach and kale) and dried beans.

Here are four new books that will help to get you started.

Smart Chefs Stay Slim by Allison Adato (Penguin, paperback, $16).

Adato is an editor for People magazine, who, after being assigned to cover restaurants and famous chefs, began putting on weight.

For her book, she interviewed more than 30 chefs (Michael Symon, Wolfgang Puck, Rick Bayless), asking them about their relationships with food and eating.

The result is a book of more than 90 lessons she learned from some of the country’s most famous chefs on eating, overeating, and having a healthy relationship with food.

Small Changes, Big Results by Ellie Krieger (Clarkson Potter, softcover, $16).

This is the revised version of Krieger’s 2005 bestselling original. Fans of Krieger’s Food Network show Healthy Appetite will recognize her “usually, sometimes, rarely,” food lists.

The book offers a 12-week blueprint for adopting a more healthful lifestyle, including 65 recipes. The emphasis is on healthful eating and cooking, but there also are exercise and lifestyle tips for creating a more balanced life.

Meatless from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living (Clarkson Potter, softcover, $25).

While this is essentially a vegetarian cookbook, it’s a great tool for those who want to adopt Meatless Mondays for environmental reasons or who just want to skip meat a few times each week as a way to cut calories and fat and ramp up their vegetable intake.

Martha Stewart’s cookbooks provide some of the most well-tested recipes you’ll find in cookbooks today. With more than 200 recipes, this book offers the gamut from casual meals to dishes fit for company, with crisp color photography, piles of whole grains and of course, plenty of vegetables.

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (Wiley, hardcover ringbinder, $29.99).

Even if you have no desire to pay for membership, attend meetings or count points, the Weight Watchers plan still has a lot to offer as one of the most successful diet programs ever.

This book is packed with more than 500 recipes for low-calorie, high-flavor dishes, including a whole chapter on slow-cooker meals, which is new to this edition. And there are plenty of desserts too.

Here’s a recipe from each to help get your new year started with some healthful eating.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH

TOMATOES AND ORZO

2 tsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1¾ cups water

1 cup orzo

12 pitted kalamata olives, halved

1 tbsp. capers, drained

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 halibut fillet (1¼ lb.) skinned

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add celery and fennel seeds; cook, stirring, until celery is slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, water, orzo, olives, capers, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to skillet; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes.

Season halibut with remaining ⅛ teaspoon of pepper. Nestle fish into tomato mixture; simmer, uncovered, until fish is just opaque in center and orzo is tender, about 12 minutes. Cut halibut into 4 equal pieces.

Makes 4 servings.

Editor’s note: Feel free to substitute a less-expensive fish, such as cod, if halibut is too pricey for your budget.

— Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

JOE BASTIANICH’S WHITE BEAN

STEW WITH SWISS CHARD

AND TOMATOES

2 lbs. Swiss chard, large stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch strips

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped

1 (16 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Salt

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chard and reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the greens and gently press out excess water.

In the same saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until the garlic is golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the beans and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the chard and simmer until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Makes 4 side dish servings.

— Smart Chefs Stay Slim (adapted from Joe Bastianich), Allison Adato

WILD RICE SALAD

¾ cup wild rice

¼ cup brown rice

1 cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup dried cranberries

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup chopped scallion

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in the wild rice and brown rice, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on baking tray and toast for 5 minutes.

Transfer the cooked rices to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the toasted nuts, cranberries, parsley and scallion.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic, if using. Pour over the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.

— Small Changes, Big Results, Ellie Krieger

KALE LASAGNA

2 bunches kale (about 2 lbs. total), tough stems removed

16 oz. (2 cups) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 large egg

¾ tsp. coarse salt

6 cups tomato sauce

16 no-boil whole-wheat lasagna noodles (10 oz.)

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 oz.)

10 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash kale; drain, leaving water clinging to leaves. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add kale; cover and cook until tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and let cool slightly; squeeze out excess moisture. Coarsely chop; you should have 4 cups.

Combine ricotta, egg and salt in a medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture and kale over noodles and sprinkle with one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat layering (noodles, sauce, ricotta mixture, kale, and Parmigiano-Reggiano) two more times. Add final layer of noodles and spread with remaining sauce; arrange sliced mozzarella on top.

Cover dish with parchment, then foil. Bake until sauce is bubbling and noodles are tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Uncover and cook until cheese is lightly browned, about 10 minutes more. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving, garnished with red pepper flakes.

Makes 8 servings.

— Meatless, from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.

If you're suffering from a headache, fever, cough, aches and chills, you're not alone.

Seasonal flu cases are spiking throughout the region, sending an increasing number of patients to area emergency departments and doctors’ offices for relief.

Dr. Jose Poblete, an infectious disease physician who heads the infection control committee at Summa Health System, said it's been about a decade since the region faced such a severe influenza season, excluding the unusual H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009.

“It has come down on us much earlier than usual,” he said. “We typically see an increase in emergency room visits for influenza-like illnesses in the month of January. This year, it was late November. It's at least four to six weeks ahead of schedule.”

Akron Children's Hospital recently boosted physician coverage in its emergency departments on the main campus and in its Boardman facility and hired six temporary pediatric-trained emergency room nurses from a staffing agency, said Lisa Aurilio, the hospital’s chief nursing officer and vice president of patient services. Next week, the hospital is adding another 10 temporary intensive-care nurses and four respiratory therapists to meet patient demand this flu season.

The temporary workers are in addition to 20 nurses hired since mid-October for the main campus in anticipation of increased patient volume during the winter months.

“We always know January, February and March are going to be busy times for sick kids,” Aurilio said.

Children’s treated nearly 3,000 more patients in its ERs in December than the same month the previous year, Aurilio said. The number of patients in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit last month also was up 14 percent from the previous year, with the majority of admitted patients battling respiratory and flu-like symptoms.

The hospital is ready to add 15 more general inpatient beds on the Akron campus if needed, she said.

Hospitals throughout Summit County reported 53 influenza-related admissions during the last week of December, compared to none the same time a year earlier, according to Summit County Public Health. A majority of the patients (36) were 65 or older.

“We know that with older patients, even if they get the influenza vaccine, it may not entirely protect against influenza,” said Dr. Marguerite Erme, medical director for the Summit County health department. “We also know that the older patients tend to have a variety of other illnesses that can be aggravated by any infection, particularly influenza infection.”

Statewide, 645 people were hospitalized with confirmed cases of influenza during the first week of January.

Hospitals throughout Summit, Stark, Portage and Medina counties enacted visitation restrictions last week to protect patients during the flu season.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza cases are increasing nationwide, with most of the nation experiencing high levels of flu-like illnesses.

About four out of every five positive test results sent to the CDC have been a type A strain that “tends to be more severe and more exclusively respiratory symptoms,” said Dr. Blaise Congeni, director of pediatric infectious disease at Akron Children's Hospital.

People with uncontrolled fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, extreme nausea and dehydration or underlying health problems such as lung disease or cancer should seek medical attention, said Dr. Gary Bollin, an infectious disease specialist and medical director of Akron General’s infection control program.

“If you've got a little bit of fever and a cough and a sore throat and you're able to maintain hydration, you're not short of breath or delirious, those are the kind of things you can take care of at home,” he said.

Most cases are strains covered in this season’s flu vaccine, Congeni said. So far, anti-viral medications such as Tamiflu continue to be effective.

It’s not too late to get vaccinated, though full immunity takes about two weeks, health experts said.

Because the flu hit the region earlier than in some previous seasons, experts are hopeful it also will leave the area sooner.

“This is increasing so rapidly, I hope and expect by February maybe we'll see things start to decrease,” Children's Congeni said.

Flu season technically continues through April, meaning other peaks are possible, Erme said. People should wash their hands, cover their coughs and stay home if they’re sick to reduce the spread of flu and other illnesses.

“Even when we get through this,” Erme said, “people need to take all the precautions for preventive measures and keeping themselves healthy.”

Beacon Journal medical writer Cheryl Powell can be contacted at 330-996-3902 or by email at chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com

Federal tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements are back.

Reinstatement of the popular credits was a little-noticed part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act, the last-minute legislation that kept America from tumbling over the fiscal cliff at the start of the year.

The law allows homeowners to claim tax credits of varying amounts on improvements such as insulation, energy-smart windows and highly efficient furnaces.

And there’s more good news: Congress made those credits retroactive, meaning improvements made in both 2012 and 2013 will qualify.

The measure was applauded by energy-efficiency advocates.

“Obviously we think it’s a really great move to help consumers afford [improvements] and encourage them to think about making these energy-efficiency investments in their homes,” said Ronnie Kweller, a spokesperson for the Alliance to Save Energy, a Washington energy-efficiency lobby.

She noted the law also contains incentives for appliance manufacturers to produce efficient clothes washers, dishwashers and refrigerators, and for home builders to construct energy-efficient homes.

Taken together, those incentives are “all really great to help make energy efficiency play a bigger role in the economy overall … and save consumers money,” she said. “It’s really a win-win all around.”

John Hartmann agreed. He’s a co-owner of Blind & Sons, a Barberton company that does heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical work.

“For consumers, this is great news,” Hartmann said in a news release. The legislation rewards consumers who bought highly efficient heating and cooling equipment in 2012 and gives others an incentive to do the same in 2013, he said.

The legislation essentially turns back the clock to 2011, when the last batch of credits was in force. It erased the old expiration date on those credits and set a new deadline of Dec. 31, 2013.

The program still has a cap of $500 in total credits. That limit goes all the way back to 2006, when the very first credits became available, Kweller said. That means if you’ve already claimed $500 in credits for energy-efficiency improvements, you’re not eligible for more.

Specifically, these credits are available:

• 10 percent of the cost of insulation materials and systems, not including installation.

• 10 percent of the cost of qualifying exterior doors, windows and skylights, not including installation. (Credits for windows and skylights are capped at $200.)

• 10 percent of the cost of metal and asphalt roofs specially designed to keep builders cooler, not including installation.

• $50 for a furnace fan called a main air circulating fan.

• $150 for a natural gas, propane or oil furnace or hot water boiler with an annual fuel utilization efficiency rate (AFUE) of 95 percent or greater.

• $300 for an electric heat pump water heater with an energy factor of at least 2.0.

• $300 for a highly efficient electric heat pump.

• $300 for a highly efficient central air conditioner.

• $300 for a natural gas, propane or oil water heater with an energy factor of at least 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90 percent.

• $300 for a biomass stove.

The improvements must be made to the taxpayer’s principal residence and must be placed in service by the end of 2013.

To claim a tax credit, you’ll need to file Form 5695 along with your federal income tax return for the year the improvement is made. The credit will be subtracted from the amount of tax you owe or added to your tax refund.

Before you file, you’re required to get a manufacturer’s certification statement, a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying the product qualifies for a tax credit. You should keep it in your files, but you don’t have to submit a copy of the statement with your return.

That requirement may create a documentation challenge for consumers who made improvements in 2012. Some manufacturers provide those documents on their websites, but consumers may have to go back to the contractor or retailer who sold the item to get a manufacturer’s certification statement, Kweller said.

More information on the credits is at www.ase.org/taxcredits.

Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/mbbreck, follow her on Twitter @MBBreckenridge and read her blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/mary-beth.

WASHINGTON: The United States suffers far more violent deaths than any other wealthy nation, due in part to the widespread possession of firearms and the practice of storing them at home in a place that is often unlocked, according to a report released Wednesday by two of the nation’s leading health-research institutions.

Gun violence is just one of many factors contributing to lower U.S. life expectancy, but the finding took on urgency because the report comes less than a month after the shooting deaths of 26 people at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

The United States has about six violent deaths per 100,000 residents. None of the 16 other countries included in the review came anywhere close to that ratio. Finland was closest to the United States ranking with slightly more than two violent deaths per 100,000 residents.

For many years, Americans have been dying at younger ages than people in almost all other wealthy countries. In addition to the impact of gun violence, Americans consume the most calories among peer countries and get involved in more accidents that involve alcohol. The United States also suffers higher rates of drug-related deaths, infant mortality and AIDS.

The result is that the life expectancy for men in the United States ranked the lowest among the 17 countries reviewed, at 75.6 years, while the life expectancy for U.S. women ranked second lowest at 80.7 years. The countries reviewed included Canada, Japan, Australia and much of Western Europe.

The United States has long lagged in life expectancy compared with other economically developed nations. In this study, researchers culled existing studies to examine why. Most statistics in the report are from the late 1990s through 2008.

The report found that U.S. health disadvantages aren’t limited to the poor and uninsured.

The nation’s health disadvantages have economic consequences. They lead to higher costs for consumers and taxpayers as well as a work force that remains less healthy than that of other high-income countries.

In attempting to explain why Americans are so unhealthy, the researchers looked at three categories: the nation’s health-care system, harmful behaviors and social and economic conditions.

Researchers noted that the United States has a large uninsured population compared to other countries with comparable economies, and more limited access to primary care. And although the income of Americans is higher on average than that of other wealthy countries, the United States also has a higher level of poverty, especially among children.

“We have a culture in our country that, among many Americans, cherishes personal autonomy and wants to limit intrusion of government and other entities on our personal lives and also wants to encourage free enterprise and the success of business and industry. Some of those forces may act against the ability to achieve optimal health outcomes,” said Dr. Steven H. Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, who served as chairman for the study panel.

In keeping with Elaine Evans’ wishes, Let’s Grow Akron plans to memorialize her by revitalizing her beloved Let’s Grow Akron Children’s Garden near Summit Lake.

The garden has been vandalized and “kind of gone downhill” in recent years, director Lisa Nunn said.

The organization is seeking donations and volunteers to repair and improve the garden’s features, she said. It plans to repair the pond and canalboat, re-create some of the wood sculptures in metal, improve the flower beds and add lighting, picnic tables and memorial benches.

Anyone who wishes to donate or volunteer can call Nunn at 330-745-9700, email her at letsgrowakron@gmail.com or write to her at Let’s Grow Akron, P.O. Box 3975, Akron, OH 44314. Information will also be shared on the Let’s Grow Akron Inc. Facebook group at http://tinyurl.com/letsgrowakron.

NEW YORK: From the Rocky Mountains to New England, hospitals are swamped with people with flu symptoms. Some medical centers are turning away visitors or making them wear face masks, and one Pennsylvania hospital set up a tent outside its ER to deal with the feverish patients.

Flu season in the United States has struck early and, in many places, hard.

While flu normally doesn’t blanket the country until late January or February, it is already widespread in more than 40 states, with about 30 of them reporting some major hot spots. On Thursday, health officials blamed the flu for the deaths of 20 children so far.

Whether this will be considered a bad season by the time it has run its course in the spring remains to be seen.

“Those of us with gray hair have seen worse,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a flu expert at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

The evidence so far points to a moderate season, Schaffner and others say. It looks bad in part because last year was unusually mild and because the main strain of influenza circulating this year tends to make people sicker and really lay them low.

David Smythe of New York City saw it happen to his 50-year-old girlfriend, who has been ill for about two weeks. “She’s been in bed. She can’t even get up,” he said.

Also, the flu’s early arrival coincided with spikes in a variety of other viruses, including a childhood malady that mimics flu and a new norovirus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, or what is commonly known as “stomach flu.” So what people are calling the flu may, in fact, be something else.

“There may be more of an overlap than we normally see,” said Dr. Joseph Bresee, who tracks the flu for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most people don’t undergo lab tests to confirm flu, and the symptoms are so similar that it can be hard to distinguish flu from other viruses, or even a cold. Over the holidays, 250 people were sickened at a Mormon missionary training center in Utah, but the culprit turned out to be a norovirus, not the flu.

Flu is a major contributor, though, to what’s going on.

“I’d say 75 percent,” said Dr. Dan Surdam, head of the emergency department at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Wyoming’s largest hospital. The 17-bed emergency room saw its busiest day ever last week, with 166 visitors.

The early onslaught has resulted in a spike in hospitalizations. To deal with the influx and protect other patients from getting sick, hospitals are restricting visits from children, requiring family members to wear masks and banning anyone with flu symptoms from maternity wards.

One hospital in Allentown, Pa., set up a tent this week for a steady stream of patients with flu symptoms. But so far “what we’re seeing is a typical flu season,” said Terry Burger, director of infection control and prevention for the hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

Elaine Evans couldn’t bear to see a piece of land go unused.

To her, practically every vacant lot in Akron held the potential for growing food.

“Every time she saw a 10-by-10 piece of property, she wanted a garden,” her friend Bonnie Lias of Akron said with a laugh.

The indefatigable Ms. Evans was the founder of Let’s Grow Akron, the grass-roots organization that helps neighborhoods turn unused parcels into community gardens.

Wednesday night, she died at age 75 in the South Akron home she loved. She was diagnosed Nov. 12 with lung cancer that had spread to her bones, and she had suffered a serious fall earlier Wednesday, her son, Eric Evans, said.

Ms. Evans’ interest in community gardening was rooted in her childhood on a North Carolina farm and in her faith in God. She would often say she started Let’s Grow Akron because she couldn’t stand seeing so many vacant lots around Akron that could be producing food for people in need.

“I have a very strong spiritual background and feel that we should be concerned about others,” she once told a reporter. “This is a God-given gift for me, and I feel I should use it.”

The organization also sprang from her longtime commitment to bettering her community.

As a young single mother in the Summit Lake area in the 1960s, Ms. Evans became involved in the Southwest Akron Citizens Council, which worked with the city of Akron to help residents improve their property. That’s how she met Lias, who became her close friend.

The two later became community organizers for the Model Cities program, which made improvements in the area in the early 1970s.

It was while she was working for the city of Akron, though, that Ms. Evans became aware of the large number of vacant lots in the city and got the idea of turning them into gardens.

At age 50, she went back to college to earn a degree in horticulture from Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute and started laying the groundwork for Let’s Grow Akron, which she started in 1988.

She would spot vacant lots she thought would make good community gardens and research the property records to find out whether the owners were delinquent in paying their property taxes. If they were, she’d call in her volunteers to clear the land and prepare it for planting.

She wouldn’t bother to contact the property owners.

“We just do it,” she said at the time.

The program has since grown to include educational efforts and children’s gardening programs. It also turned an illegal dump near Summit Lake into a children’s garden, complete with a pond, vegetable and flower gardens, playful sculptures, a prairie house for children to play in and a 60-foot replica of a canalboat.

Ms. Evans had a knack for recruiting volunteers, Lias said. “She had gardeners all over the place. Gardeners everywhere.”

In many cases, they were willing to help because they knew Ms. Evans respected them, said Lisa Nunn, who met Ms. Evans as a volunteer community gardener and was groomed by her to take over as director of Let’s Grow Akron.

Ms. Evans interacted with people of all ages and stations of life, Nunn said, and she treated everyone the same.

“She didn’t judge or look down on anybody,” she said.

She wasn’t afraid of anyone, either, Nunn said. She remembers Ms. Evans knocking on the door of a Hells Angels clubhouse to recruit the members for some project.

It was all in keeping with her can-do attitude. When someone would say she couldn’t do something, “that gave her the fire and motivation to say, ‘Yes, I can,’ ” Eric Evans said.

He remembers helping his mother plant a tree in their front yard shortly after their house was built in 1971, when he was 9. The yard was just construction fill covered with a thin layer of soil, he said, but his mother persisted.

As they dug, they kept encountering rocks, bricks and other debris.

“It took a while to dig the hole,” he said with understatement.

But the tree survived against the odds, he said, and it’s thriving today.

It is, in a way, a metaphor for Ms. Evans’ life.

Besides Eric Evans, who lives in Port Clinton, Ms. Evans leaves three other children, Suzanne Trimmer of New Philadelphia, Joy Lynn Rose of Orlando, Fla., and Kelly Evans of Akron; a brother, Danny Bobich of Akron; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her companion, Jack Taylor, and a grandson, Joey Riccardi.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Hummel Funeral Home, 500 E. Exchange St., Akron. Calling hours will start at noon.

Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com.

Q: Do you know of any place I can take my two ficus trees for two months this winter to be cared for?

— Judith M. Piscazzi

Cuyahoga Falls

A: The only local greenhouse I know of that will overwinter plants is Suncrest Gardens in Boston Township, but its director of operations, Rob Cowie, noted its space is limited.

Cowie said Suncrest’s prices are based on the size of the pot and start at $175 for a pot up to 24 inches in diameter for the entire winter. That may sound like a lot, but keep in mind you’re paying for the labor involved in caring for the plant, not just the greenhouse space.

Have a question about home maintenance, decorating or gardening? Akron Beacon Journal home writer Mary Beth Breckenridge will find answers for the queries that are chosen to appear in the paper. To submit a question, call her at 330-996-3756, or send email to mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. Be sure to include your full name, your town and your phone number or email address.

Pets can’t talk. No surprise there.

But that doesn’t stop them from trying their hardest to communicate their needs to you.

People who don’t pay attention to that conversation will have problems with bad behavior and an unhappy pet.

Those who enter into pethood (as opposed to parenthood) without understanding a few things about their animal’s needs, will end up disappointed with a pet that wants nothing more than to please you.

That situation leads to millions of homeless, unwanted pets that end up in shelters, or worse — being destroyed.

For the most part, society says it’s OK if you decide to dump a dog or cat because they are less than perfect through no fault of their own. If you are looking for someone to blame about your pet’s behavior, look in the mirror and make a resolution to correct your own shortcomings this year.

In the past few months Beacon Journal photojournalist Ed Suba and I have dedicated a lot of time and attention to the plight of a four-year-old abandoned, brindle Cane Corso that is currently living at the Humane Society of Greater Akron in Twinsburg.

Vera was rescued from the backyard of a South Akron home in November. She will eventually be adopted by someone who understands her needs, which at this point are pretty simple.

You notice I said her needs, which is not to be confused with the needs of a human who may be looking for a pet to cure loneliness, make them feel good about themselves by adopting a rescue animal or to fill some other human need.

Don’t get me wrong. Vera will eventually be able to fill both those roles easily, but first, Vera, like most dogs in the rescue system, needs a special form of TLC that will help her become a model pet.

Like 99 percent of animals that get dumped or abandoned by their owners, Vera’s biggest deficit is that she needs to be taught some manners. Like all dogs, Vera needs lots of exercise, discipline and love.

She will also need training to understand what her human wants from her.

How could anyone expect an animal such as Vera, that most recently lived her life chained up in a muddy backyard, to ever have a chance to get the life she deserves if some compassionate person isn’t willing to teach her what she needs to become a good canine?

Here’s a news flash for you. Domestic animals are not “good” or “bad.” They behave the way they have been taught (or not taught) to behave. It’s just that simple.

Now, take Vera and multiply her by millions of animals that are in need of good homes throughout the country. People need to stop thinking that dogs, cats, guinea pigs, ferrets and other pets we are compelled to keep are furry little children.

Animals, who for the most part don’t understand most of the words you are saying to them, learn by repetition and reward. Punitive action, such as striking, yelling and showing anger will do absolutely nothing to curb an unwanted behavior. Animals don’t understand that chewing on your favorite shoe is bad. They just know it tastes and feels good. That’s what they do.

I have a friend who said our romanticized vision of animals can be blamed on Walt Disney. In childhood, we learned through the magic of animation that animals are little humans in furry clothes. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Please realize before you bring a pet into your home that they have needs you will be required to fulfill if you want a successful, long-lasting relationship.

I will be writing a lot this year on that subject. I will tell you about creative ways to keep your pet happy and healthy, from inexpensive enrichment activities suitable to the type and breed of animal you own, to making sure they get enough exercise each day. A good pet is a tired pet.

Much as I would love to find a home for every unwanted animal in need, I would ask you to not embark on pethood lightly. If you are not prepared to go the extra mile to make sure your pet’s needs are met, please reconsider and get a stuffed one.

Other pet news

Creature Feature — The Akron Zoo, 500 Edgewood Ave., will host special activities from noon to 2 p.m. each Saturday in February. The zoo’s Education Staff will present different creatures each week for guests to learn about and examine up close. On Feb. 2, bugs will be featured, followed by reptiles on Feb. 9, birds on Feb. 16 and mammals on Feb. 23. Call 330-375-2550 for more information.

Grand Opening Celebration and Adoption Event — Petco will cut the ribbon on a new store just before its grand opening at 9 a.m. Feb. 9 at 3975 Cascades Blvd., Brimfield. The celebration, which will continue through Feb. 10, will include all-day pet adoptions, giveaways and discounted services and a variety of activities to introduce the new store. The store will host adoption events for local pet rescues and shelters as well as free Meet the Critters events, which are complimentary interactive educational forums for families. Companion animals will be available for adoption throughout the weekend.

TV Show Time Change — Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals will air at 5 p.m. today on NBC. It is a one-of-a-kind canine competition showcasing the world’s most athletic dogs and their trainers.

Kathy Antoniotti writes about pets for the Beacon Journal. She is unable to help locate, place or provide medical attention for an individual animal. If you have an idea or question about pets, write her at the Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640; call 330-996-3565; or send an email to kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.

Have you made a resolution to get healthier this year? If so, plants have a role to play.

For centuries, gardeners and nature lovers have known intuitively that plants do a body good, and now research agrees. Whether you grow a few houseplants, live near a green space, or simply have a green view out your window, plants can add to your good health.

The relationship between plants and people has been studied by and incorporated into many fields, including environmental psychology, landscape architecture, geography, urban forestry, urban planning, horticulture and horticultural therapy. What researchers and practitioners across these disparate disciplines have found is that whether living in cities or in the country, at home or at work, humans have a basic need to keep nature close.

One of the best-known studies on the benefits of nature was conducted in the 1980s by Roger Ulrich, professor and director of the Center for Health Systems & Design at Texas A&M’s College of Architecture. Ulrich compared hospital recovery rates of surgery patients who had either a view of a brick wall or of a natural scene. Those with the view of nature had shorter hospital stays and took fewer painkillers than those without. These findings and others like them have helped to make the case for courtyards, garden areas and green spaces on hospital grounds.

Living in close proximity to green space has been associated with decreased anxiety, depression and other health conditions, as a recent study out of the Netherlands concludes. Investigators found that the closer people live to green space, the lower the prevalence of many health problems, especially mental health conditions.

Plants have been shown to reduce stress, whether it’s the stress of sick patients, employees in work environments, or prison inmates. In his research studies, Ulrich has found that viewing natural scenes after a stressful situation causes marked decreases in muscle tension and pulse in just five minutes. The Davey Resource Group has quantified many benefits of plants and natural environments, including reduced negative emotions, increased positive feelings, increased sociability and reduced need for health care.

In the workplace, plants deserve a spot in almost every environment, whether that means houseplants on a desk or simply green views through windows. Rachel Kaplan, professor at the University of Michigan, has found that desk workers who can see nature from their desks take 23 percent less sick time than those who cannot see any nature. Other studies have found that workers rate job satisfaction higher when they can see nature.

Even brief encounters with nature have been shown to improve concentration and aid in recovery from mental fatigue. Research by the Landscape and Human Health Lab at the University of Illinois has shown that natural experiences can even reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

Plants help to build positive social ecosystems outdoors by creating pleasing environments where people tend to gather and visit, as opposed to deserted environments without trees or landscaping. Studies have shown that plants and landscaping in urban environments can reduce aggression, domestic violence and crime.

How can we make practical use of these research findings? One general theme is that surrounding ourselves with plants, gardens, trees and natural scenes can improve our health and well-being. Sending sick friends flowers and plants makes even more sense knowing how plants reduce stress and stimulate healing. For an ailing family member, select a hospital or nursing home room with a natural view, or create a pleasing view with potted plants of varying sizes and textures.

In the home, locate a beautiful plant where it can be seen often — near the bedside table, or close to the kitchen sink. Create a view through the kitchen or dining room window to establish a calming natural focal point. Design welcoming outdoor areas that include trees for shade and places to sit. Even small changes to increase green views can have big payoffs in terms of reduced stress, improved outlook and overall improvement in health.

For a steady dose of nature in 2013, consider enrolling in the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist program, co-sponsored by Ohio State University Extension and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The program consists of 40 hours of hands-on nature education on topics including tree identification, insect appreciation, nature interpretation and more. Participants then give back 40 volunteer hours teaching others about nature.

OCVN classes begin in early April and run through mid-May. Learn more at an open house from 7 to 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at Hines Hill Conference Center, 1403 W. Hines Hill Road, Peninsula. Contact Stacey Heffernan (SHeffernan@forcvnp.org) or Danae Wolfe (Wolfe.540@osu.edu) for more information.

Denise Ellsworth directs the honeybee and native pollinator education program for the Ohio State University. If you have questions about caring for your garden, contact her at 330-263-3700 or click on the Ask Denise link on her blog at www.osugarden.com.

Kuviez sheet sets are designed to solve the problem of kids kicking off their covers in the night.

The sheets button together to keep them in place, even when the sleeper tosses and turns. The fitted bottom sheet has elastic anchors to keep it in place on the mattress, and the top sheet buttons to the bottom sheet at the sides of the bed.

The sheets come in twin size and two designs. Button-down blankets and duvet covers are expected to be available soon, as well as bedding for babies, toddlers, teens and adults.

The sheets can be ordered for $79.99 plus shipping at www.kuviez.com.

— Mary Beth Breckenridge

Fabric designer John Robshaw takes readers on a globe-trotting journey through his artistic training and creative processes in John Robshaw Prints: Textiles, Block Printing, Global Inspiration and Interiors.

Robshaw, known for putting an updated twist on exotic fabric designs, takes readers to India, Indonesia, Thailand and elsewhere to describe the evolution of his art and share an inside look at the traditional techniques used to create his high-end fabrics. In photos and words, he describes the painstaking processes involved in block printing, batik, indigo dying and ikat weaving.

He also shares pictures of some of his designs and shows them used in room settings, many in his own home.

John Robshaw Prints is published by Chronicle Books and sells for $40 in hardcover.

— Mary Beth Breckenridge

A staining tip: For those of you looking for stains that are short on volatile organic compounds but high on performance, real estate columnist Alan J. Heavens recommends Minwax Express Color, which you wipe onto whatever you are staining.

It is water-based, cleans up easily, and most of all, doesn’t need to spend weeks off-gassing in your workshop.

Price: $8 at home centers.

— Philadelphia Inquirer

The home-improvement and design shows make it look easy: Take a simple sheet of plywood and presto! In a few minutes, you’ve got a table, a cabinet or a lounge chair.

It’s not that fast or dirt-cheap, but it can be that easy, according to woodworking experts who speak fondly of plywood’s many merits.

“Plywood is the starting point for many of the things I build,” says artist and designer Jimmy DiResta of New York City. “With some imagination and inventiveness it can become anything.”

Plywood is cheaper and often stronger than solid wood, easy to find at home-improvement or lumber stores, and — darn it — it looks good.

Plywood is made from thin layers — called plies, or veneers — glued together under heat and pressure, with each ply laid perpendicular to the next. This “cross-graining” gives plywood its strength and stability, says Philip Schmidt, author of PlyDesign.

Since plywood comes in several standard thicknesses and grades, check a buying guide — Home Depot has one online — before purchasing it. Schmidt recommends using a cabinet-grade material, such as Baltic birch, for do-it-yourself projects. The plies are thin and even, and the exterior is smooth and blemish-free.

PlyDesign includes 73 projects for novices and experienced builders. Do-it-yourself project magazines such as Ready Made and Make, and online sites such as Instructables offer many other ways to use plywood.

“Plywood is inherently modern, if you think of modern as starting in the 1920s,” says Schmidt, of Denver. “It’s still beautiful wood and it’s really easy to work with.”

A jigsaw can cut straight lines and curves, so that’s your primary tool, says Schmidt. After that, invest in a good-quality drill. If you want to go deeper into plywood DIY, get a circular saw and a router, which helps cut out multiple pattern pieces.

“I don’t own a table saw or any stationary power tools,” says Schmidt, a project designer and author of 17 design books. “I’m more into DIY.”

DiResta recommends the jigsaw and circular saw for most plywood projects, and suggests starting out by building a storage box or simple bench. He offers video tutorials on YouTube, sponsored by Make magazine.

Plywood has its drawbacks. Schmidt warns against sand-papering through the thin top layer, ruining the look of your piece. To avoid this, use a fine-grit sandpaper, and be careful.

DiResta warns against splinters. He recommends wearing gloves when cutting plywood, and sanding cut edges with a sanding block.

Then there’s “the edge thing,” as Schmidt calls it: Do you cover the exposed plywood edge or let it be?

Design will dictate, both DiResta and Schmidt say.

“Exposing the edge strata of the panel is really cool,” says Schmidt. “It’s a nice design element that you can work with.”

For some, a project is too delicate or the plywood too high-end to entrust the cutting to one’s own hand. If that happens, find a local furniture-design business to cut the piece for you. They use computer-controlled routers that make precise cuts.

Denver furniture maker Scott Bennett works with birch-and-alder plywood to make storage and shelving pieces for his company, Housefish. Occasionally, he’s asked to cut a one-off piece for a designer or DIY enthusiast.

The cost averages about $100 per hour of work.

“Considering how many hours you might spend trying to cut a complicated shape with hand tools, spending a couple hundred dollars to have a computer cut out your parts can be a good way to get into DIY projects,” Bennett says.

He recommends investigating the online site Ponoko, which provides laser-cutting services, but says most cities will have a few businesses that can handle an outside precision-cutting job.

The seed catalogs are arriving. It’s time to start dreaming about the next growing season.

Saturday-morning gardening series at Donzell’s and Graf Growers garden centers can help you get prepared. Here are the details.

Donzell’s programs

Eight gardening programs are planned for Donzell’s Winter Seminar Series. Topics are:

• Bring Birds to Your Yard, Feb. 2, presented by Joyce Pelz of the Akron Audubon Society.

• Growing Orchids in Your Home, Feb. 9, presented by the Akron Orchid Society.

• It Starts With a Tiny Seed, Feb. 16, presented by Dan Dubnicka of Donzell’s.

• Think Spring!, Feb. 23, presented by Vanessa Moyer of Donzell’s.

• Bonsai Basics & Beyond, March 9, presented by Dale Cochoy of the Akron Bonsai Society.

• Oh Deer!, March 16, presented by Carol Zeh, caretaker to a domesticated deer named Dillie.

• Herbs for Health & Beauty, March 23, presented by Barb Oare of Quail Hollow Herb Society.

• Vegetable Gardening Basics, March 30, presented by Lee Paulson, master gardener.

The seminars start at 11 a.m. They’re free, but reservations are requested at 330-724-0550, ext. 110.

Donzell’s is at 937 E. Waterloo Road, Akron.

Graf Growers series

Graf Growers has six seminars on the schedule for its Winter Gardening Seminar Series. The lineup is:

• New Plants for the Garden, Jan. 19, presented by Keith Manbeck of Willoway Nurseries.

• Annuals and Tropical Plants for Summer Color in Your Landscape and Containers, Jan. 26, presented by Brian Jorg of Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

• Deer Resistant Gardening, Feb. 2, presented by Joyce Braun, master gardener.

• Creating a Perennial Garden With Perpetual Interest, Feb. 9, presented by Laura Deeter of Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute.

• New Ideas for Creating a Colorful Shade Garden, Feb. 16, presented by Lisa Graf of Graf Growers.

• Ideas and Inspiration for Improving Your Landscape, Feb. 23, presented by Craig Graf of Graf Growers.

The seminars are from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Graf Growers, 1015 White Pond Drive, Copley Township.

The Feb. 23 program is free. All others are $12 each.

Advance registration is requested, but walk-ins are welcome if seating is available.

For information, call 330-836-2727.

Events, programs

• Knitting and Crocheting Circle, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and Jan. 19, Highland Library, 4160 Ridge Road, Granger Township, Medina County. Call for supply list. 330-278-4271 or 330-239-2674.

• Cleveland Botanical Garden events, 11030 East Blvd. Recycled Bird Feeders, 1-3 p.m. today and Jan. 19; families will use recycled materials to make bird feeders (free with garden admission; no reservation required). Garden Book Club meeting, 2 p.m. Jan. 19; reservation required at 216-707-2812. Garden admission: $9.50; children ages 3-12, $4; members and younger children, free. 216-721-1600 or www.cbgarden.org.

• Quail Hollow Herb Society meeting, 2 p.m. Sunday, Quail Hollow State Park manor house, 13480 Congress Lake Ave., Lake Township near Hartville. Pot luck dinner. Speaker: Joan Mencer, who grew up at Quail Hollow when it was the Stuart family farm. Information: 330-493-0913.

• Scrapbooking, 6 p.m. Monday, Brunswick Library, 3649 Center Road. Create four scrapbook pages. $8. Bring adhesive. Registration: www.mcdl.info or 330-273-4150.

• No-Sew Fleece Blanket, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Brunswick Library, 3649 Center Road. For ages 9-12. Bring two pieces of fleece, each 1½ yards long. Free. Registration: www.mcdl.info or 330-273-4150.

• Beginning Beekeeping, 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 16 to Feb. 6, Quirk Cultural Center, 1201 Grant Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. $52. Registration: 330-971-8425.

• Needlework Circle meeting, 6 p.m. Thursdays, Seville Library, North Center Street. 330-769-2852.

• NARI Remodel Ohio Home Improvement Show, Thursday through Jan. 20, I-X Center off state Route 237, next to Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Vendor booths, stage presentations, home designed for family members of all ages, designer rooms, pool and spa show, custom doghouse auction. Appearances by HGTV’s David Bromstad, noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 20. Show hours: noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and next Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 20. $14; children younger than 16, free. Seniors admitted for half price on Thursday. Parking $8. Information and discount coupon at www.remodelohio.org.

Submit notices of classes, programs and events two weeks in advance to mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com or Home and Garden News, Features Department, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include name and phone number. All events must be open to the public.

Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/mbbreck, follow her on Twitter @MBBreckenridge and read her blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/mary-beth.

Home building is showing one sign of vitality that has been missing recently: In June, the Building Industry Association of Stark County will hold its first Parade of Homes since 2010.

“We used to do a Parade of Homes every year, like most associations do,” said Joseph Race, association executive director. “But obviously the times that befell our industry the past few years didn’t make it possible.”

Six houses will be shown in the Fairways at Rolling Green, located between Rolling Green Golf Course and Strausser Elementary in Jackson Township.

Homes in the development are priced from $275,000 to $425,000 with lots in the $60,000 range, according to their real estate sales listing.

The price tag for the houses is in line with the view from the Stark County Building Department, where interim chief building official George Kent has seen a steady level of house-building permits of about 300 a year for the past three years.

“It seems to be that there are more high-dollar homes than in the past,” he said.

Kent said he also has seen continuous building by Ryan Homes, which operates throughout Ohio producing lower-cost residences.

“These are all sold before they begin construction,” Kent said.

He said he no longer sees builders who construct homes on the speculation that buyers would be available when the work is finished.

“Those folks aren’t with us anymore,” Kent said.

Stark County’s largest city, Canton, has yet to see increased home building.

“We did see a significant pick up commercially, but not residentially,” Angela Cavanaugh, chief building official for the city, said.

She was uncertain whether the improvement seen in 2012 was due to overall economic conditions or the increase in oil and gas exploration from hydraulic fracturing.

The show is scheduled for June 15-23.

Nancy Molnar can be reached at nancymolnar2002@
yahoo.com.

Deer are ready to start pruning our trees and shrubs.

Although unconcerned with promoting plant health or aesthetics, in at least one situation deer can actually help us prune well.

Picture an overgrown shrub, especially one planted too close to a home. With age and a little neglect, said shrub begins to swallow up the home, or at least block the view from a window.

There are many approaches to dealing with an overgrown shrub. Briefly, you could, over the course of a few years, renovate the plant by each year cutting some of the oldest stems to the ground to make way for younger, shorter ones. Or you could take the dramatic approach: Lop the whole plant to the ground and start anew with all young shoots, which will enthusiastically sprout forth from the established roots. Also worth considering is just grubbing out the shrub and replacing it with something, or even nothing.

Deer aren’t much help with any of these approaches. But they can help out with another, which capitalizes on the venerability of such a plant: You and your hoofed friends can transform a selected portion of the plant into a picturesque, small tree.

An ideal candidate for this operation is yew, a fast-growing evergreen frequently snuggled against home foundations.

The first step in transforming an old yew — or any other old shrub — is to select two or three of the oldest stems to become the trunks of your tree-to-be. These stems should have pleasant forms and extend from ground level to as high as the future crown of branches.

Once selections are made, cut away all other stems growing from the base of the plant.

The next step — cutting away any branches growing off those new trunks between the ground and a few feet above the ground — is where deer help out. They’ll enjoy munching on all those smaller branches. You and your deer helpers will want to remove branches high enough along the trunk so the plant looks like a tree, or, in the case of the deer, as high as they can reach.

The final step in pruning will be to shorten and remove enough branches in the crown of your new tree to give it good shape. Do this step yourself.

Yew is a particularly good candidate for this treatment because its reddish brown, peeling trunk is well worth exposing and highlighting, and age deepens its beauty. Yew also bounces back enthusiastically from virtually any type of pruning, so you can do the job fearlessly.

In subsequent years, new sprouts will arise from ground level and off the trunks; after all, the plant was once, and really aspires to be, a bush. Deer will be eager to nip off all those young sprouts, but check on their work to cut away any that they miss.